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biofuel
Biofuels

SK Chemical Sells Biofuel Unit to Focus on Materials and Life Science

South Korea’s SK Chemical Co. has agreed to sell its biofuel unit to local private equity fund Hahn & Company to put more resources into its eco-friendly materials and life science business. The Kospi-listed company announced in a Thursday regulatory filing that it signed a contract to sell its entire biodiesel and bio-heavy oil business to Hahn & Company for 380 billion won ($321.1 million). … Continue reading SK Chemical Sells Biofuel Unit to Focus on Materials and Life Science

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corrboard
Bioenergy

CorrBoard Harnesses Organic Waste to Produce Corrugated

CorrBoard Bioenergy (CB Bio) has invested £5.5m in building a sustainable energy generation facility fuelled by organic waste to power the manufacture of corrugated sheet board. CB Bio is a joint venture between packaging and display trade specialist Swanline Group and paper-based packaging producer McLaren Packaging. The CB Bio Scunthorpe facility, which can be operated remotely to maximise uptime, will produce carbon-neutral corrugated material for use at Swanline and … Continue reading CorrBoard Harnesses Organic Waste to Produce Corrugated

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trump biofuel plan
Biofuels

Rural Leaders Petition President Trump to Uphold Biofuel Promise

A broad coalition of biofuel and farm advocates have sent a letter to the White House last week calling on President Trump to fix a flawed proposal from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which “fails in its mission to reinvigorate farm economies and reopen biofuel plants across America’s heartland.”

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Medical, Recycling

Turning Plastic Bottles into Prosthetic Limbs

Researchers have created a lightweight prosthetic limb from discarded plastic, which they say could save healthcare providers millions and help tackle pollution.

The artificial limbs were made by grinding down plastic bottles and spinning the grains into polyester yarns which were heated to produce a light, sturdy substance that could be easily moulded.

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recycling
Recycling

This New Resource Aims To Help Clear Up Recycling Confusion

A US-based online repository provides ready-to-edit labels and posters to help reduce waste sorting confusion. But even as the new resource encourages recycling, its funders have faced criticism for profits that depend on environmental damage. Can a cardboard cereal box go into the office paper recycling bin? How about a shiny magazine insert? And which plastics are OK: No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 … Continue reading This New Resource Aims To Help Clear Up Recycling Confusion

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coca-cola
Packaging, Recycling, Self-Regulation

Coca-Cola in Europe Signs Circular Plastics Alliance Declaration

The Coca-Cola Company and its two leading European bottling partners – Coca-Cola European Partners and Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company – have jointly signed the European Commission’s Circular Plastics Alliance declaration, underlining their commitment to using more recycled packaging across Europe.

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biofuel
Biofuels

Method to Customize Microbes for Better Biofuel Production

Scientists at the US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have demonstrated a method to insert genes into a variety of microorganisms that previously would not accept foreign DNA, with the goal of creating custom microbes to break down plants for bioenergy. Microbes are the most abundant life forms on earth. They influence the growth of plants, digest food in the human gut, transform … Continue reading Method to Customize Microbes for Better Biofuel Production

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Energy

US and Egypt Launch Strategic Energy Dialogue

CAIRO, EGYPT – Today, Egyptian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Tarek El-Molla, Egyptian Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mohamed Shaker and U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette launched the U.S.-Egypt Strategic Energy Dialogue, which will facilitate closer government and private sector cooperation on energy between the United States and Egypt. The Strategic Energy Dialogue between the two countries focuses on all energy aspects … Continue reading US and Egypt Launch Strategic Energy Dialogue

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Honda E Electric Car
Electric Vehicles

Honda Reveals The Price of its E Electric Car

It’ll start at £26,160 pounds or around $32,000 in basic trim. Honda’s E electric car is officially here and the production model has kept nearly all the charm and gadgets of the original concept. At the same time, Honda has unveiled pricing and specs for the urban EV, and that’s where things get interesting. As the company revealed last week, the Honda E will be … Continue reading Honda Reveals The Price of its E Electric Car

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VW first electric car ID3
Electric Vehicles

VW First Electric Car

Volkswagen took the wraps off its ID.3 electric vehicle — one that will be available in Europe and starts at roughly $33,000 for the base model — just ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show yesterday. Why it matters: The compact EV, which will start deliveries in mid-2020, could be a big step toward production of moderately priced battery-powered cars for a mass market. “Everything about … Continue reading VW First Electric Car

