Clear Drop Wants To Change Your Relationship With Your Trash

InnovationConsumer TechClear Drop Wants To Change Your Relationship With Your TrashByAnthony Karcz,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about how to do more with your consumer gadgets.Follow AuthorApr 27, 2026, 12:36pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Soft Plastics Collector (left) and Organics Collector (right)Clear DropBased on the EPA's last Wasted Food Report (which, sadly, hasn't been updated since 2019), residential food waste equaled 25 million tons, with only 3% of that waste being composted. The rest was sent to landfills. The amount of plastic ending up in landfills was even worse, with the EPA estimating 27 million tons in 2018 alone, with a scant .001% being recycled. Obviously, American families have a waste problem. But the big question is, what can individuals do to make an impact on numbers that are seemingly inexorable?Granted, I'm biased, but I feel like throwing technology at it is the best solution. Especially if that tech can not just provide a solution but change how you approach a fundamental portion of your life. That's why Clear Drop caught my eye with their Organics and Soft Plastic Collector devices. They tackle two different waste streams coming out of your home with an eye on reducing or eliminating them. Garbage In Doesn't Mean Garbage OutOrganics Collector can be placed on the countertop or the floor.Clear DropEliminating food waste is a complex problem. It accounts for an exceedingly large amount of volume in residential trash. It can also generate all kinds of nasty odors, which leads to frequent changing of trash bags, which leads to even more plastic in landfills. There are a lot of companies offering countertop food recyclers that turn your food waste into "food grounds" that are less volatile (because they've had the moisture baked out of them)...