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MULTINATIONAL FIRMS AND PLASTIC WASTE
Since 2016, about 23,000 Plastic Pirates pupils have surveyed German rivers for litter; their data found plastic and cigarette butts among the most common itemsOver seven years, German students spearheaded a monumental investigation into river litter, with thousands lending their efforts. Their fin...
From 2018 to 2022, more than 200,000 Break Free From Plastic volunteers audited waste in 84 countries; 56 companies produced more than half of all branded plastic pollutionA recent investigation highlights that fifty-six companies are behind the majority of branded plastic waste, with Coca-Cola at the forefron...
16-year-old Massachusetts student built a machine that turns 3D-printer waste into reusable material, won $75,000 awardIn Massachusetts, a resourceful student has launched a compact system aimed at addressing the challenges of 3D-printing plastic waste. His ...
6,000 milk bottle road in China: How plastic waste found a strange second life in ShanghaiMore than 6,000 used milk bottles in Shanghai were given an unusual second life when they were processed into recycled plastic and incorpor...
In 2022, Wales mixed fibres from 4.3 tonnes of used nappies into a highway; the waste replaced asphalt material imported from EuropeWales recently resurfaced part of the A487 highway using fibers from 4.3 tonnes of recycled diapers. Sanitized diaper waste was processed i...
In 2025, a UK nuclear waste site began installing railway sleepers made from about 90 kilograms of recycled plastic each - their claimed lifespan was 50 to 100 yearsA UK nuclear waste site has installed composite railway sleepers made from recycled plastic. These durable sleepers offer a sustainable alt...
In 2021, Victoria used 2,100 tons of recycled road base to rebuild the Hume Freeway. 5 years later, its 850-metre stretch had turned waste into a longer-lasting road tooPlastic bags and glass bottles usually end up in the trash. In Australia, some became part of a highway instead. Engineers rebuilt an 850-m...
In 2021, Missouri added just 1% waste plastic to a two-mile road, that tiny share consumed 10 tons, equal to 750,000 soda bottlesIn 2021, Missouri transportation officials discussed a road project that tested recycled plastic in asphalt pavement. Engineers from the Un...
In 2021, Shanghai used 6,000 milk bottles to fight plastic waste; the result became China's 1st plastic road, turning hard-to-recycle bottles into useful paving materialShanghai’s “Milk Bottle Road” demonstrates how difficult-to-recycle plastic can be redirected toward useful infrastructure. Developed throu...
In 2011, Axion built a 90-foot plastic bridge over Scotland's River Tweed. 1 year later, ASME reported its six sections took just 4 days to assemble on-site in EdinburghEngineers have developed recycled structural composites from materials such as milk jugs and detergent containers. The technology, pioneere...
In 2025, Nebraska put two million plastic bags into a 4,000-foot road; it became the state’s first recycled-plastic roadNebraska put the equivalent of two million plastic bags into a 4,000-foot road in 2025, creating the state’s first recycled-plastic road. T...
In 2019, Victoria's Wyndham City turned 199,000 recycled bottles into a 200-metre footpath. 1 year later, the project had reached 339 metres and delivered 1,700kg in carbon savingsVictoria’s Wyndham City turned 199,000 recycled bottles into a 200-metre footpath in 2019. The project showed how plastic waste could be gi...
In 2019, Australia's Central Coast Council used 631,000 plastic bags, 117,000 bottles and 14,400 printer cartridges on a 600-metre road. 7 years later, the project remains a striking waste-to-road example across the regionCentral Coast Council is now using recycled soft plastic and glass in road surfacing. This innovative product, Reconophalt, diverts thousan...
In 2025, Washington State researchers recycled wind-turbine blade waste into plastic; up to 70% of recovered GFRP was reused, while 83.5% of the resin matrix was degradedInnovative researchers have unveiled a groundbreaking chemical technique to recycle decommissioned wind turbine blades. This process effect...
At 18, this Irish student invented plant-based plastic that doesn't just biodegrade; it is designed to break down microplastics tooA creative solution emerges from Ireland, where a student has pioneered Eco Purge, a biodegradable substance that emits enzymes aimed at de...
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...
A Nigerian engineer built his first model house with 14,800 sand-filled plastic bottles; the experiment later grew into 15 houses, including a five-bedroom duplexNigerian engineer Yahaya Ahmed is building homes using thousands of discarded plastic bottles. His initiative has constructed up to fifteen...
In 2022, Duke students shredded and melted plastics 1, 2, 4 and 5 into bricks; a $248.84 setup produced blocks holding over 5,000 N in compression testsStudents at Duke University embarked on an innovative project, transforming everyday household plastic waste into strong building bricks. T...
In 2023, researchers oxidized orange-peel waste for 1 hour and recovered 55% of its sugars; engineered E. coli produced up to 393 mg of PHBResearchers have developed a method to convert orange peel waste into plastic. This process extracts sugar from peels, which then feeds bac...
In 2025, Petgas in Boca del Río reportedly processed 1.5 tons of plastic each week without oxygen; its pyrolysis system produced about 356 gallons of fuelA Mexican company, Petgas, converts plastic waste into fuel using a process called pyrolysis. This innovative machine processes significant...