At COP26, delegates address the need to curb emissions and mass consumption to save the planet while the reality of today’s throwaway society is all too apparent nearby.
Tag: Recycling of Waste Materials
Covid Trash Isn’t Always Dangerous. Not Everyone Got the Memo.
Overblown fears that the coronavirus could be transmitted through surfaces have created a stigma around handling nonhazardous trash, experts say. Some recyclable waste has been junked or burned.
Americans May Add Five Times More Plastic to the Oceans Than Thought
The United States is using more plastic than ever, and waste exported for recycling is often mishandled, according to a new study.
‘Super-Enzyme’ Speeds Up Breakdown of Plastic, Researchers Say
A new cocktail of enzymes that degrades plastic faster is a step to fully recycling soda bottles and other waste, British and American researchers said this week.
Vietnam Confiscates Over 300,000 Used Condoms for Sale
A raid at a warehouse led to the arrest of a woman who said she had been paid by the pound to recycle the prophylactics.
One in Three Children Have Unacceptably High Lead Levels, Study Says
“Children around the world are being poisoned by lead on a massive and previously unrecognized scale,” according to the study, a collaboration of UNICEF and Pure Earth, an advocacy group.
Europe Wants a ‘Right to Repair’ Smartphones and Gadgets
The European Union is seeking to help consumers fix or upgrade devices, rather than replace them, as part of a 30-year push to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Less Trash, More Schools — One Plastic Brick at a Time
Plastic garbage collected by a women’s group is being recycled into bricks and used to build schools in West Africa.
Recyclers Cringe as Southeast Asia Says It’s Sick of the West’s Trash
After China restricted plastic scrap imports, countries like Malaysia took the brunt of the waste. But now there’s a regionwide backlash, and recyclers are worried.
France to End Disposal of $900 Million in Unsold Goods Each Year
The government plans to outlaw the destruction of brand-new consumer products, a practice that companies use to stop goods from being stolen or sold at steep discounts.