At Waste Wise Innovation, we believe products that enable recycling should be made sustainably themselves. That’s why every Topper Stopper™ unit is designed for circularity, from the materials we choose to the way each unit is collected and remade at end of life. This post pulls back the curtain on how we build for durability, easy recovery, and true material reuse.

Designing for Circularity, Not Just End of Life

Sustainability isn’t an afterthought; it’s a design requirement. Our engineering team applies design-for-disassembly principles to make Topper Stopper™ fast and safe to take apart. That means:

• Clear separation of materials (plastics, metals, and electronics) to keep recycling streams clean.
• Standardized fasteners and minimal adhesives to speed disassembly and reduce contamination.
• Part markings on plastic components to simplify identification and recycling.

When products are built to come apart, more value is recovered, and less ends up wasted.

Why We Use PETG for the Case

We chose PETG for the case/body because it pairs strength and clarity with excellent recyclability.

• Recyclable material: PETG can be ground and re-extruded with strong property retention when properly processed.
• Closed-loop ready: Our manufacturing remnants and end-of-life cases are consolidated and sent to a specialized facility that converts PETG back into high-quality filament.
• Waste reduction: Leveraging PETG allows us to reduce reliance on virgin plastics while maintaining durability in the field.

From print to product to filament again, our PETG loop keeps valuable material in circulation.

Closing the Loop on Electronics, Too

Electronics shouldn’t be an exception to circular thinking. Internal components, including the screen display assemblies powered by Raspberry Pi and our drive motors, are recyclable through certified e-waste partners.

• Responsible downstream: We work with facilities that recover metals (like copper and precious metals) and plastics while meeting rigorous environmental and safety standards.
• Data diligence: For units with any stored data, we follow a simple sanitization process before recycling.
• Materials recovery: Motors are demanufactured to maximize recovery of copper windings, steel, and other components.

Our goal is to make sure the valuable materials inside every unit re-enter manufacturing supply chains.

How Our Take-Back Process Works

To make recycling effortless for our customers, we’re building a streamlined return pathway:

1. Collection: End-of-life units and production remnants are consolidated at our depot or via prepaid return options.
2. Sorting and disassembly: Units are triaged to separate PETG cases from electronics and metal hardware.
3. Material recovery:
   1. PETG flows to our filament partner for re-extrusion.
   2. Electronics and motors are routed to certified e-waste processors for responsible recovery.
4. Reuse: Recovered PETG becomes new filament for future components, closing the loop.

This approach ensures that sustainability is baked into our operations, not bolted on.

Sustainable Manufacturing That Supports Better Recycling

Topper Stopper™ is engineered to improve the recycling process at the point of use, reducing contamination, improving sorting efficiency, and boosting material value. Making the units themselves recyclable amplifies that impact:

• Less virgin material needed across the product lifecycle.
• Higher diversion rates thanks to clean material separation.
• A tangible, verifiable circular pathway your team can stand behind.

What This Means for Our Customers and Partners

When you deploy Topper Stopper™, you’re not just improving recycling outcomes, you’re investing in a product built for a circular economy.

• Designed with end-of-life in mind
• Recyclable PETG housings remade into new filament
• Raspberry Pi display assemblies and motors routed through responsible e-waste recovery
• Clear guidance for returns and take-back

Sustainability should be simple, transparent, and measurable. That’s the standard we hold ourselves to.

What’s Next

We’re continuing to:

• Expand our network of recycling and re-manufacturing partners.
• Increase the proportion of recycled content in new builds where performance allows.
• Publish guidance for disassembly and returns to make recovery even easier.

If you’re interested in take-back options for your deployed units or want to partner with us on regional recovery, we’d love to talk.

Ready to learn more about our circular approach or start a return? Contact us and explore how Topper Stopper™ can help your organization improve recycling sustainably.