Plastic waste

Research out of Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has uncovered a potential new use for plastic waste, with scientists converting it into a chemical used to to produce electricity in hydrogen fuel cells by exposing it to sunlight.

Take a walk along the canal in Amsterdam’s Westerdok district, and you may see an unsightly mess of waste gathered at the edge of the canal. What you’re seeing is the work of a new bubble barrier, designed to stop plastic waste flowing out to sea.

Although chemicals, foods and other odorous substances are often sold in recyclable plastic containers, sometimes the smells absorbed by the plastic make it unsuitable for recycling. A new process, however, is claimed to get the stink out.

A new assortment of eco-conscious products are helping us chip away at our plastic pollution problem. The Unocup is a simple yet clever example, using a paper folding design to give coffee drinkers a takeout option without the need for a plastic lid.

A growing cohort of small companies are working to offer products that make eating when we’re out and about a less wasteful affair, the latest of which offers a durable set of cutlery that snaps together for easy carry.

With its huge barriers now successfully collecting trash from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the Ocean Cleanup Project is heading upstream to tackle the issue closer to the source with "The Interceptor," a system to pull waste from rivers.

Taking a break from solar cooking, GoSun steps on the other side of the table with Flatware that's truly flat. The collapsible utensil set fits inside your wallet, and if it works like advertised, you may never use a set of plastic utensils again.

London-based startup Phoenx is focusing on the eco-conscious traveler by creating sustainable, modular luggage made from recycled plastic bottles and fishing lines, old carpets, waste rubber and aluminum.

Design studio PriestmanGoode recently revealed a sustainable in-flight meal tray concept that includes edible packaging. The eco-friendly design is part of a project addressing the impact of plastic waste, with a focus on the aviation industry.

After years in development, the Ocean Cleanup has today announced that its prototype is capturing plastic debris from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Sports Interactive's forthcoming title Football Manager 2020 will be wrapped in a recyclable cardboard sleeve rather than the typical hard plastic casing.

The latest effort to make use of this throw-away resource uses waste plastic water bottles to make sockets for prosthetic limbs.