{"692183":{"#nid":"692183","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Opens Trash Lab to Turn Campus Waste Into New Possibilities","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENew IPaT makerspace combines advanced recycling technology, hands-on learning, and sustainability innovation.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EBeginning this fall, Georgia Tech students, faculty, and staff will have a new way to rethink waste. The \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/ipat\u0022\u003EInstitute for People and Technology\u003C\/a\u003E (IPaT) is opening the Trash Lab, a makerspace in Room S27 of the Technology Square Research Building dedicated to plastic recycling, upcycling, and circular-economy innovation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the heart of the new lab is the miniTrashpresso, a compact recycling and manufacturing system developed by the sustainability technology company \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.miniwiz.com\/\u0022\u003EMiniwiz\u003C\/a\u003E. The machine can take used plastics and other waste materials, process them locally, and transform them into new products in less than five minutes. By bringing manufacturing and recycling together in a single system, the Trash Lab aims to give the Georgia Tech community a way to explore sustainable design, material reuse, and the future of circular manufacturing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe launch of IPaT\u2019s new Trash Lab represents an exciting step forward for sustainability at Georgia Tech,\u201d said Jennifer Chirico, associate vice president of Sustainability. \u201cAs a living-learning lab, it provides students and researchers with hands-on opportunities to work alongside campus operations, turning used plastics into valuable new products and creating innovative solutions that support a more circular campus.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Makerspace Focused on Circular Innovation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Trash Lab expands Georgia Tech\u2019s growing network of makerspaces and innovation environments by focusing specifically on waste recovery and reuse. Instead of treating used plastics as disposable materials, the lab encourages users to view them as valuable resources that can be transformed into new products.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe miniTrashpresso represents the latest generation of recycling technology developed by Miniwiz. The company originally launched the world\u2019s first mobile recycling line, known as the Trashpresso, to support communities that lacked access to traditional recycling infrastructure. The newer miniTrashpresso is smaller, more energy-efficient, and more portable, making it suitable for campuses and community-based applications.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe modular system uses industrial equipment, including shredders, presses, and heating technologies, to process materials on-site. Advanced heat-induction presses and specialized molds can quickly transform recovered plastics into new objects and components. The system can also be integrated with AI-powered waste-tracking tools and robotic automation technologies that help identify, sort, and process materials more efficiently.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor IPaT leaders, the Trash Lab represents more than the addition of specialized equipment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cCommunity resilience and people-centered sustainability are core research areas within IPaT,\u201d said Michael Best, executive director. \u201cOur new Trash Lab will allow the entire Georgia Tech community to not only think about upcycling and plastic reuse but to make and do innovative projects that directly demonstrate sustainable futures.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETurning Trash Into a Resource\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMiniwiz founder Arthur Huang, who developed the miniTrashpresso system, describes upcycling as a practice rooted in centuries of human ingenuity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cUpcycling is actually recycling old material and turning that into something new,\u201d Huang said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThroughout history, societies have reused existing materials in construction, manufacturing, and everyday life. According to Huang, modern waste streams, particularly plastic packaging and electronic waste, represent an enormous and often untapped source of raw materials.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe miniTrashpresso was designed around that idea. Rather than transporting waste long distances to centralized facilities, the system enables materials to be processed where they are collected. By reducing transportation needs and creating opportunities for local manufacturing, decentralized recycling systems can help lower the environmental footprint associated with traditional waste management.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMiniwiz estimates that using recycled materials can reduce embedded energy consumption by 60% to 80% compared with using raw materials. The company has developed more than 1,200 upcycled materials and products from everyday waste streams, including plastics, food packaging, coffee cups, and electronic waste.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince its introduction, Miniwiz technology has been deployed in communities, campuses, and organizations worldwide, including projects in Taiwan, Italy, Singapore, Sweden, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates. According to Huang, Georgia Tech is installing and operating North America\u2019s first miniTrashpresso recycling machine from Miniwiz.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBuilding a Community Around Sustainability\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new facility is also intended to serve as a gathering place for interdisciplinary collaboration. Students interested in sustainability, materials science, engineering, design, manufacturing, and public policy will have opportunities to experiment with new ideas while working with researchers and campus partners.