Recycling

Although there are now a number of systems that capture carbon emissions from smokestacks, many people may still wonder – what is that captured carbon used for? Well, Swiss company On is making shoes out of the stuff.

While many companies claim that their products contain recycled (as opposed to 100% virgin) plastic, how can we know if they're telling the truth? According to a new study, a fluorescent molecule could blow the whistle on manufacturers who are lying.

As compared to traditional agriculture, hydroponic farming uses less space and less water, plus it requires no soil. It still does require a growth medium, though – and scientists have recently created a better such medium, derived from human hair.

Although discarded printer cartridges may be low on toner, they still do contain some toner which can't simply be reused in its present form. Instead, Canon has started recycling it into a pelletized asphalt colorant and binding agent.

Polystyrene is a problematic material when it comes to recycling, but a team of Virginia Tech researchers is hoping to change this with a novel method that turns it into a product of relatively high value.

Discarded electronics can be a gold mine – literally. Researchers have developed an efficient new way to use graphene to recover gold from electronic waste, without needing any other chemicals or energy.

In recent years, we've heard about efforts to replace some of the aggregate used in concrete with crumbled used tires. Now, however, scientists have succeeded in producing good quality concrete in which all of the aggregate has been replaced with tire particles.

Construction is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Flinders University researchers have now developed a polymer made out of industrial waste that can be formed into building bricks that bond together without needing any mortar.

Plant-covered "living walls" are becoming increasingly popular, as they look nice, produce oxygen, and (when outdoors) help keep buildings cool. A relatively new one is claimed to be more plant-friendly, plus it's made of recycled materials.

In a typical poultry processing facility, much of the waste is simply dumped in a landfill or burned. Two new processes, however, make use of the feathers, blood and bones – plus one of them may ironically reduce the number of chickens slaughtered.

Plastics are tough, which is great when in use but not so good in the environment. Scientists have developed a new PET-like plastic derived from waste plant matter that can be chemically recycled or degrade into harmless sugars in the environment.

Scientists have created a new form of bioplastic that offers stability during use and exciting upcycling potential, relying on a vanilla bean extract to self-destruct on command in response to a specific wavelength of light.