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How is recycling helping unprecedented demand during COVID in the US?

The food and beverage industries along with their packaging and supply chain partners are termed essential during the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States. Recycled bottles and cans, similar to raw materials and other inputs are part of this supply chain for food and beverage packaging. Leaders within the aluminium, glass and plastic industries have joined together over the past month to emphasize the critical role that bottles and cans redeemed and returned through beverage container deposit programs play in the

50 years of ‘WORLD EARTH DAY’

World Earth day is celebrated every year on 22nd April since 1970 to demonstrate support towards environment protection. Usually people go out for awareness drives on this day which is not possible this year because of the COVID pandemic. This year digital platforms are being used for the same. The theme for 2020 is ‘Climate change’. The proliferation of single-use plastic around the world is accelerating climate change and should be urgently halted, a report warns. Plastic production is expanding worldwide contributing to

Helping hand of Nike’s during the COVID-19 pandemic

Lubrizol together with NIKE is helping protect front-line medical workers fighting against COVID-19. To support Nike’s effort to develop and donate full-face shields and powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) lenses to hospitals across several U.S. cities, Lubrizol donated thermoplastic Polyurethane polymers which is an important element in both pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE). The Lubrizol Corporation is a provider of speciality chemicals for the transportation, industrial and consumer markets. These products include additives for – engine oils, other transportation-related fluids, industrial

More Plastic Makes for Enhanced Sustainability in Automobiles

The transportation sector accounted for 28% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2018 according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which is more than any other sector including electricity generation (27%) and industry (22%). As such, reducing carbon dioxide discharges from this sector are seen as critical if global targets are to be met. Belgium’s EconCore, a developer of lightweight thermoplastic honeycomb core technology already employed it in transport applications. The company’s latest offering is a honeycomb based on recycled polyethylene

Plastics – The new delicacy for marine animals?

David Attenborough, an English broadcaster with BBC describes a sequence in which an albatross arrives at its nest to feed its young. “And what comes out of the mouth?” he says. “Not fish, and not squid – which is what they mostly eat. Plastic.” Attenborough calls this sight heart-breaking. It’s also strange. Albatrosses forage over thousands of kilometers in search of their preferred prey, which they pluck from the water with ease. How can such capable birds be so easily fooled, and

Waste pickers – An integral part of circular economy

Shortly before 6pm on Wednesday 12 July 2017, Ricardo Nascimento, a homeless man in Brazil who made a living by collecting and recycling waste got into a heated discussion with two military police officers outside a pizzeria. Nascimento was holding a piece of wood and when he refused to drop it, the officers shot him twice in the chest. The 39-year-old died instantly. Seven days later, a celebratory mass was held in Nascimento’s name at one of the biggest church in

INTERNATIONAL BAT APPRECIATION DAY-Time to show them some love!

Bats are not always a favorite mammal to humans. We often consider them an omen and relate them to disease outbreaks. One bat can host many different viruses without getting sick. They are the natural reservoir for the Marburg virus, Nipah virus and Hendra viruses, which have caused human disease and outbreaks in Africa, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Australia. They are thought to be the natural reservoir for the Ebola virus. They also carry the rabies virus, but in that case

Could Corona outbreak undo the ban on single-use plastics?

It is estimated by the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UCLA and Princeton University that the virus lives on plastic surfaces for 3 days. Researchers have found that reusable bags do carry pathogens, although there is no evidence about whether they might transmit the virus that causes COVID-19. How has this affected the use of plastics? Less than six months ago, Massachusetts was on the verge of passing a state-wide ban on single-use plastic bags. At least

Smart city Kochi wins award for its go-green efforts

Kochi has won an industry body’s award for ecological sustainability in recognition of the IT townships go-green efforts that save water, avoid plastics and promote overall cleanliness. Smart city Kochi Infrastructure Pvt Ltd was shortlisted for the award along with other majors such as Bosch, Ramanujam IT City and Yamaha Motors considering their contribution to green energy, water management and environmental management. More about Smart city Kochi: Located in the southern Indian state of Kerala, SmartCity Kochi is just 22 KM from

Delhi’s IGI Airport becomes single-use plastic free airport

NEW DELHI: GMR-led Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) said on Monday that Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport has become free of single-use plastic usage. The Confederation of Indian Industry-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development (CII-ITC CESD) that supports the business community towards achieving sustainability has certified DIAL for its successful voluntary implementation of single-use plastic-free airport measures within IGI Airport’s operations. “Our objective to make Delhi Airport free from single-use plastic is in line with the Prime Minister’s vision to