QUT Engineering, Architecture and Built Environment’s Post

Giving the Earth a Second Chance 🌱 I believe it is our responsibility to give the Earth a second chance. Today, i stand here beside this vast pile of plastic waste, a stark reminder of the challenges we face. But I don’t see just waste, I see opportunity, Isn't the end of the story. By turning this waste into new products, we can close the loop in a true circular economy, where materials are continually repurposed, reducing our reliance on virgin resources. It's not just about reducing waste but about creating value from it, fueling both economic and environmental sustainability. In the field of plastic recycling, my PhD research focuses on developing innovative ways to handle mixed and contaminated plastics. This is a critical step to ensure that more waste is diverted from landfills and incineration, transforming what was once discarded into valuable resources. Through advanced recycling techniques. As engineers, scientists, and responsible citizens, we must lead the way in reducing this environmental burden, ensuring a greener and cleaner future for generations to come. Let’s work together for a cleaner, greener future. 🌿 #Sustainability #CircularEconomy #PlasticRecycling #SolventBasedRecycling #WasteToWealth #GreenFuture #PhDJourney Galloo VITO KU Leuven #galloorecycling #KULeuven #VITO

Y2 STEM- Creating with sustainability In STEM, the Y2s learnt how plant fibres are used to make paper. They visited different stations to sort recycled papers, shredded and soaked them to make pulp. This project taught them the importance of sustainability and that each one has a responsibility to take care of Mother Earth. https://lnkd.in/ehkgd4d5 #JaneGoodall #RootsAndShoots #RootsAndShootsUAE #UAE

Some time ago, a video was released showcasing a pioneering technology researched at Chalmers University of Technology. In collaboration with Borealis, my research team is working on a thermochemical recycling method that can recycle 100% of plastic waste into high-quality plastic, eliminating the need for virgin fossil raw materials. Every time I watch it, I feel incredibly inspired, knowing that the work we’re doing can make a real difference. As part of my PhD research, and as a data science enthusiast, I’m contributing to advancing this technology from a modeling perspective. I’m excited about its potential to not only drive industry innovation but also help tackle one of the most pressing environmental challenges we face: plastic waste. This process, inspired by the natural carbon cycle, can reduce the climate impact of plastics by more than 95% compared to those produced today—and if powered by renewable energy, it can even achieve negative emissions! The carbon atoms we need for plastic production are already in our waste. By harnessing this untapped resource, we can move towards a truly circular economy for plastics. This isn't just research—it’s a step towards creating a sustainable future. You can read more about the technology in this article: https://lnkd.in/drWZ6b98 #Sustainability #PlasticRecycling #CircularEconomy #Innovation #ClimateAction #ChalmersUniversity #Borealis #RenewableEnergy #WasteToValue #PhDLife https://lnkd.in/dTpKxPdG

Check out the exciting workshop series that BU's Energy and Sustainable Technologies Lab is hosting in the coming weeks!

🌍 Happy Earth Day, everyone! 🌿 Environmental awareness and education are close to our hearts. Today, as we celebrate our beautiful planet, it's a perfect opportunity to reflect on the importance of sustainable practices in product development. Earlier this year, we shared an article highlighting sustainable materials for manufacturing products. In light of Earth Day, we believe this post is more relevant than ever. It sheds light on crucial eco-friendly alternatives that can shape a greener future. Let's continue to prioritize the environment in our decisions and actions. Together, we can make a positive impact on our planet. Check out the article for insights into sustainable material choices. 🌿🌎 Click💚➡ https://lnkd.in/gknY3xyd #EarthDay #Sustainability #EcoConsciousMaterials

The University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute in February selected a #circular #bioeconomy project as one of its newest Convergent Research Initiatives for joint research. Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Erin Webb will co-lead the five-year Circular Bioeconomy Systems CRI with UT’s Niki Labbe. Webb is lead for the #Bioresource Science and #Engineering group and relationship manager for the Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office, or BETO, at ORNL. Webb discussed the CRI’s first steps, long-term goals, and how her experience as a first-generation, farm-family college student motivates her work. ­­­­­ Q: What is a circular bioeconomy? A: Both of those words are important. Circularity refers to a system in which we’re more thoughtful about the disposal part of creating, using and disposing by adding reuse and recycling to the mix. Bioeconomy means we’re going to be focused on materials and fuels created from plants, what we refer to as #renewable carbon. The project hits sustainability in a couple of ways: by reducing waste destined for landfills, and by using non-petroleum #feedstocks to create products and fuels. There’s more acknowledgement in recent years that even simple things such as plastic recycling hasn’t happened the way we thought it would. We were feeling good about putting things in the right bins, but then it turns out recycling just wasn’t happening because it’s so hard and complex. https://lnkd.in/emrFkYTY

