tag:theconversation.com,2011:/ca/topics/waste-349/articlesWaste – The Conversation2024-01-18T18:58:37Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2199002024-01-18T18:58:37Z2024-01-18T18:58:37ZTrash TV: streaming giants are failing to educate the young about waste recycling. Here’s why it matters<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/569957/original/file-20240117-25-bb72gg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=231%2C0%2C2585%2C1719&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://glenkeaneproductions.com/press">Trash Truck/Glen Keane Productions</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>As a new parent, I’ve had the joy of watching animated cartoons with my two-year-old son. His favourite show is <a href="https://www.netflix.com/au/title/80234731">Trash Truck</a>, on Netflix, featuring a tight-knit ensemble of five characters: a trash truck, a young boy, a raccoon, a bear and a mouse. The show offers valuable life lessons, emphasising the importance of friendship, sharing, love for animals and respect for parents. </p>
<p>But there’s a problem. The way it portrays the collection of waste grabbed my attention. It’s simply a matter of gathering mixed waste from bins and depositing it in a landfill. There’s no sign of any process for sorting or recycling waste. </p>
<p>This left me pondering why a charming cartoon series with a global audience, capable of educating the future generation about waste recovery, lacks such relevant educational content. </p>
<p>I’m a researcher who has studied waste management for the past six years. I decided to analyse similar series such as <a href="https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0U44E08N4F3GMFVIDRHREE3UU7/ref=atv_sr_fle_c_Tn74RA_1_1_1">The Stinky and Dirty Show</a> (Amazon Prime), <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@babybus">BabyBus</a> (YouTube) and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lQw4F6g3A4">Frank the Garbage Truck</a> (YouTube). A clear pattern emerged – all show waste simply being dumped. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/building-activity-produces-18-of-emissions-and-a-shocking-40-of-our-landfill-waste-we-must-move-to-a-circular-economy-heres-how-206188">Building activity produces 18% of emissions and a shocking 40% of our landfill waste. We must move to a circular economy – here’s how</a>
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<p>To make it clear, in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uoe1UwdjCQk">one episode of BabyBus</a>, a song goes: </p>
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<p>[Garbage truck sings] Garbage truck yeah yeah, looking for garbage here and there […] I have a long arm yeah yeah, look what I can do. […] [Two paper coke cups sing] Big tummy, no no no, it is going to eat me, the trash can is shaking shaking, I don’t want to go […] [Garbage truck sings] Now off to the dump […] [Discarded apple sings] No I don’t want to go to the dump […] [Garbage truck sings] Dirty trash bye bye, smelly trash bye bye.</p>
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<p>This episode dropped four years ago on YouTube. It has hit a whopping 109 million views. That shows how powerful these platforms are for reaching people.</p>
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<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Uoe1UwdjCQk?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">In BabyBus it’s all about “dumping trash” with no mention of sorting or recycling.</span></figcaption>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/households-find-low-waste-living-challenging-heres-what-needs-to-change-197022">Households find low-waste living challenging. Here's what needs to change</a>
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<h2>Why does waste education matter?</h2>
<p>Many nations have hastily adopted various strategies and developed policies to tackle the <a href="https://www.theworldcounts.com/challenges/planet-earth/state-of-the-planet/world-waste-facts">ever-growing issue of waste</a>. In particular, scientific literature informing these strategies and policies highlights education as an effective and sustainable solution. </p>
<p>The findings from our multiple research projects reinforce this fact. For instance, we found “<a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/ECAM-05-2021-0439/full/html">poor culture and education</a>” is one of the top three barriers to sustainably managing construction and demolition waste and treating it as a resource. In a later study, we <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352550922002445">identified education</a> as a priority to enable development of markets for recycled construction waste materials. Most recently, we found “<a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/SASBE-08-2023-0213/full/html?skipTracking=true">education, investigation and demonstration activities</a>” are the main strategy for optimising use of recycled materials in the building and construction sector. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/buildings-used-iron-from-sunken-ships-centuries-ago-the-use-of-recycled-materials-should-be-business-as-usual-by-now-200351">Buildings used iron from sunken ships centuries ago. The use of recycled materials should be business as usual by now</a>
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<h2>Screen time can be learning time</h2>
<p>The United Nations <a href="https://sdgs.un.org/goals">Sustainable Development Goals</a> emphasise the crucial role of children in achieving these global objectives. Its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development <a href="https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda#:%7E:text=Children%20and%20young%20women%20and,words%20of%20the%20UN%20Charter.">describes</a> children as:</p>
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<p>critical agents of change […] [who] will find in the new goals a platform to channel their infinite capacities for activism into the creation of a better world.</p>
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<p>We have seen a big increase in waste education for children such as recycling programs at schools in recent years. But according to <a href="https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9_940">Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory of human development</a>, the primary environmental influence on children occurs within their homes. A large part of a child’s time is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7018039/">spent at home</a> where they often have uninterrupted access to multimedia content.</p>
<p><a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/2789091">Recent research</a> indicates screen time for children has surged particularly during and after COVID-19. While this trend may not be ideal, we can harness it for shaping the mindset of the next generation. In particular, it’s an opportunity to promote environmental sustainability. </p>
<p>The United States’ National Association for the Education of Young Children <a href="https://www.naeyc.org/sites/default/files/globally-shared/downloads/PDFs/resources/position-statements/ps_technology.pdf">suggests multimedia learning</a>, when used appropriately, helps children understand complicated topics while also providing positive engagement and enjoyment. </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568959/original/file-20240111-29-duc80h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568959/original/file-20240111-29-duc80h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=452&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568959/original/file-20240111-29-duc80h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=452&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568959/original/file-20240111-29-duc80h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=452&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568959/original/file-20240111-29-duc80h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=568&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568959/original/file-20240111-29-duc80h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=568&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568959/original/file-20240111-29-duc80h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=568&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Streaming content is an important influence on children’s understanding of issues and their attitudes to them.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source"> Salman Shooshtarian</span></span>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/forget-old-screen-time-rules-during-coronavirus-heres-what-you-should-focus-on-instead-135053">Forget old screen 'time' rules during coronavirus. Here's what you should focus on instead</a>
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<h2>The power and responsibilities of streaming media</h2>
<p>Online video streaming has transformed the media landscape and viewing habits worldwide. The swift expansion of internet usage, the ubiquity of mobile devices and the surging demand for online video content have driven this change. </p>
<p>The global video streaming market has grown remarkably over the past ten years. By 2022, estimated annual revenue from streaming TV and video hit <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/260179/over-the-top-revenue-worldwide/">US$154 billion</a>.</p>
<p>Waste is everyone’s responsibility, as outlined in many waste management initiatives and activities around the world. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-cant-keep-putting-apartment-residents-waste-in-the-too-hard-basket-200545">We can't keep putting apartment residents' waste in the too hard basket</a>
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<p>With a global total of 1.2 billion viewers, giant streaming media companies such as Netflix (<a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/250934/quarterly-number-of-netflix-streaming-subscribers-worldwide/">247.2 million paid subscribers</a>, Amazon Prime Video (<a href="https://www.searchlogistics.com/learn/statistics/amazon-prime-statistics/">200 million paid subscribers</a>) and Disney+ (<a href="https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/disney-plus-subscribers-150-million-earnings-1235784850/">150 million paid subscribers</a> have a key role to play in educating the next generation. In particular, their animated cartoon series can influence the next generation’s attitude and behaviour. </p>
<p>Given its impact on the young, the global entertainment industry needs to be held accountable to ensure it portrays current knowledge about how we manage pressing issues such as waste.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219900/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Salman Shooshtarian receives funding from the Australia Sustainable Built Environment National Research Centre.</span></em></p>An essential part of managing a growing global waste problem is sorting, recovering and recycling it. But you won’t see this on children’s shows that feature waste collection.Salman Shooshtarian, Senior Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2193652023-12-27T09:10:57Z2023-12-27T09:10:57ZHow to make your life greener in 2024<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565811/original/file-20231214-17-sz6ddr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C6016%2C4016&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/woman-chooses-fruits-vegetables-farmers-market-1499488313">j.chizhe/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>People all around the world traditionally use their new year to embark on a change in lifestyle. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.undp.org/publications/peoples-climate-vote">People’s Climate Vote</a>, a UN survey of public opinion on climate change, highlights that citizens around the world recognise climate change as a global emergency and agree that we should do everything necessary in response. </p>
<p>People are gradually adopting <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pages/consumer-business/articles/sustainable-consumer.html">more sustainable lifestyles</a>, but many find it hard to change habits and often don’t know where to start their sustainability journey. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/eco-anxiety-climate-change-affects-our-mental-health-heres-how-to-cope-202477">Eco-anxiety: climate change affects our mental health – here's how to cope</a>
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<p>So if you’re looking to make your life greener in 2024, here are some manageable and affordable changes you can make.</p>
<h2>1. Eating</h2>
<p>We throw away a <a href="https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/why-global-fight-tackle-food-waste-has-only-just-begun">billion tonnes of food</a> each year. Food waste often generates methane, a greenhouse gas that is <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/food-waste-makes-up-half-of-global-food-system-emissions/">more potent than carbon dioxide</a>.</p>
<p>But there are simple changes you can make to eat <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/affordable_sustainable">more sustainably</a> (and often at less expense too). These include eating locally and seasonally, or eating less meat and more plants, especially <a href="https://www.resilience.org/stories/2022-03-24/is-there-life-after-fert/">beans and greens</a>. Beans require no nitrogen fertilisers (which are, in part, produced from natural gas) thanks to their ability to convert nitrogen from the air into nutrients. </p>
<p>Going meat-free on one day each week would be a good start. Eating processed “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/10/fake-meat-sales-nutrition-environment">mock meats</a>” can be a stepping stone towards a more plant-based lifestyle, although they are relatively expensive. </p>
<p>Planning your meals in advance and making sure you eat your leftovers will help you reduce unnecessary waste. And use a microwave for cooking where possible since it is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2022.03.010">more energy efficient</a> than cooking over a stove.</p>
<p>You don’t have to do them all – choose the ones that work best for you.</p>
<h2>2. Travelling</h2>
<p>We all need to travel, whether to work, school, university or to the shop. Sustainable travel is a balancing act.</p>
<p>Choosing active travel – walking, wheeling and cycling – is the greenest option, keeping us and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2019.03.030">our children</a> fitter and healthier while producing no carbon emissions. Try replacing one or two car journeys a week with active travel options if you can. </p>
<p>In urban areas, where you’re travelling shorter distances, active transport is often faster and cheaper than car travel. It also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2015.12.010">reduces congestion</a>, which is a significant cause of urban air pollution. </p>
<p>For longer journeys, travelling by train or bus is more environmentally friendly than by <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.129392">car</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2020.102378">plane</a>. But you often must plan ahead to get the cheapest tickets.</p>
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<img alt="A rear view of businessman commuting to work on a bicycle." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565805/original/file-20231214-15-7bq6iy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565805/original/file-20231214-15-7bq6iy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565805/original/file-20231214-15-7bq6iy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565805/original/file-20231214-15-7bq6iy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565805/original/file-20231214-15-7bq6iy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565805/original/file-20231214-15-7bq6iy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565805/original/file-20231214-15-7bq6iy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Active transport is often a faster and cheaper way of travelling around a city.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/rear-view-businessman-commuter-electric-bicycle-1323592877">Ground Picture/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<h2>3. Energy use</h2>
<p>The energy we use at home is becoming increasingly expensive and is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Making small changes to our daily energy use can make a <a href="https://www.un.org/en/actnow/home-energy#:%7E:text=Improving%20your%20home%27s%20energy%20efficiency,year%20%2D%20that%27s%20almost%201%20ton!">big difference</a>, both to our bills and household emissions.</p>
<p>Most of these changes are easy and convenient. Turn off lights when leaving a room. Cook food with the saucepan lid on. Turn your home thermostat down by 1°C. Wash clothes and crockery at colder temperatures. Take shorter showers. Unplug devices such as microwaves when not in use and chargers when devices are fully charged. And replace broken halogen light bulbs with more efficient LED versions. </p>
<p>Using the data recorded by a <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/smart-meters-how-they-work">smart meter</a> (if you have one) to monitor your energy use can help you make these changes. </p>
<h2>4. Clothing</h2>
<p>People love buying new clothes. But “fast fashion” has an astonishingly <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-020-0039-9">high environmental and social cost</a>. The fashion industry generates over 92 million tonnes of waste every year, most of which is incinerated, sent to landfill or exported to developing countries.</p>
<p>There are lots of ways to be both fashionable and sustainable. Start by organising your wardrobe so you know what you’ve got before you start shopping, and that anything you buy will “work” with what you currently have. </p>
<p>Don’t throw away damaged items – there are loads of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnxGHRlevlQ">YouTube videos</a> to help you repair clothes and accessories. You can even make your clothing more personal using repair methods such as <a href="https://www.wastefreeplanet.org/blog/how-to-mend-your-jeans-using-sashiko-stitching">Sashiko stitching</a>, making the repair a visible feature of your clothing.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.circularonline.co.uk/opinions/lets-get-this-reuse-party-started/">Buying second-hand</a> will save you money, and the social and environmental benefits of charity retail are <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/su151612153">widely recognised</a>. You could also swap clothing you no longer want with friends and family or at <a href="https://www.savethestudent.org/shopping/top-five-swapping-websites.html">swap shops</a>. </p>
<p>Alternatively, you could buy less, but higher quality clothing. These items are usually more durable and last longer. </p>
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<img alt="Young women swapping clothing with each other." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565810/original/file-20231214-27-giz0gd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565810/original/file-20231214-27-giz0gd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565810/original/file-20231214-27-giz0gd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565810/original/file-20231214-27-giz0gd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565810/original/file-20231214-27-giz0gd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565810/original/file-20231214-27-giz0gd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565810/original/file-20231214-27-giz0gd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Swap clothing you no longer want with friends or family.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/young-women-swap-party-choose-casual-2286018779">Fotoksa/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<h2>5. Waste management</h2>
<p>We generate <a href="https://www.unep.org/resources/report/global-waste-management-outlook">more than 2 billion metric tons</a> of solid municipal waste worldwide each year. This figure is expected to <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/916625/global-generation-of-municipal-solid-waste-forecast/">increase by 70% by 2050</a>. There are many small changes we can make to reduce the amount we put in our bins. </p>
<p>Writing a shopping list can reduce overbuying and impulse buying. Take reusable bags with you when you shop. And shop packaging free. There are lots of places to buy food without excess packaging like zero-waste shops where customers are encouraged to use containers from home to fill and refill with bulk wholefoods. </p>
<p>Make sure you know what you can <a href="https://www.recyclenow.com/how-to-recycle/household-recycling">recycle locally</a> and follow the advice provided. Reducing waste saves valuable resources as well as reducing pollution and your weekly spend.</p>
<p>By making small changes to our lifestyles, we can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2019.05.002">collectively</a> move towards a more sustainable future.</p>
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<img alt="Imagine weekly climate newsletter" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<p><strong><em>Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?</em></strong>
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ian Williams receives funding from EU Horizon 2020 and EPSRC. Ian Williams is a member of the International Solid Waste Association, the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management and the Royal Society of Chemistry.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Alice Brock does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>It’s often challenging to live up to your new year’s resolutions – but becoming greener is surprisingly easy.Ian Williams, Professor of Applied Environmental Science, University of SouthamptonAlice Brock, PhD Candidate in Environmental Science, University of SouthamptonLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2107182023-11-14T19:06:26Z2023-11-14T19:06:26ZHere’s how a TV series inspired the KeepCup revolution. What’s next in the war on waste?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/555221/original/file-20231023-15-78v8r3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=36%2C0%2C3465%2C2331&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Lune Media</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Changing habits can be hard. So when a single episode of an Australian television show prompted a national shift in behaviour, as behavioural researchers, we took notice. </p>
<p>The first (2017) and second (2018) seasons of the ABC TV program <a href="https://iview.abc.net.au/collection/1389">War on Waste</a> reached audiences of <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/tv/pdf/WoW%20Impact%20Report%2013June19.pdf">3.8 million and 3.3 million viewers, respectively</a>. That’s one in seven Australians. It inspired action, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/tv/pdf/WoW%20Impact%20Report%2013June19.pdf">slashing the waste footprint of hundreds of Australian organisations</a>. So it remains a valuable example of TV driving social change, and one we can still learn from today. </p>
<p>Through focus groups conducted in 2018, we explored how the first season encouraged Melbourne millennials’ to adopt reusable coffee cups. Then, when the COVID pandemic prompted greater <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9248071/">use of disposable consumer products</a>, we revisited the data and delved deeper into behavioural science.</p>
<p>Our analysis revealed people were drawn to the engaging storytelling, confronting visuals and prankster ex-Chaser host <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/radio/people/craig-reucassel/11088556">Craig Reucassel</a>. He demonstrated, step-by-step, how to minimise waste in a relatable and guilt-free way. Our research, recently published <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/22041451.2023.2250541">in the journal Communication Research and Practice</a>, can guide others to achieve similar success in behavioural change. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zF9Rd8Cw-Xc?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">The #BYOCoffeeCup tram in Melbourne from the ABC’s War on Waste series, May 2017.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-makes-people-switch-to-reusable-cups-its-not-discounts-its-what-others-do-142254">What makes people switch to reusable cups? It's not discounts, it's what others do</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Educational entertainment</h2>
<p>In War on Waste, Reucassel confronts Australia’s many waste-management problems and potential solutions.</p>
<p>The series is an example of what behavioural psychologists call “<a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-63614-2_14">entertainment-education interventions</a>”.</p>
<p>In one episode, Reucassel staged a stunt on a Melbourne tram during peak hour, proclaiming it was filled with 50,000 disposable coffee cups – the amount sent to landfill every 30 minutes in Australia.</p>
<p>Almost overnight, <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/startupsmart/advice/startupsmart-growth/keepcups-founder-crazy-400-increase-sales-fuelled-abcs-war-waste-program/">KeepCup sales quadrupled</a>, crashing the company’s website. Membership of a <a href="https://responsiblecafes.org/">Responsible Cafes</a> initiative promoting reusable coffee cups <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-16/ditching-disposable-coffee-cups-war-on-waste/8625018">spiked from 400 cafes to 1,800</a>. </p>
<p>An <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/ourfocus/waronwaste/WarOnWasteTheSurveyUnderstandingAustralia'sWasteAttitudesand%20Behaviours.pdf">ABC study</a> found more people of all ages bought coffee in reusable cups after War on Waste aired (up from 37% to 42%).</p>
<p>The survey also revealed millennials (aged 18-34 in 2017) were generally less likely to adopt waste-reduction behaviours compared with other age groups. But they excelled in using reusable coffee cups.</p>
<p>Why was the show so successful in encouraging people, and specifically millennials, to use reusable coffee cups?</p>
<p>If we can explain why this behaviour was so readily adopted, perhaps we can promote other sustainable behaviours at scale, in other entertainment-education interventions.</p>
<p>Our research uncovered five tactics used by the show to get these results. </p>
<h2>1. Use a relatable host</h2>
<p>Humans relate to people on TV. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1207/S15327825MCS0502_5?needAccess=true&role=button">Research shows celebrities</a> and people we consider engaging and credible <a href="https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Who-says-what-to-whom%3A-Why-messengers-and-citizen-Callaghan-Schnell/157c32b0049a00df29226105bd729ee7832c5027">are more likely to influence us</a>.</p>
<p>Reucassel is a popular host with celebrity status. One focus group participant said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>A lot of films […] feel very preachy. It’s often either an expert, or just a narrator, who clearly didn’t know anything about the topic beforehand, who has now researched things, who is telling you things. Whereas in the case of the War on Waste, it felt more like he [Reucassel] was learning it with you, at the same time.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In the first season, we watched as Reucassel sorted the contents of a recycling bin, sharing the learning experience with the viewer. Research shows we are more likely to adopt a new behaviour <a href="https://link.springer.com/book/10.1057/9781137348326">if we’re shown how to do it</a> rather than told what to do. </p>
<h2>2. Mix statistics with confronting visuals</h2>
<p>High-impact visuals have lasting effect. Reucassel’s many stunts served not only as an <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230964194_Media_communication_strategies_for_climate-friendly_lifestyles_-_Addressing_middle_and_lower_class_consumers_for_social-cultural_change_via_Entertainment-Education">engaging way to present statistics</a>, but also a way to connect with viewers by stirring up emotions. This approach <a href="https://www.econbiz.de/Record/ecotainment-der-neue-weg-im-umweltmarketing-emotionale-werbebotschaften-sustainability-cross-marketing-lichtl-martin/10004597359">builds audience knowledge and willpower</a>, making a change in behaviour more likely. </p>
<p>As one focus group participant put it: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>My favourite thing about the show was all the stunts that Craig pulled – it’s classic Chaser stuff. Like the big rolling ball of plastic bags and the tram full of coffee cups. I thought that aspect of it was the most hard-hitting and interesting.</p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/557626/original/file-20231106-27-s67h8u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Craig Reucassel stands alongside a 50m long table covered in food, which is the amount one family wastes in a year" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/557626/original/file-20231106-27-s67h8u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/557626/original/file-20231106-27-s67h8u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=419&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557626/original/file-20231106-27-s67h8u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=419&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557626/original/file-20231106-27-s67h8u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=419&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557626/original/file-20231106-27-s67h8u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=526&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557626/original/file-20231106-27-s67h8u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=526&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557626/original/file-20231106-27-s67h8u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=526&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Craig Reucassel stands alongside a 50m long table covered in food, which is the amount one family wastes in a year.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Lune Media</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-found-3-types-of-food-wasters-which-one-are-you-214482">We found 3 types of food wasters, which one are you?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>3. Promote widespread community action</h2>
<p>A common problem with behaviour change initiatives is a person will only change their behaviour if they feel like others are going to change their behaviour too. This often leads to “<a href="https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.162.3859.1243">the tragedy of the commons</a>”, where no one ends up taking action. </p>
<p>The opposite was true for War on Waste. Focus group participants felt the show created a groundswell for environmental change, so they were more inspired to take action because they felt others were taking action too. In the words of one:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I really enjoyed how it was a mix of personal actions [and] more systemic changes […] like getting Coles and Woolworths to change cosmetic standards [for fresh produce] but also the episode with the fast fashion, about getting the teenage girls to consider their own personal choices.</p>
</blockquote>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/households-find-low-waste-living-challenging-heres-what-needs-to-change-197022">Households find low-waste living challenging. Here's what needs to change</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>4. Choose behaviours with an easy learning curve</h2>
<p>Reducing waste may never be “easy”, but by <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1043463103154002">choosing behaviours perceived to be low-cost with little inconvenience</a>, we have a better chance of success. </p>
<p>Swapping the disposable coffee cup for a reusable cup was considered relatively easy with a “quick learning curve” – compared to composting or having a worm farm – and so became more readily adopted than other behaviours demonstrated in War on Waste.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/557929/original/file-20231107-27-zw3mam.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Craig Reucassel with a Melbourne tram filled with 50,000 disposable coffee cups" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/557929/original/file-20231107-27-zw3mam.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/557929/original/file-20231107-27-zw3mam.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557929/original/file-20231107-27-zw3mam.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557929/original/file-20231107-27-zw3mam.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557929/original/file-20231107-27-zw3mam.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557929/original/file-20231107-27-zw3mam.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557929/original/file-20231107-27-zw3mam.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The shocking sight of a Melbourne tram filled with 50,000 disposable coffee cups stopped city commuters in their tracks.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Lune Media</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>5. Show how behaviour can reveal social identity</h2>
<p>People from all generations prefer to act in accordance with what society deems acceptable. So pro-environmental behaviours are more likely to be <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/229785954_Strategies_for_Sustainability_Citizens_and_Responsible_Environmental_Behaviour">adopted when social pressure is placed on them</a>. </p>
<p>War on Waste placed social pressure on us all to reduce our waste. Adopting a reusable coffee cup became a visible symbol for millennials to demonstrate to others that they were doing their bit, while expressing their environmental values. </p>
<p>As one participant said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I think it’s just a trendy, convenient way to maybe look and feel like you are doing something that’s […] the right step.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>What can we learn from this, and what’s next?</h2>
<p>Many of the strategies we identified as successful in season one reappeared this year in <a href="https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/the-screen-guide/t/war-on-waste-series-3-2023/40977/">season three</a>, such as confronting visual stunts, shared learning experiences and targeting easy behaviours. </p>
<p>Based on the findings from our research, we expect to see further positive change generated from this season.</p>
<p>Our research also presents an opportunity to practitioners wanting to create behaviour change at scale by providing them with behavioural science strategies to embed in entertainment-education interventions. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-to-wear-for-a-climate-crisis-214478">What to wear for a climate crisis</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210718/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Understanding the success of the ABC’s War on Waste is a lesson in behavioural psychology. Research reveals five ways to guide other entertainment-education interventions to similar success.Danie Nilsson, Behavioural Scientist, CSIRORachael Vorwerk, Science Communicator, ARC Centre of Excellence in Optical Microcombs for Breakthrough Science (COMBS), RMIT UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2138022023-09-22T11:51:08Z2023-09-22T11:51:08ZFast fashion’s waste problem could be solved by recycled textiles but brands need to help boost production<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549148/original/file-20230919-29-c1vz8l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=22%2C0%2C5088%2C3869&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/reuse-reduce-recycle-concept-background-symbol-1537681748">Fascinadora/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Earlier this year, fast fashion retailer Zara released its first womenswear collection <a href="https://circ.earth/zara-launches-first-of-its-kind-recycled-poly-cotton-capsule-with-circ/">made of recycled poly-cotton textile waste</a>. The collection is available for sale in 11 countries, helping clothing made of blended textile waste reach the mass market. </p>
<p>The collection came about after Zara’s parent company Inditex <a href="https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/sustainability/inditex-clean-tech-investment-textile-recyling-circ-startup/">invested</a> in textile recycler Circ. This follows <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/inditex-100-mln-euro-deal-make-clothes-recycled-fabric-2022-05-12/">a €100 million (£87 million) deal</a> between Inditex and Finnish textile recycler Infinited Fiber Company for 30% of its recycled output. Zara’s fast fashion rival H&M has also entered <a href="https://www.renewcell.com/en/renewcell-and-hm-group-in-large-scale-fashion-recycling-cooperation/">a five-year contract</a> with Swedish textile recycler Renewcell to acquire <a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230227-how-to-recycle-your-clothes#:%7E:text=Swedish%20fashion%20brand%20H%26M">9,072 tonnes of recycled fibre</a> – equivalent to 50 million T-shirts.</p>
<p>There is a growing appetite among some fashion retailers to turn old clothes into high-quality fibres, and then into new clothes. But even though well-known brands are developing lines using recycled textiles, this movement has not yet reached the scale needed to have a truly global impact.</p>
<p>Before this recent growth in interest in textile recycling, fast fashion’s efforts to tackle throwaway attitudes towards affordable clothing often simply added to the global textile waste mountain – especially <a href="https://fashionunited.uk/news/business/h-m-s-response-to-allegations-of-dumping-textile-waste-in-global-south-highlights-industry-s-problems/2023062870246">in developing countries</a>, say campaigners like Greenpeace.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1514968224038731782"}"></div></p>
<p>For example, a skirt deposited at a London chain store under a take-back scheme was <a href="https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Take-back-trickery_compressed.pdf">reportedly found</a> in a landfill in Bamako, Mali. This is not an isolated incident, it’s a sector-wide problem that sees old clothes being collected but not disposed of properly. An estimated <a href="https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/ghanas-vintage-enthusiasts-give-new-life-western-clothing-waste-2022-12-28/">15 million used clothing items</a> are shipped to Ghana each week from around the world and many end up in the country’s landfills. This is often referred to as <a href="https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/sustainability/fashion-pay-waste-colonialism-secondhand-clothes-epr-kantamanto/">waste colonialism</a>.</p>
<p>The fast fashion industry needs greater access to recycled textiles to address this problem. But this means having the means to track “thrown-away” garments to collect those suitable for recycling. The industry also needs facilities that are big enough to turn this waste into new materials for clothing at the scale needed to meet mass market demand.</p>
<p>This is particularly important as these firms prepare for an <a href="https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/circular-economy/reset-trend/how-eu-making-fashion-sustainable_en">EU crackdown</a> on the region’s own waste mountain. Following the <a href="https://environment.ec.europa.eu/publications/textiles-strategy_en">EU strategy for Sustainable and Circular textiles</a> 2022, the European Commission is drafting new legislation over <a href="https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/eu-wants-all-textile-waste-rules-place-by-2028-commissioner-2023-06-27/">the next five years</a> to make the fashion industry pay for the cost of processing discarded clothing.</p>
