3D Printing and Sustainability
I've been selling 3D-printed spindles (made by Turtlemade) since 2018, and I recently bought a 3D-printer so that I could start printing Cat & Sparrow tools in-house. This has two main advantages – it reduces the carbon footprint created by purchasing items from overseas, and it means that I can print on demand, reducing waste.
Sustainability and the environment is important to me personally, and in my business practices. In our household, we try to minimise the use of single-use plastic. We use bars of soap and solid shampoo in the bathroom, environmentally responsible loo roll (I will not give you my general thoughts on loo roll here), and refillable, natural cleaning products. We are lucky that we are able to recycle all our soft plastics, and I get a veg box with limited, paper packaging. Our milk is delivered in glass bottles, which are then returned for refilling. I realise that all of this is a privilege, and I'm not judging anybody for using whatever they need to use. I'm just explaining how we work in our house.
So, how I can reconcile my commitment to sustainability with the use of plastics in 3D printing? It's a very good question, and it's one that I think about A LOT. This blog post is here to tell you the truth about the plastic I use, and how and why I use it.
What is PLA?
PLA (polylactic acid) is a bioplastic, which means it is produced from sustainable, plant-based sources like cornstarch and sugar cane. They have a significantly lower carbon footprint than petroleum-based plastics, they produce much lower levels of greenhouse gases, and they are biodegradable (with caveats - see below). Bioplastic production does have its downsides, including water-intensive agriculture and land use, and the impacts of those vary depending on where the crops are farmed. However, on balance, PLA has a significantly lower environmental impact than traditional plastics.
Is PLA biodegradable?
The short answer is 'yes'. The longer and more nuanced answer is 'in certain circumstances'. In general, PLA will not degrade in your compost bin, and it can last for many years if it makes its way into landfill. PLA can be easily recycled (by turning it into new filament) and it is biodegradable in industrial composting facilities. If you want to dispose of your PLA, let me know (see below).
What about waste and disposal?
The bulk of PLA's environmental impact is related to its disposal. When it is used in food packaging, it often finds its way into compost or landfill, which is a real problem.
Because the products I print are not intended to be used a few times and then disposed of, like milk bottles or coffee pods, I am not concerned about them finding their way into traditional waste processing. These tools are designed to last, and they will if you don't leave them outside in all weathers.
There is always some waste in the printing process (failed prints, support, etc.), but all my PLA waste is put into a large black box in my office, and when that box is full, I will pack it up and send it to this company for recycling or industrial composting.
How should you dispose of your PLA?
If you have bought a tool from me and it breaks (or melts, like the arm of my spindle did when I put it right next to my hot cup of tea), whether it be a spindle, niddy noddy, plying tool or other 3D printed products, you can send it back to me, and I will add it to my recycling box. I will also replace broken parts free of charge (except for a small postage fee). These tools are pretty robust and, as far as I'm aware, this hasn't happened yet, but I'm ready if it does.
To sum up
In short, PLA and other bioplastics are not perfect. However, they have a much lower environmental impact than traditional plastics, and they are created using sustainable sources. As production of bioplastics evolves, we are likely to see much more agricultural waste used in their creation, reducing the environmental impact further.
The products I create are not flimsy, and they have specific, long-term uses. They are unlikely to be casually disposed of. I am very careful with my waste management, and being able to print items on demand reduces a great deal of waste.
If you have any questions or concerns, let me know! I'm always happy to chat!