Black plastic gets its color from carbon black pigment and is commonly used in food containers, such as meat or produce trays and take-out containers, as well as disposable coffee lids, plastic bags, and hard plastic items like DVD cases and planters. While plastic is one of the categories of things that we are encouraged to recycle - when we can't reuse or repurpose it - not all black plastic items can be recycled.
During the holiday season, you'll likely be giving and receiving loads of gift cards for your favorite shops, restaurants, and online retailers, but can these cards be recycled once the money is gone? Tossing a single gift card in the trash may not seem like a big deal, but these small bits of polyvinyl chloride (commonly known as PVC, the plastic resin used to make gift cards and other household items like CD cases) can really add up.
It's a zero to hero story," said Gemma Webb, CEO of RetuRO, the company running the system in a public-private partnership with beverage packaging manufacturers and the state.
The plan aims to produce 10% of the UK's critical mineral needs domestically and recover 20% through recycling by 2035, backed by up to £50 million in new funding and deeper alignment with the Government's national security and industrial goals.
It's designated by the plastic recycling code #6 PS, which (in unexpanded form) you'll find in plastic cups and CD and DVD cases. Here's a sobering fact: Americans dump approximately 1,500 tons of polystyrene in landfills daily, and less than 1% of it is recycled. That recycling rate is particularly disheartening when you consider that EPS is 98% air, making it technically recyclable-yet most communities lack the equipment and infrastructure to process it economically.
Deposit Re-Turn Scheme feels like just another tax heaped on people who were already doing what they could Sometimes, something can be a good idea and you can still hate it. Like the Deposit Re-turn Scheme. It's a resounding success. There has been a marked reduction in litter and an unexpected financial boost for community groups, clubs and enterprising individuals who have realised that discarded cans and bottles can be collected and money made.
Ian Falconer kept thinking about the heaps of discarded plastic fishing nets he saw at Newlyn harbour near his home in Cornwall. I thought it's such a waste', he says. There has to be a better solution than it all going into landfill. Falconer, 52, who studied environmental and mining geology at university, came up with a plan: shredding and cleaning the worn out nets, melting the plastic down and converting it into filament to be used in 3D printing. He then built a micro-factory so that the filament could be made into useful stuff.
As of 2024, 11 states have implemented statewide bans on single-use plastic bags : California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and, more recently, Colorado and Rhode Island (which went into effect January 1, 2024). Over 500 cities and towns across 28 states have local plastic bag ordinances. While standard plastic bags usually are not permitted in mixed recycling, some supermarkets and other businesses collect single-use plastic bags for recycling.
An exercise in reclamation, the ollection by Luca Nichetto for Astep transforms fragments of precious Murano glass into sculptural lighting, elevating what would otherwise be waste back into the realm of high design. The collection reimagines discarded material with a new identity, offering not just a sustainable solution but also an entirely fresh aesthetic. Because of its pigmentation, Murano glass fragments are traditionally considered unrecyclable.
Few kitchen tools are more essential than good knives. However, it's the nature of anything used so regularly that, eventually, it'll wear down past the point of effectiveness. At some point, you'll have to get rid of some kitchen knives to make room for newer ones in better shape. The question is, how do you properly (and safely) dispose of kitchen knives?
Our communities rightly expect their streets to be back to normal and ready for business by Tuesday morning after Carnival, and we're very proud to deliver that year in, year out. Revellers enjoy a sun-kissed day at Carnival It's a major operation and I am in awe of the hard-working men and women in our waste crews who work tirelessly through the night to collect the rubbish on Sunday and Monday.
After paper, food, plastic, yard waste, and metal, textiles make up the largest share of household waste. Most textile waste consists of discarded clothing. But furniture, carpets, bedding, and even footwear and tires contribute to the total. As of 2018, the last year the Environmental Protection Agency published national statistics, textiles comprise 5.8% of municipal solid waste , but just 14.7 percent of the more than 17 million tons of fabric waste was recycled.
Turning cardboard 12-pack boxes into canned goods storage offers a simple, effective way to organize a pantry without extra expense. The boxes keep canned items neatly arranged, allowing easy access and labeling.
