Climate change is still an undeniable reality. Although literature on the subject recognizes that the Earth’s climate has undergone variations in the past, the current rate of change is increasing at a rate that is largely due to anthropogenic causes. The increasing rate is characterized by major effects, which include mega-droughts, long summer seasons, and increased temperature fluctuations. Pollution, which comes in the form of air, water, soil, light, and noise, is one of the causes of the increasing rate of climate change. In Chile, 11.4% of the total amount of waste is made up of plastics, polluting the ecosystems where they collect. To address this issue, several reuse methods have been developed and supported by modern technology. This study aims to conduct a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the environmental impact of plastic waste in recent years in the metropolitan region of Santiago (Chile), evaluating whether its reuse as Three-Dimensional (3D) printer filament effectively reduces pollution. If results are positive, large-scale implementation of plastic-collection centers could extend the material’s life cycle, promote sustainable production, and generate new economic opportunities.
Rojas et al. (Thu,) studied this question.