Tag: Recycling

New schools are being built from old plastic; new chipboard from the waste from cocoa crops. Now, two graduates from Denver University want to do something about the 80 million used tyres residing nearby. They have reversed the thermoplastic process by which rubber is made into synthetic plastic. During the so-called devulcanization process, toxins and sulphur components are broken...

Edible construction material may soon be on everyone’s lips. Now, an Italian-Ecuadorian design team is producing versatile new materials using agricultural waste from cocoa crops. Key to the enterprise: the beans’ outer shell. Their first product from crushed and pressed shell remains is a 12-15 cm thick chipboard perfect for furniture or component parts. Further products such as bioplastic...

Pineapple peel is good for fish health, while domestic food waste can be made into chicken feed. Now, a food science research team from Cornell has discovered that an apple a day not only keeps doctors away from humans, but also benefits chickens. Their focus is on pomace, the fibrous waste produced when apples are pressed. It contains enough...

Steel can be replaced by bamboo and tiles made with bacteria. Now, a Japanese research team is converting food waste into biodegradable construction material, using discarded items from supermarkets such as vegetables, tea leaves and coffee grounds. Following their patent-pending process, the food waste is dried, pulverised and then heat-pressed into a mould. Depending on its contents, the resulting...

A natural film keeps food fresh for longer and reduces waste. Now, a startup from San Francisco has developed a private home service-system which converts food waste into nutrient-rich chicken feed. Using an electrically-operated steel container with a charcoal odour filter, kitchen scraps are dried overnight. Once the bin is full after a few weeks, users decant it into...

Farm stubble, sawdust, and corn flakes are valuable resources for packaging material. Now, a Ukrainian startup is turning to nature’s other gifts to help lower CO2 emissions. Why fell 17 trees to make a ton of paper when you could use 2.3 tons of fallen leaves instead? After being collected from parks, sidewalks and residential developments, the leaves are...

Wine and shrimps are an ideal combination, particular in connection with chitin. These carbohydrates from crustacean shells aren’t just suitable for conserving foods; their potential is vast. Now, a research team from Maryland University has developed an electrolyte gel with chitosan - a bio-polymer extracted from chitin - for use in zinc batteries. In tests, their new battery showed...

New beaches are being made from old glass bottles, while egg shells morph into tiles for home. Now an LA startup is using recycled plastic to create houses with up to 80㎡ of living space. Polymers, 60% of which come from plastic bottles and food packaging, are processed to form a mass which is 3D-printed into a simple shape....