Posts

US potatoes survive pests thanks to lobster shell
Ground shells from lobsters can feed communities of beneficial microbes, creating a line of defense against soil pests. Researchers from University of Maine researchers offer a potential circular solution to safeguard the state's major crop. Which would also avoid tons of waste

Circular bioeconomy, biobased industries need specific codes
Interview with Giulia Gregori, Strategic Planning and Corporate Communication manager of Novamont: "We will thus be able to enhance the contribution of biobased products to decarbonisation and soil protection"

Plastic, glass, metals: the “enemies” that dirty the compost
The alarm emerges from a series of video interviews with managers of composting plants carried out by the italian Biorepack consortium. Too high percentages of "foreign fractions" (up to 12%) make it more difficult and expensive to make compost. On the other hand, compostable, flexible and rigid bioplastics were promoted with flying colors: "very useful for increasing quantity and quality of the final product"

New sewage management brings benefits to soil, EEA says
A decentralized sewage treatment offers better opportunities for the development of circular solutions even for arable land, a European Environment Agency analysis says

FAO launches its mission against global soil pollution
The UN organization presents the International Network on Soil Pollution, a project to tackle contamination and restore damaged lands. Fixing the problem - says FAO - is crucial to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals

Urgent need to support European market for recyclable materials, says EEA
The growth of non-hazardous recoverable waste trade within the European market represents an opportunity for the circular economy, says the EU Environment Agency. The sector is already worth 12 billion but can grow further by creating new opportunities and improving the quality of recycling

UN agrees to introduce a legally binding agreement on plastic in 2024
A new committee will work toward global regulation of plastic industry. By the end of 2024, countries will have to commit to implementing new manufacturing and design solutions based on circular economy principles

Chemicals in meat and soil raise concern in US, The Guardian writes
A contamination event in Michigan raises some alarm about dangerous chemicals infiltrating the soil and harming the food chain. US authorities' policy remains controversial, the British newspaper says.

The story of Alhaji, the startupper who is curbing deforestation with coconut waste
Una soluzione circolare contro la deforestazione in Africa Occidentale. Alhaji Siraj Bah, giovanissimo innovatore di Freetown, in Sierra Leone, scommette sui residui del cocco per offrire un’alternativa ai prodotti derivati dal legno

Oil-eating mushrooms bring contaminated soil back to life
U.S. researchers test the ability of mushrooms to absorb and break down soil contaminants. A strategy to restore land by reducing the weight of waste