Science

Car battery recycling: Staying in charge
Car battery recycling: Staying in charge


Car batteries work by converting chemical energy into electrical energy. When a battery reaches the end of its life, none of these chemicals go away. The spent battery remains a cocktail of dangerous but also potentially useful substances.

Researchers at Swansea University unlock plastic waste car fuel potential
Swansea University researchers unlock plastic waste car fuel potential

Scientists at the University of Swansea have discovered how to transform waste plastics into hydrogen, which could then be used to fuel hydrogen cars.

Compostable cups can now be composted in windrow facilities

The move, facilitated by compostable packaging company Vegware, means that both hot and cold certified compostable cups and lids are now allowed to be processed in any of the UK’s more than 100 windrow composting facilities

All-electric waste collection vehicle tours UK
By
Gethin Roberts
| 31 July 2018 |
FCC Environment are promoting the benefits of electric refuse collection vehicles, which include energy savings of up to 60 per cent over conventional vehicles.
BBC criticised for coverage of oxo-biodegradable plastics
BBC criticised for coverage of oxo-biodegradable plastics
By
Rob Cole
| 26 July 2018 |
Critics have panned the BBC’s coverage of the controversial material, which the EU is in the process of restricting, with naturalist Chris Packham failing to declare his paid position as adviser with an oxo-plastics company during a televised discussion on the material.
Resource Association’s awards celebrate recycling achievements
By
Gethin Roberts
| 18 July 2018 |
The Quality Recognition Award winners were announced at the association’s Annual Lecture in London. 
£20m government fund for plastics research and innovation
£20m government fund for plastics research and innovation
By
Kate Dickinson
| 21 June 2018 |
The government has announced a new £20-million Plastics Research and Innovation Fund to develop cutting-edge and circular approaches to plastics manufacturing in the UK.
Innovative bio-based materials up for award
Innovative bio-based materials up for award
By
Kate Dickinson
| 3 May 2018 |
Six innovative bio-based products using materials including cellulose, soy beans and watermelon sugars are on the shortlist for the 2018 Bio-based Material of the Year award.
Compostable alternative to plastic packaging uses wool as insulation
Compostable alternative to plastic packaging uses wool as insulation
By
Kate Dickinson
| 1 May 2018 |
Woolcool is a packaging innovation for the transport of temperature-sensitive items from the food and pharmaceutical sectors, using wool in place of polystyrene, bubble wrap, gel packs or other non-recyclable insulating materials. 
Tactile expiry labels could prevent food waste
Tactile expiry labels could prevent food waste
By
Kate Dickinson
| 21 March 2018 |
Mimica Touch, a tactile label that shows when food is no longer safe to eat, is going to be trialled by the UK arm of Arla, which owns Cravendale, Anchor and Skyr.
New Dutch facility to turn waste into chemicals
New Dutch facility to turn waste into chemicals
By
Kate Dickinson
| 7 March 2018 |
Plans for a groundbreaking ‘waste-to-chemistry’ facility in Rotterdam to recycle waste into methanol are moving forwards after the project received £8 million of funding.
Hot 100 2018: Who are the leaders of the pack?
Hot 100 2018: Who is leading the pack?
By Resource |
6 February 2018 |
Our annual power list of movers and shakers in the waste and resources industry attracted a record number of votes this year. Here, you’ll find the winners from 100 to one, each accompanied by a voter’s glowing review. Read on to discover who has played their cards right and proved to be our Top Trump for 2018  
MPs urge Education Secretary to include Sustainable Development Goals in curriculum
MPs urge Education Secretary to include Sustainable Development Goals in curriculum
By
Rob Cole
| 8 December 2017 |
EAC Chair Mary Creagh has written to Education Secretary Justine Greening urging her to include the UN Sustainable Development Goals in the National Curriculum.
Industrial Strategy sets out plan to strengthen secondary materials market
Industrial Strategy sets out plan to strengthen secondary materials market
By
Edward Perchard
| 27 November 2017 |
The government wants to position the UK as a world leader in maximising the value we extract from our resources, strengthening the market for secondary materials and moving towards a more circular economy, its new Industrial Strategy has said.
It’s time to vote for this year’s Resource Hot 100
It’s time to vote for this year’s Resource Hot 100!
By
Edward Perchard
| 22 November 2017 |
Voting for this year’s Resource Hot 100 is now open. This is your chance to vote for the waste and resources industry’s biggest influencers.
Grub’s Up: Meet the Entomics team using insects to seek new solutions to the food waste problem
Grub’s Up: Meet the Entomics team using insects to seek new solutions to the food waste problem
By
Rob Cole
| 27 September 2017 |
Resource talks to Entomics co-founder Matt McLaren about the origins of the Cambridge-based start-up’s insect-derived protein product it hopes will provide another solution to the world’s growing food waste problem.
Ugandan school successfully lit in urine-powered energy trial
Ugandan school successfully lit in urine-powered energy trial
By
Rob Cole
| 6 September 2017 |
A team from the University of the West of England has successfully carried out a field test of a urine-powered form of electricity generation in a remote rural location in Uganda.
Search for sustainable waste-based jet and lorry fuels gets government backing
Search for sustainable waste-based jet and lorry fuels gets government backing
By
Rob Cole
| 29 August 2017 |
The government has launched a competition offering the opportunity to win funding for research into sustainable waste-based fuels for planes and lorries.
First food waste collections received at ReFood’s state-of-the-art Dagenham AD plant
First food waste collections received at ReFood’s state-of-the-art Dagenham AD plant
By
Edward Perchard
| 7 July 2017 |
The first delivery of food waste has been tipped at ReFood’s new £32-million anaerobic digestion facility in Dagenham, the largest food waste recycling plant in London.
Novamont sets 40 per cent bio-based minimum on all products
Novamont sets 40 per cent bio-based minimum on all products
By
Edward Perchard
| 30 June 2017 |
Bioplastic manufacturer Novamont has pledged to create a minimum bio-based content of 40 per cent across its MATER-BI bioplastics range in an attempt to further reduce the carbon impact of its products.  
Mediterranean expedition embarks on study of marine plastisphere
Mediterranean expedition embarks on study of 'marine plastisphere'
By
Edward Perchard
| 23 June 2017 |
A two-month expedition to study the ‘plastisphere’ of the Mediterranean Sea departed from the coast of Italy on Thursday, as scientists seek to study how the alarming formation of a plastic-based marine ecosystem will affect the sea and humans.
In rare form
Rare earth recycling: How can we keep our gadgets sustainable?
By
Libby Peake
| 6 June 2017 |
Our reliance on rare earth elements in our gadget-hungry world is growing, but at what cost?
Breakthrough sees new technique for turning coffee waste into biofuel
Breakthrough sees new technique for turning coffee waste into biofuel
By
Rob Cole
| 1 June 2017 |
Researchers at Lancaster University have developed a new technique for converting coffee grounds into biofuels, drastically reducing the time and energy needed in the process.