“Leptospi-no-please”:
recycling of PET bottles to form plastic boots.
Andrei Miguel M. Visda
Daniel Timothy Domingo
Dana Elle G. Ganaba
BACKGROUND
(research)
Marikina’s major problem is flooding. And as we know flooding brings diseases and one of which is
leptospirosis. Leptospirosis is a disease caused by bacteria found in water contaminated by the urine of the
infected animals. If undiagnosed early and not treated timely it can cause serious illnesses that can lead to
death. Floods also bring a lot of toxic chemicals like gas, oil, and pesticides. These can create harmful impacts
when they are in contact. Floods also bring hazardous debris like broken glass, metal fragments, and sharp
[Link] flood itself is an unsanitized place to begin with ,which is a very dangerous thing if we dive or soak
in. One major root cause of flooding is also because of the excess littering that our community has, especially
with plastic bottles. Because of this serious problem, our group was inspired to recycle and make boots made
out of PET plastic. PET plastic or Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) belongs to the family of polyesters. It is a
hygienic packaging found in soda bottles, water bottles, and other more. Our goal is to prevent the spread of
leptospirosis and other harmful toxins from the water by making these plastics into boots.
From the research that we did, these 3 are the most informative of all. The first research (D Alighiri, 2019)
shows how PET plastics can be used as mixed designs. PET plastics are mixed with other compounds by
melting, molding, or mixing to create an ideal object, like a brick wall. The research has four variations, in
which, sand and cement were used to create an ideal wall for it is mentioned in the SNI. This experiment was
focusing more on creating creative ideas to reduce the waste of plastics by its ideal impact. Research showed
that brick quality is ideal, which was characterized by FT-IR and SEM. This composition has 0% of water
absorbency, the compressive strength is 75 Kg/cm 2❑, water absorbency of SNI brick is under 20%, and the
compressive strength is between 60-100 Kg/cm❑2❑. The second research is a guide about PET plastics with
its usage and disadvantages (3devo, 2021). The research tells us that PET plastic is a thermoplastic polymer,
which we can see in a lot of beverages. It also explains a lot of pros and cons. For example, it is easily
available and inexpensive but it has lower heat resistance. PET is a common material to create furniture,
clothing, textiles, and any polyester forms. By creating PET pallet chips into fibers to create clothes. The
research in short talks about its eco-friendly nature. The third and our last research is also all about PET
plastics used as footwear (CDC, 2024) . Pet plastics are recyclable from what we know and this research back
in 2020 tells us that PET plastics can be used in any term of clothing. How they use different methods to
create shoes. And the goal they set was to ensure a green environment by using these types of plastics to
form new items or brands, which they succeeded because they are now officially a successful brand.
Our research aims to prevent leptospirosis that are mostly obtained from floodwaters and try to combat or
counter this disease with our recycled PET boots. With these boots we wanted to aim for lightweight boots that
can be made by individuals or students and to maximize the continuous growth of waste products. In short, our
group would like to experiment if plastic boots are possible to make. But within our research, we have found
few gaps about our proposed recycled PET boots. This concerns the boot’s protection on wearing, comfort,
and its durability. Since we propose this to prevent diseases that will have contact with your skin from flood; a
concern for this is the inside of the boots. The boots will be enclosed expecting you to sweat while wearing the
boots ,and this will result in multiple bacterias forming and possibly infect you with other illnesses and diseases
than leptospirosis. Next is the comfort where we should decide on what materials are appropriate for both
comfort and protection on wearing the boots. Asides from preventing you getting wet by floodwater, we want to
make it as comfortable as possible while you are walking using the boots. We don’t want our wearers to be
irritated by the plastic materials we will be using.
PROBLEM AND HYPOTHESIS:
The study aims to “PREVENT LEPTOSPIROSIS By creating recycled boots”. Specifically, it aims to answer
the following questions:
● How can the boots be of good quality with its durability, weight, and material composition?
- For the PET boots to be in a good quality, it is essential to check its durability, weight, and material
composition to make it. For PET boots to be durable the same thing for its comfortability, EVA foam is
the most affordable and useful option. For the plastics to be held in place, EVA can be used as a
structure component. (FOAM CREATIONS, 2023) EVA foam's exceptional durability and resilience make
it an ideal material for demanding applications. Its high wear resistance, closed-cell structure, and
environmental stability provide outstanding shock absorption and protection against UV radiation,
chemicals, and moisture. These characteristics aprender EVA foam a prime choice for automotive,
sports, outdoor furniture, and marine applications. (KANE, 2024) EVA foams are good, especially of its
weight. It is a superior choice for sole materials because of its good cushioning, flexibility, and
lightweight properties.
- For the durability of our boots, adding safety is needed by using anti-slip soles. (Namita Kalla, 2024) To
mitigate the risk of slips and falls, select footwear featuring anti-slip soles with deep grooves or tread
patterns. These designs enhance traction on wet and slippery surfaces. Rubber soles, in particular,
demonstrate superior slip-resistance.
- For the boots to be comfortable adding foam inside makes it stable to wear. The foam that is
affordable to use is EVA. (KANE, 2024) EVA is a type of copolymer or a type of plastic that combines
both properties of plastic and rubber. It is versatile and widely used for shoemaking for its excellent
shock absorption capability, for its flexibility, and for its waterproofness. Despite its softness and
flexibility, EVA is also sturdy and resistant to cracking, ensuring that footwear maintains its shape and
performance over time.
