Nov 19, 2021 20:00:00

Introducing 'Plastic Scanner' that can scan plastic waste and instantly determine whether it can be sorted

When separating garbage, it is especially difficult to identify plastic garbage. There are various types of plastic, such as

polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), and polypropylene (PP), and can they be incinerated or recycled depending on the material? Please do not. The 'Plastic Scanner ' has been developed, which allows you to analyze the material by simply holding it over such plastic waste.

Plastic Scanner. | Plastic Scanner.
https://plasticscanner.com/

You can see what kind of item Plastic Scanner is by watching the following movie.

Introducing the plastic scanner-YouTube


Plastic is often used in a variety of products because it is inexpensive, easy to process, and durable. However, since it is basically not decomposed by microorganisms, it must be reused or incinerated.

In addition, there are various types of plastic, and whether or not they can be recycled depends on the material. General plastic products are marked as recyclable as shown below ...

However, some plastic waste is not marked.

If it is not marked, it will be very difficult to separate garbage.

In such a case, you can easily sort plastic waste by using Plastic Scanner.

Plastic Scanner uses

near-infrared spectroscopy, which irradiates plastic waste with infrared light with a wavelength of 850 nm to 1650 nm and reads the reflected light to analyze the material of plastic waste in a non-destructive and non-contact manner.

A smartphone-sized handheld type of Plastic Scanner has been released, and in the future, a type that can be used on the factory line will also appear.

Plastic Scanner is developed in open source, and schematics and programs are published on

Wikifactory. Also, a kit for self-assembling will be released.

This Plastic Scanner was developed as part of a research project by Jerry de Voss, a graduate student at Delft University of Technology, as part of his master's thesis. Mr. De Voss said that he was able to finish the master's course with a high evaluation of 9 out of 10 points, but he said that he intends to proceed with the development of Plastic Scanner as it is without finishing the project. ..