Hawai’i Pacific University’s Center for Marine Debris Research (CMDR) has launched the state’s first and only marine Plastic Recycling Research Facility (PRRF). The center hopes to convert the marine debris into durable products for local infrastructure, including construction materials for affordable housing in Hawai‘i.
As reported in a university news article CMDR has hauled in and processed more than 227,000 pounds of marine debris, mostly marine plastic from derelict fishing gear, including ghost nets and floats. Most of it is swept in from the North Pacific Garbage Patch and collected by partners on various neighbor islands or by the Hawai‘i Longline Association and other commercial fishers through the Bounty Project.
“These plastics drift from across the Pacific, accumulating in the North Pacific Gyre and eventually snagging on Hawai‘i’s fragile coral reefs before washing up on the shores,” HPU Environmental Scientist and CMDR Megaplastic Program Director Mafalda de Freitas, said in the article. “No Hawai‘i-based fishermen use the type of trawl nets we find; this debris is overwhelmingly foreign, underscoring the global nature of this issue.”
Up to twice a year, collected debris stored at partner sites on Kaua‘i, Maui, and Hawai‘i Island is transported in large shipping containers to CMDR’s warehouse. Volunteers, sort the debris by type and polymer. The center plans to install plastic recycling machinery to convert this debris into usable products in partnership with local businesses.
CMDR has collaborated with First Star Recycling in Omaha, Nebraska, to test converting fishing nets into 100% recycled plastic lumber that can be used for items like decking, fencing, and picnic benches. The team is also looking to explore innovative forms of manufacturing, including large format 3D printing, to create products that can be embedded in construction help address Hawai‘i’s affordable housing shortage.
CMDR has also partnered with a Kaua‘i-based contractor to develop innovative construction technologies such as “spider ties,” interlocking scaffolding structures that simplify concrete wall construction. The center’s “Nets-to-Roads” project incorporates shredded marine plastics into asphalt, creating road pavement. Plastic that cannot be recycled is incinerated to make electricity for te city and County of Honolulu.
“We want to continually experiment with new product formulations,” said de Freitas, mentioning future test ideas include combining recycled plastics with natural materials. “Every successful product brings us one step closer to a circular economy.”
