Integrating Sustainable Recycling Practices into Mechanical–Electrical and Industrial Engineering Education Programs: Sustainable PET Bottle Recycling

The increasing accumulation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles represents a significant environmental challenge due to their high consumption and limited recovery. The purpose of this study was to develop a sustainable alternative for reusing this waste by manufacturing educational test specimens for laboratory exercises in electrical mechanical engineering and industrial engineering programs. The proposed method was based on mechanical recycling and incorporated, as an innovation, a stage for measuring bottle parameters before processing to improve the quality and uniformity of the recycled material. The results were calculated with the participation of 6 students per test type, which showed that 66.66% of the specimens intended for impact tests and 83.33% of those intended for torsion tests exhibited adequate functional performance. Likewise, it was estimated that a weekly production of 1 kg of crushed PET would cover approximately half a week (three days) of laboratory practices, considering the large number of students. Therefore, it could use 60 to 80% of the total consumption during a standard 15-week course, depending on the situation, demonstrating that integrating recycling into academic activities supports the circular economy, reduces the environmental impact of plastic waste, and strengthens students’ practical training and professional skills.