Investigating the 61-pound machine that eats plastic and spits out bricks

March 2, 2026 Sean Hollister

As a kid, I went door to door collecting cans to earn some pocket change. Today, I still take pride in recycling. I slice cardboard boxes down to size each Sunday, and make sure every viable plastic container winds up in my family's recycling bins. Sometimes I even pull cellophane windows out of paper envelopes, just in case it'll save a tree someday.

In other words: I'm nearly the perfect customer for Clear Drop's Soft Plastic Compactor, a gadget that turns all your unrecyclable plastic shopping bags, mailers, food packaging, and bubble wrap into a 3-pound brick that doesn't need to be trashed.

By bricking your plastic, the company claim …

Read the full story at The Verge.

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