Latest news with #plasticwaste
Sustainability Times
a day ago
- Science
- Sustainability Times
'Plastic Becomes Hydrogen Under the Sun': South Korea Unleashes Solar-Powered Breakthrough That Vaporizes Waste Into Clean Fuel
IN A NUTSHELL 🌞 South Korean scientists have developed a system that converts plastic waste into clean hydrogen fuel using sunlight. have developed a system that converts plastic waste into clean hydrogen fuel using sunlight. 🧪 The innovative system addresses challenges in photocatalytic hydrogen production by stabilizing the catalyst at the air-water interface. by stabilizing the catalyst at the air-water interface. ♻️ This technology offers a dual solution by managing waste reduction and providing sustainable energy. and providing sustainable energy. 🔍 The system's scalability promises a future of cost-effective, carbon-free hydrogen production on a larger scale. Recent innovations in recycling technology have the potential to turn one of the world's most persistent waste issues into a significant energy solution. Scientists at the Institute for Basic Science in South Korea have developed a groundbreaking system that transforms plastic waste into clean hydrogen fuel using sunlight, offering an eco-friendly alternative to traditional hydrogen production methods. This new approach not only addresses the environmental challenges posed by plastic waste but also contributes to the growing demand for sustainable energy sources. Understanding Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production The concept of photocatalytic hydrogen production is gaining traction due to its potential to utilize sunlight as a clean energy source. However, this method faces significant challenges, particularly in maintaining stability under intense light and chemical stress. To overcome these hurdles, South Korean scientists have engineered a unique system that stabilizes the catalyst within a polymer network. This innovation places the reaction site at the critical interface between air and water, enhancing the system's efficiency. 'Soundwaves Turn Trash to Power': Revolutionary Tech Revives Dead Fuel Cells Into Clean Energy Gold Using Sonic Force This innovative setup allows the system to sidestep common issues such as catalyst loss, inadequate gas separation, and reverse reactions. By breaking down plastic bottles into byproducts like ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid, the system releases clean hydrogen into the atmosphere. Notably, the system has demonstrated stability over two months, even in highly alkaline conditions, proving its robustness in various watery environments, including seawater and tap water. 'Like a phoenix from the ashes': These massive wind turbine blades transform into funky floating docks, reshaping waterfront landscapes The Potential of Scaling Up the Plastic Waste Recycling System Plastic bottles are a significant contributor to global waste, with billions discarded daily. The development of a system that converts these bottles into a clean hydrogen source addresses both waste management and energy production challenges. The scalability of this system is particularly promising, as simulations indicate its potential to expand to 10 or even 100 square meters. This expansion could lead to cost-effective, carbon-free hydrogen production on a larger scale. 'We Just Made China Panic': Inside America's Rare Earths War Fueled by Revolutionary Hard Drive Recycling Professor Kim Dae-Hyeong highlights the transformative potential of this research, stating that it opens new avenues where plastic waste is seen as a valuable energy resource. Professor Hyeon Taeghwan adds that this work represents a rare example of a photocatalytic system functioning reliably outside the laboratory. The scalability of this system could significantly contribute to the goal of a hydrogen-powered, carbon-neutral society. The Environmental and Energy Implications By integrating waste management with energy production, this innovative system addresses two critical global issues simultaneously. The production of hydrogen from plastic waste not only reduces the volume of plastic entering landfills and oceans but also provides a sustainable energy source that mitigates the environmental impact of traditional hydrogen production methods. This dual benefit underscores the potential of the system to contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable planet. Key Benefits Details Waste Reduction Converts plastic waste into useful byproducts Sustainable Energy Produces clean hydrogen fuel Scalability Potential to expand production areas significantly Looking Forward: The Future of Clean Energy The potential applications of this technology are vast, offering a glimpse into a future where waste and energy challenges are addressed concurrently. As global energy demands increase, the need for clean and sustainable solutions becomes more pressing. The development of photocatalytic hydrogen production systems provides a promising pathway toward meeting these demands while improving environmental outcomes. As the world grapples with the dual challenges of managing waste and meeting energy needs, could the widespread adoption of such innovative systems be the key to a more sustainable future? Our author used artificial intelligence to enhance this article. Did you like it? 4.6/5 (29)
