Astroneer Plastic Guide: Crafting Recipe and Uses

Plastic is not mined directly in Astroneer. It is a crafted resource, which means progression depends on having the right raw materials and the Chemistry Lab ready to process them.

How to Craft Plastic

Plastic is made in the Chemistry Lab with:

• 1x Carbon
• 1x Compound

To build the Chemistry Lab, use the Medium Printer with 1x Tungsten, 1x Glass, and 1x Ceramic.

Compound is a common natural resource. Look for gray clusters made of rounded nodes, then collect them with the Terrain Tool, which uses E by default on PC. If nearby deposits are exhausted, run two full Soil Canisters through the Soil Centrifuge to produce 8x Compound. A Trade Platform can also trade 1x Scrap for 2x Compound.

Carbon requires one more step. Gather Organic, then refine it in a Smelting Furnace. If the base does not have a furnace yet, craft one at the Medium Printer with 2x Resin and 1x Compound.

Once Carbon and Compound are ready, place both in the Chemistry Lab and start the reaction. The output is 1x Plastic.

Plastic Crafting Recipes

Plastic is used in storage, vehicles, horns, and shelter construction. The full recipe list is grouped by crafting station below.

Backpack Printer

• Holographic Figurine: 1x Plastic

Small Printer

• Medium Fluid & Soil Canister: 1x Plastic and 1x Glass
• Medium Resource Canister: 1x Plastic and 1x Glass
• Medium Buggy Horn: 1x Plastic and 1x Rubber

Medium Printer

• Large Rover Seat: 2x Plastic and 1x Compound
• Atmospheric Condenser: 1x Plastic, 1x Glass, and 1x Iron
• Medium Rover: 2x Plastic and 1x Rubber
• Large Fog Horn: 1x Plastic, 1x Rubber, and 1x Steel

Large Printer

• Shelter: 2x Silicone and 2x Plastic

These recipes may shift in later Astroneer updates, but Plastic's main role remains the same: it is a Chemistry Lab material that supports better storage, transportation, and base expansion.