Award winning machine recycles discarded plastic bottles into 3D printer filament
Designers Reiten Cheng and Swaleh Owais developed a unique device that’s capable of turning discarded plastic water bottles into 3D filament
The Brighter Side of News features good news, compassionate news and inspirational news from around the world
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Joshua Shavit
- Nov 22
Researchers cook up a new way to remove microplastics from water
Researchers at Princeton Engineering have found a way to turn your breakfast food into a new material that can cheaply remove microplastics.
Joseph Shavit
- Nov 4
Berkeley researchers solved the issue of mixed-plastic recycling
Scientists designed a new material system to overcome one of the biggest challenges in recycling consumer products: mixed-plastic recycling.
Joseph Shavit
- Oct 27
Breakthrough Play-Doh-like material can revolutionize electronics
‘Like conductive Play-Doh’: breakthrough new material could point way to new class of materials for electronics and devices.
Joseph Shavit
- Sep 28
Saving our oceans: Novel plastic material biodegrades in ocean water
Around the planet, evidence of plastic pollution stretches from grocery bags in the deep sea to microplastics in our food supplies.
Joseph Shavit
- Sep 12
Plastic upcycling: From waste to fuel for less
The new method more efficiently converts plastics to valuable commodity chemicals—a process termed “upcycling” that produces less methane.
Joshua Shavit
- Aug 16
Silk offers an alternative to some microplastics
Microplastics, tiny particles of plastic that are now found worldwide in the air, water, and soil, are increasingly recognized.
Joseph Shavit
- Aug 1
Eco-friendly technology recycles mixed waste into premium plastics
Researchers have now demonstrated how the carbon atoms in mixed waste can replace all fossil raw materials in the production of new plastic.
Joseph Shavit
- Jul 30
Berkeley scientists have solved the issue of mixed-plastic recycling
Scientists have overcome one of the biggest challenges in recycling consumer products: mixed-plastic recycling.
Joseph Shavit
- Jul 1
Recycling innovation turns mixed waste into premium plastics with no climate impact
Researchers have now demonstrated how the carbon atoms in mixed waste can replace all fossil raw materials in the production of new plastic.
Joseph Shavit
- May 25
Gamechanging process breaks down plastics using only UV light
Scientists at Bath found that incorporating sugar units into polymers makes them more degradable when exposed to UV light
Joseph Shavit
- May 14
Paper or plastic? New innovation can reduce our dependence on plastic
For our sake and the environment, there is a considerable amount of research into the reduction of plastic for many and various applications
Joseph Shavit
- Apr 13
Chemists harness the sun to upcycle plastic waste
Styrofoam egg cartons and many other common products are composed of polystyrene, a type of plastic that makes up a third of landfill waste.
Joseph Shavit
- Feb 23
New anti-fogging coating for plastic surfaces is long-lasting and ‘self-cleans’
Scientists have developed a new type of coating that, when applied on a plastic surface, prevents fogging and ‘self-cleans’
Joseph Shavit
- Feb 14
Protein-based plastics could save the oceans
A research team has now introduced a new method for the production of protein-based plastics that are easily processable and biodegradable.
Joseph Shavit
- Feb 4
Save the planet with these sneakers made from coffee grounds and recycled plastic
A pair of Rens’ first-generation ‘Original’ shoes contain 300 grams of coffee waste, the equivalent to 21 cups.
Joseph Shavit
- Jan 6
Breakthrough in separating plastic waste: Machines can now distinguish 12 different types of plastic
It's very difficult to tell the difference between different types of plastics, and this is what makes it difficult to separate and recycle.
Joseph Shavit
- Dec 31, 2021
Giving e-waste plastics a new lease of life
Plastics found in electronic waste (e-waste) are rarely recycled due to their complex composition and hazardous additives.
Joseph Shavit
- Dec 15, 2021
Bugs and microbes around the world are evolving to eat plastic, study finds
The number of microbial enzymes with the ability to degrade plastic is growing, in correlation with local levels of plastic pollution.
Joseph Shavit
- Nov 30, 2021
A new plastic made from DNA, biodegradable and easy to recycle
At a time when pollution represents a growing threat to the future of the planet, it is essential to improve our recycling processes.