This study has developed a recycling code model capable
of expansion as more complex 3-D printing materials are
E.J. Hunt et al. / Resources, Conservation and Recycling 97 (2015) 24–30 29
developed. In addition, this study developed and tested the OpenSCAD
scripts necessary to implement the system at the prosumer
level as recycling symbols are printed into products. The use
of this functionality was demonstrated in a wide selection of
products, polymer materials and mechanisms to be suitable for
most applications. Future work outlining the software changes
to make this system widespread by lateral scaling was provided.
In addition, to help both these distributed recycling system
and the conventional centralized recycling paradigm, policy suggestions
were outlined to align the societal and environmental
outcomes with economic incentives for corporations. Overall the
results showed that a far larger resin code identification system
can be adopted in the U.S. to expand distributed recycling
of polymers and manufacturing of plastic-based 3-D printed
products.