💡 Did you know that #LifeScience research labs alone are estimated to produce 1.8% of the world’s total plastic waste? Although essential to developing new and sustainable technologies, materials and strategies, the world of science has a sustainability problem. At ELGA LabWater, we have curated a guide with steps on how to improve sustainability practices, and reduce your lab’s environmental footprint.

Happy Earth Day! 🌍 At ecoinvent, we're proud to support environmental sustainability every day. 🌱   The theme of Earth Day 2024 is "Planet vs. Plastics." It's crucial to recognize the role of the chemicals and plastics sector in shaping our environment. In the ecoinvent database, we've compiled over 2,000 datasets covering a wide spectrum of substances, including plastics and rubbers used across various industries.   From packaging to construction, textiles to transportation, our database provides essential insights into the manufacturing, use, and recycling of plastics and rubbers. By offering data on everything from common plastics like PE and PET to specialized products, we empower decision-makers to make informed choices that promote sustainability.   This Earth Day, let's harness the power of data to drive transformative change. Together, we can reduce our environmental impact and build a brighter, greener future for generations to come. Join us in committing to a planet-friendly path forward! Learn more about our mission: https://lnkd.in/ezw7dphR   EARTHDAY.ORG #EarthDay #EarthMonth #EnvironmentalAction #PlanetvsPlastics #sustainability #ClimateAction #ecoinvent #ecoinventdatabase #plastic

In light of celebrating Earth Day yesterday, we're marking the impactful strides Tropic is making to minimise our scientific waste. Meet Peter Gray, our Senior Scientific Assistant, who spearheaded the establishment of the Sustainability Employee Resource Group (SERG) dedicated to enhancing eco-friendly practices across our company. In the realm of scientific technology, much like at Tropic, maintaining sterile and secure lab environments is paramount, often resulting in significant single-plastic usage and subsequent waste. The statistics are mind-blowing. Did you know that annually, a staggering 12 million tonnes of plastic find their way into our oceans? (source: https://lnkd.in/dCHvDygu) Moreover, only 9% of plastic waste is recycled, leaving a whopping 91% to languish in landfills and incinerators. (source: https://lnkd.in/eHU-STqY) Learn more about SERG's initiatives below! #EarthDay

CIRCULARITY 🤝 RECYCLABILITY at r-LightBioCom! Lightweight and multi-functional composite materials offer enhanced physical and chemical properties for application in sectors such as energy, transportation and construction, offering alternatives to traditional materials. However, challenges remain in making these materials more sustainable. With projections of 500,000 tons of fiber-reinforced polymer waste in Europe by 2025, recycling capacity is limited – only 100,000 tons are able to be processed globally! At the Open Innovation Workshop by REPOXYBLE project, experts from the following five Horizon Europe Research and Innovation actions in the field: FURHY Project, EU-Project r-LightBioCom, FOREST project, EuReComp, and Carbo4Power discussed methods to recycle, reuse and recover composite materials, highlighting the importance of advancing these sustainable solutions for the transport sector. Fernando Cepero Mejías from our project partner Coventry University presented r-LightBioCom's innovations in circularity and recyclability. He shared how the project will employ energy-efficient manufacturing and recycling technologies, with insights feeding into a Coupled Ecological Optimization (CEO) Framework, to develop bio-based, high-performance composites using recycled and natural fibres for automotive, aeronautical, and infrastructure sectors. READ the Workshop highlights here: https://lnkd.in/e7yspzTU 📰 LEARN MORE about EU Project r-LightBioCom at www.r-lightbiocom.eu 🌱 #rLightBioCom #HorizonEurope #BioBasedMaterials #HighPerformanceComposites #CircularEconomy #Sustainability #Recycling #Workshop