- (Swathy KK, Ruchi Verma, Lalit Kumar, 2023) EVA foam is the locked/closed cell copolymer of
ethylene and vinyl acetate. The physical properties of EVA foams might vary because of changes in cell
structure, concentration/type of crosslinking agent and blowing agents, process parameters, and other
factors. Currently, the preparation of EVA foams blended with other polymeric materials has become a
hotspot in polymer research to improve their functionality as well as to make them more effective
substitutes for rubber. This makes a good boot protection from skin contact to plastic contact.
- For the comfortability of the insoles, using a memory foam is a great substitute and affordable. (Casper
editorial team, 2022) Viscoelastic foam, commonly known as memory foam, is a synthetic material
distinguished by its exceptional resistance and durability. Its unique properties make it an optimal
choice for mattresses, offering superior support and pressure relief for joints. The heat-wicking
capabilities and varied firmness levels cater to diverse sleeping styles and body types.
- (biofoot, 2024) The benefits of memory foams as insoles are: cushion and shock absorption, long-
lasting support (durability), temperature regulations, relief for foot pain, and available in various shoe
types.
● How affordable and accessible are the boot parts?
- The main material for our PET plastic boots which is PET plastic is very affordable since we are using
recycled PET plastic bottles. For the other materials such as EVA foam, rubber soles, rugby, plastic
wrap, and heat gun, they are also affordable and accessible because they are commonly used in a
variety of DIY, crafting, and household projects, making them widely available in hardware stores,
online shops, and general supply stores to low and moderate prices.
- The use of PET plastic is recyclable. (Natural Waters Europe, 2024) The PET bottle recycling industry
is fully functional, dependent only on the number of bottles available for recycling. PET bottles can be
simply processed into new PET bottles, resetting their lifecycle. In that way, according to the “The Facts
about PET” study by Dr. Frank Welle, PET forms part of a closed material cycle, significantly reducing
the net utilisation of valuable resources such as crude oil.
● How can the boots be flood proof? (Durable and waterproof )
- ([Link] 2024) The boots can be waterproof because the main material of it is PET plastic
bottles which are considered to be waterproof due to its inherent high chemical resistance and low
permeability to water and other liquids.
- (ZAP, 2024) Shrink wrap when applied carefully can create a waterproof barrier to protect the product
inside if all the plastic barriers or ends are covered or sealed.
- For the PET boots to be waterproofed; the idea of the PET plastic is a waterproofed barrier. (Origin
Pharma Packaging, 2024) PET is an excellent barrier against moisture that protects the product inside
from chemical makeup.
- For the boots to be sealed and waterproof with the use of PET we will be using shrink wrapping with the
use of a heat gun. (Industrial Polythene, 2022) The shrink wrap plastic is applied around the intended
item, followed by heat application via heat gun or tunnel. Heat energy excites the linear polymer chains,
increasing molecular motion. As the chains recoil and shrink, they revert to their original tangled
configuration, tightly enveloping the item. Upon cooling, the polymers stabilize, forming a durable layer
that persists until re-exposed to heat.
- (Wendy Leigh, 2023) To make the plastic melt, the prescribed heat for it to be able to melt is below 140
degrees to prevent excessive harmful toxins.
- To be able to use a heat gun there would be some requirements for safety. (Safety Company, 2024)
Keeping it away from flammable and combustible objects or materials are important. Using a heat gun
is recommended in an outdoor location for well-ventilation. Some tips are: inspect the housing of the
heat gun for no leaks that can cause burns, always check the nozzle in case there is trapped heat, and
if you are done using a heat gun, cool it down first before keeping it in a storage. Since we are minors,
asking for an expert adult is needed.
SIGNIFICANCE:
The PET boots that we will be making aren’t for everyone ,literally, but for the people we are assigned to.
We have certain significance in why our experiment is proceeded and reflected.
● Marikina people- prone to flood, especially lower houses. Marikina is known for its low geographic
state which can highly affect the low houses. The seasons change and climate change is a problem
which makes flooding unexpected from what we can envision.
● Marikina Students- specifically, Charis students (commuters). The boots are highly focused on the
students’ needs, especially if they are only wearing shoes when there is a flood. Some moments we
can guarantee that emergencies will always happen when flooding occurs for a student to walk on a
flood like a flood aftermath and to also boost their creative intellect.
● Marikina environment- cooperate in plastic recycling. Marikina is known for its cleanliness but recycling
isn’t a boost. That’s why recycling PET plastic is a must when it comes to waste.
SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS:
Our purpose of our study is to help the people in Charis school and the Marikina community. Our limitations
are always there when we experiment with our boots to have a clean line between the things that we can find.
They could be either good or bad, but to always investigate the things we are capable of doing.
The limitations that we will be doing are based on the processes that we will abide on. The time and place
we will use is our school or one of our member’s houses. The boots that we will be making are estimated to be
useful if the flood is 1 ft higher than high waters (which is a hassle). Materials that we will be using are cutters
(cutting), heat gun (tba), basin, N95 respirator mask (for protection from toxic gasses), heat resistant gloves,
rugby, Recycled PET plastic, EVA foam, insole memory foam, anti-slip soles, and to be announced minor
stuffs. The people involved in our group are our classmates, teachers, and some elderly skilled people
(parents). The applicability is the estimated water level, the time given to us and basic resourcement. We
would also like to point out that we are not outshining rubber boots, but we are giving other alternatives on
creating boots because our experiment is just a prototype.
DEFINITIONS:
● PET plastic- Polyethylene terephthalate, or plastics that can be found from coke bottles, alcohol
bottles, water bottles, and other more
● Leptospi-no-please - the name of our IP which is inspired from the disease “leptospirosis”
● Leptospirosis- disease found from unclean water that usually comes from rat pee
● Polyethylene terephthalate- a polymer produced through the polymerization of ethylene glycol and
terephthalic acid
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