What Do Climate Change and Plastic Straws Have in Common? a report from the Green Life (https://www.sierraclub.org)

 

What Do Climate Change and Plastic Straws Have in Common?

Hint: Fracking for gas

Illustration: istock/AlenaLebedeva

By Jason Mark

September 14, 2022

In a fractured America, here's one thing most of us can agree on: Disposable plastic sucks. Eight in 10 voters support policies to reduce single-use plastics, and two-thirds of US residents say they'd pay more for everyday materials that don't contain plastic. Picking up plastic litter remains the go-to Earth Day activity, and "Is This Recyclable?" might as well be the latest environmentalist parlor game.

The concerns about plastic make perfect sense. While carbon dioxide and methane are invisible—and extinction is an actual disappearing act—plastic is all too tangible. The cookie packages and water bottles, single-use baggies and flimsy cheese wrappers are inescapable. They are the emblem of wanton waste, the signature of a throwaway society.

At the same time, the popular angst over plastic sometimes strikes me as a distraction from bigger environmental problems. In the midst of lethal heat waves, surely there are more important fights. Of course I grieve over the seabirds choked dead on bottle caps and spent lighters. But advocating for a ban on plastic straws while we're on the cusp of the sixth mass extinction can seem like the homeopathy of environmental activism—it can't hurt, but it's unlikely to help all that much.

Here's the thing, though: You can draw a straight line between those single-use straws and the fossil fuels that are cranking up the planet's thermostat. That straw is at the tail end of an industrial network that connects petrochemical facilities to pipelines, pipelines to compressor stations, and compressor stations to drilling rigs that fracture the earth. Plastic pollution isn't just a symbol of a wasteful society; it's the final effluent in a chain of destruction.

In "The Titans of Plastic," Kristina Marusic investigates the various ways in which plastics production threatens public health and environmental well-being. Plastics manufacturing is a significant driver of climate change, as the US plastics industry annually emits greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions from 116 coal-fired power plants. Its production is a health risk to people who live near the manufacturing sites, which release volatile organic compounds and particulate matter that contribute to respiratory diseases, birth defects, and cancer. The base components of disposable plastic—tiny pellets called nurdles—are now the second-largest source of ocean micropollutants after tire rubber.

Most maddening is how truly unnecessary all of it is. The plastics boom is a classic case of big business manufacturing a demand for the needless. Awash in a glut of oil and gas from the fracking fields and facing decreasing enthusiasm for their products as renewable energies and electric vehicles increase in market share, the fossil fuel giants are looking to plastic to sustain their revenues. "You have to drill the wells to support the petrochemical plant, but you also have to build the petrochemical plant in order to keep drilling the wells," one source told Marusic. "It's like a Ponzi scheme."

There are a number of downstream solutions to plastic pollution. Individual households can try their best to avoid single-use plastics in the first place (a tough act) and to recycle as much as possible (in some places, an even tougher act). Governments can put in place producer responsibility laws that require corporations to carry the costs of disposal, creating a market incentive to produce less (Maine and Oregon are already moving in this direction).

The most durable solution is to go upstream, to the source of plastic pollution—which leads right to the oil and gas rigs. The efforts to break America's addiction to fossil fuels and rid us of our disposable-plastic habit are intertwined. Every wellhead that's prevented and every pipeline that's halted raises the petrochemical companies' cost of doing business by making their raw materials scarcer, which makes cheap plastic a little bit more expensive to create.

Disposable plastic is the ultimate false need: We can find ways to live without it. The fossil fuel giants' profit margins can't.

Jason Mark is the editor of Sierra .

A brilliant article, this is the line of action that needs to be taken! At the end of the day, the whole mess we find ourselves in can be put down to money.  It is all about making a profit, "stuff the environment, we don't care about our children and their childrens future, we shall just leave them a great big stinking pile of crap."

The blog song for today is: " Heartbreaker" by Led Zeppelin

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Being paid to recycle - Swedish Style - a report from: https://swedishcleantech.com/news/recycling-and-waste/

     

Why are waste bins equipped with e-smart sensor devices beneficial for the environment? And how do you order a carton of milk on your phone? Swedish cleantech companies have the answers to these and other questions. Their technical solutions may be crucial when it comes to maximizing the sorting necessary to transform waste flows into resources under a circular economy.

Everyone knows this: many raw materials are finite resources, and we will need to reuse them many times over if we are to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement. Despite this, we still incinerate our waste, or even worse, bury it in landfills. This is not only a huge waste of materials but also risks emitting both carbon dioxide and toxins into the environment and atmosphere.

But today, many simple, technical solutions are available to facilitate sorting, which is a prerequisite for recycling. An example of this is an app developed by the Swedish technology company Bower that makes it possible to redeem the deposit on many different types of packaging without the need for further investments in infrastructure.

– All that is required is a package with a barcode, a phone and our app, explains Suwar Mert, founder and CEO of Bower.

– No special machines and or extra logistics are needed.

Deposit stations in the Bower app

It works like this: you take the used packaging to a recycling or environmental station, and the app uses the phone’s navigation system to verify that you are located at an approved recycling centre. You then scan the barcode on the packaging and points are added to your account. Points that can then, for example, be converted into money.

­­­­– If the packaging comes from one of our partners, say Unilever, you are given two points, if it comes from another supplier, you are given one point. The important thing here is that we accord waste products a value so that the consumer is incentivized to return rather than discard them.

But the manufacturer is also granted value, in the form of more data on how consumers use their products.

– The app can also be used to ask consumers questions, allowing the manufacturer to gain new insights into consumer habits. In addition, our solution can be installed regardless of the country because it utilizes the existing infrastructure. This makes it feasible to introduce a deposit scheme at short notice, thereby increasing sorting and recycling, in many more places and for a lot more items than previously.

In Sweden, Bowers’ country of origin, recycling stations for glass, cardboard, plastic packaging etc., are distributed throughout all municipalities. This means that it is convenient and easy for people to return packaging for recycling. However, if residents are to be comfortable using these recycling stations it is necessary that they be kept clean and tidy. Unfortunately, this is not always the case and visitors are met with dirt and overflowing containers. To remedy this, Bintel, another Swedish environmental technology company, has begun equipping waste bins with sensors.

­– The data the sensors generate makes it possible to address three separate problems, says Bintel CEO, Michael Wictor.

Michael Wictor, CEO at Bintel

– Firstly, you can streamline logistics. Instead of emptying waste containers on a fixed schedule, you can do this as needed, which makes it possible to optimize transportation. Secondly, you avoid overfilled waste containers and foul-smelling environmental stations, which makes using the facility far more pleasant, and encourages people to do the right thing, which steps up the recycling rate. Thirdly, you can easily track the fill levels in the waste containers and see how these fluctuate if, for example, you are running a targeted information campaign.