<p>Under the new EU rules, companies will be expected to collect waste equivalent to a certain percentage of their production. While the exact amount has not yet been confirmed yet, European commissioner for the environment Virginijus Sinkevičius has said it will “definitely” be <a href="https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/eu-wants-all-textile-waste-rules-place-by-2028-commissioner-2023-06-27/#:%7E:text=%22It%20definitely%20will%20be%20higher%20than%205%25%22%20of%20production%2C%20Sinkevi%C4%8Dius%20said.">more than 5% of production</a>. Companies may have to pay a fee (reportedly equivalent to <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/6b3a4ff0-c433-4a1c-9239-c22c4c1dfec6">€0.12 per T-shirt</a>) towards local authorities’ waste collection work.</p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="White store background with sales display of grey coat, tree and light behind white clothing collection bin." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549147/original/file-20230919-15-s2rh3i.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549147/original/file-20230919-15-s2rh3i.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=899&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549147/original/file-20230919-15-s2rh3i.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=899&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549147/original/file-20230919-15-s2rh3i.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=899&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549147/original/file-20230919-15-s2rh3i.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1130&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549147/original/file-20230919-15-s2rh3i.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1130&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549147/original/file-20230919-15-s2rh3i.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1130&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Many stores offer collection bins for old clothes.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.inditex.com/itxcomweb/en/press/media-gallery/facilities">Inditex</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But fast fashion brands must ensure that this doesn’t just dump the problem of textile waste into other countries’ landfills. Instead, developing lines out of recycled textiles could give these old clothes a new lease of life.</p>
<p>A <a href="https://www.thefashionpact.org/?lang=en">Fashion Pact</a> signed by more than 160 brands (a third of the sector by volume) commits companies to ensure that, by 2025, 25% of the raw materials such as textiles that they use have a low impact on the environment – recycled fibre is considered a low-impact material. Some brands have set more ambitious targets, including Adidas, which has committed to <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/73ca70d8-84e1-11e8-96dd-fa565ec55929">using 100% recycled plastics</a> by 2024, and Zara-owner Inditex, which pledged to source <a href="https://www.drapersonline.com/news/zara-owner-inditex-sets-extremely-ambitious-sustainability-targets">40% of its fibres</a> from recycling processes by 2030. </p>
<p>These impending deadlines, plus the EU legislation, should motivate brands to use more recycled fibres. While the supply of such material is <a href="https://vb.nweurope.eu/media/19019/2207-scaling-textile-recycling-in-europe-turning-waste-into-value.pdf">currently limited</a>, an influx of recycling start-ups are finding ways to turn old clothes into new fibres that replicate the look and feel of virgin materials. </p>
<p>Start-ups like <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brookerobertsislam/2022/02/25/fashion-isnt-becoming-more-sustainable-but-next-gen-materials-might-fix-that/?sh=71fc2ab468ad">Spinnova, Renewcell and Infinited Fibre</a> have developed chemical recycling technologies to create new fibres from cotton-rich clothing. And while cheap low-cost blended materials like poly-cotton are <a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200710-why-clothes-are-so-hard-to-recycle">difficult to separate and recycle</a>, firms like Worn Again, Envrnu, and Circ are tackling this problem, too. </p>
<p>Worn Again plans to build a new recycling demo plant in Switzerland, paving the way for <a href="https://sdgs.un.org/partnerships/worn-again-technologies">40 licensed plants by 2040</a>, which would be capable of processing 1.8 million tonnes of textile waste per year.</p>
<h2>Taking textile recycling from hype to reality</h2>
<p>Up to 26% of Europe’s textile waste could be recycled by 2030, according to some estimates, according to <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/scaling-textile-recycling-in-europe-turning-waste-into-value">a 2022 McKinsey report</a>. This would generate €3.5-€4.5 billion in economic output for the EU, create 15,000 new jobs, and save 3.6 million tonnes of CO². But <a href="https://textileexchange.org/app/uploads/2022/10/Textile-Exchange_PFMR_2022.pdf">only 1% of textiles</a> are currently being recycled globally into new clothes – the recycling technology needed for this shift is still in its infancy.</p>
<p>Part of the challenge in scaling up textile recycling to this degree is the lack of information available about what happens to clothes that are thrown away. Sharing data on the volume, locations and compositions of waste generated in the supply chain and collected post-consumption would help evaluate the full potential of textile recycling. Companies like <a href="https://reverseresources.net/">Reverse Resources</a> already provide online databases of information on textile waste – in this case for a global network of 70 recyclers, 44 waste handlers and 1,287 manufacturers in 24 countries.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Bales of clothes stacked in piles in a warehouse." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549150/original/file-20230919-17-z0z4m0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549150/original/file-20230919-17-z0z4m0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549150/original/file-20230919-17-z0z4m0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549150/original/file-20230919-17-z0z4m0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549150/original/file-20230919-17-z0z4m0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549150/original/file-20230919-17-z0z4m0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549150/original/file-20230919-17-z0z4m0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A textile recycling centre.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/used-clothing-wholesaler-textile-recycling-europe-743587066">Martin de Jong/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>Increasing textile recycling will require a collaborative approach, as will the development of the technology needed to create high-quality recycled textiles. Brands, investors, suppliers, recyclers, technology providers and local governments must come together to find ways to grow the textile recycling industry. The recent <a href="https://newcottonproject.eu/">New Cotton Project</a> that involves 12 brands (including H&M group and Adidas), manufacturers, suppliers and research institutes is a first step towards increasing textile recycling.</p>
<p>More money is also needed from all of these groups. To reach the recycling rate of 18%-26% by 2030, it will take <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/scaling-textile-recycling-in-europe-turning-waste-into-value">billions in infrastructure investment</a> for collecting, sorting and processing textile waste.</p>
<p>Textile recycling is no longer for a few “sustainable” fashion firms – it is quickly becoming a reality that no fast fashion firm can ignore. Shoppers must demand that the brands they love show their commitment to textile recycling beyond marketing campaigns and low-volume fashion collections.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/213802/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Brands like Zara and H&M are teaming up with recycled textile producers but more collaboration is needed.Quynh Do Nhu, Assistant Professor in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Lancaster UniversityMark Stevenson, Professor of Operations Management, Lancaster UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2098942023-09-01T13:43:36Z2023-09-01T13:43:36ZPulverised fuel ash: how we can recycle the dirty byproduct from coal-fired power stations<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/545549/original/file-20230830-15-9481l8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C4031%2C2576&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The pulverised fuel ash from coal-fired power stations is typically stored in landfill.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/coal-fired-power-station-cooling-towers-110448884">Sponner/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The ash from burning coal in coal-fired power stations lies in thousands of landfills around the world. This waste material, generally considered a hazard, is now being put to good use in the construction industry.</p>
<p><a href="https://bloombergcoalcountdown.com">More than 6,000</a> coal-fired power stations produce this powdery byproduct, which is properly known as “pulverised fuel ash” (PFA) or “fly ash”. Traditionally, it was released into the atmosphere from the smoke stack after the coal was burned, but, because of its effect on air quality, it is now captured and stored in landfills. </p>
<p><a href="https://pure.southwales.ac.uk/en/publications/effects-of-lysinibacillus-sphaericus-on-physicomechanical-and-che">Our research</a> focuses on how we can recycle and make best use of these types of dirty byproducts for the sake of the environment.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A small heap of a brown/grey ash." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/545562/original/file-20230830-23-wovt73.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/545562/original/file-20230830-23-wovt73.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=280&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/545562/original/file-20230830-23-wovt73.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=280&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/545562/original/file-20230830-23-wovt73.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=280&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/545562/original/file-20230830-23-wovt73.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=352&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/545562/original/file-20230830-23-wovt73.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=352&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/545562/original/file-20230830-23-wovt73.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=352&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Pulverised fuel ash or fly ash is a byproduct from coal-fired power stations.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/fly-ash-coal-waste-used-concrete-1934812655">alegga/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>The <a href="https://www.greenbiz.com/article/how-decarbonize-concrete-and-build-better-future#:%7E:text=Concrete%20is%20the%20most%2Dconsumed,and%20demand%20for%20infrastructure%20grows.">current demand</a> for concrete worldwide is around 14 billion cubic metres annually. This is projected to increase by 43% to 20 billion cubic metres by 2050. The impact of the carbon dioxide emissions (<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02612-5">8% globally</a>) that is associated with this increase, against the backdrop of the current environmental crisis, is immense. </p>
<p>There is a dire need for a change in lifestyle and for tighter environmental regulation of industrial operations and processes. This should include a serious mitigation of the worsening environmental landscape. Increasing the use of industrial waste and byproduct materials is one such strategy. </p>
<p>Some of the most abundant global waste streams result from the many years of coal mining, so the role that can be played by re-using coal waste, including PFA, is significant. </p>
<p>And this idea is based on old technology if you consider how the Romans used ash. The dome of the Pantheon in Rome, built in AD128, as well as the Colosseum, are examples of successful structures built with <a href="https://www.science.org/content/article/why-modern-mortar-crumbles-roman-concrete-lasts-millennia">volcanic ash-based concrete</a>. </p>
<h2>Portland cement</h2>
<p>PFA can be blended with <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/portland-cement">Portland cement</a> to make concrete. That’s the most common type of cement in general use around the world and is a basic ingredient of concrete, but also mortar, stucco and some grout. Portland cement is a hydraulic cement, which means that it reacts with water to form a paste that binds sand and rock together, creating concrete. Around <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/221654/best-ways-carbon-emissions-from-cement/">3.5 billion tonnes</a> of Portland cement are produced annually.</p>
<p>The problem, though, is that producing Portland cement uses a lot of energy and also precious natural resources. You must quarry the raw materials, which not only damages the landscape but also results in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2542435121001975?dgcid=author">emissions</a> of up to 622kg of carbon dioxide per tonne of cement. </p>
<p>Lessening the impact of Portland cement on the environment is therefore vital. PFA is the most attractive byproduct for this purpose, due to its abundance and low cost. Also, if it is properly used in combination with Portland cement, it can result in stronger and <a href="http://www.xpublication.com/index.php/jcec/article/view/446">more durable concrete</a>.</p>
<p>However, as more coal-fired power stations are decommissioned and fewer come into operation worldwide, stockpiles of PFA become depleted. This means we will need to use the material more efficiently in the future. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A large industrial site featuring several buildings and chimneys" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/545915/original/file-20230901-29-xrkzp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/545915/original/file-20230901-29-xrkzp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/545915/original/file-20230901-29-xrkzp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/545915/original/file-20230901-29-xrkzp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/545915/original/file-20230901-29-xrkzp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/545915/original/file-20230901-29-xrkzp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/545915/original/file-20230901-29-xrkzp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The now decommissioned Aberthaw power station in south Wales. On the right of the picture is the grass-topped ash mound.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ben_salter/46572448115/in/photostream/">Ben Salter/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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<p>Attention will have to shift to different types of fly ash or unburnt colliery waste. But coal mining waste, either from current or past mining activities, will continue to feature in the construction industry for a long time.</p>
<p>And besides concrete, there are also <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/296519/LIT_8272_420835.pdf">other ways</a> in which we can recycle PFA. This includes using it to improve the properties of soils, making abrasives such as sandpaper and grinding wheels, and using it in the manufacturing of a variety of products, such as plastics, paints and rubber.</p>
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<img alt="Imagine weekly climate newsletter" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<p><strong><em>Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?</em></strong>
<br><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/newsletters/imagine-57?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=Imagine&utm_content=DontHaveTimeTop">Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead.</a> Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. <a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/newsletters/imagine-57?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=Imagine&utm_content=DontHaveTimeBottom">Join the 20,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.</a></em></p>
<hr><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/209894/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>John Kinuthia receives funding from industry, research councils, and government sources for the furtherance of research into sustainable construction</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jonathan Oti receives receives funding from industry, research councils, and government sources for the furtherance of research into sustainable construction</span></em></p>Pulverised fuel ash can be recycled and used to manufacture concrete as well as other products.John Kinuthia, Professor and Manager of the Advanced Materials Testing Centre (AMTeC), University of South WalesJonathan Oti, Associate Professor at the Advanced Materials Testing Centre (AMTeC), University of South WalesLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2105602023-08-01T06:16:12Z2023-08-01T06:16:12ZHere’s how wastewater facilities could tackle food waste, generate energy and slash emissions<p>Most Australian food waste ends up in landfill. Rotting in the absence of oxygen produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas. While some facilities capture this “landfill gas” to produce energy, or burn it off to release carbon dioxide instead, it’s a <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/nasa-sensors-to-help-detect-methane-emitted-by-landfills">major contributor to climate change</a>. Valuable resources such as water and nutrients are also wasted.</p>
<p>Composting food waste is the most common alternative. In the presence of oxygen, microbes break down food and garden organics without producing methane. The product returns nutrients to farms and gardens. But composting facilities are limited and <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-30/fogo-household-organic-food-waste-overwhelmed-by-plastics/102611732">struggling to cope</a> with contamination from plastic.</p>
<p><a href="https://racefor2030.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/0195_Mapping-Syd-Org-Waste_Final-report_.pdf">We analysed</a> the capacity of three wastewater facilities in Sydney to process organic wastes from surrounding households and businesses. </p>
<p>We found processing at the wastewater treatment plants could cut 33,000 tonnes of emissions and capture 9,600 tonnes of nutrients. All 14 wastewater facilities in Sydney could be modified to accept food waste, reducing emissions and producing renewable energy. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-case-for-compost-why-recycling-food-waste-is-so-much-better-than-sending-it-to-landfill-205583">The case for compost: why recycling food waste is so much better than sending it to landfill</a>
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<h2>Why process food waste at wastewater facilities?</h2>
<p>Most wastewater facilities in Sydney use “anaerobic digestors” to treat sewage. Along with producing energy, this type of processing produces nutrient-rich biosolids that can be used for soil conditioning and as fertiliser.</p>
<p>Wastewater facilities are normally built with excess capacity to meet future demand and so could be used to handle food waste.</p>
<p>When the New South Wales government recently assessed the <a href="https://www.dpie.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/385730/NSW-Waste-and-Sustainable-Materials-Strategy-A-guide-to-infrastructure-needs.pdf">infrastructure needs</a> to process food waste for the Greater Sydney Area by 2030, it identified an additional 260,000 tonnes per year of anaerobic digestion capacity is needed, on top of additional new composting infrastructure.</p>
<p>Currently, there is only one <a href="https://earthpower.com.au">commercial anaerobic digestion plant in Sydney</a> with a processing capacity of 52,000 tonnes per year. </p>
<p><a href="https://racefor2030.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/0195_Mapping-Syd-Org-Waste_Final-report_.pdf">Our study</a> estimated just three wastewater facilities could fill 20% of the identified anaerobic digestion capacity gap required for Sydney by 2030. </p>
<p>Overseas, it is common for wastewater facilities to handle food waste, and <a href="https://www.sydneywater.com.au/content/dam/sydneywater/documents/institute-for-sustainable-futures-creating-a-circular-economy-precinct.pdf">in some cases</a> generate more electricity than needed for their operation. These facilities give the excess electricity to the communities from which the food waste is collected and the nutrients back to local farms, creating a circular economy.</p>
<p>While industrial-scale composting facilities are normally located on the outskirts of Sydney, wastewater facilities are distributed throughout the city. This provides an additional benefit as food waste can be processed closer to where it is made, saving on significant transfer infrastructure and transport costs. </p>
<p>Although some changes are required to enable wastewater facilities to accept and process food waste, there are great returns on investment. As a recent <a href="https://www.uts.edu.au/sites/default/files/2022-10/ISF%20Unlocking%20the%20value%20of%20food%20waste%20in%20Western%20Sydney%20full%20report.pdf">economic study for Western Parkland City</a> has shown, upgrading facilities brings wider economic benefits and creates jobs, along with the environmental benefits. </p>
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<h2>Separate food waste at the source</h2>
<p>To maximise anaerobic digestion at wastewater facilities, food waste needs to be separated from other wastes. This is because contamination and non-compatible materials in the waste stream can hinder the microbal processes driving anaerobic digestion. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.dpie.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/385683/NSW-Waste-and-Sustainable-Materials-Strategy-2041.pdf">NSW targets</a> require all businesses making large amounts of food waste to separate it from other waste by 2025. Similarly, all households will need to separate food waste by 2030.</p>
<p>Currently most councils in Sydney offer a garden waste collection service. Only a few provide food waste collection and mostly in FOGO bins (combined Food Organics and Garden Organics waste service). However, the garden organics component of FOGO cannot be easily digested with sewage and would need significant additional pre-treatment before it can be processed.</p>
<p>Urban food organics are normally collected by trucks. This waste stream could potentially be piped to the wastewater treatment plant, with or without sewage. But piped networks were not considered for food waste collection in this study. It’s an interesting area for future research, especially in dense urban areas.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-cant-keep-putting-apartment-residents-waste-in-the-too-hard-basket-200545">We can't keep putting apartment residents' waste in the too hard basket</a>
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<h2>Achieving net zero targets while reducing waste</h2>
<p>The three wastewater facilities we studied could generate an estimated total of 38 billion litres of methane a year. This could replace the natural gas used by 30,000 households. </p>
<p>The bioenergy potential of the organic wastes from the study areas was estimated to be 126,000MWh. That is four and a half times more than the energy generated from solar panels installed in the area. </p>
<p>This study shows methane generated by anaerobic digestion can play an important role in the renewable energy mix. It can be used to generate electricity, as transport fuel, or as a natural gas replacement. </p>
<p>The wastewater facility at Malabar in Sydney is <a href="https://arena.gov.au/projects/malabar-biomethane-injection-project/">the first project in Australia injecting biogas</a> into the gas network, demonstrating its feasibility. </p>
<p>The waste, energy and water sectors are all expected to achieve net zero targets. Reducing food waste and redirecting to more beneficial use works towards these targets. </p>
<p>Harnessing the full potential of anaerobic digestion of food waste at wastewater facilities will require collaboration between these sectors. But as we have shown, it will be worth it. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/households-find-low-waste-living-challenging-heres-what-needs-to-change-197022">Households find low-waste living challenging. Here's what needs to change</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210560/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>This research was supported by funding from RACE for 2030, NSW Department of Planning and Environment, NSW Department of Primary Industries, NSW EPA, and Sydney Water. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>This research was supported by funding from RACE for 2030, NSW Department of Planning and Environment, NSW Department of Primary Industries, NSW EPA and Sydney Water.</span></em></p>Sydney’s 14 wastewater treatment plants could be modified to also accept food waste, research shows. The ‘anaerobic digestion’ process would produce energy as well as nutrients for reuse.Melita Jazbec, Research Principal at the Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology, Sydney, University of Technology SydneyAndrea Turner, Research Director, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology SydneyBen Madden, Senior Research Consultant at the Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2089242023-07-24T15:01:14Z2023-07-24T15:01:14ZDecades of public messages about recycling in the US have crowded out more sustainable ways to manage waste<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538790/original/file-20230721-19-ywlafp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=16%2C0%2C3593%2C2397&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A worker sorts cardboard at a recycling center in Newark, N.J.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/newark-recycling-center-worker-sorting-cardboard-news-photo/1177460184">Jeff Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>You’ve just finished a cup of coffee at your favorite cafe. Now you’re facing a trash bin, a recycling bin and a compost bin. What’s the most planet-friendly thing to do with your cup?</p>
<p>Many of us would opt for the recycling bin – but <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-43739043">that’s often the wrong choice</a>. In order to hold liquids, most paper coffee cups are made with a thin plastic lining, which makes separating these materials and recycling them difficult. </p>
<p>In fact, the most sustainable option isn’t available at the trash bin. It happens earlier, before you’re handed a disposable cup in the first place. </p>
<p>In our research on <a href="https://scholar.google.com.co/citations?user=bW60nUYAAAAJ&hl=en">waste behavior</a>, <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=BwxRqBMAAAAJ&hl=en">sustainability</a>, <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=z5h3kkoAAAAJ&hl=en">engineering design</a> and <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Mxn0PmkAAAAJ&hl=en">decision making</a>, we examine what U.S. residents understand about the efficacy of different waste management strategies and which of those strategies they prefer. In two nationwide surveys in the U.S. that we conducted in October 2019 and March 2022, we found that people <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-023-01185-7">overlook waste reduction and reuse in favor of recycling</a>. We call this tendency recycling bias and reduction neglect.</p>
<p>Our results show that a decadeslong effort to educate the U.S. public about recycling has succeeded in some ways but failed in others. These efforts have made recycling an option that consumers see as important – but to the detriment of more sustainable options. And it has not made people more effective recyclers. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q_Va-AIliDw?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Recycling rules vary widely across the U.S., leaving consumers to figure out what to do.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A global waste crisis</h2>
<p>Experts and advocates widely agree that humans are generating waste worldwide at levels that are <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2018/09/20/global-waste-to-grow-by-70-percent-by-2050-unless-urgent-action-is-taken-world-bank-report">unmanageable and unsustainable</a>. Microplastics are polluting the Earth’s <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-019-0335-5">most remote regions</a> and <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.106274">amassing in the bodies of humans</a> <a href="https://theconversation.com/hundreds-of-fish-species-including-many-that-humans-eat-are-consuming-plastic-154634">and animals</a>. </p>
<p>Producing and disposing of goods is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and a public health threat, especially for vulnerable communities that <a href="https://theconversation.com/as-more-developing-countries-reject-plastic-waste-exports-wealthy-nations-seek-solutions-at-home-117163">receive large quantities of waste</a>. New research suggests that even when plastic does get recycled, it produces <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2023/05/22/plastic-recycling-microplastic-pollution/">staggering amounts of microplastic pollution</a>. </p>
<p>Given the scope and urgency of this problem, in June 2023 the United Nations convened talks with government representatives from around the globe to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/after-rough-start-un-plastic-treaty-talks-end-with-mandate-first-draft-2023-06-02/">begin drafting a legally binding pact</a> aimed at stemming harmful plastic waste. Meanwhile, many U.S. cities and states are <a href="https://www.seasidesustainability.org/post/the-u-s-progress-with-single-use-plastic-bans#:%7E:text=Currently%2C%20the%20U.S.%20has%20not,placed%20bans%20on%20plastic%20bags.">banning single-use plastic products</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jun/30/california-single-use-plastic-reduce-law-gavin-newsom">restricting their use</a>. </p>
<figure>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">On March 30, 2023, the UN declared the first International Day of Zero Waste to raise awareness of the importance of zero waste and responsible consumption and production.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Upstream and downstream solutions</h2>
<p>Experts have long recommended tackling the waste problem by prioritizing source reduction strategies that prevent the creation of waste in the first place, rather than seeking to manage and mitigate its impact later. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other prominent environmental organizations like the U.N. Environment Programme use a framework called the waste management hierarchy that ranks strategies from most to least environmentally preferred. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538788/original/file-20230721-39966-dkufjj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Graphics showing options for managing waste, moving from upstream (production) to downstream (disposal)." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538788/original/file-20230721-39966-dkufjj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538788/original/file-20230721-39966-dkufjj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=416&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538788/original/file-20230721-39966-dkufjj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=416&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538788/original/file-20230721-39966-dkufjj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=416&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538788/original/file-20230721-39966-dkufjj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=523&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538788/original/file-20230721-39966-dkufjj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=523&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538788/original/file-20230721-39966-dkufjj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=523&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The U.S. EPA’s current waste management hierarchy (left, with parenthetical explanations by Michaela Barnett, et al.), and a visual depiction of the three R’s framework (right).</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Michaela Barnett, et al.</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The familiar waste management hierarchy urges people to “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,” in that order. Creating items that can be recycled is better from a sustainability perspective than burning them in an incinerator or burying them in a landfill, but it still consumes energy and resources. In contrast, reducing waste generation conserves natural resources and avoids other negative environmental impacts throughout a product’s life. </p>
<h2>R’s out of place</h2>
<p>In our surveys, participants completed a series of questions and tasks that elicited their views of different waste strategies. In response to open-ended questions about the most effective way to reduce landfill waste or solve environmental issues associated with waste, participants overwhelmingly cited recycling and other downstream strategies. </p>
<p>We also asked people to rank the four strategies of the Environmental Protection Agency’s <a href="https://www.epa.gov/smm/sustainable-materials-management-non-hazardous-materials-and-waste-management-hierarchy">waste management hierarchy</a> from most to least environmentally preferred. In that order, they include source reduction and reuse; recycling and composting; energy recovery, such as burning trash to generate energy; and treatment and disposal, typically in a landfill. More than three out of four participants (78%) ordered the strategies incorrectly. </p>
<p>When they were asked to rank the reduce/reuse/recycle options in the same way, participants fared somewhat better, but nearly half (46%) still misordered the popular phrase. </p>
<p>Finally, we asked participants to choose between just two options – waste prevention and recycling. This time, over 80% of participants understood that preventing waste was much better than recycling. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1651694063223988224"}"></div></p>
<h2>Recycling badly</h2>
<p>While our participants defaulted to recycling as a waste management strategy, they did not execute it very well. </p>
<p>This isn’t surprising, since the current U.S. recycling system puts the onus on consumers to separate recyclable materials and keep contaminants out of the bin. There is a lot of variation in what can be recycled from community to community, and this standard can change frequently as new products are introduced and markets for recycled materials shift. </p>
<p>Our second study asked participants to sort common consumer goods into virtual recycling, compost and trash bins and then say how confident they were in their choices. Many people placed common recycling contaminants, including plastic bags (58%), disposable coffee cups (46%) and light bulbs (26%), erroneously – and often confidently – in the virtual recycling bins. For a few materials, such as cardboard and aluminum foil, the correct answer can vary depending on the capacities of local waste management systems.</p>
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<p>This is known as <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-wishcycling-two-waste-experts-explain-173825">wishcycling</a> – placing nonrecyclable items in the recycling stream in the hope or belief that they will be recycled. Wishcycling creates additional costs and problems for recyclers, who have to sort the materials, and sometimes results in otherwise recyclable materials being landfilled or incinerated instead. </p>
<p>Although our participants were strongly biased toward recycling, they weren’t confident that it would work. Participants in our first survey were asked to estimate what fraction of plastic has been recycled since plastic production began. According to a widely cited estimate, the answer is <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1700782">just 9%</a>. Our respondents thought that 25% of plastic had been recycled – more than expert estimates but still a low amount. And they correctly reasoned that a majority of it has ended up in landfills and the environment. </p>
<h2>Empowering consumers to cut waste</h2>
<p>Post-consumer waste is the result of a long supply chain with environmental impacts at every stage. However, U.S. policy and corporate discourse focuses on consumers as the main source of waste, as implied by the term “post-consumer waste.” </p>
<p>Other approaches put more responsibility on producers by requiring them to <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/291822563_Closing_the_loop_Product_take-back_regulations_and_their_strategic_implications">take back their products for disposal</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/packaging-generates-a-lot-of-waste-now-maine-and-oregon-want-manufacturers-to-foot-the-bill-for-getting-rid-of-it-165517">cover recycling costs</a> and design and produce goods that are <a href="https://theconversation.com/designing-batteries-for-easier-recycling-could-avert-a-looming-e-waste-crisis-146065">easy to recycle effectively</a>. These approaches are used in some sectors in the U.S., including lead-acid car batteries and consumer electronics, but they are largely voluntary or mandated at the state and local level.</p>
<p><iframe id="CsH6g" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/CsH6g/2/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>When we asked participants in our second study where change could have the most impact and where they felt they could have the most impact as individuals, they correctly focused on upstream interventions. But they felt they could only affect the system through what they chose to purchase and how they subsequently disposed of it – in other words, acting as consumers, not as citizens.</p>
<p>As waste-related pollution accumulates worldwide, corporations continue to <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/09/11/897692090/how-big-oil-misled-the-public-into-believing-plastic-would-be-recycled">shame and blame consumers</a> rather than reducing the amount of disposable products they create. In our view, recycling is not a get-out-of-jail-free card for overproducing and consuming goods, and it is time that the U.S. stopped treating it as such.</p>
<p><em>This article has been updated to clarify that decisions about whether to recycle, compost or dispose of certain materials as trash can vary depending on local waste management systems.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208924/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michaela Barnett is the founder and owner of KnoxFill, a company that sells bulk and refillable household and personal care goods.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Shahzeen Attari receives funding from the National Science Foundation.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Leidy Klotz and Patrick I. Hancock do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>New research shows that Americans may have absorbed public messaging about the importance of recycling too well.Michaela Barnett, Founder, KnoxFill, University of VirginiaLeidy Klotz, Associate Professor of Engineering and Co-Director, Convergent Behavioral Science Initiative, University of VirginiaPatrick I. Hancock, Postdoctoral fellow, University of VirginiaShahzeen Attari, Professor of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2061642023-07-19T12:23:14Z2023-07-19T12:23:14ZJust in time for back-to-school shopping: How retailers can alter customer behavior to encourage more sustainable returns<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537504/original/file-20230714-29-iem14i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=62%2C0%2C2726%2C1818&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Retail returns have become big business for UPS.