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US Biofuel plan backlash agriculture
Biofuels

Biofuel Plan Faces Fresh Backlash From US Agriculture

US agricultural trade groups on Friday told the Trump administration a proposed biofuel reform package falls short of expectations, four sources familiar with discussions said, complicating plans the administration had for presenting the proposal to President Donald Trump. Trump was expected to meet with Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Agriculture officials on Friday afternoon to discuss the proposal meant to assuage farmers angry about … Continue reading Biofuel Plan Faces Fresh Backlash From US Agriculture

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EU
Biofuels

EU Threatens Indonesia About Retaliating Against Biodiesel Duties

JAKARTA: European Union representatives to Indonesia on Thursday challenged a plan to impose duties on European dairy goods in retaliation for the bloc’s duties on palm biodiesel, warning such action would violate World Trade Organization rules. Indonesia’s Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita said on Aug 9 he was recommending to an inter-ministerial team a 20%-25% tariff on EU dairy products as the appropriate response to the … Continue reading EU Threatens Indonesia About Retaliating Against Biodiesel Duties

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Electric Vehicles

McDonald’s Goes Electric Car

The fast-feeder is catering to growing number of electric-vehicle drivers in the country. In Sweden, McDonald’s is catering to the growing numbers of electric car drivers by turning its classic Golden Arches restaurant signs into signposts letting people know where they can charge their vehicles. The company has charging stations at 55 restaurants in the country, making it the largest restaurant chain for electric car … Continue reading McDonald’s Goes Electric Car

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Bioenergy
Bioenergy

PetroBio Commissioned to Convert Energy Production from Natural Gas to Renewable Bio Energy

Swedish engineering company PetroBio has been commissioned to convert the energy production at the Dutch tomato grower Zonnekreek Tomato from natural gas to renewable bio energy. Earthquakes and tremors as a result of natural gas extraction in the Dutch city of Groningen, (one of the world’s largest gas fields) has led the Dutch government to implement a total gas extraction stop by 2030 as well … Continue reading PetroBio Commissioned to Convert Energy Production from Natural Gas to Renewable Bio Energy

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Biofuels

Oil Industry Urges Trump Administration to Dismiss Biofuel Industry Wish List

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The American Petroleum Institute on Tuesday urged the Trump administration to reject proposals floated by U.S. farmers and ethanol producers to boost ethanol demand, the latest development in the clash over biofuel policy. President Donald Trump last week said his administration was planning a “giant package” related to ethanol that would please U.S. farmers angry that many more oil refiners have … Continue reading Oil Industry Urges Trump Administration to Dismiss Biofuel Industry Wish List

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singapore recycling
Recycling

Singapore Zero-Waste Plan To Raise Recycling Rates From 22 to 30 Per Cent By 2030

The rich, convenience-oriented city-state is the first in Southeast Asia to introduce producer responsibility laws to tackle a sobering waste problem. But as its only landfill fills up, does Singapore’s Zero Waste Masterplan go far enough? The Singapore government has launched an eagerly awaited masterplan to tackle the city-state’s acute waste problem, with new targets set to reduce the burden on the island’s only landfill … Continue reading Singapore Zero-Waste Plan To Raise Recycling Rates From 22 to 30 Per Cent By 2030

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biofuel
Biofuels

The Ugly Truth About Biofuels

It is a truth (almost) universally acknowledged that the world needs to stop consuming so many fossil fuels–and to do so in a big hurry–if we are to have any hope lowering global carbon emissions in time to curb catastrophic climate change and to meet the goals set by the Paris climate agreement. In fact, according to an alarming 2018 study by the Intergovernmental Panel … Continue reading The Ugly Truth About Biofuels

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cracker of the future consortium
Production, R&D and Innovations

Petrochemical Companies form Cracker of the Future Consortium and Sign R&D agreement

Companies to explore electrical cracking to potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions Six petrochemical companies in Flanders, Belgium, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and the Netherlands (Trilateral Region) today announce the creation of a consortium to jointly investigate how naphtha or gas steam crackers could be operated using renewable electricity instead of fossil fuels. The Cracker of the Future consortium, which includes BASF, Borealis, BP, LyondellBasell, SABIC and … Continue reading Petrochemical Companies form Cracker of the Future Consortium and Sign R&D agreement