Al Bawaba
2 days ago
- Business
- Al Bawaba
On the Fourth Anniversary of Atlantis Atlas Project, Atlantis Dubai Celebrates Successful Elimination of Single-use Plastic Water Bottles Across the Destination
In celebration of the fourth anniversary of the Atlantis Atlas Project, Atlantis Dubai proudly announces the complete elimination of single-use plastic water bottles across the entire destination - a major achievement in its ongoing sustainability journey. Launched in 2021, the Atlantis Atlas Project is the resort's long-term commitment to operating responsibly and creating a lasting positive impact for both people and the planet. The initiative is structured around four key pillars - Responsible Operations, Conservation & Animal Welfare, Education & Awareness, and People & Culture - and continues to drive meaningful, measurable progress across part of this commitment, Atlantis Dubai's latest milestone has resulted in the annual elimination of approximately 3.7 million single-use plastic water bottles. This has been made possible through the installation of 18 filtered, chilled water dispensers across pool and beach areas and Aquaventure World, providing drinking water to both guests and colleagues. Additionally, the resort's on-site water bottling plant, launched in 2022, currently produces almost 5,000L of filtered water daily. Filled in glass, reusable bottles, the plant services rooms, suites, selected restaurants, event spaces and banquet operations with filtered drinking water, further reinforcing the resort's ongoing efforts to reduce single-use plastic waste at elimination of single-use plastic water bottles is just one of many actions driven by the Atlantis Atlas Project. Another such example is Atlantis Dubai's partnership with UAE-based Seafood Souq - the region's first platform dedicated to transparency in seafood supply chain, enabling end-to-end tracking from sea to serving. As of December 2024, 100% of all contracted seafood, including feed for over 65,000 marine animals, is now fully traced through Seafood Souq's Trace technology, providing Chefs with greater visibility enabling more responsible sourcing Timmins, Executive Director of Sustainability and Marine Animal Operations, Atlantis Dubai, commented: 'Over the past 4 years, sustainability has become an integral part of every facet of our operations. From procurement to guest experience, we are integrating responsible practices that drive meaningful impact across our entire business through the Atlantis Atlas Project.'The Atlantis Atlas Project continues to drive forward sustainability at Atlantis Dubai with notable milestones achieved, including:Solar panels installed in December 2022 have resulted in the avoidance of 1,748 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions to date —the same carbon sequestration capacity of approximately 35,942 June 2022, Winnow food waste technology has been activated across three buffet restaurants and one colleague restaurant at Atlantis Dubai, leading to an average 53.8% reduction in edible food waste compared to pre-implementation Dubai partnered with Goumbook's 'Save The Butts' campaign through the installation of two permanent cigarette butt collection stations. To date, over 4.6 million cigarette butts have been recycled into innovative building partnership with UNISOAP UAE and Gumboot, the resort also collects discarded soap from guest rooms, which is repurposed into new bars of soap and distributed among vulnerable communities across the UAE. Since the initiative began in October 2023, more than 579.83 kg of soap has been recycled to The Palm and Aquaventure World have each achieved EarthCheck Gold Certification, while Atlantis The Royal earned EarthCheck Silver Certification just one year after the opening. EarthCheck is recognised as the world's leading scientific benchmarking, certification, and business advisory group focused on travel and tourism. It helps businesses, communities, and governments to evaluate their environmental footprint, improve sustainability and ultimately enhance business part of its commitment to marine conservation, Atlantis Dubai released three Honeycomb Stingrays and 20 Arabian Carpet sharks into the Arabian Gulf over the past 12 months, bringing the total number of releases to 58 sharks and 10 rays since 2019. To learn more about Atlantis Dubai's commitment to doing business in ways that are good for both people and the planet, please visit
ABC News
4 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Clock ticking for patrols battling ghost net ocean plastics in Gulf of Carpentaria