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/EarnsUPS/9fd54604385d4aa0b1122e018b5323da/photo">AP Photo/Toby Talbot</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Back-to-school sales are underway, and people across the country will be shopping online to fill up backpacks, lockers and closets – and they’ll be taking advantage of free returns.</p>
<p>Making it easy for customers to return items at no cost started as a retail strategy to <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2023/05/free-online-shopping-returns-retailer-policy-changes/673975/">entice more people to shop online</a>. But it’s getting expensive, for <a href="https://theconversation.com/inside-the-black-box-of-amazon-returns-206551">both retailers and the planet</a>.</p>
<p>In 2022, retail returns added up to more than <a href="https://nrf.com/research/2022-consumer-returns-retail-industry">US$800 billion in lost sales</a>. The <a href="https://theconversation.com/inside-the-black-box-of-amazon-returns-206551">transportation, labor, and logistics</a> involved raised retailers’ costs even higher. Product returns also increase pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and waste in landfills, where many returned products now end up.</p>
<p>So how can retailers fix this problem and still provide quality customer service?</p>
<p><a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=bqBiAJQAAAAJ&hl=en">We conduct</a> <a href="https://www.ivybusiness.iastate.edu/directory/cfaires/">research</a> in reverse logistics, focusing primarily on the intersection of retail returns and customer behavior. Here are some insights that can help <a href="https://www.retailtouchpoints.com/topics/customer-experience/how-retailers-can-minimize-returns-focus-on-convenience-communication-and-personalization">reduce the abuse of free returns</a> and lower costs without losing quality.</p>
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<h2>Nudging: In-store vs. shipped returns</h2>
<p>Where a product is returned makes a difference. Items returned to the store can be restocked an average of 12 to 16 days faster than those that are mailed. Mailed returns also cost companies more: The difference between the most expensive shipped returns and least expensive in-store returns is <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/returning-to-order-improving-returns-management-for-apparel-companies">$5 to $6</a> per item. That adds up quickly.</p>
<p>Studies show that customers may be willing to change their return behavior – <a href="https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/3890170-moving-the-needle-on-supply-chain-sustainability/">with a little help</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2023/02/23/how-brands-can-nudge-consumers-positive-behavior-change-sustainability">Behavioral nudges</a> are a technique used in decision-making to steer a person toward a specific behavior. Putting candy at eye-level at the grocery store checkout counter to encourage impulse purchases is an example, or making employee participation in a <a href="https://news.uchicago.edu/explainer/what-is-behavioral-economics#nudge">401(k) savings program the default</a> option. Another type of nudge involves <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeem.2018.06.009">providing more information</a>.</p>
<p>If you’ve ever shopped online and seen statements like “10 out of 10 customers recommend this product” or “Only 2 items left in stock,” you have experienced the use of information to influence your decision. Nudges emphasizing sustainability may also appeal to customers and have a positive impact on return behavior.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A man hands a slip of paper to a woman a returns desk at Saks Fifth Avenue." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537505/original/file-20230714-23-j763kq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537505/original/file-20230714-23-j763kq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537505/original/file-20230714-23-j763kq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537505/original/file-20230714-23-j763kq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537505/original/file-20230714-23-j763kq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537505/original/file-20230714-23-j763kq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537505/original/file-20230714-23-j763kq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Returning items to a store can avoid extra transportation, shipping and packaging, saving money and avoiding waste and emissions.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/VirusOutbreakNewYork/a1f251980fd140dbb26a82fa97746807/photo">AP Photo/Mark Lennihan</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In a recent survey, 94% of merchants said customers were concerned about sustainability, according to a <a href="https://happyreturns.com/merchant-survey-2023">report from Happy Returns</a>, a logistics firm that works with retailers.</p>
<p>However, a much lower percentage of customers actually make sustainable return decisions. That suggests that customers do not fully understand the environmental impact of their return choices – and it offers a way for retailers to help.</p>
<p>Our research found that when customers were given information about the environmental impact of the different return options, they were nearly 17 times more likely to choose an in-store return rather than returning an item by mail. Nudges like this offer a simple and inexpensive way for retailers to alter customer behavior in favor of sustainability.</p>
<h2>Picking up returns to speed up the process</h2>
<p>Some customers request to return an item but then wait weeks before mailing it. It’s known as customer procrastination, and it also has a cost. The longer these products remain unprocessed, <a href="https://wwd.com/business-news/business-features/innovation-in-online-returns-why-online-merchants-are-embracing-box-free-returns-as-the-new-default-return-method-1235197019/">the more value they can lose</a>.</p>
<p>High-priced electronics, such as laptops and tablets, have short product life cycles and lose value quickly, sometimes at a rate of 1% per week. Seasonal items, such as back-to-school supplies or winter coats, become more difficult to resell if retailers get them back on shelves after demand has bottomed out. A returned item’s resale value <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-stores-do-with-90-billion-in-merchandise-returns-1518777000">determines its destination</a>: It can end up back on store shelves, sold to liquidators for pennies on the dollar or sent to a landfill.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A worker carries an Amazon box as another checks over a box and address." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537506/original/file-20230714-17-ha7ae5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537506/original/file-20230714-17-ha7ae5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537506/original/file-20230714-17-ha7ae5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537506/original/file-20230714-17-ha7ae5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537506/original/file-20230714-17-ha7ae5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537506/original/file-20230714-17-ha7ae5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537506/original/file-20230714-17-ha7ae5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Transportation is a large expense for retail returns, for both companies and the planet.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/EarnsUPS/fcdaf7a62f184d56bd7ac52aa069d83d/photo">AP Photo/Mark Lennihan</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>A home pickup service for time-sensitive returns could reduce delays in a way that is also useful to the customer. A small number of pickup vehicles collecting returns from customers could avoid multiple shipments, <a href="https://chainstoreage.com/survey-returns-cost-online-retailers-21-order-value">reducing total miles traveled</a> and cutting vehicle emissions, while also avoiding the need for each return to be individually packaged.</p>
<p>Our research found that a pickup service could help retailers collect returns faster and reduce product value loss, particularly for high-priced products and products that lose value quickly, such as consumer electronics.</p>
<h2>How to change policies without losing customers</h2>
<p>While several retailers have <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2023/05/free-online-shopping-returns-retailer-policy-changes/673975/">stopped offering free returns</a> or changed their return policies over the past year, our research suggests that changes affecting all customers might not be the best choice.</p>
<p>Broad policy changes that affect everyone might involve limiting the number of returns per customer, charging a fee for returns or shortening the window for returns. An alternative is a targeted return policy that applies only to people who abuse the system. For example, retailers can restrict free returns for people who repeatedly buy more items than they intend to keep, knowing they can return the rest.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A woman standing a computer terminal checks boxes on an assembly line." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537507/original/file-20230714-25-ahjkkr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537507/original/file-20230714-25-ahjkkr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=387&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537507/original/file-20230714-25-ahjkkr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=387&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537507/original/file-20230714-25-ahjkkr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=387&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537507/original/file-20230714-25-ahjkkr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=486&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537507/original/file-20230714-25-ahjkkr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=486&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537507/original/file-20230714-25-ahjkkr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=486&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Offering free returns carries a cost for retailers, but ending return policies can also turn off customers.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/woman-works-at-a-distrubiton-station-at-the-855-000-square-news-photo/1124819753">Johannes Eisele / AFP via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.07.011">We conducted two studies</a> to explore how customers would view changes to a retailer’s return policies.</p>
<p>In the first study, 460 participants were significantly more likely to speak negatively about the retailer – a fictitious company, in this case – when the retailer’s returns policy change applied to everyone and affected everyone equally.</p>
<p>Our follow-up study asked 100 online customers about their thoughts regarding generalized versus targeted policy changes. When the return policy change targeted customers who abused returns, 44% of the participants expressed positive emotions, and only 13% expressed negative emotions.</p>
<p>Those positive emotions included comments like, “I would feel proud of the company for taking action against people who try to cheat the system.” Such responses indicated that participants understood that cheaters were increasing the price paid by everyone. </p>
<p>But when the return policy change applied to everyone, 64% of the participants expressed negative emotions. Nearly half indicated they would speak negatively about the policy change to family and friends, and 42% said they would shop at another store.</p>
<h2>Other ways to help customers make better decisions</h2>
<p>Retailers can also change the online shopping experience before the customer makes a purchase <a href="https://www.insiderintelligence.com/content/6-creative-ways-retailers-prevent-returns">to avoid the need for returns</a>.</p>
<p>One way is to obtain detailed <a href="https://www.zenstores.com/tutorials/prevent-returns-your-online-shop/">customer feedback</a> on returns and use that to provide better product descriptions to customers. Another is to avoid incentivizing the wrong behavior. Well-intentioned <a href="https://www.insiderintelligence.com/content/6-creative-ways-retailers-prevent-returns">free shipping on orders over a set dollar amount</a> could encourage customers to overpurchase and later return products.</p>
<p>Posting videos of items for sale can help buyers spot problems that photos might hide. <a href="https://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2023/04/13/virtual-fitting-rooms">Virtual fitting rooms</a> that use an avatar of the customer to try on clothes virtually can help customers choose the right size the first time.</p>
<p>There is no doubt that managing retail returns is a <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/returning-to-order-improving-returns-management-for-apparel-companies">difficult task</a>. To make the process more sustainable, retailers need to help customers make choices that limit the need for a return or that minimize the impact of a return on the environment and, of course, the retailer’s bottom line.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/206164/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Returns cost companies billions of dollars in lost sales. They also generate emissions and packaging waste. Two logistics experts offer some tips from psychology for more sustainable returns.Christopher Faires, Postdoctoral Researcher in Supply Chain Management, Iowa State UniversityRobert Overstreet, Assistant Professor of Supply Chain Management, Iowa State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2069182023-06-21T20:15:18Z2023-06-21T20:15:18ZHow Indigenous cultural practices can improve waste management in communities<p>Improper <a href="https://iddpnql.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/211129_IDDPNQL_Compte-rendu-colloque_EN.pdf">municipal solid waste (MSW) management</a> ranks high among environmental issues First Nations communities in Canada face. </p>
<p>Many communities face historical, structural and operational challenges, such as inadequate capacity and lack of financial resources. Many also lack waste diversion programs including recycling. All these challenges hinder efforts of communities to improve MSW management practices, attitudes and behaviours.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, some communities <a href="https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1642696402052/1642696428568">continue to push for improved MSW management systems by developing plans and pursuing waste diversion programs</a> such as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vG6LXGr8PY">composting and recycling</a>. </p>
<p>These approaches, however, have <a href="https://mspace.lib.umanitoba.ca/items/4a1c8c69-ac39-4a23-99f0-908ce32af26c">not incorporated nor considered the culture of First Nations</a> in the process of finding solutions to MSW challenges. First Nations’ way of life is embedded in their culture. This means that any MSW management approaches that seek to improve conditions in communities must incorporate their unique cultures. </p>
<p>These are issues that need attention and that community members are interested in discussing to find community-specific solutions. </p>
<h2>How does culture impact MSW management?</h2>
<p>I am a settler non-Indigenous researcher, who works with Indigenous communities in Canada on MSW management. </p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/11771801231163635">My latest research</a> conducted in collaboration with 52 community members from Peguis First Nation in Manitoba and Heiltsuk Nation in British Columbia outlines five cultural factors that influence community members’ municipal solid waste management practices:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Avoiding waste: Taking just what one needs and not wasting anything taken from the environment or land. For example, community members use all parts of a hunted animal.</p></li>
<li><p>Taking care of one another: Sharing items, particularly food, with others and not hoarding prevents waste.</p></li>
<li><p>Protecting the land: Eschewing contamination and pollution of the environment or land and keeping it clean.</p></li>
<li><p>Respecting the land: Adhering to protocols about mother earth because it sustains life. </p></li>
<li><p>Connection to the land: Experiencing and having knowledge of the environment and land. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>The overarching goal of these practices, community members explained, is to prevent the overconsumption of resources that underpins society’s <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Toxic-Capitalism-Consumerism-Waste-Generation/dp/1477219048">throwaway culture</a> and to protect the environment for future generations. These cultural practices challenge them to think differently about how to deal with their waste.</p>
<h2>Dealing with waste today</h2>
<p>Many Indigenous communities have developed <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Indigenous-Peoples-Twenty-First-Century-Frideres/dp/019903317X">intrinsic relationships with the environment</a> that have sustained them throughout generations. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://unitingthreefiresagainstviolence.org/the-7-grandfathers-teachin/">Seven Grandfather Teachings</a> — respect, love, honesty, truth, bravery, humility and wisdom — have particularly guided First Nations in their relationships with the land and with others — <a href="https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/abedu/perspectives/concepts.html">living and non-living</a>. </p>
<p>However, applying these important teachings and the five cultural factors above to the management of municipal solid waste was not widespread in the two communities we worked with, because of increased MSW generation, according to community members.</p>
<p>Most of the community members we spoke with indicated that the application of cultural teachings, values and beliefs to managing MSW is extremely lacking. One member said, “When I see litter around in the street and waterways, I see a disconnect from <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/11771801231163635">our culture</a>. This is because our culture is to look after the land and respect it and leave it as you met it.” </p>
<p>Another member revealed that: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“A lot of people ignore our culture when it comes to waste management… However, if you are taught to protect the land, then you need to care more about recycling…The culture here has died compared to when I was a child, because everybody cleaned the environment, and you attended ceremonies to learn how things are done.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The legacy of <a href="https://gladue.usask.ca/sites/gladue1.usask.ca/files/2023-01/Indian%20Act%20Amendment_1884.pdf">bans on cultural gatherings</a> and assimilationist policies continue to have negative impacts on Indigenous communities to this day. </p>
<p>For example, by forcefully <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/indigenous-peoples-within-canada-9780199028481?lang=3n&cc=lk">relocating First Nations to isolated or remote</a> lands from their original territories, they depend on packaged products, which increases waste generation. Many communities that were also <a href="https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/61687944.pdf">nomadic and lived off the land became sedentary</a>, leaving them unprepared to manage the high volumes of waste they produced.</p>
<p>And, with infrastructure, programs and finances lacking, communities have not been able to properly manage MSW and its <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/364174909_Environmental_Sustainability_Impacts_of_Solid_Waste_Management_Practices_in_the_Global_South">resultant negative environmental and health impacts</a>. </p>
<h2>Holding culture at the centre of policy</h2>
<p>Through this research, we have established that the culture of First Nations influences MSW management. However, applying cultural practices is not common among community members because of the impacts of colonization. Most community members indicated that their culture has significantly eroded and some aspects lost because of it. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-pollution-is-as-much-about-colonialism-as-chemicals-dont-call-me-resilient-transcript-ep-11-170697">Why pollution is as much about colonialism as chemicals — Don't Call Me Resilient transcript EP 11</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Revitalizing Indigenous cultures is vital to improving the management of MSW and ensuring environmental protection in communities. It is through this reconnection with their traditions and practices that First Nations can apply their culture to protect the environment.</p>
<p>As participants in our research unequivocally suggested: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“People must be taught and be aware of the teachings… The teachings have to be the connection to the land, and that will make them think differently about things like waste management.” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>As Canada works towards reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, supporting <a href="https://fpcc.ca">cultural revitalization programs</a> and efforts should be a responsibility for all persons, institutions and organizations. </p>
<p>The federal government, through Indigenous Services Canada, as well as provincial and municipal governments should work with Indigenous communities and incorporate their cultures into MSW policies, plans and activities. This could help engender greater participation in programs by community members, because of the connection with their values and beliefs.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/206918/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Anderson Assuah does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The overarching goal of Indigenous cultural practices is to prevent the overconsumption of resources that underpins society’s throwaway culture.Anderson Assuah, Assistant Professor, Aboriginal and Northern Studies, University College of the NorthLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2067942023-06-05T10:11:00Z2023-06-05T10:11:00ZThe UK’s recycling system is confusing, chaotic and broken – here’s how to fix it<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529579/original/file-20230601-21-owb48k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=41%2C51%2C6861%2C4553&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/top-view-trash-bins-assorted-garbage-795715315">LightField Studios/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Maybe you have one bin or many boxes. You might even have a compost caddy. Whatever your <a href="https://theconversation.com/recycling-what-you-can-and-cant-recycle-and-why-its-so-confusing-206798">recycling</a> setup, chances are that at some point you’ve been left wondering what should go where and if a particular item is indeed recyclable or if it should just go in the main dustbin.</p>
<p>Research from Wrap, a climate action charity, has found that 82% of UK households regularly add at least one item to their recycling collection that’s not accepted locally. And data from recycling facilities shows that <a href="https://wrap.org.uk/resources/guide/tackling-contamination-dry-recycling#:%7E:text=Evidence%20generally%20points%20to%20contamination,material%20to%20MRFs%20was%20contamination.">over 16% of the recycling is contaminated</a>.</p>
<p>This can include electrical goods, nappies and food, though it more commonly involves packaging caked in remnants of what was – <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/29/science/recycling-peanut-butter-jar.html">think jars</a> still covered in peanut butter or jam, toothpaste tubes, juice cartons, greasy takeaway packaging, damp cardboard and glittery birthday cards. Plastic pots, tubs, trays and bottle tops along with metal lids may also count as contaminants – depending on where you live.</p>
<p>And that’s a big part of the problem. Because what is and isn’t recyclable varies a lot from area to area. In the UK, there are 39 different bin collection regimes across <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.105191">391 local authorities</a>. Rules aren’t aligned in terms of what is and isn’t collected for recycling or how items should be prepared: washed or rinsed, crushed or not, lids on or off. It’s different everywhere.</p>
<p>Our <a href="https://www.sustainablefutures.manchester.ac.uk/research/case-studies/one_bin_to_rule_them_all/">research</a> into the complexities of the UK’s <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zOS5IP77LOVhtK-uWXquY6aZNIag0Jmk/view">recycling system</a> found all these different rules and requirements have created a lot of confusion in terms of what should and shouldn’t be recycled. In some instances, this confusion can even result in people <a href="https://cardboard.org.uk/news/new-study-reveals-how-recycling-confusion-is-leading-to-rubbish-results/">just not bothering</a> to recycle at all.</p>
<h2>Breaking it down</h2>
<p>On top of each area operating its waste collection in a different way, lots of packaging now comes with confusing logos and messaging. Some of these suggest an item should be recycled (even when it can’t be locally) along with misleading stamps and statements, including “recycle”, “don’t recycle”, and “widely recycled” – which again, may not be the case in your specific area.</p>
<p>We’re also now confronted with lots of multi-material packaging – those envelopes with plastic windows and also cake boxes and <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-54108336">crisp tubes</a>. </p>
<p>While some might try and “unengineer” such items to try and separate the different material components, others make a judgement based on what something is mostly made of, meaning items can then end up in the wrong bins. If indeed you even have to separate your recyclables by type where you are. Told you it was confusing.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Recycling bins filled with waste." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529581/original/file-20230601-25-xch54.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529581/original/file-20230601-25-xch54.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=460&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529581/original/file-20230601-25-xch54.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=460&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529581/original/file-20230601-25-xch54.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=460&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529581/original/file-20230601-25-xch54.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=578&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529581/original/file-20230601-25-xch54.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=578&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529581/original/file-20230601-25-xch54.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=578&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">What goes where? It depends on where you live.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/trash-recycle-reduce-ecology-environment-591166076">Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Then there’s also the fact that many large retailers and organisations now provide collection points to recycle certain types of plastics, such as bread bags, crisp packets and pet food pouches, (which can’t usually go in household recycling bins). </p>
<p>Though in principle these schemes are good, they can lead to confusion, with people thinking that if these items are collected for recycling elsewhere, they can go in the recycling bin at home.</p>
<h2>Crackdown on confusion</h2>
<p>In response to the issue of contaminated recycling, the UK government has plans to crack down on “<a href="https://theconversation.com/recycling-what-you-can-and-cant-recycle-and-why-its-so-confusing-206798">wishcycling</a>” by asking people to be more careful about what they put in their bins. Wishcycling is when people optimistically stick items in the recycling bin hoping they can be collected when in reality they can’t.</p>
<p>This forms part of a wider review of England’s recycling collection based on a consultation which was launched in 2021 by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) on how to improve the consistency of recycling in both homes and businesses.</p>
<p>Defra has said it wants to make recycling easier and more consistent so that all councils collect the same materials. This is to be welcomed, as our research has found that <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/waste-and-recycling-making-recycling-collections-consistent-in-england/outcome/consistency-in-recycling-collections-in-england-executive-summary-and-government-response">consistent collections</a> across all regions alongside <a href="https://recyclass.eu/recyclability/design-for-recycling-guidelines/">simplified packaging</a> that people can understand would make it easier for householders to know they are doing the right thing. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Recycling processing factory filled with plastic bottles." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529583/original/file-20230601-16-jfnxc1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529583/original/file-20230601-16-jfnxc1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529583/original/file-20230601-16-jfnxc1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529583/original/file-20230601-16-jfnxc1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529583/original/file-20230601-16-jfnxc1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529583/original/file-20230601-16-jfnxc1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529583/original/file-20230601-16-jfnxc1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">All those bottles have to go somewhere.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/closeup-escalator-pile-plastic-bottles-factory-599435528">Alba_alioth/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We also found that people want a simpler system as they want to recycle more. As part of our research, we heard from people who held back plastic milk bottle tops to donate to schemes that promised to recycle them as they were not collected by their local authority. Others were storing plastic fruit netting for fear of it not being appropriately dealt with and ending up causing environmental harm. </p>
<p>Some were driving bin bags full of plastics out of their local authority areas to other locations where family members and friends could feed them into their household recycling collections. All of this indicates that there is clearly a thirst to recycle, limit environmental harm and live more sustainably. </p>
<p>Tackling the confusion around what can and can’t be recycled is also needed because it’s adding to plastics’ bad reputation. Waste professionals we’ve worked with have told us that negative consumer perceptions and the move away from plastics aren’t always helpful because alternatives can carry larger environmental footprints. Though a contentious point, it’s recognised that <a href="https://www.unep.org/resources/report/chemicals-plastics-technical-report">plastic substitutes are not always more sustainable</a>. </p>
<p>Sorting out our broken recycling system is an important step if we really want to be a greener and more environmentally conscious society.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/206794/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Torik Holmes receives funding from the UKRI-ISCF Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging Fund (NE/V01045X/1). He works for The University of Manchester, within the Sustainable Consumption Institute. Adeyemi Adelekan, Maria Sharmina and Michael Shaver are also part of the 'One Bin to Rule Them All' research project team.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Helen Holmes receives funding from the UKRI-ISCF Smart Sustainable Packaging Fund (NE/V01045X/1).</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kristoffer Kortsen receives funding from the UKRI-ISCF Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging Fund (NE/V01045X/1).</span></em></p>The UK needs to fix its recycling system for a more sustainable future.Torik Holmes, Research Associate, Sustainable Consumption Institute and Sustainable Innovation Hub, University of ManchesterHelen Holmes, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, University of ManchesterKristoffer Kortsen, Post Doctoral Research Associate, Materials Engineering, University of ManchesterLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2067982023-05-31T16:38:45Z2023-05-31T16:38:45ZRecycling: what you can and can’t recycle and why it’s so confusing<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529405/original/file-20230531-23-96zmy6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C9504%2C6317&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Recycling can be a bit of a headache.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/young-beautiful-woman-holding-recycle-cardboard-1703996371">Krakenimages.com/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>When it comes to recycling are you a <a href="https://inews.co.uk/news/wishcycling-or-just-a-delusion-2373510">wishcycler</a>? No, I didn’t know what this term meant until recently either – apparently it’s when people try to recycle items that should be thrown away instead. And the government are trying to crack down on it.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/government-local-government-association-b2347953.html">New rules</a> will ask people to stop “over-recycling” and to be more careful about what they put in their recycling bins. This is to reduce the amount of dirty waste that goes to processing centres and landfills.</p>
<p>Many commonly recycled items either need specialist recycling treatment or are so contaminated that they cannot be processed properly. Think toothpaste tubes, takeaway packaging and juice cartons. So if you’re sticking these items in the recycling bin or box, you might want to rethink how you’re disposing of them. </p>
<p>Three years ago the <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/wwf-paris-uk-government-antarctica-b2339705.html">UK government outlined its goal of recycling</a> – setting the target for 65% of all household waste to be recycled by 2035 – with no more than 10% of this waste ending up in landfill.</p>
<p>But a recent <a href="https://www.circularonline.co.uk/news/recycle-week-80-of-uk-households-still-unclear-on-how-to-recycle-effectively/">survey shows</a> that 80% of UK households are “still unclear” on how to recycle effectively – does it need washing out, can I flatten items and what if the cardboard gets wet? (Wet cardboard is a no on the recycling front I’m afraid).</p>
