Unisan’s Post

We love to see leading industrial and public sector players and policymakers coming together to create a circular economy for critical materials in the UK. ♻️ Three universities across the UK have started work on a five-year project entitled RECREATE (REcycling CRitical Elements in Advanced Technologies for the Environment). RECREATE aims to develop a circular economy for technology-critical materials (TCMs), keeping the materials or components in the highest value form with the lowest environmental footprint. 👣 The research project will bring together leading industrial and public sector players and policymakers, all involved in the drive to create a circular economy for critical materials in the UK, to uncover radical improvements to how critical materials are sorted, reused and recycled to reduce environmental impact and waste by-products, and how to design new materials and products that use these materials. Read the full article 👉 https://loom.ly/go47Sfk #WasteManagement #CircularEconomy #CriticalMaterial

Addressing the Recycling Education Gap 📚 Despite decades of investment in recycling education, we still see low recycling efficiency rates. The EPA reports a drop from 34.7% in 2015 to 32.1% in 2018. What’s the root cause? A lack of education and convenience. We need to explore innovative ways to educate people about proper waste disposal and recycling, with smart systems like AI-enabled waste bins providing real-time feedback to help users make informed choices. Let’s close the gap and drive change through knowledge and accessible tools. #Recycling #Education #Sustainability #Innovation

Laboratories account for an estimated 2% of global plastic waste and use up to 10 times more energy per square metre than typical office spaces. The LEAF (Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework) program aims to reduce carbon emissions and environmental impacts of labs, while supporting research quality. Children's Cancer Institute is now recognised as one of only 6 "Gold Leaf Accredited" teams across the UNSW campuses. A total of 78 teams across the university are registered in the program, so we are truly at the forefront of the sustainable laboratory movement. Some of the elements that allowed our Core Services team to reach the required standard of the gold accreditation included reducing plastic waste through expanded recycling programs and a reduction in single use plastics, reduction of energy use via adjusting temperatures of drying ovens and ultra low temperature freezers for higher efficiency operation, and the use of sensors to identify equipment not currently in use allowing shutdown. This has been a huge effort by our team and we’re very proud of the work done in this space. #ALifeShouldBeLong #CuringChildhoodCancer #ItsNotIfItsWhen #MedicalResearch #CancerResearch #Sustainability

Some interdisciplinary ideas from the Circular Economy may be useful for economists to analyze public policy regarding waste disposal, repair, reuse, and recycling, from Don Fullerton nber.org/papers/w32419 nber.org/system/files/w…

Sustainable Champion Award (2024) I am incredibly honored to be Nominated and runner-up for the prestigious Sustainability Champion Award internationally in the United Kingdom. This recognition celebrates my dedicated efforts in advancing sustainability on campus and beyond. Campus Initiatives: My current research focuses on exploring innovative methods to reduce waste and enhance recycling processes. At the University of Liverpool, I have initiated and part of a group dedicated to collecting, sorting, and recycling where we work on waste, aiming to significantly reduce the university's waste footprint and raise awareness about sustainable practices. As part of the university guild, I am also involved in planting a diverse range of plants, contributing to our green campus initiative. Global Projects: Beyond the campus, I am planning a revolutionary project to implement automatic waste sorting in rural and developing countries, addressing the critical issue of waste management awareness. This initiative involves close collaboration with thermal and waste management plants to introduce innovative and sustainable solutions. These projects aim to transform waste management practices and make a significant environmental impact in regions that need it the most. Working on sustainability, waste management, and green electricity generation is not only a professional privilege but also brings me immense personal satisfaction. It is gratifying to contribute to protecting our environment and ensuring a sustainable future for all. Gratitude and Future Vision: This award motivates me to continue my work with even greater passion and commitment. I am excited about the future projects and collaborations that will further drive positive environmental change. Being recognized as a Sustainability Champion runner up is both humbling and inspiring, and I am eager to keep making impactful contributions to sustainability and environmental protection. #SustainabilityChampion #EnvironmentalStewardship #WasteManagement #GreenInitiatives #UniversityOfLiverpool #Sustainability #WasteReduction #GreenEnergy #SustainableFuture #GlobalImpact #HEARAccreditation #Globalprojects

