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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF BATTERY WASTE
Why battery recycling is crucial for protecting local ecosystems and securing a sustainable clean energy futureImproper disposal of used batteries can lead to environmental hazards due to toxic metals contained within them. Recycling these batteries ...
In 1991, Berkeley transformed a landfill into Cesar Chavez Park. 35 years later, the former dump is a scenic waterfront park with an annual kite festival for localsAtlas Obscura identifies César Chávez Park as a former landfill that hosts an annual kite festival and notes that the Berkeley Kite Festiva...
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...
In 2023, Virginia Tech researchers turned plastic bags and food containers into soap-making surfactants; the products could be worth about $3,550 a ton in a lab-scale processScientists at Virginia Tech have pioneered an innovative method to convert plastic waste into valuable soap compounds. By breaking down eve...
In 1972, Illinois built a highway embankment with 246,000 cubic yards of coal ash. It’s still holding up even after 50 yearsIn 1972, a groundbreaking highway project in Illinois incorporated coal fly ash as a structural fill, challenging traditional practices. Th...
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...
In 2011, Lovell FHCC joined a green federal challenge with 3 focus areas. 3 years later, LED retrofits cut electricity 15%, saving $500,000 and 7.4 million pounds of CO2Lovell FHCC lighting project remains a useful example of how sustainability goals can produce measurable results when they are connected to...
In 2014, Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago cold-composted 320 tons of grass clippings across 120 acres, lifting waste diversion from 18% to 39% overallThe scale of Lovell’s campus made the strategy particularly significant. The facility occupied approximately 120 acres and included a full ...
In 2022, Hawaii used 195,000 plastic bottles to rebuild a road. Engineers found an alternative use for recycling plastic waste, but there's a catchHawaii's officials have embarked on an innovative experiment to blend recycled plastic into road asphalt, effectively repurposing nearly 20...
A PhD student used shredded baby diapers in a prototype Indonesian house; 27% of its non-structural concrete blocks contained diaper waste, totaling about 3,700 poundsAn extraordinary house in Indonesia has creatively utilized nearly 3,700 pounds of discarded diapers. This unique construction method incor...
In 2024, South Dakota State University researchers turned banana peels into biodegradable film; it reached 31.3 MPa tensile strength and lost more than half its weight in moist soil within three weeksScientists at South Dakota State University have transformed banana peels into a plastic-like film that is biodegradable and breaks down in...
This North Carolina student built a science project exploring how dirty water could be turned into a source of power for tiny batteriesPrakhar Purohit created tiny batteries using dirty water for a science project. His innovative idea earned him the 2026 North Carolina Stat...
In 2007, Capannori rejected a new incinerator and embraced zero waste. 19 years later, its door-to-door system helped push recycling above 80% and inspire Italy’s movementCapannori, a town near Lucca in Tuscany, developed a Zero Waste approach after residents opposed a proposed incinerator. Rossano Ercolini a...
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...
In 1960, Marlon Brando discovered Tetiaroa while filming 'Mutiny on the Bounty'. 66 years later, his 35-villa refuge now combines luxury with conservation and clean energyMore than 66 years after Marlon Brando first discovered Tetiaroa, the island's most enduring legacy may be the idea that paradise is someth...
In 2021, NREL fermented food waste into volatile fatty acids and catalytically upgraded them to jet fuel; the SAF was estimated to cut net carbon emissions by up to 165% when landfill disposal was assumedA groundbreaking approach has been created by scientists to transform food waste into eco-friendly aviation fuel. This cutting-edge techniq...
In 2022, Maryland engineers turned crab-shell chitosan into a zinc-battery electrolyte; after more than 1,000 cycles, the zinc anode still delivered 99.7% coulombic efficiencyInnovative researchers are turning leftover crab shells into essential components for batteries. Packed with chitosan, these shells can cre...
California’s CR&R digester can process 334,000 tons of food and green waste yearly, yielding 4 million diesel-gallon equivalents of RNG and 250,000 tons of fertilizerIn California, a remarkable facility is transforming food waste into renewable natural gas fuel, effectively capturing harmful methane emis...
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...
How a student turned waste glass into an ‘oyster home’ and won Rs 1.2 lakh awardA Florida high school student, Delaney Peterson, has explored an unusual way to support oyster reef restoration, by turning discarded glass...