Debate around single-use plastics tends to centre on plastic straws and bags, despite disposable nappies being one of the biggest contributors to plastic waste globally. They are typically made from a multitude of plastics, including a polyethylene waterproof back layer and a polypropylene inner layer. A baby may get through between 4,000 and 6,000 nappies [...]
COP26 deliberations came to an end recently. The wide-ranging set of decisions, resolutions and statements that constitute the outcome of the summit were the fruit of intense negotiations, strenuous formal and informal work over many months, and constant engagement both in-person and virtually for nearly two years. The package adopted, the UN says, was a [...]
Scientists have discovered microplastics in the blood of farm animals, including cows and pigs, for the first time, prompting concern over the material's movement through the food chain towards humans. The research, which involved 12 cows and six pigs, was led by the Vrije University in Amsterdam. Those working on the project have warned of [...]
A report published on Tuesday (12 October) in Environmental Pollution has identified a link between phthalate exposure and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. The research states that, in a sample representative of the US population, the associated risks to mortality accrued societal costs of more than USD $39 billion per annum. The study sampled 5303 adults [...]
The US Environment Protection Agency recently found that recycled paper and construction materials "contained greater numbers of chemicals than virgin products". Researchers found 733 chemicals in particular, including flame retardants, solvents, and dyes, which had a "greater occurrence in recycled compared to virgin materials". The authors of the paper, which was published in Environmental Science [...]
Allowance of compostable liner bags, and in some cases compostable products, is a must for some clients of a Tennessee composter. Key has been tweaking processes and equipment to manage them successfully. In 2011, Edward Wansing launched The Compost Company in Ashland City, Tennessee, the first organics recycler in the mid-state region around Nashville. Wansing, [...]
In response to an emerging need to better understand soils as key deliverers of these vital services, the make-up of the soil science research community has been transformed. Soil science has arguably shifted from a discipline largely concerned with the fundamental mechanics of soil systems (soil physics, soil biology, soil chemistry, soil hydrology, etc), to [...]
The EU's Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD) came into force on 3 July. The guidelines can be accessed through the European Commission website. They involve important changes to labelling, to materials and products permitted to be sold on the European market. More specifically, the SUPD comprises product bans; design requirements; targets for separate plastic recycling collections; [...]
On 31 May the EU Commission published the long awaited and delayed SUP guidelines, which aim to support Member States in the implementation of the Single-Use Plastic (SUP) Directive at national level by 3 July 2021. The EU Commission also published a Q&A on the application of SUP rules, as it can be expected that [...]
Compost organisations around the world have joined forces to highlight how composting can recycle carbon, help mitigate climate change and feed the soil. International Compost Awareness Week (2-8 May) showcases how recycling organic wastes into compost can benefit the environment and people by locking up carbon in soil, returning nutrients to degraded land while also [...]