Design for Optical Sorter System Released to the Public
10/25/2024
Today MicroRecycling Systems released the design of its small-scale, inexpensive, portable optical sorter to the public domain, via the Precious Plastics community. The system, known as pS0, for 'portable sorter, model zero' is capable to sort 1 kg/hr. (upgradable to 6 kg/hr.) of fragments < 1 cm in size according to color and, if outfitted with our metal sensor, according to metal type.
Dr. Mario Urdaneta, CEO of MicroRecycling Systems, remarked that "this system is advanced to the point where it is ready to add value in the real world. unfortunately, we are unable to bring it to market". The hope is to spur innovation by opening up the design to the public. "We are proud of what we accomplished, and now we release it into the public".
Precious Plastics is a community-based organization whose mission is to reduce plastic waste through a combination of people, machines, platforms and knowledge to create an alternative global recycling system. This knowledge include designs for shredder, extruders, and other small-scale recycling machinery, which now includes an optical sorter.
The design files can be found in the Precious Plastics community website, under "Research", or through the link bellow.
https://community.preciousplastic.com/research/optical-sorter--source-files
Today MicroRecycling Systems released the design of its small-scale, inexpensive, portable optical sorter to the public domain, via the Precious Plastics community. The system, known as pS0, for 'portable sorter, model zero' is capable to sort 1 kg/hr. (upgradable to 6 kg/hr.) of fragments < 1 cm in size according to color and, if outfitted with our metal sensor, according to metal type.
Dr. Mario Urdaneta, CEO of MicroRecycling Systems, remarked that "this system is advanced to the point where it is ready to add value in the real world. unfortunately, we are unable to bring it to market". The hope is to spur innovation by opening up the design to the public. "We are proud of what we accomplished, and now we release it into the public".
Precious Plastics is a community-based organization whose mission is to reduce plastic waste through a combination of people, machines, platforms and knowledge to create an alternative global recycling system. This knowledge include designs for shredder, extruders, and other small-scale recycling machinery, which now includes an optical sorter.
The design files can be found in the Precious Plastics community website, under "Research", or through the link bellow.
https://community.preciousplastic.com/research/optical-sorter--source-files
Virginia Tech Students Receive Plastic Shredder from MicroRecycling Systems
8/7/2024
Today MicroRecycling Systems donated an industrial shredder for recycling plastic to Virginia Tech students, who will use it to develop low-cost house construction blocks out of post-consumer plastic waste. The effort is led by Marshall Thompson, a mechanical engineering sophomore at the renown university. Similar machines can cost $2,000 to 4,000, and are beyond the reach of many tinkerers. As the group of students took possession of the shredder, Mario Urdaneta, CEO of MicroRecycling Systems, noted how emerging talent in hardware and manufacturing specialties must be nurtured for it to thrive once again in the US. "Sometimes, this takes the form of a plastic shredder, and so we stood to the occasion", he said, before snapping a selfie (below) and waved the group a safe trip home.
Today MicroRecycling Systems donated an industrial shredder for recycling plastic to Virginia Tech students, who will use it to develop low-cost house construction blocks out of post-consumer plastic waste. The effort is led by Marshall Thompson, a mechanical engineering sophomore at the renown university. Similar machines can cost $2,000 to 4,000, and are beyond the reach of many tinkerers. As the group of students took possession of the shredder, Mario Urdaneta, CEO of MicroRecycling Systems, noted how emerging talent in hardware and manufacturing specialties must be nurtured for it to thrive once again in the US. "Sometimes, this takes the form of a plastic shredder, and so we stood to the occasion", he said, before snapping a selfie (below) and waved the group a safe trip home.
MicroRecycling Systems CEO , Mario Urdaneta, in Local Entrepreneurship Panel, WTOP
11/3/2023
Mario Urdaneta, PhD, CEO of MicroRecycling Systems, participated in a panel discussion sponsored by the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC), and covered by WTOP News. He was joined by Tracy Rausch, from DocBox, and John Mumm, from Deka Biosciences. Each of three panelists operated out of one of the three startup incubators supported by the Montgomery County, in Maryland, with much of this support done by Ruth Semple, director of the incubator network, and her team.
The panelists discussed various challenges related to technology startups, and ways the incubator supports them against those challenges. Dr. Urdaneta said “When you are developing and enabling technologies, you are asking your stakeholders to dream of a future that currently doesn’t exist,” Urdaneta said. “I have found a stark difference in the reaction from people when I tell them that I’m part of a Montgomery County incubator."
