Plastic Recycling with 3D Printers in the Simien Mountains National Park of Ethiopia

Recycling plastic effectively remains a pertinent issue in the overall fight against plastic pollution. One solution to tackle recycling issues is local, small-scale recycling facilities. An example small-scale recycling pipeline by the Simien Mountains National Park in Ethiopia is discussed alongside the potential benefits of implementing 3D printing with recycled plastic to the pipeline. A prototype modified 3D printer based on a pellet extruder design was made with the intention to 3D print with recycled PET plastic flakes. While the initial prototype did not function as intended due to issues with the extrusion screw and heating block, recommendations are made for future iterations of the design.