In theory, this system would cut recycling plants. The packaged collection could simply be redistributed to manufacturers and transformed into new products that do not require any additional material. (A process known as closed loop recycling.)
Aldous Hicks, CEO of Lasso, believes that everyone should treat recycling like washing clothes and dishes. “Millions of families are already practicing the exact steps we need to take,” he said in a TEDx talk last month. “For example, we use our washing machines to clean our clothes, so that we can process them indefinitely. Clearly, we have already taken advantage of technology to process our household items. So, why not a household recycling device? ”However, there are drawbacks to the Lasso concept. The company currently targets seven materials – aluminum and steel, as well as two plastics and three types of glass. Paper and cardboard, which are used for most online orders, are not on the list.
Price can also be an issue. Hicks told Engadget that his prototype should be completed this quarter. The company opened reservations on its website, but there is no deposit or final tag price at this time. (It’s essentially a subscription sheet for email updates.) And when the final version is ready – which it will probably be in 2033, according to Hicks, it can cost around $ 3,500. This is very expensive, but refrigerators were also expensive when they appeared on the market. “In 1919, people paid the price equivalent to an ordinary new car,” argued Hicks during his talk at TEDx.
That price could be offset by recycling payments. On its website, Lasso claims that customers can “receive cash back within five years of ownership, subject to their consumption”. The idea is that you are saving someone else’s money on cleaning. For now, however, it is a theoretical business model. Lasso will need to finish its product, complete a pilot program and, in all likelihood, raise more money to realize its vision. Recycling is a big challenge, but we are happy that someone – even if it is a small startup – is thinking about a solution at home.