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PlasticWorks is an innovative project to bring our community together to address our plastic problem. Our R&D lab is housed in a shipping container in Garden City and includes machinery to shred, extrude, and mold discarded plastic into “up cycled” products. It will offer public demonstrations, R&D product testing for interested organizations, and volunteer opportunities for interested community members.

Founded by Oliver Russell and Humanista, a social purpose consultancy, PlasticWorks is an imaginative, community-based model for how we can and must rethink business.
Inspired by the open-source plans from Precious Plastic, PlasticWorks Boise is housed in a shipping container outside Corridor Surf Shop and will offer demonstrations, a collection site, and volunteer opportunities for interested community members.

WE CAN'T DO IT ALONE

Working with community partners, PlasticWorks is a for-profit business that expects to make money and leave a positive impact on society through upcycling plastics.

WE COLLECT PLASTICS

Plastic is everywhere, and less than 10% of it is recycled in the United States. Part of the problem with the status quo of plastics is that 40% is designed for single use. PlasticWorks will collect our community’s plastic and create imaginative new products for sale.

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WE TRANSFORM PLASTICS

Plastic doesn’t have to be waste. In fact, it’s a precious material that can be repurposed through simple machines that shred, extrude, and inject the material into useful treasures.

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WE CRAFT PLASTICS

PlasticWorks is a social impact lab operated by Humanista. Right now, we are testing making coasters, floor tiles, and flower pots from recycled plastic.

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FOLLOW OUR JOURNEY

Our #plastic upcycling factory has a new home @_oliverrussell_
Huge thank you to @corridor_surf_shop for giving us a home over the fall/winter + all the help with buildout!
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#plasticworks #stopsingleuseplastic #earthdayeveryday #upcycle #containerlife

@boisecoop rode some plastics down for us to #upcycle in the machines! Stay tuned with what we make. .
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#repurpose #plasticpollution #sustainability #boisecoop #communitypowered #pedalpoweredplasticdropoff #preciousplastic

The extruder is headed in for a few updates! Stay tuned to see what we can make next.
#repurpose #sustainability #upcycle #rethinkplastic #plasticworks

Making tiles from #2 HPDE plastic. .
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#design #repurpose #upcycle #plasticworks #sustainability #reducewaste

We are excited to have Chris Dagher join the PlasticWorks team as an intern in the spring. Chris is currently a student at @boisestateuniversity and will be helping us in machine operations and production. Welcome to the Team!

#endplasticpollution #upcycle #bethechange #preciousplastic #sustainable #reuse #eco

Testing molds on the Extrusion Machine with @corridor_surf_shop .
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#plasticworks #preciousplastic #stopsingleuseplastic #endplasticpollution #upcycle

STAY IN THE KNOW

Be the first to know when volunteer opportunities are available, learn about new product launches, and get updates on factory tours and presentations.