An international research team is applying recycling technology to the resolution of two modern problems: The abundance of abandoned plastic water bottles and the provision of affordable prosthetic products for patients in developing areas.

Granulated material produced by grinding plastic bottles is spun into polyester yarns, which are then heated and Prosthetic sockets made from polyester yarn sourced from ground up waste plastic bottles. Source: De Montfort University Leicestermolded to form prosthetic limbs. The approach repurposes a ubiquitous waste material and can yield a durable prosthetic for as little as £10 ($12), relative to the industry average of £5,000 ($6,000) which is out of the reach of many in underserved regions.

Plastic bottle-based prosthetic sockets were tested in India on a patient who had his leg amputated above the knee, and another who had his leg amputated below the knee.

“Both patients were really impressed — they said the prosthetic was lightweight and easy to walk with, and that it allowed air to flow to the rest of their leg, which is ideal for the hot climate in India,” explained Dr. K. Kandan, lead researcher and senior lecturer in mechanical engineering at De Montfort University Leicester, U.K.

The technology will next be tested on larger groups of people and in different countries by the research team, which also includes participants from the rehabilitation organization Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahavata Samiti (India), Malaviya National Institute of Technology (India), University of Salford (U.K.), University of Southampton (U.K.) and University of Strathclyde (U.K.).