David Ziskind, PE, PMP’s Post

🔬 Scientists Turn Trash into Treasure! The Problem: 60% of plastic ends up in landfills or as litter 🗑️ Only a small fraction gets recycled Most recycled plastic = park benches (low value) But Here's the Game-Changer! 👇 Scientists can now transform plastic waste into: ✨ Detergents ✨ Soaps ✨ Lubricants ✨ Ski wax This isn't just recycling - it's UPCYCLING! 🔄 Converting waste into valuable products could be the key to getting more companies & people on board with recycling. ♻️ The future of plastic waste might be cleaner than we think! #Sustainability #ScienceNews #PlasticWaste #CleanFuture #Chemwatch https://lnkd.in/g95e7UKv

#Blogpost: Post Plastic Recycling Limit --------------------------------------- Curious about what happens to plastics after recycling? Explore the lifecycle of plastics, their limits, and how communities are creatively reusing waste in our latest blog post—your guide to understanding and addressing plastic pollution!

The Plastic Problem: Rethinking Recycling Goals - https://lnkd.in/gtcKdGF5 The current state of plastic recycling is a challenge we all share. As a waste management company, we understand the complexities firsthand. This article highlights the recent shift by major corporations like Nestle and Unilever to move from "recyclable" to "designed for recycling" packaging. This reflects the limitations of existing infrastructure and the need for innovation. At SMS Hydrotech , we're committed to collaborating with industry leaders to develop a more sustainable future for plastics. This includes: ✔️Investing in sorting and processing technologies to handle a wider range of recyclables. ✔️Partnering with municipalities to improve recycling programs and educate consumers. ✔️Advocating for design improvements that make plastics truly recyclable. Together, we can turn the tide on plastic waste. Let's keep the conversation going! Share your thoughts on how we can improve plastic recycling in the comments. #plastics #recycling #sustainability #circulareconomy #wmx #wastecon

Cascade recycling: The key to a circular economy for plastics Justin Wood, Vice President and Head of Europe, Middle East & Africa of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, explains why cascade recycling is the best method for creating a circular plastics economy. https://lnkd.in/eYZXSP3k #recycling #plastic #plasticwaste #environment

Round out your #PlasticFreeJuly with a look forward at the waste sector’s optimism about AI-driven plastic #recycling 💡 In a major feature for American Recycler News, Inc., regenerative economy expert Anthony (Tony) Perrotta highlighted the opportunity to leverage systems like Greyparrot Analyzer to make mechanical recycling more efficient. Our co-founder Ambarish Mitra also shared reasons to be hopeful about increasing the USA’s 5-6% plastic recycling rate: 🏛 Prevention is the best way to stop plastic pollution and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) bills in several states encourage brands to adopt recyclable designs that avoid unnecessary plastic, and waste data now shows packaging producers where their products end up 🌿 🤖 Thanks to AI, sorting technology has caught up with materials like black plastic, which evade systems like optical sorters and end up in landfill 🔍 🔬 Advanced chemical recycling and pyrolysis are helping us turn even more polymers back into high-quality resources, certified by granular waste data. Learn how Ambarish Mitra, Anthony (Tony) Perrotta, Caroline DeLoach and more believe we can make plastic recycling — and prevention — more viable in the full breakdown 👇 https://lnkd.in/gR8BZr7x

𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗬𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗦 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀 Planet Tracker have produced a brilliant overview of the cons of plastic recycling - it is sobering reading. https://lnkd.in/e85S2NTX 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 methodologies such as pyrolysis are dubious and still have too many question marks surrounding them. https://lnkd.in/eCWj5Bih 𝗪𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 (𝗪𝗧𝗘) and Incineration schemes release toxics into the sludge at the end of a burn, and into the environment. (Even the best such as Switzerland and Denmark). Shlomo Dowen Janek Vähk 𝗠𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 brings additional toxics that have hitchhiked onto plastics from trash can/environment to recycling to end product - they also release massive amounts or microplastics in the process (and essentially kick the can down the road since the recycled product is harder to recycle) Lauriane Veillard https://lnkd.in/ebrnAmxB 𝗦𝗢𝗟𝗨𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡?? There is no one perfect solution. BUT as we do find solutions, let's be creative and open to adaptation to avoid further harm. We can think creatively and cautiously 💩 We must stop overproducing plastic: find solutions that are safe, just and healthy for humans and the environment. 💩Make an equitable financial transition for solutions for plastic substitutes to virgin plastics which come from a heavily subsidised fossil fuel industry. 💩Stop all harmful chemicals and toxics in plastics in the first place. 💩Promote solutions that avoid any single use unless absolutely necessary. Finally, while waste pickers - particularly women eke livings out of trash mountains, we are civically responsible to keep them safe from harm and not encourage such jobs if they are without dignity or safety. nina van toulon John Chweya So let's work on solutions that glamourise zero waste jobs rather than picking up someone else's trash. Plastics should be our last resort...

