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Tag: recycling

Danish City First To Test Return System For Reusable Coffee Cups

Posted on by dishanth
Danish City First To Test Return System For Reusable Coffee Cups

The Danish city of Aarhus launched a three-year trial program to curve down the number of disposable coffee cups where locals can use a deposit system for reusable takeaway packages.

Like in other Nordic and Central European countries, in Denmark deposit system where one receives back money one pays when purchasing a plastic bottles or cans is already in place

The project that focused on eliminating disposable cups trash is the result of a collaboration between the Municipality of Aarhus and the recycling company TOMRA which already provides other waste collection services to the city.

For a year and a half in 2022, the company All In On Green’s robotic arm SeaProtectorOne deployed in the water, collected over 100,000 disposable glasses from the city’s river Å – from which the city derived its name – demonstrating a huge level of plastic pollution in the city.

”Aarhus must be greener and more sustainable, and Aarhus must be a city where we have the courage to test new solutions.” said Nicolaj Bang, Aarhus’ councillor for technology and environment in a press release. “We use enormous amounts of takeaway packaging in Denmark, and consumption is increasing. Therefore, it really matters if we can make it easier for both consumers and businesses to choose a more sustainable alternative to disposable packaging,” he stated.

Aarhus is the second biggest city in Denmark, counting around 336,000 inhabitants – and potential disposable cup users. The trial has been set as voluntary, but so far already 44 cafés and bars in the center of the city got interested in the project – perhaps even some frequented by King Frederik X, when he used to study at the city’s university.

Initially, 40,000 cups in two designs will be produced and around 25 deposit machines will be established in the city so that citizens can return their cups, and cash back some Danish kroner. Geir Sæther, senior vice president for circular economy at TOMRA said the company expects ‘to be able to expand the system to other types of packaging in the near future’, so to facilitate the transition from single-use to reusable packaging.

The return fee for a reused cup is just over 70 dollar cents (DKK 5) , but it is not for the money that citizens should start returning their cups: ”Recycling saves the earth’s resources and our emission of CO2. More recycling means that there is less waste that ends up as rubbish in our city and our nature,” said Bang.

This is the first city in Denmark, and the world, to carry out such city experiments, although Copenhagen had previously trialed an experimental system where pizza containers, sushi trays and coffee cups should be able to be returned in the hip area of Kødbyen, situated in a central neighborhood. Currently, Danish startup Kleen hub is experimenting in the capital with its third-generation return system based on a single bank card tap.

TOMRA’s ceo Tove Andersen said in a press release that “Aarhus shows the way to one more sustainable future, and we hope that many more cities will be inspired to do the same,”.

Cities and regional authorities have so far acted upon consumer behaviors to decrease different kinds of pollution in their cities: “These policies are quietly working because local governments are addressing climate change with communities long-term together with other challenges that people care about, like healthy diets and supporting local businesses,” said Olivier de Schutter, co-chair of the sustainable food system expert team IPES-Food.

 

 

 

 

Source  Forbes

 

 

Table Salt in Plastic Recycling

Posted on by dishanth
Table Salt in Plastic Recycling

As far back as 6050 BC, salt has been used for various purposes, including religious offerings and valuable trades. The word “salary” was derived from the word salt because it was highly valued, and production was legally restricted in ancient times, so it was historically used as a method of trade and currency.

Table salt is an important and inexpensive kitchen staple today and is used for various uses, including seasoning, food preservation, food texture, cleaning,  and boiling water. We even use salt in healthcare (such as for cleaning wounds) and for deicing roads and sidewalks. But now table salt is entering a new domain: plastic recycling.

Researchers from Michigan State University are proving that salt in plastic recycling has the properties to outperform much more expensive materials that are being explored to help recycle plastics. The MSU team uses pyrolysis to break down the plastics into a mixture of simpler carbon-based compounds, including gas, liquid oil, and solid wax. Pyrolysis is the process of heating an organic material in the absence of oxygen.

One of the challenges of plastic recycling has always been an undesirable wax byproduct, which accounts for over half of the pyrolysis output. The wax obtained from the pyrolysis of waste plastic is generally regarded as a low-value product that requires further treatment in a refinery for it to be considered valuable as chemicals, diesel, petroleum, and gasoline.

Salt in plastic recycling is used as a catalyst to pyrolyze polyolefins (the family of thermoplastics that include polyethylene and polypropylene); the MSU team produced mostly liquid oil that contains hydrocarbon molecules similar to what is found in diesel fuel, which is not suitable for producing new polymers. There was no undesirable wax; over 50% is generally seen when platinum on carbon or aluminum is used as a catalyst. In this experiment, the result was 86% liquid form and 14% gas.

