PlateMate
PlateMate is a concept that helps festivals create a closed loop system for plastic
PlateMate’s design is based on the eating habits of festival guests and the plastic waste from festivals. The idea is to solve a challenge at festivals: to hold a plate and a cup while having a hand free to eat with and reduce single use plastic waste at festivals. The design challenges our existing understanding of single use disposables. PlateMate is made of recycled plastic beer cups from festivals. The cups has a high quality, because it has only been used once. The challenge is now the EU commission's lack of decision to the recycling of food grade plastic even though that companies are approved by the EFSA. Normally plastic is sent to an incineration plant or downcycled. Instead, PlateMate creates a closed loop system, where the food grade plastic is being collected, processed and made into next year’s PlateMate. This way, it can be reused year after year, which reduces the use of materials, energy and waste. The concept is scalable and can be expanded to several types of events.