And although all these three aspects are important, there is no doubt which of them Michael Wictor thinks has the most potential.

– We must of course reduce our consumption, but we must also stop incinerating waste streams and emitting vast quantities of carbon dioxide unnecessarily. When we equip the containers with sensors and use the data this gives us to trim the way we deal with the waste we are able to ramp up sorting, which leads to more waste being collected rather than incinerated. In addition, we remove plastics from residual waste and that is what makes the big difference in carbon dioxide emissions.

So far, Bintel is located in Scandinavia, Finland, Germany, Belgium, Italy and Croatia and has approximately 11,000 sensors deployed.

– But we have only just started because we are on a global mission. We will build the company as big as we can because the bigger we get, the more we can utilize our technology to make the world a better place. The big challenge now is to develop our AI solution which will allow us to automate data processing – when we succeed in doing that, we will be able to scale this up for real.

Text: Karin Aase.

This system is similar to the one we have here on Menorca, the one here however, doesn't work very well, it only covers big brands like coca cola, which means to get points you have to carry on supporting them and they are the worst polluters in the world. It doesn't seem to be stopping the vicious circle.

I don't know if it is the case, but it seems like they are encouraging people to buy these products more so they can make money, but we should be making these large companies stopping using plastic. It seems like an underhand way to get more sales in the name of recyclying. We should be using up what we have not giving the large companies a green light to make more.  

The worst thing for me is that in order for us to try and keep all this waste from polluting the planet even more, we have to pay people to do what they should be doing anyway. What a sad state of affairs.

The blog song for today is: " The rain" by Oran 'juice' Jones

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Quitting single-use plastic in Japan - a report from BBC.com

 

Quitting single-use plastic in Japan

(Image credit: Charly Triballeau / Getty Images)

By Melinda Joe25th August 2022

Japan is one of the world's biggest plastic waste producers, thanks to its love of packaging - but a week of going plastic-free in Tokyo reveals surprising solutions.

Every Tuesday morning when I take out the garbage, I see clear plastic rubbish bags stuffed with empty PET bottles stacked beside the blue recycling bins. In the ward of Tokyo where I live, the city sets out weekly collection bins for glass, aluminum, and plastic at designated points around the neighbourhood. By 8am, the bins are invariably full, but the volume of plastic bottle waste has been growing faster than municipal governments can effectively keep up with.

Production of plastic bottles in Japan has jumped to a staggering 23.2 billion per year, from 14 billion in 2004. While the country boasts advanced recycling technology, approximately 2.6 billion bottles are incinerated, sent to landfills, or lost to waterways and oceans annually.

Like most Tokyo residents, I'm fastidious about separating my rubbish and always dispose of plastic bottles in recycling bins. But single-use plastics – products primarily derived from fossil fuel-based chemicals which can only be used once – are difficult to avoid in the Japanese capital.

Vending machines selling drinks in plastic bottles line my street. At the three convenience stores located within five-minutes' walk from my apartment, the selection of single-serving, ready-to-eat items – such as bento lunchboxes and pouches filled with comfort foods like kinpira (burdock root and carrots cooked in sweetened soy sauce) – has expanded. At supermarkets, fruits cradled in polystyrene netting, packed into plastic cartons, and then wrapped in cling film are a common sight. In 2014, Japan generated 32.4kg (71lb) of plastic packaging waste per capita – second only to the United States, at 40kg (88lb) per capita.

Excessive plastic packaging is the norm in Tokyo (Credit: Getty Images)

Over the past couple of years, I've noticed a proliferation of plastic waste in my home. During the pandemic, my husband and I came to rely on takeout and a cornucopia of tasty, time-saving frozen treats available online – vacuum-packed pizzas, plastic-wrapped burritos, and plastic bags full of potato galettes. One day, I realised that plastics made up around two-thirds of our waste. Alarmed by reports that ocean plastic pollution will quadruple by 2050, I worried that we were headed down the slippery slope of convenience that is contributing to the plastic crisis. To find out how much changing my daily lifestyle habits could reduce waste, I set myself the challenge of cutting out single-use plastic over the course of a week.

The plastics challenge

Even before Japan began charging for plastic bags at retail stores, I'd been choosing reusable bags for shopping. Carrying a water bottle and downloading the MyMizu app, which shows a map of refilling stations around central Tokyo, helped me avoid buying water in PET bottles.

To significantly reduce my plastic waste, I focused on limiting packaging, first by cutting back on lunchtime takeaway, which frequently comes in plastic containers, and refraining from shopping online.

Still, excessive packaging is the norm in Tokyo. Shop clerks commonly wrap glass jars in bubble wrap or place loose vegetables in plastic bags automatically at checkout.

Japan's obsession with packaging has cultural roots related to concepts of "presentation and respect, especially when giving gifts," says Azby Brown, author of Just Enough: Lessons from Japan for Sustainable Living, Architecture, and Design.

The tradition of wrapping objects conveys "the regard you have for the other person." In the modern retail context, packaging indicates good customer service: "Customers expect it," Brown says. "People want to know that the food is protected, not bruised or soiled. The notion of cleanliness is very important here."

Despite my virtuous intentions, I met with setbacks early on, after a beer importer offered to send me some bottles to try (as a food and drinks writer, I often receive such samples). The box arrived filled with plastic packing pillows, each bottle enveloped in a double layer of bubble wrap.

The week of my challenge also coincided with the worst heat wave in Japan since 1875 – five hellish days of temperatures exceeding 35C (95F), with soul-crushing levels of humidity. After two days of cooking in my sweltering kitchen, I caved. Dreading the extra hassle of washing and chopping vegetables every night, I began augmenting dinners with prepared foods from various takeaway shops in my neighbourhood.

Although karaage fried chicken was sold in waxed paper bags and takoyaki squid dumplings came in boat-shaped bamboo trays, vegetable dishes like pressed tofu salad and coleslaw came in individual plastic clamshell packages. Leak-prone items like kimchi, a Korean side dish of preserved vegetables, were wrapped in extra plastic, but even fresh bread and pastries from my local bakery were encased in plastic bags.

"We try to minimise the use of plastics, but consumer demand is high in this humid environment," says chef and sustainability advocate Shinobu Namae, who runs Bricolage Bakery in central Tokyo's Roppongi district. "Weighing food quality versus the problem of plastics is always an issue, but we try to find a balance."