Using salt in plastic recycling as a catalyst also means the salt can be reused simply by washing the liquid oil with water. The team also found that table salt helped in the pyrolisis of metalized plastic films commonly used in food packaging, such as potato chip bags, which currently aren’t being recycled.

Because table salt is relatively inexpensive, using salt in plastic recycling could drastically reduce the costs associated with these processes. The researchers found that table salt can offer a transformative approach toward an inexpensive (4 cents per kg) and efficient pyrolysis methodology for converting mixed plastics waste to useful hydrocarbon products.

The use of table salt in plastic recycling is a relatively new phenomenon. Traditionally, salt has not been used directly in plastic recycling processes. It has been used indirectly in cleaning and preparing plastic items. It can be used as an abrasive agent to help scrub any residues. It is also used to scrub off adhesive labels from plastic containers.

In recycling facilities, electrostatic separation processes are used to separate different types of plastic based on their electrostatic charges. Salt can affect the conductivity of plastics and help in the separation. Furthermore, the traditional recycling process typically involves mechanical methods such as shredding, melting, and extruding rather than chemical reactions that involve salt. This study can drastically change the way plastic is recycled.

The salt in plastic recycling study from Michigan State University is still in its initial phases. Still, if it catches on, it could be an important movement towards how we recycle plastics and can result in more plastic being recycled and repurposed. It’s fascinating that something so simple and abundant, like table salt, can be used to help tackle one of the world’s most pressing issues.

 

 

 

 

Source   Happy Eco News

M&S switches from plastic bags for life to paper options

Posted on by dishanth
M&S switches from plastic bags for life to paper options

The new bags have been rolled out to all M&S Stores with a food department across the UK. They are made using an FSC-certified paper and, according to M&S, are capable of carrying more than 15kg.

A natural resin is applied to the bags to enhance water resistance without rendering them hard-to-recycle.  Customers are being encouraged to use the bags multiple times before recycling at home and M&S claims this offers a convenience benefit, as plastic bags are not collected from homes and need to be taken to supermarkets with soft plastic collection points.

M&S’s director of corporate affairs Victoria McKenzie-Gould said “the vast majority” of customers –  more than 70% – already bring their own bags.

“But, on the odd occasion when we all need to reach for one more bag, we’re pleased to be offering a more sustainable option for customers,” she said.

A smaller and less robust paper bag will be added to M&S’s clothing and home departments. Like the food bag, it will be made using FSC-certified paper and be coated with a recyclable natural resin.

The switch means that M&S will need to find an alternative use for the soft plastics it collects in-store for recycling, which has, to date, been used to make bags for life. McKenzie-Gould said the intention is to incorporate this recycled content into bin bags.

M&S will continue to sell reusable tote bags in addition to the paper bags.

Push for paper packaging

Packaging company DS Smith revealed today that 80% of UK-based consumers would prefer to receive a product in paper or cardboard packaging than plastic packaging.

The firm polled 500 adults who shop online at least four times a year. One in five said they would be willing to pay more for a plastic-free option and one in four said they would not shop again with a brand they perceived to use too much unnecessary packaging.

“At a time when consumers are keeping an eye on their spending and competition for customers is fierce, brands risk losing business if their packaging fails to meet online shoppers’ increased sustainability standards,” said DS Smith’s e-commerce business unit lead for the UK, Anne Curtis.

 

 

 

 

Source edie

Recyclable Phone Batteries Are Now A Reality

Posted on by dishanth
Recyclable Phone Batteries Are Now A Reality

Waste is Becoming an Increasingly Important Issue

The disposal of trash and waste is unsurprisingly a mess worldwide. Many problems exist within the structure of trash disposal, with recycling being often neglected in many areas, inconsistent and underdeveloped trash removal infrastructure, and the lack of any trash disposal facilities.

This means it’s relatively common worldwide to see actual rivers of trash.

A component of this issue that is growing daily is the increasing problem of electronic waste, otherwise known as e-waste. E-waste is the garbage created after electronic devices are thrown away after being used.

E-waste makes up anything electronic that goes into the landfill, and the reason this is so problematic because these devices often contain hazardous and toxic chemicals that eventually make their way into our land, water, and atmosphere.

Of the e-waste that is created, 10% of it is made up of cell phone batteries. This specific component of cell phones is increasingly a problem. Beyond the issues I described above, cell phones and other electronics are burned, releasing these dangerous chemicals and creating new ones.

However, many of these issues could be circumvented just by making easily recyclable phone batteries. This is how it could work.

Why Hasn’t This Been Done Already?

One of the major obstacles preventing cellphone batteries from being recycled commonly is that lithium-ion batteries are quite challenging to recycle or reuse.