For more information visit the WTOP article here.
Mario Urdaneta, PhD, CEO of MicroRecycling Systems, participated in a panel discussion sponsored by the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC), and covered by WTOP News. He was joined by Tracy Rausch, from DocBox, and John Mumm, from Deka Biosciences. Each of three panelists operated out of one of the three startup incubators supported by the Montgomery County, in Maryland, with much of this support done by Ruth Semple, director of the incubator network, and her team.
The panelists discussed various challenges related to technology startups, and ways the incubator supports them against those challenges. Dr. Urdaneta said “When you are developing and enabling technologies, you are asking your stakeholders to dream of a future that currently doesn’t exist,” Urdaneta said. “I have found a stark difference in the reaction from people when I tell them that I’m part of a Montgomery County incubator."
For more information visit the WTOP article here.
MicroRecycling Systems Joins the Rockville Innovation Center Technology Startup Incubator
10/1/2022
Today MicroRecycling Systems formally moved its headquarters to join the Rockville Innovation Center, a business incubator sponsored by the Montgomery County, Maryland. There, MicroRecycling Systems will expand its operations thanks its new office and lab space, while also enjoying the business support and professional network of the Montgomery County Innovation Network. Ruth Semple, director of the Rockville Innovation Center wrote that “we look forward to supporting your continued success”.
Rockville is located along the I-270 corridor, the home of a wide range of technology companies, from startups like MRS to giants like Lockheed Martin and the National Institutes of Health, thus provides access to some of the best talent and infrastructure on earth.
Today MicroRecycling Systems formally moved its headquarters to join the Rockville Innovation Center, a business incubator sponsored by the Montgomery County, Maryland. There, MicroRecycling Systems will expand its operations thanks its new office and lab space, while also enjoying the business support and professional network of the Montgomery County Innovation Network. Ruth Semple, director of the Rockville Innovation Center wrote that “we look forward to supporting your continued success”.
Rockville is located along the I-270 corridor, the home of a wide range of technology companies, from startups like MRS to giants like Lockheed Martin and the National Institutes of Health, thus provides access to some of the best talent and infrastructure on earth.
MicroRecycling Systems and Diproinduca Enter Funding Agreement
03/01/2022
MicroRecycling Systems and Diproinduca have entered a pre-seed funding agreement to evaluate the viability of MicroRecycling’s technologies and their markets. Diproinduca specializes in industrial by-product management and recycling, and has developed unique know-how to recover and handle by-products, with a focus on turning industrial waste into assets as raw materials. Luis Salazar, senior manager at Diproinduca, wrote that “we have optimism and excitement about this opportunity”. The agreement is expected to take place over the next 6 months.
MicroRecycling Systems and Diproinduca have entered a pre-seed funding agreement to evaluate the viability of MicroRecycling’s technologies and their markets. Diproinduca specializes in industrial by-product management and recycling, and has developed unique know-how to recover and handle by-products, with a focus on turning industrial waste into assets as raw materials. Luis Salazar, senior manager at Diproinduca, wrote that “we have optimism and excitement about this opportunity”. The agreement is expected to take place over the next 6 months.
Mario Urdaneta Appears in NPR’s Planet Money
03/17/2021
CEO of MicroRecycling Systems, Mario Urdaneta, made an appearance in the economics radio show Planet Money, aired on National Public Radio. Dr. Urdaneta participated in the show as he proposed licensing the spokesperson’s rights to MicroFace, a comic book character discussed in the show in the context of trademark economics.
The character’s name and the fact that it possesses an electronic mask, a good example of a product that is hard to recycle, made Dr. Urdaneta see an opportunity as spokesperson for the company. “In the end, they favored consumer products rather than sponsorship deals”, said Dr. Urdaneta, “which makes sense given it’s a radio show”. Still, hosts of the show, Kenny Malone and Joseph Smith, liked their interview with Dr. Urdaneta and included it in the show. The episode, "A super here sells out", is the 4th in the series on copyrights and trademarks, and it aired on April 23rd, 2021 on 89.9FM in the Was-DC area, and throughout the country. It is available for streaming at NPR's Planet Money.
CEO of MicroRecycling Systems, Mario Urdaneta, made an appearance in the economics radio show Planet Money, aired on National Public Radio. Dr. Urdaneta participated in the show as he proposed licensing the spokesperson’s rights to MicroFace, a comic book character discussed in the show in the context of trademark economics.
