March 19, 2024Integrating Lifecycle Analyses for Aviation SustainabilityBetween 2016-2018, aviation’s 2.8% global CO2 emissions also included significant contrails and soot pollution challenges. Read more
March 16, 2024Greenland Minerals as Potential Flame RetardantsPyroSpar, a derivative of the mineral anorthosite, is emerging as a novel element in the non-halogenated flame retardant’s domain. As industries shift toward eco-friendly alternatives, its distinctive attributes propose a novel approach to augmenting fire resistance, emphasizing sustainability. Read more
March 15, 2024Pioneering Mono-Material ShoesDecathlon, a leader in sports equipment and apparel, is stepping up to address shoe pollution with its innovative mono-material shoes, designed for more efficient recycling. Shoe pollution poses a major environmental challenge. Millions of discarded shoes, made from a mix of materials, end up in landfills each year. These materials release harmful substances as they slowly decompose. Read more
March 14, 2024Energy Management Systems – Assessing PerformanceIn most plastics processing electricity is the main energy source. Electricity use is not, as is sometimes thought, fixed and uncontrollable, it is variable and controllable. For most sites, the electricity use will be directly related to the production volume in a given time period. Read more
March 12, 2024Packaging Sorting 4.0: Digital Watermarks & Fluorescent MarkersThe recycling industry faces significant challenges, particularly in accurately sorting and recycling mixed waste streams. This is especially important for food-grade post-consumer recycled. Innovations such as digital watermarks and fluorescent markers offer promising solutions to these challenges, potentially revolutionizing the recycling process. Read more
March 12, 2024SPE Foundation and Brightmark® Announce First-Of-Its-Kind Scholarship Fund for Georgia Tech StudentsThe innovative scholarship from the SPE Foundation and Brightmark meets students’ prolonged interest in plastics sustainability and circularity while addressing the workforce shortage by supporting students seeking careers in the field. Read more
March 11, 2024Closed-loop Laptop Project Promotes CircularityDell Technologies partners with materials firm Covestro to expand the possibilities of laptop recycling, to include designing for disassembly and increasing the amount of recoverable resin from each device. Together they are targeting a more circular solution. Read more
March 11, 2024OscarPocket: ChatGPT for Waste SortingThe global waste crisis continues escalating, demanding innovative solutions offering sustainable management practices. OscarPocket emerges as a cutting-edge application designed to empower individuals with the tools to sort waste accurately, thus enhancing recycling efforts and reducing environmental impact. Read more
March 9, 2024How To Talk About Plastics With ConsumersIn the face of growing environmental concerns, the plastics industry faces a unique challenge: How to communicate effectively about plastic use and recycling? The “How to Talk About Plastics” guide from the University of Sheffield offers valuable insights into using language effectively to reduce plastic pollution and encourage pro-environmental behavior. Read more
March 8, 2024Bio-based Solvents for Polyimide Synthesis in Space ApplicationsNowadays, one of the harshest challenges is the development of polymeric materials for the aerospace industry. In particular, in space, engineers encounter challenging conditions. High levels of radiation (UV and solar radiation), fluctuating extreme temperatures, vacuum conditions, and microgravity characterize space. Read more
March 8, 2024TERRA is Tackling the Plague of E-wasteTERRA, The Electronics Reuse & Recycling Alliance, has created a network of certified electronic waste (e-waste) recyclers, and is working to recover and reclaim the valuable materials contained in those discarded products. Read more
March 7, 2024Microplastics and their Impact on Air-Sea CO2 ExchangeIn the fight against global climate change, oceans play a key role as a significant carbon reservoir. However, inadequate waste management systems for plastics have led to a widespread release of these materials into the world’s oceans. Read more