Cunanan, Nathan T.

Plastic Bottle Crusher

Fully Automatic Plastic Bottle Crusher

Plastic pollution has surfaced to be one of the most alarming issues as years goes by,

where plastic bottles are major patrons to the matter in question. The creations and brainstorming

of solutions regarding this issue have been very evident as scientists brought the topic where

plastics will continue to give a negative effect as time passes by.

The production and consumption of single-used plastics that are rapidly increasing have

triggered a pressing ecological imbalance. Landfills, Oceans, and the ecosystem have been

besieged by plastic waste; increasing plastic pollution in the environment. The global plastic

pollution crisis has emerged to a critical juncture, demanding innovative ways to not only

suppress the proliferation of plastic waste but also streamline the recycling process.

Plastic bottles are used for beverages, packaging water and other products. They are

affordable, convenient, and portable making them essential and are always bought by consumers

day by day. The increased usage of plastic bottles in daily lives of humans has emerged as a

result of a staggering increase of plastic waste. These bottles, which are often used once and

discarded, linger in the environment and cause harm to ecosystems and human health. The

ascending growth in plastic production and disposal has raised concern worldwide, making it

essential to find effective solutions.

Recycling of plastic bottles is a well-known solution worldwide but it limits its

effectiveness by various reasons, including contamination and limited recycling framework in

many countries. As a result, plastic bottles are often seen and thrown at landfills, persisting in the

environment for years.

According to a study from the University of Toronto, crushing plastic bottles into a

smaller volume can increase their recyclability to as high as 90%. The data provided showed that

the crushing of plastic bottles will increase the recyclability of plastic and can be used more

efficiently. Hence, the introduction of the “Plastic Bottle Crusher'' is a brand new solution that

initiates a new alternative for increased recycling.

Automatic plastic bottle crushers immerse a range of advanced mechanisms, including

sensors, motors, hydraulic systems, to streamline the recycling process. Humans simply input a

plastic bottle in the machine and automatically crushes it, shaping it into a compact and

recyclable material. This will not only save time but will also encourage humans to engage in

recycling without much effort.

A crusher is a machinery outlined to reduce large solid material objects into a smaller

volume, or small-scale pieces. Crushers may be utilized to reduce the size, or alter the form, of

materials so they can be more efficiently used in the purpose aimed to be (Yeshwant et al,.

2014).Thus, the plastic bottle crusher also involves the means of reducing the amount of space

that the plastic bottles occupy that is needed for human activities.

The mechanism of this product requires a greater understanding of underlying knowledge

about prototypes. This machine will require many components such as a pneumatic cylinder that

requires a valve and air compressor for it to generate, an arduino uno to program the whole

mechanism of the pneumatic cylinder and the two rotor motors at each side of a hollow pipe that

will be used in throwing the water contained plastic bottle in a container to avoid the destruction

of the device.
 The creation of this machine also aims to improve the Manual Aluminum Can Crusher of

Jesse M. Wright in 1937, but did not get it patented until August 30, 1938. Most humans don't

have the strength to manually crush plastic bottles; thus, the researchers made it automated for

easy human use.

The implementation of this prototype will be of use to lessen the increasing used plastic

bottles in schools. This will also prevent the process of burning plastic bottles that involves

plastic pollution. By limiting the space that the plastic bottles occupy, students will have more

space in their classrooms and thus, it will help the classroom look more clean and organized.

This prototype also has a substantial benefit where it contributes to energy saving and resource

conservation.

Crushed plastic bottles are less likely to be contaminated, resulting in a more suitable

recycling process and will undoubtedly increase recycling rates. Reducing the numbers of plastic

bottles in landfills to avoid littering and to lessen pollution. The crushed plastic bottles will also

have economic benefits by reducing waste disposal cost in municipalities.

Therefore, it is essential to study the mechanism, effectiveness, and usefulness of plastic

bottle crushers. The implementation of this machine will not only benefit the environment, but

will also benefit the economic and technological development of municipalities.

Nonetheless, this prototype will undergo an evaluation for the most suitable power source

for this machine and its capacity and efficiency will also be assessed if it will crush the plastic

bottles more effectively. The researchers will measure the crusher’s efficiency when it comes to

energy consumption. This machine will also require a thorough understanding of its mechanism

to assess how easy it is to clean, replace worn parts and performing a maintenance routine. This

machine will also measure the noise and vibration levels during the operation to identify if they
are within acceptable limits, considering the environmental impacts related to the machine; such

as noise pollution.

Regardless of this concept having not been tested by many and is currently new to being

one of the innovative solutions regarding plastic pollution, plastic waste management, and

recycling processes, the researchers believes that this study, will be a great asset to municipalities

and will offer a brand new solution for the lingering predicament constantly going on throughout

the years.