 

 

 

 

 

Japan's first zero-waste city Kamikatsu has a recycling rate of 80% (Credit Kazuhiro Nogi / Getty Images)

Looking for eco-friendly eateries around town, I discovered a list of takeout restaurants that allow customers to bring their own containers compiled by Mona Neuhaus, the founder of No Plastic Japan. Unfortunately, none were located near me. The same was true of a number of Tokyo shops selling food by weight. I was especially keen to check out Nue, the city's first zero-waste supermarket selling dried foods in bulk and produce without packaging. However, getting there would involve a 52-minute train and bus ride from my home.

Similarly, a trip to one of the Aeon supermarkets in Tokyo with a Loop deposit scheme for reusable containers would take me 38 minutes by train. While these provided great options for the occasional outing, none offered a practical solution for my daily needs. I do almost all of my grocery shopping on foot, within an 800m (2,625ft) radius of my house, so it doesn't make sense for me to travel across the city to buy food.

Instead, I started buying more produce at mom-and-pop yaoya greengrocers in my area, where whole fruits like pineapples and vegetables such as potatoes and cucumbers are pre-measured on trays and sold without packaging. Even at these small vegetable stands, however, plastic containers are still used for many items such as herbs. Instead of purchasing rice from the supermarket, I found a traditional rice shop I'd never noticed before selling by weight in paper bags only 600m (1,968ft) away. Going to different shops took extra time, but I never had to walk more than 20 minutes to each place.

I continued to do the bulk of my shopping at my local supermarket, which has recently started to sell some vegetables without packaging. When cashiers tried to toss my loose bitter melon and eggplants into small plastic bags or attempted to wrap bottles in bubble wrap, I was strict about refusing.

By the end of the week, these measures helped reduce my plastic waste by nearly half – a good result but not as much as I had hoped.

Asia's plastics problem

Formerly a problem limited to wealthy industrialised nations, plastic waste is on the rise across Asia – even among developing countries – due to a confluence of rapid economic and population growth compounded by globalisation.

"It's becoming cheaper to produce single-use plastics, and with globalisation it's easy for countries, for example in Africa and Asia, to import these items. In such places, clean drinking water often comes in plastic bottles and bags," says Kyodo News senior staff reporter Tetsuji Ida, who has been writing about the plastic crisis and other environmental issues for more than 30 years.

In 2019, Asia produced 54% of the world's plastics, led by China and Japan. Roughly half of the plastic waste found in the oceans comes from just five countries: China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. Eventually, plastics break down into non-biodegradable microparticles that pose potential threats to wildlife and human health. Plastic pollution affects almost every marine species, and scientists have observed negative effects in almost 90% of assessed species. While the impact on humans is still unknown, microplastics have been detected in blood, placenta, and breast milk.

Once plastic is burned and ends up "in the environment it's very difficult to retrieve," says Melanie Bergman, a marine biologist who researches plastic pollution at the Alfred Wegener Institute in Germany.

It's becoming cheaper to produce single-use plastics - Tetsuji Ida

Nate Maynard, Taiwan-based producer of the climate podcast "Waste Not Why Not" and former sustainability consultant, points to the lack of waste management systems in many regions as a major obstacle. "When people don't have access to waste disposal, they end up dumping or burning it, and that has health impacts as well as environmental consequences," he says, adding that "the human element" is often overlooked in discussions about the harmful effects of marine debris. Improper waste management results in higher risk of diseases such as malaria, dengue, and asthma.

Chemical contamination, says Bergman, is another hazard: "In many parts of the world they don't have the money to build the kind of incineration plants we use in Germany, so you end up with highly toxic residues that you have to deal with in future generations," she says.

Japan ranks second in the world behind Germany for plastics management. Although the country has been lauded for its plastics' recycling rate of more than 85%, the figure paints a deceptively rosy picture of the situation. According to the Tokyo-based Plastic Waste Management Institute, in 2020, only 21% of plastic waste underwent material recycling, which reuses plastic; 3% underwent chemical recycling, which breaks down plastic polymers into building blocks for secondary materials. 8% was incinerated, while 6% went to landfills. 63% of plastic waste was processed as "thermal recycling," which involves using the plastic as an ingredient for solid fuel and burning it for energy.

"That means that two-thirds of plastic waste is, in fact, incinerated. In Europe, this 'thermal recycling' would be considered energy recovery, not recycling," Ida says, adding that Japan is the largest exporter of plastic waste. "The recycling rate only applies to what remains in Japan."

In 2020, Japan exported 820,000 tonnes of plastic waste to South East Asian countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, and Taiwan – roughly 46% of the total.

Part of the problem, Ida says, is that Japan's strategy for dealing with plastic waste places the lion's share of the burden on consumers and local governments. "The most expensive process of recycling is sorting, which is done manually, and local administrations bear the highest cost. That means the burden is on taxpayers, while companies pay only the cost of recycling – not for collection or internal management," he says.

Moreover, Ida says that government initiatives, such as the recent law requiring businesses to set targets for reducing single-use plastics have "very small teeth." Businesses that fail to comply with the regulations will be "named and shamed but there are no fines or legal consequences," he says. 

Japan exports roughly 46% of its plastic waste to South East Asian countries including Malaysia, Thailand and Taiwan (Credit: Mohd Samsul Mohd Said / Getty Images)

In contrast, South Korea has taken firm action to combat an 18.9% increase in plastic waste brought on by lifestyle changes related to the Covid-19 pandemic between 2020 and 2021. Last September, the government pledged to reduce plastic use by 2030 and aims to become a plastic-free society by 2050. This year, the country reinstated a ban on single-use plastic cups at cafes and restaurants. First introduced in 2019, the measures were derailed by the pandemic but will be expanded to include cutlery and straws later this year.

Taiwan takes a similarly progressive approach to plastic waste management. With more than 2,000 recycling companies and government facilities, the country has a robust recycling infrastructure. In 2018, the recycling rate for PET bottles was as high as 95%, and initiatives such as discounts for those who bring their own cups to cafes and restaurants subtly reinforce the reuse-and-recycle mindset.

Recycling, however, is only part of the equation for achieving a more sustainable society. Efforts to reduce waste, Maynard says, are equally important. Taiwan's "pay-as-you-throw" model for waste collection – which introduced a pricing system for rubbish bags of different sizes – has helped curb waste. In 2018, the average Taiwanese person produced 850g (1.9lb) of waste per day, down from 1.2kg per person 15 years ago.

"Because recycling is free but trash costs money, consumers are incentivised to buy things that can be recycled. It's as important as sorting because it brings down waste generation," Maynard says.

Sustainability on a Shoestring

We currently live in a unsustainable world. While the biggest gains in the fight to curb climate change will come from the decisions made by governments and industries, we can all play our part. In Sustainability on a Shoestring, BBC Future explores how each of us can contribute as individuals to reducing carbon emissions by living more sustainably, without breaking the bank.

