I've got some experience with this one! To get your hands on the recycler, you'll need to make your way up to the radio tower - it's the first major story island you'll encounter, and the blueprint is waiting at the very top (this positioning actually makes sense since it's meant to be a game-changing discovery). Once you've got the blueprint, take it to your research table, where you can unlock the actual crafting recipe.

Speaking of crafting, you'll want to gather 6 plastic, 4 metal ingots, a circuit board, and either 2 bolts or hinges (interesting that they give you this choice, since both serve similar mechanical functions). You'll also need a simple battery to power it up, which is pretty crucial since the recycler needs constant power to function effectively.

The really neat part about the recycler is how it transforms basic materials into something more valuable. When you're feeding it resources, keep in mind that scrap gives you better value than plastic (this is because scrap is generally harder to come by). For reference, 10 scrap makes one cube while plastic needs a full 30 pieces, so prioritize scrap when you can. The machine can handle enough materials for 4 cubes at once, taking about 3 minutes per cube to process everything.

Those trash cubes you're making aren't just fancy decorations - they're actually a special currency for trading posts, where you can get some pretty rare items and blueprints (knowing this helps explain why the recycler is such a game-changer for resource management). Definitely worth setting up a steady production line once you get things running!