Stuff a bunch of plastic shopping bags into a toaster, and what do you get?

New Zealander Matthew Darby wondered just that, and three years later, with the help of two friends, he has a marketable answer: shipping pallets.

Along with business partners Hamish McCrostie and Byron Kelleher, Darby has patented a process called thermo-fusion, which basically melts and re-molds plastic waste into usable items like shipping pallets. 

Reflecting on the humble beginnings of thermo-fusion, Darby says, "I had a pile of plastic bags and I started playing around with melting them. I tried various kitchen appliances and then I hit upon the toasted sandwich maker because I could control the heat."

Best of all, the presence of mixed-grade or contaminated plastics – problematic for most plastic recycling schemes -- presents no obstacle to thermo-fusion. "We can take every piece of household plastic that is produced, silage wrap from farms, industrial waste as well,” says Darby.

These days, Darby and partners run Christchurch, New Zealand-based Range Industries, and are fielding inquires about thermo-fusion from all over the world.  To date, Range Industries has five companies lined up to purchase thermo-fusion machines, and has built three so far.

Read more at The Press New Zealand

Photo courtesy of Range Industries

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