Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Giving packaging a new life.

After watching the 7 prescribed videos I have gained more insight and knowledge in the recycling methods of different materials. Understanding how the waste is separated and sorted out with a number of sorting methods which are selected for each material made me realize the complexity of the recycling procedure. Each method of separation is exclusive to the material that is being recycled, for example metal is picked up by a magnet, composites are picked up by infrared technology which them separates the material in two and paper is turned into slurry when it is shredded and soaked in water baths. This makes the process more systematic and efficient and the process is always being updated and refined with new technology.

The product life cycle is also well demonstrated in this video swiftly and concise. It mentioned in one of the videos that at the beginning of the 90’s there was no suitable way of recycling plastic and the only way to get rid of it was to put it into an incinerator and burn it. I’m glad they found a solution to their recycling dilemma, a solution that made the material more reliable, credible and efficient after its use, since it can be reused on an ongoing cycle for development of other products.

Learning about the different stages and different element of recycling is crucial and important at this stage of industrial design. With the knowledge gathered designers can focus on the life of the product along with its efficiency of being recycled without leaving a mark on the environment.

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