OUR PRODUCT
We've developed RightCycle, a single smart waste bin with a sorting mechanism to sort users' waste according to material. Along with this, a screen on the bin will provide user specific information about their visit and average data of the bin's recycling impact. This information is also relayed to the user via an app to keep track of the user's history of analytics, a map of nearby RightCycle bins, and information about where their waste ends up. We are targeting individual consumers through placing our bins in public, communal areas for everyone to use. We hope to provide convenience, knowledge, and accessibility to our users with our product. To learn more about our product, visit our Product page.
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PROBLEM: Reducing Plastic Waste & Encouraging Proper Disposal |
HOW MIGHT WE effectively use plastic waste to prevent it from ending up in landfills/natural environment and encourage proper waste disposal?
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Plastic waste continues to grow rapidly in addition to pre-existing waste.Billions of tons of plastic are created every year, and the majority of it eventually becomes trash and litter. In 2017, 35.4 million tons of plastic waste was produced in the U.S. And every year, 2 million tons of plastic water bottles end up in U.S. landfills alone. Considering the impact of COVID-19, single-use items and other methods to prevent cross-contamination has significantly increased the amount of plastic waste.
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Improper disposal of plastic and ineffective solutions are leading causes to eliminating plastic waste.Only 9% of plastic waste is properly recycled with the rest ending up in landfills due to being contaminated and “mixed” plastic. About 25% of "recycled items" are significantly contaminated to actually be recycled and thus end up in landfills. There have been reports of alternative solutions to plastic waste like manufacturing cement and platform molecules that can come from “chemical recycling.” However, these solutions and treatments haven’t been completely executed or publicized.
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The harsh effect of plastic pollution on our environment persists.There is an estimated 7 trillion plastic debris found in water each year. Plastic takes more than 400 years to decompose leading to pollution, an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, animal harm, an increase in floods, and an increase in overall contamination in the natural environment. The plastic found in bodies of water often come from drifting litter and everyday items.
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Our GoalPart of the DESINV15 course is using all that we have learned so far such as design thinking, problem re-framing, and user empathy to work on our own team-generated problem statement. As a team, SustainAWaste members all gravitated to the issue of existing plastic waste. With our drive and team diversity, we hope to work towards finding a fitting solution that reduces plastic waste in our natural environment.
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