When you take a look at the landfills all over the world, you’ll see how these are filled with non-recyclable garbage that’s left there to rot for the next century or so. If no one does anything about this, this could definitely pose a threat to the environment.
Something needs to be done, and right now. We can no longer afford to wait. It’s a good thing that there are several entrepreneurial and forward-thinking companies out there that have come up with wonderful solutions that may truly save the environment from future problems.
In fact, in order to come up with a renewable, biodegradable design material that also helps remove landfill waste stream, French designers have come up with a plan that everyone could definitely get into. They are proposing to cover the walls of homes with fish scales instead of ceramic tiles, and this new idea may be the next wave of recycling.
The idea to come up with an elegant-looking tile made entirely from fish scales is worth the look and consideration, and this is called Scalite. The makers of the tiles separate and then combine the naturally-occurring minerals and the collagen in the fish scales to make what they believe is an attractive, durable, naturally fire-resistant tile that can be used for homes all over.
Oftentimes in the past, fish scales have sometimes been turned into fertilizer and fish oil supplements. For the most part unfortunately, these are simply thrown out into normal landfill waste streams as they also get rid of the fish head and its bones.
Erik de Laurens came up with this amazing idea. Once he thought of this, he then started a design company called Scale with his cousin Edouard.
While it’s a challenge to zero in on reliable supply chains for fish scales, even from Europe, a continent who is very much aware of the importance of recycling, the square or rectangular tiles of Scalite are priced in between common natural stone like white Corian, and marble, at about $35 per square foot, or €300 per square meter.
“If you’re really serious about your environmental impact then this is a really good solution because it’s basically natural,” Laurens told Fast Company.
Scale that have been designed by Scalite tiles were done to be ruseable in a wide variety of applications, from interior decoration in private homes and offices, to furniture, and even down to retail displays. They even have a myriad of natural dies available in order for them to make wild marble-like patterns in a variety of shades and colors such as moss green and mustard yellow.
Unfortunately, and perhaps even ironically, these haven’t been designed to be water-resistant just yet. One should not use these tiles for the bathroom and outdoors because they will absorb any liquid that comes their way. Nonetheless, the company has already contracted a biochemist to find a solution to address this issue while making sure that the product still remains sustainable.
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