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BARGAIN BIN

I devised a simple solution for a serious problem: the ingestion of plastic bags by certain animals that results in their death by starvation, in spite of them still having access to an abundance of food.

Antelope such as kudu have no natural way to expel plastic from their rumen (first stomach) that they’ve ingested. Much of this plastic is prevalent because baboons often raid refuse bins.

My outdoor-bin design shows how easily this problem can be solved, with little expense. And it would be simple to modify the design to make it more elegant, but my prototype uses mostly free or unwanted materials. I built this large bin using a discarded diesel drum, and removed the lid using a hammer and chisel. The hinges, handle and hook were made using 4 mm galvanised wire. The lid is secured using a snap hook or lock. It took me only about 45 minutes using only basic tools such as a hammer, chisel, centre punch and wire pliers.

Similar designs could be used in remote areas that have no formal refuse-removal services, and I plan to donate a few of these bins to some of the areas where the need is most urgent.

Rudolf Bronkhorst