recycle

The modified enzyme PETase can start breaking down PET plastic in just a few days

The BBC has announced it will ban all single-use plastics from its operations by 2020. It comes in the wake of its landmark Blue Planet II series, which highlighted plastic pollution in the ocean. Plastic cups and cutlery are to be scrapped by the end of this year, followed by plastic containers in canteens by […]

The European Commission has launched the first ever EU-wide strategy to fight plastic waste. It aims to ensure all plastic packaging is recyclable by 2030, the use of single-use plastics is reduced and the intentional use of microplastics is restricted. Europeans generate around 25 million tonnes of plastic waste every year but less than 30% […]

  Waste from juiced Sicilian oranges is now being made into sustainable clothes. Adriana Santonocito, a former design student in Milan, had the idea in 2011 to use the abundant amount of orange rinds generated in her native city of Catania to create environmentally friendly textiles. Many thousands of tonnes of citrus fruit are juiced […]

Apple hopes to one day stop using mined materials and make its products 100% recyclable. That’s according to the technology giant’s annual environment report, which says the firm is looking into ways to cut out the presence of metals and toxic rare materials such as tungsten, tantalum, gold and cobalt from its devices. The firm […]

Samsung has unveiled plans to recycle and process faulty Galaxy Note 7 phones in an “environmentally friendly manner”. It will refurbish non-problematic components, such as cameras and alarms, of the estimated 4.3 million phones so they can be used and resold in future phones. For components that can’t be repurposed, the company will extract and […]

A new technology that makes oil from old tyres offers a green option without sacrificing performance. In addition to reusing end-of-life tyres rather than sending them to landfill, Green Distillation Technologies’ (GDT) oil also results in around 30% less Nitrogen Oxide being released than traditional fuels. It was tested by engineers at the Queensland University of Technology, who said it could offer new opportunities […]

The six metre tall Olympic rings on Rio’s Copacabana beach are made of recycled plastic bottles. Dutch refillable plastic bottle manufacturer Dopper is behind the construction of the six by three metre decorative Olympic rings by the Beach volleyball courts. The firm claims it’s helping to reduce the rapidly growing volume of plastic waste around […]

Incentive schemes can significantly increase recycling rates and lasting changes in behaviour. That’s the view of recycling rewards company Greenredeem which analysed data gathered from more than two million bin collections over two years. It found its members recycled an average of 48.4kg each month as opposed to non-members recycling roughly 11.6kg over the same period. […]

An action plan to boost food waste recycling in England has been unveiled. WRAP’s strategy aims to do that by promoting greater collaboration across the supply chain. It supports local authorities already active in food waste recycling by helping them to cost effectively maximise their food waste collections. It also helps food waste treatment plants play […]