Recycle Centre

~~Recycle and sort your LEGO parts in this recycle centre.  Your old model arrives by truck at the security gates and enters a working area where it is separated to its original LEGO parts and those parts are then moved to a storage area ready for re-use in your next model. Parts can be stored in five separate containers – three normal sized transport containers, one transport container for oversize parts and an on-site area for base plates.
Play
Dis-assembling models becomes part of the play time including a truck to transport models to the centre for breaking down and for taking new parts either to storage or to a new assembly site.
The storage containers slide in and out of bases provided at the height of the truck base so that they can be transported to and from the recycle centre. The model includes the truck, a car that has just been delivered for recycle (but which could be used in other models) and a selection of parts in the process of being recycled. The parts that are being recycled will assemble to the small car park shown in a supporting picture. This car park is compatible with standard modular buildings and would be a good feature to fit to buildings which have parts (such as windows) that are not aligned with the end of its base plate or to be the end of a row of buildings.
The three normal containers are shown with parts being sorted into plates and tiles, bricks and smaller special parts, while the large container is used for oversize parts. One container is shown with plates being moved to a new construction site
Practical
The containers and bases also provide an option for sorting and storage of bricks as a permanent store. The bases are modular and stackable and the containers are designed with working doors at one end and transparent panels at the other end so that the user can see what is in that container. A supporting picture shows how the stacking works.
When the recycle centre is not in use the parts stack on the working area so that it takes up less space and can easily be reassembled for use again. See supporting picture on this.
LEGO could sell containers and bases separately as modular storage and the availability of different colours would allow easy sorting and finding the parts you need.
Two separators are shown as part of the model.
Educational
In addition to being fun to play with this model will begin to teach the value of recycling – with the possibility to discuss the three ‘R’s of reduce, re-use (which could include using sub –assemblies), recycle.
Dimensions – the working area shown is a 48 x 48 base plate, there are 8 minifigs, including workers in the security offices and overall the model has 1240 pieces.