However, there are many other ways to create cellphone batteries, and one of these ways could present itself as the way forward to create sustainable personal cellular devices.

The RMIT School of Engineering in Australia developed this new recyclable phone battery. The design primarily uses a material called Mxene, a material similar to graphene commonly used in electronics like traditional, not-so-recyclable phone batteries. The primary reason why Mxene isn’t already found in most cell phones is that it rusts easily, which hampers conductivity.

Compared to graphene or lithium-ion batteries, Mxene rusts much quicker, but this property ironically could be the very thing that extends the device’s life. Using sound waves to “brush” off the rust, the researchers estimate that they can extend a conventional phone battery’s life span by three times and create truly recyclable phone batteries.

Hossein Alijani, a Ph.D. student at the university and co-lead researcher of the project, said, “Current methods used to reduce oxidation rely on the chemical coating of the material, which limits the use of the MXene in its native form, in this work, we show that exposing an oxidized MXene film to high-frequency vibrations for just a minute removes the rust on the film. This simple procedure allows its electrical and electrochemical performance to be recovered.”

 

The Future is in Recycling

Reducing waste, period. It is one of the most critical issues facing us. However, in the meantime recycling the waste we are creating is the best solution to the massive amounts of garbage contaminating our planet.

As we continue to move into a world in which electronics play an increasingly important role in our daily lives, we must abandon the disposable electronic-use model. Creating easily removable and recyclable phone batteries is a challenge that is necessary for us to overcome.

With developments in technology like this becoming more common, we will soon see a world without contradiction between electronics and environmental sensitivity. As part of this movement, MXene recyclable phone batteries appear to be the latest and most promising solution to this problem that we have created.

 

 

 

 

Source Happy Eco News

The ShAPE Aluminum Recycling Method Could Change The Industry Forever

Posted on by dishanth
The ShAPE Aluminum Recycling Method Could Change The Industry Forever

Our Lives are Built with Aluminum

Aluminum is one of the most widely used industrial materials available today. It exists in our cars, our boats and ships, and in the buildings we live in.

In the EV industry, the importance of aluminum cannot be overstated, given that it is required to create the casing of the batteries that power the vehicle. The benefits of aluminum come down to its strength and its weight.

However, mining the raw materials that go into aluminum harms our environment. Bauxite is a mineral used in the creation of aluminum, and the mines that pull the ore out of the ground are responsible for acres of deforestation, water pollution via the Bayer process, air pollution due to the temperatures required to forge it, and other environmental impacts.

The aluminum manufacturing industry has been taking steps to reduce its reliance on new aluminum, though current technology still requires a sizeable amount of new aluminum to recycle scrap aluminum.

However, a new technology has been created that could eliminate that need entirely. This is how the ShAPE aluminum recycling process could change how we procure aluminum.

What is it, and How Does it Work?

The Shape aluminum recycling (Shear Assisted Processing Extrusion) process is an innovative new method of recycling aluminum created by the United States Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Washington.

This process was created primarily for the automotive industry so as to reduce the reliance on freshly created aluminum and cut the environmental impacts of creating EVs. The process was also created in collaboration with Magna, a leading mobile technology company.

This process could reduce 50% of the embodied energy and 90% of the carbon dioxide emissions output by reducing the amount of aluminum required by mining. The ShAPE aluminum recycling process is unique because it doesn’t require any pre-heating step to remove impurities in the scrap aluminum.

It works by rotating the aluminum on a die in the ShAPE aluminum recycling machine while being pushed through a small opening. Combining rotation and deformation ensures that the metal elements are distributed evenly, eliminating the need for a pre-heating process.

In testing to ensure that the aluminum produced by ShAPE aluminum recycling is as strong as they think, they used electron microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction to create an image of the placement and microstructure of the metal particle within the finished product.

They did this test using aluminum 6063, also known as architectural aluminum. They found that this aluminum product was uniformly strong and lacked manufacturing defects that would otherwise cause the aluminum to fail in its application.

They also found no impurities in the metal, which is important due to the fact that the metal they used was entirely recycled, and raw scrap metal is full of impurities.

While incredibly promising, EV technology currently relies on industries and industrial methods that are incredibly damaging to the environment. The EV industry is working hard to eliminate this contradiction of being eco-friendly yet requiring damage to the environment to be created.

With the ShAPE aluminum recycling method, there could be significant changes to multiple industries, not only the automotive industry. A lead researcher on the project, Scott Whalen, said, “We are now working on including post-consumer waste streams, which could create a whole new market for secondary aluminum scrap.”

While current methods are being used, the environmental damage cannot be understated. However, in the future, using this new method, things could change forever for the better.

