Recycling Bin Turns Waste Paper Into Furniture

The whole point of putting your waste paper out to be recycled is for it to be reused in yet another generation of paper products — toilet paper, printer paper, magazines, etc. But what if you could reuse your waste paper for your own products?

Well, we suppose it's just one product.

Designed by Qianqian Tao, the Waste Paper Recycle Trash Bin takes your used paper and mixes it with “668 polyvinyl alcohol environment cement,”and then compresses it into a trash bin form that can be turned upside down to be used as a stool or a side table.

The recycle bin for its eco-conscious, part features a touchscreen navigation display, a slot on the top for you to slide in the paper sheets, a cement-mixture-pouring-in compartment and thermovents at the back. The body is constructed out of aluminum and biodegradable plastics, but its unclear how the system runs or how does it source its power. via Yanko Design

Our only issue with this is that, well, how many paper mache trash bins does one need?

(Image: Yanko Design)

posted originally from: Unplggd

Comments (5)

Interesting! I agree that people probably don't need to make unlimited trash bins for themselves, but I wonder if this concept could be applied to make something that people do typically buy frequently as a disposable item.

posted by Kirsten@Nexyoo on October 26th 2009 at 10:13am
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I wonder if it could have more than one configuration. For instance, one setting creates a stool/waste bin, another creates a box or something else commonly needed. Actually, if it just created multiple sized boxes, I'd get one for packaging holiday gifts.

posted by sholdren on October 26th 2009 at 11:25am
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well, that's rather silly, and an awful lot of resources to build a machine that does one thing. kind of defeats the purpose.

posted by dahliamoon on October 27th 2009 at 10:42am
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It would be interesting if it were for rent, kinda like the carpet steam-cleaners that you use once in a blue moon and don't need to own.

posted by Trish1980 on October 27th 2009 at 1:32pm
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Wow, I can't believe this! A year ago I was watching a show, I think design star on hgtv and they had a challenge to make a room for the future. After the show I said to my husband that if I did that challenge I would "create" a machine/ appliance that you could put recyclables into and it would make furniture out of it. So today when I came across this blog, I said out loud, "NO WAY! This is awesome!"
Anyway, I'm so glad someone is pioneering this kind of idea. Yeah, maybe today it only makes one item but it is starting the idea and making it reality before it can get better and do more.
So a few thoughts about the design of the waste basket/ stool. You could add a flat circle on the bottom that is larger than the base so when flipped over it looks more like a side table and or stool. Another thought is to make it square or rectangle so they could be used as all the ideas mentioned in the comments. I also like the idea of renting it.

posted by INFUSEDgoods on October 27th 2009 at 10:39pm
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