UK companies top the list in commitment to UN sustainability goals

We are in the midst of a plastic crisis. Plastic pollutes at every stage of its lifecycle from when the oil and gas is extracted to produce it, to the end products that litter our streets, pollute our beaches and harm our wildlife.

Pouring solvents down the drain may be an easy way to dispose of them, but this act can be a costly mistake for your business.  Many solvents are considered hazardous waste, and with that designation comes a host of regulations you must follow for proper disposal.  What many companies may not realize, however, is that solvent waste still plays a valuable role in industry even when they are spent or no longer can be used. In fact, solvent waste plays a critical role in the circular economy, a viable alternative that manufacturers are exploring as they look for ways to save costs and improve their sustainability. 

The circular economy has infiltrated the board rooms of Australian and New Zealand water utilities, according to a new report. Now to put these ideas into action. Bricks made from biosolids (bacteria and urea found in human urine) could play a role in circular water system in Australia that avoids heavy metals, microplastics and other pollutants ending up in our waterways.  According to a recent Water Services Association of Australia report on water management in a circular economy, organic building materials like this tick several boxes for a circular economy as they can be returned to the biosphere at the end of their useful life.  The “Bio-Bricks” invention is just one of many interesting technologies identified in the report. Another valuable material that could be extracted from urban waterways for circular economy purposes, WSAA chief executive Adam Lovell says, is hydrogen.