Recycled Tableware by Belland®Vision

Responding to an earlier post, Compostable Tableware…Or Not , a reader named “Lars” told us about a German company, Belland®Vision, which “has invented a material for tableware and maybe also future packaging that allows closed material cycling”. Caution: the Belland®Vision website is heavily flash videoed, and though extremely well done, some browsers may crash from it. Also, it requires Windows Media Player for some of the functionality.

In following correspondence with TreeHugger’s “Tips” department, Lars brought to our attention that “the closed material cycle tableware…does not need to be collected separately, as the recycling process itself separates the tableware from other items. We had a close look and determined that the sustainability dimension hangs on a business model more than on material of construction.

Apparently Belland®Vision is targeting large catered events for their tableware. They include in their price trash pickup, waste separation, and recycling to produce feedstock for more tableware. Sounds like a service contract.

The Belland®Vision tableware is not made with compostable material: original feedstock is petroleum based. Nonetheless, with the business plan offered, used tableware serves as a 100% “technical nutrient”.

Aside from the fact that the Belland®Vision business model does not work for retail consumers, the concept looks very good indeed.