A new student project, “Second Life,” has launched at our department.

A new student project called “2 Life” has been launched at the Department of Computer-Integrated Technologies, Automation, Robotics, and Safety Engineering (CITARSE) at NURE (Kharkiv National University of Radio Electronics). The project is organized under the auspices of the department’s 3D Club. It was conceived and developed by Maksym Cherkashyn, a student from group CITPMm-25-1, under the academic supervision of Sofiia Khrustalova, an Associate Professor at the department.

The primary goal of this initiative is to give a “second life” to used plastic and to promote the 3R principles (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) among the student community. The project demonstrates the practical application of a circular economy, where waste is transformed into a valuable resource for 3D printing.

The creation of a new product follows a closed-loop cycle:

sorting and cleaning used PET bottles;
producing custom rPET filament using a specialized device (a Plastic Bottle Recycling Machine);
designing and manufacturing functional household items and decorative objects.

Plastic pollution is one of the world’s most pressing issues: over 8 million tons of plastic waste enter the oceans annually, and PET bottles can take anywhere from 150 to 450 years to decompose.

Implementing plastic recycling at the university level yields a significant environmental impact:

recycling 1 ton of PET plastic saves approximately 1.5 tons of oil and reduces emissions by 70% compared to the production of virgin (new) plastic.
recycling just one bottle saves enough energy to power a light bulb for 6 hours.

The project directly contributes to achieving SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).

The project team has set clear practical and educational goals:

developing a custom-built system to extract filament from cut-up PET bottles;
manufacturing useful components and interior decor items (such as organizers, planters, stands, and toolboxes);
organizing a themed exhibition titled “2nd Life,” featuring 3D-printed exhibits and a charity auction to support the club’s activities and those of partner organizations;
establishing partnerships with companies in the 3D technology sector, hosting workshops, and facilitating future employment opportunities for students.

We invite all interested students to join the 3D Club at the CITARSE Department and work together to create a sustainable technological future!