plastic recycling

There can be 240,000 plastic particles in a litre bottle of water

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There can be 240,000 plastic particles in a litre bottle of water

via New Scientist

recycle plasticA single 1-litre bottle of water could contain 240,000 microscopic plastic particles. The health implications of ingesting plastic are unclear, but early research suggests such particles could travel into various organs within the body.

Millions of tonnes of plastic are produced every year as a result of human activity, such as the fishing industry and domestic waste. Most of this is made up of microplastics, which measure between 1 micrometre and 5 millimetres across.

Read the full story here: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2411329-there-can-be-240000-plastic-particles-in-a-litre-bottle-of-water/

A Strange Plastic Rock Has Ominously Invaded 5 Continents

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A Strange Plastic Rock Has Ominously Invaded 5 Continents

via Popular Mechanics

plastic rockPlastics are now  infecting the Earth’s geology—so much that experts are now calling to formally recognize a new kind of sedimentary rock: plastistone. Deyi Hou, an associate professor at Tsinghua University in China, and his colleague Liuwei Wang recently wrote a paper about the emergence of this new plastic-rock fusion.

Read the full story here: https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a46181945/plastistone-sedimentary-rock/

The Microplastic Crisis Is Getting Exponentially Worse

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The Microplastic Crisis Is Getting Exponentially Worse

via Wired

plastic scrapNot even the Arctic Ocean is immune to the incessant growth of microplastic pollution. In a new study that analyzed sediment core samples, researchers quantified how many of the particles have been deposited since the early 1930s. As scientists have shown elsewhere, the team found that microplastic contamination in the Arctic has been growing exponentially and in lockstep with the growth of plastic production—which is now up to a trillion pounds a year, with the global amount of plastic waste projected to triple by 2060.

Read the full story here: https://www.wired.com/story/the-microplastic-crisis-is-getting-exponentially-worse/

Amazon might finally be cutting down on plastic waste

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Amazon might finally be cutting down on plastic waste

via Popular Science

After years of criticism for its outsize use of plastic, the world’s largest retailer appears to be making progress to reduce its plastic footprint.

plastic waste

Amazon announced in its latest sustainability report on Tuesday that orders shipped from its fulfillment centers used 85,916 metric tons of single-use plastic in 2022—an 11.6 percent decrease from the amount used in 2021.

Read the full story here: https://www.popsci.com/environment/amazon-cut-down-plastic-waste/

Driving Sustainability: Unlocking Profitable Opportunities in Selling Plastic Scrap and Utilizing Recycled Materials

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Driving Sustainability: Unlocking Profitable Opportunities in Selling Plastic Scrap and Utilizing Recycled Materials

Sustainability is a critical focus for businesses across various industries. Plastic manufacturers, in particular, are under increasing pressure to reduce their environmental footprint and contribute to a circular economy. One effective way to achieve these goals is by selling plastic scrap and incorporating recycled materials into their production processes.

plastic scrap buyer

Why Sell Plastic Scrap?

Plastic manufacturers often generate a significant amount of scrap materials during their production processes. Instead of disposing of this scrap, selling it can bring numerous benefits. Firstly, selling plastic scrap generates additional revenue streams for manufacturers. What was once considered waste can now be turned into profit, contributing to the company’s bottom line.

Secondly, selling plastic scrap promotes sustainability by diverting materials from landfills. By choosing to recycle and reuse these materials, manufacturers actively contribute to reducing their carbon footprint and conserving natural resources. This environmental stewardship not only benefits the planet but also enhances a company’s reputation as a responsible and eco-friendly business.

Domino Plastics Company Inc. has been a trusted name in the industry since 1984. As a leading scrap buyer with nationwide warehouses, Domino Plastics specializes in purchasing plastic scrap from manufacturers and providing hassle-free solutions for scrap management. Their commitment to sustainability aligns perfectly with the objectives of plastic manufacturers aiming to reduce waste and embrace recycled materials.

Domino Plastics offers a comprehensive range of services to assist manufacturers in selling their plastic scrap. When you contact Domino Plastics, you can expect a fast quote based on the type and quantity of scrap materials you wish to sell. The company’s experienced team ensures fair and competitive pricing, enabling manufacturers to maximize their returns.

Domino Plastics takes care of all logistics involved in scrap collection. They arrange convenient pickup options, allowing manufacturers to focus on their core operations. With nationwide warehouses, Domino Plastics offers extensive coverage, ensuring a seamless process for manufacturers from all corners of the country.

In addition to purchasing plastic scrap, Domino Plastics also offers manufacturers the opportunity to access a wide range of in-stock recycled plastics. These materials can be used as an alternative to virgin plastics in manufacturing processes. By incorporating recycled materials, manufacturers can showcase their commitment to sustainability while reducing their reliance on limited natural resources.

