Recycling

Electronic waste can be difficult to repurpose, as it often consists of two or more mixed materials. Now, however, Australian scientists have developed a method of converting so-called e-waste into a protective coating for steel.

A new study mapping the movement of plastic waste has projected that 1.3 billion tonnes of it will be dumped on land and in the oceans by 2040, unless some significant steps are taken to address the trend.

Driven by the huge burden they place on the environment, scientists are continually looking for new ways to manufacture plastic materials that make them easier to recycle, and MIT researchers are now claiming a significant breakthrough in this area.

A versatile new kind of polymer can be used on its own like regular rubber, or mixed with filler materials including used PVC and carbon fiber to create brand new composites, which can in turn be recycled in an almost endless loop.

Imagine getting a flat tire, and just smearing on a chemical that makes the rubber meld seamlessly back together. That’s the kind of breakthrough researchers are now reporting, with a new material made of waste products and easily recyclable itself.

Found in crustacean shells, chitin is a useful natural polymer. Now, scientists have developed a fruit waste-based fermentation process for getting it out of those shells – and the technique results in better-quality chitin, to boot.

Adventure gear startup Outdoor Element has taken to Kickstarter with a clever solution to a common camping dilemma, offering a pot gripper that doubles as a device to empty and puncture fuel canisters for safe disposal.

Once discarded, spongy polyurethane foam typically just ends up in landfills, where it takes up a lot of space. Thanks to a newly-developed process, however, it could soon be recycled into higher-quality rubbers and hard plastics.

It was just a couple of years ago that we heard how scientists had used soybean waste to produce a healthy (and supposedly tasty) probiotic drink. Now, they've done the same thing with unsold bread that would otherwise be discarded.

We've been hearing more and more about biodegradable plastics, made from cellulose nanofibers. Although those fibers are typically harvested from wood waste, new research shows that they could also be obtained from mega-plentiful used coffee grounds.

Steel slag is currently utilized both to treat wastewater, and as a concrete aggregate. New research now indicates that using it for the former makes it perform even better as the latter – so the same slag could be used twice.

Our love of gadgets and technology is leading to a huge electronic waste problem. TCO Development, the folks behind the global sustainability certification, has announced a new initiative to help with our growing e-waste problem.