From Pollutant to Product: Consumer Goods From Captured Carbon - an earth911 report

 

From Pollutant to Product: Consumer Goods From Captured Carbon

ByGemma Alexander

Nov 29, 2021 carbon capture, CO2

We’ve already poured so much carbon into the atmosphere that now simply cutting emissions isn’t enough to forestall the effects of climate change. Sequestration has to be part of the solution, but we can’t possibly plant enough trees. So some folks are getting creative, using circular design principles to create new products out of our biggest problem waste. Earth911 publisher Mitch Ratcliffe recently spoke with three people whose companies pull carbon out of thin air and turn it from pollutant to product in a panel titled “Mining the Sky: Making Consumer Goods out of Captured Carbon.” Here we take a look at some of the consumer goods that these and other companies are making from captured carbon.

Direct Air Capture

Direct air capture (DAC) uses chemicals to remove carbon dioxide from air, essentially concentrating it. There are two types of DAC system; one uses liquid solvents and the other uses solid sorbents (like a chemical sponge). Once the carbon dioxide is captured from the atmosphere, the solution (or sorbent) is typically heated to release the carbon for use, and the other chemicals for another carbon capture cycle.

The climate change benefit of DAC depends on two factors – the source of the energy used in the carbon capture process, and how well the captured carbon is stored. Using fossil fuel-based power in DAC processes undercuts its effectiveness. The heat used for DAC must come from waste heat, renewable energy, or nuclear energy to significantly reduce atmospheric carbon.

When captured carbon is used to make consumer products, the lifespan of the product will determine how long the carbon stays out of the atmosphere. Single-use products and consumables (like carbonated beverages) will quickly release the carbon back into the atmosphere, while construction materials may store the carbon for decades.

The first large-scale DAC plant is now being developed in the United States, but most of the 19 DAC plants already operating in Europe, the U.S., and Canada are small and sell the captured carbon for use in products and commercial processes. There are more companies collecting carbon from industrial emissions at the source. This is because carbon is much more concentrated in industrial smokestacks than in the atmosphere.

Concrete

One of the earliest and most promising consumer applications of captured carbon is concrete. A long-lasting material used in vast quantities, concrete is also said to be responsible for 4% to 8% of the world’s CO2, half of that from production processes. Using captured carbon in concrete can not only help offset the energy costs of producing concrete by up to 48%, but it can also reduce the energy cost of capturing carbon by skipping the energy-intensive purification step.

Cleaning Products

Cleaning products have nothing like the lifespan of concrete. But, there is a satisfying balance in scrubbing the atmosphere when you clean your house. A new laundry capsule from Unilever uses surfactants made with alcohols derived from captured industrial emissions. Although the new laundry detergent will initially be available only in China, it may eventually become an option for everyone looking for a greener clean in their clothes washer.

Expedition Air started as the consumer product division of a company that makes CO2-enhanced additives for concrete and anti-corrosion coatings. Now they partner with other companies to produce a wide variety of items. Each product incorporates materials made from carbon dioxide emissions and displaces more carbon-intensive materials used in their conventional counterparts. Among them is CleanO2, a line of soaps made with potassium carbonate captured from natural gas heating appliances.

Household Items

Expedition Air’s partners also make a variety of household items, from concrete coasters to crayons. Few of these products are likely to make a significant contribution to carbon sequestration. Instead, they serve as conversation starters. And for that purpose, few things could be more effective than artwork. Air Art is a program in which Expedition Air collaborates with artists through a residency program and other partnerships to showcase carbon capture technology. Ranging from science-themed T-shirts to colorful landscape paintings, each Air Art piece tells an environmental story. They also use materials that incorporate captured carbon.

Luxury Goods

At least one company is turning alcohols made from captured carbon to more luxurious uses than laundry. Air Company’s use of captured industrial carbon to manufacture jet fuel may be ironic. But their products also include pure alcohols that form the base for a gender-neutral perfume, Air Eau de Parfum, with jasmine, fig, and tobacco notes. (Although pure essential oil fragrances exist, nearly all commercial perfumes use an alcohol base. Alcohol is among the least problematic ingredients used in perfume and cologne.) Air Company also makes an 80-proof vodka.

