#sustainability
Video: Is Plastic Sustainable? - By The British Plastics Federation
By Shardell Joseph
The British Plastics Federation (BPF) has released two videos to to help tackle some of the public misunderstandings around plastic, addressing its role in society and the best ways to prevent plastic waste.
The video’s were released after an international debate on plastic waste at the World Economic Forum last week, in support of the BPF’s recent document Understanding the Debate about Plastic, which outlines why plastic is important for modern life and the evidence on effective ways to reduce waste.
Video: Improving Plastic Recycling in the UK - By The British Plastics Federation
YouGov findings recently revealed over two-thirds of the public believe that plastic packaging is the most damaging material for producing carbon emissions during its lifecycle. Research into the environmental impact of plastic, however, disproved this, and indicated that that replacing plastic with other materials is not necessarily better for the environment. Academics have also cautioned against swapping plastic for other materials due to the unforeseen negative consequences it may have for the planet.
‘We hope that through widely sharing content such as these videos, we can help clear up public misunderstanding about plastic,’ said British Plastics Federation Director General, Philip Law. ‘The recent YouGov poll results show the issue clearly - most do not appreciate plastic’s role in helping us reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
‘Policymakers and the media need to take note. By turning away from plastics we may do a lot more harm to our environment than good. We must ensure we work together to make the best choices for our planet, and plastic has an important role to play in fighting climate change.’
Photo credit: Angeline Swinkels - photographer
By Shardell Joseph
A new aquatic design captures and harvest rainwater, allowing people in drought-stricken areas to catch utilise their own water. Design Academy Eindhoven Graduate, Shaakira Jassat, showcased the Aquatecture panel at Dutch Design Week last month.
Designed to fit on the outside of buildings in dense urban environments, the panels collect rainwaters as it filters through the openings in the structure. The water is then pumped into a grey-water system connected to the specified building.
‘The main goal was to create a water harvester that would fit in dense urban spheres through its compactness, visual identity and ability to integrate into architecture,’ Jassat said.
‘It consists of a modular panel designed to harvest rainwater. When integrated with technology, it has the ability to harvest moisture from the air,’ she added.
‘Instead of sliding off the surface, the panel permits water to be collected through a punctured, geometric surface. Aquatecture makes water conservation both visible and engaging.’
The panels are made from stainless steel, utilised for the materials durability and rust resistance. The steel was then studded with perforations in a slim, rounded funnel shape. Jassat tested the pattern, and other patterns, by making prototypes and showering them with water to simulate the rain.
Once the rainwater has been captures, the Aquatecture panels would allow residents to channel the rainwater into the building grey-water system, which can then be recycled along with the wastewater from sinks, washing machines and other appliances.
While the primary purpose of the panels is to catch rainwater, Jassat says that, if hooked up to other equipment, they could potentially also pull water from the atmosphere via condensation.
As part of her research into aquatic design, Jassat has also designed the Tea Drop tea machine, which has the ability to condense water vapour from the surrounding atmosphere. Jassat claimed that it could initiate an alternative for daily rituals, adding an element of sustainability to day to day routines.
‘It functions on its own time frame, so one has to wait for the tea vessel to be filled up with water, before it can be boiled and ready for making tea,’ she said.
Jassat conducted her research on tea farms in Asia, discovering that water is a large by-product of processing tea and harvesting tea leaves, which are dependent on weather and time.
Jassat’s next step will be to test the design in situ on a building facade. She has also recently conducted research into air plants – the tillandsia and bromeliad species – which draw all their water needs from the air.
Credit: MORE
By Idha Valeur
A new tool for monitoring how much of recycled polymers get used in new products has been launched in the UK.
The recycling tool, called MOnitoring Recyclates for Europe (MORE), aims to track how much of recycled polymers become new products, as well as making a record of what the industry is doing to reach the 10 million tonnes of recycled polymers being used every year between 2025-2030 target set by the European Union (EU). This monitoring tool is now available for UK plastic converting companies.
By using MORE, UK companies can record and submit information on to what extent recycled polymers have been used in their new products.
On Monday 11 November, British Plastics Federation Director General, Philip Law, and European Plastics Converters Managing Director, Alexandre Dangis, signed a contract in London, making the UK – officially – the 13th country in the EU to supply the industry with the platform.
‘The plastics industry in the UK has been working to integrate more recycled content into its products and we are very happy to be making MORE available within the UK. Participation in the platform is key to its success and we urge companies to help us develop this valuable data so we can understand and communicate the UK’s progress,’ Law said.
For more information about MORE visit their website athttps://bit.ly/33TP2SF
Before you recycle, replenish and restore!
- Broomfield: Question 300 would impose a five-year prohibition on all fracking.
- Fort Collins: Its measure would create a five-year moratorium on fracking and storage of waste products related to the oil and gas industry in town.
- City of Boulder: 2H proposes a five-year moratorium on oil and gas exploration.
- Lafayette: Question No. 300 would ban new oil and gas wells in town. [As well as] prohibit “depositing, storing or transporting within city limits any water, brine, chemical or by-products used in or that result from extraction of oil and gas.”
(Source: Denver Business Journal)
Happy Earth Day…