"In the end, we have to raise our voices," Ida says, describing how civil engagement helped propel the adoption of zero-waste policies in Japanese cities such as Kameoka in Kyoto and Kamikatsu in Tokushima, where the recycling rate is around 80%.

In Kamikatsu, the Zero Waste Academy, a non-profit organisation established to promote the town's 2003 Zero Waste Declaration, worked with manufacturers to develop repurchase programmes for used products and advocated for the local government to stop disposing of waste in landfills or by burning it.

 "Municipal, not national, governments are responsible for waste management, so they are the ones who are most willing to take action," Ida says.

The good news is that public support for cutting down on plastic is growing in Japan. But while personal efforts can make a difference, consumers need to put pressure on industry and local governments to effect a real change. On my next visit to my local supermarket, I heeded Ida's advice to utilise the suggestion box: "Even putting comments in the suggestion box can have an impact if enough people do it," he says. "It's a small step, but it's a start."

The blog song for today is: " Paradise city" by Guns n Roses

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Finding Better Biodegradable Bags - a report from earth911.com

Finding Better Biodegradable Bags

ByGemma Alexander

Sep 6, 2022 biodegradable plastic, Plastic-bags

Once upon a time, plastic was heralded as a miracle material. Cheap, lightweight, infinitely customizable yet virtually indestructible, plastic quickly replaced natural materials in myriad products – especially bags. Today, plastic bags are ubiquitous for shopping and groceries, and even inside other types of packaging. Plastic bags are found on roadsides, in waterways, and deep in the ocean, where they break down into microplastics that end up in our food.

Biodegradable Is Better

We need to move towards a post-plastic world. Unlike other nonbiodegradable materials like metals, plastic is not infinitely recyclable. In fact, it is often not recyclable at all. What we need is a biodegradable alternative. But creating a biobased material that functions like plastic is a technological challenge; creating a feasible production model for bioplastics is another challenge. Making the switch to biodegradable products can also be as complicated for consumers as making the bioplastics is for manufacturers.

Biodegradable Plastic

Plastic as we know it is made from natural gas, and accounts for between 4% and 8% of global oil consumption. But functionally similar materials can be made from polylactic acid (PLA), which is typically made from plant starch. The other main type of bioplastic is made from polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). PHAs are long-chain polyesters produced by microorganisms and plants. Both types of material are called bioplastics. You will also see them referred to as biodegradable plastics and compostable plastics. Despite the name, not all bioplastic products biodegrade naturally or break down in a compost bin. In one study, only one plant-based plastic bag (of four bioplastics tested) broke down quickly in water, and even that kind survived more than a year buried in soil.

Not all compostable or biodegradable plastic bags will break down in a backyard compost bin. Many require industrial composting conditions.

Biodegradable Drawbacks

Many of the desirable qualities of plastic – like being sturdy and waterproof – are opposed to biodegradability. Many bioplastics can only break down in a high-temperature commercial composting facility. Those that are readily biodegradable are not sturdy enough for most products. Easily compostable bags are available, but they need to be stored carefully. They can break down in hot or humid environments before you use them.

Most biodegradable plastic bags still require a commercial composting facility. If your local composting facility accepts biodegradable bags, look for ones with a “BPI certified compostable” label. If you don’t have access to a commercial composting facility that specifically accepts bioplastics, the landfill is usually the best option for disposal.

Bioplastics cannot be placed in with the recycling, even if your community recycles other plastics. Products like compostable plastic bags are a contaminant in recycling because they are chemically different from petroleum-based plastics. There have been some attempts to develop consistent labels that will inform consumers about the best way to dispose of bioplastic products.

Plastic Bags

Bioplastics have mostly been used as an alternative for PET, especially in food packaging like beverage bottles and compostable cutlery. Durables might be a better option for these products. One product category where biodegradability makes the most sense is plastic bags. Even when they are made of a recyclable polymer, plastic bags can’t go in the regular recycling in most communities. A few curbside programs accept bagged plastic bags, but more often, they must be delivered to special collection bins – which are not available everywhere.

Biodegradable Bags

Unfortunately, biodegradable bags are not necessarily more environmentally friendly. As a replacement for shopping bags, biodegradable bags might not eliminate the problem of litter, because many of them don’t break down in the environment. Nor are they a very good substitute for garbage bags; they don’t break down in landfills. But they might break before they reach the landfill, creating litter. Biodegradable pick-up bags for pet waste are only environmentally preferable if your municipal composting facility specifically states that they accept pet waste.

The best use for biodegradable bags is to contain food waste in communities that have a three-bin recycling program that accepts both food and yard waste for industrial-scale composting. Even then, you should confirm that your local composting facility accepts biodegradable plastics before throwing them in the bin.

BIOOK biodegradable compost bags are certified to be compatible with backyard compost systems. Photo: Amazon

Compost Bags

BioBag is BPI-certified and even OK Compost Home-certified for home composters. EcoSafe bags are also BPI-certified. Besides food waste bags, they also make compostable grocery bags and a compostable alternative to latex gloves for food preparation. Good Housekeeping rated the BPI- and OK Compost Home-certified bags from BIOOK as the best choice for home composters. Full Circle’s biodegradable compost bag can give you lemon-scented compost collection. They also offer a Kraft paper compost bag with a vegetable-based plastic liner that looks a bit nicer than the standard green bioplastic, and may hold up better in storage.

So now everything is more confusing, do we stick to ordinary plastic bags and put them in the recycling bin, it looks like the answer is no. Are compostable bags really compostable or have they just renamed the type of plastic bag? It just seems like a constant merry go round of complete and utter misdirection and bad information.

The answer is, do not use plastic bags of any description at all, take your reusable bags at all times and if necessary keep an old old ancient plastic bag in your handbag at all times!

The blog song for today is: " Subterranean homesick blues" by Bob Dylan.

TTFN

 

 

♻️ Ayúdanos a reciclar mejor! Hoy, Envases ligeros-Ayuntamiento De Ciutadella

 

ajciutadella
⁉️ ¿Dudas a la hora de reciclar? Depositar correctamente los residuos donde toca nos permite ser más eficientes en el tratamiento y evitar que acaben en el vertedero elementos que podrían reciclarse o valorizarse🔵

👇🏼Aquí va un listado que puedes consultar siempre que quieras saber si lo haces correctamente. Y si todavía tienes dudas, siempre puedes consultarnos a nosotros.

♻️ Ayúdanos a reciclar mejor!

