When it comes to recycling, Kiel has pulled ahead of the crowd, with its ban on single-use items, plans for leftover meals and innovative ideas for discarded human hair. In an article on the Guardian website, Ajit Niranjan discusses the lessons we can all learn from what is happening in Kiel. The zero-waste city: … Continue reading Germany is famed as a world leader in recycling – and Kiel “has some of the most weird and workable plans in the country to deal with its trash”
Category: recycling
Lego ditches oil-free brick in sustainability setback
World’s biggest toymaker says new material made from recycled bottles would have bigger carbon footprint. Latest analysis shows using recycled polyethylene terephthalate (RPET) would have led to higher carbon emissions over the product’s lifetime as it would have required new equipment. Noor Nanji discusses latest developments in an article on the BBC News website. … Continue reading Lego ditches oil-free brick in sustainability setback
In the search for critical minerals for our clean energy future, recycling is the way forward
Serasu Duran from the University of Calgary, Atalay Atasu and Clara Carrera from INSEAD write on The Conversation website about the importance that recycling should play as globally we look for critical minerals for our renewable energy technologies. How recycling could solve the shortage of minerals essential to clean energy What do silver, silicon … Continue reading In the search for critical minerals for our clean energy future, recycling is the way forward
Amsterdam and the circular economy
Suzanne Bearne writes on the BBC News website about some of the effort being made to be a circular economy. Is this happening in your city or region? Can Amsterdam make the circular economy work? At United Repair Centre (URC), located next to the popular indoor food market Foodhallen in Amsterdam, Bakri Zaitoun is … Continue reading Amsterdam and the circular economy
New EEA briefings on waste recycling rates in Europe
Reducing waste or recovering its value by extending product lifespans or recycling are key parts of Europe’s efforts to create a circular economy which contributes to the European Green Deal’s sustainability goals. However, according to the European Environment Agency’s assessment, published this week, many EU Member States are at risk of not meeting at least … Continue reading New EEA briefings on waste recycling rates in Europe
New EEA briefing on need to step up circular economy efforts in Europe
The EU’s circular economy action plan aims to double the share of recycled materials used in its economy by 2030. The European Environment Agency’s (EEA) assessment, published this week, shows that the pace of progress needs speeding up, requiring both more recycling and less overall material use. A second, in-depth report on waste prevention highlights … Continue reading New EEA briefing on need to step up circular economy efforts in Europe
If you look back at the examples of the past two centuries, industry-wide reuse of such materials as iron from sunken ships should have been business as usual by now
Salman Shooshtarian and Tayyab Maqsood at RMIT University in Australia provide a fascinating article on The Conversation website about being innovative in using recycling materials for our building construction. Buildings used iron from sunken ships centuries ago. The use of recycled materials should be business as usual by now At Fremantle Prison in the … Continue reading If you look back at the examples of the past two centuries, industry-wide reuse of such materials as iron from sunken ships should have been business as usual by now
New EEA briefing on how to handle discarded textiles in Europe
Discarded textiles in Europe, including used clothing and footwear, are an increasing waste and export problem. Rapidly increasing EU exports of used textiles — some of which is reused and some of which ends up in landfills — show that Europe faces a challenge in how to handle its own used textiles, according to a … Continue reading New EEA briefing on how to handle discarded textiles in Europe
New EEA assessment on secondary raw material markets in Europe
Europe’s ambitions for a circular economy require the timely provision of good-quality recycled raw materials to manufacturers. However, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) assessment published this week, from the eight most common recyclables, only aluminium, paper and glass have well-functioning secondary markets. Lack of standardisation and competition with new materials are among the … Continue reading New EEA assessment on secondary raw material markets in Europe
Companies in Europe not living up to their commitments to reduce plastic packaging
Two-thirds of pledges to go greener on plastic fail or are dropped, a DW investigation has found. Here's how European food and drink companies break their own commitments, and how legislation might hold them accountable. Kira Schacht discusses the findings of the investigation in an article on the Deutsche Welle website. European food companies … Continue reading Companies in Europe not living up to their commitments to reduce plastic packaging
Energy in Demand - Sustainable Energy - Rod Janssen 