Waste Management (Eco/Env)

A Japanese man concerned about the environment his children have inherited dreamed up a way to convert plastic back into oil, reducing carbon emissions in the process. With all the plastic in the world still in existence, and peak oil on its way, plastic (and a machine like this) may soon become one of the world’s most prized commodities.

Conceived by Akinori Ito with the Blest Corporation, this machine can handle all kinds of plastics including  polyethylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene. And they can be made in various sizes from small to large that can be used in a range of applications (personal to industrial).

Stuff the bags, caps, and other plastic packaging into the machine. Put on the lid. Flip a switch, and voila. A few minutes later the melted plastic releases gas through a tube. A beaker of tap water cools and then converts those gases into oil. The oil can then be further refined into gasoline, diesel, or kerosene, and can power everything from cars to generators, or even used as is. Heating the plastic with electricity instead of flames keeps emissions down (particularly compared to giant oil refineries). The process also requires 1kWh of electricity for every kilogram of plastic, which produces one liter of oil.

TGE (Thermolysis Gasification Technology) is an alternative to waste treatment. This innovative solution converts waste into clean energy. TGE has developed this environmental, low-cost process that will efficiently convert cheap, renewable resources into a clean gas that can be used to power cities all over the world. This Israeli company has created a biomass alternative that uses resources that would otherwise go to waste.   

Disposing of solid waste by burying it in landfills produces a number of distinct problems. Most notably, this practice has accounted for 13% of Israel’s greenhouse gas emissions. Because of this, ArrowBio has developed a system that sorts through waste and breaks down each different component creating a green, clean, and effective solution to municipal solid waste (MSW). The process creates a biofuel that powers the entire plant and even provides extra energy that ArrowBio sells back to the energy company. Learn how countries across the world are interesting in adopting israel’s innovative and clean solution to MSW.   

A company called Abu Yoyo is recycling huge advertisements and posters by turning them into bags, wallets, and notebook covers.This project is turning something that was just going to be wasted into a product that is marketable and environmentally friendly. As the founder, Naomi, puts it, if someone purchases one of her products instead of purchasing a non-recycling item then she is making a difference.