Day: February 13, 2019

Plastics

Your Questions About Plastic Waste, Answered

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Read the full story from NPR.

In January, we published a special report called “A New Weapon In The War Against Plastic Waste.” It profiled Froilan Grate, a Filipino environmental activist, and his efforts to fight the non-recyclable plastic waste that is clogging miles and miles of coastline in the Philippines.

Grate argues that the corporations that produce the waste should be responsible for cleaning it up. And one way he’s getting the brands’ attention is by naming and shaming the companies.

We asked readers to share their questions about plastic waste. Nearly 300 questions were submitted, on topics ranging from microplastics in the ocean to how to help the activist in the story.

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions, answered by NPR correspondent Christopher Joyce and producer Rebecca Davis, who reported the story.

Food waste, Waste to energy

New Utah facility will turn food waste into renewable energy

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Read the full story in the Deseret News.

Throwing out food no longer means it has to go to waste thanks to a new facility in Utah that converts food waste to clean, renewable energy.

Recycling

Michigan gets unprecedented $15M boost for recycling in lame duck surprise

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Read the full story at Waste Dive.

Former Gov. Rick Snyder’s $69 million Renew Michigan initiative managed to secure funding from the state legislature in December. Rather than raising landfill fees, as originally proposed, legislators reached a compromise to cover the expense with new online sales tax revenue.

Per HB 4991, state recycling efforts will receive an estimated $15 million in additional funding every year (up from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s estimated $2 million budget for FY19). The remaining $45 million will go to brownfield remediation, and $9 million will go to landfill oversight.

According to the Michigan Recycling Coalition (MRC), potential priorities include market development, education/outreach campaigns and infrastructure improvement. Now, attention is focused on passing an update to Michigan’s Part 115 solid waste regulations (circa 1994) to better shape long-term planning.

Agriculture, Climate change

These probiotics for plants help farms suck up extra carbon dioxide

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Read the full story at Fast Company.

A mix of fungi and bacteria added to the soil makes agriculture more productive–and helps stop climate change.

Climate change, Publications

U.S. Intelligence Officials Warn Climate Change Is a Worldwide Threat

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Read the full story at Inside Climate News.

Their annual assessment says climate hazards such as extreme weather, droughts, floods, wildfires and sea level rise threaten infrastructure, health and security.

Consumption

Opinion: Sooner or later, we have to stop economic growth — and we’ll be better for it

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Read the full story at Ensia.

The end of growth will come one day, perhaps very soon, whether we’re ready or not. If we plan for and manage it, we could well wind up with greater well-being.

Food service and restaurants, Packaging

Foodservice Packaging Institute: Restaurateurs struggle for options to single-use packaging

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Read the full story at Pizza Marketplace.

There may never have been a more contentious time for restaurant brands when it comes to their dependence on single-use packaging. Last year, stories swirling around a given brand’s decision to use or not use plastic straws ranked among the top food news stories of the year by number of readers.

Still, pizza brands and other limited-service restaurant categories — many of whom depend dearly on inexpensive, sanitary packaging — continue to struggle to come up with solutions to the questions once answered by disposable pizza boxes, plastic cups, straws, utensils and any of the many other wraps and containers a typical brand must have to do business.

Green building

Gateway Arch Museum Gets LEED Gold

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Read the full story in Buildings.

In St. Louis, MO, the newly renovated Visitor Center and Museum at the Gateway Arch has been awarded LEED Gold in recognition of the building’s sustainable site development, water savings and building materials.

Consumer electronics, Materials science, Publications, Research

A Long-Lasting Sustainable Battery Could Be Around the Corner

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Read the full story at Interesting Engineering.

These groups of researchers are working to making a long-lasting and sustainable battery a reality.

Events, Pollution prevention, Regulation

Webinar: Nonylphenol Ethoxylates (NPEs): New EPA Reporting Requirements and Availability of Alternatives

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Tuesday, April 2, 2019 1:00 pm
Register here.

Join the United States Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 and Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Program – in collaboration with Canberra Corporation and ISSA, the Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association – for a webinar about new reporting requirements under TRI, tools to find alternatives, and successful NPE replacements.

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