The project consists of the definition, optimization and standardization of a circular production process for the realization of projects that valorize plastic waste inclusive of residues of materials-others (e.g., aluminum, tetrapak, paper, PP, HDPE), without requiring sorting at origin.

The process is highly innovative; in fact, it is not an already codified processuality: if normally plastics are recycled with a preliminary sequence of splitting/sorting, shredding and granulation that has a not inconsiderable economic cost that, often, negatively impacts the final recycling, the process experimented with the research "Urban CAPitols" instead provides that the material is not split and pre-sorted, but includes (and valorizes) also inhomogeneous components with respect to plastic.

The result was to obtain a recycled plastic neo-material with high aesthetic, emotional and narrative properties, as well as technical and performance properties.

The exhibition will present the first slabs made with this innovative material: a transformed plastic, characterized by a marble aesthetic, within which the waste finds new life by transforming itself sometimes into a binder, sometimes into points of light given by the residual aluminum, and sometimes into unpredictable shades determined by the graphics present in the plastic containers of origin.

CREDITS

Research sponsored by

CAP Group

Scientific managers of the research

Barbara Di Prete - Department of Design, Politecnico di Milano

Agnese Rebaglio - Department of Design, Politecnico di Milano

Curatorial project curated by

Davide Crippa - Republic of Design

Exhibition project

Davide Stanga - Department of Design, Politecnico di Milano

Technical partner

Design Differente - designdifferente.it

Vertical fablab on the themes of circular economy