Zack Landsman is a 4th-year Systems Engineering Ph.D. student at the University of Virginia and a proud Double Hoo, having earned his B.S. in Biomedical Engineering in 2021. While his research focuses on haptics, his passion project, JunkLabz, is dedicated to tackling plastic waste through innovative recycling solutions.
JunkLabz began as an offshoot of an e-waste recycling initiative Zack started, where his team salvaged parts from discarded office printers to create STEM kits for local schools. These kits repurposed printer motors as generators in wind turbine assemblies, but the process revealed a troubling issue—an overwhelming amount of plastic waste. With bins overflowing and skepticism about traditional plastic recycling methods, Zack and Elly Zarzyski pivoted. JunkLabz was born to establish transparent, community-driven plastic recycling efforts, conduct research to improve recycling processes, and develop new ways to transform waste into valuable products.
One of JunkLabz’s current projects involves repurposing #5 plastic pipette tip boxes from UVA labs into unique, one-of-a-kind trophies. Since receiving support from the Jefferson Trust in Summer 2023, JunkLabz has shredded over 1,300 pounds of plastic and is on track to reach one ton by this summer. By combining sustainability, research, and creative manufacturing, Zack and Elly are working to redefine what plastic waste can become—beyond single-use water bottles—while engaging university students in real-world recycling solutions.
LinkedIn: Zack Landsman