 

 

 

 

Source Happy Eco News

Canada’s Sustainable Jobs Plan Will Become a Law Next Year

Posted on by dishanth
Canada’s Sustainable Jobs Plan Will Become a Law Next Year

Canada’s Sustainable Jobs Plan is intended to train workers for new roles in preparation for the future of a green economy. The government has presented a sustainable jobs bill that will provide the workforce needed for what is called a “just transition” to a new green economy. The country aims for a 40-45% reduction in emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2050.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hopes the Sustainable Jobs Plan will help attract billions of dollars in investment by creating a skilled clean energy workforce. The bill, which will become law early in 2024, will publish an action plan every five years to put in place measures to invest in the net-zero emissions economy and skills of the future. From 2025, the government plans to release a new sustainable jobs plan every five years.

This new legislation has been ongoing for over two years of consultations and conversations with provinces and territories, Indigenous Peoples, workers and unions, industry, environmental and civil society organizations and interested Canadians. Based on these conversations, the creation of the Sustainable Jobs Plan put forward ten concrete actions to advance the creation of sustainable jobs and support workers in every part of Canada. These actions include:

  1. Establish the sustainable jobs secretariat: This will ensure federal policies and program coordination among Government departments.
  1. Create a Sustainable Partnership Council: This council would advise the government on job creation and support workers.
  1. Develop economic strategies through the Regional Energy and Resource Tables: These tables will work with provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous groups and other partners to identify a set of concrete actions and develop economic strategies.
  1. Introduce a sustainable jobs stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program: This will provide workers with training, equipment and materials that meet industry standards and investments that support a low-carbon economy.
  1. Advanced funding for skills development for sustainable jobs: This will be achieved by working with universities, colleges, union training centres and employer groups to help workers succeed in a net-zero economy.
  1. Promote Indigenous-led solutions and a National Benefits-Sharing Framework: This will be achieved by continuously supporting Indigenous-owned clean energy projects across Canada.
  1. Improve labour market data collection, tracking and analysis: These improvements will help the council provide advice and identify new measures and actions that must be taken.
  1. Motivate investors and draw in industry leaders to support workers: The money will be used to support green infrastructure, clean technologies, climate action, and environmental protection.
  1. Collaborate and lead on the global stage: Canada is committed to ensuring that their best practices and lessons learned are shared globally.
  1. Establish legislation that ensures ongoing engagement and accountability: The overall goal is that all Canadians are involved in the decision-making process and that everyone adapts to new changes to help achieve our goals.

Canada’s Sustainable Jobs Plan will train people in jobs that are compatible with Canada’s path to a net-zero emissions and climate-resilient future. These include:

  • Clean energy: This includes jobs in solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal power generation, as well as energy efficiency and conservation.
  • Green infrastructure: This includes jobs in building and maintaining sustainable infrastructure, such as green roofs, rainwater harvesting systems, and electric vehicle charging stations.
  • Low-carbon transportation: This includes jobs in electric vehicle manufacturing, public transit, and active transportation (e.g., walking, biking, and rolling).
  • Sustainable agriculture: This includes jobs in organic farming, sustainable forestry, and aquaculture.
  • Recycling and waste management: This includes jobs in recycling, composting, and waste-to-energy.
  • Environmental monitoring and remediation: This includes jobs in monitoring air and water quality and cleaning up contaminated sites.

The Sustainable Jobs Plan will help to ensure Canada has the skilled workforce it needs to build a clean, healthy future for the country.

Think-tank Clean Energy Canada expects jobs in this sector will grow by 3.4% annually over the next decade, nearly four times faster than the Canadian average. With the commitment from the Canadian government to the Sustainable Jobs Plan, there is hope that the country can meet its environmental goals and that sustainable jobs will become the new normal across the country.

 

 

 

 

Source  Happy Eco News

UAE to Ban Single-Use Plastic January 1, 2024

Posted on by dishanth
UAE to Ban Single-Use Plastic January 1, 2024

In one of the world’s most crucial oil pricing regions, single-use plastic will be all but eliminated on January 1, 2024.

In 2017, we came to the island of Bali approximately halfway through a 10-month trip around the world with my family. We had been looking forward to the beaches and surfing for months, but when we arrived, we found them polluted with single-use plastic of all types. Due to a proliferation of corporate peddling of plastic convenience items but no meaningful way to manage trash or recycling in the communities, the local population discarded their waste in local ravines. The waste, flushed out to sea by winter monsoons, was deposited upon the (formerly) pristine beaches.

