By:•Zach Wells

• Blake Knight • Rikki Overman

• Zach Tye• Amber Conley• Brandon Taylor • McKenzie Doyle• Michael Carwell

Shipping & Packaging / Mechanical Pencil

The Graphite in the mechanical pencil is a hazard to the environment due to the mining process.

The Graphite also causes pollution by the machines burning fuel.

The plastic that makes up the pencil is not biodegradable, so it last forever in the landfill.

Background

The problem with mechanical pencils are that they do not break down in landfills, some materials are toxic, toxins leak into soil and become environmental hazards, and leachate is liquid formed when waste breaks down and is highly toxic.

The goal is to design a way to turn a mechanical pencil into a shipping and packaging product, reduce toxic materials in landfills as much as possible, and produce a product out of another recycled product that's usable.

Problem & Goal Statement

The problem is that pencils do not break down when they are thrown away. They are put in landfills and they are there forever.

We decided that all parts are usable from the pencil in one way or another.

We then tested ideas to figure out which would be the best process.

Problem Solving Approach

We plan to take the removable erasers from mechanical pencils and use them as a form of packaging peanuts.

We also have a plan to take mechanical pencils and glue them to form a box for shipping.

Doing this we will utilize the whole pencil by making a box out of the pencils and then using the erasers for shock absorbers.

Development of Alternative Solutions

We figured the best way to utilize the entire mechanical pencil was to make a roller type product. To help prevent the non biodegradable plastic from being placed into landfills.

Selection of Best Solution

Leibenluft, Jacob. "PS - Polystyrene." PS - Polystyrene. N.p., 8 Sept. 2008. Web. 29 Sept. 2014.

Hornung, Troy. "Mechanical Pencil." Prezi.com. N.p., 10 Oct. 2013. Web. 29 Sept. 2014. 

"The Problem with Landfill | Environment Victoria." The Problem with Landfill | Environment Victoria. N.p., 2010. Web. 29 Sept. 2014.

Information Collection