From Ocean Waste to Injection-Molded Parts: Assessing the Manufacturing with Recycled Fishing Nets

Plastic production and consumption have increased substantially due to the favorable properties of these materials, raising significant environmental concerns because most plastics do not fully decompose. A substantial portion of ocean plastic waste comes from ghost gear, including abandoned fishing nets. In this context, mechanical recycling offers a promising route for recovering these materials and reducing their environmental impact. This study evaluates the feasibility of using recycled fishing nets made of polyamide 6 (PA6) to manufacture injection-molded parts. Injection-molded specimens produced from recycled fishing nets were descriptively compared with specimens obtained from commercially available extruded PA6 plates, used as a commercial processing reference. Both materials were also subjected to an additional post-injection mechanical recycling cycle to evaluate short-term property retention after reprocessing. The feasibility of producing cardholders by injection molding was also examined as a proof of concept. Physical and mechanical characterization showed that the recycled fishing-net PA6 exhibited higher average yield stress and Young’s modulus, but lower stress and strain at break and lower impact toughness than the commercial PA6 reference. The second recycling cycle did not produce a consistent deterioration across the measured properties, although statistical equivalence between the two recycling conditions was not established. The successful production and assembly of cardholders demonstrated the laboratory-scale processability of recovered fishing-net PA6, while further characterization, additional recycling cycles, and process optimization are required to assess long-term recyclability and industrial viability.