100% made with recycled plastic from PET bottles
Tukuna is participating in the #HackingCOVID19ec initiative, transforming plastic bottles into filament for 3D printing. This filament is used to produce face shields that later on are donated to hospitals in the city of Quito, in Ecuador, one of the countries most affected by this virus.
These face shields are made from 100% recycled PET bottles. One of the main types of solid waste generated worldwide is from plastic bottles. In Ecuador, according to the Ministry of Environment (MAE), about 1.400 million of bottles each year are discarded and only 1% of these waste is recycled.
By transforming PET bottles into filament for 3D printing, TUKUNA creates a circular model, where plastic is recycled locally, avoiding logistic cost and the impact of transportation, through this close-loop production contributes to achieve a more sustainable planet.
Tukuna started as an option to tackle social and environmental issues, due to the actual situation it has adapted to produce first-order material essential to protect the medical workers whom are in the front line most exposed to the virus. The face shields covers the whole face and it can be reused. Donations are made under safety and security regulations with cleaning processes at all times.
Tukuna uses designed machines and were built by the team based on an innovative project called Precious Plastic. Furthermore, it had also worked with an international NGO called ROMP (Range of Motion Project), dedicated to elaborate prosthesis with 3D printing. (www.tukunarecicla.com).
