The Eco-Cycle AI Plastic Recycling Bin is a desktop-sized robotic system designed to solve the growing problem of plastic waste in schools and maker spaces. While schools embrace digital fabrication tools like 3D printers, they generate significant waste from failed prints and single-use plastic bottles. Eco-Cycle transforms this liability into a teachable, sustainable asset by using smart automation to recycle waste on-site into new, functional products.

The system automates the entire recycling process. First, an integrated shredder reduces plastic waste (PET, HDPE) into small, uniform granules. These granules are then automatically fed into a heating chamber, where a closed-loop control system—managed by an Arduino Mega microcontroller—heats the plastic to its precise melting point (e.g., 240°C for PET) using a nichrome wire heater and a MAX6675 thermocouple for feedback. A software-implemented PID algorithm ensures stable, safe temperatures. Once melted, a motorized push rod injects the molten plastic into interchangeable aluminum molds to create useful items like cafeteria spoons, coasters, or drawer knobs.

What makes Eco-Cycle novel is its integration of IoT for education and transparency. A custom mobile app, built with MIT App Inventor, communicates with the bin via Bluetooth. Students and teachers can monitor the internal temperature, track the amount of plastic recycled, and control the shredder and heater remotely. This turns a waste processing machine into a live data dashboard, connecting the physical act of recycling to the digital world of environmental analytics.

The potential benefits are threefold: environmental, educational, and economic. Environmentally, it diverts plastic from landfills and incinerators by creating a closed-loop, circular economy within the school. Educationally, it serves as a cross-curricular STEM tool, teaching students about thermodynamics, embedded systems, and sustainable design. Economically, it reduces a school's operational costs by providing a free source of basic supplies while eliminating waste disposal fees.

This project demonstrates that sustainable automation is not just for large factories. Eco-Cycle is an affordable, scalable solution that empowers communities to take direct action against plastic pollution using the principles of AI and robotics. Its low-cost, open-source design ensures it can be replicated and improved upon globally.