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UNCOVERED: 3 | History Defined

In 2010, Taiwan turned 1.5 million discarded PET bottles into Taipei’s EcoARK; the $4.22 million exhibition hall stood 26 metres high and resisted storms

In 2010, Taipei unveiled the EcoARK, a stunning 26-meter-high exhibition hall constructed entirely from 1.5 million recycled PET bottles. Designed to endure natural disasters, this innovative structure showcases interlocking blocks that create a unique honeycomb-like facade. Incorporating rainwater harvesting and abundant natural light, the building minimized energy consumption. Following the…

The Times of India

In June 1998, the US Army turned 13,000 pounds of mixed plastic into a 25-foot Fort Leonard Wood bridge designed to carry light vehicles across a creek

In 1998, the US Army embarked on a groundbreaking project that transformed 13,000 pounds of recycled plastic into a functional bridge. By integrating these plastic components with steel beams, they diverted waste from landfills while showcasing the material's incredible potential for structural engineering. This innovative approach not only provided a…

The Times of India

You be the judge: should my girlfriend stop letting the recycling pile up?

Robin keeps used packaging on the kitchen ledge. Benny thinks that’s unhygienic. You decide who’s talking rubbish

The Guardian - UK

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In 2023, a PhD student helped build a 387-square-foot house in Indonesia using 1.7 cubic metres of waste from used baby diapers

Used nappies are among the less obvious materials that could end up in a building. In Indonesia, however, a team of engineers explored exactly that possibility while looking for ways to reduce both construction material use and the growing volume of disposable waste. They collected used nappies, cleaned and sterilised…

The Times of India

Meet Yanin ‘Proud’, a 17-year-old Thai student who built artificial hornbill nests from recycled plastic and won two global conservation awards

At just 17, Thai student Yanin ‘Proud’ Tangkaravakoon has turned a concern for endangered hornbills into a unique conservation project that gives discarded waste plastic a new purpose. Her initiative, ‘Homes for Hornbills’ creates artificial nests designed to provide breeding spaces for hornbills as natural tree cavities become harder to…

The Times of India

Notting Hill Carnival clean-up sees 300 tonnes of rubbish cleared from streets after two million party in west London

Around 200 staff worked through the night on Sunday and Monday to clear waste left across the Carnival footprint

Evening Standard

In 2022, Melbourne's M80 became Victoria's first major road project with recycled content in every pavement layer, reusing 35.5 million plastic bags and 22 million bottles

Melbourne's M80 Ring Road upgrade utilized recycled materials throughout its pavement layers. This project incorporated waste equivalent to millions of plastic bags and glass bottles. Recycled pavement materials and eMesh were also extensively used in the construction. The upgrade aimed to improve capacity, safety, and traffic reliability on the freeway.…

The Times of India

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In 2025, Texas engineers mixed 4.5 tons of recycled plastic into a highway, replacing part of the bitumen to test how it handles extreme heat

On State Highway 205 in Rockwall, a suburb east of Dallas, engineers paved a 3,500-foot stretch of road using about 4.5 tons of recycled plastic mixed directly into the asphalt. The project, led by Sahadat Hossain, a civil engineering professor at the University of Texas at Arlington, replaces a portion…

The Times of India

Two Canadian builders turned 612,000 recycled plastic bottles into a 2,000-sq-ft home; its panels were tested to withstand sustained winds of 326 mph, twice Category 5 hurricane strength

In an innovative project, builders in Nova Scotia have successfully created a house using recycled plastic bottles. These bottles were reshaped into high-performance composite panels, exemplifying the practicality of recycled materials in modern construction. The panels not only endured severe wind conditions but also showcased the durability and efficiency of…

The Times of India

Wind turbine blades are built to survive decades and are difficult to recycle; an Iowa plant mechanically shreds them into fibres and powders for concrete, mortar and asphalt

Regen Fiber has opened a wind turbine blade recycling facility in Fairfax, Iowa, using an all-mechanical process that avoids heat and chemicals. The plant shreds old blades into fibres and additives for use in concrete, mortar and asphalt. It expects to process more than 30,000 tons of blades each year.

The Times of India

A Colombian man struggling to build his own home helped create Lego-like bricks from recycled plastic; by 2015 the system was sheltering 42 displaced families and could build a 40-sq-m home in 5 days

A Colombian architect helped develop Lego-like building blocks made from recycled plastic and rubber to create temporary and permanent homes. The system was used to build shelters for 42 displaced families in Guapi in 2015. Four people could assemble a 40-square-metre house in five days, without using glue, cement or…

The Times of India

A Mexican entrepreneur began melting discarded plastic into wall and roof panels; within three years his startup had built 500 rooms and secured contracts for 300 homes

In a remarkable daily effort, workers in Mexico convert plastic waste into robust building panels, driving change for impoverished families. Spearheaded by the social enterprise EcoDom, this eco-friendly solution tackles pressing issues of pollution and inadequate housing. Informal waste collectors benefit significantly from improved purchasing deals, and this sustainable model…