It is rubbish season in northern Australia. When the winds pick up after the monsoon storms, tonnes of plastic trash and discarded fishing nets gathered in the Gulf of Carpentaria make for the coastline. Indigenous rangers patrolling the coastline find ankle-deep plastic rubbish, lids with turtle bite marks and remnants of turtles caught in discarded fishing nets. But with no guarantee of continued funding after the end of this month, they are calling for ongoing support to deal with the amount of plastic waste they see increasing each year. Scientists estimate 8-to-10 million tonnes of plastic end up in the ocean each year. In the next 25 years, they say, plastic may outweigh fish in the ocean. Two per cent of the world's fishing gear is estimated to become ghost nets — lost, discarded or abandoned fishing gear. Senior ranger Clive Nunggarrgalu works with the Numbulwar Numburindi Rangers in west Arnhem Land, where six rangers patrol and care for 300 kilometres of remote coastline. Many of the bays and beaches where ghost nets and marine debris accumulate are only accessible for a few weeks. "When the nets come, they trap animals like buffaloes, turtles and dolphins," he said. "We can cut the nets and free turtles, but even buffaloes, young buffaloes, get trapped in the nets along the sand." He said the tides often buried the nets. "Some of the beaches, they look great, but the rubbish is underneath the sand," he said. For the past four years, the federally funded $15 million Ghost Net Initiative has assisted 22 Indigenous ranger groups with clean-up efforts. They have worked alongside 3,600 people to remove 160,000 kilograms of marine debris, as well as 860 ghost nets. Some of the waste removed has been transformed into reusable fishing gear, art and woven baskets. Since 2018, Sea Shepherd's marine debris campaigner, Grahame Lloyd, has worked with the Dhimurru rangers in north-east Arnhem Land. They worked together to clean up a remote, 14km sacred turtle nesting beach. "In the two COVID years, more plastic had washed up on the beach than had accumulated seven years prior," Mr Lloyd said. "It was that bad that in certain sections, we were using shovels because the rubbish came halfway up your calves. "You had to stand in the plastic to get that top layer off." He said that, without funds to keep the beaches clean, each new season would bring another stockpile of plastic waste . Ghost Net Initiative funding has allowed researchers to use drones and AI systems to help locate and retrieve nets on hard-to-reach coastlines. Charles Darwin University researcher Aliesha Havala has been working with Anindilyakwa Land and Sea Rangers using drones to find nets. She said they found a ghost net almost every kilometre of coastline they searched — among rocks, buried deep in sand or caught in mangrove estuaries. The drones can detect a portion of ghost net as small as 50 centimetres. Using AI programming, the drones then send rangers the coordinates. "A lot of the time these ghost nets are either obscured or they are buried, essentially big icebergs under the sand," she said. "Some of the nets are so large they need to be winched out of the sand or winched onto a vessel to be removed." The marine debris season for the Anindilyakwa Rangers has well and truly started. Two more nets have washed up in areas where the rangers removed some a few weeks ago, Ms Havala said. At the UN Ocean conference in France last week, federal Environment Minister Murray Watt signalled his support for a global treaty to end plastic pollution. He highlighted the need to strengthen regional partnerships tackling ghost nets and single-use plastics in the Pacific Ocean and Arafura and Timor seas. In October, the Australian government joined the Global Ghost Gear Initiative, committing $1.4 million to regional partnerships with Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. The ABC asked Mr Watt and Parks Australia if Ghost Nets Initiative funding would continue but did not receive a direct answer.
The Independent
4 days ago
- General
- The Independent
I've switched to a plant-based electric toothbrush and will never look back
Suri's sustainability While the heads are plant-based, the body of the Suri electric toothbrush is made from aluminium and is designed to be easily opened, recycled, repaired and reused by the brand when it reaches the end of its life. The green credentials are a little less clear cut here – aluminium and batteries still come with an environmental cost – but Suri's choice of materials is undoubtedly better for the world than an endless parade of plastic, not least because the body of the brush will last many years before it needs replacing. It's also worth noting the neat and recycled cardboard packaging the Suri electric toothbrush comes in. Even the freepost envelope to send your expired brush heads back to them is recyclable. There's a real thoughtfulness to every stage of the design process – and even though you might not fully reverse climate change and unmelt the ice caps, you