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...
01 Sep, 2026, 11.21 PM IST
In 1991, Curitiba began exchanging recyclables for bus tokens and food. 35 years later, the city recycles 70% of its waste while creating jobs and supporting familiesIn Curitiba, Brazil, residents can exchange recyclable waste for fresh food. Other cities have found different uses for what people throw a...
01 Sep, 2026, 08.19 PM IST
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...
01 Sep, 2026, 07.40 PM IST
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...
01 Sep, 2026, 02.30 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
These sustainable houses built from waste cost under $300: 2 tonnes of discarded plastic can become a home in just 7 daysA Mexican entrepreneur is turning discarded plastic into affordable, sustainable homes that cost under $300. Each house uses around 2 tonne...
31 Aug, 2026, 09.51 PM IST
Two Canadian builders turned 612,000 plastic bottles into 2,000-sq-ft home in Nova Scotia; its panels were so strong they withstood sustained winds of 326 mph, twice the strength of Category 5 hurricaneCanadian builders transformed more than 600,000 plastic bottles into a house. The recycled PET was processed into foam and used to make str...
31 Aug, 2026, 05.05 PM IST
32,600 used tires did not go to a landfill. Instead, Michigan turned them into a 1.15-mile road in Clare County that can also reduce traffic noise. The next target is Detroit roadsMichigan is turning discarded tires into road-building material, with 32,600 passenger tire equivalents reused on a 1.15-mile stretch of Ha...
31 Aug, 2026, 03.59 PM IST
In a 2025 study, researchers fired clay bricks with 10% eggshell powder; thermal conductivity was 50% lower than in untreated bricksInnovators are integrating eggshell waste into fired clay bricks, effectively reducing heat transfer in building structures. By using a 10%...
31 Aug, 2026, 02.27 PM IST
In Maine, engineers turn about 1 million scrap tires a year into lightweight highway fill; the shredded rubber stabilizes embankments built on weak marine clayInnovatively transforming shredded tyres into construction materials for highway embankments, Maine tackled substantial waste tyre pileup w...
31 Aug, 2026, 02.25 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 2019 concrete study, replacing up to 30% of sand with waste tyre rubber increased impact resistance but reduced compressive strengthUtilizing discarded tyres in concrete significantly improves impact resistance. The incorporation of rubber allows structures to flex rathe...
28 Aug, 2026, 02.30 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
In 2022, RMIT tested shredded masks, rubber gloves and isolation gowns in concrete; gloves raised strength by up to 22% and masks by up to 17%RMIT University researchers discovered shredded personal protective equipment strengthens concrete. Rubber gloves increased concrete streng...
28 Aug, 2026, 02.00 PM IST
In 2021, RMIT tested shredded face masks with recycled concrete for road bases; 1 kilometer could use 3 million masks and divert 93 tonnes from landfillEngineers from Australia have introduced an innovative strategy for converting used face masks into construction materials for roads. This ...
28 Aug, 2026, 01.50 PM IST
In 2020, a Brazilian mother and daughter started collecting discarded bottles; years later, 8,000 glass bottles became the walls of their seven-bedroom home that glows at sunriseA Brazilian mother and daughter collected over 8,000 discarded bottles from beaches in 2020. These bottles were then incorporated into the ...
27 Aug, 2026, 11.22 PM IST
Americans discard about 15 million tons of asphalt roof shingles a year, but old roofs can be ground up and put straight back into the roads people drive onMillions of tons of asphalt shingles are disposed of annually in the United States. These old roofing materials can be processed into recyc...
25 Aug, 2026, 01.20 PM IST