<p>It’s no wonder that <a href="https://cardboard.org.uk/news/new-study-reveals-how-recycling-confusion-is-leading-to-rubbish-results/">many admit</a> it’s easier just to throw something in the bin instead of working out if it can be recycled.</p>
<h2>Waste not</h2>
<p>My team and I are <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=zkenrqIAAAAJ&hl=en">researching</a> how new bio-based and biodegradable plastics can contribute to a more <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-a-circular-economy-29666">circular economy</a> (this is where items are reused and not <a href="https://theconversation.com/five-ways-to-reduce-your-household-waste-and-stop-it-being-shipped-to-poorer-countries-154123">sent to landfill or shipped abroad</a>. While huge strides are being made in this area, we are still some way off all packaging being made in this way in a cost-effective manner. And so for now recycling is the next best option.</p>
<p>So then why the confusion about recycling? One of the main issues is there are <a href="https://rethinkwaste.org/2020/08/31/why-recycling-is-not-the-same-everywhere/">differences in how recycling waste is collected</a> across the UK – this can even be the case from one street to another. </p>
<p>For anyone confused by recycling rules, the advice is always “check with your local authority”. Households should have been sent a leaflet that explains what can be recycled and how. But if you’ve thrown yours away – or perhaps recycled it - the information should also be on your local authorities’ website.</p>
<p>Typically though, plastic containers such as bottles, food trays, margarine tubs and yoghurt pots are readily recycled. So too is aluminium foil, cans, glass bottles and jars. But again, if you want to optimise your council’s existing recycling infrastructure check your local collection guides.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Recycling boxes filled with recycling." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529410/original/file-20230531-24-xts2tu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529410/original/file-20230531-24-xts2tu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=460&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529410/original/file-20230531-24-xts2tu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=460&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529410/original/file-20230531-24-xts2tu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=460&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529410/original/file-20230531-24-xts2tu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=578&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529410/original/file-20230531-24-xts2tu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=578&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529410/original/file-20230531-24-xts2tu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=578&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Knowing what should go where can be difficult – and is different from area to area.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/trash-recycle-reduce-ecology-environment-591166076">Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>One of the main reasons there are currently variations in what different authorities <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/wishcycling-government-to-tell-people-to-recycle-fewer-things-to-stop-contamination-by-non-recyclables-reports-12893539">do or don’t recycle</a> is based on what the waste management companies they use to recyclable waste after it’s collected. And this differs area to area.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.recyclenow.com/recycle-an-item/crisp-packets">Crisp packets</a>, for example, cannot typically be recycled via household collections (though in some places they can be). This is because they require complex processes to break them down because they are made of multiple layers of plastic and metallic. Instead, you’re advised to take them to your local supermarket as most chains now allow customers to recycle crisp packets and soft plastics at larger superstores.</p>
<h2>Recycling tips</h2>
<p>As with crisp packets and soft plastics, things such as pet food pouches can be recycled too but again not typically via your household collections – instead, these can often go to larger supermarkets for recycling.</p>
<p>Most <a href="https://takeawaypackaging.co.uk/can-you-recycle-or-reuse-plastic-takeaway-containers/#:%7E:text=Only%20curbside%20recycling%20programs%20will,not%20throw%20in%20general%20recycling.">greasy plastic takeaway packaging can be recycled</a>, too. But it’s a good idea to rinse them to avoid contamination during the recycling process (and to stop your bin smelling in between collections).</p>
<p>Perhaps the biggest problem is with <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/oct/08/can-i-recycle-a-pizza-box-we-ask-the-expert">greasy pizza boxes</a>. Due to the way that paper and cardboard are recycled, it’s much more difficult to remove contamination from food, so it’s often best to throw contaminated pizza boxes in the general waste bin. You could always cut off the lid of the pizza box and recycle that.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Inside a plastic recycling plant." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529412/original/file-20230531-27-4oneft.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529412/original/file-20230531-27-4oneft.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529412/original/file-20230531-27-4oneft.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529412/original/file-20230531-27-4oneft.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529412/original/file-20230531-27-4oneft.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529412/original/file-20230531-27-4oneft.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529412/original/file-20230531-27-4oneft.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The recycling bin is not the end, but the beginning of a new journey.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/wide-shot-businessman-worker-talking-on-1840555168">Juice Flair/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>As to what you can’t recycle, one of the biggest issues that could easily be solved is the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/oct/08/can-i-recycle-a-pizza-box-we-ask-the-expert">black plastic trays</a> that many manufacturers use purely as a marketing tool to enhance the visual attractiveness of their products such as steak or even broccoli. </p>
<p>While this tactic might help to sell more units, it, unfortunately, means that these recyclable plastic trays are far less likely to actually be recycled. This is because opaque trays cannot be sorted from other types of plastic in a recycling facility as light cannot pass through them. </p>
<p>Thankfully, we are seeing fewer and fewer <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/12/black-plastic-recycling-supermarkets-waste/">black plastic trays</a> in our supermarkets and some advances have been made meaning that some black plastics can now be recycled. Still unsure? Again, the recurring message is to “check with your local authority”. Or better yet, make a list of what can and can’t be recycled in your area and stick it somewhere you can easily see. </p>
<p>Although it definitely isn’t a case of the more the merrier when it comes to recycling, the better we are as a society at <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jul/02/use-compostable-plastic-and-the-16-other-essential-rules-of-effective-recycling">dealing with our waste</a> and not just sending it to landfill, the better our air and environment will be for us and future generations.</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="Imagine weekly climate newsletter" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong><em>Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?</em></strong>
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<hr><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/206798/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Matthew Derry does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Confusion about what should and shouldn’t be recycled? You’re not alone – and it’s causing some people to ignore recycling altogether.Matthew Derry, Lecturer in Chemistry, Aston UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2032362023-04-17T04:44:43Z2023-04-17T04:44:43ZIf you buy it, why can’t you fix it? Here’s why we still don’t have the ‘right to repair’<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/521211/original/file-20230417-16-mo7txl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=17%2C0%2C5734%2C3828&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>When you buy a product, you expect to be able to repair it. The problem is, many modern products are designed so that you can’t fix them. Vital parts are inaccessible. Or you have to go through the manufacturer, which may well just give you a new one. The end result: millions of expensive products, from cars to phones to appliances, end up in the rubbish tip. At the most extreme, manufacturers actively prevent you from repairing their products at the local mechanics. </p>
<p>You can see why some manufacturers prefer the world to work like this. If you can’t repair your washing machine, you have to buy a new one. But it’s a hidden cost to all of us – and a huge source of avoidable waste. </p>
<p>That’s why many countries and jurisdictions are introducing laws enshrining your right to repair products. Last month, the EU passed a “right to repair” policy. In the United States, 26 states have proposed laws. </p>
<p>But Australia is dragging its heels. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1636050145438580746"}"></div></p>
<h2>So what’s the hold-up?</h2>
<p>In July 2021, Australia passed its first right to repair laws, a mandated <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/by-industry/cars-and-vehicles/motor-vehicle-information-scheme-mvis">data-sharing scheme</a> to make it possible for independent mechanics to get access to diagnostic information. This was a good start, but limited to one sector. </p>
<p>The Productivity Commission <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/repair/draft">assessed the case</a> for a broader right to repair almost two years ago and released its <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/repair/report">final report</a> in late 2021. </p>
<p>Here, it pointed to the opportunity to give independent repairers </p>
<blockquote>
<p>greater access to repair supplies, and increase competition for repair services, without compromising public safety or discouraging innovation. </p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/521213/original/file-20230417-22-gtvbnn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="mechanic" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/521213/original/file-20230417-22-gtvbnn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/521213/original/file-20230417-22-gtvbnn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521213/original/file-20230417-22-gtvbnn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521213/original/file-20230417-22-gtvbnn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521213/original/file-20230417-22-gtvbnn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521213/original/file-20230417-22-gtvbnn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521213/original/file-20230417-22-gtvbnn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Mechanics repairing modern cars often need to access diagnostic data – and that means manufacturers have to share it.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In October last year, the new environment minister Tanya Plibersek and state environment ministers put out a <a href="https://www.tanyaplibersek.com/media/media-releases/media-release-plibersek-release-of-environment-ministers-meeting-communique/">joint commitment</a>, calling for Australia to recognise the scale and urgency of environmental challenges and </p>
<blockquote>
<p>design out waste and pollution, keep materials in use and foster markets to achieve a circular economy by 2030.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>A circular economy would mean effectively ending waste. Instead, waste streams are turned back into useful products. Many other countries are working to cut waste to a minimum. </p>
<p>The design of products is also a vital way to reduce waste going to landfill or, worse, the oceans. Redesigning products to make them repairable will prolong their useful life, value and functionality. </p>
<p>Labor has made positive sounds. But we are yet to see the promised action.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-productivity-commission-has-released-proposals-to-bolster-australians-right-to-repair-but-do-they-go-far-enough-172961">The Productivity Commission has released proposals to bolster Australians' right to repair. But do they go far enough?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What are other countries doing?</h2>
<p>Plenty. </p>
<p>America’s proposed right to repair laws vary by state in terms of what industries they cover. They range from the first ever <a href="https://www.ifixit.com/News/73291/colorado-approves-first-ever-agricultural-right-to-repair-bill">right to repair agricultural equipment</a> in Colorado through to all-encompassing consumer-focused laws.</p>
<p>Less than a month ago, the European Union passed a <a href="https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/society/20220331STO26410/why-is-the-eu-s-right-to-repair-legislation-important">right to repair policy</a> aimed at making it easier to access repairs for appliances and electrical goods. EU justice commissioner Didier Reynders estimated the laws <a href="https://www.brusselstimes.com/421245/right-to-repair-eu-wants-to-make-it-easier-to-fix-household-appliances">would save</a> consumers €176 (A$288) billion over the next 15 years. But consumer advocates say the laws don’t go far enough. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1638802424071872512"}"></div></p>
<p>Canada is looking to <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/canada-right-to-repair-includes-farm-equipment-1.6803707">reform its copyright act</a> to introduce a consumer right to repair electronics, home appliances and farming equipment. </p>
<p>India, too, is <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/indian-consumers-right-to-repair-now-spans-four-key-sectors-official-101678819353936.html">exploring</a> right to repair laws. </p>
<h2>Why have these laws taken so long?</h2>
<p>The main reason? Is it just government inaction or opposition by industry? </p>
<p>There is a long and predictable <a href="https://hackernoon.com/why-are-so-many-opposing-the-right-to-repair-laws-2ic432nq">list of opponents</a> to right to repair laws. </p>
<p>By and large, opposition comes from the manufacturers who see these laws as a hit to their bottom line. </p>
<p>Companies often deny there are any obstacles to repairing their products. Or they cite concerns over intellectual property, safety, security or environmental grounds. </p>
<p>But underlying all these arguments is a simpler reason: companies would make less money if consumers repaired rather than bought a new product, and less money again if they lose their hold on who can repair specific products. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/521216/original/file-20230417-20-oeal0p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="broken tractor" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/521216/original/file-20230417-20-oeal0p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/521216/original/file-20230417-20-oeal0p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521216/original/file-20230417-20-oeal0p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521216/original/file-20230417-20-oeal0p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521216/original/file-20230417-20-oeal0p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521216/original/file-20230417-20-oeal0p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521216/original/file-20230417-20-oeal0p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Fixing your tractor often isn’t as easy as it should be.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>At present, companies win and consumers lose. When companies can direct you to only use an authorised repair outlet, there’s no risk of competition driving down the cost of repairs. </p>
<p>Manufacturers often respond with industry-led, voluntary initiatives such as the <a href="https://www.fb.org/news-release/afbf-signs-right-to-repair-memorandum-of-understanding-with-john-deere">recent agreement</a> between tractor giant John Deere and lobby group American Farm Bureau. </p>
<p>The problem is, voluntary agreements <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/new-car-industry-put-on-notice">often don’t work</a> and regulation is needed for the manufacturers to act upon their promises. </p>
<p>As Australia grapples with its thorny plastic waste crisis, it’s a timely reminder of the need to go faster. Environment minister Tanya Plibersek used the collapse of the soft-plastics recycling Redcycle to <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/environment/sustainability/government-will-intervene-if-voluntary-codes-don-t-fix-recycling-debacle-20230214-p5ckcv.html">call on industry</a> to do more on recycling – or see new recycling regulations introduced.</p>
<h2>What would right to repair laws mean for Australia?</h2>
<p>If we gain the right to repair, we could:</p>
<ul>
<li>expect new products to be able to be repaired </li>
<li>expect to be able to repair products anywhere – not just at manufacturer centres.</li>
</ul>
<p>This would save us all money, and divert significant volumes of waste from landfill. </p>
<p>If we return to the old ways of repairing rather than throwing out products, we would also trigger a rebirth of repair-based businesses, employment growth and up-skilling. </p>
<p>But these benefits will only arrive if the government ensures any such laws are binding. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/in-rural-america-right-to-repair-laws-are-the-leading-edge-of-a-pushback-against-growing-corporate-power-199372">In rural America, right-to-repair laws are the leading edge of a pushback against growing corporate power</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/203236/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Leanne Wiseman receives funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellowship Scheme for her project, Unlocking Digital Innovation: Intellectual Property and the Right to Repair . </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>John Gertsakis receives funding from the Australian and Queensland governments, and sits on the Australian government's new circular economy advisory group</span></em></p>Companies like it when your phone breaks and you have to buy another. But we’d all save a lot of money if we could actually repair the things we purchased.Leanne Wiseman, Professor of Law, Griffith University, Griffith UniversityJohn Gertsakis, Adjunct Professor (Industry), University of Technology SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2010642023-03-21T20:28:16Z2023-03-21T20:28:16ZCan the heat from running computers help grow our food? It’s complicated<p>Digital technologies are changing how food is produced. And it’s more than <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2022.106879">harvesting robots</a> that are arriving on the scene. Companies are now pairing data centres with greenhouses, capturing the <a href="https://substance.etsmtl.ca/en/heating-greenhouse-with-data-centre-waste-heat">heat emitted by computing hardware and reusing it to grow crops indoors</a>. </p>
<p>The new <a href="https://www.qscale.com/">QScale</a> data centre development in Lévis, Que. is one such project. The company claims that it will “<a href="https://datacentremagazine.com/data-centres/spotlight-qscale-bringing-green-growth-quebec">produce 2,800 tonnes of small fruit and more than 80,000 tonnes of tomatoes per year</a>” in greenhouses to be constructed adjacent to the facility. </p>
<p>In promotional campaigns, QScale picks up on the growing public attention to make food systems more local amid <a href="https://theconversation.com/inflation-bites-how-rising-food-costs-affect-nutrition-and-health-196048">supply chain disruptions</a> and rising grocery costs.</p>
<p>As social scientists researching the environmental footprint of digital technologies, we’re interested in the potential benefits and drawbacks of this new emerging connection. </p>
<h2>Data centres coming in hot</h2>
<p>Every time we access content online — whether it is a video or the latest social media post — it is sent to our device by a different computer, usually located <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-factories-of-the-past-are-turning-into-the-data-centers-of-the-future-70033">in a large data centre</a>. Also known as a “server farm,” a data centre is typically a warehouse-like building that hosts hundreds of computer servers that store, process and transmit big swaths of data. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/dark-data-is-killing-the-planet-we-need-digital-decarbonisation-190423">'Dark data' is killing the planet – we need digital decarbonisation</a>
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<p>Data centres are increasingly criticized for their carbon footprint. The majority of emissions result from <a href="https://doi.org/10.1109/HPCA51647.2021.00076">manufacturing the hardware</a> they use. Servers also run day and night, continuously <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-06610-y">consuming energy</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/492174a">emitting heat</a>. Backup generators guarantee uninterrupted data flow. </p>
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<img alt="electric connection grid at a data centre" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/515081/original/file-20230314-16-3noh3b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/515081/original/file-20230314-16-3noh3b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515081/original/file-20230314-16-3noh3b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515081/original/file-20230314-16-3noh3b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515081/original/file-20230314-16-3noh3b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515081/original/file-20230314-16-3noh3b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515081/original/file-20230314-16-3noh3b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Servers in data centres run day and night, continuously consuming energy and emitting heat.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
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<p>Temperature and humidity levels must be constantly <a href="https://www.akcp.com/blog/data-center-temperature-guidelines/">monitored and controlled</a> for the hardware to function efficiently and reliably. Data centres also have high <a href="https://dgtlinfra.com/data-center-water-usage/">water demands</a> for cooling purposes, so they are especially <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/internet/drought-stricken-communities-push-back-against-data-centers-n1271344">contentious in dry areas</a>. </p>
<p>To bring energy consumption and costs down, data centre operators are increasingly looking to locate their facilities in regions with a <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2019/06/18/134902/icelands-data-centers-are-booming-heres-why-thats-a-problem/">cold climate</a>, which often also provide access to <a href="https://www.energymonitor.ai/tech/energy-efficiency/canada-the-best-country-for-energy-efficient-data-centres/">low-priced hydropower</a> — both are part of <a href="https://www.qscale.com/campuses/sustainability">QScale’s sustainability strategy</a>.</p>
<p>In addition, the industry is now viewing <a href="https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/analysis/waste-heat-warms/">“waste heat” as a valuable resource</a> and opportunity to increase its sustainability score. Existing examples of heat recycling from data centres include heating <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/sustainable-business/microsoft-data-centres-heat-finnish-homes-cutting-emissions-2022-03-17/">residential buildings</a> and <a href="https://www.networkworld.com/article/2277915/swimming-pool-heated-by-data-center-s-excess-heat.html">swimming pools</a>. Now, so-called “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rineng.2019.100063">organic data centres</a>” propose to leverage waste heat for food production. </p>
<h2>Agricultural land re-zoned for data centres</h2>
<p>QScale’s Lévis data centre is a $867 million development, financed by both <a href="https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1808698/centre-traitement-donnes-haute-intensite-levis-qscale-investissement-867-millions">public and private capital</a>. The Québec provincial government acts as both investor and shareholder. </p>
<p>The government’s investment in QScale is part of two strategic goals: Supporting the province’s status as a <a href="https://www.investquebec.com/international/en/press-room/news/Quebec-A-global-hub-of-artificial-intelligence.html">hub for artificial intelligence</a> (which relies on data centre services and is especially energy intensive) and doubling the volume of <a href="https://www.quebec.ca/nouvelles/actualites/details/tout-le-quebec-sinvestit-quebec-veut-doubler-le-volume-de-culture-en-serre-dici-5-ans">greenhouse food production by 2025</a>.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/it-takes-a-lot-of-energy-for-machines-to-learn-heres-why-ai-is-so-power-hungry-151825">It takes a lot of energy for machines to learn – here's why AI is so power-hungry</a>
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<p>For QScale, pairing the data centre with greenhouses is important to position itself in the public debate as <a href="https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2021/06/07/qscale-les-milliards-du-mariage-agriculture-techno">“greener” and locally owned</a> in opposition to the multinational competition. </p>
<p>For instance, <a href="https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1792024/google-centre-donnees-informatiques-beauharnois-terres-agricoles-quebec">Google’s new data centre</a> development in Beauharnois near Montréal will reportedly not include heat recycling and is also built on land originally zoned for agriculture, which is highly controversial.</p>
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<p>When new buildings cover valuable agricultural land, they <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/land11060840">seal soil</a> — a vital resource for long-term food sufficiency that is <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ont-farmland-loss-1.6493833">already shrinking</a> due to rezoning for urban sprawl. Soil sealing means that fertile land is covered by impermeable materials like concrete. </p>
<p>The Québec government’s intervention to rezone the land slated for Google’s data centre was <a href="https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1792024/google-centre-donnees-informatiques-beauharnois-terres-agricoles-quebec">heavily criticized</a> by Québec’s farmers’ union, the <em>Union des producteurs agricoles</em>. The union’s spokesperson pointed out that the cultivable <a href="https://www.equiterre.org/en/articles/news-dossier-agricultural-rezoning-in-quebec">agricultural area is only two per cent</a> of the province’s territory. </p>
<p>In QScale’s case, the city of Lévis purchased farmland located next to the data centre development. This land is slated to be re-sold to QScale or other parties to develop potential greenhouses. Through its envisioned heat recuperation for indoor agriculture, QScale aims to <a href="https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2021/06/07/qscale-les-milliards-du-mariage-agriculture-techno">contribute to local food autonomy</a>. Can this promise hold up?</p>
<h2>Are greenhouses green?</h2>
<p>Due to short growing seasons, Canada relies heavily on <a href="https://agriculture.canada.ca/en/sector/horticulture/reports/statistical-overview-canadian-fruit-industry-2021#a2.3">imported fruits and vegetables</a>, especially in the winter. This dependence became clear to the public when the COVID-19 pandemic <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/03066150.2020.1823838">disrupted supply chains</a> and highlighted the fragility of the global food system. </p>
<p>Climate change and extreme weather events pose additional challenges, which was especially <a href="https://agriculture.canada.ca/en/sector/horticulture/reports/statistical-overview-canadian-fruit-industry-2021">evident in 2021</a> when a <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-a-heat-dome-an-atmospheric-scientist-explains-the-weather-phenomenon-baking-california-and-the-west-185569">heat dome</a> formed over British Columbia and <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-an-atmospheric-river-drenched-british-columbia-and-led-to-floods-and-mudslides-172021">devastating floods</a> followed later that year. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/b-c-floods-reveal-fragile-food-supply-chains-4-ways-to-manage-the-crisis-now-and-in-the-future-172220">B.C. floods reveal fragile food supply chains — 4 ways to manage the crisis now and in the future</a>
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<p>Taking crop production out of the fields and into indoor controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) could make the <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11061229">domestic food system more resilient</a> and ensure year-round access to fresh produce in Canada. Potential environmental benefits include reduced emissions from transportation and refrigeration, as well as <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13081258">more efficient land and water use</a> and reduced reliance on agrochemical inputs. </p>
<p>However, CEA systems have high energy demands to control the <a href="https://theconversation.com/food-security-vertical-farming-sounds-fantastic-until-you-consider-its-energy-use-102657">temperature, humidity and lighting conditions</a> all year round. For example, leafy vegetable vertical farms with artificial lighting <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150621">consume 100 times more</a> energy than those with natural sunlight. </p>
<p>Depending on the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/21/opinion/environment/climate-change-greenhouses-drought-indoor-farming.html">energy source</a> of the local grid, CEA greenhouse gas emissions can outweigh their benefits. The produced <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1178622121995819">crop variety</a> is relatively small, meaning that it cannot fully cover the nutritional needs of a local population. </p>
<p>The economic sustainability of CEA is also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-34065-0_2">open to question</a>. It relies on <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90824702/vertical-farming-failing-profitable-appharvest-aerofarms-bowery">venture capital</a> investment that is currently drying up and a tech-start-up business model that may not be feasible for food production in the long run. </p>
<h2>Who will tend to the data centre-greenhouse crops?</h2>
<p>As it stands, agriculture in Canada and <a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-is-creating-an-underclass-of-exploited-farm-workers-unable-to-speak-up-177063">elsewhere</a> relies on the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-cruel-trade-off-at-your-local-produce-aisle-90083">low-paid, precarious work</a> of seasonal migrants who are barred from unionizing and frequently face <a href="https://theconversation.com/migrant-farm-workers-vulnerable-to-sexual-violence-95839">abuse</a>. </p>
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<img alt="workers working in a greenhouse" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/516289/original/file-20230320-24-igv467.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/516289/original/file-20230320-24-igv467.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/516289/original/file-20230320-24-igv467.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/516289/original/file-20230320-24-igv467.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/516289/original/file-20230320-24-igv467.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/516289/original/file-20230320-24-igv467.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/516289/original/file-20230320-24-igv467.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Governments must enforce labour standards, perform spontaneous inspections without prior notification of employers and ensure that workers know their rights.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
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<p>Conditions in the greenhouse industry are <a href="https://thenarwhal.ca/covid-19-migrant-farmworkers/">not necessarily better</a>. In 2021, temporary workers at Serres Demers, Québec’s largest greenhouse operator and <a href="https://www.lapresse.ca/affaires/entreprises/2021-06-16/qscale-discute-avec-les-serres-demers/des-serres-pourraient-etre-chauffees-par-des-centres-de-donnees.php">potential partner for QScale</a>, denounced unsanitary, crowded and dilapidated <a href="https://ici.radio-canada.ca/recit-numerique/2458/serres-demers-hebergement-travailleurs-etrangers-tomates">housing conditions</a>. </p>
<p>While <a href="https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1822170/logements-travaillers-etrangers-temporaires-renovations-tomates">this situation has reportedly improved</a> since it made media headlines, labour struggles for farm workers in greenhouses and fields persist. </p>
<p><em>Illusion Emploi</em>, an advocacy organization for non-unionized workers in Québec, states that the problems at Serres Demers are <a href="https://www.ledevoir.com/opinion/libre-opinion/607482/libre-opinion-le-cas-des-serres-demers-n-est-pas-unique">representative of widespread labour issues</a> in the industry. The organization implores the government to take action by enforcing labour standards, performing spontaneous inspections without prior notification of employers and ensuring that workers know their rights. </p>
<h2>Complex implications</h2>
<p>The benefits of integrating digital infrastructure and agriculture are not as clear-cut as their promoters suggest. </p>
<p>While recycling heat from data centres and thereby easing energy demands of greenhouses is certainly better than letting it go to waste, the <a href="https://commonplace.knowledgefutures.org/pub/jpy7pbq0/release/1">complex implications</a> of these two newly merging industries must not be overlooked. </p>
