#landfills — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #landfills, aggregated by home.social.
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New method converts old phones and paper industry #waste into #GreenBattery tech
Scientists have created a sustainable, cost-effective, and highly efficient solution that promotes a #CircularEconomy while supporting the transition to greener #EnergyStorage.
By
Mrigakshi Dixit
Feb 20, 2026 06:59 AM EST"A new sustainable method turns discarded #MobilePhoneBatteries and industrial lignin into a powerhouse material for #SodiumIon batteries.
"It is a stunning example of circular economy innovation. Rather than letting these materials sit in #landfills or go up in smoke, the team from China is giving the waste a high-tech second life.
"When tested as a sodium-ion battery anode, this composite of #nickel-#cobalt sulfides and #lignin-derived carbon delivered electrochemical results."
Read more:
https://interestingengineering.com/energy/battery-material-from-old-phone-batteries#SolarPunkSunday #CellPhoneBatteries #Reuse #SodiumIonBatteries #NewTechnology #GiantLeap #EWaste #EWasteRecycling #EWasteReuse
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Dayton Daily News investigation found #contamination, sick workers at #PiketonOhio plant
By Lynn Hulsey
May 15, 2019"A polluted former #UraniumEnrichment plant in #Piketon closed years ago but it's impact continues to resonate through the community, including this week when a #MiddleSchool was closed after traces of radioactive #neptunium were found at an air monitoring station at the school.
"Contamination with radiation and multiple toxic substances at the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant led to an ongoing, multibillion dollar environmental cleanup and sickened plant workers who had to fight for compensation as they battled debilitating terminal illnesses related to their years at the plant.
"A massive 2006 investigation by the Dayton Daily News found five plumes of poisoned #groundwater, contamination with radiation, #beryllium, polychlorinated biphenyls (#PCBs) and #asbestos.
"The investigation found lax safety practices, routine mishandling of toxic and #radioactive material and at least 400 accidental releases of #UraniumGas or toxic fluorine. Toxins were dumped into unlined #landfills and ditches and leached into #groundwater and the Little #BeaverCreek, a tributary of the #SciotoRiver.
"The plant was operated by the federal government and contractors from 1954 to 2001 and enriched uranium to high levels for #NuclearWeapons and #NuclearSubmarines and to lower levels for #nuclearpowerplants.
#WaterIsLife #Ohio #NoNukes #NoWar #UraniumEnrichment #UraniumHexafluoride #RECA #PortsmouthGaseousDiffusionPlant #InvestigativeJournalism #RadiationExposureCompensationAct #NoUraniumMining #NoUraniumEnrichment
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More of this, please! More #recycling, #LessMining!
More than 600K pounds of #ElectronicWaste (#EWaste) has been diverted from landfills thanks to #Colorado teenagers
Over the past 12 years, #CañonCity High School students have prepped and delivered mostly electronic waste to 3R Technology Solutionsby Sue McMillin
Feb 14, 2024CAÑON CITY — "More than 600,000 pounds of mostly electronic waste has been diverted from landfills over the past 12 years by the students who run #TigerRecycling at Cañon City High School.
To be precise: 623,702 pounds of #laptops, dismantled #desktops, #cellphones, #printers, #televisions, and the assorted detritus of outdated, broken, waterlogged or unwanted gear has been prepped by students and delivered to 3R Technology Solutions, according to 3R CEO Pete Mikulin, who says they track every pound that comes through the doors."Amid the haul were assorted #SmallAppliances — #mixers, #SewingMachines, #toasters — and #batteries and #cords that students disassemble or sort. Tiger Recycling and 3R, its primary vendor, take just about anything that plugs in or runs on batteries except for large appliances such as washers and dryers.
"While all this stuff is getting #reused or #repurposed, the students learn how to take things apart, safely handle potentially #HazardousWaste, identify and sort materials (such as clean or dirty #aluminum, #steel and #plastic), prepare items for shipping, fill out bills of lading, and take in and weigh items from customers.
"This student-run business is unique in a couple of other ways: Tiger Recycling is certified for recycling by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and it earns money.
