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Group attempts to turn plastic waste into a useful soil additive

Envirotec Magazine

Researchers from University of California, Riverside, have detailed a method to convert plastic waste into a highly porous form of charcoal or char that has a whopping surface area of about 400 square meters per gram of mass. It could also fertilize the soil as it naturally breaks down.

Soil 245
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How to Reduce Packaging Waste

The Environmental Blog

It’s no secret that pollution and waste are big problems in today’s world. All those mountains of packaging waste? Why Reducing Packaging Waste Matters We’ve got a serious packaging waste problem, thanks to things like online shopping, lots of throwaway stuff, and not enough recycling. It’s true!

Packaging 195
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Scotland reaches 12-year low for household waste while recycling plateaus

Envirotec Magazine

Last year Scotland generated its lowest amount of household waste since 2011, according to the latest figures released by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), published on 17 October. tonnes of waste per person in 2022, with 0.19 The total amount of household waste generated was 2.33 tonnes recycled, 0.11

Waste 130
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Transforming flies into degradable plastics

Envirotec Magazine

A project that uses insects as a source of chemicals to make plastics that can biodegrade later is being presented at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Fall 2023 event, a hybrid meeting being held 13-17 August. However, the adults have a short life span after their breeding days are over and are then discarded.

Plastics 130
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Studying tiny plastics in the air

Envirotec Magazine

Large pieces of plastic can break down into nanosized particles that often find their way into soil and water. Researchers have developed a sensor that detects these particles and determines the types, amounts and sizes of the plastics using colourful dot films. Perhaps less well known is that they can also float in the air.

Plastics 130
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PAS 110 Complacency? Time to raise the bar, says organic waste firm

Envirotec Magazine

According to Gemidan, plastic, glass and metal still pollutes the soil – despite PAS 110. Gemidan also claim that long-awaited regulation on local authority food waste collection will dramatically increase the amount of feedstock available for AD operators.

Organic 171
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5 opportunities of a circular economy

GreenBiz

It is more urgent than ever to shift from linear, use-it-up-and-throw-it-away models to a circular economy: where waste and pollution are designed out, products and materials are kept in use for longer, and natural systems can regenerate. Every year, more than 9 million deaths occur due to air, water and soil pollution.

Plastics 509