<p>If the continuing expansion of digital infrastructures is legitimized by adding greenhouses into the mix, it could conceal other issues at stake including the significant environmental and social impacts of hardware manufacturing, land use and labour.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/201064/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Janna Frenzel receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada and Concordia University.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sarah-Louise Ruder receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada, the University of British Columbia's Public Scholars Initiative, and Future Skills Centre Canada.</span></em></p>While recuperating heat from data centres to ease greenhouse energy demands is better than letting it go to waste, we must not overlook the complex implications of these two newly merging industries.Janna Frenzel, PhD candidate in Communication Studies, Concordia UniversitySarah-Louise Ruder, PhD Candidate at the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British ColumbiaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1973782023-03-06T13:36:07Z2023-03-06T13:36:07ZWill we eventually have to send our trash into space if we run out of room on Earth?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510206/original/file-20230214-18-pi7ci8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=23%2C0%2C5266%2C3521&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A trash compactor rolls over an active dump site at Pioneer Crossing Landfill in Birdsboro, Pa.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/trash-compactor-rolls-over-an-active-dump-site-at-pioneer-news-photo/1315782016">Natalie Kolb/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><figure class="align-left ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=368&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=368&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=368&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/us/topics/curious-kids-us-74795">Curious Kids</a> is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to <a href="mailto:curiouskidsus@theconversation.com">curiouskidsus@theconversation.com</a>.</em></p>
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<p>Will we eventually have to send our trash into space if we run out of room on Earth? Aiden, age 13, Maryland Heights, Mo.</p>
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<p>Our planet holds a lot of trash. Since the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Industrial-Revolution">Industrial Revolution</a>, we humans have produced <a href="https://phys.org/news/2016-11-earth-technosphere-trillion-tons.html">30 trillion tons of stuff</a> – from skyscrapers and bridges to clothes and plastic bags. Much of it is still with us in the form of waste. </p>
<p>Globally, people add <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/zero-waste-families-plastic-culture">350 million tons</a> to this total every day. What’s worse, much of the world’s garbage is <a href="https://www.wastedive.com/news/world-bank-global-waste-generation-2050/533031/">mismanaged</a> – dumped on land, in waterways and in open dumps in cities and towns. This exposes people to <a href="https://www.who.int/tools/compendium-on-health-and-environment/solid-waste">serious health risks</a>. It <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jksus.2013.08.003">harms plants and soil</a>, and a lot of waste finds its way <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/plastic-pollution">into the oceans</a>. Thinking about what a mess we’re making can be pretty overwhelming. </p>
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<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uUmtJIBibMM?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Managing trash in the U.S. is big business.</span></figcaption>
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<h2>Waste in space?</h2>
<p>Sending trash into space isn’t as off the wall as it might sound. After all, there’s a lot of room out there, with no one – as far as we know today – to claim it. </p>
<p>Some researchers have suggested <a href="https://space.nss.org/wp-content/uploads/Space-Manufacturing-conference-12-111-Disposal-Of-High-Level-Nuclear-Waste-In-Space.pdf">sending waste into space</a>. They’re mainly thinking about <a href="https://www.npr.org/2011/03/15/134569191/spent-fuel-rods-now-a-concern-at-nuclear-plant">used radioactive fuel rods</a> from nuclear power plants. It’s true that nuclear waste will remain extremely hazardous for tens of thousands of years, and humans have done a <a href="https://worldnuclearwastereport.org">lousy job so far</a> of disposing of it safely on Earth. </p>
<p>These proposals, though, have <a href="https://opinion.sites.northeastern.edu/2020/12/29/why-dont-we-send-nuclear-waste-into-space/">never moved forward</a>, for many reasons. One is the risk: What if a rocket carrying tons of highly radioactive waste exploded on takeoff? Another is the cost, which would be <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2019/09/20/this-is-why-we-dont-shoot-earths-garbage-into-the-sun/">vastly higher</a> than the already high price of storing it safely on Earth. </p>
<p>There is also a lot of “<a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/what-is-space-junk-and-why-is-it-a-problem.html">space junk</a>” already orbiting the planet, including broken satellites and meteor debris. NASA estimates there are <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/news/orbital_debris.html">over half a million pieces</a> the size of a marble or larger in Earth’s orbit. They travel at high speeds, so they can really damage spacecraft in a collision. It wouldn’t be smart to add to this problem. </p>
<p>Here’s a much better strategy: Reduce the amount of waste that goes into landfills, incinerators, open dumps on land and the oceans. Part of that job is up to governments, which set rules on issues like <a href="https://www.ncsl.org/environment-and-natural-resources/state-plastic-bag-legislation">whether to allow single-use plastic bags</a>. But there are many things people can do to reduce waste in their daily lives. </p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">Many U.S. communities are starting to compost organic wastes, like food scraps and yard trimmings. This reduces the volume of waste going into landfills and produces a valuable fertilizer.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Many Rs</h2>
<p>You might be familiar with the “<a href="https://www.epa.gov/recycle">3 Rs of trash</a>”: reduce, reuse, recycle. Each step means less waste at the end of the day. </p>
<p>If you want to reduce waste in your life, choose reusable mugs, cutlery or grocery bags instead of single-use plastic items. Many towns and cities have <a href="https://berkeleyca.gov/doing-business/operating-berkeley/food-service/single-use-foodware-rules">made this the rule</a>. </p>
<p>Some communities also collect organic wastes, like food scraps and yard trimmings, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/city-compost-programs-turn-garbage-into-black-gold-that-boosts-food-security-and-social-justice-136169">turn them into compost</a> – a soil-like material that gardeners and landscapers use as fertilizer. And many gardeners do their own <a href="https://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home">composting at home</a>.</p>
<p>You can <a href="https://www.wastedive.com/news/adam-minter-on-why-secondhand-markets-are-the-true-circular-economies/567057/">reuse</a> by buying secondhand goods and clothes and donating your unwanted but still usable stuff. <a href="https://www.freecycle.org/pages/about">Freecycle networks</a> make it easy to give away usable items that you don’t need and get different goods in return. </p>
<p>Recycling paper, plastics, glass and aluminum keeps them out of landfills. It also <a href="https://kingcounty.gov/depts/dnrp/solid-waste/programs/climate/climate-change-recycling.aspx">helps to slow climate change</a>, since it can take less energy to make new products from recycled materials. In 2018, <a href="https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/national-overview-facts-and-figures-materials">nearly one-third</a> of municipal solid waste in the U.S. was either recycled or composted. </p>
<p>Some items, like plastic bags and straws, can be hard to recycle. But aluminum cans, paper, cardboard and <a href="https://millerrecycling.com/plastics-recycling-numbers/">certain kinds of plastic</a> are successfully recycled at much higher rates. Knowing <a href="https://dnr.mo.gov/waste-recycling">what can be recycled where you live</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-wishcycling-two-waste-experts-explain-173825">how to do it</a>, is important – <a href="https://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/green-living/best-and-worst-states-recycling-study">the rules vary a lot from place to place</a>.</p>
<p><iframe id="51naC" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/51naC/1/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>There are <a href="https://www.gdrc.org/uem/waste/more-3r.html">more than 3 Rs to act on</a>. You can <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AO-EuhVzONM">repair</a>, <a href="https://www.thisoldhouse.com/cambridge-house/21014966/what-to-expect-with-reclaimed-wood">reclaim</a> and <a href="https://www.replate.com/waste-less-food/leftovers-reimagined/">reimagine</a> how you buy and use things. </p>
<p>There’s growing discussion about the <a href="https://www.repair.org/stand-up">right to repair</a> – giving consumers access to information and parts so they can repair their own goods, from electronics to cars. Companies would rather have you buy new replacements, but many people are pushing for rules that make it easier to fix your own stuff.</p>
<p>There are many options for reducing waste before space is the only place left to put it. Once you try some, you’ll find it’s easier than you think.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to <a href="mailto:curiouskidsus@theconversation.com">CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com</a>. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/197378/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kate O'Neill does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Humans generate a lot of trash, but there are cheaper and safer ways to handle it than loading it on rockets.Kate O'Neill, Professor of Global Environmental Politics, University of California, BerkeleyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2003512023-03-05T19:19:17Z2023-03-05T19:19:17ZBuildings used iron from sunken ships centuries ago. The use of recycled materials should be business as usual by now<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/513297/original/file-20230302-18-ur1b7l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">shutterstock</span> </figcaption></figure><p>At <a href="https://fremantleprison.com.au/">Fremantle Prison</a> in the 1850s, when metal was scarce, the prison gate and handrails were made from iron recovered from sunken ships. As I toured the prison recently, I reflected on how similar the situation was when COVID-19 disrupted building supply chains across Australia. The shortage of materials such as steel, which is still an issue, turned heads to using recycled steel, which would otherwise be exported overseas for full recovery.</p>
<p>Do we really needed material shortages for the construction industry to get serious about using products with recycled content? When resources are depleted, does it only then mean it’s time to go sustainable?</p>
<p>It is encouraging to see many state initiatives to recycle construction materials, such as <a href="https://www.wasteauthority.wa.gov.au/programs/view/roads-to-reuse">Roads to Reuse</a> in Western Australia. It offers a $5 per tonne incentive to use recycled materials such as road base and drainage rock for construction projects. </p>
<p>Are such programs enough to ensure the supply of construction materials is sustainable? No, and if you look back at the examples of the past two centuries, industry-wide reuse of such materials should have been business as usual by now. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1068172704849645568"}"></div></p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-make-roads-with-recycled-waste-and-pave-the-way-to-a-circular-economy-164997">How to make roads with recycled waste, and pave the way to a circular economy</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What is the next step?</h2>
<p>As awareness of waste recycling benefits has risen, recovery rates have improved.
The <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/national-waste-report-2022.pdf">National Waste Report 2022</a> shows Australia now has an 80% recovery rate for construction and demolition waste. That waste, 29 million tonnes of it, comprises 38% of all waste produced in Australia. </p>
<p>These recycled materials are becoming increasingly available to the market, but it isn’t being widely used. </p>
<p>The next challenge is to increase the use of these products across the construction sector. But how? That’s the focus of our recently completed <a href="https://sbenrc.com.au/research-programs/1-85/">research project</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-third-of-our-waste-comes-from-buildings-this-ones-designed-for-reuse-and-cuts-emissions-by-88-147455">A third of our waste comes from buildings. This one's designed for reuse and cuts emissions by 88%</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Showcasing the use of recycled materials</h2>
<p>We conducted four case studies in Victoria and Western Australia. The two states produce about 46% of Australia’s construction and demolition waste. </p>
<p>The case studies are <a href="https://www.burwoodbrickworks.shopping/">Burwood Brickworks Shopping Centre</a> and <a href="https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/projects/mrpv/mordialloc-freeway">Mordialloc Freeway</a> in Victoria and the <a href="https://www.mainroads.wa.gov.au/projects-initiatives/all-projects/metropolitan/tonkin-gap">Tonkin Gap Project</a> and <a href="https://developmentwa.com.au/projects/residential/oneonefive-hamilton-hill/overview">OneOneFive Hamilton Hill</a> in WA. They comprise two road projects, a shopping centre and a housing development. One goal of these projects is to showcase the possibilities for using recycled materials in the construction industry. </p>
<p>Brickworks Shopping Centre was completed in 2019 and has won numerous awards for its demonstration of sustainability. The project achieved <a href="https://living-future.org/case-studies/burwood-brickworks/">full accreditation</a> under the rigorous criteria of the <a href="https://living-future.org/lbc/">Living Building Challenge</a>.</p>
<p>The large amounts of recycled materials used in the project include crushed concrete in a sub-base of bitumen, salvaged timber for ceiling cladding, and recycled brick for the floor and as a finish on the building façade. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YSLZsyJ7nrM?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Brickworks Shopping Centre in Melbourne has been hailed the world’s most sustainable retail centre.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The head contractor explained the use of recycled products for these architectural features:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The end user, who’s the consumer at Burwood Brickworks, they can see it and it’s front of mind that, hey, we can reuse these things. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>The Mordialloc project created a 9km freeway link between Dingley Bypass and Mornington Peninsula Freeway. Dubbed “<a href="https://roadsonline.com.au/behind-the-construction-of-australias-greenest-freeway/">Australia’s greenest freeway</a>”, it was completed in 2021. </p>
<p>The project saved more than 300,000 tonnes of waste from going to landfill (or 3 hectares of land would have been needed for stockpiling). It used 675 tonnes of plastic waste in noise walls and drainage pipes and 21,000 tonnes of reclaimed asphalt in pavements. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0ElDXfuuzbk?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">The Mordialloc Freeway project used more than 300,000 tonnes of recycled waste materials.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>A member of the project’s design team said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>It was a good example of taking a design and […] looking at ways where you could improve it in terms of using recycled materials. So I know it’s got a tagline as Australia’s greenest freeway at the moment, but I’m sure it’s just setting a precedent now. And almost all, if not all, future road projects will incorporate an increasing amount of recycled materials in them. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>The Tonkin Gap Project is upgrading the Tonkin Highway east of Perth with extra lanes, new interchanges, bridges and a shared cycling and walking path. </p>
<p>By July 2022, the project had used 430,000 tonnes of recycled materials including:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>296,000 tonnes of sand</p></li>
<li><p>105,000 tonnes of treated spoil</p></li>
<li><p>27,000 tonnes of crushed recycled concrete</p></li>
<li><p>1,200 tonnes of reclaimed asphalt pavement. </p></li>
</ul>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HyrdmoF2qq8?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Main Roads WA’s Tonkin Gap Project had used more than 430,000 tonnes of recycled materials by mid-2022.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>A Main Roads WA representative said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The culture comes down to a lot of experience. You need to make sure that there’s a positive experience using the [recycled] product, and make sure that there’s enough training and education and awareness that can be delivered to the industry on using the product and what they need to do to use it safely.</p>
</blockquote>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/with-the-right-tools-we-can-mine-cities-87672">With the right tools, we can mine cities</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>OneOneFive Hamilton Hill redeveloped an old high school and neighbouring lands (11.9 hectares) as a residential estate. It was one of DevelopmentWA’s <a href="https://developmentwa.com.au/our-work/innovation-through-demonstration">Innovation Through Demonstration</a> projects to showcase sustainability in the built environment. It was recognised as a sustainable project by the national <a href="https://envirodevelopment.com.au/">EnviroDevelopment initiative</a>.</p>
<p>Recycled materials in this project included:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>salvaged timber in landscaping features such as shade structures and seating</p></li>
<li><p>40,000 clay bricks and roof tiles reused as aggregates under the drainage infrastructure</p></li>
<li><p>old bricks in brick walls and a toilet block</p></li>
<li><p>crushed brick, tiles and concrete in the road sub-base</p></li>
<li><p>2,425 cubic metres of recycled concrete in retaining walls</p></li>
<li><p>400 tonnes of other recycled products in various constructions including temporary access roads. </p></li>
</ul>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/x4gdwIAue_o?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">OneOneFive Hamilton Hill reused demolition waste from an old high school in a residential development.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The project’s client representative said: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>We want to be showing that we’re pushing the boundaries and trying to, I suppose, provide demonstration projects that show what can be done within a normal commercial environment. </p>
</blockquote>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-needs-construction-waste-recycling-plants-but-locals-first-need-to-be-won-over-161888">Australia needs construction waste recycling plants — but locals first need to be won over</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What are the barriers and how do we overcome them?</h2>
<p>Case study participants said the major barriers to optimal industry use of recycled materials include:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>unsupportive regulations</p></li>
<li><p>limited availability of quality recycled materials</p></li>
<li><p>lack of expertise and understanding of their applications</p></li>
<li><p>inconsistency in recycled materials quality and performance. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>They said education, investigation and demonstration activities together with effective project management planning could help overcome these barriers.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>We thank our collaborators in the research <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tim-ryley-1253269">Professor Tim Ryley</a> (Griffith University), <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/savindi-caldera-1187623">Dr Savindi Caldera</a> (University of Sunshine Coast), <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/atiq-zaman-7111/articles">Associate Professor Atiq Zaman</a> (Curtin University) and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/peter-s-p-wong-711280">Professor Peter S.P. Wong</a> (RMIT University).</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/200351/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Salman Shooshtarian receives funding from Sustainable Built Environment National Research Centre, Australia</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tayyab Maqsood receives funding from Sustainable Built Environment National Research Centre, Austalia. </span></em></p>The recovery rate from construction and demolition waste has been rising steadily in Australia. However, the use of recycled materials is still not the norm across the construction industry.Salman Shooshtarian, Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT UniversityTayyab Maqsood, Associate Dean and Head of of Project Management, RMIT UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1983432023-02-22T06:21:32Z2023-02-22T06:21:32ZDirty gold: the fly-tipping gangs costing councils millions – and how you can help<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511394/original/file-20230221-3073-35db85.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C2000%2C997&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.alamy.com/illegal-fly-tipping-of-vehicle-tyres-dumped-in-farm-field-to-avoid-image1813406.html?imageid=E32F658E-781A-44A6-B2F1-5E14A1AB0673&p=89075&pn=1&searchId=c5668c6ee83c737099fb12e5bc2f28b3&searchtype=0">Shutterstock/Alamy</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>If you venture out to the countryside, the chances are you’ve probably seen piles of rubbish, anything from fridges to frying pans, rubble to refuse sacks dumped at the side of the road or in laybys. Waste crime is serious, hazardous and on the increase. Often referred to as “<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-41685102">fly-tipping</a>” it includes the illegal dumping of rubbish on private or public land or in water. It looks terrible and can have serious effects on the environment. </p>
<p><a href="https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn05672/">In the UK</a>, local authorities dealt with more than one million fly-tipping incidents between 2020 and 2021, which is an increase of 16% from the 980,000 incidents reported the previous year. Approximately 65% of this illegal dumping involved household waste.</p>
<p>According to a <a href="https://crimesciencejournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40163-022-00170-3">recent study</a>, the significant rise in fly-tipping can partly be attributed to the lifting of regulations after the COVID pandemic. When stricter lockdown laws were in place and the risk of being caught fly-tipping was greater because there were so few people out and about, there was a noticeable decline in illegal waste dumping across the country. The closure of many businesses also resulted in less waste being produced. But once lockdown laws were relaxed, the volume of rubbish and fly-tipping in urban areas increased as there was a large backlog of waste that had built up during the pandemic. </p>
<p>Another contributing factor is thought to be the increase in <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rates-and-allowances-landfill-tax/landfill-tax-rates-from-1-april-2013">Landfill tax</a>. This is an environmental tax imposed on businesses that dump waste at landfill sites. It has increased from £7 per tonne in 1996 to £102 per tonne from April 2023. The rate has increased faster than inflation and with the cost of living crisis, some businesses are choosing to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/apr/27/landfill-tax-rises-boosting-fly-tipping-says-spending-watchdog">avoid paying the tax</a> altogether. Instead, they are opting for illegal waste dumping services run by criminals. </p>
<h2>Why this is happening</h2>
<p>For criminals, the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/crackdown-on-waste-crime-time-to-stop-trashing-our-future">gains from fly-tipping are attractive</a>. James Bevan, the chief executive of the Environment Agency has even gone so far as to <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/crackdown-on-waste-crime-time-to-stop-trashing-our-future">say that</a> the rewards are as high or higher than robbery, drug dealing or contract killing. </p>
<p>Indeed, waste crime has even been <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-60031410">dubbed</a> “<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/crackdown-on-waste-crime-time-to-stop-trashing-our-future">the new narcotics</a>” because of the way it’s damaging communities and the economy. The profits come largely at the expense of the taxpayer, with fly-tipping estimated to cost up to <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-new-crackdown-on-fly-tipping">£392 million a year</a>. </p>
<p>It’s also relatively low risk, in terms of both being caught and punished. Under UK law, there’s currently no minimum fine set out for unlawfully depositing waste. The sentences for individual cases are decided by independent courts but penalties can include fixed penalty notices and having a vehicle seized. Householders can also be fined up to £400 if they pass rubbish on to an unlicensed waste carrier which is then <a href="https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn05672/">fly-tipped</a>. Though in some instances <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/essex-man-jailed-for-13-months-for-illegal-waste-operation">fly-tippers can face prison</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Fly-tipping in the countryside." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511161/original/file-20230220-946-9ub6uh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511161/original/file-20230220-946-9ub6uh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511161/original/file-20230220-946-9ub6uh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511161/original/file-20230220-946-9ub6uh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511161/original/file-20230220-946-9ub6uh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511161/original/file-20230220-946-9ub6uh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511161/original/file-20230220-946-9ub6uh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Illegal fly-tipping of household waste in a country lane near the village of Much Hadham, in Hertfordshire.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/much-hadham-hertfordshire-uk-june-28th-1765777313"> David Calvert/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Earlier this year, the UK’s Environment Agency <a href="https://environmentagency.blog.gov.uk/2023/01/16/waste-criminals-targeted-on-environment-agency-day-of-action/">reported</a> that they issued fines of £1.1 million for illegal waste sites and recovered more than £5.5 million from criminals involved in fly-tipping. But compared to the actual cost of rectifying such crimes, these penalties seem negligible. </p>
<p>The current waste licensing system is also open to misuse. Certain low-risk and <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-moves-ahead-with-plans-to-crack-down-on-illegal-waste">small-scale waste activities</a> such as the recovery of scrap metal can operate under a waste exemption which means there isn’t the need to hold an environmental permit. These <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/register-your-waste-exemptions-environmental-permits">exemptions</a> can be registered with the Environment Agency at no cost and do not require verification. This means criminals posing as, say, <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/waste-exemption-t9-recovering-scrap-metal">scrap metal dealers</a> can register for exemptions and then illegally dispose of waste without the correct permits.</p>
<h2>How you can help</h2>
<p><strong>Prevent waste creation:</strong> We need to be mindful of what we consume and the waste we create. Use reusable coffee mugs, buy cards and loose produce without plastic packaging. Invest in durable items. This is important because consumer behaviour and demands shape business actions.</p>
<p><strong>Stop throwing things away:</strong> Good quality items can be donated to local charities and go to a new home, so move away from the throwaway culture and help with the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0925527321003649">transition to a circular economy</a>. Buying and selling pre-owned items such as clothes is also now much easier with online marketplaces such as <a href="https://www.ebay.co.uk/">Ebay</a>, <a href="https://www.vinted.co.uk/">Vinted</a>, <a href="https://re-fashion.co.uk/">Re-Fashion</a>, <a href="https://www.depop.com/">Depop</a> and <a href="https://preworn.ltd/">Preworn</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511391/original/file-20230221-16-afx7lg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Woman shopping in charity shop." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511391/original/file-20230221-16-afx7lg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511391/original/file-20230221-16-afx7lg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=415&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511391/original/file-20230221-16-afx7lg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=415&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511391/original/file-20230221-16-afx7lg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=415&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511391/original/file-20230221-16-afx7lg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=521&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511391/original/file-20230221-16-afx7lg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=521&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511391/original/file-20230221-16-afx7lg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=521&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Donate rather than ditch your unwanted items.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/woman-browsing-through-store-clothing-637086043">gabriel12/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong>Be the hero neighbour</strong>: Many communities are part of a “<a href="https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/">neighbourhood watch</a>” scheme which can help to spread awareness and let people know if illegal fly-tipping gangs are operating locally. You can also go online to report instances of <a href="https://www.gov.uk/report-flytipping">fly-tipping near you</a>. And because <a href="https://www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/litter-flytipping/things-you-can-do">waste attracts more waste</a>, it’s worth leading by example to help clear existing dumps – you can use social media to spread the word and get others involved, too.</p>
<p><strong>Responsible waste disposal:</strong> Next time you need to get rid of an old sofa or cooker, contact your local council to arrange collection and the safe dispose of such items. Do not rely on “scrap men” to take things away in their vans: some items will not have a resale value and will be fly-tipped – meaning the householder, without knowing, also commits a crime. If you do need to use middleman services, check where your waste will be taken and what records you will receive to show it was managed legally. </p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="Imagine weekly climate newsletter" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong><em>Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?</em></strong>
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Criminals want your waste. Here’s what you can do to help tackle illegal fly-tipping.Sankar Sivarajah, Professor of Technology Management and Circular Economy, University of BradfordBanita Lal, Associate Professor in the School of Management, University of BradfordLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1955682022-12-26T20:52:15Z2022-12-26T20:52:15ZRethinking the big spring clean chuck-out frenzy: how keeping old things away from the landfill can ‘spark joy’ in its own way<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499484/original/file-20221207-26-gh9dy6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C43%2C5790%2C3692&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Driving home recently, I encountered a familiar sight: four dining chairs on the kerb waiting for some sucker to rescue them. Loading them into the car (sucker!) I wondered: how long were these chairs in shed limbo-land before finally getting kicked to the kerb? </p>
<p>When a wooden chair goes a bit wonky, it feels counter-intuitive to throw it away when it’s mostly OK. It’s often demoted to the shed, with the optimistic thought: “The wood is still good. Maybe it could be fixed.” </p>
<p>But will you really fix it? Sell it? Give it? Keep it? Nah. Chuck it.</p>
<p>Chucking has become easy – and socially acceptable. The pressure to de-clutter, galvanised by the <a href="https://konmari.com/about-marie-kondo/">Marie Kondo</a> tidying-up craze, can feel moralistic. “Just chuck it already!” we say to ourselves, or our partners.</p>