can at least feel smug enough to tut at anyone still using a regular plastic brush. Of course, Suri's efforts to make the planet a bit less rubbish would be pointless if the electric toothbrush wasn't up to scratch. Thankfully, it is. The Suri electric toothbrush appears in my round-up of the best electric toothbrushes, not just for its noble mission to reduce plastic waste or its looks, but for its practicality, sleek accessories, simple operation and great all-round cleaning power. The Suri is such an appealing electric toothbrush beyond its feel-good sustainability credentials, that I might still have included it if manufacturing one brush required burning down an acre of the Amazon rainforest. Suri toothbrush design and accessories The Suri electric toothbrush is a handsome-looking thing. While the choice of plant-based materials like corn starch suggests that it might melt in your mouth, the brush heads have the tough and durable feel of regular matte plastic, and the medium-soft bristles are comfortable for sensitive teeth and gums. The material is lightly flecked to give it a stone-like finish that looks lovely, as though it's been carved from rock – a design choice that flows over into the USB pebble charger and optional travel case. My preference is for a slightly smaller brush head to really attack those back molars. Suri's is medium-sized with a relatively chunky head, which takes a little bit more care and dexterity to ensure you're cleaning everywhere. The aluminium body is thin and has a bit of heft to it, but feels good in the hand with a soft matte finish that's easy to grip. The optional travel case (£25, is worth the extra £25. It's the slimmest travel case I've seen and includes a UV-C light designed to destroy 99.9 per cent of bacteria on the bristles in under a minute. I'm not entirely sold on the health benefits of blasting things with weak UV rays – my Larq water bottle (£89, does the same – but it's a nice bonus to have on an otherwise beautiful little toothbrush case. I also like that the case doesn't light up when charging with the USB-C cable. It's a small detail – and also means Suri gets away with not adding a light where they didn't need to – but it's something anyone who struggles to sleep in a room with an LED will appreciate. While you can charge using the travel case, the brush comes with a neat charging stand as standard. It continues the sharp and minimalist, stone aesthetic, and uses a USB-A cable, so you'll need an adapter to connect it to a bathroom socket. The brush can stand upright without the charger, but it has a more rounded base than most other toothbrushes. If you're a klutz like me, the Suri is prone to taking a nosedive into the sink, or somewhere worse. Included with the Suri is a mirror mount shaped like a worry stone, which sticks to a mirror or tile using adhesive and will hold the brush in place magnetically. It can only be stuck somewhere once, and I'm too much of a coward to make that kind of commitment, but the mount is a nice enough-looking object that it won't look out of place in your bathroom. Suri's electric toothbrush learning power and features One-button operation takes the needless complexity out of brushing your teeth, a refreshing contrast to more expensive rivals that tend to light up like Piccadilly Circus to advertise their 20+ brushing modes. The Suri brush uses just two modes: a gentler 'everyday clean' and a more intense 'polish'. The vibration of the Suri isn't the most powerful of the brushes I've tested – which include the skull-rattling Oral-B iO9 (£239, and the chart-topping sonic frequencies of the Philips Sonicare 9900 (£265, – but the cleaning performance is faultless, delivering a classic, dentist-fresh mouthfeel every time. You get 33,000 vibes per minute, if you're keeping score, which is comfortably above the sweet spot where sonic cleaning science starts to kick in. It's quieter than most brushes, too. Perhaps the biggest drawback of Suri's electric toothbrush is the lack of a pressure sensor. While other brushes might protect you from gum damage by flashing a light or dialling down the motor when too much pressure is applied, the Suri brush won't. This isn't too much of a problem if you've previously used a brush with a sensor and are familiar with how much pressure to apply, but for electric newbies it could mean you're going too hard without realising it. Battery life is where the Suri really pulls away from the competition, lasting 40 days between charges. A full recharge takes just four hours too, so you can easily juice it up overnight or between your morning and evening routines. Compare that to the entry-level Oral-B iO2 (£40, which takes a full 24 hours to charge from empty. The Oral-B brush is designed to be left on its charging stand whenever you're not using it – which you can do with the Suri brush too – but constantly topping up the battery degrades it more quickly, leading to the kind of electronic waste that Suri is trying to avoid.
