Household recycling plant

When discussing insperiences (the trend of bringing professional grade products and services into the domestic domain), one thinks of plush home cinemas and chef-worthy kitchens. An indoor recycling plant doesn’t immediately spring to mind. But that could change with the arrival of the Ecopod. Created in partnership with BMW DesignWorksUSA, Ecopod’s E1 Series is a household recycling center that aims to change the way consumers take out their trash. The appliance houses a compactor, and provides an efficient way to crush, store and redeem recyclable beverage containers, specifically plastic bottles and aluminium cans. Consumers throw their bottle or can in the appropriate slot, step on a foot pedal, and enjoy the satisfying sound of compaction. The compacted container falls into an internal bin, which can be removed for redemption or curbside disposal. Each pod has storage capacity for approximately 50 crushed containers, while an upper compartment has additional room for glass bottles, newspapers and other recyclable materials. Everything neatly stored away and ready to moved to the next step in the recycling chain. Anything that makes it easier for consumers to be green is worth partnering with. Ecopod will be available for the 2006 holiday season; if you’re in household goods, it’s probably time to start placing your orders. (The system will also be featured in Williams-Sonoma‘s January 2007 catalogue.) And if you’re based outside the US: snap up local distribution rights.