Chocolate made with fewer calories, less waste
“Whole fruit chocolate” uses cocoa pulp and inner shell in lieu of sugar. Enlarge (credit: YelenaYemchuk) Commercialization has not dealt kindly with the Mayan Food of the Gods. Modern chocolate products are filled w.....»»
Contaminated soil landslide threatens Danish village
A small hamlet in the west of Denmark is facing an unusual existential threat: a landslide of contaminated waste that is bearing down on the community and a nearby river......»»
Researchers reveal elusive bottleneck holding back global effort to convert carbon dioxide waste into usable products
Think of it as recycling on the nanoscale: a tantalizing electrochemical process that can harvest carbon before it becomes air pollution and restructure it into the components of everyday products......»»
Household food waste reduced through whole-family food literacy intervention
Food waste is a global issue, with the estimated value of wasted food totaling $230 billion CAD in 2023. In Canada, estimates suggest half of the food wasted occurs at the household level, which roughly equals $1,000 CAD per family per year. A recent.....»»
Hermit crabs find new homes in plastic waste: Shell shortage or clever choice?
The crustaceans are making the most of what they find on the seafloor. Enlarge / Scientists have found that hermit crabs are increasingly using plastic and other litter as makeshift shell homes. (credit: Luis Diaz Devesa/Getty).....»»
Tesla agrees to pay $1.5 million to settle California hazardous waste lawsuit
Tesla agrees to pay $1.5 million to settle California hazardous waste lawsuit, filed by 25 California counties accused the electric vehicle maker of mishandling hazardous waste at its facilities across the state......»»
Engineers unmask nanoplastics in oceans, revealing their true shapes and chemistry
Millions of tons of plastic waste enter the oceans each year. The sun's ultraviolet light and ocean turbulence break down these plastics into invisible nanoparticles that threaten marine ecosystems......»»
Intensifying the production of high-value compounds from industrial waste
A study by the Center for Integrated Technology and Organic Synthesis (CiTOS) demonstrates how glycerol carbonate, a biosourced industrial additive, can be produced in record time using CO2 and a by-product of the cooking oil recycling industry......»»
Tesla sued by California counties over hazardous waste
A group of 25 California counties have sued Elon Musk's Tesla, claiming the EV maker mishandled hazardous waste at its facilities across the state. The lawsuit from Los Angeles, Alameda, San Joaquin, San Francisco and other counties was filed on T.....»»
Fermentation revolution? Trash becomes treasure as bio-waste yields valuable acetone and isopropanol
In a major stride towards sustainable industrial fermentation, a team of researchers at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in The Netherlands, has unveiled pioneering advancements in the purification of isopropanol and acetone from the ferment.....»»
Remanufactured headlamps cheaper for consumer, keep waste out of landfills, GM says
General Motors is working with Llink Technologies to produce and sell remanufactured headlamps, giving dealers and customers more choice when a damaged one needs to be replaced. The partnership allows GM to compete in the aftermarket space and is bet.....»»
On tropical coasts, hermit crabs are now making their homes in plastic waste
Terrestrial hermit crabs are soft-bodied crustaceans that live near water in the world's tropical areas. Without any natural protection of their own, these crabs normally find shelter in discarded mollusk shells. But a number of terrestrial hermit cr.....»»
Gotta go? We’ve finally found out what makes urine yellow
The yellow color comes from bacteria metabolizing waste from red blood cells. Enlarge (credit: Science Photo Library) There are many mysteries in life that we end up shrugging off. Why is urine yellow? It just is, right?.....»»
Peach-palm waste and Trichoderma stromaticum: The potential of cost-effective amylase production
Amylases are among the most important biotechnological and industrial enzymes that can be applied in various sectors, such as food, pharmaceuticals, textiles, chemicals, paper, and detergents......»»
Revolutionizing plastics: Upcycling agricultural waste boosts performance and sustainability
Researchers from Thailand have pioneered the conversion of waste HDPE milk bottles into high-stiffness composites, using PALF reinforcement for a 162% increase in flexural strength and 204% in modulus. This eco-friendly upcycling boosts mechanical pr.....»»
Lagos styrofoam, plastics ban brings applause and concern
From trash-strewn pavements to street vendors packing meals in polystyrene containers, plastic waste is a constant menace in the urban landscape of Lagos, Nigeria's economic capital and the continent's most populous city......»»
Aluminum mining waste could be a source of green steel
After the extraction, the remaining waste is less harmful to the environment. Enlarge / A red mud retaining pond in Germany. (credit: Wikimedia Commons) The metals that form the foundation of modern society also cause a.....»»
A large percentage of European plastic sent to Vietnam ends up in nature, finds study
Despite strict EU regulations on plastic recycling, there is little oversight on plastic waste shipped from the EU to Vietnam. A large percentage of the exported European plastic cannot be recycled and gets dumped in nature. This is the finding of ne.....»»
Researchers engineer bacteria that eat plastic, make multipurpose spider silk
Move over Spider-Man: Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a strain of bacteria that can turn plastic waste into a biodegradable spider silk with multiple uses......»»
Fixing the cormorant disaster on the Columbia: "How could this have come out any worse?"
White streaks of bird waste paint the steel trusses beneath the Astoria-Megler Bridge over the Columbia River. Every flat surface and hidey-hole of this bridge is stuffed and stippled with nests. Black birds roost on the girders, evenly spaced as bea.....»»
Trash TV: Streaming giants are failing to educate youth about waste recycling. Why it matters
As a new parent, I've had the joy of watching animated cartoons with my two-year-old son. His favorite show is "Trash Truck," on Netflix, featuring a tight-knit ensemble of five characters: a trash truck, a young boy, a raccoon, a bear and a mouse. T.....»»