Development of a PET Bottle Disposal System by Cutting Them into Strips

Abstract

Empty polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles have created a serious problem when they are disposed into open environment because they will not decay for a long time. This research is aimed at developing a waste management and recycling method for PET bottles. It will effectively reduce the volume of used empty PET bottles until the material is reused. A PET bottle cutter was developed to reduce the bulky empty space occupied by the bottles to a smaller volume, or smaller pieces. The process cuts a strip of PET, wind it on a spindle to reduce the space occupied by the empty PET bottle before storage, disposal or transportation. The aim of this work is to develop a cutter which will reduce the volume of commercially used PET bottles approximately by 90% and at the same time obtain a usable PET strip. The portable cutter is proposed to be used at the places of waste generation, which will reduce the garbage volume. The PET strip has several applications as it could be woven into a sheet or spun into a yarn due to its mechanical properties. The strip wined onto a bobbin can also be effectively transported to a PET recycling factory to reuse them for production of PET bottles.