For Immediate Release: Check Out the Lakes Area Precious Plastic Lab at Summer Events

July 14, 2021 – Otter Tail County – The Lakes Area Precious Plastic Lab is hosting several events this summer where residents can come and learn about plastic waste and engage in some hands-on recycling and art! The Lakes Area Precious Plastic Lab is a plastic recycling makerspace located in the Otter Tail County Recycling Center that got started last year thanks to a Changemaker grant from West Central Initiative. The Plastic Lab has a shredder, compression oven, injection machine and molds, and extrusion machine that can be used to recycle waste plastic into objects like bowls, tiles, letters, or art.

Precious Plastic is a global community of recycling innovators that provide open-source designs for machines that can transform ordinary plastic waste items into useful products and art. Communities all over the world have Precious Plastic workshops where they collect plastic, shred plastic and create products from recycled plastic. The goal of Precious Plastic is to have people see plastic as the ‘precious’ resource that it is instead of something disposable by making durable and beautiful objects out of waste plastic.

There are multiple opportunities this summer to check out this unique and exciting new project! Learn how to injection mold a recycled plastic tile at pop-up events located at Springboard for the Arts and the New York Mills Cultural Center. Multiple area artists have been creating art and other items at the Plastic Lab which will be on display at the first public open house on August 10th.

POP-UP EVENTS – Make an injection molded tile! Thursday, July 15th from 5:00-8:00 at Springboard for the Arts Thursday, July 22nd from 5:00-8:00 at Springboard for the Arts Tuesday, August 3rd from 4:00-6:00 at the New York Mills Cultural Center

OPEN HOUSE – Machine demonstrations, make an injection molded tile, collaborative plastic art installation, and more! Tuesday, August 10th from 4:00 – 7:00 at the Otter Tail County Recycling Center (Project overview and artist introductions at 5:30 pm)

The Plastic Lab is available to use as a workspace for individuals who have competed an orientation session with staff. If you are interested in learning how to use the machines in the Plastic Lab, contact Cedar Walters at 218-998-8914 or [email protected]. For more information about this project visit ottertailcountymn.us/lakes-area-precious-plastic-mix-workspace/ or www.facebook.com/groups/lakesareapreciousplastic.

Press Contact Cedar Walters Public Information and Education Officer Otter Tail County Solid Waste 218-998-8914 [email protected]