ByFusion is a start-up company founded in 2017 with the goal of combating the plastic waste contamination that is becoming overwhelming in landfills and spilling into the ocean. They are currently marketing a new product to municipalities, recycling facilities, and waste management operations. This product is the subject of the following report: ByBlock. ByBlock is the resulting product of a proprietary process carried out by the machine being marketed. The
output of the machine is a block designed to be able to replace cinder blocks in construction projects.The machine itself works by collecting plastic waste, shedding it into small pieces, distributing the shredded plastic into the ByBlock molds, and steam compressing the plastic to output the final block. This report is an analysis of the feasibility of implementing the production of ByBlock in Wausau using their local plastic waste. Wausau is not the first city to consider the possible benefits of including byBlock in their infrastructure. Tucson, Arizona started a pilot program for ByBlock in 2022.
This report will include an analysis of the material properties and structural integrity of the blocks, the chemical processes required to produce them, the economic impacts of the machine and surrounding infrastructure, as well as a general economic analysis of the plant and new product market. Finally the report will conclude with a final list of questions to consider in future analyses and a conclusion of the findings from the research done.
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