How landfills work and why they must be phased out
Landfills are still a major component of waste disposal systems in the United States, with half of all municipal solid waste (trash from homes and businesses) ending up there. That’s about 146 million tons of garbage being buried in the ground or piled in open sites every single year. Landfills can cause serious environmental and…Read More…
What is universal waste and how can my business deal with it?
While many businesses and individuals may not realize it, there are a lot of everyday materials and goods that can’t be tossed in the garbage. From used light bulbs to half-finished cans of air freshener, there are many seemingly innocuous items that if trashed, could land your business in trouble. These materials are called universal…Read More…
What is extended producer responsibility?
Today, we design both products and packaging to be “disposable”, with little consideration of the true environmental impact or influence on human health. By rethinking the way we consume, and by shifting the responsibility of product management back to the manufacturer, we can begin to address these issues—designing out waste rather than generating it. For…Read More…
Recycling Challenge – Is bubble wrap recyclable?
Plastic bubble wrap has been the go-to solution for packaging and mailing fragile goods since it was invented in the 1950s. And with the rise of online shopping in the last two decades, the market for bubble wrap has continued to grow rapidly. In 2020 the bubble wrap market was worth $7.4 billion and is…Read More…
What is urban mining?
Mining is dirty, destructive, and environmentally damaging, but has long been the only way to extract the metals and minerals we consume daily. These materials are used in everything from smartphones to drywall, and as global populations grow, their use grows in tandem. Our continued reliance on non-renewable resources has been a hot button issue…Read More…
Spotlight: Rethink
When diverting food from landfill, most think about the option to compost, but in reality, perfectly edible food is ending up in landfill. Federal legislation, such as the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act, encourages businesses to donate food to nonprofit organizations by minimizing liability. We sat down with Rethink’s CEO, Matt Jozwik, to discuss…Read More…
The Complete Glass Recycling Process
Glass has been in use for thousands of years as a versatile material with endless applications. Thankfully, unlike other common materials, clean, clear glass can also be recycled endlessly with no loss in quality, making it a seemingly great option for products in a 21st century circular economy. Glass that is most commonly part of…Read More…
12 States with food waste legislation
Food waste is one of the most significant issues facing the world today, with the United States alone discarding more than 40 million tons of food every year. It takes up more space in US landfills than any other material and produces greenhouse gases equal to 37 million cars as well as dead-zone-inducing nitrogen as…Read More…
PLA vs Plastic: What’s the difference?
In 2018, the United States generated more than 35.7 million tons of plastic, with a recycling rate of just 8.7%. In the years since then, we have seen a boom in plastic-based items such as food packaging and personal protective equipment (PPE) which has only exacerbated the problem. Conventional plastics use petrochemicals as a raw material, meaning every water…Read More…
Freeganism and food donation
Despite increasing awareness around the topic, food waste is not typically the first thing that jumps into people’s minds when climate change is discussed. However, the scale of the problem is shocking, with around 30-40 percent of the US food supply going to waste, equaling 219 pounds of waste per person per year. There are…Read More…