As the demand for sustainability continues to rise, plastic manufacturers must proactively seek ways to reduce waste and embrace recycled materials. Selling plastic scrap not only generates additional revenue but also contributes to a circular economy and reduces the environmental impact of production processes. Domino Plastics Company Inc. offers a trusted and efficient solution for manufacturers looking to sell their plastic scrap and access recycled materials. Contact Domino Plastics today at t (631) 751-1995, call/text (516) 972-5632, or email joe@domplas.com for a fast quote and to arrange pickup and payment for your scrap materials. Visit their website, www.domplas.com, to learn more about the company and explore their in-stock plastics for sale. Together, we can drive sustainability and create a greener future for the plastics industry.

Visible ocean plastics just the tip of the iceberg

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Visible ocean plastics just the tip of the iceberg

Simulations find the majority of ocean plastics may be on the seafloor or otherwise difficult to monitor, with vastly more plastic waste likely trapped on land

Simulating a half century of movement and degradation of plastic waste in the ocean, a new study estimates that nearly two-thirds of ocean plastics are outside the reach of current monitoring methods. Furthermore, the study suggests that the estimated 25.3 million metric tons of total ocean plastics may represent only 5% of all mismanaged plastic waste to date, with the rest still on land.

Read the full story here: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220318092128.htm

plastic scrap

Stanford pediatric arbovirologist Desiree LaBeaud’s quest to eradicate mosquito-borne diseases led to an unlikely culprit: plastic trash

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LaBeaud’s quest to eradicate mosquito-borne diseases led to an unlikely culprit: plastic trash

via Stanford Report

In 2021, Stanford pediatrician and arbovirologist Desiree LaBeaud and her colleagues launched the nonprofit organization HERI-Kenya to reduce the spread of mosquito-borne diseases in Kenya by cleaning up the plastic waste where the insect breed.

The Aedes aegypti mosquito is a global havoc-wreaker, responsible for debilitating and deadly illnesses ranging from dengue fever to chikungunya and Zika virus. With a prodigious ability to multiply and a growing range extending from Africa and South America to much of Asia and many parts of the United States, it infects an estimated 400 million people annually.

plastic scrap
photo credit: Julia Joppien

 

No vaccines or therapeutics are available for these illnesses, so targeting the insect’s breeding grounds is critical to saving lives.

That’s why, in 2015, one of the first things Desiree LaBeaud did upon joining the Stanford Department of Pediatrics was apply for a Bechtel Faculty Scholar Award. She wanted to use the funds to teach Kenyan school children and community members about the mosquito breeding grounds around their homes. She had been studying mosquito-borne illness in Kenya for over a decade as a pediatric arbovirologist, a specialist who studies diseases caused by blood-sucking insects such as mosquitoes and ticks. She saw that dengue fever was sickening many Kenyan children due to a lack of awareness about its cause and how to prevent it.

Read the full story here: https://news.stanford.edu/report/2022/02/09/investigating-mosquito-borne-diseases-led-unlikely-culprit-plastic-trash/

How ‘super-enzymes’ that eat plastics could curb our waste problem

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How ‘super-enzymes’ that eat plastics could curb our waste problem

via The Guardian

plastic scrap
Photo by Catherine Sheila on Pexels.com

Beaches littered with plastic bottles and wrappers. Marine turtles, their stomachs filled with fragments of plastic. Plastic fishing nets dumped at sea where they can throttle unsuspecting animals. And far out in the Pacific Ocean, an expanse of water more than twice the size of France littered with plastic waste weighing at least 79,000 tonnes.

The plastic pollution problem is distressingly familiar, but many organisations are working to reduce it. Alongside familiar solutions such as recycling, a surprising ally has emerged: micro-organisms. A handful of microbes have evolved the ability to “eat” certain plastics, breaking them down into their component molecules. These tiny organisms could soon play a key role in reducing plastic waste and building a greener economy.

Read the full story here: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/feb/05/how-super-enzymes-that-eat-plastics-could-curb-our-waste-problem

Trafficking of plastic waste is on the rise and criminal groups are profiting, report says

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via LA Times

Americans like to think they are recycling their plastic takeout food containers, cutlery and flimsy grocery bags when they toss them into those green or blue bins. But, too often, that waste is shipped overseas, sometimes with the help of organized crime groups, where it litters cities, clogs waterways or is burned, filling the air with toxic chemicals.

A report published Monday by the independent Swiss research group Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, whose members include current and former law-enforcement officials, sheds new light on how this waste winds up in poorer countries that had agreed not to accept it.

Read the full story here: https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2021-11-08/report-trafficking-of-plastic-waste-is-on-the-rise-and-criminal-groups-are-profiting