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
Soil-based microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are not widely used, but show some promise as clean-energy options for low-energy sensors used in precision agriculture (soil moisture and health), infrastructure monitoring (water pipes leakages) or environmental monitoring (concentration of pollutants). This latest evolution of an MFC uses a non-traditional design & readily available components to deliver a performance improvement of over 120%. Importantly, the fuel-cell was able to generate 68 times more energy than needed by the sensors - so plenty to spare for more sensors! https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-develop-new-dirt-powered-fuel-cell-that-runs-forever/
According to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, the average Australian produced 20 kilograms of e-waste in 2019. Approximately 8% of that e-waste is estimated to consist of printed circuit boards (PCBs), which because of the composites and/or laminates used can be too costly to recycle. But JIVA, a company in the UK, has developed a fully recyclable and biodegradable PCB laminate which they call Soluboard®. And they are working with others to continue to commercialise and test even more biodegradable options.https://www.port.ac.uk/news-events-and-blogs/news/new-partnership-to-help-develop-the-worlds-first-biodegradable-printed-circuit-boa
US military research into lower risk alternatives to lithium-ion batteries has led to the development of a new nanoelectrofuel for use in flow batteries. Flow batteries currently address all the downsides of lithium-ion batteries but can't deliver the same energy density - until now. Researchers have discovered that by adding nanofluids to the normal aqueous solutions (electrolytes), they can boost a flow battery's energy density by 15 to 25 times, making it comparable to any petrol-powered vehicle, much less lithium-ion battery EV's - without any of the associated downsides of either!https://spectrum.ieee.org/flow-battery-2666672335
Magma is liquid or semi-liquid hot rock. Depending on its chemical composition, Magma can reach over 1000 degrees Celsius. Not much is really known about magma, which is why the establishment of the world's first, open-access research centre with physical access to a magma chamber only 2km underground is pretty exciting. The centre hopes to better understand magma dynamics, which may help predict volcanic behaviour. It is also keen to explore ways of tapping into the enormous geothermal energy potential of magma. https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/journey-to-the-centre-of-earth-experts-to-drill-into-a-magma-chamber/ar-AA1msDEH
