The inspiring way to recycle your plastic lids
If you’re keen to make sure your recycling efforts get the best possible results an Australian non-for-profit company may have the solution for you.
Envision, an organisation dedicated to the “reduction of the carbon footprint through using up-cycled and recycled materials” focuses on helping children in special needs all around the world.
One of their current projects utilises used bottle caps and 3D printers to create plastic hands for children to use as mobility aids.
Sean Teer, one of the company’s directors, told Yahoo News Australia Envision creates the aids to “help and support people while they await medical intervention”.
The hands and arms are sent to people “in need in third world countries but we also support any present need for the need of a short term hand/arm locally”, their website says.
James Quinn, 4, from Melbourne, is among those to have benefitted from Envision’s work.
He was born with an incomplete hand but told News Corp that the one Envision made for him is “brilliant”.
Envision hopes to create 100 hands, but so far they have made a dozen.
It takes 250 lids to make a small hand, however with wastage approximately 500 lids end up being used.
The organisation has drop off points for bottle caps in every Australian state and Territory.
Mr Teer said he currently has a backlog of bottle caps and is focusing on collecting money for machines to create them.
Some collection points have withdrawn due to being “overwhelmed” with the sheer amount of caps.
Mr Teer added that means Envision can focus on “phase two” - speeding up the creation of hands and expanding its work.
“We’re looking at using Rotary clubs to expand our network and expand overseas,” he said.
“Those 100 hands will be a reality hopefully.”
To donate to Envision click here.
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