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen Michael Best first pitched the idea of the Trash Lab, I expected there to be interest in a space like this given the general momentum toward sustainable practices on campus, but the level of excitement from students, staff, and faculty has been outstanding,\u201d said Tim Trent, IPaT\u2019s lab director for the Trash, Craft, Prototyping, and Usability Labs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis is an opportunity to create a gathering point for sustainability initiatives, act as a catalyst for partnerships, and help strengthen the many amazing networks and projects already present on campus,\u201d he said. \u201cThe IPaT Innovation Labs have a continuous focus on supporting the overall Georgia Tech research enterprise, and I\u2019m happy we are adding another piece to the portfolio.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs the Trash Lab opens its doors, members of the Georgia Tech community will be invited to explore how waste materials can be reimagined as resources, prototypes, and products. By combining makerspace culture, advanced recycling technology, and sustainability research, the lab offers a tangible demonstration of how circular economy principles can move from theory into practice.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor Georgia Tech, the Trash Lab is not simply a place to recycle plastic. It is a space where innovation, design, and sustainability intersect, helping transform discarded materials into opportunities for learning, discovery, and impact.\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E---\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EFor more information about the Trash Lab, contact the IPaT Innovation Labs at \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ipat-labs@groups.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eipat-labs@groups.gatech.edu\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENew IPaT makerspace combines advanced recycling technology, hands-on learning, and sustainability innovation.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"New IPaT makerspace combines advanced recycling technology, hands-on learning, and sustainability innovation."}],"uid":"27513","created_gmt":"2026-09-01 21:33:00","changed_gmt":"2026-09-03 13:23:27","author":"Walter Rich","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-09-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-09-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"681033":{"id":"681033","type":"image","title":"Trash Lab Ribbon Cutting","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECelebrating the opening of Georgia Tech\u0027s Trash Lab - the newest makerspace on campus which is located in the basement of TSRB\u003C\/strong\u003E. Pictured left-to-right: \u003Cstrong\u003ETim Trent\u003C\/strong\u003E, director of IPaT\u0027s Trash Lab; \u003Cstrong\u003EArthur Huang\u003C\/strong\u003E, CEO of Miniwiz; \u003Cstrong\u003EMichael Best\u003C\/strong\u003E, executive director of IPaT; \u003Cstrong\u003EJennifer Chirico\u003C\/strong\u003E, associate vice president of Sustainability; and \u003Cstrong\u003ERob Kadel\u003C\/strong\u003E, executive director of research program administration. They are wearing sunglasses made from recycled plastic created by using the miniTrashpresso machine.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1788297893","gmt_created":"2026-09-01 21:24:53","changed":"1788302937","gmt_changed":"2026-09-01 22:48:57","alt":"Pictured left-to-right: Tim Trent, director of IPaT\u0027s Trash Lab; Arthur Huang, CEO of Miniwiz; Michael Best, executive director of IPaT; Jennifer Chirico, associate vice president of Sustainability; and Rob Kadel, executive director of research program administration.","file":{"fid":"265381","name":"Ribbon-Cutting1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/01\/Ribbon-Cutting1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/01\/Ribbon-Cutting1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1136224,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/09\/01\/Ribbon-Cutting1.jpg?itok=u_x2dAAj"}},"681032":{"id":"681032","type":"image","title":"Tim-Arthur-Tai","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPictured left to right: Tim Trent, IPaT\u2019s lab director for the Trash Lab; Arthur Huang, CEO of Miniwiz; and Tai Liu, mechanical engineer with Miniwiz. In this picture, they are installing the miniTrashpresso system in the TSRB building and showing the test plastic bowl made using recycled plastic.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1788297611","gmt_created":"2026-09-01 21:20:11","changed":"1788297881","gmt_changed":"2026-09-01 21:24:41","alt":"Pictured left to right: Tim Trent, IPaT\u2019s lab director for the Trash Lab; Arthur Huang, CEO of Miniwiz; and Tai Liu, mechanical engineer with Miniwiz. In this picture, they are installing the miniTrashpresso system in the TSRB building.","file":{"fid":"265380","name":"Tim-and-Arthur-and-Tai-Liu.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/01\/Tim-and-Arthur-and-Tai-Liu.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/01\/Tim-and-Arthur-and-Tai-Liu.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":935131,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/09\/01\/Tim-and-Arthur-and-Tai-Liu.jpg?itok=HSZysoaX"}},"681031":{"id":"681031","type":"image","title":"Recycled Trashpresso items","body":"\u003Cp\u003ERecycled plastic items you can make using the Trash Lab include wireless chargers, sunglasses, bowls, and other items.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1788297484","gmt_created":"2026-09-01 21:18:04","changed":"1788354852","gmt_changed":"2026-09-02 13:14:12","alt":"Recycled plastic items you can make using the Trash Lab","file":{"fid":"265379","name":"ItemsYouCanMake.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/01\/ItemsYouCanMake.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/01\/ItemsYouCanMake.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":610865,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/09\/01\/ItemsYouCanMake.jpg?itok=L2xQj4GY"}}},"media_ids":["681033","681032","681031"],"groups":[{"id":"69599","name":"IPaT"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"188084","name":"go-ipat"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWalter Rich\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EResearch Communications Manager\u003Cbr\u003EInstitute for People and Technology\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["walter.rich@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}