Latest News

As fruits traders in Lagos State count their losses due to spoilage of their items, a project that turns fruit waste into energy which powers streetlights and a few shops in Babajide Sanwo-Olu Market, Ketu, is helping traders to maintain a cleaner and safer environment, SULIYAT TELLA reports.

Environmental organisations yesterday urged the government to scrap the proposed Tk 5,745-crore North Dhaka 42.5-megawatt waste-to-energy (WtE) project in Aminbazar, alleging that it would impose a heavy financial burden, worsen air pollution, and undermine sustainable waste management. They described the project as one of the country’s most expensive and environmentally damaging power initiatives. Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network (CLEAN), the Bangladesh Working Group on Ecology and Development (BWGED) and the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) shared the findings at a press conference at a Dhaka restaurant. In the keynote paper, Hasan Mehedi, chief executive of CLEAN, said at 85 percent of its capacity, the plant would generate around 316.5 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, at the purchase rate of Tk 26.79 per unit. “If the plant utilisation declines, the tariff could rise to between Tk 47-75 per unit,” he added. Also, the project agreement requires DNCC to supply 3,000 tonnes of municipal waste daily. If DNCC fails to deliver the agreed amount, it would have to pay US$50 per tonne of waste shortfall. The speakers argued that as DNCC currently generates around 2,750 tonnes of waste daily, the arrangement could create financial incentives to generate more waste instead of promoting recycling and waste reduction. They also expressed concern over environmental and health impacts, claiming the plant would emit about 4,11,392 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, alongside ash, ultrafine particulates and toxic pollutants, including heavy metals, dioxins and furans, which pose serious health risks. The keynote paper added that the same investment could install around 425MW of solar power capable of generating nearly 688 million units of electricity annually without fuel costs or harmful emissions.

Switzerland’s heating sector is not facing a new objective, but rather a specific implementation issue. How can security of supply, climate protection and economic viability be combined to create sustainable infrastructure and business models?

Saranac Lake is hosting free hazardous and electronic waste disposal events to ensure responsible recycling and proper disposal of items.

Fresh produce is highly perishable, but proper washing and storage can help make it last longer, saving money and reducing waste. Quad Whitson, extension culinary nutrition and food safety program associate for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, said that according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, about 30 to 40 percent of the food supply in the United States is wasted each year. “Taking simple steps to store produce correctly can help families reduce waste, stretch their grocery budget, and keep food safe and of better quality for longer,” Whitson said. Sarah Bakker, extension local food program lead for the Division of Agriculture, said proper storage also leads to better tasting produce. “It keeps fruits and vegetables tasting better,” Bakker said. “Nobody wants slimy greens, moldy berries or rubbery carrots two days after buying them.” Bakker said fresh produce should be washed before it is eaten, cut, peeled or cooked. “The best practice is usually to wash produce right before use rather than before storing it, since extra moisture can make many items spoil faster,” Bakker said. “To wash produce safely, rinse it under clean, cool running water and gently rub with your hands. “For firmer produce, such as melons, cucumbers, carrots or potatoes, a clean produce brush can help remove visible dirt or debris,” she said. Washing produce with inedible outer peels or rinds is still important, Bakker said, because a knife can transfer contamination from the outside to the inside when cutting. “Leafy greens may be an exception and can be washed before storage as needed, but they should be dried very well before going into the refrigerator,” Bakker said. “Greens labeled as ‘pre-washed,’ ‘triple-washed’ or ‘ready-to-eat’ do not need to be washed again.”

The ACT was the first Australian jurisdiction to require public event organisers, vendors, and caterers to use reusable, recyclable, or compostable alternatives. But for many vendors and waste advocates, it is window dressing, with nearly all of it ending up in landfill because there is no facility to compost it. The ACT government says waterproof and non-stick coatings on many seemingly compostable products should not be composted, which adds to the complexity. There is something very wholesome happening at ACT events when you are eating your food truck treats from a compostable plate, with compostable cutlery and sipping from a compostable cup. The ACT mandates reusable, recyclable and compostable packaging at all public events, but nearly all of it ends up in landfill because there is no facility to compost it. Debbie Clifford pours hundreds of coffees every Saturday morning at the Capital Region Farmers Market, and is demoralised by the lack of action. We re being sold a lie, Ms Clifford said. It says compostable, but it s going straight to landfill.

