Competition seeks best innovative and sustainable product designs using 100% recycled polystyrene
28 October 2009
To mark the launch of its new 100% recycled polystyrene sheet product - Axfoil - Axion Polymers has launched a design competition with a £500 cash prize to find the best innovative and sustainable product design using its sheet or Axpoly compound.
In the first competition of its kind organised by the company, the winner will also have the opportunity to work with Axion Polymers on developing and taking their successful design to market.
Axion is seeking designs for a novel household product with mass market appeal that could be manufactured from its Axfoil or Axpoly products, which are derived from 100% recycled refrigerator plastic, TV casings or post-consumer electronic games consoles. Entries must be submitted by January 8th 2010.
Ideas could be completely unique or based on improving an existing product on the market, but the crucial element is that they embody the ‘green’ credentials and environmental profile of the material.
“Environmental impact, sustainability and potential for energy-savings are key considerations and of increasing importance for designers,” comments Axion director Keith Freegard. “Legislation, such as the European Eco-Design Directive 2005/32/EC aimed at the environmentally-friendly design of energy-using products, and its recent extension to include items with an indirect impact on energy use, such as windows, construction and water-using products, requires designers to consider these issues.”
He continues: “A product made from 100% recycled plastic, such as Axpoly, that can be recycled at the end of its useful life, will have an immediate environmental advantage; saving 90% of CO2 emissions in its initial manufacture and reducing carbon impact over the product’s lifecycle. It’s an exciting and progressive concept!”
Axion Polymers produces high-quality recycled plastics to ISO 9000 quality-controlled standards and from traceable sources at its purpose-built facility in Salford. All materials are fully recyclable, enabling items made from them to ‘close the recycling loop’. Axpoly compounds, available in a range of colours, can be extruded or thermoformed and Axfoil sheet can be readily thermoformed in a variety of widths or thicknesses.
Keith adds: “Axfoil is a new product, so we are fascinated to see what can be made from it. Our customers use Axpoly grades to make products as diverse as horticultural pots, office letter trays, parts for domestic electrical goods and even camera parts. With that in mind, we’re looking forward to receiving some really imaginative product ideas.”
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