Some plastic sent overseas for recycling ends up as pollution, or goes up in toxic smoke. But there are steps we can take to ensure our waste is processed as intended.
The pandemic’s supply crunch led to more reuse and decontamination techniques that can save money and reduce waste.
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UK still ships huge amounts of plastic waste to places like Vietnam, Malaysia and Pakistan.
A biologist examines microplastics found in sea species at the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research in Greece, Nov. 26, 2019.
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Consumers can turn plastic waste into valuable products at minimal cost using the open source technologies associated with DRAM – distributed recycling and additive manufacturing.
Most of the world’s electronics are not recycled, posing health and environmental risks.
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Technical advances are reducing the volume of e-waste generated in the US as lighter, more compact products enter the market. But those goods can be harder to reuse and recycle.
It’s great to see the federal government finally providing clear policy direction for the waste industry. But it’s far from enough to temper the waste crisis.
Buddhist literature is used for teaching children about environmental issues in Taiwan.
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Taiwan has made significant efforts in protecting its environment. A scholar writes about how the country educates its children on protecting the environment through Buddhist stories.
The informal sector plays a big role in waste management in Nigeria.
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A building designed to be easily taken apart so the components can be reused is a model for much less wasteful construction. It reduces resource use and environmental impacts, and can be cheaper too.
Life-cycle assessments of food packaging often omit the impact and possible toxicity of plastics leaking into the environment. Excluding these factors gives plastics an unjustified advantage.
Prithvi Simha, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; Björn Vinnerås, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences et Jenna Senecal, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
If rolled out worldwide, our method could replace a quarter of all the synthetic nitrogen fertiliser used in agriculture.
The Amager Bakke power plant in Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Plastic waste is a global problem. Now a chemist has developed a new strategy for breaking down the most common plastic so it can be not just recycled, but upcycled into desirable goods.