The European Parliament‘s Environment Committee has recommended a report that the European Union should cut waste and Members States and have mandatory recycling, although those who can‘t comply with current targets will be given five more years to do so. New Europe reports that the committee voted to reinstate most …
Mais »A reciclagem e a crise econômica
"O órgão ambiental inglês estimulou as parcerias entre prefeituras e empresas de reciclagem a promover a participação popular para uma coleta mais eficiente. Para reduzir os impactos ao meio ambiente, há, inclusive, abertura para identificação de áreas alternativas para armazenamento dos materiais" Por Beatriz Luz A reciclagem é mais uma …
Mais »USA – new study advances method to make energy from farm waste
Washington University engineers using imaging technology have found that vigorous mixing helps microorganisms turn farm waste into alternative energy. AP reports that hog and cow manure is a persistent pollutant from industrial-sized barns and feed lots, but can become a useful source of fuels like methane when broken down by …
Mais »Lei deveria obrigar reciclagem de automóveis
Assim como foi imposto à indústria de pneus, obrigadas a reciclar os pneus na mesma quantidade que novos são comercializados, algum deputado federal deveria propor uma lei similar para a indústria de automóveis. No caso dos pneus, a lei começou obrigando a reciclar um pneu a cada quatro vendidos, depois …
Mais »Latvia – in with recycled plastic bricks, out with cement
Recycling has been around for ages, but it wasn‘t until the 1970s that drop-off recycling centres emerged, and the late 1980s that doorstep collection began. Enviromental Expert reports that while the existing recycling process is crucial to dealing with the growing amount of waste we produce, researchers are looking for …
Mais »Canada – study looks at compatibility of biodegradable and traditional plastic bags
recent study from Recyc-Quebec, entitled Evaluation of the Impact of Bidegradable Bags on the Recycling of Traditional Plastic Bags, shows that there are incompatibility problems with three of the four biodegradable bags reviewed in the study in terms of their recyclability with traditional plastic bags. The study was funded by …
Mais »UK – WRAP advice on helping consumers reduce fruit and vegetable waste
UK agency WRAP have published interim results from a research project examining consumer attitudes and behaviour around storage of fresh fruit & vegetables in the home. Recommendations have been givem as to how consumers and retailers can help to reduce the amounts of fresh fruit & vegetables thrown away in …
Mais »Dissertando sobre o lixo urbano
Marçal Rogério Rizzo (*) Antes de dissertar sobre o lixo urbano, achei necessário escrever brevemente sobre as cidades. Na atualidade, é quase impossível imaginarmos o mundo sem discutir a sustentabilidade urbana e pensando nisso logo surgem perguntas na cabeça: Como criar melhores condições de vida nas cidades? Como vivermos em …
Mais »USA – making Zero Waste part of the plan
An article from Dr Maggie Clarke of Maggie Clarke, a long-time New York City-based solid waste scientist, researcher, educator, and activist. Amid the pages and pages of ideas and proposals to move New York toward sustainability in "PlaNYC", there is barely a mention of solid waste. Even though solid waste …
Mais »US – car companies look to generate power from waste heat
One might think that the steam engine is an outdated technology that had its heyday centuries ago, but in fact steam is once again a hot topic with vehicle manufacturers. Indeed, the next generation of hybrid cars and trucks may incorporate some form of steam power. Honda, for example, has …
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