Amazon Joins the U.S. Department of Energy and MIT to Tackle Plastic Waste With New Science

Amazon.com has joined the international BOTTLE consortium to develop the technologies needed to reduce plastic pollution through innovation in materials and recycling. Imagine a new technology that breaks down existing plastic materials to create a new, innovative type of material. This new material could then be broken down more easily when recycled—and even biodegrade in […]

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New Enzyme Discovery is Another Leap Towards Dissolving Plastic Waste With ‘Amazing Efficiency’

Scientists who helped pioneer the use of enzymes to eat plastic have taken an important next step in developing nature-based solutions to the global plastics crisis. They have characterized an enzyme that has the remarkable capacity to break down terephthalate (TPA)—one of the chemical building blocks of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic, which is used to […]

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German City Diverts Goods From Landfills, Repairs Them, Then Sells in ‘Department Store for Reuse’

itIt’s not every day that a municipal waste department spends more time thinking about saving things than dumping them. In Hamburg in Germany, however, there’s money to be made in the second-hand market, and who better to capitalize on that than the people who haul the city’s trash? Stilbruch is the “IKEA of used goods,” […]

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75% of People Worldwide Want Single-Use Plastics Banned, According to New Global Survey

An average of three-quarters of people across 28 countries agree that single-use plastic should be banned as soon as possible, the ‘Attitudes towards single-use plastic’ survey by Ipsos has revealed. People in Latin American countries, as well as Brazil, Russia, India, and China show the highest levels of agreement with banning single-use plastic, with 80-88% […]

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Old Wind Turbine Blades Used For Bridge Construction After They’re Retired

A new bridge has appeared in Ireland that’s made from decommissioned wind turbines. The so-called BladeBridge, on the Midelton to Youghall greenway in County Cork, is designed for pedestrians, cyclists, and emergency vehicles. Erected at the end of January, it is the brainchild of the Re-Wind Network, a research organisation dedicated to address the global […]

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Scientists Discover How to Destroy Toxic PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’

The media has dubbed them “forever chemicals,” but now scientists are putting their name to the test. Perflourinated or polyfluorinated alkyl-substances (PFAS) are known to be nearly impossible to break apart, and tend to accumulate in groundwater sources, soils, and other places. Their health effects are known, as is a new method to destroy 99% […]

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What To Do With Your Old 4G Phone As You Transition to 5G

An estimated 89.5 million 5G smartphones were shipped to residences and businesses in 2021. This was a big jump from the 33.4 million shipped during 2020. Apple’s iPhone sales brought in $38.9 billion during just the fourth quarter of 2021.Though 5G technology has been in place since 2019, it’s expected that 2022 and 2023 will […]

Biggest Recycling Law Changes in 2022

On November 15, 2021, the EPA released the National Recycling Strategy. As current recycling policies and programs aren’t working as effectively as they could, the EPA decided it was time to take a closer look at creating a circular economy that works for everyone. Why Isn’t Recycling Working?If you move from one town to another, you’ll […]

Tips for Recycling Holiday Electronics This Christmas Season

Based on current estimates, consumers will have generated around 57.4 million tons of e-waste by the end of the year. The COVID pandemic is believed to be behind the increase. While people upgraded their phones, tablets, and computers this year, only a little more than 17% is expected to get recycled correctly. Improperly recycled e-waste […]

What Would Happen If People Stopped Recycling?

As the pandemic impacted daily routines, some cities and towns had to stop accepting recyclables in curbside bins. Others stopped taking certain types of recyclables and asked people to throw those items away instead. A lack of workers, budgetary concerns, and an increase in the number of recyclables all play a part. What would happen […]