The character’s name and the fact that it possesses an electronic mask, a good example of a product that is hard to recycle, made Dr. Urdaneta see an opportunity as spokesperson for the company. “In the end, they favored consumer products rather than sponsorship deals”, said Dr. Urdaneta, “which makes sense given it’s a radio show”. Still, hosts of the show, Kenny Malone and Joseph Smith, liked their interview with Dr. Urdaneta and included it in the show. The episode, "A super here sells out", is the 4th in the series on copyrights and trademarks, and it aired on April 23rd, 2021 on 89.9FM in the Was-DC area, and throughout the country. It is available for streaming at NPR's Planet Money.
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MicroRecycling Systems Submits Comments on EPA’s National Recycling Strategy
10/29/2020.
Today MicrorRecycling Systems submitted comments to the EPA on its proposed National Recycling Strategy. In a letter addressed to the EPA, CEO Mario Urdaneta, calls for a 10-fold increase in the funding of R&D and stressed the need to further develop scrap markets.
“As an innovative recycling technology company, we are interested in the growth of the scrap industry in support of the Nation's manufacturing, economic, and environmental health”, said Dr. Urdaneta in the letter. And while critical of specific aspects of the draft plan, he pointed that overall “the strategy presented by EPA supports these goals”. The formal comment submitted by MicroRecycling Systems can be found here. The proposed National Strategy (EPA-HQ-OLEM-2020-0462) will remain open for comment from 10/5/2020 to 12/4/2020.
10/25/2022 update: The EPA released the National Recycling Strategy implementation plan.
Today MicrorRecycling Systems submitted comments to the EPA on its proposed National Recycling Strategy. In a letter addressed to the EPA, CEO Mario Urdaneta, calls for a 10-fold increase in the funding of R&D and stressed the need to further develop scrap markets.
“As an innovative recycling technology company, we are interested in the growth of the scrap industry in support of the Nation's manufacturing, economic, and environmental health”, said Dr. Urdaneta in the letter. And while critical of specific aspects of the draft plan, he pointed that overall “the strategy presented by EPA supports these goals”. The formal comment submitted by MicroRecycling Systems can be found here. The proposed National Strategy (EPA-HQ-OLEM-2020-0462) will remain open for comment from 10/5/2020 to 12/4/2020.
10/25/2022 update: The EPA released the National Recycling Strategy implementation plan.
MicroRecycling Systems Team Participates in NSF I-Corps Startup Bootcamp Program
5/3/2019
Over the last few weeks three members of the MRS team have been participating in the renowned I-Corps program designed for scientists and engineers to discover customers as integral part of the innovation process. The course is taking place from the George Washington University I-Corps node, and entails obtaining and carrying scores of interviews with potential customers, lots of cold-calls, and many, many hang-ups. And of course, mindful coaching from the GW-I-Corp instructors to make sense of all the lessons learned.
“For all the depth of our technical expertise, we must listen and be in touch with what our customers need”, said Mario Urdaneta, CEO of MicroRecycling Systems.
Over the last few weeks three members of the MRS team have been participating in the renowned I-Corps program designed for scientists and engineers to discover customers as integral part of the innovation process. The course is taking place from the George Washington University I-Corps node, and entails obtaining and carrying scores of interviews with potential customers, lots of cold-calls, and many, many hang-ups. And of course, mindful coaching from the GW-I-Corp instructors to make sense of all the lessons learned.
“For all the depth of our technical expertise, we must listen and be in touch with what our customers need”, said Mario Urdaneta, CEO of MicroRecycling Systems.
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MicroRecycling Systems Joins Clean-Tech Incubator Potential Energy D. C.
3/14/2019
Today MicroRecycling Systems joined clean-tech incubator Potential Energy D. C., or PEDC, an organization that provides training, networking, access to investors, and more to startups in the DC metro area. Dave McCarthy, PEDC’s founder and president, said that their organization’s logo “has three colors in it: red, representing entrepreneurial passion; blue, representing public resources and policy; and green, for the money of course. Because you need all three to come together to push these companies forward. That is what we do at PEDC.” Upcoming training by PEDC include cashflow analysis and marketing basics.
Today MicroRecycling Systems joined clean-tech incubator Potential Energy D. C., or PEDC, an organization that provides training, networking, access to investors, and more to startups in the DC metro area. Dave McCarthy, PEDC’s founder and president, said that their organization’s logo “has three colors in it: red, representing entrepreneurial passion; blue, representing public resources and policy; and green, for the money of course. Because you need all three to come together to push these companies forward. That is what we do at PEDC.” Upcoming training by PEDC include cashflow analysis and marketing basics.
