Feedstock recycling of plastic wastes

SACRAMENTO — Even in an eco-conscious city like San Francisco, more than 9,000 tons of recyclables are dumped in landfills every year largely due to one culprit: flimsy plastics. Low-grade plastics, such as shopping bags, padded online shipping envelopes and food packaging, are piling up in recycling centers. Part of the reason is that overseas markets such as China and the Philippines — which used to buy America’s trash by the shipload — are turning most plastics away. California lawmakers say the state must act to stop plastics from crowding landfills and polluting the ocean. They’ve proposed sweeping legislation to require manufacturers to reduce the reliance on single-use plastics. Supporters say the legislation reflects a game-changing realization: Supposedly recyclable plastic shipped overseas for decades often was never easily recycled. Instead, it polluted other countries. That’s because the low-grade material has little value — … [Read more...] about California takes on an ocean of plastic waste, considers crackdown on industry

LEGO is looking at launching a rental service for fans of its brightly coloured bricks in a bid to be greener – but it's worried pieces may go missing. The move from the world’s biggest toymaker is the latest sign of how traditional business models are changing as shoppers press for more environmentally friendly products. At a conference, the firm’s Tim Brooks, vice-president responsible for sustainability, said Lego was “totally open” to the idea of a product rental scheme. He added: “We have to start at the point that says what is in it for the consumer. That is what we are just unpicking at moment."It is possible, [but] there are some technical barriers.” These include the complexity of Lego kits, some of which contain thousands of pieces. “What are the chances of giving them to an eight-year-old child and getting them all back again?” asked Mr Brooks. “There is a lot of technical thinking that needs to be done... We … [Read more...] about Lego is looking at launching a rental service to reduce plastic waste – but it’s worried pieces may go missing

At the end of last year, a study by British environmental consultancy Eunomia named Germany the world's best recycler, with the country recycling 56 percent of its household waste. But since then, various media reports have given the impression Norway was way ahead. International media have carried the news that Norway recycles 95 percent of its polyethylene terephthalate — or PET — bottles, and social media has run with it, with a video posted by the World Economic Forum celebrating this impressive figure achieved through a tax and deposit system. "Norway is very proud of its bottle deposit system," said Peter Sundt, general secretary of the European Association of Plastics Recycling and Recovery Organizations, and a Norwegian himself. The system is simple: Manufacturers of beverage bottles are subject to a high tax on their product. But they get a rebate depending on how many of the empty containers they collect from across the country. Sundt says this makes a … [Read more...] about Plastic bottle recycling champion: Norway or Germany?

According to the Telangana Pollution Control Board, Hyderabad generates 517.8 tonnes of plastic waste every day or about 1,88,997 per annum. If the per capita plastic use is considered, the city civic body is faced with the challenge of handling 1,08,000 tonnes of plastic waste for a population of nine million. Between this great variation in numbers, Hyderabad is literally drowning in plastic waste.The city’s sewerage system has been clogged by plastic leading to flooding in many areas during the monsoon. The Musi has a layer of floating plastic from the time it enters the city to the area where it exits near Nagole.“We get ₹15 per kg for bottles. That is what we take out of the waste. The rest of it goes to the Kattedan transfer station,” says Balraju, who serves an apartment complex. He gets ₹50 per month for carrying out garbage from each house. The complex has 90 houses. Balraju serves a dozen apartments and the money from the sale of plastic is a … [Read more...] about Hyderabad drowns in plastic mounds

The first thing you notice about Tynemouth's beaches is how clean they are. The minute your dog delivers an unexpected "parcel" that ruins the view, at least two fellow walkers will approach you, proffering bags to clean it up. The village, which sits, as the name suggests, on the mouth of the Tyne river in northeast England, is serious about the pristine condition of its beaches and bays. Residents and visitors take part in regular group and individual — or two-minute  — beach clean-ups. Read more: Visiting Kenya a year into its plastic bag ban Read more: Guatemala's oldest colonial city Antigua bans plastics Tynemouth's dedication to a litter-free coastline hasn't gone unnoticed. At the start of 2018, it became the first community in the area and the second nationwide to be awarded "plastic free" status as part of a campaign by the green charity Surfers Against Sewage (SAS).   There's also good reason for Tynemouth's dedication. In the UK, … [Read more...] about How the UK slowly turned against single-use plastics