Hoy, Envases ligeros

SÍ ✅

Bótiles de plástico
Latas de conserva y bebidas
Tapas y tapones de plástico, metal y chapas
Bandejas de aluminio
Papel film y papel de aluminio
Aerosoles
Botes de desodorante
Bolsas de plástico
Terrinas y tapas de yogur
Brics: de leche, zumos, sopas, etc
Bandejas de corcho blanco
Tubos de pasta de dientes
Cajas de fruta y verdura

NO ❌

Juguetes de plástico
Biberones y chupetes
Utensilios de cocina
Cubos de plástico
Vasos de papel de cafeterías
Papel plastificado usado en carnicerías y pescaderías
Tupperwares
Puedes tipos Pringles
Cápsulas de aluminio de café
Moldes de silicona para cocinar
Termos
Cajas de CD's y DVD's
Bolígrafos
Encendedores
Materiales de plástico de cuadros o fotografías
Envases de los medicamentos

CÓMO⁉️

1️⃣ Consulta la etiqueta del envase para asegurarte de que va al contenedor amarillo

2️⃣ Mira que en el envase no queden restos de comida u otros residuos impropios.

3️⃣ Aplasta bótiles, briks y latas para reducir el espacio que ocupan en el contenedor.

#AyuntamientoDeCiutadella #Ciutadella #Reciclemmejor

Este muy util y mas facil de entendir. ¡Descubrí que al limpiar los contenedores también se atraen menos insectos y no hay olor!

La canción del blog de hoy es: "Don't you (forget about me)" de Simple Minds.

 

ajciutadella
⁉️ Do you doubt when it comes to recycling? Correctly depositing waste where it belongs allows us to be more efficient in treatment and prevent elements that could be recycled or recovered from ending up in the landfill 🔵

👇🏼Here is a list that you can consult whenever you want to know if you do it correctly. And if you still have doubts, you can always ask us.

♻️ Help us recycle better!

Today, light packaging

YES ✅

plastic bottles
Preserves and beverage cans
Plastic, metal and sheet metal caps and plugs
aluminum trays
Cling film and aluminum foil
Aerosol sprays
deodorant bottles
Plastic bags
Yogurt tubs and lids
Bricks: milk, juices, soups, etc.
White cork trays
toothpaste tubes
fruit and vegetable boxes

NO ❌

Plastic toys
Bottles and pacifiers
Cookware
plastic buckets
coffee shop paper cups
Laminated paper used in butcher shops and fishmongers
tupperware
Pringles and similar types of crisp tubes
aluminum coffee capsules
silicone molds for cooking
Thermos
CD and DVD boxes
Pens
Lighters
Plastic materials of paintings or photographs
medicine containers

HOW⁉️

1️⃣ Check the label on the container to make sure it goes in the yellow container

2️⃣ Check that there are no food remains or other improper waste in the container.

3️⃣ Crush bottles, bricks and cans to reduce the space they take up in the container.

#Ciutadella City Council #Ciutadella #Recyclembetter

It is very useful and easier to understand. I have found by cleaning out the containers less insects are attracted also and there is no smell!

The blog song for today is : "Don't you (forget about me)" by Simple Minds.

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♻️ Ayúdanos a reciclar mejor! Papel y cartón🔵👇- #AyuntamientoDeCiutadella

 

 

ajciutadella
♻️ Ayúdanos a reciclar mejor!

Papel y cartón🔵👇

SÍ ✅

Folios y libretas
Periódicos y revistas
Papel de regalo y envolver
Sobres (sin ventanilla)
Folletos de publicidad.
Cajas y piezas de cartón
Envases (de cereales, galletas, comidas precocinadas y congeladas, comida rápida, zapatos, etc.).
Hueveras de cartón
Tubos de cartón del papel higiénico o de las servilletas de cocina

NO ❌

Papel manchado de grasas u otros residuos
Papel plastificado
Papel encerado o parafinado
Papel adhesivo o con restos de cola
Papel autocopiador o papel carbón
Papel de fax o fotográfico
Pañuelos
Toallas de papel
Pañales
Compresas
Productos de higiene íntima usados
Brics
Bolsas de plástico
Platos y vasos desechables
Bandejas de corcho blanco

CÓMO⁉️

1️⃣ Dobla o corta los papeles y cartones para que ocupen menos espacio dentro del contenedor.

2️⃣ No dejes cajas de cartón o residuos de papel al pie del contenedor. ¡Y mucho menos sin desmontar!

3️⃣ Si cuentas con el servicio de recogida comercial de papel y cartón, no utilices los contenedores azules de la calle.

4️⃣ Respeta los días y horarios establecidos para la recogida comercial.

#AyuntamientoDeCiutadella #Ciutadella #Reciclemmejor
4 w

 

ajciutadella
♻️ Help us recycle better!

Paper and cardboard🔵👇

YES ✅

Sheets and notebooks
Newspapers and magazines
Gift and wrapping paper
Envelopes (no window)
Advertising brochures.
Boxes and cardboard pieces
Packaging (for cereals, cookies, precooked and frozen meals, fast food, shoes, etc.).
cardboard egg cups
Toilet paper or kitchen napkin cardboard tubes

NO ❌

Paper stained with grease or other residues
laminated paper
Wax or paraffin paper
Adhesive paper or paper with traces of glue
Carbonless paper or carbon paper
Fax or photo paper
scarves
Paper towels
diapers
compresses
Used intimate hygiene products
bricks
Plastic bags
Disposable plates and cups
White cork trays

HOW⁉️

1️⃣ Fold or cut paper and cardboard so they take up less space inside the container.

2️⃣ Do not leave cardboard boxes or paper waste at the foot of the container. And much less without disassembling!

3️⃣ If you have a commercial collection service for paper and cardboard, do not use the blue containers on the street.

4️⃣ Respect the days and times established for commercial collection.

#Ciutadella City Council #Ciutadella #Recyclembetter
4w

 I often find pizza boxes in the blue container, it's a shame that they cannot be totally recycled , however I would think it would be possible to recycle the bits that are not covered in grease!

The blog song for today is: "My way" by Sid Vicious

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¡Ayúdanos a reciclar mejor! - Envases de vidrio - #AjuntamentDeCiutadella

 

 

¡Ayúdanos a reciclar mejor!

🟢 Envases de vidrio

SÍ ✅

Bótiles de vino, agua, zumo
Bótiles de cerveza, licores o cualquier otro líquido.
Bótiles de aceite o de salsas
Botes de mermeladas, legumbres, miel y otros alimentos en conserva.
Frascos de cosméticos, colonia y perfumes.
Desodorantes de roll-on o pulverizador.

