In 2017, UC Riverside turned waste glass bottles into lithium-battery anode material; one bottle could supply 3-5 pouch cells, while coin cells kept 1,420 mAh/g after 400 cyclesEngineers have ingeniously repurposed discarded glass bottles, converting them into battery anode material. This innovative method turns wa...
06 Sep, 2026, 02.20 PM IST
In 2020, Australian researchers burned discarded human hair into carbon dots for OLEDs; the dots reached 87% quantum yield, and rigid displays hit 700 cd/m²In a remarkable scientific breakthrough, discarded human hair has been converted into luminous carbon dots, now being explored for their ap...
06 Sep, 2026, 02.10 PM IST
In 1996, Columbia reeled out a satellite on a 19.7-km conducting tether; the line snapped after nearly 5 hours of data, but the system reached about 3,700 voltsThe Space Shuttle Columbia embarked on an innovative mission, aiming to generate electricity through a tethered satellite system employing ...
04 Sep, 2026, 08.17 PM IST
ERI and Ecoreco unveil “ERI India” in Tokyo, marking a milestone in e-waste recycling and circular resource recoveryIn Tokyo, ERI and Ecoreco have launched ERI India, an initiative that merges international IT asset disposition (ITAD) knowledge with India...
04 Sep, 2026, 06.52 PM IST
In 2011, CEQ, EPA and GSA launched a national electronics plan. 15 years later, 2.4 billion EPEAT products generated $24.6 billion in savings for buyers nationwide2011 strategy emerged at a time when computers, monitors, printers, mobile devices and other electronics were becoming increasingly importa...
03 Sep, 2026, 08.02 PM IST
15-year-old builds flashlight powered by body heat: How her hollow aluminium tube generated electricity to keep an LED lit for more than 20 minutesA 15-year-old Canadian student built a battery-free flashlight that uses the temperature difference between a warm human palm and cooler ai...
03 Sep, 2026, 01.16 PM IST
In 2011, ICE Chicago relied on 1 recycling bin for 200 workers; a hybrid system of 4 centers and desk boxes raised recycling to 38% and participation to 85%The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Chicago Field Office enhanced its recycling program. They established four recycling centers a...
03 Sep, 2026, 12.50 AM IST
University of Kentucky researchers pressure-cooked bourbon stillage into hydrochar; its supercapacitors stored up to 25 times more energy, while another design retained 96% capacity after 10,000 cyclesChemists at the University of Kentucky have pioneered a remarkable technique to recycle bourbon stillage, converting this distillation wast...
02 Sep, 2026, 02.50 PM IST
In 2012, Chicago’s Railroad Retirement Board found new life for 3,200 pounds of electronics through reuse and recycling; the effort lifted waste diversion nearly 10%The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board successfully recycled over 3,200 pounds of electronic waste. This achievement was driven by federal prog...
01 Sep, 2026, 10.30 PM IST
In 1993, Taiwan collected 70% of its trash while recycling virtually none. 33 years later, paid bags, musical trucks and sorting helped drive recycling to 55% nationwideTaiwan’s experience therefore challenges the idea that recycling depends mainly on individual environmental enthusiasm. People certainly ne...
01 Sep, 2026, 04.13 AM IST
The receipt in your hand looks harmless, but its heat-sensitive coating can contain chemicals that transfer to skin, raising fresh questions about repeated everyday exposureMany receipts are printed on heat-sensitive thermal paper, which contains chemicals like BPA and BPS. This poses a risk as exposure can occ...
31 Aug, 2026, 11.26 PM IST
Miami researchers tested concrete that replaced sand with leaded CRT glass; a biopolymer helped limit lead leaching before durability damage raised concernsResearchers explored using toxic CRT glass in concrete mixtures. This hazardous waste contains significant amounts of lead, posing environm...
30 Aug, 2026, 04.30 PM IST
In a 2011 Oak Ridge case study, ethanol-fed microbes cut uranium in groundwater from 40-60 mg/L to below the US drinking-water limitBy utilizing ethanol injections, researchers effectively stimulated indigenous bacteria to aid in the cleanup of uranium contamination. Thi...
30 Aug, 2026, 02.50 PM IST
In a 2015 Deakin University study, crushed waste glass replaced 30% of concrete sand; after 28 days, the recycled mix was 6% stronger than conventional concreteAustralian researchers found that crushed glass strengthens concrete mixtures effectively. Replacing sand with up to thirty percent recycle...
28 Aug, 2026, 02.20 PM IST
ET Startup Awards 2026 | Social Enterprise: Varaha delivers carbon dollars to smallholder farmersVaraha is helping farmers adopt sustainable farming practices such as regenerative farming, tree planting, biochar and enhanced rock weathe...
27 Aug, 2026, 06.00 AM IST
ET Startup Awards 2026: Nominees for Social EnterpriseWith this category, we intend to recognise the startup that best embodies the ‘double bottomline’ model, one that combines profits with the...
20 Aug, 2026, 06.00 AM IST
In 2024, University of Illinois researchers showed electricity could recover gold from e-waste with fewer chemicals. 2 years later, a redesigned molecule removes the remaining chemical step, making metal recovery cleaner and simplerResearchers developed a new molecule for recovering gold from electronic waste. This molecule uses electricity to drive the separation proc...
15 Aug, 2026, 06.04 PM IST