Microfactories can turn Australia’s waste crisis to gold mines

Microfactories can turn Australia’s waste crisis to gold mines

Sites as small as 50 square metres could be transformed into “microfactories” that can process waste into valuable, sellable products, thanks to new technology out of the University of NSW’s Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT). On Wednesday, the world’s first small, modular recycling plant was launched by NSW environment minister Gabrielle Upton at the university, focused on e-waste.

Petition calls on Taunton Deane Borough Council to go single-use plastic free

Petition calls on Taunton Deane Borough Council to go single-use plastic free

A council has been accused of dragging its feet over calls for it to lead the fight against plastic items that cannot be re-used. An on-line petition created by Wivey Action on Climate and Environment urging Taunton Deane Borough Council to become single-use plastic free has more than 800 signatures… 

Reclaiming Craftiness – Stephanie Bastek

Reclaiming Craftiness – Stephanie Bastek

If you’re a creature of the 21st century, odds are you’ve stumbled upon the nascent DIY movement. From baking our bread to stitching our own clothes to raising back yard chickens and growing our own vegetables—even restoring our own furniture—the past few decades have seen a resurgence in our appreciation for crafts, right down to craft beer. But have you ever thatched your own roof with grasses that you grew in your own back yard? Or spent hours researching the secret behind making the best kind of haystack? Alexander Langlands has, and in his new book, Cræft, he takes DIY to a whole new level. Part how-to, part memoir, the book gets at what it means to make things with your own hands, and how this experience connects us both to the past and to our present sense of place.

CEWEP welcomes EU Communication’s Focus on Decontamination of Materials « Waste to Energy « Waste Management World

CEWEP welcomes EU Communication’s Focus on Decontamination of Materials « Waste to Energy « Waste Management World

The Confederation of European Waste-to-Energy Plants (CEWEP) has welcomed the Commission’s Communication on the interface between chemical, product and waste legislation. According to CEWEP, while the Plastics Strategy, which represents the Commission’s vision for plastics in a Circular Economy was prominently noticed by the media and stakeholders, there was little or no attention paid to the Commission’s Communication on the interface between chemical, product and waste legislation (Interface Communication) and the accompanying staff document.

Waves of Change South of the Equator

Waves of Change South of the Equator

What an amazing week we just had for our efforts at the Plastic Oceans Foundation – both north and south of the equator.  While our US Chairman, William Pfeiffer, was representing us in Davos, I was joined in Chile by Chief Evangelist, Craig Leeson, and our Director of Partnerships, Brigette Allen. Hosting and coordinating our journey was Mark Minneboo, Executive Director of Plastic Oceans Chile.  With an incredible film crew in tow, we set out to discover and capture examples of multi-sector solutions to plastic pollution. As a nation with over 2,600 miles of coastline, Chile has a vested interest in tackling this issue head-on. We were impressed by the efforts we found to bring together industry leaders, government, NGOs, and local communities, to innovate and act on efforts to reduce the plastic waste that is destroying the oceans and our own human food chain.

Veolia transforms agri-food waste into chemical molecules| #LivingCircular

Veolia transforms agri-food waste into chemical molecules| #LivingCircular

Tomorrow’s chemical industry will use platform molecules (raw materials) produced from agri-food waste. The realization that oil resources are limited is reviving interest in not only biomass as a source of molecules for the chemical industry, but also in industrial biotechnology.   The Move2chem project, which began in 2014, has been used to develop an alternative biotechnology pathway for extracting value-added chemical molecules (organic acids) used in particular in the manufacture of preservatives, solvents, paints and polymers (plastic, rubber, polystyrene, etc.) from effluents or industrial co-products (rarely or not recovered). 

