MIT scientists developed a way to turn discarded plastic into strong building materials

A new MIT-backed company is turning discarded plastic into structural parts for buildings and infrastructure. Atlas Building Composites has developed an AI-powered robotic manufacturing platform that shreds single-use plastic, melts it, and fuses it with American-made fiberglass. The resulting composite is then formed into parts such as foundations, decks, and trusses using large-scale 3D printing. According to MIT News, the company has already supplied recycled composite trusses for a 40-foot bridge built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in a Massachusetts wetland. The system also uses waterless recycling, allowing low-grade plastic to be processed without the water and permitting needs linked to conventional recycling facilities.How is MIT’s Atlas turning plastic waste into building materialsAtlas Building Composites uses a system that combines plastic recycling with large additive manufacturing. Single-use plastic from water bottles and other objects is first shredded and fed into the system. The plastic is then melted and fused with American-made fiberglass, producing a composite that is stronger than wood. A large 3D printer forms the material into structural components. Th...