I toured the Thika Semi-aerobic Sanitary Landfill, that is under-construction at the Kang'oki dumpsite in Thika. Kiambu County Government is ...

JAKARTA, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia's Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries has been preparing an incentive and disincentive scheme for regional governments as part of a national waste management policy aimed at preventing marine pollution, a senior official has said. "Regions that still have waste leaking into the sea will receive disincentives. Those who have successfully managed their waste properly will be given incentives and awards," the ministry's Director General of Marine Spatial Management Koswara said at a recent press conference. Indonesia is estimated to see around 20 million tons of waste entering the sea each year. Koswara said the issue could not be solved by relying solely on the state budget, but required cooperation between local governments, businesses, and communities. Koswara emphasized that the condition of the sea is highly influenced by land-based activities, noting that plastic waste polluting the ocean originates from human activity. "Waste does not appear in the sea by itself. We are the ones producing plastic waste, so we must manage it, reduce it, and ensure it does not end up in the ocean," he said. ■

Every day, the city of Rio de Janeiro, one of the largest metropolises in the Southern Hemisphere, generates 17,000 tonnes of waste, ranging from large industrial debris to candy wrappers bought innocently at newspaper stands. While this waste presents a serious and urgent environmental challenge, it also fuels an increasingly significant portion of the economy, with benefits extending beyond financial gains. - When we look at developed European countries, many are already recycling between 40% and 50%, with some reaching 60%. From an economic standpoint, both recyclable materials and organic waste hold tremendous value - stated Adalberto Maluf, National Secretary for Environment and Environmental Quality at the Ministry of the Environment (MMA), during the Methane Forum: Climate Emergency Brake, at the Rio Nature and Climate Week. Citing a 2025 report, Maluf mentioned that Brazil literally throws away R$27 billion annually, while municipalities spend significantly more - R$45 billion - managing all this waste, often overlooking the environmental impact or economic potential buried in landfills and dumps. - We spend R$45 billion to collect and dispose of waste in landfills, yet we manage to recycle less than a third of the potential. I believe it will be necessary to review contracts, create performance-based remuneration mechanisms, and pay for both effectively sorted materials and those diverted from landfills - he added. According to the IBGE, 60.5% of Brazilian municipalities adopt some form of selective waste collection, and several initiatives serve as examples of how to manage city waste. In his panel presentation, Bernardo Ornelas, Project Coordinator at the Rio de Janeiro Municipal Urban Cleaning Company (Comlurb), highlighted Ecoparque do Caju, a national benchmark in waste management and recycling. There, received materials are sorted and can be used for biogas production, organic compounds for urban gardens, or human consumption, in the case of still...

Ana Catalina Suarez Pena, senior director of strategy and innovation at the Global FoodBanking Network, warned on Monday that organic waste generated by food loss is driving greenhouse gas emissions and accelerating global warming, noting that food systems have been included in every COP agenda since COP28. Speaking to Anadolu at the Zero Waste Forum, Suarez highlighted what she called a stark global paradox. At the same time, 2.5 billion people are facing food insecurity across the globe. There is a paradox — on one hand we are losing and wasting food, on the other, people are facing hunger and food insecurity, she said, noting that food banks serve to interconnect these two urgent conversations. Suarez noted that around 20 percent of global methane emissions come from organic waste, with approximately 77 percent of that organic waste comprising food waste. She stressed that when a food bank prevents one ton of food from being wasted, it also prevents 2.6 tons of CO2 emissions from being generated. She added that reducing organic waste is the fastest way to meet climate commitments while making food available for people in need. The senior director said ways to prevent food waste will be addressed at COP31 under the zero waste package. The most important step we need to take is to prevent food loss and waste from the outset, because the best waste is the one you never generate. Our expectation from COP31 is that the waste agenda takes a very important place, she said, explaining that discussions with the COP31 presidency seek to establish incentives and a clear agenda for reduction. Michael Oko, vice president of communications and marketing at the Global FoodBanking Network, told Anadolu that preventing food waste also prevents the release of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. He noted that food waste accounts for around 8-10 percent of all emissions, making it a major share of the total, yet only about 4 percent of global climate finance is currently direc...