Waste
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Like most other commonly used types of plastic, polyurethane is typically made from non-renewable crude oil, and it takes centuries to break down when discarded. Now, however, scientists have created a biodegradable polyurethane-like polymer using fish waste.
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Those purple corn chips you see in the store aren't just a gimmick – the corn's purple pigment actually has health benefits. Researchers have now devised a method of extracting more of it from the usually discarded cob, for a variety of uses.
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Everyone already knows that compost made from food scraps helps plants to grow. Now, however, scientists have fermented food waste to create a liquid fertilizer that boosts the number of beneficial bacteria within the plants themselves, and in their soil.
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Although cleaning up the humungous Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a daunting concept, removing trash from local waterways is much more feasible … and that's exactly what the Clearbot robot is designed to do.
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Scientists at Australia’s RMIT have developed a tiny sponge with big potential, and say the micron-sized material can be used to convert discarded cooking oil into biodiesel in a very cost-effective manner. And this catalyst is no one-trick pony.
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Two of the problems with traditional plastics are the facts that they're made from non-renewable petroleum, and they stick around for centuries once discarded. A new alternative, however, is made from existing waste, and should biodegrade in a year.
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Scientists in Australia have developed a new cement-free solution they say is better equipped to handle the corrosive nature of sewerage systems, while also helping avoid the buildup of troublesome and costly fatbergs.
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Scientists at Norway's SINTEF have developed a way to turn as much of a salmon as possible into useful products, including food supplements and fire retardants. By using new low-temperature processes, the goal is to use every last gram of the fish.
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Scientists have developed a new method to detect trace amounts of plastic in edible tissues, and tried it out on a range of seafood such as oysters, prawns, squid, crabs and sardines to find plastic particles in all samples tested.
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The start/stop nature of trash collection makes electric powertrains a good choice for refuse trucks, and Phoenix-based Republic Services has just ordered 2,500 battery-electric waste trucks from Nikola.
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A new breakthrough could overcome some of the problems around recycling cotton clothing, with scientists demonstrating a new technique that converts cotton into a yarn suitable for the mass manufacture of textiles
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Sargassum seaweed is growing out of control in many regions – it washes up on beaches in huge amounts. Utilizing a new technique, that rotting organic matter could soon be converted into biofuels and other products.
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