The apparel industry (production) accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions - more than annual aviation and maritime shipping combined. Worse, this resource is not recycled. It is estimated 90% of apparel is disposed of through incineration or landfill. Part of the challenge is waste stream sorting. But the world's first Smart thread, using RFID technology, could help make the invisible lives of discarded clothing more transparent, trackable and useful. https://circlolink.com/circlolink-news/f/intro-by-chris-hurren-institute-frontier-materials-deakin-uni
A 2023 start-up aiming to make recycling convenient and accessible to all is about to go national. The aim is to provide people with a home pick-up option for some of the "trickier" items the normal recycling bins can't handle - including soft plastics. https://wastemanagementreview.com.au/recyclesmart-goes-national/
A Kyushu University study (2021) estimated there were 24.4 trillion pieces of microplastics in the world's upper oceans or roughly 30 billion 500-ml plastic water bottles. Microplastics are tiny, toxic and very hard to remove from the environment. But researchers in the US have discovered that some Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NADES) can attract and bind microplastics, making it easier to remove them from the environment. And the N in NADES is key - natural - in this instance, think extracts from plants. https://www.research.uky.edu/news/researchers-develop-eco-friendly-magnet-battle-microplastics
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