The Tough Tech problem we are solving
Globally, we produce over 2 billion tons of waste annually, at an estimated cost of over $300B in waste management expense. Only a fraction is recycled, with especially low rates in bulky items/appliances. At the same time, our global supply of minerals is diminishing. Supply chains across the world face material shortages. Shortcomings in technology, infrastructure, and facility design have led to most of these items being sent to landfill. If we recycled all of the appliances and bulky items we throw away domestically, we would be able to meet the majority of material demand in the US. We have the opportunity to replace traditional mining ($3T) with urban mining, where materials are sourced in NYC and LA instead of Africa and Australia.