The Sum Waste pen is an interesting and, in some ways, outlandish concept.
The object is conceptualized by Garrett Benisch as a thesis project to round up his education at the Pratt Institute in New York City. The designer's concern was to utilize "organic matter that derived from treated sewage, which regularly ends up in landfills." In New York's case, this amounts to an average of 2.8 million pounds.
The Sum Waste pen is made of and operates entirely on biosolids. The projects called for a collaboration between Garett Benisch and the Department of Environmental Protection, as well as a California-based start-up that supplied the graduate with PHA derived from wastewater. Sum Waste's ink, on the other hand, was crafted with carbonized biosolids.
Photo Credits: Garrett Benisch
Human Sewage-Derived Pens
Garrett Benisch Presents the Sum Waste Pen Which Relies on Biosolids Use
Trend Themes
1. Sustainable Materials - Opportunity for using alternative materials derived from organic waste to create eco-friendly products like pens.
2. Circular Economy - Potential for closing the loop by repurposing treated sewage and other waste materials to create innovative products.
3. Biodegradable Packaging - Growing trend of developing packaging solutions that are made from environmentally friendly materials, such as biosolids.
Industry Implications
1. Design and Manufacturing - Creating new design processes and manufacturing techniques to incorporate sustainable materials like biosolids into various products.
2. Waste Management - Opportunity for waste management companies to explore ways to repurpose treated sewage and other waste materials in a circular economy model.
3. Eco-friendly Consumer Products - Innovation opportunities in the development of eco-friendly consumer products, such as pens, that are made from sustainable materials.