NO ❌

Tapas, y tapones de los envases depositados (metal, plástico, corcho)
Cristal plano (ventanas, cristales de coches, espejos)
Cristal de pantalla (televisores, ordenadores, etc.)
Vasos y copas
Vajillas de cerámica o porcelana
Ladrillos y piedras
Cristales decorados
Cristales opacos
Frascos de medicamentos
Cristales de lentes y microscopios

CÓMO⁉️

1. Procura vaciar bien los envases.
2. Deposita las tapas y tapones de plástico y metal en el contenedor amarillo, y los tapones de corcho en la fracción orgánica.
3. Si utilizas bolsas de plástico para llevar el vidrio hasta el contenedor, deben ir después al contenedor amarillo.
4. El vidrio es un material fácilmente reciclable, prioriza siempre los envases de ese material.

#AyuntamientoDeCiutadella #Ciutadella #Reciclemmejor
3 w

Poco mas claro, que si o no!

El cancion del blog este: "Mariposa Traicionera" de Maná

TTFN 

Help us recycle better!

🟢 Glass containers

YES ✅

Bottles of wine, water, juice
Bottles of beer, spirits or any other liquid.
Bottles of oil or sauces
Jars of jam, legumes, honey and other preserved foods.
Bottles of cosmetics, cologne and perfumes.
Roll-on or spray deodorants.

NO ❌

Lids and stoppers of deposited containers (metal, plastic, cork)
Flat glass (windows, car glass, mirrors)
Screen glass (TVs, computers, etc.)
glasses and cups
Ceramic or porcelain tableware
bricks and stones
decorated crystals
opaque crystals
medicine bottles
Lens glasses and microscopes

HOW⁉️

1. Try to empty the containers well.
2. Put the plastic and metal lids and stoppers in the yellow container, and the cork stoppers in the organic fraction.
3. If you use plastic bags to carry the glass to the container, they must go to the yellow container afterwards.
4. Glass is an easily recyclable material, always prioritize containers made of this material.

#Ciutadella City Council #Ciutadella #Recyclembetter
3w

Little clearer, yes or no!

The song of this blog: "Mariposa Traicionera" by Maná

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Increasing the Circularity of #1 Plastic (PET) Recycling - an earth911 report

 

Increasing the Circularity of #1 Plastic (PET) Recycling

ByMary McDonald

Aug 17, 2022 #1 plastic, PET plastic, recycling, thermoformed plastic

Here’s a trick question. Can #1 plastics — otherwise known as PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastics — go in the recycling bin?

Bet you thought the answer was yes. That’s only half right. It’s a trick question because the answer’s complicated. Most curbside recycling programs accept #1 plastics for recycling, but only certain forms of it. Bottles that hold various products—shampoo, salad dressing, water, and soda — are almost always accepted. Other types of #1 plastic containers — made by a method called thermoforming — are not accepted or used in the recycling stream.

That may be about to change.

What Is Thermoforming?

Thermoforming is a method of creating packaging by stretching a heated sheet of plastic over a mold to make a desired shape. Clamshell containers — which have a hinged side similar to clams — are one common type of thermoformed packaging. These containers are used to package salad greens, berries, cherry tomatoes, bakery items, egg cartons, and more. They cannot be recycled with PET bottles because the two types of plastic, although both categorized as #1 plastic, are chemically different and melt at different temperatures.

As far as plastic packaging goes, thermoformed packaging isn’t all bad. It:

• Is lightweight.
• Can protect food from going to waste (food waste is a major climate change culprit). It’s also used for packaging blisters, medical packaging, and many other types of packaging.
• Is recyclable.
• Can be made with recycled PET (rPET) as well as a variety of other polymers.

If we could recover more thermoform packaging and add it to the recycling stream, it would represent a positive step toward reducing waste and the need for drilling more oil to support our packaging needs.

There’s a growing demand for recycled PET, especially in the textile industry, which uses it to make polyester. If we can introduce efficient recycling technology, those thermoformed #1 plastic clamshells do have value.

Molded from a sheet of plastic, thermoformed containers 

are popular lightweight packaging for food and other products.

Current Stats on Recycling Plastic PET

Even though it is highly recyclable, the recycling rates for PET plastic packaging are disappointing. Lack of access to recycling systems and low participation among consumers and businesses contribute to poor recycling rates.

As of 2020:

• PET plastic bottles have a recycling rate of about 27%, even though most curbside recyclers accept those items.
• Only 54% of Americans have access to recycle thermoformed PET plastics such as egg cartons and fruit containers.
• Only 9% of thermoformed PET plastics are recycled.

That means that way too much recoverable PET plastic is taking up space in our landfills or incinerated. At the same time, more oil is needed to make virgin plastics used in packaging.

Challenges of Recycling PET Thermoform Packaging

There are challenges to recycling PET thermoform packaging, which is why it often goes to waste. These are some of the problems:

• In contrast to PET plastic bottles, there is no deposit on food packaging, so it’s solely up to the consumer to recycle.
• Adhesives used for labels don’t separate from containers and gum up recycling machinery.
• Paper labels mix in with the PET plastic.
• Thermoformed plastics have less viscosity and are more brittle, making these plastics unsuitable for bottle production. So it’s essential to separate thermoformed PET from other PET containers when recycling.
• Not all materials recovery facilities have sorting equipment that can separate thermoformed packaging from other plastics.
• Consumer confusion about whether thermoformed plastics can go in curbside bins.

None of this means we can’t do better. In fact, there is an array of stakeholders working to improve the circularity of PET packaging.

Working Towards Closed-Loop Recycling of PET Thermoform Packaging

A few years ago, Driscoll’s, the berry company, recognized the lost opportunities of thermoform-to-thermoform recycling. In collaboration with packaging suppliers, a materials recovery facility (MRF), and other industry brands, Driscoll’s became part of The Alliance for PET Thermoform Recycling to remove barriers to thermoform recycling.

In 2021, Driscoll’s and their suppliers achieved a 9% rate of rPET thermoform packaging in their clamshell packaging. Before then, their suppliers used rPET from bottles, but not from thermoform packaging. (Overall, Driscoll’s clamshells use about 80% rPET — including 40% pre-consumer content, 30% rPET from bottles, and 21% virgin plastic.)

The success of this type of material-specific collaboration may serve as a model for other challenging materials in the recycling stream.

Solutions

Another collaboration comes from The Recycling Partnership. In June 2022, it launched its PET Recycling Coalition, which is working to improve the circularity of PET recycling. Its purpose is to create “scalable solutions to packaging and system challenges” and accelerate “the shift to a circular economy that uses fewer finite resources.”

As stated on its website, the Recycling Partnership’s plans include:

• Increasing PET capture rates by upgrading the efficiency of the recycling system
• Optimizing the flow of recycled PET by technology and infrastructure updates at sortation facilities and PET reclaimers
• Bolstering PET recycling through expanded access and effective messaging in local recycling programs

Thermoformed PET plastic is recyclable but likely not in

your curbside bin. Ask your recycling provider where you 

can recycle them locally.

