The Knowledge to Decide

About 8 million tons of plastic each year is leaked into our oceans. Asia is responsible for 80% of this, due to uneven collection infrastructure and lack of stringent regulations. To deal with this issue, the new ‘plastics economy’ could transform the way we deal with plastic waste. The model is the mastermind of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the World Economic Forum and Mckinsey & Company, released in a report in January 2016. This model restructures product design and manufacturing to ensure the recycling of materials. This further extends the shelf life of products through refurbishment and repair, improving circularity and functionality of plastic packaging. For instance, British retail giant Marks & Spencer uses its packaging crates 300 times on average before recycling them. Will recycling plastics make a dent on global pollution? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/asia-the-worlds-biggest-plastic-polluter/

260 million used tires are dumped in landfills all over the world. These tires contaminate groundwater and create clouds of black grime when they ignite, releasing toxins into the atmosphere. IFW Recycling Corporation based in the U.S. sees these old tires as a clean, green and efficient source of fuel. The tires are gassed to result in usable diesel fuel. This does not cause pollution and creates by-products for further use such as distilled water, carbon black and ash. With China emerging as one of the world’s biggest polluters, its government is seeking alternatives to coal-fired electricity generation. This could be one of them. https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/chinas-landfills-can-waste-be-turned-into-energy/