Last Updated on March 1, 2022

Curious if the products you’re putting into your recycling bins actually get recycled? It’s a valid concern.

Our current recycling system is broken: Globally, just 2% of materials are closed-loop recycled. Specifically, plastic materials. This means most plastic will almost never be recycled into the same thing or something similar.  

Recycling plastic is more of an open loop system: It gets made into a different product. But even that isn’t guaranteed as the recycling rate for plastic is incredibly low.  

But what if I told you we have the recycling technology of the future available today?  

This post was sponsored by Lasso Loop. All thoughts and opinions are my own; for more information, please see my disclosure policy.

Imagine the year is 2060: Your car is solar powered, your home is net zero, and your recycling bins are completely intuitive. Envision a world where everything gets recycled properly and how much waste that would cut down on. 

Enter Lasso Loop: The world’s first 100% closed-loop in-home recycling appliance.

Good news is you don’t have to wait: You can have the recycling bins of the future today! Here’s how to be your own recycling center. Sign up to stay in the loop around pre-ordering your Lasso!

what are the problems with recycling?  

Recycling isn’t a perfect system. But out of all the materials, plastic is the hardest one to recycle properly.  

We’ve made over 8.3 billion tons of plastic since its initial creation in the 1950s. Of that, only 9% has actually gotten recycled and the rest has been landfilled, incinerated, or entered our environment.

When plastic gets in our waterways and soils, it leeches toxins that pollute. It also poses a direct threat to animals who may mistake it for food and accidently ingest it. 

Why such a low recycling rate? Well, for starters, there are 7 main types of plastic (and more beyond that) called resins. The more resins there are, the harder it is to recycle all of them.  

See the chasing arrows on a product? That’s the mobius symbol and it doesn’t mean you can recycle the product – it just shows you what resin the product is made from. But this leads to a lot of wishcycling, which can contaminate an entire recycling bin.  

If recycling genuinely confuses you, definitely check out my blog post Recycling 101 – 5 Easy Things Everyone Needs to Know.

here are the main flaws of our current recycling system: 

• Recycling is often open loop – this refers to recycling a product into a different product, aka downcycling. Ex: Turning plastic bottles into a coat. Due to the way the process works, it only happens once. The coat cannot be recycled again once it wears out. This basically means it will end up in the trash anyway. 
• Wishcycling – a lot of people aren’t familiar with state recycling laws. That leads to a lot of wishcycling which is when you’re unsure if something is recyclable but put it in the blue bin anyway.
• Contamination – Some people don’t know to wash out their recyclables before placing them in the bin. They don’t have to be sparkling clean, but they do need to be empty.
• Various materials – Multiple kinds of plastic and different layers make up several products, making them hard to recycle.
• Recycling glass + aluminum isn’t perfect either – Glass is heavy and expensive to transport. Faced with high costs, many communities are paying to have the glass crushed for construction which isn’t the best use for it. Aluminum recycling releases toxic chemicals into the air. Also, aluminum recycling creates a waste product called “dross” that is highly toxic.
• Fossil fuels power recycling facilities – Coal, petroleum and gasoline power recycling machines, which leads to more pollution.
• Recycling is different everywhere – What passes as recyclable in New York probably won’t be the same as California and vice versa. This is due to a number of reasons, the most prevalent being related to the kind of recycling facilities the state has access to. 
• Recycling is a business – it costs millions of dollars to run and operate a recycling facility. There has to be a market for it. No buyers, no recycling.  

Out of all the plastics, plastic resin #1 (PET) and #2 (HDPE) are the most recyclable. Glass and aluminum differ in this department. They don’t have different types, and they’re infinitely recyclable. However, as you can see, there are flaws with recycling those materials too.

is lasso loop the recycling of the future?  

Lasso Loop changes the recycling game because they waste nothing. They’re the world’s first at-home recycling solution that senses if your item is recyclable, washes it free of contaminants, and grinds it up for compact storage.  

Unlike traditional recycling, you won’t have to worry if your products will just end up in a landfill somewhere. The Lasso’s closed loop recycling system makes sure to never downcycle anything either.

And no, there’s no need to worry about weekly collections – When storage is approaching maximum capacity, the Lasso automatically notifies you via the smartphone app. Collection is estimated to be just 3-8 times per year. If your Lasso isn’t full, Lasso Loop is not going to require pickup!

here are the benefits of using Lasso Loop:  

• Zero decisions – insert your item and let the Lasso do the rest 
• One appliance – say goodbye to cluttered recycling bins 
• Closed loop system – every item becomes what it was again 
• Destination known – the Lasso prevents materials ever reaching landfill or our oceans 
• Track your impact – You’ll track your offset carbon in real-time 
• Instant feedback – Check recyclability before buying items with the in-app bar code scanner 
• Bottle deposits – In qualifying areas, the Lasso supports bottle deposit schemes 
• Get rewarded – Receive cash returns within five years of ownership 
• Hands off – on-demand collections to your schedule, all via the integrated the Lasso app 
• No weekly curbside pickup – just collection of pure processed products approximately 3-8 times a year 

Confused about what goes into your recycling bins? No need to be with Lasso Loop recycling.

the lasso can process 7 most common materials: 

• Plastics: PET & HDPE  
• Glass:  Clear, Green & Brown  
• Metals:  Aluminium & Steel   

Using your Lasso you’ll never have to wonder “am I wishcycling this?” You’ll have the comfort of knowing your Lasso will know what to do. Essentially, you’d become your own recycling center.
 

how lasso loop works: 

Ready to ditch your overflowing recycling bins for good? Lets walk through exactly what Lasso Loop does – step by step. 

1. Scan – First input your item of choice into the Lasso. The Lasso uses internal sensors, cameras and AI machine learning to determine whether it’s recyclable. If an item is not recyclable, the Lasso simply returns it to you. 

2. Clean – The Lasso steam cleans everything, removing 100% of contaminants like food, grease, dirt and sticky packaging labels. All the while it uses less energy than your dishwasher. 

3. Process – Products get processed, ground up, crushed and shredded. Plastic, metals and glass are broken down separately, reducing to a fraction of their size and maintaining valuable purity throughout. And don’t worry, it’s a quiet process. 

4. Store – The Lasso stores them in a storage container at the base of the appliance. It’s completely odor free, sterile, sealed and tamper proof. You can monitor product storage capacity in real time via the app. 

5. Collect – You’ll get an alert from the Lasso when storage is reaching maximum capacity via app. No more weekly collections! Think more like 3-8 times a year. You can book a collection date and time that suits your schedule. When collection is due, just detach the Lasso’s storage container and leave it on the curb – the Lasso’s pickup drivers will handle the rest. 

Ready to embrace the future of recycling and become your own recycling center? Learn more about Lasso Loop’s game changing technology and sign up to stay in the loop around pre-ordering your Lasso!

What do you think of these recycling bins of the future? Would you give Lasso Loop a try? Let me know in the comments below!