The latest developments in safe and sustainable chemicals, new materials, fuels, and more.
Recycling single-fibre fabrics – such as denim jeans and wool sweaters – is mechanically possible, but garments are often made from a blend of different fibres, which has historically caused a host of challenges for recycling them. Even for many of the most popular blends such as cotton and polyester, commercially viable separation, sorting and recycling technologies are not yet available. As a result, used apparel of blended or unknown materials are typically discarded in landfills or down-cycled into insulation, carpeting or other low-value applications.
More sustainable packaging options are cropping up – from water bottle multipacks to moulded paper packaging to renewable, recyclable bags, leading brands are changing the way products are wrapped. Evian, a water brand under the Danone Group umbrella, is introducing a new way to multipack PET bottles using Nature MultiPack™, a technology developed by German packaging company KHS. Launching in select stores across France, the method uses a few small dots of specially-developed adhesive and a standard tape handle to carry the pack.
The European Organisation for Packaging and the Environment (EUROPEN) and 35 other associations1 representing a wide range of sectors including major consumer goods brands, packaging producers, material producers and extended producer responsibility (EPR) organizations have presented the European Union with a set of joint recommendations for its circular economy legis
Researchers and brewers have found new ways to capture carbon and convert it into stone and ink. Tiger Beer, working alongside Marcel Sydney and MIT spinoff Graviky Labs, has created the first line of ink made from air pollution. Made entirely from emissions captured from vehicle tailpipes, 150 liters (roughly 40 gallons) of Tiger Air-Ink was put in pens, markers and spray cans so that different types of artists could experiment with it.
Polystyrene packaging and microbeads are no strangers to controversy; both materials harm marine life and can enter the food chain, which has prompted concern from consumers and advocacy groups. Cities such as San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C. have gone so far as to ban polystyrene packaging – and now four London-based chefs are calling for the same in England’s capital.
Wrapping food in plastic can reduce spoilage, but presents challenges related to waste recovery and recycling. It presents a tough choice for producers between prioritizing food waste or plastic waste, both of which are top-of-mind with consumers. For this reason, solutions that are biodegradable, recyclable, or both are gaining traction.
How many packages have you relied on today? Responsible and innovative packaging is critical to delivering shippable, shelve-able, sellable, product value. Consumers, retailers, and brands count on packaging. And then what? The best way to retain investment value and mitigate risks is to recycle these materials. “Municipal recycling programs are the hubs of the reverse logistics needed to return valuable packaging to the supply chain,” says Jeff Meyers, The Recycling Partnership’s Director of Corporate Partnerships.
The environmental impacts that can result from making forest and paper products are impossible to ignore. Millions of acres of forests are logged each year and, as a result, threatened species may be affected, forest carbon storage can be reduced, and streams and rivers can be silted and polluted. In addition, significant amounts of energy and water consumption, effluent release and solid waste occur in the manufacturing of wood and paper products (though these impacts can be greatly reduced through incorporating recycled content). Proper understanding and analysis of these environmental impacts are critical in order to find ways to avoid or mitigate them, and to accurately compare and choose products and suppliers that demonstrate environmental leadership.
A key business driver for today’s vehicle manufacturers is to find cost-effective ways to reduce material impact, and weight, in the cars they build. Lighter vehicles result in less fuel consumption – and consequently, fewer emissions.
Action on food waste continues to result in innovative new materials and delightful culinary experiences. In this week’s round-up: a chemical firm has developed new packaging solutions to reduce food waste; a UK supermarket chain launched a new range with packaging made with waste peas and pulses;and a volunteer organization is hosting free dinners made with foods that have reached their sell-by date. Meanwhile, Belgian scientists are looking to use human waste “From Sewer to Brewer,” as a raw material for making beer.
You may have heard the term ‘trashion’ in reference to clothing made out of trash, an art form that has grown over the past few years among students, artists and fashionistas alike with passions for both style and the environment. Well, these two new “bio-textiles” give “waste fashion” a new meaning.
San Francisco-based technology startup Molekule recently introduced the world’s first molecular air purifier, bringing a patented technology to the category that eliminates a full spectrum of indoor pollutants by breaking them down on a molecular level. According to the EPA, a backer of the new product, air indoors can be up to five times more polluted than outdoor air and since on average, people spend 90 percent of their time indoors, that exposure is harmful to health and well-being.
Closing gaps in knowledge and improving understanding about the benefits of renewable materials can have a transformative effect on the economy and the environment, according to findings in a new report from Tetra Pak.
Walmart announced back in April that it had achieved a 95 percent reduction by weight in the use of high priority chemicals of concern. Now, it has released detailed information on the progress it has made, and experts at Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) seem impressed.
Researchers from the University of California, Irvine (UCI) and the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry (SIOC) have found a new way to break down the strong bonds of polyethylene, the most commonly used synthetic plastic, and convert it into useful liquid fuels and waxes. The new technique is less toxic and less energy-intensive than current approaches to breaking down the polymers' chemical bonds.
Fashion designers have long asked for a place to find materials they know are healthier for people and the planet — and now they have one. The new Fashion Positive Materials Collection, which debuted this week, includes 39 materials for fashion applications that are Cradle to Cradle Certified or have received a Material Health Certificate, which at higher levels of certification ensures safe materials suitable for circular design.
Increased environmental awareness will lead to completely new demands being placed on the packaging industry. BillerudKorsnäs, a Swedish provider of sustainable paper packaging materials and solutions, sees this challenge as a business opportunity. When BillerudKorsnäs’ partner, the French research platform Tara Expeditions, recently made a stopover in Miami on the way to the Pacific Ocean for an 18-month expedition, BillerudKorsnäs invited stakeholders in its U.S. market to discuss how the packaging industry can contribute in this regard.
This week, we examine two innovations that not only divert plastic waste but turn it into stronger, more beneficial materials: IBM has discovered a way to convert polycarbonates into plastics safe for water purification, fiber optics and medical equipment; while shredded plastic waste is helping to create more durable, weather-resistant roads in Chennai, India.
Mars, Incorporated’s latest Principles in Action report captures the company’s performance on its targets for 2015, 2020, and those which are ongoing. Guided by its Five Principles of Quality, Responsibility, Efficiency, Mutuality and Freedom, the company has met and continues to pursue a wide range of sustainability, health and wellbeing, food safety, responsible marketing and workplace engagement objectives.
In West Virginia, residents will soon be seeing a lot more green than they’re used to. And it may come in the form of dollar bills, too. Researchers from West Virginia University are teaming up with a new startup called Agri Carb Electric Corporation to investigate the farming infrastructure benefits of hemp. This will mark the first time West Virginia has allowed hemp cultivation in 70 years.