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\title{Post Consumer Plastic Recycling in Maine, at the Bangor Makerspace}
\author{Eric Lovejoy    Director at large}
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\begin{abstract}
    The Bangor Makerspace is proud to collaborate with the  Natural Resource Council of Maine (NRCM) on diversion of plastics from the waste stream. Our Efforts include research and development of 3D printer filament recycling. The goal is to utilize 3d printer waste materials, and other PLA source plastics, to generate usable 3D printer filament.
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\section*{Introduction:}
Consumer 3D printers are a relatively recent phenomena. Affordable 3D printers have flooded the market, filament is inexpensive, and thousands of online communities exist, sharing skills, knowledge, techniques, and designs.  The process however is prone to errors, and substantial waste material may be generated. A 3d print may fail after hours of printing, or issues of preference, scale, refactoring, may arise. Some models of printers generate a certain amount of waste in an effort to clear the nozzle, change colors, or as a function of automated maintenance. This wastes is colloquially called poops, and will be refereed to as such here.
\section*{Time line:}
The Bangor Makerspace has purchased and assembled a commercial Artme Desktop Filament Extruder MK3 unit with funds provided by the NRCM Sustainable Maine program. Project completion was delayed in part due to missing parts when this item was purchased. Once all the components arrived, we began assembly. The Artme MK3 Desktop filament extruder required 3D printed plastic components. Printing of the components used 3+KG filament, and over a weeks time in printing.  Next the filament extruder required assembly, which took place over 5 days, of dedicated efforts from multiple makerspace member. I just want to point out that the Bangor Makerspace doesn't have employees; everything we do volunteer driven, and dependent on our memberships donation of time and effort.


\section*{Its done!}
While assembly is complete, fine tuning the process is likely going to be an on going project. Our Vice President George Moody is currently attempting to redeploy recycled 3D printer filament from this project.


\section*{Other Developments:}
The Bangor Makerspace has made some efforts at sorting plastics by color, this is however, still in development. The intent of sorting plastic waste by color is to generate filament of specific colors.

Ongoing research and development around grinding plastics into a uniform source material using a variety of tools. We have found a wheat grinder works particularly well, for grinding larger plastics into suitable particles for the Artme

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