Good News Notes: “Humans produce more than 6 billion tons of plastic every year, and its accumulation in landfills and oceans is considered by many to be an environmental crisis. Only 9% of plastics are recycled in the U.S., and while bans on single-use plastic bags and straws have some benefits, we’re nowhere near addressing the volume…
Tag: landfills
GM’s Ultium partners with Li-Cycle to expand U.S. EV battery recycling
Good News Notes: “General Motors announced Tuesday that its Ultium battery joint venture with LG Chem is partnering with Li-Cycle to expand America’s battery recycling capabilities, promising to return up to 100% of the valuable materials used in battery construction to the market for re-use. “Our combined efforts with Ultium Cells will be instrumental in redirecting…
Germany exports 33 pct less plastic waste in 2020 than ten years ago
Good News Notes: “Germany exported around one million tons of plastic waste to other countries and regions in 2020, a decline by 33 percent compared with ten years ago, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) said on Wednesday. With 17 percent, large parts of Germany’s plastic waste were exported to Malaysia, according to Destatis. Malaysia had…
Millions of toothbrushes go into landfills each year. Colgate is trying to reduce that.
Good News Notes: “Our landfills are a graveyard for old, plastic toothbrushes. Last year, 495 million nonelectric toothbrushes were purchased in the U.S. They’re not recyclable, which means the vast majority get tossed or end up in the ocean. Colgate, which sells 30% of the world’s toothbrushes, is trying to cut down on this waste….
Meet the Box, a sustainable and safe alternative to cardboard packaging that can be reused for a 1000 times!
Good News Notes: “The year of the pandemic has changed the way people use e-commerce – online shopping figures have scaled new pinnacles, meaning there is an abundance of packaging waste ending up in landfills. Cardboard has its own merits as a packaging material but the amount of waste it generates is inseparable. Thankfully then,…
Seaweed breakthrough in east London could help save planet
Good News Notes: “Science graduate Marcos Ulloa, who did his Masters degree at Queen Mary University, aims to set up Britain’s first commercial land-based seaweed farm to mass produce the substance. The 27-year-old from Canary Wharf has found a way to use dried or fresh seaweed as wrapping for food products and other uses instead of plastics. ‘The material can reduce the waste accumulated in landfills,’ he explains….
Food containers and utensils made from sugar pulp could be a game-changer to battle plastic pollution
Good News Notes: “When Hongli (Julie) Zhu first came to the United States in 2007, she was surprised by the prevalence of single-use plastic containers at supermarkets and restaurants. ‘The material is cheap and convenient, but most of these containers are not biodegradable,’ saysZhu, an assistant professor of mechanical and industrial engineering at Northeastern. According…
Researchers turn sludge into biodegradable plastics
Good News Notes: “The United States generates seven million tons of sewage sludge annually, enough to fill 2,500 Olympic-sized swimming pools. While a portion of this waste is repurposed for manure and other land applications, a substantial amount is still disposed of in landfills. In a new study, Texas A&M University researchers have uncovered an…
This reusable packaging could help e-commerce waste
Good News Notes: “If you order a sweater or t-shirt from the clothing brand Eliou, you don’t have to get it in a plastic or cardboard mailer. Instead, you can choose to have it sent in a reusable package. When the shipment arrives, you take out the clothing, fold up the empty package, seal it with…
Fast food chains testing reusable packaging to cut down on waste
Good News Notes: “Burger King is the latest of fast-food chain experimenting with reusable packaging for sandwiches, soft drinks, and coffee to cut down on waste winding up in landfills. The creator of The Whopper is among a growing list of food service chains partnering with TerraCycle’s zero-waste delivery platform, known as Loop. ‘[W]e’re investing…