Sustainble Design Project, a smell-free compost bin Options

[joe row]

2nd year of uni doing industrial design BSc...
our project was to design a product that incorporates the sustainble design idea...

my justification was that people dont recycle their home waste enough, one reason being that compost bins smell...
this bin uses filters to get rid of the smell and hopefully therefore people will recycle more :-)

 bin_1.jpg ( 90.99K ) Number of downloads: 38


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[Taro]

really cool/good idea! but for my house, and most of my friends n family, the reason we don't recycle as much is because of laziness.

[MBW17]

yea i agree with a Taro
but this is a very good,developed idea, and i like all the process, good job!

[knap]

i think its a good idea, but i think there is to much of a reference to the robot from "wall-E" and thats a bid sad.

[Austin Brown]

I am a big fan of promoting "green" and I applaud you for that. It also seems like you've thought out how this item would be used from day to day and you have a grasp of the problems/technologies that are related to it.

Unfortunately, I think the form could have been handled with a bit more consideration. The ovals and the lid are a bit ambiguous, and they really don't make much of a statement. This may not be a bad thing, but personally, I'd like to see a bit more pizazz. Something to catch my eye.

It also seems really small overall. After just a few meals (at least American sized ones) it seems like it would be full. I like the idea of chopping up scraps to reasonable-size pieces, but I really think it's a bit unrealistic to ask the consumer to cut his scraps in addition to his food. Very interesting, though. And Kudos for going green.

[kaiza]

Very interesting! I had a friend who designed a composting bin with a carbon filter for her 4th year major project. Is this for composting ALL organic waste (meat included), or green waste only? Hers was for all organic waste - everyone required a lot of convincing that the meat would not smell too bad, but she based her research on a local council trial, which showed that it was feasible but was not widely accepted due to the smell issue...

For those claiming that they don't recycle enough - if you are forced to by your council/county/whoever regulates your waste disposal system, then you will be more likely to use it.

Also regarding size, my friend based her size on a carrying capacity of about 4-5kg, which is comfortable to carry. I helped her google the density of organic waste and in the end it was essentially shaped like a slightly oversized rectangular blender (Blendtec style). In fact, here's some pics and info on it:
http://student.designawards.com.au/applica...licationID=5997

The styling left a lot to be desired, but the concept is solid.

[mj1]

hi, you way want to have a quick look at this similar design for some ideas: http://www.rsadesigndirections.org/design-...p?workid=004_JF

MJ

[joe row]

taro, mason: thanks guys, i'll keep my uni projects coming up here - my one after the christmas holidays I'm entering the braun design prize but i dont know which area im going into at the moment

austin: yeah the project was to design a sustainable product which opened my eyes up to moral designing which is quite cool... about the form and styling -i didnt have much time on this project to make it look really fancy and my tutors kept telling me to focus on my development and not on the visual aspects, i think this project was marked on the idea rather than what it looked like... i am definatley working on my form though (in sketches & renderings), i think sketchyrd is going to help me with my drawing and if you've got some tips that would also be extremly helpful

kaiza: i found the idea from http://www.airscienceuk.com/carbon-hepa-filters.asp - a bit crazy that someone the other side of the planet from me is doing a project very similar lol, small world...
mine was based on normal comosting organic waste like vegetables and egg shells etc. not really meat

mj1: yeah the RSA awards are very active in my uni (demontfort)... a few people from the 3rd year either won or got commended, its quite cool to see their names up on that website - hope to see mine up there in the near future

[Austin Brown]

Have a quick read of Taro's Sketching and Rendering. He seems to have a bit of the same style as you (and me for that matter). If I had to say one thing - it'd be to loosen up a little bit. A lot of the linework seems a bit static and forced. It doesn't feel natural. I like a few of the forms that you sketched out, and I'd like to see them reconsidered/explored in depth.

It's good that you focused on the workings/functions and not the form. This means that whattever you do now to make it look good is icing on the cake.

Also, is there a reason that the vents face the kitchen/user? Can they be tucked neatly away into the back or bottom? I understand that air movement is a must, but this would provide a seriously clean aesthetic and might solve the problems of integrating a large hole into a small object.

-Austin

[superbad]

I use this product at home, which I'm sure you're familiar with from your research:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Garland-Odour-Comp...n/dp/B000TAU7VS

What I don't like about it is the lid has to be removed when you throw something in. But otherwise, I would say yours is inferior in every respect. It uses non-standard size filters (which makes finding replacements difficult and more expensive), and you've provided no carrying handle. Worst of all, putting the filters on the side like that means that moisture in the bin is going to weep out the vents, which is disgusting, and likely a source of considerable odor.

The other thing I'd like is something that isn't so ugly I have to keep it under the sink where it lives now. Something that looks like a green plastic robot is not going to live on the counter in my house.

Despite your claim that "This bin sets itself aside from conventional composting techniques by using new carbon filter technology," there are in fact multiple carbon filter compost caddies on the market:

http://www.nvsuk.org.uk/garden_equipment/c...duct.php?pr=827
http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/odor-free-compost-pail
http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/stainless-...-compost-pail-6
http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/odorless-c...to-your-kitchen

So what differentiates yours?

[newt @ MWE]

Hey there

As superbad had said, these allready exist (bins with filters). I don't mean to be overly critical, but I have done alot of research and work around composting and a few of your claims and benefits are not really true.

One, carbon filters will not draw the moisture out of the waste. Organic waste creates alot!!! of moisture, so much that it will puddle on the bottom. If the filters do collect this moisture, it would not be very long before they are saturated and give off an dour themselves.

With this said, organic waste needs liquid to compost.

Secondly, ammonia is lighter than air, so the odour will escape through the lid, not through the sides where the filters are located.

My guess is the rebuttal (spelling?) will be that the lid is air tight. Unfortunately, this will not address that when you open the bin (when it is in use and odour is most relevant) it will release the odour. Also, another key to composting is air. Without it, the mixture will stagnate and become even more foul. Not to mention, if you do not realease the gas build up, the lid will pop.

Again, Im not trying to be a prick, but the premise of the concept is untrue. Hate to say it, but it just would not work.

newt

[joe row]

lol... well that was a bit unexpected, i've got good feedback till now
it was my first project for my second year and a bit of a taster one so i'll make this bin the one where i make mistakes... i got a B+ for it anyway

as for superbad... "inferior" and "ugly" - its good giving critical feedback, but don't you think a different choice of words might be more helpful?
the fact that you do relate it with a green robot is a good thing - in psychology association is used to remember things more than you usually do, so if you relate it to 'eve' from wall-e surely people will be talking about "the bin that looks like 'eve' from wall-e" rather than "the new bin with carbon filters" which they wont remeber as much

i'll post up some of my GCSE and A-Level work up - it would be good to get some more feedback

thanks :-)

[newt @ MWE]

hey

sorry about the feedback, deffenitely don't take anything personally. Simply feedback on the concept.

The only reason I threw in the downfalls is it's a topic I've been working on for a long time. I've seen lots and LOTS of concepts and products that make claims about composting, without actually understanding the fundamentals.

I know my first endevour into organic waste products was the same way (based on assumptions) and to be honest, your concept probably is better explored than my first one.

cheers
newt

[joe row]

no criticisms absolutley fine, everything said on here is true and to make my product full proof i will need to listen to advice and develop it... its what makes us better designers... the reason i put my designs on here is for people to comment on them to make them better

[Austin Brown]

nice spirit Joe. Have you given any though to a worm farm? these smell better(perhaps not at all) and the end result is the same. Plus you get to have a pet that won't crap on the rug!