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Lobbyist claims that New York anti-plastic bill would harm people of color called ‘misleading'
The oil and petrochemical lobby is attempting to fend off a New York state proposal to slash plastic waste by arguing that it will disproportionately burden people of color, advocates and assembly sources say, despite widespread evidence that the plastic supply chain poses serious health risks to Black and brown communities. In New York state, advocates are fighting to pass a wide-ranging bill to reduce plastic packaging by 30% in 12 years while dramatically boosting recycling rates and phasing certain toxic compounds out of packaging. The packaging reduction and recycling infrastructure bill would place a fee on large businesses that distribute plastic packaging, with revenue benefiting taxpayers – a scheme called extended producer responsibility. The proposal, which must be taken up this week in order to pass, passed the senate last month for the second year in a row, with backing from nearly every Democrat. But it is facing staunch opposition from some business interests and the American Chemistry Council, a lobbying group representing big oil companies and chemical manufacturers such as DuPont. Efforts to push back on the bill have reportedly cost more than $2m. In recent weeks, advocates and assembly staff told the Guardian, lobbyists have focused on the assembly's influential Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian American legislative caucus, arguing that the proposed legislation will raise food prices, thereby harming communities of color who are more likely to rely on food assistance programs. The efforts to kill the plastic legislation are 'plainly racist', said state assembly member Claire Valdez, who represents part of Queens in New York City and backs the original bill. 'These companies just want to be able to continue pushing their product on exploited and under-resourced communities without consequence,' she told the Guardian. The tactic, first covered by the Albany Times-Union, has prompted ire from bill advocates. In a letter to the state assembly in support of the bill, New York religious leaders said this 'corporate narrative' is 'not only false; it is also deeply insulting'. 'It is an immoral and manipulative tactic for these corporate interests to use communities of color as pawns to preserve their bottom lines,' the letter says. 'By focusing their efforts on lobbying the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian American Legislative Caucus, they are attempting to create division and fear where none should exist.' Another letter, sent jointly by the NAACP New York State Conference and Consumer Reports, said: 'We are aware that representatives of the petrochemical and packaging industries have been meeting with members of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus in an attempt to discredit this bill and promote a weaker alternative. They claim that this legislation will raise prices for everyday New Yorkers. These claims are misleading and lack data to support them.' Garbage incinerators, on which the bill attempts to reduce reliance by boosting recycling, are often located in communities of color, where they emit toxic pollutants supporters of the legislation say. And plastic production, which also creates dangerous air emissions, also disproportionately harms the health of Black and brown Americans. Reached for comment, Freeman Klopott, spokesperson for the American Chemistry Council in New York, said the proposed legislation 'is not the answer to New York's waste problem'. 'ACC has joined a broad coalition that have worked closely with many legislators on both sides of the aisle to highlight more effective, equitable ways to reduce packaging waste,' Klopott said. The ACC did not respond to questions about lobbyists targeting lawmakers who are people of color in efforts to oppose the bill. Business interest groups opposing the bill have denied that any intentions they have are racially motivated. Industry interests point to a York University study which found the original bill would raise prices by over $700 per household annually. But bill advocates note that report was produced by a group that is funded by the plastic lobby. They say there is no credible evidence that the policy would increase consumer prices. One 2022 report from Columbia University found that such programs result in only very small price increases, while a 2020 report funded by Oregon's environment department found that extended producer responsibility bills did not raise prices in Canadian provinces. In recent weeks, a handful of New York Democratic lawmakers, most of whom are members of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian legislative caucus, have thrown their support behind a competing, weaker bill, which is supported by business interests. It, too, would create an extended producer responsibility program, but forgo some of the more progressive elements of the original legislation such as the ratcheting down of plastic that businesses can use and the mandates placed on recycled content levels. Petrochemical interests have previously argued that plastic reduction efforts would harm people of color and poor communities. A lobbying group representing plastic bag manufacturers in 2014 funded New York's Black Leadership Action Coalition, whose founder argued that those backing a fee on plastic bags had 'BEEN HAD' and 'BEEN HOODWINKED.' As Minnesota environmentalists worked last year to overturn a policy preventing municipalities from banning plastic bags, some trade groups argued the repeal would place a burden on low-income communities of color, advocates told the Guardian. And last year, the International Council of Chemical Associations commissioned a report that said production caps would require disproportionately harm low-income people by raising product prices. But at a press conference in Albany this month, advocates for the original plastic reduction bill said that passing the policy would benefit Black and brown Americans by helping to tamp down on toxic petrochemical processing. 'How many more of us have to die because of these polluters,' asked Sharon Lavigne, founder of the Louisiana grassroots organization Rise St James. 'They're sacrificing us to make a profit.' Sarahana Shrestha, an assemblymember representing a south-eastern New York district, who supports the original legislation, said the industry's 'fear tactic' is working on some lawmakers who may be less familiar with the legislation. 'Lawmakers are always scared that a policy could have unforeseen consequences for their constituents,' she said, adding that the opposition's strategy has focused on stopping the bill from being put up for a vote. New York's assembly has until Tuesday to vote on the proposed bills, which if passed would head to the governor's desk for final approval.