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india
Biofuels

India Launches First Test Plant to Convert Plastic Waste to Diesel Fuel

Plastic waste has become a major environmental catastrophe. According to the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP), five trillion single-use plastic bags are used worldwide every year. About 60% of that plastic ends up landfills or the natural environment, ultimately returning into the food cycle and causing severe environmental and health consequences. India has announced that single-use plastic would be completely phased out by 2022. It has … Continue reading India Launches First Test Plant to Convert Plastic Waste to Diesel Fuel

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trump biofuel plan
Biofuels

Trump To Unveil Biofuel Plan Soon

DECATUR, Ill. (Reuters) – President Donald Trump is likely to announce a plan that aims to mitigate the impact of waivers granted to oil refineries on biofuel demand in the next couple of weeks, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said on Wednesday. Speaking at a news conference on the sidelines of the Illinois Farm Progress Show, Perdue said Trump would like to deliver the news himself … Continue reading Trump To Unveil Biofuel Plan Soon

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water hyacinth biofuel
Biofuels

Water Hyacinth as Wonder Source of Biofuel

This invasive plant was reviled for clogging rivers but now it’s helping provide cleaner energy and protect health It is 9am on the shores of Lake Victoria’s Winam Gulf in Kenya’s Kisumu county. Tourists are arriving on the beach in droves, preparing to spend the day sunbathing and taking boat rides. Behind them, enormous marabou storks on spindly grey legs are pacing the beach, waiting … Continue reading Water Hyacinth as Wonder Source of Biofuel

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electric car battery
Electric Vehicles

New Electric Car Battery Can Be Recharged in Six Minutes

A NEW battery technology which is being prepared for commercialisation which will allow for mobile phones and electric car recharging to drop to six minutes.A new battery technology company is preparing to commercialise new technology which could lead to rapid charging times. Echion Technologies, the Sawston-based battery specialist born out of Cambridge University, is looking to bring the battery tech to both smartphones and electric … Continue reading New Electric Car Battery Can Be Recharged in Six Minutes

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Biofuels

Trump Orders Biofuel Boost in Bid to Temper Farm State Anger

President Trump, seeking to tamp down political fallout in U.S. farm states essential to his reelection, has ordered federal agencies to shift course on relieving some oil refineries of requirements to use biofuel such as corn-based ethanol. Trump and top Cabinet leaders decided late Thursday they wouldn’t make changes to just-issued waivers that allow small refineries to ignore the mandates, but agreed to start boosting … Continue reading Trump Orders Biofuel Boost in Bid to Temper Farm State Anger

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island of paros plastic free
Plastic Bans

Paros to Become First Plastic Waste-Free Island in the Mediterranean

The popular island of Paros wants to become the first plastic waste-free island in the Mediterranean with vehicle the Clean Blue Alliance, an initiative of Common Seas, an organisation that seeks the reduction of plastic waste and the plastics pollution in sea. Common Seas initiative, ‘Clean Blue Alliance,’ supports islands in accelerating their source-to-sea solutions, with the aim of eliminating plastic. The project is evidence-based … Continue reading Paros to Become First Plastic Waste-Free Island in the Mediterranean

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Recycling

Rome Trials Recycling Plastic Bottles in Exchange for Transit Cash

The city of Rome unveiled three test machines around metro stations where passengers can drop plastic water bottles, receiving five cents apiece through a scan on their phones. According to Rome’s transportation authority ATAC, the money goes to passengers’ accounts in partner apps MyCicero or Tabnet, which can be redeemed for public transportation. ATAC President Paolo Simioni said on Wednesday that “in a period in … Continue reading Rome Trials Recycling Plastic Bottles in Exchange for Transit Cash

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electric vehicle
Electric Vehicles

Why Consumers Avoid Electric Cars?

Like technology fans itching to try the latest and greatest, electric-car owners are early adopters. EV sales remain paltry in the US despite tax credits and other discounts, but a new study aimed to uncover the major factors the internal-combustion engine reigns supreme. According to the latest findings from Autolist, the reasons aren’t that shocking. Electric cars’ overall range, their price compared to a traditional … Continue reading Why Consumers Avoid Electric Cars?

