Agri-waste

These things may be good for more than just compost

Environment

Air-purifying filter made from peanut shells

Peanut shells are generally considered to be a worthless agricultural byproduct. That could be about to change, however, as scientists have developed an air-purifying filter that utilizes the shells.

Examples of different types of particleboard made from rice husks

Good Thinking

Rice husks may find use in cheaper, greener, longer-lasting particleboard

In tropical countries such as the Philippines, there are plenty of rice husks ... and also plenty of termites. A group of engineering students recently decided to use the former to address the latter, by creating termite-resistant particleboard from rice husks.

A chemist is making cleaner-burning fireplace logs from lawn clippings (Photo: Shutterstock)

Environment

Lawn clippings used to make eco-friendlier fireplace logs

A chemist is making eco-friendly fireplace logs from lawn clippings.

Environment

Biodegradable fast food containers made from waste straw

A Hong Kong company is selling 100% biodegradable fast food containers, made from waste straw left over after wheat harvesting.

Meat and bone meal (pictured above) has been used to create partially-biodegrable bioplastic

Environment

Partially-biodegradable plastic made from waste bone meal

Researchers have created partially-biodegradable bioplastic using waste meat and bone meal.

The INTI study has identified a sustainable process for creating water-soluble natural dyes that may be dry-stored

Environment

Pigments from peanuts: a better way to make dyes from agricultural waste

The Argentine National Institute for Industrial Technology is taking an interesting alternative approach to the green revival interest in natural dyes: they're experimenting with the extraction of pigments from agricultural waste.