As we all know, there are far too many plastics in our world and unlike most materials, plastics do not readily break down. It is estimated that plastic takes 500 to 1000 years to decompose. Only about nine percent of plastic in the United States is recycled.

These horrifying facts were a driving force behind a project envisioned and carried out by students at Texas State University in San Marcos, TX. They designed and built a system where members of the university community can bring their used plastic items, shred them, melt them down and create new useful items.