Make your campus greener with effective recycling ♻️ Start with recycling education to help students and staff understand the impact of recycling and empower them to do it right. Add engaging recycling stations to reinforce effective recycling and reduce contamination rates. Drive behavioural change by making recycling: * Easier * Engaging * Efficient Consider fun incentives like our CafeCrush Reverse Vending Machine, which rewards students for recycling cans and bottles. Small rewards can make eco-friendly habits exciting and impactful. By uniting the campus around recycling, we’re building a community dedicated to sustainability and creating habits that last a lifetime. Click the link in the comments to learn more🔗 #Recycling #CampusRecycling #College #University #Bins #RecyclingStations

Professor Veena Sahajwalla FIEAust CPEng has had a long career in recycling science and green manufacturing. As Director of the Centre for Sustainable Materials Research & Technology (SMaRT) at UNSW, she’s spearheaded research into microfactories as a facilitator of molecular circularity. “What I really enjoy seeing is when our collaborators [and] industry partners are as excited … and passionate about doing micro-recycling, because it makes sense for their business,” she said. In a recent conversation, she outlined how Australia can transform waste into valuable materials, reshaping the country’s approach to sustainability and innovation. https://lnkd.in/gV9Y-R6A

Breakthrough in Battery Recycling Achieves 98% Efficiency Researchers from Rice University have developed a groundbreaking recycling method that achieves 98% recovery of battery materials. This new technique, known as flash recycling, involves rapidly heating battery waste to 2,500 Kelvin, creating magnetic structures that simplify material separation. This method not only enhances recycling efficiency but also reduces environmental impact and cost compared to traditional methods. By preserving the structure and functionality of battery materials, this approach promises a more sustainable future for electric vehicle production. The process is scalable and holds potential for addressing both cathode and anode recycling challenges. #Sustainability #circulareconomy #BatteryRecycling #SustainableTech #GreenEnergy #ElectricVehicles #Innovation #EnvironmentalImpact

Teach4SDGs Workshop Session 2️⃣ The Workshop was titled: Circular Economy and Sustainable Waste Management Definition of Circular Economy by Mrs Deborah Edward was "Circular Economy is an economic model designed to minimize waste and maximize resource efficiency." I learnt that we need to move away from linear ways of using items: "Create, Use and Dump"... We have to do better by ensuring long term usage of our respective items and recycling them to recreate great things from the used items. Circular Economy affects all industries that exist in the world but the effects are mostly felt in the Manufacturing and Construction industries. Teachers are to ensure that examples that are given in the classroom during learning processes promote the Circular Economy understanding This will Help the students cultivate the habits of ensuring items are used and can always be re-used for different purposes. With Circular Economy practices... Our World is safe 🌍 #SDGs #AIIDEVAfrica #Teach4SDGs

A recent study conducted by Dominik Blasenbauer, Florian Huber, Julia Mühl, Johann Fellner, Jakob Lederer at Vienna University of Technology investigated the composition and quality of bottom ash produced from two types of municipal solid waste incinerators: a fluidized bed combustion plant and a grate incinerator, both located in the same city in Austria. Bottom ash, the primary solid residue from waste incineration, contains valuable materials such as metals, glass, and minerals that can be recycled. This study underscores the importance of understanding the characteristics of bottom ash to unlock its recycling potential, aligning with the principles of a circular economy. This research highlights the crucial role of optimizing waste-to-energy strategies and the importance of further developing efficient recycling processes to enhance sustainability. As we continue to strive for a recycling-based circular economy, these insights can inform practices and policies that support resource recovery from waste. Read more from this article in the PDF bellow 👇 #WasteManagement #CircularEconomy #Recycling #Sustainability #Research #EnvironmentalScience