♻️ Are "Recycled" Products Truly Recycled? Ever wondered about the journey of a recycled plastic bottle? With plastic production soaring to 390.7 million metric tonnes annually, addressing plastic waste is more urgent than ever. But how can we be sure the "recycled" products we buy are truly recycled? ♻️🗑️ Transforming Trash In our blog, we explore how plastic waste is transformed into new products through mechanical and chemical recycling processes. We delve into the different types of plastic waste: in-process waste from production, post-industrial waste generated after manufacturing, everyday items discarded by consumers, and ocean plastics, which pose unique challenges. Additionally, we highlight inspiring examples of companies innovating with recycled plastics. 🌱 Sustainable practices At Better Future Factory, we advocate for clear legislation and transparent communication. Let’s support genuine sustainability practices by choosing products made from recycled materials. Read the full blog here! https://ow.ly/OvES50ROvZr #Sustainability #Recycling #CircularEconomy #BetterFutureFactory

James Piper published an opinion article in The Guardian last month discussing the shortcomings and challenges with recycling soft plastic in the UK. As we know, plastic is "one of the most environmentally damaging materials: its abundance and low cost lead people to discard it readily, without a care for the environmental consequences". Current waste sorting and recycling schemes are insufficient for handling single use plastic waste. He therefore discusses the need for governments to prioritize and stimulate investment in new methods and materials. He underscores the importance of critically reviewing the environmental impacts of potential material solutions to ensure that better environmental outcomes are actually achieved in production, consumption, and end of life. Biotic is one such solution that can help, our #PHBV polymers fully #biodegrade, meaning they do not require special recycling infrastructure. Together, we can turn the tide on plastic pollution and create a less wasteful, safer future. #plasticpollution #recycling #plasticinnovation #biotech https://lnkd.in/dAPjxP92

𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐀 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 Plastics recycling has become an essential component in addressing the global challenge of plastic waste. With the increasing consumption of plastic products, the environmental burden has grown, leading to severe pollution in oceans, landfills, and natural ecosystems. Recycling plastic helps mitigate these issues by reducing the need for virgin plastic production, conserving natural resources, and minimizing greenhouse gas emissions. The process involves collecting and processing discarded plastic items, such as bottles, containers, and packaging, which are then sorted, cleaned, and reprocessed into new products. This circular economy approach not only decreases the volume of plastic waste but also contributes to energy savings and reduced environmental impact, as producing recycled plastic generally requires less energy than manufacturing new plastic from raw materials. 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐭—𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 @ https://lnkd.in/dnr8Qzh4 However, the effectiveness of plastics recycling is hampered by several challenges. One of the primary obstacles is the complex and diverse nature of plastic types, which often necessitates sophisticated sorting and processing technologies. Contamination of recyclable plastics, such as food residues and non-recyclable materials, further complicates the recycling process, leading to lower quality recycled products. Additionally, the economics of recycling can be unfavorable, as the cost of collecting and processing plastic waste sometimes exceeds the value of the recycled material. Despite these challenges, advancements in recycling technologies and growing consumer awareness are driving improvements in the efficiency and profitability of plastic recycling. Governments and industries worldwide are also implementing stricter regulations and incentives to promote recycling, making it a critical component of sustainable waste management strategies. 𝐌𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬: Indorama Ventures Public Co Ltd Veolia WM Intellectual Property Holdings LLC Unilever Johnson Matthey SUEZ Republic Services REMONDIS Gruppe Econic Technologies Ltd The Shakti Plastic Industries Biffa Waste Connections Clean Harbors KW Plastics B & B Plastics, Inc. #PlasticsRecycling #Sustainability #WasteManagement #EcoFriendly #CircularEconomy #GoGreen #ReduceReuseRecycle

"At this very moment, we all have microplastics coursing through our bodies. This is not the fault of not enough recycling. This is the fault of too much plastic. So I say: Let’s treat plastic like the toxic waste it is and send it where it can hurt people the least. Right now, that place is the landfill. Then we need to get to work on the real solution: making a whole lot less of it." - Eve O. Schaub in Washington Post opinion piece --- In the Osaka area, while some plastics are collected for recycling and we try to recycle as much as we can, I am told the incinerators actually burn at a high enough temperature to eliminate most plastic toxins, so a lot of plastics (e.g. plastic packaging) are intentionally tossed into the incinerators together with other burnable garbage. I'm not sure I trust these claims of "clean" incineration; moreover, I suspect this isn't a solution that can be applied on a global scale over the long haul. Schaub is probably right that the only real long-term solution is reducing reliance on plastics. Still, given that we are unlikely to stop using plastics until we discover or develop materials that provide the same convenience, hygiene and other benefits without contributing to a slow-moving, long-term ecological disaster, is high-temperature incineration the least bad short-term solution to our plastic addiction?