How Consumers Can Support PET Circularity

The success of PET circularity initiatives will come largely from industry and infrastructure. But you can play a role, too.

Send a message that you prefer sustainable alternatives. Buy products made with recycled #1 plastics or biodegradable packaging. When you are shopping, read the package to see if it’s made from recycled content. If brands put in the effort and expense to source rPET, they’ll let you know. Look for the term “post-consumer content” and a percentage.

Call your recycling company and see which #1 plastics they accept. It’s tempting to toss everything with a #1 on it in the bin. If the company doesn’t accept it, though, that’s called wish-cycling and can do more harm than good.

Do your bit by sorting plastics at home and ensuring they are clean and dry when placed in your recycling bin. Be careful not to put thermoformed plastics in the bin if your recycling system does not accept them. But there may be a store or other location where you can drop off these plastics for recycling. Ask your local recycler and also search the Earth911 database for a drop-off location near you. Nothing happens in our recycling system until you take the first step.

Support extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation at state and local levels. EPR programs can include deposit and incentive programs that make it profitable to collect recyclables. Take the time to ask your local waste management office to add comprehensive recycling for all plastics, not just #1 plastic.

Our local council has been sending out information on what we can and cannot put in the recycling bins, it is not as we knew before, so there is at least some recognition that everything is not recyclable despite what it says on the container. We have a new recycling plant here on Menorca which is supposed to be able to recycle more than before.

Keep on keeping on! As I keep saying we as consumers can only do so much,in the way of sourcing products in anything other than plastic, it is not easy, however one of the easiest is stop buying plastic bottles of fizzy drinks and other refreshments.  It is amazing how much of this is around.

The blog song for today is: " Little white bull" by Tommy Steele

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Truly transformative: why the US climate bill is such a big deal - a report from Adam Vaughan at New Scientist

This week’s Fix the Planet comes on the heels of momentous news from the US. “This legislation truly is transformative: it would be hard to overstate what a pivotal moment this was,” says Dan Lashof at the World Resources Institute (WRI), a US-based non-profit organisation.

He’s referring to Sunday, when the US Senate passed the single biggest investment to tackle climate change in the country’s history. The $369 billion allocated for climate action over 10 years in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will not only transform the US economy, but send ripples globally via the UN climate talks and the private sector. The legislation could pass the US House of Representatives this week.

Today’s newsletter dives into where the money will make the biggest dent in emissions, and why it puts the US’s carbon goals in sight – even though, at first blush, the plan falls short.

New wind power projects will get a huge boost from the US climate bill. Photo: Ashley Cooper / Alamy

What are the big-ticket items?
The number of technologies and products getting support is dizzying. The package includes incentives, primarily via tax credits, for wind, solar and geothermal power, next-generation nuclear plants, electric cars, clean hydrogen, carbon capture and storage, direct air capture for carbon dioxide removal, sustainable aviation fuel, energy efficiency measures for homes, heat pumps and the lifting of a moratorium on offshore windfarms in the Atlantic Ocean. The plan largely consists of carrots rather than sticks. One exception is financial penalties for methane emissions above government limits, which will rise by two thirds between 2024 and 2026. 

One large slice of funding is $30 billion for renewable power schemes and battery storage projects. A further $27 billion is for a “green bank” that will fund further clean energy schemes, with a focus on those located in disadvantaged communities. And $60 billion will provide transport measures that cut air pollution for lower-income communities and people of colour. The US has a long history of environmental injustice, where polluting infrastructure disproportionately affects poorer and non-white communities . “There is, for the first time ever, a climate legislation that really is also dealing with environmental justice issues,” says Christina DeConcini at the WRI. “Of course, it’s not enough, but it’s great that there’s a start.”

How much will this cut US emissions?  
Ahead of last year’s landmark COP26 climate summit, US president Joe Biden promised the country would cut emissions by 50 to 52 per cent by 2030, on 2005 levels. That elevated the US to the top rank of international climate pledges. But the difficult history of the IRA and its predecessor, the Build Back Better Act – both were repeatedly blocked by one Democratic politician, Joe  Manchin – meant there were fears that Biden would fail to deliver domestically.

Three analyses, by Energy Innovation, Rhodium Group and a Princeton University team , come to roughly the same conclusion on the new climate legislation: it should cut US emissions by about 40 per cent (44 per cent at best). The energy sector should see the biggest reduction, at about 360 million tonnes of CO₂ by 2030. Transport is expected to be second, falling by about 280 million tonnes.

Sure, but that’s still not halving emissions. How will the shortfall be made up?
I asked Lashof if this makes the 52 per cent goal plausible. “I think this bill puts it within reach,” he says. “It will depend on how rapidly we can implement the measures here, how quickly we can actually build these things, which is a challenge but something that we're trying to tackle.” There are two main reasons to think the gap can be made up. 

One is extra rules from the US regulator, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), most significantly its plans to set emissions standards for vehicles all the way from light-duty ones up to heavy-duty trucks. Electric vehicle sales are very uneven in the US today. Plug-in models commanded an 18 per cent share of new car sales for the first half of the year in California; in North Dakota, the figure was 1 per cent. Lashof sees the regulations as “raising the floor” so that take-up is spread more evenly. The EPA is also planning to advance standards for power plants, within the constraints of a recent Supreme Court ruling limiting its ability to regulate emissions. 

The second reason for hope is action at the state and city scale (the $369 billion is being channelled at a federal level). Lashof says he expects some states will see economic value in going faster than others, such as California’s past leadership on clean vehicle standards. How states choose to spend the billions in last year’s infrastructure bill will also have an impact, such as whether they direct more towards roads or public transport. Finally, cities are taking matters into their own hands, such as Los Angeles, New York and, most recently, San Diego emulating Berkeley in California by banning gas connections in new buildings.

How does the ambition compare internationally?
Fairly well. The European Union’s plan is for a 55 per cent emissions cut by 2030, but against a different baseline, of 1990 levels. China, because of how fast it’s moved on clean energy and its population being four times the size of the US’s, is still doing more on energy in absolute terms. The country attracted eight times as much investment in renewables in the first half of this year as the US.

Meanwhile, some smaller economies are planning deeper cuts, such as the UK aiming for 78 per cent by 2035. However, the UK still needs more policies to meet that goal. Lashof says he wouldn’t claim the US move is the “biggest action in the world”, but it still shows leadership internationally.

What are the buts?
The worst one is the concessions given to Manchin to get the bill passed. The West Virginia senator secured several fillips for fossil fuels, including opening up oil and gas licences on federal land and easing the passage of a gas pipeline in the state.

There are also some niggles in the details of the funding. For example, there will be $7500 tax credits for buying a new electric vehicle and, for the first time, $4000 credits for used vehicles costing less than $25,000. The caveat there, as The New York Times reports, is that less than a fifth of vehicles are in that price category.

