Jack “Tato” Bigio, chief executive of UBQ Materials, stood atop a pile of shredded garbage. His company will convert the trash into pellets that c KIBBUTZ TZE’ELIM, Israel – Eight tons of trash are piled high at the entrance of a small factory in this tree-lined kibbutz — rotting food mixed with plastic bags, dirty paper, castoff bottles, even broken toys. But nothing is headed for a landfill. Instead, what’s next is a process that could revolutionize recycling. Within hours, the mound will be sorted, ground, chopped, shredded, cleaned and heated into a sort of garbage caramel, then resurrected as tiny pseudo-plastic pellets that can be made into everyday items like trays and packing crates. “The magic that we’re doing is we’re taking everything — the chicken bones, the banana peels,” said Jack “Tato” Bigio, the chief executive at UBQ Materials. “We take this waste, and we convert it.” Such upcycling is needed by a world seeking solutions to the environmental challenges caused by the 2 billion tons of waste generated annually. Turning that trash into treasure has long held allure. Yet attempts have fallen short, and cynics abound. UBQ — short for ubiquitous — said it has succeeded […]
Latest Articles
10 Ways Sustainability and Your Health Go Hand-in-Hand
Takeaways: Some ways sustainability and health are interconnected include how we manage the food we eat and how it impacts climate change.
The way...
Digital Management System Can Substantially Reduce Wastewater Facilities’ Energy Use
Takeaways: Xylem has created a digital platform that can help wastewater utilities manage aeration and chemical use.
This will help operation improve nutrient removal,...
How do Octopuses Change Color?
Takeaways: Octopus change colour to blend in with their surroundings.
They are able to change colour because they have chromatophores which are tiny, colour-changing...
Vladimir Putin, Climate Hero
Vladimir Putin, Climate Hero
By Grant Brown, Founder, Happy Eco News There is little doubt that Vladimir Putin is a bully. He is the worst kind, a...
10 Delicious and Climate-Friendly Superfoods You Should Be Eating
Takeaways: Our diets might be impacted by the effects of climate change but luckily there are several superfoods that are low in carbon emissions...
China Says It’s 3D Printing a 590-Foot Hydroelectric Dam With Zero Human Labor
Takeaways: China is planning to build a hydroelectric dam using 3D printing.
The dam is set to include autonomous excavators, trucks, bulldozers, pavers and...