The Internet is full of promising and innovative products that are presented on websites such as Kickstarter. Zepan e-Bin is a trash can organic remains that processes the garbage of a domestic unit in just a few hours. This prototype, announced by the company Zepan Kitchen on the IndieGoGo platform, has already exceeded the quota of through crowdfunding in an 666%.
The smart dustbin arrives
This high-tech trash can says decompose and reduce the volume of organic waste of the kitchen in more than 90%. The resulting product is odourless, hygienic and dry. It helps reduce the emission of methane and CO2 caused by sending food scraps to the landfill, according to what they say. Once processed, the resulting product is perfect as compost for the garden. But… is that possible?
Zepan e-Bin, the bucket that creates "compost"
It sounds very nice turn your garbage into natural compost in just a few hours. However, anyone who has spent time in the garden will know that the natural composting process differs from what the e-Bin does.
To begin with, a composter does not need state-of-the-art technology. In fact, the Internet is full of tutorials that show how to make a vermicomposter with recycled Styrofoam refrigerators. It's wasted, even the children do it on the school farm. Here we can see an example of a youtuber skilled.
Let's see how e-Bin processes the waste, comparing it with the credit creation process:
- In the first step, the bin increases the temperature and dehydrate the organic remains.
- Once dry, the pulverize with its blades maintaining the temperature.
- When it has reduced its volume, sterilize the product with UV radiation.
This resulting matter, although very easy to dispose of and handle without odors, is not compost.
So why is e-Bin advertised as a composter?
In short, yes, we can say that it is about misleading advertising. Zepan Kitchen, in addition to being amply inspired by Vorkwerk's corporate image so that its products look like cousins of the Thermomix, is making a play on words in its advertising campaign. through crowdfunding. The key is in the word decompose.
Always look at all the definitions in the dictionary. Although decompose It can be translated into Spanish as 'decompose', it also means 'disintegrate'. And it is that to create fertilizer or compost, it is necessary a biochemical breakdown of the organic remains until turning them into humus. E-Bin does only physical process.
How is compost made?
To decompose organic remains into inorganic matter that plants can easily assimilate, it is necessary water and decomposers. Not only the famous worms, but also bacteria and other microorganisms. Mushrooms and mealybugs are also decomposers.
These organisms need a high humidity level and an ideal temperature to process all nutrients and convert them into simpler chains. For this, they also need carbon (dry plant matter) and nitrogen (for example, ruminant manure).
The e-Bin, by dehydrating and sterilizing organic remains, it's not breaking them down beyond reducing them in volume. What's more, it has destroyed the organisms that decompose food with UV radiation. Unless you rehydrate and add foreign microorganisms, the product resulting from the e-Bin is not suitable fertilizer for any plant.
Does it pay to buy the e-Bin?
It is tempting. We are all lazy to go down to throw out the garbage, it is an operation for which human beings are not designed. But of course, the e-Bin is not cheap. It has a minimum price of $300 and you need to use a filter carbon disposable per month that is worth $13. Come on, it is not cheap, nor is it ecological.
We will continue waiting for the electronic vermicomposter. For now, it's cheaper to buy a silk robe with matching slippers so you can look handsome to go down the garbage every night.