The Times of India

In 2024, England turned old fishing nets into a 16-metre footbridge; the 3.5-tonne structure needs smaller foundations and less maintenance than a conventional bridge

Old fishing nets seldom find a second life. But in Kent, England, the nets are being turned into something much more ambitious. The used nets have been transformed to make a 16-metre-long footbridge to carry people over a marina entrance with minimal environmental impact during construction. Media reports from 2024…

The Times of India

A Mexican entrepreneur turned discarded plastic into low-cost homes for families in poverty; each 430-460 sq ft house used 2 tonnes of waste, took 7 days to build and cost families about $280

Plastic production has increased exponentially over the last few decades. A 2017 study published in Science Advances estimated that 8.3 billion tons of plastic have been produced globally since large-scale production began. Only a tiny fraction has been recycled, with huge amounts accumulating in landfills, ecosystems and waterways. Mexico has…

The Times of India

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Meet Delaney Peterson, the Florida student who tested recycled foamed glass as a potential habitat for oysters

A Florida student's experiment uses recycled foamed glass for oyster reef restoration. This lightweight, porous material offers a potential new surface for young oysters to settle. Oyster reefs are vital for coastal ecosystems and shoreline protection. Delaney Peterson's research investigates waste reuse and marine habitat creation simultaneously. Her project received…

The Guardian - UK

‘Forever chemicals’ surge during pilot of Thames Water plan to combat drought

Exclusive: utility company wants to draw off tens of millions of litres of water a day from Thames and replace it with treated effluent

The Guardian - UK

1.3m plastic bottles collected in a day in global volunteer ocean cleanup

Ocean Conservancy says last year’s cleanup collected 13.9m pieces of rubbish from beaches and rivers worldwide

The Times of India

In 1998, Israel closed the Hiriya landfill after decades of waste had formed a 60-metre mound; years later, methane wells, trees and trails helped transform the site into the centrepiece of a 2,000-acre park

Hiriya landfill, once a sprawling heap of trash in Israel, ceased operations in 1998, paving the way for innovative environmental solutions. With comprehensive gas management strategies and landscape restoration initiatives, the site moved towards safety, battling issues like harmful emissions and slope instability. The establishment of methane wells significantly reduced…

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The Times of India

Hawaii mixed recycled fishing nets into an Oahu road; 11 months later, researchers found no more polyethylene microplastics than in regular asphalt

Hawaii's urgent plastic waste dilemma has prompted researchers to investigate an innovative solution: incorporating recycled fishing nets into asphalt for road construction. Throughout an eleven-month study, it was discovered that these eco-friendly roads released no more microplastics than their traditional counterparts. Significantly, tire wear was the major contributor to microplastic…

The Times of India

Singapore sends 70 tonnes of unwanted clothes to Malaysia every week in major textile recycling partnership

Singapore sends up to seventy tonnes of clothing weekly to Malaysia for recycling. This cross-border initiative gives discarded garments a second life through reuse and repurposing. The volume has doubled in two years, highlighting the growing scale of textile waste management. At the Malaysian facility, clothes are sorted for resale…

The Times of India

A Tennessee company is breaking down retired wind turbine blades instead of sending them to landfills, recovering glass fibre at 99.9% purity that can be reused in concrete, car panels and 3D-printing filament

Retired wind turbine blades are becoming a growing waste challenge as older turbines reach the end of their operating lives, but a Tennessee company is developing a way to recover valuable material from them instead of sending the blades to landfill. Carbon Rivers, a Knoxville-based advanced materials company, uses a…

The Times of India

Mexico is turning corn waste and tortilla-making wastewater into building material; the strange recipe can even be 3D-printed

Every day, tortilla production creates a little-known waste stream called nejayote, the calcium-rich wastewater left behind when corn is soaked in an alkaline solution during nixtamalization. Mexican design studio Manufactura saw an opportunity in that waste, developing Corncretl, an experimental bio-based construction material that combines recycled nejayote derivatives and dried…

The Times of India

In 2021, Alabama students began placing discarded Christmas trees along Gulf Coast dunes to trap sand; each year about 200 students now add roughly 3,000 native plants around them

Alabama's fragile sand dunes are being restored with discarded holiday trees, as students and volunteers team up to plant native vegetation along the coast. This innovative project marries sand trapping techniques with the introduction of native plants to stabilize the dunes. This effort not only protects essential infrastructure but also…

The Times of India

In the early 1970s, Virginia Beach compacted 640,000 tons of garbage into a 60-foot hill; the dump became America’s first landfill park and now spans 165 acres

Mount Trashmore Park in Virginia Beach serves as a unique example of transformation, evolving from a large landfill into a vibrant 165-acre recreational area. Opening its gates in 1973, this park now boasts serene lakes, extensive trails, and playgrounds, showcasing innovative landfill reclamation practices. Its picturesque setting attracts visitors who…

Evening Standard

Soaring number of fires at recycling centres blamed on vape batteries

Experts have suggested a £5 deposit scheme on the purchase of all vapes, to ensure used batteries are returned to stores and disposed of correctly

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