<p>Kondo’s books (more than <a href="https://konmari.com/about-marie-kondo/">13 million sold</a>) implore us to discard ruthlessly any item that doesn’t immediately “spark joy”, with Kondo <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/41711738-jinsei-ga-tokimeku-katazuke-no-maho?fbclid=IwAR2lOCN38fT-LzljeqBFd1KAV1q5t_qci9r7kS23fLXAmbYWUDqc0N0ZEEw&page=14">urging</a> us to:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>not be distracted by thoughts of being wasteful […] to get rid of what you no longer need is neither wasteful nor shameful […] so, arm yourself with plenty of garbage bags and prepare to have fun!</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Kondo promotes throwing things “away” or “out” without addressing where exactly that nebulous place is. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499485/original/file-20221207-20-dszd97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Chairs pile up in landfill" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499485/original/file-20221207-20-dszd97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499485/original/file-20221207-20-dszd97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499485/original/file-20221207-20-dszd97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499485/original/file-20221207-20-dszd97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499485/original/file-20221207-20-dszd97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499485/original/file-20221207-20-dszd97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499485/original/file-20221207-20-dszd97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Where do chucked-out things go?</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/when-a-tree-dies-dont-waste-your-breath-rescue-the-wood-to-honour-its-memory-125137">When a tree dies, don't waste your breath. Rescue the wood to honour its memory</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Where do chucked-out things go?</h2>
<p>These items do not disappear when flung into the ether. They land quite concretely in expanding landfills that degrade landscapes and ecosystems, taint water supplies, and pump out methane as carbon is released during decomposition.</p>
<p>In a world of unbridled consumerism, we are experiencing a waste crisis. We dispose of tremendous amounts of furniture while consuming masses of new furniture, all in the midst of global <a href="https://theconversation.com/timber-shortages-look-set-to-delay-home-building-into-2023-these-4-graphs-show-why-185197">timber supply shortages</a>. </p>
<p>Even buying well-crafted, locally made “green” furnishings from sustainably harvested timber doesn’t stop our chucked-out things from rotting in landfill.</p>
<p>In my <a href="https://soad.cass.anu.edu.au/people/ashley-eriksmoen">research</a>, I have spoken to craftspeople, academics, community organisers, and environmental activists about furniture waste. The message is consistent: try to keep what already exists circulating in the world. </p>
<h2>Waste as a cultural construct</h2>
<p>Waste is often described as “matter out of place”. What we define as rubbish is a matter of perspective. It’s a <a href="https://axonjournal.com.au/issues/11-2/breakingun-breaking-un-makingmaking">cultural construct</a>.</p>
<p>A wonky chair may be only negligibly different to its original state. But even if still functioning, or easily repaired, it becomes worthless once worn or wobbly.</p>
<p>This loss of value is reflected in waste collection policies and op-shops. It’s simple to book a council pickup collection or donate to an op-shop. It’s just so easy to get rid of things.</p>
<p>But either that chair is in good serviceable condition and is diverted from the waste stream for reuse, or it’s deemed rubbish and sent to the pit. There is no middle ground for easily repairable items. </p>
<p>If a chair is an antique, finely crafted, or of sentimental value, people tend to make the effort and spend money on expert restoration work. </p>
<p>But it can be hard to justify that for an ordinary chair. </p>
<p>Sandie Parkes, founder and owner of the Canberra Green Sheds, is awash in chairs to the point where they intermittently need to cull them, saying:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Every day we are offered about ten times more chairs than we can possibly sell.</p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499722/original/file-20221208-21-qh64s7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Broken chairs lie on the street." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499722/original/file-20221208-21-qh64s7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499722/original/file-20221208-21-qh64s7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=456&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499722/original/file-20221208-21-qh64s7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=456&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499722/original/file-20221208-21-qh64s7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=456&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499722/original/file-20221208-21-qh64s7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=573&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499722/original/file-20221208-21-qh64s7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=573&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499722/original/file-20221208-21-qh64s7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=573&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Few people know where to begin with fixing a wooden chair.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Ashley Eriksmoen</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Learning to repair</h2>
<p>Few people know where to begin with fixing a wooden chair. But many community groups teach such skills. <a href="https://twoshedsworkshops.com.au/">Two Sheds Workshops</a> in Canberra and Bega has woodworking and upholstery classes for women and children to learn basic skills and boost confidence.</p>
<p>Jess Semler, Two Sheds Workshop’s Canberra manager, told me, told me repair “doesn’t have to be a convoluted or long process. There is no one right way to fix something.” Once the process is demystified, students can work out how to fix other things, bringing creativity and playfulness to the process.</p>
<p>Greg Peters, key conservator of <a href="http://www.patinations.com.au/">Patinations Conservation Service</a> in Canberra, reiterated that for everyday, mass-produced furniture with no inherent historical or financial value, most repairs are actually relatively simple if you just “give it a go”, learn from the internet and remember there’s usually nothing to lose in trying.</p>
<p>Don’t have the tools? Ask around. Dr Niklavs Rubenis, a senior lecturer in object design at the University of Tasmania, suggests tapping into the collective knowledge of communities by asking neighbours for advice, or to borrow and share tools. </p>
<p>One positive global trend is the proliferation of repair cafes, where volunteers and clients can drop-in to pop-up repair events. </p>
<p>Griffith University’s Professor Leanne Wiseman researches the international <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-10/act-right-to-repair-movement-growing-in-australia/100283348">Right to Repair</a> movement, and is part of the <a href="https://www.griffith.edu.au/law-futures-centre/our-research/australian-repair-network">Australian Repair Network</a>. Wiseman counts about 100 repair cafes in Australia, most of which are listed <a href="https://www.griffith.edu.au/law-futures-centre/our-research/australian-repair-network">here</a>, operated mostly by volunteers bringing their own equipment.</p>
<p>And there are at least <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=tool+library+australia&rlz=1C5GCEM_enAU963AU965&biw=1440&bih=769&tbm=lcl&ei=EBiQY-zkCtKphwOO84PAAg&oq=Tool+Library&gs_lcp=Cg1nd3Mtd2l6LWxvY2FsEAEYAzIFCAAQgAQyBQgAEIAEMgUIABCABDIFCAAQgAQyBQgAEIAEMgUIABCABDIFCAAQgAQyBQgAEIAEMgUIABCABDIFCAAQgARQAFgAYLgWaABwAHgAgAGqAYgBqgGSAQMwLjGYAQDAAQE&sclient=gws-wiz-local#rlfi=hd:;si:;mv:%5B%5B-27.7448986052003,155.93609047581103%5D,%5B-38.97913985445452,133.52398110081103%5D,null,%5B-33.54423302832462,144.73003578831103%5D,6">11</a> <a href="https://www.1millionwomen.com.au/blog/i-dont-need-power-drill-i-only-use-it-once-year-how-i-started-community-tool-library/">tool libraries</a> across Australia.</p>
<h2>Finding a good home for broken furniture</h2>
<p>Time poor or not keen to repair? Try posting on Facebook Marketplace or your local Facebook Buy Nothing group. You might connect your old chair to someone keen to fix it or harvest its usable timber for creative reuse.</p>
<p>My practice as an artist involves re-purposing abandoned chairs into works of critical design, which provokes viewers to rethink everyday objects. </p>
<p>My work <a href="https://www.habitusliving.com/design-hunters/people/ashley-eriksmoen-afda-winner">The Dream, or The view from here is both bleak and resplendent</a> is made from discarded chairs and has 47 legs touching the floor and a tangled canopy cresting over the seat. It raises questions about consumption and reuse.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499724/original/file-20221208-22-4pofku.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499724/original/file-20221208-22-4pofku.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499724/original/file-20221208-22-4pofku.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=514&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499724/original/file-20221208-22-4pofku.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=514&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499724/original/file-20221208-22-4pofku.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=514&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499724/original/file-20221208-22-4pofku.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=646&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499724/original/file-20221208-22-4pofku.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=646&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499724/original/file-20221208-22-4pofku.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=646&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">My work: The Dream, or The view from here is both bleak and resplendent.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">David Paterson of Dorian Photographics</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The chairs I rescued recently were made from dark stained wood. The look was dated, and the white seats were stained, but structurally, the chairs were in good nick. I will be deconstructing them and shaping parts into leafy stems to make new sculptural works that return the wood to plant and tree-like forms, like I did in my recent work for <a href="https://sculpturebythesea.com/gallery/?filter=artist:ashley-eriksmoen">Sculpture by the Sea</a> in Bondi. Another chair set saved from the pit.</p>
<p>I get it. Holidays and new year’s resolutions often mean big clean-ups. But before you chuck out good or almost-good things for the sake of decluttering, ask yourself if there’s a less wasteful option. (And if you really must get new chairs, consider finding quality second-hand chairs that will last). </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499673/original/file-20221207-11-8qggl5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Discarded furniture lies on a street." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499673/original/file-20221207-11-8qggl5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499673/original/file-20221207-11-8qggl5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499673/original/file-20221207-11-8qggl5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499673/original/file-20221207-11-8qggl5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499673/original/file-20221207-11-8qggl5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499673/original/file-20221207-11-8qggl5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499673/original/file-20221207-11-8qggl5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Think before you chuck.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Nobody is saying you should become a hoarder. But not everything needs to be Marie Kondo-ed just because it doesn’t “spark joy”. Make peace with old items, even if they’re a bit dated. They can often be spruced up with a bit of glue, paint or fresh upholstery. Think carefully before you throw out something good or fixable as part of a furious spring clean.</p>
<p>When I bring furniture into my house, I think of it like a pet – something that should be cared for and not discarded on a whim. Furniture can last for generations if we just let it. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/design-and-repair-must-work-together-to-undo-our-legacy-of-waste-119932">Design and repair must work together to undo our legacy of waste</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/195568/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ashley Jameson Eriksmoen has received funding from Australia Council for the Arts, ArtsACT, Melbourne Art Foundation, Transport Canberra and City Services. She is a board member of the non-profit Greenwood Global.</span></em></p>Not everything needs to be Marie Kondo-ed just because it doesn’t ‘spark joy’. Ask yourself if there’s a less wasteful option.Ashley Jameson Eriksmoen, Senior Lecturer, School of Art & Design, Australian National UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1947792022-11-25T07:42:35Z2022-11-25T07:42:35ZWhy the UK needs to stop exporting plastic waste<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495846/original/file-20221117-22-wv1tzw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=8%2C0%2C5960%2C3964&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The mismanagement of plastic waste is one of the main causes of plastic pollution in nature.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/spilled-garbage-on-beach-big-city-1060330253">Larina Marina/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The world produces a vast amount of plastic. Global plastic production <a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/-/media/assets/2020/07/breakingtheplasticwave_report.pdf">increased</a> from 2 million metric tons in 1950 to 348 million metric tons in 2017. Yet much of this plastic is wasted: <a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/-/media/assets/2020/10/breakingtheplasticwave_mainreport.pdf">86%</a> of the world’s plastic waste in 2016 was either incinerated, sent to landfill or leaked into nature. </p>
<p>Many countries use international trade to manage their plastic waste. The justification for this is that plastic waste can be treated in destinations with better capacity for waste treatment. The UK, lacking capacity itself, <a href="https://wrap.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-12/PackFlow%20COVID-19%20Plastic%20Phase%20I%20Report%20FINAL%20v2.pdf">exports 60%</a> of its plastic waste abroad. But in a recent <a href="https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/31509/documents/176742/default/">report</a>, the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee – the group of MPs responsible for improving and protecting the environment – have called on the government to stop the export of UK plastic waste by the end of 2027. </p>
<p>The movement of hazardous waste is controlled by an international agreement called the <a href="http://www.basel.int/">Basel Convention</a>. It requires the consent of the receiving country, accurate labelling of waste, and notification when plastic waste has been treated for waste to be exported legally. The Convention has recently increased the range of plastics that fall within its remit.</p>
<p>China has long been the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-20741-9">world’s leading</a> plastic waste importer. But in 2017 its government banned plastic waste imports, citing concerns over the low quality of material received. This has displaced vast quantities of plastic waste. The UK now exports <a href="https://wrap.org.uk/sites/default/files/2021-10/WRAP-Plastics-Market-Situation-Report-2021.pdf">most of its plastic waste</a> to Turkey, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Netherlands. </p>
<h2>Passing the burden</h2>
<p>The import of plastic waste is a valuable source of foreign exchange for many countries. But these countries often have limited waste treatment infrastructure.</p>
<p>Uncontrolled imports can therefore lead to the volume of plastic waste received exceeding the capacity of a country to cope with it. It also displaces its ability to treat its own domestic waste. The result is more plastic waste than can be safely handled and high levels of mismanagement. </p>
<p>Once a country has received the waste, monitoring of the treatment process is also scarce. A <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org/international/press-release/47759/investigation-finds-plastic-from-the-uk-and-germany-illegally-dumped-in-turkey/">Greenpeace investigation</a> in 2021 found evidence of plastic waste from the UK and Germany dumped illegally across 10 sites in southwestern Turkey.</p>
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<p>But mismanaged plastic waste is one of the main causes of plastic pollution in nature. One <a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/-/media/assets/2020/10/breakingtheplasticwave_mainreport.pdf">report</a> estimates that 56% (239 million metric tonnes) of global annual plastic waste production by 2040 will be subject to mismanagement.</p>
<p>Exporting plastic waste also raises ethical questions. It allows exporting nations to forgo their responsibility to deal with their own plastic waste while claiming to be managing their waste responsibly.</p>
<h2>Upstream solutions</h2>
<p>A more systemic and responsible way of dealing with plastic waste is to reduce plastic consumption. The Committee’s report recommends measures that focus on reducing plastic waste at source, rather than improving the ability of waste treatment infrastructure to manage a greater capacity of waste. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A brown paper bag with the text 100% recyclable and reusable printed on the bottom." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495851/original/file-20221117-17-5g7jto.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495851/original/file-20221117-17-5g7jto.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495851/original/file-20221117-17-5g7jto.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495851/original/file-20221117-17-5g7jto.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495851/original/file-20221117-17-5g7jto.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495851/original/file-20221117-17-5g7jto.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495851/original/file-20221117-17-5g7jto.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The Committee of MPs recommend solutions that reduce plastic use at source.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/brown-paper-bag-that-100-recyclable-1506701819">Dr. Victor Wong/Shutterstock</a></span>
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</figure>
<p>The key suggestion was to accelerate the introduction of <a href="https://www.oecd.org/env/tools-evaluation/extendedproducerresponsibility.htm">Extended Producer Responsibility schemes</a>. Extended Producer Responsibility is an approach that aims to make companies bear a greater proportion of the cost of disposing the plastic they use for products put on the market. These schemes will apply to all companies in the UK who put at least 1 tonne of plastic packaging on the market each year by 2030, encouraging them to reduce their production of plastic waste. This can be achieved through innovations to “design out” plastics or by transitioning to a <a href="https://wrap.org.uk/taking-action/climate-change/circular-economy">circular economy</a> where plastic materials are reused or fully recycled. </p>
<p>The Committee’s report recommends the establishment of a plastic reuse task force, composed of representatives from industry and consumer groups. The group would coordinate strategies including incentives to adopt business models that encourage the reuse of plastic materials, single-use plastic charges, mandatory reporting on a company’s plastic footprint, and public campaigns to raise the profile of reuse schemes.</p>
<p>Deposit-return schemes also help and are already in progress in the UK. In 2023, <a href="https://depositreturnscheme.zerowastescotland.org.uk/">Scotland</a> will launch a national programme where people will pay a 20p deposit when they buy a drink in a plastic bottle or can, which will be repaid when the empty container is returned.</p>
<h2>Plastic waste is a global problem</h2>
<p>The recommendations made by the Committee are a positive step forward and would place the UK in a position of international leadership on tackling plastic pollution. But plastic value chains are transnational and waste is generated at each stage. This reduces the effectiveness of isolated national action. </p>
<p>National policies often do not have the reach or influence to tackle the global causes of plastic pollution. <a href="https://plasticspolicy.port.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/GPPC-Report.pdf">Research</a> that I co-authored found that isolated policies including national bans on plastic products are ineffective in reducing the generation of plastic waste. Fragmented national policies can also create loopholes in international policy that inadvertently reroutes plastic waste towards the destinations least equipped to deal with it. </p>
<p>But earlier this year, 173 countries formally adopted a <a href="https://wedocs.unep.org/xmlui/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/39764/END%20PLASTIC%20POLLUTION%20-%20TOWARDS%20AN%20INTERNATIONAL%20LEGALLY%20BINDING%20INSTRUMENT%20-%20English.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y">UN resolution</a> to start negotiations for a global legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution by the end of 2024. The <a href="https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/ppesp_e/ppesp_e.htm">World Trade Organisation</a> has also launched an initiative to explore how trade policies can be used to reduce plastic pollution. International cooperation over plastic waste policy, along with the legal power of the Basel Convention, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43017-022-00361-1">offers hope</a> of a coordinated global response to plastic pollution that avoids policy fragmentation. </p>
<p>Environmental groups are critical of the trade in plastic waste. The Committee’s recommendation to ban UK plastic waste exports by 2027 is therefore an ambitious and welcome step forwards in tackling plastic pollution. But without global action, isolated national policies will not deliver change on the scale required to end this controversial trade.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/194779/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Steve Fletcher has received funding from the UN Environment Programme. He is a member of the UN International Resource Panel. </span></em></p>Many countries export their plastic waste abroad – but the mismanagement of this plastic waste is one of the leading causes of plastic pollution in nature.Steve Fletcher, Professor of Ocean Policy and Economy, University of PortsmouthLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1919832022-11-09T13:39:42Z2022-11-09T13:39:42ZDung beetle mothers protect their offspring from a warming world by digging deeper<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493591/original/file-20221104-11-c5yawz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=15%2C15%2C5028%2C3362&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A road sign in Bursa, Turkey, warns drivers of the presence of dung beetles, stating 'Attention! It may come out, don't crush it please!' </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/protection-measures-are-taken-for-the-dung-beetles-which-news-photo/1241220698">Ugur Ulu/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>If the TV series “<a href="https://www.discovery.com/shows/dirty-jobs">Dirty Jobs</a>” covered animals as well as humans, it would probably start with <a href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/dung-beetle">dung beetles</a>. These hardworking critters are among the insect world’s most important recyclers. They eat and bury manure from many other species, recycling nutrients and improving soil as they go. </p>
<p>Dung beetles are found on <a href="https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/dung-beetle">every continent except Antarctica</a>, in forests, grasslands, prairies and deserts. And now, like many other species, they are coping with the effects of climate change.</p>
<p>I am an <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=XBb0FNQAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate">ecologist</a> who has spent nearly 20 years studying dung beetles. My research spans tropical and temperate ecosystems, and focuses on how these beneficial animals respond to temperature changes. </p>
<p>Insects don’t use internally generated heat to maintain their body temperature. Adults can take actions such as moving to warmer or colder areas. However, earlier life stages such as larvae are often less mobile, so they can be strongly affected by changing temperatures. </p>
<p>But dung beetles appear to have a defense: I have found that adult dung beetles modify their nesting behaviors in response to temperature changes by burying their brood balls deeper in the soil, which protects their developing offspring.</p>
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<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I1RHmSm36aE?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Without dung beetles, the world would be messier and smellier.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Champion recyclers</h2>
<p>It’s easy to joke about these busy insects, but by collecting and burying manure, dung beetles provide many ecological benefits. They recycle nutrients, aerate soil, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/srep18140">lessen greenhouse gas emissions from cattle farming</a> and reduce pest and parasite populations that harm livestock. </p>
<p>Dung beetles are also important secondary seed dispersers. Dung from other animals, such as bears and monkeys, contains seeds that the beetles bury underground. This protects the seeds from being eaten, makes them more likely to germinate and improves plant growth.</p>
<p>There are roughly <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-humble-dung-beetle-180967781/">6,000 species of dung beetles around the world</a>. Most feed exclusively on dung, though some will feed on dead animals, decaying fruit and fungi. </p>
<p>Some species use stars and even <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2012.12.034">the Milky Way to navigate along straight paths</a>. One species, the bull-headed dung beetle (<em>Onthophagus taurus</em>), is the <a href="https://www.science.org/content/article/scienceshot-worlds-strongest-insect">world’s strongest insect</a>, able to pull over 1,000 times its own body weight. </p>
<p>That strength comes in handy for dung beetles’ best-known behavior: gathering manure. </p>
<h2>Rolling and tunneling</h2>
<p>Most popular images of dung beetles show them collecting manure and rolling it into balls to spirit away. In fact, some species are rollers and others are <a href="https://kids.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frym.2021.583675">tunnelers</a> that dig into the ground under a dung pat, bring dung down into the tunnel and pack it into a clump or sphere, called a brood ball. The female then lays an egg in each brood ball and backfills the tunnel with soil. Rollers do the same once they get their dung ball safely away from the competition.</p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493590/original/file-20221104-14-7dvawf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Two human fingers grasp a pingpong ball-size dung ball with a fingernail-size egg embedded in the surface" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493590/original/file-20221104-14-7dvawf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493590/original/file-20221104-14-7dvawf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493590/original/file-20221104-14-7dvawf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493590/original/file-20221104-14-7dvawf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493590/original/file-20221104-14-7dvawf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493590/original/file-20221104-14-7dvawf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493590/original/file-20221104-14-7dvawf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">An egg is visible in the center of a brood ball from a female rainbow scarab beetle (<em>Phanaeus vindex</em>).</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Kimberly Sheldon</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>When the egg hatches, the larva feeds on dung from the brood ball, <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pupate">pupates</a> and emerges as an adult. It thus goes through <a href="https://nhmlac.org/marvelous-metamorphosis#">complete metamorphosis</a> – from egg to larva to pupa to adult – inside the brood ball. </p>
<h2>Warmer temperatures produce smaller beetles</h2>
<p>Dung beetle parents don’t provide care for their offspring, but their nesting behaviors affect the next generation. If a female places a brood ball deeper underground, the larva in the brood ball experiences cooler, less variable temperatures than it would nearer the surface. </p>
<p>This matters because temperatures during development can affect offspring survival and other traits, such as adult body size. If temperatures are too hot, offspring perish. Below that point, warmer, more variable temperatures lead to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinsphys.2021.104215">smaller-bodied beetles</a>, which can affect the next generation’s reproductive success. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1168955226063351810"}"></div></p>
<p>Smaller males can’t compete as well as larger males, and smaller females have lower reproductive output than larger females. In addition, smaller-bodied beetles <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.13798">remove less dung</a>, so they provide fewer benefits to humans and ecosystems, such as nutrient cycling.</p>
<h2>Beetles in the greenhouse</h2>
<p>Climate change is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2378">making temperatures more variable</a> in many parts of the world. This means that insects and other species have to handle not just warmer temperatures, but greater changes in temperature day to day. </p>
<p>To examine how adult dung beetles responded to the types of temperature shifts associated with climate change, I designed cone-shaped mini-greenhouses that would fit over 7-gallon buckets buried in the ground to their brims. Will Kirkpatrick, an undergraduate student in my lab, led the field trials. </p>
<p>We randomly placed a fertilized female rainbow scarab, <em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phanaeus_vindex">Phanaeus vindex</a></em>, in each greenhouse bucket and in the same number of uncovered buckets to serve as controls. Using temperature data loggers placed at four depths in the buckets, we verified that soil temperatures in “greenhouse” buckets were warmer and more variable than soil temperatures in uncovered buckets.</p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493588/original/file-20221104-24-pcsfqh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A large round beetle with red, green and gold shading" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493588/original/file-20221104-24-pcsfqh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493588/original/file-20221104-24-pcsfqh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493588/original/file-20221104-24-pcsfqh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493588/original/file-20221104-24-pcsfqh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493588/original/file-20221104-24-pcsfqh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493588/original/file-20221104-24-pcsfqh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493588/original/file-20221104-24-pcsfqh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A male rainbow scarab dung beetle (<em>Phanaeus vindex</em>).</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Dan Mele</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We gave the beetles fresh cow dung every other day for 10 days and allowed them to make brood balls. Then we carefully dug through the buckets and recorded the number, depth and size of brood balls in each bucket. </p>
<h2>Digging deeper</h2>
<p>We found that beetle mothers in greenhouse environments created more brood balls overall, that these brood balls were smaller, and that these females <a href="https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2022.0109">buried their brood balls deeper in the soil</a> than beetle mothers in control buckets. Brood balls in the greenhouses still ended up in areas that were slightly warmer than those in the control buckets – but not nearly as warm as if the beetle mothers had not altered their nesting behaviors. </p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493912/original/file-20221107-23-ksn05u.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A cone-shaped cover placed in a patch of dirt" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493912/original/file-20221107-23-ksn05u.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493912/original/file-20221107-23-ksn05u.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=563&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493912/original/file-20221107-23-ksn05u.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=563&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493912/original/file-20221107-23-ksn05u.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=563&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493912/original/file-20221107-23-ksn05u.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=708&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493912/original/file-20221107-23-ksn05u.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=708&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493912/original/file-20221107-23-ksn05u.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=708&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A dung beetle greenhouse placed over a buried bucket of soil in the author’s field trial.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Kimberly Sheldon</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>However, by digging deeper, the adults fully compensated for temperature variation. There was no difference in the temperature variation experienced by brood balls in greenhouse buckets and control buckets. This reflects the fact that soil temperatures <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2011-09-24-ct-wea-0924-asktom-20110924-story.html">become increasingly stable with depth</a> as the soil becomes more and more insulated from the changing air temperatures above it. </p>
<p>Our findings also hint at a possible trade-off between burial depth and brood ball size. Beetle mothers that dug deeper protected their offspring from temperature changes but provided less dung in their brood balls. This meant less nutrition for developing offspring. </p>