It is wonderful, therefore, to read that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) recently announced a ban on single-use plastic items, from cutlery to cigarette butts. The ban is part of an effort to reduce the plastic waste in the world’s oceans, a number generally estimated at around 8 million new tons each year. The announcement brings hope to environmentalists worldwide, showing us that even countries with an economic interest in oil-based plastic production are stepping up to make positive changes.

By banning single-use plastic products, the UAE is taking a big step forward regarding sustainability. Not only will this help reduce the amount of plastic waste in the ocean, but it will also encourage people to make more sustainable choices when they shop or eat out.

According to a 2019 report from the World Bank, the UAE ranked 11th in per capita consumption of single-use plastic. The report states that 11 billion single-use plastic items in the UAE are consumed annually, an average of 4.8kg per person or about 4 million tonnes per year for the entire country. This number contrasts with the global average of 3.25 kilograms per person. For reference, the highest-ranking countries for plastic waste are Japan, with 8 million tonnes and the USA, with 7.2 million tonnes, but a much higher population, resulting in lower per capita rates.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will ban most single-use plastics starting January 1, 2024. The ban includes everything from food packaging to plastic bottles, cotton sticks, crackers and chip bags, wet wipes, balloons and even balloon sticks that contain plastic. They also include cigarette butts and compostable plastic shopping bags, which while a good idea when used properly, often end up in the environment and can take decades to biodegrade outside a civic composting facility.

The UAE has introduced incentives for businesses to switch to reusable packing. They include subsidies for investments in reusable packaging, tax incentives for companies that reduce their plastic consumption, and grants for research projects on reducing plastic waste. The government has also introduced a new “Plastic Smart” program encouraging citizens to reduce their use of single-use plastics. It also enables businesses to reward customers who bring reusable items.

With these incentives in place, many businesses in the UAE have already begun to take steps to reduce their plastic consumption. For example, many hotels and resorts have started replacing plastic straws with paper or metal alternatives, while others are providing refillable bottles to customers instead of single-use plastic ones.

The immediate environmental benefits of the UAE’s ban on single-use plastics are apparent. By eliminating single-use plastics, the UAE will significantly reduce the amount of plastic waste in the ocean every year. This plastic ban, in turn, will prevent the destruction of marine life and reduce the risk of pollution from microplastics in the food chain and the greenhouse gasses emitted as plastic degrades over time.

The UAE is one of many countries to reduce plastic pollution in recent years. Countries like Canada, China, France, and the UK have also implemented similar bans. With continued effort, single-use plastics can be reduced or eliminated in the coming years.

 

 

 

 

Source Happy Eco News

You’re (Probably) Recycling Wrong: Here’s How To Do It Right

Posted on by dishanth
You’re (Probably) Recycling Wrong: Here’s How To Do It Right

What Is Recycling?

Recycling is the process of converting waste into reusable materials. There are many examples of recycling that don’t involve putting items into a green bin, like using an old jam jar as a vase for flowers.

 

Why Should You Recycle?

Everyone has their own reasons for recycling, but here are five major reasons why you should make a habit to recycle properly:

  1. Reduce your carbon footprint: Throwing away recyclable materials like aluminum cans or newspapers is a huge waste of energy — equivalent to the annual output of 15 power plants. Recycling cans saves 95% of the energy required to make them from a virgin source.
  2. Preserve our natural resources and wildlife: The process of mining for raw materials is harmful to natural ecosystems and animals.
  3. Reduce landfill waste: Most of us have the luxury of never seeing where our bags of trash end up, but it has to go somewhere. Not only are landfills aesthetically displeasing and have adverse effects on tourism, but they’re also wreaking havoc on our environment.
  4. Prevent pollution: Recycling products to (1) keep them out of landfills and (2) reduce the amount of mining of raw materials prevents air and water pollution.
  5. Create jobs and stimulate the economy: Recycling and reuse activities account for more than 680,000 jobs, $37.8 billion in wages, and $5.5 billion in tax revenues in the U.S. alone.

 

What Can Be Recycled?

Specifics can vary depending on the rules at your local recycling center or curbside recycling program, but the following items can generally be recycled:

Aluminum/Metal

Recycling aluminum cans save 95% of the energy required to make the same amount of aluminum from its virgin source.10 You can recycle the following aluminum materials, but make sure they’re free of residue.

  • Beverage cans
  • Food cans
  • Tin foil
  • Scrap metal

If there’s a hard-to-clean substance stuck to an item, you’re better off throwing it away.

Paper Products/Cardboard

Paper and cardboard have a 68% recycling rate in the U.S., which is pretty high compared to other materials. Again, make sure the material is free of food residue before putting it in the recycling bin. And be sure to check with your curbside recycling program’s policy, as some only accept corrugated cardboard.

