Bjornulf THE ULTIMATE RECYCLED PRODUCT: FURNITURE MADE FROM GARBAGE

By Bennett Marcus

What do We Do With Our Garbage?

Environmental issues are in the spotlight like never before with climate change escalating disastrous storms, droughts, wildfires and intense heat waves around the globe. One ecological problem that has been causing alarm for decades is waste disposal – it was back in 1987 that a barge adrift for five months bearing 6 million pounds of New York garbage made headlines, turned away by six states and three foreign countries. Our landfills are full, and toxic. What do we do with our garbage?

Goal: To End Landfills

Now, one company has a revolutionary solution: furniture made from garbage. Ecogensus has patented waste recycling machinery called the Rhino Recycler which processes waste into printed out “rods” which are then placed into molds and pressed into board shapes used to create luxury furniture in a wood-like substitute. The process is also incredibly uncomplicated; an assortment of typical household waste - food waste, cardboard and other paper, mixed plastics, yard waste, textiles, wood chips - are dumped unsorted into the recycling machine.

The boards are more solid than wood, lower in moisture, and more stable. And it’s beautiful. “People look at this and if you don't tell them what it is, they have no idea that it was made from waste, they assume it’s some kind of granite-wood combination,” says Bjornulf Ostvik, Ecogensus founder and CEO. “But if you're buying one of these pieces, you are also directly helping stop landfills and dumps in a way that's never been able to be done before.” Landfills, he notes, are the world’s 3rd largest source of methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.

Hand-made Furniture; Artist & Designer Collaborations In The Works

For now, Ostvik is designing the furniture and making it by hand along with some staff and local artisan support. Current handcrafted tables are priced at $4 to $5,000, comparable to Restoration Hardware price points. The brand is seeking out artists and designers for collaborations. “I don't consider myself a real designer, I'm just showing what we can do with the post-waste material. Future lines will be produced at higher volume and are expected to achieve lower price points.”

Available Online, NYC Showroom to Come

Currently sales are online only via their newly launched website TheHouseOfEcologie.com.

Offshoot Of Lumber Substitute for Affordable Housing

The furniture line came to fruition while Ostvik was working on producing sustainable building materials to be used for affordable housing for the developing world, as well as in the developed world. While building a tiny house in his backyard, he realized some of these recycled materials had a beautiful, natural look, and figured that furniture pieces made from it would be easier to show to people.

Launched Ecogensus In 2015

After years as an innovator at aerospace company Lockheed Martin, Ostvik launched Ecogensus in 2015, focusing on alternative energy, sustainable materials manufacturing, resource recovery and advanced recycling methods. He earned a Masters of Public Administration from Cornell, and a JD from George Washington University Law School. Based in Connecticut, Ostvik is a longtime supporter of the World Wildlife Foundation and The Nature Conservancy. TheHouseofEcologie.com