<p>Climate change could still affect adult dung beetles in ways we did not test, with consequences for the next generation. In future work, we plan to place brood balls of <em>Phanaeus vindex</em> and other species of dung beetles back into the greenhouse and control buckets at the depths at which they were buried so that we can see how the beetle offspring develop and survive. </p>
<p>So far, though, my colleagues and are encouraged to find that these industrious beetles can alter their behavior in ways that may help them survive in a changing world.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/191983/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kimberly S. Sheldon receives funding from the US National Science Foundation. </span></em></p>Everyone is feeling the heat these days – even species that develop underground.Kimberly S. Sheldon, Associate Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of TennesseeLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1901232022-10-28T12:31:59Z2022-10-28T12:31:59ZJapan’s ‘waste not, want not’ philosophy has deep religious and cultural roots, from monsters and meditation to Marie Kondo’s tidying up<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491759/original/file-20221025-24-seyy2h.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=4%2C1%2C1017%2C505&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Monsters and spirits –including 'tsukumogami,' which are made of everyday objects – in the 'Hyakki-Yagyō-Emaki' scroll, painted between the 14th and 16th centuries.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3f/Hyakki-Yagyo-Emaki_Tsukumogami_1.jpg/1024px-Hyakki-Yagyo-Emaki_Tsukumogami_1.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The word “waste” is often frightening. People fear not making the most of their time, whether at work or at leisure, and failing to live life to the fullest. </p>
<p>Warnings against waste run especially deep in Japanese culture. Many Americans are familiar with the famous decluttering technique of <a href="https://theconversation.com/marie-kondo-a-psychologist-assesses-the-konmari-method-of-tidying-110217">organization guru Marie Kondo</a>, who wrote “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.” Travelers to Japan may hear the classic expression “<a href="https://www.mottainai.info/jp/">mottainai</a>,” which means “don’t be wasteful” or “what a waste.” There are even gods, spirits and monsters, or “yokai,” associated with waste, cleanliness and respect for material goods.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.memphis.edu/philosophy/people/bios/kevin-taylor.php">As a scholar of Asian philosophy and religions</a>, I believe the popularity of “mottainai” expresses an ideal more than a reality. Japan is not always known for being environmentally conscious, but its anti-waste values are deeply held. These traditions have been shaped by centuries-old Buddhist and Shinto teachings about inanimate objects’ interconnectedness with humans that continue to influence culture today.</p>
<h2>Soot sprites and ceiling lickers</h2>
<p>The idea of avoiding waste is closely tied to ideas of tidiness, which has a whole host of spirits and rituals in Japanese culture. Fans of the <a href="https://theconversation.com/hayao-miyazakis-spirited-away-continues-to-delight-fans-and-inspire-animators-20-years-after-its-us-premiere-188636">famous animator</a> Hayao Miyazaki may recall the cute little <a href="https://ghibli.fandom.com/wiki/Susuwatari">soot sprites</a> made of dust in his films “My Neighbor Totoro” and “Spirited Away.” Then there’s the ceiling licker, “<a href="https://yokai.com/tenjouname/">tenjōname</a>”: a tall monster with a long tongue said to eat up the filth that accumulates in hard-to-reach places.</p>
<p>“Oosouji,” or “<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/the-long-history-of-japans-tidying-up">big cleaning</a>,” is an end-of-year household ritual. Previously known as “<a href="https://nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp/journal/6/issue/179/article/1278">susuharai” or “soot sweeping</a>,” it is more than a chance to tidy up. The rite is believed to expel the negativity of the previous year while welcoming the Shinto god Toshigami: a major deity, considered grandson of the gods who created the islands of Japan – and who brings good luck for the new year.</p>
<p>Out with the defiled and old, in with the purified and new.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A painting on a scroll shows several people in traditional Japanese clothing intensely cleaning a house." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491756/original/file-20221025-13-959jto.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491756/original/file-20221025-13-959jto.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=319&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491756/original/file-20221025-13-959jto.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=319&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491756/original/file-20221025-13-959jto.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=319&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491756/original/file-20221025-13-959jto.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491756/original/file-20221025-13-959jto.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491756/original/file-20221025-13-959jto.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A scene of housecleaning in preparation for the new year by artist Kitagawa Utamaro in the late 1700s.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/house-cleaning-in-preparation-for-the-new-year-japan-circa-news-photo/1365701151?phrase=cleaning%20new%20year%20japan&adppopup=true">Heritage Art/Heritage Images via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Revenge of the tools</h2>
<p>There are countless varieties of monsters in Japanese folklore, <a href="https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520253629/pandemonium-and-parade">including “yokai</a>.” As Japanese folklore scholar <a href="https://ealc.ucdavis.edu/people/michael-dylan-foster">Michael Dylan Foster</a> <a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/Pandemonium_and_Parade.html?id=Z5WQy5Q6Hj4C&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0#v=snippet&q=yokai%20intentionally&f=false">points out</a>, the category “yokai” is nearly impossible to define, because the meaning is ever-changing – and many yokai themselves are shape-shifters.</p>
<p>For instance, “<a href="https://yokai.com/yuurei/">yurei</a>” are truly terrifying, vengeful ghosts. But another category of yokai is the living, shape-changing “bakemono” – including the mischievous “<a href="https://yokai.com/tanuki/">tanuki</a>,” a raccoon dog, and “<a href="https://yokai.com/kitsune/">kitsune</a>,” or fox, often depicted in statues guarding shrines.</p>
<p>One special class of yokai is known as “<a href="https://nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp/journal/6/issue/179/article/1278">tsukumogami</a>,” referring to animated household objects. This concept originates in Shinto, which literally translates as “the way of the gods,” and is Japan’s <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/shinto-9780190621711?cc=us&lang=en&">native folk religion</a>. Shinto recognizes spirits, or “kami,” as existing in various places in the human world: from trees, mountains and waterfalls to human-made objects.</p>
<p>It is said that when an object becomes 100 years old it becomes inhabited by a Shinto spirit and comes to life as a tsukumogami. The “Tsukumogami-ki,” or “<a href="https://nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp/journal/6/issue/179/article/1275">Record of Tool Specters</a>,” is a text written sometime between the 14th and 16th centuries. It tells the story of how just such objects, already 100 years old and possessed by kami, were cast out in the trash after the annual housecleaning ritual. These animated household objects took offense at their casual disregard after years of loyal service. Angered at the perceived disrespect, the tool specters went on a rampage: drinking, gambling, even kidnapping and killing humans and animals.</p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="A faded poster with brightly colored small images of different kinds of monsters." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491751/original/file-20221025-15497-tjwt97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491751/original/file-20221025-15497-tjwt97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=878&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491751/original/file-20221025-15497-tjwt97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=878&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491751/original/file-20221025-15497-tjwt97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=878&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491751/original/file-20221025-15497-tjwt97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1103&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491751/original/file-20221025-15497-tjwt97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1103&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491751/original/file-20221025-15497-tjwt97.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1103&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A poster of monsters by Japanese artist Utagawa Shigekiyo, published in 1860.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://collections.mfa.org/download/190862">Museum of Fine Arts Boston</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Despite the Shinto elements, this is not a Shinto story <a href="https://nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp/journal/6/issue/179/article/1275">but a Buddhist one</a>. The animated household objects’ frenzy comes to an end when Buddhist priests intervene – meant to convince the audience that Buddhist practices were more powerful than local spirits associated with Shinto. At the time, Buddhism was still cementing its influence in Japan.</p>
<h2>Laying objects to rest</h2>
<p>If the “Tsukumogami-ki” is Buddhist propaganda, it is also a cautionary tale. The cast-aside objects lash out in anger for being treated without a second thought. </p>
<p>Reverence for objects has persisted throughout Japanese history in many forms. Sometimes this is for practical reasons, and sometimes more symbolic ones. The samurai sword known as the “katana,” for example, was often considered the soul of the warrior, symbolizing devotion to <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12096">the way of the warrior</a>, or “bushido.” In a more everyday example, cracked teapots are not discarded but rather repaired with gold in a process called “<a href="https://mymodernmet.com/kintsugi-kintsukuroi/">kintsugi</a>,” which adds an asymmetrical beauty like a golden scar.</p>
<figure class="align-left ">
<img alt="A light-colored bowl with golden streaks across it sits against a white backdrop." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491750/original/file-20221025-18366-ckrqgl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491750/original/file-20221025-18366-ckrqgl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491750/original/file-20221025-18366-ckrqgl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491750/original/file-20221025-18366-ckrqgl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491750/original/file-20221025-18366-ckrqgl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491750/original/file-20221025-18366-ckrqgl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491750/original/file-20221025-18366-ckrqgl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A bowl restored with gold along the cracks, using the traditional ‘kintsugi’ restoration technique.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/antique-broken-japanese-beige-bowl-repaired-with-royalty-free-image/1280370725?phrase=kintsugi&adppopup=true">Marco Montalti/iStock via Getty Images Plus</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This reverence also persists in the form of funerary services for a host of objects considered deserving of respect, such as <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-06/japanese-dolls-souls-return-to-heaven-at-shinmeisha-shrine/7695414">doll-burning ceremonies</a> performed at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. No-longer-wanted but not-unloved dolls are collected so that the spirits within can be honored and released before the end of their lives. A similar practice exists for artisans’ <a href="https://trc-leiden.nl/trc-needles/texts-films-customs-and-event/celebrations/hari-kuyo-japan">sewing needles</a>, which are put to rest with a memorial service.</p>
<h2>Karma and clutter</h2>
<p>The roots of these attitudes toward material things are therefore religious, practical and psychological. As a Japanese philosophy of waste, “mottainai” keys into Zen Buddhism’s emphasis on emptiness: minimalism to <a href="https://www.zen-buddhism.net/zen-concepts/mushin.html">empty the mind</a> and bring insight.</p>
<p>This desire to show respect also stems from Buddhist beliefs that all things, living or not, are interconnected – a teaching called “<a href="http://www.meditationcircle.org.uk/notes/pratityasamutpada-dependent-origination-cont/">pratītyasamutpāda</a>.” It’s closely tied with conceptions of karma: the idea that actions have consequences, especially moral consequences.</p>
<p>In short, Buddhism acknowledges that things shapes people, for better or worse. Unhealthy attachment to objects can manifest in different ways, whether it be the perceived need to buy an expensive car or reluctance to let go of unneeded items.</p>
<p>But that does not necessarily mean throwing away everything. When we are done with material goods, we don’t need to simply cast them into the trash to fill up landfills or pollute the air and water. They can be given a dignified send-off, whether through reuse or responsible disposal. </p>
<p>Failing that, the story in the “Record of Tool Specters” warns, they may come back to haunt us.</p>
<p>Now, that’s scary.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/190123/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kevin C. Taylor does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Shinto and Buddhist ideas about interconnectedness have deeply influenced Japan, shaping centuries-old rituals and stories whose impact continues today.Kevin C. Taylor, Director of Religious Studies and Instructor of Philosophy, University of MemphisLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1928362022-10-25T23:26:37Z2022-10-25T23:26:37ZThe most horrifying part of Halloween is the useless piles of waste it creates. Why not do it differently?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491683/original/file-20221025-19-bnkg4e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=23%2C0%2C5216%2C2799&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Thousands of young people roaming the streets at night in scary costumes, knocking on strangers’ doors and threatening pranks if their demands for treats are not met. What could possibly go wrong? </p>
<p>Well, for starters, there’s the frightening amount of waste produced by those few hours of Halloween fun.</p>
<p>In recent years, Halloween has joined Christmas and other <a href="https://www.acrwebsite.org/volumes/7058/volumes/v17/NA-17/full">consumption rituals</a> to become an entrenched celebration on the Australian calendar – especially for young kids (and their parents).</p>
<p>But afterwards we’re left with mountains of discarded lolly wrappers, pumpkins, costumes and decorations. How did we end up here – and how can we create a more sustainable Halloween?</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="skeleton and two zombies decorate front yard" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491689/original/file-20221025-15-se6zsm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491689/original/file-20221025-15-se6zsm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491689/original/file-20221025-15-se6zsm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491689/original/file-20221025-15-se6zsm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491689/original/file-20221025-15-se6zsm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491689/original/file-20221025-15-se6zsm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491689/original/file-20221025-15-se6zsm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">All those treats, pumpkins, costumes and decorations create a huge amount of waste.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A horrible history</h2>
<p>Halloween is celebrated each year on October 31. About one in four Australians <a href="https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/2022/10/15/halloween-australia-celebrates/">intends to take part</a> this year. That’s a lot of people – but still far behind participation rates in the United States and United Kingdom.</p>
<p>Halloween began as an ancient Celtic harvest <a href="https://iso.mit.edu/americanisms/halloween-origins-and-current-traditions/">celebration</a>. Known as Samhain, the festival included storytelling, bonfires and costumes to ward off ghosts. </p>
<p>In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III <a href="https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=6210">declared</a> November 1 as a time to honour all saints. Those festivities included some Samhain activities, and the evening of October 31 became All Hallows’ Eve, then later, Halloween.</p>
<p>Halloween was <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1362/026725708X382028?casa_token=xOJFOtxjQYIAAAAA:lL4XOOc9eE4eFJR8BaPL0EgF2J15iQWCMHhd2Q_ZbayZPGArgWVCuCKCpN1jFIiLDlmC03L-qelITVE">brought to the US</a> in the 1840s by Irish immigrants. It has since transformed into a heavily marketed staple of the retail calendar, and spread to many other countries, including Australia.</p>
<p>Each year, mass-produced Halloween-related treats, costumes and spooky paraphernalia fill the shelves of supermarkets and department stores in the lead-up to October 31. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/halloweens-celebration-of-mingling-with-the-dead-has-roots-in-ancient-celtic-celebrations-of-samhain-191300">Halloween's celebration of mingling with the dead has roots in ancient Celtic celebrations of Samhain</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Man looks at masks" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491693/original/file-20221025-11-g5cz4r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491693/original/file-20221025-11-g5cz4r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491693/original/file-20221025-11-g5cz4r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491693/original/file-20221025-11-g5cz4r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491693/original/file-20221025-11-g5cz4r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491693/original/file-20221025-11-g5cz4r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491693/original/file-20221025-11-g5cz4r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Halloween is now a heavily marketed staple of the retail calendar.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A spine-chilling tale of waste</h2>
<p>All those consumables lead to a huge amount of waste. First, let’s start with food.</p>
<p>Most data on Halloween food waste relates to the US, but we can assume the problem extends proportionally to Australia.</p>
<p>About <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/10/30/452856477/are-we-wasting-millions-of-jack-o-lanterns-that-we-could-be-eating">one million kilograms</a> of pumpkins are grown in the US each year. Many are carved into jack-o’-lanterns and end up in landfill rather than on the plate. US authorities have <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/ypxn8j/the-government-says-our-halloween-pumpkins-are-destroying-the-environment">warned</a> all these decomposing pumpkins produce methane, which contributes to climate change. </p>
<p>Similarly, research released in 2020 <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/oct/08/over-half-uks-24m-halloween-pumpkins-destined-for-food-waste">found</a> half of the 24 million pumpkins carved for Halloween in the UK would become food waste. What’s more, 42% of survey respondents didn’t even know pumpkin flesh was edible.</p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="broken carved pumpkin" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491700/original/file-20221025-11-d86dsq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491700/original/file-20221025-11-d86dsq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491700/original/file-20221025-11-d86dsq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491700/original/file-20221025-11-d86dsq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491700/original/file-20221025-11-d86dsq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491700/original/file-20221025-11-d86dsq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491700/original/file-20221025-11-d86dsq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Decomposing pumpkins produce methane which contributes to climate change.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>And what about all those treats? Days out from Halloween last year, the US National Retail Federation <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-halloween-candy-sales-boom-20211028-oxb3ikie2jefvl4kty4u2i5jea-story.html">said</a> overall Halloween-related spending would hit US$10.14 billion, including about $3 billion in candy sales.</p>
<p>Some 70% of UK shoppers <a href="https://asdamediapartnership.com/sites/default/files/images/Halloween%202021%20(1)%20(1).pdf">expect</a> to buy sweets, chocolates and other treats on Halloween, and the celebration is now the UK’s third biggest commercial celebration after Christmas and Easter.</p>
<p>Individually wrapped lollies are popular fare in modern Halloween celebrations - especially in the <a href="https://theconversation.com/avoiding-single-use-plastic-was-becoming-normal-until-coronavirus-heres-how-we-can-return-to-good-habits-140555">pandemic era</a>. But it wasn’t always that way. In decades past, cookies, candied apples and home-made toffee were the common Halloween currency.</p>
<p>Wrapping and packaging <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652620353208?casa_token=mRKYRjdplrQAAAAA:gyzeGL153z1JLowwFA3S0cWtvckZ0aPQCXH6i4K3no35aKMbTp9nXlPvGj9JgFWeQ7JIRjjzVjk">does reduce food waste</a>, but it creates plastic waste that litters our roadsides, fills our bins, and pollutes the environment. </p>
<p>Research on Halloween consumption in Australia is in its infancy. But <a href="https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/halloween-to-deliver-a-430-million-spending-boost-for-retailers">research</a> this month by the Australian Retailers Association found Australians planned to spend about A$430 million on Halloween this year, up on previous years. </p>
<p>Items to be purchased included costumes, sweets, themed food and drinks, and party decorations.</p>
<p>If you plan to decorate your house, beware of buying fake cobwebs – wildlife experts this week <a href="https://honey.nine.com.au/parenting/wildlife-warning-for-halloween-decorations/e799991f-5c0b-4654-9f5d-239d6981409f">warned</a> that animals, particularly birds, could get caught in them and die.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="fake cobweb and spider on bush" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491779/original/file-20221025-18353-zpgazd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491779/original/file-20221025-18353-zpgazd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491779/original/file-20221025-18353-zpgazd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491779/original/file-20221025-18353-zpgazd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491779/original/file-20221025-18353-zpgazd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491779/original/file-20221025-18353-zpgazd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491779/original/file-20221025-18353-zpgazd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Fake cobwebs can be lethal for birds.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Have a sustainable Halloween</h2>
<p>Australia is a largely blank slate when it comes to Halloween culture and tradition. We have a chance to make the tradition our own.</p>
<p>Why not carve a real pumpkin, rather than buying a plastic one, and turn the innards into pumpkin soup or scones? Or try hitting your local op-shop and reworking a fashion nightmare from yesteryear into a spooky Halloween costume? </p>
<p>The World Wildlife Fund offers these other tips for a <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/10-green-halloween-tips">“green” Halloween</a>:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Reuse decorations from previous years instead of buying new ones. Better still, make your own</p></li>
<li><p>Keep old clothes that can be used as costumes, such as worn-out t-shirts</p></li>
<li><p>Reduce party waste by avoiding disposable cups, plates and cutlery</p></li>
<li><p>Buy locally produced lollies and treats. Look for those with minimal packaging or packaged in recycled materials</p></li>
<li><p>Don’t buy a special trick-or-treat bag. Use and decorate household items such as a bucket, pillowcase or old bag, and re-use it each year</p></li>
<li><p>When trick-or-treating, walk around your neighborhood instead of driving to do it elsewhere</p></li>
<li><p>compost and recycle as much party food, treats, pumpkins and other items as possible.</p></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/not-spooked-by-halloween-ghost-stories-you-may-have-aphantasia-170712">Not spooked by Halloween ghost stories? You may have aphantasia</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/192836/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Olav Muurlink is the Project Leader of the Fight Food Waste Co-operative Research Centre's Future Leaders Program.</span></em></p>Halloween has become yet another consumption ritual – but you can choose to celebrate it sustainably.Olav Muurlink, Associate Professor, Social Innovation, CQUniversity AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1899482022-09-05T20:03:48Z2022-09-05T20:03:48ZMigration boost is bad news for Australia’s environment – we mustn’t ignore that<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/482656/original/file-20220905-26-le5ee7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>An increase in the permanent migrant intake to 195,000 this year is one of the jobs summit outcomes <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/albanese-to-act-on-queue-of-1-million-migrants-20220902-p5bet8.html">announced</a> by the federal government on Friday. The business community pushed for this change, saying shortages of skilled employees are holding back the economy. </p>
<p>The downsides of increasing migration, which will almost certainly worsen our environmental problems, weren’t mentioned. We can expect public debate about lifting migration to pre-pandemic levels. It’s essential for this debate to consider the whole picture: the economic, social and environmental issues. </p>
<p>Migration has environmental impacts because it increases our population, with proportional increases in resource use and waste products. Our population has grown by 50% since 1990, from <a href="https://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/ausstats/free.nsf/0/75BCBABB48FFB690CA2576DC001602B4/$File/31010_06_1990.pdf">17 million</a> to almost <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/1647509ef7e25faaca2568a900154b63?OpenDocument">26 million</a> today. Our energy use has risen from <a href="https://stats.o4ecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode+AIR%20GHG">4,000 petajoules a year to 6,200</a>, increasing our greenhouse gas emissions by around 50%. </p>
<p>The demands of the human population are causing, directly or indirectly, all of Australia’s serious environmental problems. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1566198004712968196"}"></div></p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/view-from-the-hill-summit-triggers-immediate-action-and-elevates-gender-equality-189883">View from The Hill: Summit triggers immediate action and elevates gender equality</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Pressures on the environment are growing</h2>
<p>Since 1996, there have seen six independent <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/science-research/soe">State of the Environment</a> reports to the Australian government. I chaired the advisory council that produced the first. </p>
<p>This <a>1996 report</a> found much of Australia’s environment was in good condition by international standards. But we also had serious problems: loss of biodiversity, the state of inland rivers, degradation of productive land, pressures on the coastal zone, and increasing greenhouse gas emissions. </p>
<p>The five reports since then have documented the worsening of those problems. The most <a href="https://soe.dcceew.gov.au/overview/key-findings">recent report</a> said our environment is in poor condition and deteriorating. It found “many species and ecosystems are increasingly threatened” and noted “abrupt changes in ecological systems” in recent years.</p>
<p>As the 1996 report said, no single government or commercial sector is to blame for our environmental problems. In a sense, we are all indirectly responsible. The issues are the cumulative consequences of the growth and distribution of our population, our lifestyle choices, the technologies we use and the demands we make on our natural resources. </p>
<p>The latest report <a href="https://soe.dcceew.gov.au/overview/pressures/people">observes</a>: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Humans drive many of the pressures on our environment. Our activities, settlements and use of resources all affect the environment and its assets in different ways.” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>The report notes the particular pressures of population growth on the coastal zone, where most Australians live. Australian cities are growing faster than those in most other affluent countries, it says. </p>
<p>That growth has increased demand for resources such as water and energy as well as increasing impacts such as “urban heat, congestion, pollution and waste”. The <a href="https://www.planning.org.au/documents/item/9431#:%7E:text=The%20Tipping%20Point%20is%20an,are%20maintained%20for%20future%20generations">demands of a growing population</a> have led to land clearing, reduced green space, more pollution and the loss of biodiversity.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1549285418881155073"}"></div></p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/state-of-the-environment-report-shows-our-growing-cities-are-under-pressure-but-were-seeing-positive-signs-too-187265">State of the Environment report shows our growing cities are under pressure – but we’re seeing positive signs too</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Today’s decisions shape tomorrow’s Australia</h2>
<p>The decisions being made now have a substantial effect on what Australia will look like in the future. As a <a href="https://population.org.au/discussion-papers/climate/">report</a> I wrote with Jane O'Sullivan and Peter Cook in February this year said, with net migration below 60,000 a year the population would stabilise around 30-35 million by 2050. The newly announced 195,000 a year could lift it to about 40 million.</p>
<p>It is sometimes claimed migration simply shifts environmental impacts from one country to another and so does no extra damage to the planet. This would be true if migrants all came from countries with the same resource demands as us. But most economic migrants come to Australia precisely because our material standard of living is higher and they want to enjoy those benefits. </p>
<p>Pre-pandemic <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-20/where-do-migrants-to-australia-come-from-chart/10133560?nw=0&r=HtmlFragment">figures from 2016-17</a>, for example, showed about 170,000 migrants coming from countries with much lower resource use. About 50,000 came from affluent countries in which resource use is typically about half that in Australia. Only about 5,000 were from places where material demand is similar to ours. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/chinese-migrants-follow-and-add-to-australian-city-dwellers-giant-ecological-footprints-103921">Chinese migrants follow and add to Australian city dwellers' giant ecological footprints</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>No doubt we could do many things to reduce the impacts of our growing population. We could, for instance, improve urban planning. We could also shift more rapidly to cleaner energy systems that embrace efficiency improvements <a href="https://www.ceem.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/UNSW%20NFEEExecSum.pdf">recommended</a> nearly 20 years ago to the Howard government. And we could adopt legally enforceable national environmental standards, as recommended by the <a href="https://epbcactreview.environment.gov.au/resources/final-report">2020 Samuel review</a>, which found our environmental laws are ineffective.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1285044903655821312"}"></div></p>
<p>The fundamental need, though, is to upgrade our decision-making so environmental issues are always part of the calculus. Current thinking seems to presume the economy has over-riding importance and the environment just has to cope with the impacts. </p>
<h2>Even the economic benefits are debated</h2>
<p>Even the view that increasing migration produces economic benefits is not universal among economists. A 2016 <a href="https://www.lowyinstitute.org/publications/economic-migration-and-australia-21st-century">Lowy Institute report</a>, citing published research and a <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/migrant-intake#report">Productivity Commission report</a>, claimed “a sustained high rate of net immigration […] appears to be necessary to stave off long-term population decline and is likely to result in higher GDP per capita and labour productivity”. </p>
<p>On the other hand, a 2014 <a href="https://www.oecd.org/migration/OECD%20Migration%20Policy%20Debates%20Numero%202.pdf">OECD review</a> referred to a <a href="https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/social-issues-migration-health/international-migration-outlook-2013/the-fiscal-impact-of-immigration-in-oecd-countries_migr_outlook-2013-6-en">study of impacts of migration</a> to OECD countries. It concluded “the impact of the cumulative waves of migration that arrived over the past 50 years […] is on average close to zero”. It was positive in some cases, negative in others, “rarely exceeding 0.5 per cent of GDP”.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/is-education-or-immigration-the-answer-to-our-skills-shortage-we-asked-50-economists-189388">Is education or immigration the answer to our skills shortage? We asked 50 economists</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Even those who believe increasing migration has economic benefits, such as the Lowy Institute report authors, concede that “accompanying policies are necessary to ensure that these net benefits are distributed fairly and that the social and environmental effects of increased population are managed properly”. </p>
