Many kilotons of "recycled" Dutch plastic waste end up in the sea
On paper it is recycled, but in reality enormous quantities of plastic waste from the Netherlands end up in Asian seas. Researchers from the Leiden Institute of Environmental Sciences charted the fate of plastic food packaging waste from the Netherla.....»»
Antarctica vulnerable to invasive species hitching rides on plastic and organic debris, oceanographic model shows
Antarctica's unique ecosystems could be threatened by the arrival of non-native marine species and marine pollution from Southern Hemisphere landmasses, new oceanographic modeling shows......»»
Scientists help turn whisky waste into valuable commodity
A new method to extract valuable bio-based chemicals from whisky distillery waste streams could transform manufacturing and be worth up to £90 million in global chemical manufacturing markets......»»
Bacteria make thermally stable plastics similar to polystyrene and PET for the first time
Bioengineers around the world have been working to create plastic-producing microbes that could replace the petroleum-based plastics industry. Now, researchers from Korea have overcome a major hurdle: getting bacteria to produce polymers that contain.....»»
Pilot study uses recycled glass to grow plants for salsa ingredients
Tortilla chips and fresh salsa are tasty in themselves, but they could be even more appealing if you grow the ingredients in a sustainable way. Researchers report that cilantro, bell pepper and jalapeño can be cultivated in recycled glass from disca.....»»
Achieving effective removal of caffeine and painkillers, scientists turn food waste into water cleaners
Researchers at the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague have achieved a significant breakthrough in water purification by developing low-cost activated carbons derived from biomass waste, specifically artichoke leaves and pomegranate peel.....»»
Here’s how Google made the Pixel 9’s excellent new packaging
The new Google Pixel 9 phones are coming in new packaging that is 100% plastic free. To celebrate, Google has released a video that explains how it achieved it......»»
U.S. has its first national strategy to reduce plastic pollution—three strong points and a key issue to watch
Plastic waste is piling up at a daunting pace around the world. The World Bank estimates that every person on the planet generates an average of 1.6 pounds (0.74 kilograms) of plastic waste daily......»»
Green warriors: Plants on the frontline against microplastics
With escalating concerns about the enduring impact of plastic waste, phytoremediation emerges as a promising solution. This method utilizes plants to capture and degrade pollutants, providing an environmentally friendly and cost-effective alternative.....»»
Dutch bluetongue cases accelerating: official
Cases of bluetongue, a viral disease affecting sheep and cows, have shot up in the Netherlands according to official figures published Thursday, as the virus spreads also in France and Germany......»»
The Apple Watch SE may soon much-needed makeover
It looks like plastic is making a triumphant return to Apple’s product portfolio. According to Bloomberg, the next will ditch its metallic enclosure in favor of a plastic shell, and it could arrive this fall. This would be the first time that Apple.....»»
Up-cycling petroleum waste into a high-performance yet sustainable triboelectric nanogenerator
A striking landmark in Vancouver, Canada, "The Big Yellow Sulfur Pile" is a testament to the massive amounts of elemental sulfur produced from the hydrodesulfurization process of petroleum refining......»»
Chemical cocktail from plastics: Pilot study describes degradation and leaching process of plastic consumer products
Plastic waste in rivers and oceans is constantly releasing chemicals into the water. Until now, it was unknown how large these quantities are and which substances are released particularly strongly. In the large-scale P-LEACH project, experts from fo.....»»
Astronomers ask public to help find newly formed black holes
The Dutch Black Hole Consortium has launched an eight-language version of the BlackHoleFinder app that citizens all over the world can use to help identify newly formed black holes. Previously, the app was only available in Dutch and English......»»
Waste into gold: Oyster shells repurposed as magic "Seawool"
Growing up on Taiwan's west coast where mollusk farming is popular, Eddie Wang saw discarded oyster shells transformed from waste to function—a memory that inspired him to create a unique and environmentally friendly fabric called "Seawool"......»»
People are returning Humane AI Pins faster than Humane can sell them, report says
Returned devices are currently e-waste that can't be reassigned, per The Verge. Enlarge / The Humane AI Pin. (credit: Humane) Humane AI Pins were returned at faster rate than they were sold between May and August, accor.....»»
Finding pearls in the mud: Eco-friendly tungsten recovery from semiconductor waste
Semiconductor industry waste is typically seen as a costly disposal problem and an environmental hazard. But what if this waste could be transformed into a valuable resource?.....»»
Microbes conquer the next extreme environment: Your microwave
Since the industrial revolution, microbes have successfully colonized one novel type of habitat after another: for example, marine oil spills, plastic floating in the oceans, industrial brownfields, and even the interior of the International Space St.....»»
Dutch survey study links air ventilation and other factors to work-from-home success
In a new survey study, Dutch employees who worked from home tended to report higher levels of productivity and less burnout if they were more satisfied with their home office setup. The study also linked more air ventilation in the home office to hig.....»»
Vertically stacked skin-like active-matrix display with ultrahigh aperture ratio
Skin-like displays are critical components of information output in next-generation portable and wearable electronics. Currently, all such displays are fabricated on glass or thick plastic substrates, limiting the inherent mechanical flexibility of o.....»»
Wheat waste: A phosphorus crisis?
Experiments published in Food and Energy Security by scientists at Queen Mary University of London and Royal Botanic Gardens suggest that we are globally wasting huge amounts of phosphorus......»»