Can this all be overturned by a future president?
No. A president’s executive order can’t undo a piece of legislation, says DeConcini. One reason to think the 10-year plan will stay is that businesses including ExxonMobil and Shell have welcomed it, and companies will resist efforts to withdraw the funding.  “Could another Congress undo this? The answer’s yes, [but] I’d say the likelihood is pretty slim,” says DeConcini. She gives the example of Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act (known by some as “Obamacare”), which opponents have repeatedly threatened to overturn but have failed to do. “I don't think it's high probability [that the climate bill will be undone], which is why legislation in the United States is so preferable, but so difficult to achieve,” says DeConcini. 

This looks so promising and let's hope that all other countries, especially the EU are going to do the same.

Maybe they are all on it already.

The blog song for today is:  "Tell all the people" by The Doors

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Wind power's recycling problem- a report from :Adam Vaughan at New Scientist ; However there is a solution!

For an industry that wants to present itself as green, wind power’s problem can be summed up in one word: blades. Most of the mass of a wind turbine, about 90 per cent, is relatively easily recycled, including the steel that compromises the tower. The blades aren’t. The waste generated by those blades might not seem like a huge problem today, but Europe is only just starting to reach serious numbers of turbines nearing the end of their lives. Come 2025, an estimated 30,000 tonnes of blade waste will be generated in Europe. By 2030, the figure is expected to have doubled.   That’s why today’s Fix the Planet is all about efforts to make blades recyclable, starting with this week’s news that recyclable blades have been deployed for the first time on a commercial wind farm.

Several recyclable blades before being installed in a German wind farm. Photo: Siemens Gamesa

Why are blades so difficult to recycle? 
They’re typically made up of several materials, which, like crisp packets , makes them hard to recycle. The interior of the blade is a frame made from balsa wood. The material you see on the outside is usually a composite of glass fibres, carbon fibres and epoxy resin that acts as the glue holding it all together. It’s what’s known as a thermoset material because it’s bonded using heat. This is great for durability, rigidity with enough flexibility and making the blades lightweight. Unfortunately, those chemical bonds are so strong they’re a massive headache to break up. “It’s not impossible, but it is difficult,” says Alexander Vandenberghe at trade body WindEurope. A handful of blades get incorporated into playgrounds and bridges, but most end up in landfill.

What’s new?
Siemens Gamesa, one of Europe’s biggest turbine manufacturers, has gone from announcing plans to make recyclable blades less than a year ago to deploying them last month on a wind farm in Germany. The nine blades across three turbines are a small fraction of the Kaskasi project in the German North Sea, owned by energy giant RWE. But they are also the first of their kind on a commercial wind farm. “We've done it because we work in green energy. We try to provide solutions that are less harmful to the climate than what we've seen in earlier times,” says Jakob Maennchen at Siemens Gamesa. “As a wind turbine manufacturer, I think it hurts all of us deep inside when we see these pictures of the [blades in] landfill, because we want to create something that's positive,” he adds. Some of those pictures are a bit dystopian, in a Blade Runner 2049 fashion.

How are these ones easy to recycle?
The new material is thermoset in the same way, but a supplier based in India and Thailand has added a “link” in the chemistry. When the blade is put in acetic acid at 80°C for about 4 hours, the link is activated, allowing all the component materials to be separated. For now, the number of blades being made this way is small. Beyond the German wind farm, nine recyclable blades will be deployed across three turbines on Vattenfall’s Hollandse Kust Zuid project in the Netherlands. It will take until around 2024 or 2025 before Siemens Gamesa can reach the point where all its blades are made this way, Maennchen expects. There should be no limit on the size of the blades that can be made recyclable.

What will the recycled materials be made into?
This is the big unanswered piece of the puzzle. When the composite material has been recovered in pellet form in the past (as opposed to breaking it down into its constituent parts as can happen now) it has been for “lower grade” uses – in bathroom furniture, for example. Breaking the material down into its component parts will usually mean some form of “downcycling” for another use. “There is always some degradation in any recycling process,” says Vandenberghe. Siemens Gamesa sees a few possible candidates, such as making furniture, surfboards or soundproofing. But the world only needs so many surfboards. Potentially, the fibreglass could one day even be reprocessed to be used in new blades. That’s an unattractive prospect today because virgin fibreglass is “dirt cheap”, says Maennchen. But he says the situation for materials may look different in 25 years’ time.

What are other companies doing? 
Another turbine manufacturer, LM Wind Power, announced earlier this year that it has produced a prototype recyclable blade using a similar approach. Vestas, the huge Danish turbine-maker, is taking a different tack, focusing on a target of creating a blade by 2030 that can be recycled into new blades rather than downcycled into other products. Allan Poulsen at Vestas says this is a vital distinction. “We are pursuing our own idea of making a resin recyclable. But not only recyclable, but also circular,” he says. Making blades into blades is important, he says, because recycling blades into materials that have no use risks creating a new problem. “If there’s no demand, then we're just making a new challenge, aren't we? We need to figure out what to do with these materials. I'm not saying it's easy – it's a really tough ambition.”

Will recyclable blades push up the cost of wind power?
The cost of incentivising new wind farms keeps falling to record lows, pointing the way out of the current energy price crisis facing many European countries. So no one wants to make wind power far more expensive. The new blades do cost more than conventional ones, but Siemens Gamesa says only by a single digit percentage.

What’s next? 
For Siemens Gamesa, it’s all about scaling up production and the supply chain. Vestas is working on its longer-term goal. At a broader level, Vandenberghe says WindEurope is pressing the European Commission to introduce a date on banning blades from being put into landfill. No progress has been made since the idea was first raised last year, but he hopes there might be headway in the coming year, with a ban implemented by the end of 2025. There are a lot of ifs, but a ban could drive investment in better recycling.

In the meantime, what do we do about existing blades?
There are no great answers today, but several ideas are being explored. One cement plant in Germany is burning blade waste to generate heat. Some blades are being shredded so the material can be used in construction materials. Finally, there is pyrolysis, where the material is heated in the absence of oxygen to break polymers apart. But that’s far from a mature process for blades. “I would like to see other industries, the chemical industry, think circularity into their products instead of just making materials as they’ve always done. That’s my big ambition, my big dream,” says Poulsen.

 

This has been one of my concerns, all this stuff is great when it is new, what happens when it gets old?  Unfortunately having seen some of the abandoned solar farms in a lot of countries going to ruin and nothing happening it looked like nothing was going to be done about it.  This report is brilliant and gives hope! We cannot go on like we are, things need to change. 

The blog song for today is: " Dreamer" by Supertramp.

TTFN