  • Cardboard boxes
  • Milk or juice cartons
  • Newspaper
  • Printer paper
  • Frozen food boxes
  • Ream wrappers
  • File folders
  • Poster Board

Plastics

Sadly, only 5–6% of the 46 million tons of plastic generated in the U.S. gets recycled.11 You can help increase that statistic by properly cleaning and recycling the following plastic products:

  • Water bottles
  • Soda bottles
  • Plastic beverage jugs
  • Takeout containers
  • Plastic jugs and tubs labeled No. 1 or 2*

*Typically, those with the numbers 1 or 2 inside the triangle can be recycled curbside, though some may have to be taken to a recycling center. Plastics numbers 3–7 must be taken to a specific recycling facility.

 

What Can’t Be Recycled

To avoid wishful recycling, you should trash (or explore alternative options) for the following waste:

  • Food scraps (look into composting instead).
  • Plastic shopping bags (most retailers offer bag recycling).
  • Food-tainted items (pizza boxes, dirty food takeout containers, used paperware, etc.)
  • Snack bags or candy wrappers
  • Paint buckets
  • Ceramics and kitchenware
  • Glassware (non-bottles or jars)
  • Broken glass
  • Windows or mirrors
  • Plastic wrap
  • Bubble wrap or packing peanuts
  • Styrofoam
  • Photographs
  • Medical waste
  • Wood
  • Yard waste
  • Six-pack rings
  • Frozen food bags

Other Materials and Recycling

There are other materials that can be recycled but must be taken to a special recycling center to do so properly. (In other words, don’t put these items in your recycling bin.)

These items may include:

  • Textiles/clothing
  • Light bulbs
  • Fluorescent tubes
  • Batteries
  • Computers/electronics

A quick internet search of “how to recycle [item] near me” should direct you toward the proper recycling facility or drop-off center for these items.

 

Do’s and Don’ts of Recycling

We cannot stress this enough: the rules of recycling vary based on your local recycling center or curbside recycling program, so be sure to check what guidelines you need to follow to avoid recycling contamination.

However, the following are common dos and don’ts when it comes to proper recycling.

Recycling Do’s:

  • Check with your local recycling center for guidelines.
  • Empty and clean all containers before recycling, making sure there’s no leftover food or beverage residue.
  • Break down cardboard boxes.
  • Keep the lid of metal cans attached and fold them inwards so the sharp edge isn’t exposed.
  • Separate your materials by type.

Recycling Don’ts:

  • Put any of the materials listed in the above section, “What can’t be recycled,” into a recycling bin.
  • Recycle plastics No. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 in a curbside recycling bin (these plastics must be taken to a specific recycling facility).
  • Flatten cartons or bottles.
  • Recycle the glass from windows, mirrors, vases, or drinkware.

 

How Are Products Recycled?

You now know what can and cannot be recycled, but have you ever wondered how things are recycled? Let’s take a look at some of the processes for the most common items below.

Aluminum/Metal

Aluminum cans and other metal materials are taken to special treatment plants. After being sorted and cleaned, the metals are remelted to remove colorings, coatings, and shapes.

Once in liquid form, the aluminum is then made into giant blocks called “ingots.” Ingots get shipped out to mills, where they get rolled out into sheets before being fashioned into their new shapes. In all, it takes just a few weeks for aluminum to be recycled.

Cardboard

Cardboard is first sorted by type, either boxboard (i.e., a cereal box) or corrugated (i.e., a standard shipping box). The material is then shredded and poured into big water tanks to be turned into a pulp, with all other materials (metal, tape, etc.) getting filtered out in this process.

After the filtering process, more water and chemicals are added to further pulverize the material before it gets rolled, dried, and pressed into sheets. The sheets are then cut into the proper shapes and sizes.

Paper (Office and Newspaper)

Similar to cardboard, newspapers or magazine paper are brought to a mill, where they are fed into a fiber preparation plant. From there, the paper is mixed in with water and chemicals that dissolve the ink and contaminants and turns into a soggy, mushy pulp.

The pulp is then injected between mesh sheets to form a wet sheet of paper. Once dried, the paper gets polished and rolled into big reels, later to be cut into smaller sizes and sold off.

Plastic

Once sorted by type, plastics are cleaned and then ground up and shredded. Once in bits, the plastic gets melted down and formed into small pellets about the size of a grain of rice.

The plastic pellets are then sold to companies to melt and mold into whatever container or shape they need to create.

 

How to Create a Home Recycling System

Having an organized and functional recycling system is important to promote proper recycling habits while also maintaining a healthier home (and planet). Here are a few steps to help get you started:

Step 1: Find Out the Recycling Pickup Schedule and Guidelines

If your city offers curbside recycling, make sure you’re aware of what items it accepts and what day your recycling pickup is.