EU | Fertilizers, Permanent Grasslands and EFAs – Brussels Briefing

EU | Fertilizers, Permanent Grasslands and EFAs – Brussels Briefing

From 1st January, a series of changes in the Common Agriculture Policy have been in effect. Agreed on 12th December, the so-called Omnibus was entered into the official EU record on 29th December. These changes are variously described as simplifications or improvements.  However, as we’ve outlined, much of what’s been changed is a step backwards, with changes in Ecological Focus Areas to reduce the ecological dimension in particular being problematic.  A positive in this regressive legislation is, however, the scope given to member states to define permanent grassland differently.  This could well impact positively on upland farming, on High Nature Value farming, or agroforestry; it could reduce scrub fires and make farming more viable in upland areas in general. However momentum would need to develop in member states to encourage this.

Tackling e-waste the ‘microbial’ way

Tackling e-waste the ‘microbial’ way

Written by ANJALI MARAR | Pune | Published: December 7, 2017 4:51 am Their disposal, experts said, is trickier, due to the inclusion of a wide range of metals, some of which are toxic. RELATED NEWS ‘If you can’t collect CFL bulbs, don’t sell so many,’ tells Delhi High Court Discarding e-waste the right way: A baby step towards a clean environment CAG report: UT admn has no exact data on e-waste produced in Chandigarh MOBILE CHARGERS are an inevitable part of our lives, but, once rendered non-functional, they are among one of the most disposed-off electronic waste items found at any e-waste scrap market. A team of scientists from Maharashtra recently conducted a study and developed a unique ‘microbial solution’ for the problem, through which they could extract up to 92 per cent of the metal components from a defunct charger. This would make their disposal safer. The study was recently published in Environmental Science and Pollution Research. With every Indian household today possessing an average of at least three chargers, the item has increased the huge burden of e-waste in the country by several folds. Their disposal, experts said, is trickier, due to the inclusion of a…

E-waste adds to mountain of problems counties face

E-waste adds to mountain of problems counties face

Electronic waste disposal is the latest headache to counties, which are already grappling with poor refuse collection and dumping. County officials blame cheaper imports and launch of e-government services as factors contributing to huge chunks of e-waste. The increasing number of higher learning institutions, all equipped with electronics, is yet another factor. In Kisii, the county government recently launched a joint programme with Kisii University and the East African Compliance Recycling (EARC) to establish an e-waste collection centre.

Combating e-waste in Cameroon

Combating e-waste in Cameroon

Ericsson partners with MTN to dispose of decommissioned electronic equipment in Cameroon In 2017, Ericsson successfully gathered 53 tons of waste in Cameroon and sent to its recycling partner in South Africa Partnership helps with disposal, reduced costs and risks, as well as carbon footprint MTN Cameroon and Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) have been working together successfully in 2017 under the Product Take Back program (E-waste take back) to minimize the potential environmental impact associated with the disposal of decommissioned electrical equipment. 

Circular economy offers a new vision for the fashion industry

Circular economy offers a new vision for the fashion industry

Which type of careless customer only keeps clothes for a few weeks before chucking them out when they’re barely worn? You’ve guessed it: babies. Even though the negative impacts of the fashion industry are becoming increasingly well understood, babies, toddlers and children of all ages just won’t budge. They buy new stuff, wear it just a few times and then decide they’ve had enough. 

Report finds that one garbage truck of clothing and textiles is landfilled or burned every second

Report finds that one garbage truck of clothing and textiles is landfilled or burned every second

A new textiles economy: Re-designing fashion’s future presents a radical rethink for the fashion and textiles industries – breaking away from the outdated practices that have led them to become a major source of pollution and waste. The vision explores how pioneering business models, new materials and innovative design can move those industries towards a system in which clothing lasts longer, is easier to recycle and does not release toxins or pollution.

How using blockchain can help communication and build circularity

How using blockchain can help communication and build circularity

The circular economy has become a priority for state authorities and businesses across Europe. However, most organisations that want to embrace the circular economy cannot achieve fully it by themselves. While cooperation between different entities to achieve a higher goal is certainly not new, everyone can agree that there are problems to overcome and agreements to be made.