Automatic home recycling unit

[taylaron]

Hey everybody,
For those interested in recycling at home, is there a commercially available recycling unit for homes (about as expensive and as large as about a washer/dryer machine)?
I'm designing one at home using CAD, but I am curious as to if it already exists in the home already. I sure haven't seen one that even roughly describes this (below).
In other words:
Does a unit/appliance exist that collects recyclable home materials (eg. paper, plastic, metal, glass and fabric) that would do whatever it needs to on its own in order for the recyclables to be easily accessible in a storage bin at the bottom in (possibly) [compacted cubes] or [spheres or another shape thats easy to deal with]
in order to prepare for transportation to a larger recycling facility.

all this is supposed to make recycling easier to transport and handle

Or is this a ridiculous idea because you can do almost the exact same thing with some storage tubs while using a fraction of the amount of money for this machine while not having an electric bill (from the machine) ?
:uhh::eek:
then again, thats probably similar to what they thought about washing machines and dish washers......


Thanks

[Redbelly98]

Do you just want something that will sort different recycling materials, and then crush them? So it wouldn't do the actual recycling in the home, that would get done at a larger facility?

I see no advantage in the sorting, since that is easily done by humans. Not only would the machine have to distinguish paper, metal, glass, and plastic, but it would have to tell if the plastics are of the recyclable or nonrecyclable type.

I guess the compacting feature would allow for less frequent pickups, saving the local municipality some money.

[Evo]

It's been around for ages, it's a kitchen trash compactor. It's installed under the counter like a dishwasher. You put whatever you want into it and it compacts it.

[taylaron]

If this is a reality already, then why isn't 'everybody' sorting out their own trash by hand, and then handing it of to a recycling plant?
something needs to be done about why this isn't happening... "the benefits need to be higher than the cost" I'm not so sure that this contraption would even relatively help this problem, but the consumer must get something out of the work they're doing; or the results will be minimal (as they are right now). Because "doing it for the better good" will not motivate everyone... (sadly)

So, what can be done about this? --Charge the recycling plant money for the recyclables you give to them??? then their profits from selling the raw materials will be nil.
I doubt that this will work.

Ideas anyone?

But people are interested! Almost 75 people have looked at this thread in less than 2 days!

[taylaron]

does anyone think that people would recycle more if they were to get paid for their effort (at the recycling plant)??
or would the costs outweigh the benefits on the consumer side??

[taylaron]

I certainly would.

[Redbelly98]

Of course people would recycle more if they were paid to do it, but the money has to come from somewhere. This means either:
1. Lower profits for the recycling plant, which they may not be willing to do, or
2. The enterprise gets funded by a government, meaning higher taxes.

In my county, people do recycle. We (individual people) sort recyclables into 2 groups, which can be loosely described as "paper goods" and "food containers". Any additional sorting gets done at the recycling facility.

[cristo]

It would be impossible to pay people to recycle! I've started recycling a lot more since I've moved into my new house. The council used a very simple tactic: they make the rubbish bins smaller than the recycle bins then, if you want all your waste taking away, you ensure you recycle things. In fact it's very easy: there is just one recycling wheelie bin here that you just dump all paper, cardboard, glass, plastic bottles, cans etc.. into.

[taylaron]

so all recyclable materials are tossed into one bin? how would they effectivly sort that out?
glass, paper, plastic, etc.....
this is very appealing apposed to multiple bins.

[LURCH]

In my county, people do recycle. We (individual people) sort recyclables into 2 groups, which can be loosely described as "paper goods" and "food containers". Any additional sorting gets done at the recycling facility.


That's a lot better plan than the one they use in my sister's county (just outside fo Seattle). There, the authorities have the power to dig through your trash, and if they find anything that could have been recycled, they can fine you for littering. It's $500, just as though you had thrown it out your car window onto the highway!

[Wondermotor]

Does this machine consume energy? I hope not. My friend from Germany told me they have drawers/sorters for ALL kinds of materials. The country is trying to achieve 100% recycling. Now that's a commitment right there. And it can't be done by just the government alone, people have to commit as well.