Step 2: Figure Out Which Bins to Use and Label Them

Many cities require that curbside recycling be separated into separate bins. If you’re in charge of bringing recyclables to a recycling center, you’re better off buying separate recycling bins and labeling them by type (i.e., plastic, cans, cardboard, paper).

Step 3: Analyze (and Reduce) Your Waste

Do you get a lot of junk mail? Do you buy unnecessary plastic products? Perhaps you have a lot of items shipped to your home? There are ways you can reduce your waste to create fewer recycling headaches.

  • See if you can get a “no junk mail” sticker for your mailbox.
  • Opt out of junk mail by going to the website DMAchoice.org or calling 1-888-5-OPTOUT to stop receiving credit card offers.
  • When you order a product online, see if there are options for reduced shipping materials (Amazon offers this).
  • Sign up for e-notifications or statements for your bank or other service providers.

Reducing your home waste (especially ridding of those cardboard boxes) can help keep your home free of pests as well.

Step 4: Keep It Organized

Stay on top of your recycling by breaking down your materials and sorting them into their respective bins. If you have curbside recycling, set a phone reminder to move your bins to the curb the night before pickup.

 

Teaching Kids How To Recycle

Maintaining a home recycling system is a great chore for children, but the chore doesn’t have to be a bore. Here are some tips to make recycling more exciting for kids.

Make Smaller Recycling Bins Just for Kids

If possible, make smaller recycling bins for your kids’ bedrooms or playroom and teach them how to break down materials and properly sort them. The night before recycling day, they can add their separate stashes to the bigger bins.

Go on a Recycling Scavenger Hunt

A recycling scavenger hunt is a sneaky way to get your kids to help you clean the house. Have them go around your home and find different items that can be recycled, like the opened boxes from online purchases or the soda cans left in the TV room.

You can also hide recycled materials around the house to make it a little more interactive.

Create DIY Projects With Recyclable Materials

There are plenty of ways to upcycle recycled materials, especially those that can’t go into curbside recycling. You could make seed starters out of egg cartons, sew door drafts, or heating pads from old clothing. If you use recycled materials for general arts and crafts, the possibilities are endless.

Donate Toys and Clothes

Make a habit of going through the toys and clothes that your children have outgrown and asking them how these items may better serve other children in your community. Whether that be a neighbor or schoolmate or drop off at a donation center or thrift store.

Make a Bird Feeder

You can use plastic jugs or bottles to make homemade bird feeders. All you need is a pair of scissors or X-acto knife, a long stick, a piece of used wire (or string or twine), a nail, and some birdseed.

  1. Cut a hole in the side and the top of the bottle or jug.
  2. Poke a hole through the plastic with the nail.
  3. Put the long stick through both holes (this will act as the t perch for the birds to stand on).
  4. Use the nail again to poke holes in the top of the feeder.
  5. Insert the string through the top hole to make a hanger.
  6. Fill the bottom of the bottle with birdseed.
  7. Hang your bird feeder outside!

Play Zero Waste Games

You can recycle materials to make games for children. Many of these work best in bigger group settings, ideal for the classroom or parties. Here are some ideas:

  • Fill empty bottles with sand for bottle bowling.
  • Create towers with aluminum cans and see who can make theirs the tallest.
  • Do a recycling relay, where you give each kid a pile of mixed recyclables and trash and see who can properly sort their items into the correct bin the fastest.
  • Make three signs (plastic, glass, paper) and put them in different areas of the room. Call out different recycled items (like, “milk carton”) and have the kids run to whichever sign resembles the bin that item would go in.

 

Recycling and Eco Terms Glossary

Below are some helpful recycling and eco terms to know and teach to your kids.

  • Bin: A small container used to hold limited amounts of waste, typically specified by type (compost bin, paper bin, plastics bin, etc.)
  • Biodegradable: When a material can naturally be broken down by microorganisms and turned into water or carbon dioxide.
  • Commingled container: A single waste container that holds a blended collection of recyclable materials (any combination of paper, cardboard, aluminum, steel, glass, and plastic).
  • Compactor: A machine that uses pressure to compress materials into a dense mass.
  • Conserve: Protect something (especially an environmentally or culturally important place or thing) from harm or destruction.
  • Decompose: To rot or break down into essential elements.
  • E-waste: Electronic components that can be disassembled and recycled (including computers, monitors, keyboards, computer mice, TVs, cell phones, etc.)
  • Fossil fuels: Compound mixtures made of fossilized plant and animal remnants (coal, oil, and natural gas) that are extracted from the earth and burned as a fuel source.
  • Hazardous waste: Poisonous or toxic materials that can cause harm to humans, ecosystems, and wildlife if not properly disposed of.
  • Landfill: A place where trash and solid waste are dumped, buried, controlled, and managed. This trash can take decades or even centuries to break down.
  • Renewable energy: Alternative forms of energy from natural resources, like the sun (solar power), wind or water (hydropower).
  • Textiles: A type of cloth or fiber-based that may be composed of woven fabrics, yarns, or threads.