<p>Increasing public hostility to high levels of migration is a direct consequence of failure to manage the social impacts. Urban infrastructure has not kept pace with increasing demands. As a result, the <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-health/profile-of-australias-population">three in four</a> Australians who live in our major cities see their quality of life getting worse. </p>
<h2>We can’t ignore the big picture</h2>
<p>Unless we reduce our demands per person, our growing population inevitably increases pressures on our environment. We need to look beyond simplistic economic assumptions and consider the whole picture. </p>
<p>As the latest State of the Environment report <a href="https://soe.dcceew.gov.au/overview/key-findings">concludes</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Our health, living standards, cultural and spiritual fulfilment and connection to country are all interconnected and are negatively impacted by our deteriorating environment.” </p>
</blockquote>
<hr>
<p><em>Note: A quote by John Quiggin has been removed from the original version of this article because it didn’t accurately represent his views.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/189948/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ian Lowe was president of the Australian Conservation Foundation from 2004 to 2014. </span></em></p>A fast-growing population – 50% bigger than it was in 1990 – is causing, directly or indirectly, all of Australia’s serious environmental problems. These impacts must be central to decision-making.Ian Lowe, Emeritus Professor, School of Environment and Science, Griffith UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1865842022-08-19T15:03:22Z2022-08-19T15:03:22ZWe studied 40,000 pieces of litter to find out where it all comes from – here’s what we discovered<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479635/original/file-20220817-26-21c2t3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5615%2C3741&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption"></span> </figcaption></figure><p>Litter is perhaps the most tangible of all environmental problems. And it’s not just a disrespectful few who are responsible for it. Litter, defined in its broadest terms, includes any solid material present in the environment that was <a href="https://www.unep.org/explore-topics/oceans-seas/what-we-do/working-regional-seas/marine-litter">made or processed by people</a>. It may have arrived there from an accidental spillage, as debris washed ashore, or because of the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/jul/06/bp-accused-of-dumping-industrial-waste-marine-protected-area-shetland-regulator-clearance-oil-firm-pipe-cables-drilling">irresponsible management</a> of industrial waste.</p>
<p>How some types of litter enter and travel through the environment cannot be traced. Litter breaks down beyond recognition, identifying marks such as branding wear away and rivers can transport it far from where it originated. But some litter has clear sources and pathways, discernible from its function and packaging labels, from which the brand that made the item can be easily identified.</p>
<p>The community interest company <a href="https://planetpatrol.co/">Planet Patrol</a> created an app for people to record the litter they find and remove. We used it to map the location, materials, type and, where possible, brands of 43,187 items of litter collected across the UK in 2020. Our research was recently published in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304389422009086#sec0100">Journal of Hazardous Materials</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Two maps of the UK depicting total app entries and total litter found by region." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479124/original/file-20220815-17-8rov66.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479124/original/file-20220815-17-8rov66.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=555&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479124/original/file-20220815-17-8rov66.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=555&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479124/original/file-20220815-17-8rov66.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=555&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479124/original/file-20220815-17-8rov66.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=697&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479124/original/file-20220815-17-8rov66.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=697&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479124/original/file-20220815-17-8rov66.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=697&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">App users submitted the litter they found throughout the UK.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304389422009086#sec0100">Stanton et al. (2022)</a>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Plastic was the most common material recorded, accounting for 63.1% of all items. Metal was second (14.3%), followed by composite materials (pieces of litter made from more than one material, like Tetrapak cartons) at 11.6%. Bottles, lids, straws and other items from the drinks industry made up 33.6% of the total, of which metal cans were the most common.</p>
<p>Our citizen scientists identified brands for 16,751 items (38.8% of the total), with 50% of these belonging to just ten brands. The Coca-Cola Company was the most frequently identified brand (11.9% of branded litter), followed by Anheuser-Busch InBev (7.4%) and PepsiCo (6.9%). The top three brands were all drinks manufacturers.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479125/original/file-20220815-25-gddnz5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A Sankey diagram showing how brands, parent companies and materials comprise total litter found." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479125/original/file-20220815-25-gddnz5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479125/original/file-20220815-25-gddnz5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479125/original/file-20220815-25-gddnz5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479125/original/file-20220815-25-gddnz5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479125/original/file-20220815-25-gddnz5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1131&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479125/original/file-20220815-25-gddnz5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1131&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479125/original/file-20220815-25-gddnz5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1131&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Despite taking up most space in the statements of packaging manufacturers, plastic comprised a third of total litter found.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304389422009086#sec0100">Stanton et al. (2022)</a>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Plastic policies</h2>
<p>Surprisingly, our findings do not vindicate one of the EU’s most important orders on litter: the 2019 <a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/904/oj">Single-Use Plastics Directive</a>. This identified the <a href="https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/plastics/single-use-plastics_en">top ten types of plastic litter</a> based on beach surveys around Europe, and legislated to reduce their production and sale in the EU while the UK was still a member. </p>
<p>These ten items, which include cotton buds, plastic bags and plastic bottles, were not all common in our results, which came from sampling inland areas as well as some beaches. Though this directive applies to the whole of the EU, we suspect its focus on coastal environments alone does not accurately reflect the nature of most litter found across Europe.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Two disposable coffee cups immersed in sand on a beach." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479602/original/file-20220817-14-8cp4t8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479602/original/file-20220817-14-8cp4t8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479602/original/file-20220817-14-8cp4t8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479602/original/file-20220817-14-8cp4t8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479602/original/file-20220817-14-8cp4t8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479602/original/file-20220817-14-8cp4t8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479602/original/file-20220817-14-8cp4t8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Common litter on beaches may not represent what’s typically found elsewhere.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/close-coffee-cups-litter-on-beach-1963357075">Henk van Dijk/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Throughout the 2020s, the UK government and its devolved powers will introduce or reform legislation to tackle litter. These include a <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/introduction-of-plastic-packaging-tax-from-april-2022/introduction-of-plastic-packaging-tax-2021">plastic tax</a> (introduced in April 2022), a tax on the production of plastic packaging containing less than 30% recycled plastic, a <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/introducing-a-deposit-return-scheme-drs-for-drinks-containers-bottles-and-cans/outcome/introducing-a-deposit-return-scheme-drs-in-england-wales-and-northern-ireland-executive-summary-and-next-steps">deposit return scheme</a> for drink containers (limited to plastic containers only <a href="https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/deposit-return-scheme-drs">in England</a>) and <a href="https://consult.defra.gov.uk/extended-producer-responsibility/extended-producer-responsibility-for-packaging/">reforms</a> which will make packaging producers pay for action including litter picking and education campaigns. Over the same decade, the top ten companies identified by our study plan to change the materials they use in their packaging. </p>
<p>Our analysis of these corporate and legislative policies concluded that they disproportionately favour solutions based on recycling, with little consideration of how to reduce waste and allow people to reuse items. This approach fails to address plastic pollution’s root cause: selling things people don’t really need.</p>
<h2>Should we name (and shame)?</h2>
<p>Since most litter in the environment cannot be traced back to its origins, naming the people and organisations responsible may seem futile. But litter that can be linked with an industry or a company is some of the easiest to address. This is particularly true for packaging, which made up 59.1% of the items logged in our study.</p>
<p>Given how common this type of waste appears to be, expanding opportunities for people to refill containers with goods (where appropriate), removing or reducing the need for new packaging as zero-waste shops do, is a good idea. This will require collaboration between companies, industries and governments. Small-scale efforts to achieve this are underway, with Wales pledging to become the first <a href="https://www.refill.org.uk/refill-wales/">refill nation</a> (where people can easily refill water bottles, making bottled water obsolete), some supermarkets introducing or trialling <a href="https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/which-supermarkets-have-packaging-free-products-adRlB4c1J86b">refill aisles</a> and The Coca-Cola Company’s various small-scale <a href="https://packagingeurope.com/news/how-will-coca-cola-meet-its-pledge-to-make-25-of-its-beverage-packaging-refillable-or-returnable/8195.article">efforts</a> to allow consumers to refill bottles with beverages, most notably in Latin America.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A person fills a mason jar with red lentils." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479632/original/file-20220817-9126-1bbyzx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479632/original/file-20220817-9126-1bbyzx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479632/original/file-20220817-9126-1bbyzx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479632/original/file-20220817-9126-1bbyzx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479632/original/file-20220817-9126-1bbyzx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479632/original/file-20220817-9126-1bbyzx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479632/original/file-20220817-9126-1bbyzx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Zero-waste shops allow customers to fill containers brought from home.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/man-fills-jar-red-lentils-selling-2046808436">Reshetnikov_art/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Making it easier for people to refill packaging would also reduce demand for raw packaging materials, lower transportation costs and emissions and reduce waste. It will also help people reckon with their own environmental footprints.</p>
<p>Tracing and curbing litter requires foresight and collaboration, which is currently lacking among companies that profit from the waste-generating consumption of single-use products, and the legislators that fail to properly govern it. Naming them is the start of holding them accountable.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/186584/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Thomas Stanton works with Planet Patrol on a voluntary basis. He received funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Matthew Johnson is a trustee of the Clean Rivers Trust, a charitable organisation working on environment pollution. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Antonia Law and Guaduneth Chico do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Making it easier for people to refill containers is key to slowing the tide of packaging waste.Thomas Stanton, Loughborough University Doctoral Prize Fellow, Loughborough UniversityAntonia Law, Lecturer in Physical Geography, Keele UniversityGuaduneth Chico, Lecturer in Environmental Sciences and GIS, Nottingham Trent UniversityMatthew Johnson, Associate Professor, Department of Geography, University of NottinghamLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1880142022-08-15T14:56:15Z2022-08-15T14:56:15ZAfrican digital innovators are turning plastic waste into value – but there are gaps<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/478522/original/file-20220810-15-j2s91z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Plastic waste in Kampala, Uganda. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/plastic-wastes-are-seen-in-kampala-uganda-on-march-10-2022-news-photo/1239258007?adppopup=true">Omer Faruk Ozbil/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Plastic pollution is a growing global menace. Between 2010 and 2020, the global production of plastics <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/282732/global-production-of-plastics-since-1950/">increased</a> from 270 million tonnes to 367 million tonnes. Every year, <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1260352">more than 12 million tonnes of plastics</a> end up in the world’s oceans, with severe consequences for marine life. When macro plastics degrade into micro-plastics, they easily contaminate the food chain and pose significant threats to human health via <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378512218303505">inhalation and ingestion</a>. </p>
<p>By 2030, plastic waste is <a href="https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-economy-in-africa-plastics">expected to double</a> to 165 million tonnes in African countries. Most of this will be in Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia.</p>
<p>A significant proportion of <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/07/29/opinions/by-exporting-trash-rich-countries-put-their-waste-out-of-sight-and-out-of-mind-varkkey/index.html">the plastic that ends up on African shores</a> is produced in developed, industrialised countries. By 2010, it was estimated that <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X17305286">close to 4.4 million tonnes</a> of mismanaged plastic waste was in oceans and seas off the coast of Africa every year. A <a href="https://www.wwfkenya.org/?233390/Plastic-Pollution-in-Africa-Identifying-Policy-Gaps-and-Opportunities">2022 estimate</a> has put this number at 17 million tonnes.</p>
<p>Growing numbers of NGOs and innovators across the continent are responding to the challenge. They are <a href="https://www.digitaltimes.africa/afri-plastics-challenge-reveals-wealth-of-african-innovation/#">developing digital solutions</a> to reduce plastic waste generation, and promoting reuse and recyling of plastic products. Increasingly, African tech hubs are incorporating environmental sustainability in their <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09537325.2021.1947492">business models</a>. </p>
<p>In <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23322373.2021.1999750">our recent paper</a>, we highlight ongoing efforts and innovations in what is called the plastic value chain. This comprises four phases, from the design of plastic products to manufacture, use, and end of life.</p>
<p>We found a number of initiatives that are transforming the plastic value chain into a smart, innovative and sustainable network. Most aim to improve plastic identification, collection, transport, sorting, processing and reuse. Some focus on the earlier phases: design and production of plastic products. </p>
<p>A whole value chain approach to the circular plastic economy is very important. While the majority of plastic waste management activities tend to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301479721020375">focus on the use and end-of-life phases</a>, more attention needs to be given to <a href="https://oceanfdn.org/initiatives/redesigning-plastics-initiative/">design</a> and manufacture. This is where the problem of plastic waste begins. </p>
<p>Worldwide, attention is turning to designing simpler and standardised products that are easier to recyle and <a href="https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/how-reduce-impacts-single-use-plastic-products">reuse</a>.</p>
<h2>Innovators cracking the code</h2>
<p>A Nigerian software company, <a href="https://www.wecyclers.com/">Wecyclers</a>, operates a rewards-for-recycling platform. It offers incentives to individuals and households in low-income communities to make money and capture value from recyclable plastic waste. </p>
<p>Via the platform, waste collectors are connected to a fleet of locally assembled waste cargo vehicles. They use these to collect waste from subscribing households. These households are also rewarded according to the quantity of waste collected from them. </p>
<p>The collected waste is deposited in designated locations in the Lagos metropolis, to be collected in bulk by recyclers. This provides materials to manufacturers who turn it into new items like tissue paper, stuffing for bedding, plastic furniture, aluminium sheets and nylon bags.</p>
<p>The impact is significant on many levels. Firstly, by linking waste generating households with waste collectors in their neighbourhoods, the Wecycler model simplifies the logistics of collection and sorting at source, at practically no cost to households. Secondly, it enables households not only to mitigate the public health risks associated with plastic waste accumulation and mismanagement, but also to generate income. Finally, it elongates the end-of-life phase in the plastic value chain through recycling and potential reuse. </p>
<p>In Uganda, <a href="https://yowasteapp.com/">Yo Waste</a>, a technology start-up, has developed a mobile, cloud-based solution that connects waste generators to the nearest waste haulers in their community. Yo Waste improves the efficiency of scheduling and waste collection. It also helps waste collection companies measure the productivity of their trucks, and gives recyclers easier access to the plastic waste. </p>
<p>In Zambia, <a href="https://www.gistnetwork.org/recyclebot">Recyclebot</a> is connecting waste sellers to waste buyers via a crowdsourcing platform that aggregates waste by type and location. In effect, the plastic waste producers dispose of their waste for free, and waste buyers overcome the cost of separation, transfer and storage. </p>
<p>While these are promising innovations, the main challenge is scaling. <a href="http://parmindervir.com/5-challenges-that-african-start-ups-face-in-business/">This is slow on the continent</a>. Start-ups in the recycling industry face additional challenges like inadequate funding and an under-developed plastic market that offers limited opportunities for growth and income generation. </p>
<p>A significant proportion of the funds accessed by start-ups is provided as grants from international and local organisations. Pure business investments are rare, and policy interventions are way behind the curve. </p>
<h2>What can be done</h2>
<p>To accelerate the transition to a circular plastic economy, stakeholders from across a spectrum of organisations must work together. They include NGOs, cooperatives, think tanks and community groups. The current approach to tackle plastic waste on the continent remains scattered and inadequately co-ordinated. While efforts are being made to develop new ecosystems in many countries, key stakeholders are often missing. </p>
<p>In particular, African governments have a key role to play. They need to commit more to strategic investment in infrastructure, incentives and support for start-ups. African countries also need policy interventions to grow the market for circular plastic products at national and continent-wide levels. </p>
<p>In <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/362609257_Technology_acceptance_and_readiness_of_stakeholders_for_transitioning_to_a_circular_plastic_economy_in_Africa">another study</a>, we argued that innovators must tailor their strategies to create innovations that are functional and easy to use. This will make it easier for ordinary consumers and the general public to accept them. In turn it will help change habits of consumption and expand the market for circular plastic products.</p>
<p>Digital innovators, as early adopters, are critical for driving changes in the way the plastics economy works across the continent. Their innovations are also leading to knowledge exchange and cross-sectoral collaborations. </p>
<p>However, they also face significant institutional challenges and infrastructural limitations that are slowing down the pace of progress. By working together and pooling resources, stakeholders can achieve an impact that is much greater than the sum of their individual initiatives and contributions towards a circular plastic economy in Africa.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/188014/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Seun Kolade receives funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)/EPSRC as a co-investigator of the project titled Digital Innovations for Transitioning to a Circular Plastic Economy in Africa (DITCh Plastic). Project Reference: EP/T029846/1</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Muyiwa Oyinlola receives funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)/EPSRC as a Principal investigator of the project titled Digital Innovations for Transitioning to a Circular Plastic Economy in Africa (DITCh Plastic). Project Reference: EP/T029846/1. </span></em></p>It’s important to look at the whole value chain in the plastics economy, starting with design of products that can be reused and recycled.Seun Kolade, Associate professor, De Montfort UniversityMuyiwa Oyinlola, Professor, De Montfort UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1880902022-08-04T11:25:23Z2022-08-04T11:25:23ZFast fashion: why your online returns may end up in landfill – and what can be done about it<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/477391/original/file-20220803-15-iv9k2x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Customer orders multiple items, many of which may be returned.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/online-store-selling-clothes-on-website-1790323487?showDrawerOnLoad=true">Maridav/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Fashion has a notorious environmental footprint, accounting for up to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2022-fashion-industry-environmental-impact/">10%</a> of global carbon dioxide output. This is exacerbated by a fast fashion business model which encourages the frequent purchase of low-priced and non-durable items. </p>
<p>Around <a href="https://fashionunited.uk/news/retail/return-rates-are-on-the-rise/2022020661142">30%</a> of online purchases are subsequently returned, much of which goes to landfill. In 2020, an estimated <a href="https://www.optoro.com/2021/02/03/returns-report-powering-resilient-retail-in-2020/">2.6 million tonnes</a> of returns were disposed of this way in the US alone. The problem has become so notorious that the online retailer Boohoo recently followed a number of high street brands in starting to <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62140633">charge for returns</a> in order to discourage them.</p>
<p>But what are the reasons for high returns and why are many returned items not being re-sold?</p>
<p>The pandemic fundamentally changed the way we shop, with the temporary closure of physical stores representing a boon for online retailers. However, online retail’s surging market share has origins in long-standing fast fashion marketing practices. The premium placed on newness, low prices, and both free delivery and returns, all encourage customers to purchase multiple options with the knowledge they can return items freely (known as <a href="https://www.voguebusiness.com/consumers/bracketing-fashions-hidden-returns-problem#:%7E:text=The%20process%2C%20known%20as%20bracketing%2C%20is%20weighing%20heavy%20on%20retailers.&text=To%20receive%20the%20Vogue%20Business,and%20send%20back%20the%20rest.">“bracketing”).</a></p>
<p>Buy-now-pay-later schemes, such as <a href="https://www.klarna.com/uk/business/">Klarna</a>, that allow customers to order without upfront payment have accelerated online consumption. Research indicates that by offering such “payment solutions”, retailers will typically see a <a href="https://www.klarna.com/assets/sites/2/2020/01/15150545/Shopify2.0_US_final_2.pdf">68% increase</a> in average order value. </p>
<p><a href="https://securecdn.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Buy-Now-Pay-Later-February-2020-Tracker.pdf">Industry research suggests</a> that cart abandonment rates decrease by nearly 40% after the introduction of payment solutions. Discount events such as “Black Friday” also drive sales, with fashion accounting for around <a href="https://www.pwc.co.uk/industries/retail-consumer/insights/festive-predictions.html">one-third</a> of all Black Friday spend.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="InstagramEmbed" data-react-props="{"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/CWvWZFkDUkI/?utm_source=ig_embed\u0026ig_rid=2216e844-26df-4ff2-805b-b8b60fa1f976","accessToken":"127105130696839|b4b75090c9688d81dfd245afe6052f20"}"></div></p>
<h2>Fast fashion is synonymous with returns</h2>
<p>Despite the appeal of low prices and discounts, cheaply manufactured fast fashion items can typically exhibit quality and fit issues, so are synonymous with returns. Impulsive spending, driven by discounts, also often leads to <a href="https://wwd.com/business-news/business-features/finder-deals-buyers-remorse-1234652035/">regret</a>, again increasing the incidence of return. The <a href="https://www.statista.com/forecasts/997848/returns-of-online-purchases-by-category-in-the-uk">32% return rate</a> for clothing orders therefore dwarfs that of other e-commerce sectors, comparing to just 7% in consumer electronics.</p>
<p>For retailers, processing returns is also fraught with uncertainty and complexity. Which items will be returned, and in what state, is unknown. Often, once used, little can be done to make them desirable for re-purchase.</p>
<p>This is particularly true in the case of “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/shortcuts/2019/sep/18/is-wardrobing-ever-acceptable-shoppers">wardrobing</a>”, where a purchased item is worn once before being returned. Retailers not only encounter financial loss through reprocessing, they risk a spoiled <a href="https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/fashion-news/pretty-little-thing-leggings-arrived-22675252">reputation</a> if worn or damaged items are recirculated. </p>
<p>ASOS previously announced that they would clamp down on “wardrobing” by closing the accounts of fraudulent returners. However, the threat of a bad review often leaves the retailer with <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2022/jul/16/buy-now-try-later-online-clothing-sales-boom-raises-qualms-over-returns">little option</a> but to refund.</p>
<p>Many retailers instead sell these returns on to liquidators, who turn the obsolete goods into fast cash. A cursory look on eBay reveals dozens of pallets of “Amazon customer returns” available to the highest bidder.</p>
<h2>The challenges facing retailers</h2>
<p>Both the cost of processing returns, and their increased volume, represent a challenge for retailers. The substantial reprocessing costs involved in product returns means that for fast fashion items, they often exceed the potential resale revenue. The remuneration of comparatively high-cost domestic workers within labour-intensive returns reprocessing is widely considered responsible for this. </p>
<p>Getting rid of returns therefore often constitutes the most cost-effective decision. An ITV <a href="https://www.itv.com/news/2021-06-21/amazon-destroying-millions-of-items-of-unsold-stock-in-one-of-its-uk-warehouses-every-year-itv-news-investigation-finds">investigation</a> into Amazon’s Dunfermline warehouse claimed the online retailer disposed of tens of thousands of returned consumer goods each week. Amazon said none of its items went to landfill but were instead donated, recycled or incinerated for energy recovery.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Site machinery sat on top of a pile of waste at a landfill." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/477432/original/file-20220803-13-iznlyp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/477432/original/file-20220803-13-iznlyp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477432/original/file-20220803-13-iznlyp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477432/original/file-20220803-13-iznlyp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477432/original/file-20220803-13-iznlyp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477432/original/file-20220803-13-iznlyp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477432/original/file-20220803-13-iznlyp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The fashion industry produces over 92 million tonnes of textile waste per year.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/pollution-concept-garbage-pile-trash-dump-597557036">vchal/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The fashion industry collectively produces <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43017-020-0039-9.pdf">over 92 million tonnes</a> of textile waste per year. In the US alone, clothing returns <a href="https://eco-age.com/resources/tackling-the-unsustainable-rate-of-returns/">create more</a> annual carbon dioxide emissions than 3 million cars. </p>
<p>Carbon dioxide is initially emitted through the collection of returns, before increasing as returns are either incinerated or deposited in landfill. Due to the prevalence of synthetic fibres in fast fashion, returns can take <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7796070/">up to 100 years</a> to fully decompose, emitting carbon dioxide and methane in the process, as well as leaching harmful substances into the surrounding soil.</p>
<h2>How are retailers tackling the returns issue?</h2>
<p>While the environmental implications of product returns are clear, fashion retailers also have a financial incentive to tackle the issue of costly returns management.</p>
<p>Due to the complexities surrounding reprocessing, fashion retailers are increasingly outsourcing the responsibility to specialist firms, such as ReBound Returns, which work with retailers to make the returns process more sustainable. </p>
<p>ReBound encourage retailers to donate returned consumer goods to charity through their ReBound Regift facility. This has so far facilitated charitable donations worth <a href="https://www.reboundreturns.com/service/regift?hsCtaTracking=8e729b68-7056-4ddd-a698-e1772cd6f777%7Cf011996e-1bad-46d8-8148-e886d482f03a">£190 million</a>. ASOS <a href="https://www.asos.com/responsible-fashion/packaging-and-delivery/6-ways-our-returns-are-more-responsible/">states</a> that 97% of their returns are now resold, and no items are sent to landfill.</p>
<p>As Boohoo’s recent move shows, several online retailers have attempted to pass the cost of returns onto customers. While the reasoning for this is primarily financial, the impact of similar policies in improving customers’ environmental consciousness is well-known. Since 2015, plastic bag usage has <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/10p-bag-charge-turns-the-tide-on-plastic-waste">dropped 97%</a> in England’s main supermarkets, following the introduction of a small charge.</p>
<p>Despite calls for greater sustainability within the fashion industry, fast fashion continues to flourish. Should marketing practices that encourage waste and fuel emissions persist, the fashion industry will retain its unwanted reputation as a significant contributor to climate change. Retailers must reconsider the unintended effects of the leniency afforded by their returns policies, balancing the need for customer retention with environmental consciousness.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/188090/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Patsy Perry does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Fashion has a notorious environmental footprint, and long-standing fast fashion marketing practices are exaggerating this further.Patsy Perry, Reader in Fashion Marketing, Manchester Metropolitan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.