Household devices tackle america’s plastic crisis

The new "pre-recycling" technology aims to address the common issue of 95% plastic waste in American households. Clear Drop

American households are facing a startling reality: each household generates 1,000 to 1,200 pounds of plastic waste annually. Soft plastics, such as plastic bags, packaging films, and flexible packaging, account for a large proportion of this waste. However, only 5% of plastic waste is actually recycled, making the need for solutions more urgent than ever.

Clear Drop has launched its Soft Plastic Compactor, a household device that changes the way soft plastic waste is handled at home. This pre-recycling solution processes soft plastics directly in the household, transforming them into uniformly sized blocks that are ideal for storage, transportation, and ensuring they are recycled.

According to Ivan Arbouzov, the founder of Clear Drop, this compactor is designed to handle most household soft plastics, primarily high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, polypropylene, and a small amount of foamed polyethylene. This includes items such as shopping bags, food packaging films, bubble wrap, stretch films, resealable bags, freezer bags, and soft transport packaging.

"We recommend sticking to these common materials for optimal results," Arbouzov said, "some plastics are not suitable because they melt at different temperatures."

Additionally, Arbouzov pointed out that for recyclers, compressed blocks with uniform size and composition simplify the processing flow and are easy to transport and store.

"They reduce the need for sorting and can be directly integrated into existing reprocessing lines, so processors do not need to adjust their quality requirements," he explained. "The materials prepared by the equipment meet the same standards they are already using, and in many cases, it is even cleaner than bulk post-consumer waste."

Fill the gap in soft plastic recycling.

"The current recycling system in the United States is not designed to handle soft plastics—they often jam sorting machines and slow down processing speed," explained David Nix, a recycling expert from Clear Drop and a professor at the University of Pittsburgh. "By compressing them into high-density blocks, the device transforms this tricky waste into something that recycling facilities can manage more easily."

Environmental benefits are not limited to easier handling. The equipment reduces the amount of air transported with waste, thereby reducing transportation frequency, lowering emissions, and achieving more efficient recycling, promoting a true circular economy.

The device utilizes patented plastic softening technology and has undergone rigorous testing to ensure household safety. It compresses soft plastic waste with an efficiency approximately 10 times higher than the traditional collection method using bags, and its capacity can store about a month's worth of household waste.

Arbouzov also noted that the company is integrating household compressed soft plastic blocks into their existing recycling and reprocessing business.

"Our recycling partner, Frankfort Plastics, is processing the soft plastic blocks collected through this equipment and converting them back into raw materials for new products, including outdoor furniture, industrial supplies, etc.," said Arbouzov. "Nothing is being landfilled or incinerated, not only for environmental reasons but also because these compressed materials have real economic value."

The device operates quietly and efficiently, using only 3.3 kilowatt-hours of electricity per cycle, which is equivalent to approximately 52 cents per month in electricity costs for an average household. This extremely low energy consumption makes sustainable waste management both easy to implement and affordable for families.

The company claims that its technology can address the 36 billion pounds of soft plastic waste generated annually in the United States. Arbouzov stated that from a broader perspective, it redefines the role of recyclers.

"Processors are no longer waste to be managed at the end of their lifecycle, but have gained a stable and traceable input stream starting from the household level," Arbouzov explained. "The device achieves a continuous material flow that can be directly integrated into production, simplifying the scrapping process into a resource design system, thereby driving the circular economy."

Arbouzov emphasized the urgency of individual action in addressing the plastic crisis.

"We cannot eliminate the plastic that has already entered our bodies—but we can stop the next piece of trash from polluting our planet," he said. "Real change starts with each of us taking responsibility for our habits. At Clear Drop, we achieve this by ensuring that plastic waste is actually recycled and returned to the circular economy—rather than letting it drift in the wind, accumulate in landfills, or harm our health."

Pre-recycling: A New Category of Waste Management

Clear Drop coined the term "pre-recycling" to describe this innovative waste management approach—preparing materials for recycling directly where they become waste. Unlike traditional methods, pre-recycling ensures that materials are efficiently compacted and stored, thereby reducing emissions and lowering the demand for sorting labor.

This device makes waste denser, cleaner, and easier to manage from the point of generation, enabling households to take meaningful environmental action while supporting a healthier circular economy.

The device is currently available through Clear Drop's monthly $50 plan, which includes installment payments for the device, a recycling pickup service, and a comprehensive two-year warranty. Customers will receive three prepaid mailbags each quarter—sufficient to recycle approximately one block per month—and can flexibly schedule pickup times.

This service model ensures a seamless transition from waste generation to actual recycling, enabling American families who are ready to take action against plastic pollution to fulfill their environmental responsibilities in a practical and feasible manner.

Arbouzov stated that the device has the potential to create revenue streams for companies specializing in the handling of flexible packaging materials.

"The curious situation is that while recycling technology is continually improving, collection technology is lagging far behind," he said. "When so much plastic is wasted, many plastic recyclers are struggling to ensure a reliable source, which is incredible. By introducing a new method of collecting soft plastics/films, the reliability, quality, and sheer volume of the waste stream itself will create more specific recycling channels. This means more specialized recycling businesses will emerge and thrive with a stable supply."

Arbouzov pointed out that there are about 131 million households in the United States, and with the addition of small businesses and other places, this type of recycling option has enormous market potential.

"Our goal is to have over 100,000 devices in operation within three years, and we will do everything we can to increase that number," he concluded, "In 10 years, the pre-recycling concept—in various forms, designs, and partnerships—should have a firm foothold in most households."