Why Freezing Our Waste is Revolutionary

Thomas Edison believed that real innovation was measured not only by a product’s commercial success, but also by its social impact potential. We’ll know soon whether Petal meets the first criterion via our pre-sale.

As to the second criterion, we know we’ve got a game-changer.

Throughout human history, the disposal of waste has looked pretty much the same.

Centuries ago, we tossed our garbage in the street, creating dangerous and unsanitary conditions that encouraged the spread of sickness and stink throughout our communities.

In 1875, we began storing our waste indoors. And almost nothing has changed since.

Until now, that is. 😉

Petal is a new kind of home appliance that stops rot, stink, and the spread of germs by naturally freezing waste using < $1/month of energy. Put in perspective, that’s the energy equivalent of < than a single load of laundry.

I have to plug in my waste bin? Won’t that be a waste of energy?

Based on real-world tests, Petal uses around 8 KWh of power per month in Eco mode or around $1 per month. The costs will vary slightly based on your jurisdiction, temperature settings (Eco vs Max), and other factors, but we’re talking $1 per month.

You can easily offset Petal’s energy usage just by doing one less load of laundry per month. Seriously, that’s it! If you use Petal to save food scraps for compost, you’re in even better shape. And if you really want to be an overachiever, go bag-less with your Petal! With our removable pail included, no single-use or proprietary liners are needed.

I still don’t get how this helps with composting.

Okay, let’s break this down. Petal helps with composting by reducing the “nuisance” barriers associated with saving food scraps. It eliminates people’s oft-cited reasons for opposing the process (e.g. rot, stink, fruit flies, pet tampering, garbage juice, even bears — 👀 @ you Vermonters).

As cities and towns across North America move to institute organic waste collection programs, Petal can serve as an invaluable tool for transitioning people to critical sustainability initiatives. We believe that the potential impact of widespread municipal composting programs will far outweigh the environmental cost of Petal’s 8KWh/month.

What about the fact that this Petal thing is eventually going to end up in a landfill someday?

I’m glad you brought that up. Petal is committed to a goal of Zero Waste. That means when you’re finished using your Petal, we’ll send you a pre-paid shipping label so that you can return it to us. We are committed to responsibly recycling Petal for use in new models and/or ensuring that the materials are put to use elsewhere. Keep in mind that Petal is a high-end appliance built for a decade of vigorous use, which means you won’t need to be returning it to us anytime soon.

Dude. Isn’t this just a freezer that looks like a trash can? Why can’t I just put my garbage in the regular freezer?

Funny you should ask that. One of our inventors used to store his organic waste in the freezer. It eliminated the nuisance of fruit flies and foul odors in his kitchen, but it also meant keeping trash next to his Ben & Jerry’s.

When his infant son entered the picture, it meant sandwiching bags of 💩-filled diapers in between the frozen pizza and chicken fingers, just to eliminate that god-awful poop stench in the nursery. Who has the room or the stomach for dirty diapers and blood-soaked tampons in their freezer?

Omg, stop. I get it. Storing trash in the freezer is gross and takes up a lot of space.

Especially if you’re not a fan of poopsicles. Have you ever forgotten something in the freezer and found it nearly mummified later? That’s from sublimation.

Frozen environments are naturally dry, the air can’t hold the moisture — and Petal takes advantage of this. What results is bone dry, odorless, mold-, virus- and bacteria-neutral waste that won’t leak on your hands or spread germs.

✌️ Peace out, garbage juice! No one likes you!

How exactly does Petal stop the spread of germs and viruses, anyway?

Bio 101: the outermost protective layer of a bacterial cell is called a membrane. It is essential to the survival of most bacteria. What happens when you introduce bacteria to Petal’s sub-zero environment?

Ice crystals form to rupture the membrane and eventually cause the cell to die. Similarly, researchers have determined that at temperatures between 25˚F and -40˚F harmful water crystals form within viruses that damage their cell structures as well.

Petal’s ability to maintain a sub-zero environment also means that any substrate suspending the virus (mucus, saliva, etc) is frozen solid, effectively neutralizing it and stopping its spread. Boom.

So, why can’t I just use antibacterial cleaners to kill the germs in my waste bin?

You absolutely can, but it comes with some risks. For example, do you ever use vinegar in your cooking? Bleach likes to react with vinegar and all kinds of other household cleaners to create highly toxic gases.

Do pets or young kids ever raid your trash can? You don’t want them touching (or eating) chemical-laced leftovers.

Eating “natural” garbage is bad enough. (BTW, Petal has a child safety lock to prevent tampering, which means your babies can’t get inside it if you don’t want them to.)

Aren’t “super germs” just a conspiracy theory?

🤫 Stop right there, please. Per the Mayo Clinic:

“Superbugs are strains of bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi that are resistant to most of the antibiotics and other medications commonly used to treat the infections they cause … Over time, germs such as bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi adapt to the drugs that are designed to kill them and change to ensure their survival.”

While overuse of antibiotics has been blamed for the proliferation of super bugs, anti-bacterial household cleaners and soaps are also part of the problem. According to Scientific American, “antibacterial products leave surface residues, creating conditions that may foster the development of resistant bacteria.”

Fine, so how is Petal different than chemicals that kill germs?

Petal uses the natural process of freezing to neutralize germs. And the oh-so-low temperature can make viral and bacterial cell membranes rupture and eventually die.

And this is just the beginning…

For now, our focus is on ensuring germ- and stink-free environments for nurseries and kitchens.

Beyond the home, however, Petal’s commercial uses are numerous with the potential to help every business and industry — from hospitals and nursing homes to daycare centers, restaurants, fairgrounds, and any spaces where sanitation is a public health concern.

Stay tuned and learn more 👉 PetalClean.com