Perhaps the ultimate luxury product, diamonds are pure carbon. And they are usually among the least ethical jewelry options. Even lab-grown diamonds, which have fewer environmental and human impacts than mined diamonds, have a huge carbon footprint because they are made from methane and require tremendous energy to produce. Aether diamonds improve on standard lab-grown diamonds by using DAC carbon as a source material and renewable energy to power their process. Each carat produced removes 20 metric tons (22 U.S. tons) of CO2 from the atmosphere.

AirCarbon

Made in facilities powered by renewable energy, AirCarbon is a plastic substitute. Using air and carbon dissolved in water, this plastic-like material does not require DAC. Instead, the makers of AirCarbon use a biological process. In a large saltwater tank, naturally-occurring microorganisms from the ocean form a polyester material called polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). They manufacture the resulting plastic-like material into compostable straws and cutlery under the brand name restore. Although single-use products like these have little value for carbon sequestration, their replacement of disposable plastics is still a significant win for the oceans.

The cost of carbon capture will drop as new DAC facilities come online and increase the capacity of the technology. As carbon capture scales up, the number and type of captured-carbon consumer products will change. This product class could shift from conversation-starting novelties to one among many strategies for substantially reducing atmospheric carbon concentrations.

Very interesting! A bit of a complicated process it seems but it is good to see that other options are on offer!

The blog song for today is; " A little bit of soap" by Showaddywaddy

TTFN

 

I will not be a bystander. And neither should you... - Ecohustler.com

Ecohustler

3-4 minutos

---

This afternoon, over a hundred people have sat down on Lambeth Bridge to break the National Highways super injunction in solidarity with the at least 34 people who have broken these injunctions so far, 9 of whom received prison sentences this week on 17th November. The group of over a hundred people from all walks of life marched from outside the Royal Courts of Justice at 12pm arm in arm and in rows, each row holding a sign that read ‘Betrayed by my government’. The group intend to stay in the road until they are arrested.

The strategic road network injunction is one of four temporary injunctions granted to National Highways and Transport for London in the past two months. The scope of the injunctions now covers the M25, all major roads in London, the Port of Dover and the entirety of the strategic road network in England.

Following the sentencing of the Highway 9, there has been widespread anger among much of the general public, at the court’s decision. Coming only days after COP26, and one day after the Police, Crimes and Sentencing Bill was in the House of Lords, where even further draconian elements were added to it, the decision to imprison ordinary people protesting peacefully has created a shockwave across the UK.

Gully Bujack, who attended the action, said: “We are living through scary times. Experts are telling us that COP was a fatal failure and there’s no time to lose. History tells us that civil disobedience is the key to driving urgent social change. And now the full force of the state and the judiciary is being wielded against us, to outlaw peaceful protest.

“We are now banned from protesting in the streets. But these streets are ours, and we must not allow ourselves to be driven from them – not now, when we have everything to lose. All roads are now historic sites of civil resistance. We are in resistance. And we call on everyone to join us.”

The 9 will likely only be the first of many to be imprisoned for breaking the injunction, with another 23 people who could also suffer the same fate. Many now feel committed to taking their place and breaking the injunction themselves in order to defy this ruling, which flies in the face of serious climate action.

Alanna Byrne of Extinction Rebellion, who also took part in the action today, said, “When I saw the Highway 9 give their testimonies in court this week, I knew I had a duty to take a stand today in their place. These people willingly gave up their freedom to push the government to act on the greatest crisis we’ll ever face.

“The failure of COP26 should shock everyone into action. World leaders are protecting the interests of the fossil fuel industry over the general public, they are not coming to save us. All we have left now is to come together on the street and rebel for all we hold dear.

“The government thinks that this injunction will scare people into submission and stop taking action. But the opposite is true. This has only ignited a fire in people that will spread faster than they know. As Emma Smart said in the courtroom on Wednesday, ‘I will not be a bystander.’ And neither should you.”

 I am glad to see that there are people out there who are willing to stand up for what they believe in.

I am at a loss to understand how some people still refuse to see what a big mess this planet is in! Amazing really, they just carry on doing the same things over and over again, always leaving things to others, because they are too busy or it´s not that bad, we always have 77% of the rain in november in 14 days, along with hail and plumeting temperatures,every year.  I don´t think so!!! We had constant rain here in Menorca for nearly all of November this year, that is so not normal. We had hailstones over the weekend with the temperature at minus 5.  

Gradually people are beginning to wake up and the young people have a lot to do with it.  They need to carry on with what they are doing and educate others.

The blog song for today is: "Olivers Army" by Elvis Costello

TTFN