2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Sustainability has become a part of our everyday lives, and we are affected as members of the plastics industry as well as consumers. What can we do and what has been done to minimize or recycle plastic waste? Plastics have garnered a negative reputation over recent years due to the growing rate of plastic waste found in the environment.

This paper will focus on how faculty from the Plastics Engineering Technology program will be developing modules throughout the curriculum to focus on sustainability at each stage of the product’s life cycle. Materials, part and mold design, testing and processing courses will include content that brings awareness to the importance of creating a sustainable mindset. This initiative is part of the Training for Improving Plastics Circularity grant received from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) through the Department of Commerce.