 

 

 

 

Source Today’s Homeowner

Things To Consider While Choosing An Eco-Friendly Hotel

Posted on by dishanth
Things To Consider While Choosing An Eco-Friendly Hotel

In recent years, we have had the opportunity to ponder our relationship with the environment. Consequently, we have come to recognize the importance of being more conscientious about our decisions, whether in our own homes or on holiday. To begin with, selecting an eco-friendly and sustainable accommodation is a good place to start when vacationing. If you want to learn more about how to do this, here are a few questions to consider asking.

What Are The Criteria’s To Qualify As An Eco-Friendly Hotel?

Certification for a hotel requires meeting specific standards in areas such as energy efficiency, water consumption, waste management policies, construction materials, design, community awareness, and sustainable site development. The most well-known certification in the hospitality industry is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). Other certificates, including EarthCheck, Green Key, Green Growth 2050, Forest Stewardship Council, The Rainforest Alliance, and Global Sustainable Tourism Council, are available.

Are Their Any Sustainability Reports?

Typically, these reports can be found on the company’s website. To determine how well the property was integrated into its environment, check for information on the amount of recycled or sustainable materials used in construction, such as certified wood, and whether the building is bioclimatic and outfitted with upcycled materials. You can also read about their carbon offset programs, staff training, community impact, energy consumption, linen reuse, recycling and waste management efforts, use of single-use plastics, and use of environmentally friendly cleaning products, among other things.

Is There A Waste Management And Recycling Plan In Place?

o ensure sustainability, it’s crucial to have a robust waste management system. Verify if the property composts food waste and learn about its efforts to reduce it. Inquire about their recycling practices, particularly their approach to plastic waste and how they manage any plastic waste generated.

What Is Their Plastic Policy?

Sustainable hotels opt for greener practices such as replacing plastic water bottles with reusable glass ones, some even having their bottling plant on-site. They are also transitioning from single-use shower toiletries to larger, refillable ones. Plastic straws and stirrers are being eliminated. When searching for eco-friendly accommodations, these are some factors to consider.

Do They Source Their Food Locally?

Check whether the hotel has a kitchen garden and follow a farm-to-table dining approach. Do they obtain their meat and eggs ethically? Is their menu created using seasonal produce? Lastly, do they adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines in their kitchen?

How Do They Save Water And Energy?

Inquire whether the establishment has adopted sustainable and energy-efficient measures, such as employing solar energy, LED lighting, and low-energy bulbs. Investigate the energy efficiency of their Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning Systems (HVAC) system and other construction methods like insulation to decrease the demand for air conditioning, resulting in lower energy usage.

 

 

 

 

Source OutlookTraveller

Sustainability initiatives at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners

Posted on by dishanth
Sustainability initiatives at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners

Coca-Cola’s iconic bottles are internationally recognised, but Coca-Cola Europacific Partners aims to implement a more sustainable purpose for used bottles
For Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, Lucia Karina is the Public Affairs, Communication and Sustainability Director. In her role, Karina is passionate about implementing sustainable strategies, utilising green energy and working together with stakeholders to support local communities.

“We embed our sustainability initiatives into our activities,” explains Karina. “Not only for the supply chain section, but also in the commercial side. So this forward strategy consists of water management, sustainable packaging, the climate, our society and the supply chain. We are also looking at how we can reduce our sugar content in our drinks.”

The company is also working to implement a reuse or recycle policy, to minimise the volume of Coca-Cola products going to landfill.

“We are removing unnecessary and hard-to-recycle packaging. We want to make sure that 100% of our packaging actually is recyclable.”

Coca-Cola has increased the recycled content in its packaging to reduce the use of new material, including plastic made from fossil-fuels. In Indonesia, the company joined with Dynapack Asia in a joint venture and built a PET recycling facility, with a capacity for 25,000 tonnes every year.

“In Indonesia we also built the social foundation Mahija Parahita Nusantara. This is a non-profit foundation and we are trying to work to improve the lives and welfare of the waste pickers that work in these communities. We want to ensure that we increase the quality of the collection for the feedstock of the Amandina Bumi Nusantara recycling PET.”

 

 

 

Source Sustainability