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Waste Export

Canada May limit Plastic Waste Exports

Environment Minister Catherine McKenna says she has asked her department to look at what else Canada can do to reduce the amount of Canadian garbage that is ending up overseas. As recently as Aug. 1, McKenna’s officials said Canada would not ban the export of recyclable plastics because it could affect the economies of countries that have recycling industries. They cited similar policies in Australia, … Continue reading Canada May limit Plastic Waste Exports

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Packaging, Recycling

Recyclable Film That Can Replace Metallic Coatings in Food Packaging

Metallic coatings in food packaging are often difficult to recycle, but UK researches have developed a new transparent film that could replace some metallic layers. Reported in peer-
reviewed journal Nature Communications, the new films can be produced using a cheap, environmentally friendly process and provide a similar level of food protection to the metallic layers, while also being full recyclable. Multi-material composites which include metallic … Continue reading Recyclable Film That Can Replace Metallic Coatings in Food Packaging

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biodiesel
Biofuels, Legislation & Politics

EU Imposes Duties on Indonesian Biodiesel

The European Commission had launched an anti-subsidy investigation in December following a complaint by the European Biodiesel Board THE European Commission on Tuesday imposed countervailing duties of 8 per cent to 18 per cent on imports of subsidised biodiesel from Indonesia, saying the move was aimed at restoring a level playing field for European Union (EU) producers. “The new import duties are imposed on a … Continue reading EU Imposes Duties on Indonesian Biodiesel

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india
Recycling

Plastic Shipments to India Stall as Ban Draws Near

Recovered plastic has largely stopped flowing from the U.S. into India, which until recently has been among the top importers of the material. The curtailment in material movement comes as the South Asian country prepares to implement an all-out ban on scrap plastic imports this month. The Indian government in March announced its plan to ban scrap plastic imports, later indicating the ban would take … Continue reading Plastic Shipments to India Stall as Ban Draws Near

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Recycling

Lidl Sets Up its Own Recycling Operations in Germany

The owner of discount supermarkets Lidl and Kaufland has charged into waste management despite the downfall of a big industry player, Duales System. Where there’s a supermarket, there’s trash, and in a highly developed country yearning to dispose of that trash ecologically, that means opportunity. The Schwarz Group, Germany’s largest retailer who owns Lidl and Kaufland supermarkets, has built up its own waste management group … Continue reading Lidl Sets Up its Own Recycling Operations in Germany

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Poland Spring Recycling
Recycling

Poland Spring and The Recycling Partnership Help Consumers Answer “Can I Recycle This?”

#NotTrash Instagram campaign is first activation between Poland Spring and The Recycling Partnership to help residents recycle more, better Less than 30% of plastic bottles are currently recycled in the U.S.[1] And less than half of recyclables in U.S. homes get recycled by consumers[2]. Poland Spring® Brand 100% Natural Spring Water is teaming up with The Recycling Partnership to tackle one of the core reasons … Continue reading Poland Spring and The Recycling Partnership Help Consumers Answer “Can I Recycle This?”

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indonesia plastic bus
Recycling

Plastic Bottles to Pay for Bus Ticket in Indonesia

Jakarta: Dozens of people clutching bags full of plastic bottles and disposable cups queue at a busy bus terminal in the Indonesian city of Surabaya – where passengers can swap trash for travel tickets. The nation is the world’s second-biggest marine polluter behind China and has pledged to reduce plastic waste in its waters some 70% by 2025 by boosting recycling, raising public awareness and … Continue reading Plastic Bottles to Pay for Bus Ticket in Indonesia

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nespresso capsules bike nestle
Recycling

Nestle Makes Bikes With Nespresso Capsules

Nespresso is partnering with Swedish bike brand Vélosophy to produce a stylish bicycle made from recycled aluminum coffee capsules, demonstrating both brands’ commitment to a circular economy. 1000 limited edition RE:CYCLE bikes made from over 300,000 recycled Nespresso Arpeggio capsules will be available from August 12, sold exclusively on Vélosophy’s ecommerce platform velosophy.cc Aluminium is one of the world’s most valuable resources, because it can … Continue reading Nestle Makes Bikes With Nespresso Capsules

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