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Earth911 Podcast: Turning Surplus Resources Into Reuse Gold
Garry Cooper Jr., co-founder and CEO of Rheaply joins Mitch Ratcliffe for this episode of the Earth911 podcast. Mitch is the publisher at Earth911.com and the sustainability leader at Metaforce, a global marketing firm. A veteran tech journalist, Mitch is passionate about helping people understand sustainability and the impact of their buying decisions on the planet.
In this episode, the two discuss Rheaply’s vision of “Circularity for every business.” Much of the waste in our world is the result of overstocking and excess inventory in business and government. As much as $600 billion in surplus goods are lying unused in some of the largest organizations in the world, including universities, hospitals, and industries that span the planet, like construction and heavy manufacturing.
Deforestation Efforts Not Making Needed Progress
Deforestation Efforts Not Making Needed Progress – The New York Declaration on Forests reports that national and global programs to prevent deforestation are falling short of their goals because of a lack of transparency. The nonprofit says, “Progress toward Goals 3 and 4 — reducing deforestation from infrastructure and extractive developments, while supporting sustainable livelihoods — is too slow to protect remaining intact forest landscapes.” Infrastructure projects account for 17% of deforestation, mainly due to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The organization argues that accountability combined with transparency is required to force economic planners to acknowledge their words and deeds are not aligned. Arctic Thaw Awakens Ancient Microorganisms – As permafrost melts in Siberia, Alaska, Canada and Iceland accelerate, humans are at risk from microbes that have remained frozen for millennia. For example, anthrax broke out in Russia after the disease was released by melting permafrost due to higher ocean temperatures. We cannot know the consequences that will come to pass, but working to prevent the thawing of Northern permafrost by restoring the climate to pre-industrial CO2 levels does offer a path to avoid the risk. Human Pollution Includes Antibiotic-resistant Bacteria – The spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria due to human use of drugs and chemicals in medical and industrial waste is a growing threat to nature. As humans enter the third century of industrialization, the consequences of drug-resistant bacteria impact species worldwide, from Tasmanian devils and flying-fox bats to Australian sea lions. Researcher Michelle Power writes at Phys.org that “we need to use…
Coca-Cola, PepsiCo Leave Pro-Plastics Lobbying Association
As more and more companies are transitioning away from single-use plastics and actively seeking more sustainable alternatives, The Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo have announced their exit from the Plastics Industry Association. The food and beverage giants announced their decision earlier this week, following a statement from Greenpeace to the same effect. “Companies understand that they cannot publicly say they want to end plastic pollution, while financially supporting an association that lobbies for our continued reliance on throwaway plastics,” said Greenpeace USA Oceans Campaign Director John Hocevar. “This is a victory for every person that spoke up and asked Coca-Cola and PepsiCo to put their money where their mouths are, and tell the Plastics Industry Association to stop preventing plastic reduction efforts.”
Press Release: The Circular Economy Action Plan, a beautiful patchwork of initiatives pointing in the right direction
Zero Waste Europe’s reaction to the new Circular Economy Action Plan.
Bold targets and lifecycle assessments: Experts outline key drivers to combat single-use plastics
Sustainability experts from Sky, Surfdome and Nestlé have outlined how bold aspirations that target problematic plastics through the broader view of climate change can help spur the private sector towards a circular economy.
European Circular Economy Project Researches Wind Turbine Blade Recycling
short time ago very first wind power turbines were dismantled. Much of the material is easy to recycle – mostly steel. But the blades are made with thermoset FRPs that have so far been considered unrecyclable. A short time ago, Finland’s very first wind power turbines were dismantled after nearly 30 years in service. Much of the material is easy to recycle – it’s mostly steel. But the blades, the largest up to 90 meters long and close to 10 tonnes in weight, are made with thermoset FRPs that have so far been considered unrecyclable.Markku Vilkki, CEO of Conenor and demonstration manager for the H2020 project Ecobulk, wants to demonstrate that it is not only possible, but also profitable.“ This is not just a problem for turbine blades. Composite materials are a fast-growing choice for many applications due to the excellent weight to strength ratios, excellent durability, and highly flexible moulding and manufacturing techniques,” he explained. “The analysts of Ceresana expect the global market for C-FRP and G-FRP to increase to a volume of over 9.98 million tons by 2024. But they very difficult, and in some cases considered impossible, to recycle,” Vilkki continued. According to the CEO most end up in landfills – and that’s something that needs to be resolved. “As this is great obstacle not only to the circular economy but also to more widespread use of these materials that otherwise can have great environmental benefits – for example in vehicles, a 10% reduction in weight can result in 6-8% reduction in fuel consumption,” he said. Together with the Ecobulk partners, the possibilities of re-using and recycling bulky composite products are being explored.
At Delft University of Technology (TUDelft), Professor Ruud Balkenende and his team of researchers, are experimenting with a large sample of wind turbine waste that was supplied by project partner Virol. So far their approach is to use the waste to build new products, and through this experience learn how we can improve the original materials for better and easier re-use at the first end-of-life stage. In his labs in Conenor, Vilkki has already produced samples of wood composite extrusion profiles containing 20% FRP waste from wind turbines. While these still need more thorough testing, early results show that these could well be used in lightweight construction applications.
Read the full article at: livecircular.com