Project Seafood is a groundbreaking plastic recycling venture founded by Swiss innovators Fabian Wyss and Jennifer Gadient. This pioneering couple has developed a mobile digital plastics recycling solution to address the escalating global plastic pollution crisis affecting our oceans and coastlines.
Mobile Recycling Laboratory Technology
Their innovative mobile recycling fab lab features cutting-edge equipment including:
- Industrial plastic shredders for waste processing
- Noztek plastic extruders for filament production
- Ultimaker 3D printers for manufacturing finished products
The duo traveled their mobile recycling unit along Spain’s Mediterranean coastline to Morocco, collecting washed-up household plastic waste and transforming it into functional 3D printed surf products.
Addressing Ocean Plastic Pollution
Every day, millions of tons of consumer plastics enter our oceans through improper disposal and inadequate waste management systems. Ocean currents carry this plastic debris across vast distances, eventually depositing it on beaches worldwide. These discarded plastics, designed for durability, can persist in marine environments for up to 700 years without natural decomposition.
Project Seafood intervenes in this environmental crisis by collecting robust ocean plastics and repurposing them into permanent, functional surf products through advanced recycling technology.
HDPE Bottle Cap Recycling Process
The project specializes in transforming High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) waste, primarily sourced from discarded bottle caps. Their sustainable recycling workflow includes:
- Collection and Cleaning: Thorough washing of collected plastic bottle caps
- Shredding: Converting waste into small, manageable plastic granules
- Extrusion: Processing granules through Noztek extruders to create 100% recycled plastic filament
- 3D Printing: Manufacturing surf products using Ultimaker 3D printers fed with recycled filament
Field Testing and Durability Results
After six months of continuous operation in challenging outdoor environments—including remote beaches and mobile campsites—all recycling equipment demonstrated exceptional durability. Despite exposure to harsh coastal conditions, the machinery survived with only minor cosmetic damage, validating the viability of mobile plastic recycling operations.
Innovation Challenges and Future Development
While Project Seafood launched as a proof-of-concept initiative without established precedents, Fabian and Jennifer successfully developed reproducible workflows and quality standards through extensive field experimentation. Although the manual-intensive process currently yields limited production volumes, their pioneering work establishes a foundation for scalable mobile plastic recycling solutions.
The innovative approach demonstrated by Project Seafood promises to inspire expanded applications in environmental sustainability and circular economy initiatives worldwide.
Learn More About Project Seafood
Discover the full story of this revolutionary plastic recycling initiative:
- Website: www.projectseafood.com
- Documentary Video: Project Seafood Journey
Keywords: plastic recycling, ocean plastic pollution, mobile recycling, HDPE recycling, 3D printing, sustainable manufacturing, Noztek extruder, environmental innovation, circular economy