"'That program, if you look at it as a whole, these kids learn a lot of skills,' Mikulin said. 'They take ownership in it every year. They don’t look at it as just a class, they look at it as a company. It is registered with the state of #Colorado, and it abides by all the state’s laws and rules for recycling.
'They are practicing #sustainability, diverting materials from the #landfills. It’s been pretty cool all these years.'"He calls Tiger Recycling the 'showcase' of school recycling programs and credits program coordinator Ken Cline with bringing it from the brink of collapse into a self-sustaining business.
"Cline has about 20 students per quarter spread over five class periods, and summer school classes. It’s tough to have more than five students at a time dismantling equipment, even though Tiger Recycling moved into its own warehouse space about five years ago, he said.
"They also have three sheds where they can store items awaiting packaging or shipping.
Shelves inside the classroom hold huge bins labeled for every conceivable component of computers and TVs, and a stack of desktop computers is piled against one wall, awaiting disassembly.
"As students arrive on a recent Tuesday afternoon, Cline directs them to tasks and within seconds gloves are on and screwdrivers turning. One student asks for time to work on other classwork and Cline gives him a nod.
"The class is part of the school’s Career Technical Education program, and participants earn general education credits.
"He stays flexible with the students and tries to address their needs. Sometimes that means providing math tutoring; last year he had a class of four repeat students who wanted to delve deeper into electronics so Cline accommodated that.
He also mentors students working on required capstone projects, including a couple who used recycled computer parts to build new computers."The program brings in an average of $5,000 a year, Cline said. The money is handled by the high school, which then gives Tiger Recycling a budget for items such as tools, safety glasses, work gloves and field trips for students, said Cline, who noted that they’ve never spent more on those things than they’ve brought in."
https://coloradosun.com/2024/02/14/electronic-waste-recycling-canon-city-high/
#ReduceReuseRecycle #MoreRecycling #LessMining #RightToRepair #LithiumMining #CopperMining #Reuse #Recycle #SolarPunkSunday
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How Soaring E-Waste Pollution Is Putting Lives at Risk
by April Miller
Mar 3rd 2022The Growing Amount of E Waste Pollution
"The proper disposal of electronics is a heated topic in the minds of those looking to live more sustainably and reduce their carbon footprint. As more devices come out each year, it only adds to the amount of e-waste generated. Consider how #Apple, #Huawei, #Samsung, #Google and other companies release several new phone models annually. Older models then become #obsolete and must be disposed of properly.
"Statista reports that the amount of e-waste generated worldwide was around 54 million metric tons in 2019. Due to increased spending power and the wide availability of electronics, e-waste is becoming the fastest-growing waste stream worldwide. It’s estimated that generation will increase by 30% by 2030.
"These figures make sense, considering how common it is for people to throw away small electronic devices along with their other trash. However, most are not aware of opportunities to recycle electronics, what environmental impact they’re making by throwing away e-waste or how much cash they can earn by selling it.
How E Waste Harms the #Environment and Our #Health
"Why is e-waste becoming a more prevalent issue worldwide? #ElectronicWaste poses unique ecological concerns. Most e-waste contains #HazardousChemicals, and the manufacturing processes may also harm the #environment.
"When e-waste ends up in a #landfill, the surrounding #soil can become #contaminated with #toxic substances such as #mercury, #cadmium, #beryllium and #lead. These chemicals enter the soil, waterways and air, leading to polluted environments and negatively impacting human and #marine life.
"Consider people who use natural wells or the animals who rely on bodies of water. They could be exposed to toxic chemicals that can impact their health.
"It’s also important to note that when high volumes of e-waste enter landfills, device manufacturers must mine more materials to build new devices. #Phones and other #electronics contain small amounts of valuable metals like #gold, #silver and #palladium, among other critical components. These materials are becoming harder to mine, especially with the increased demand for more electronic devices.
How E Waste Contributes to #Air Pollution
One journal from Environmental Research Letters reported that researchers took air samples from a large e-waste disposal site in #China and found that the products in these landfills harmed human #lung cells.
"According to the World Health Organization (WHO), these are some adverse health effects caused by exposure to e-waste:
- Negative birth outcomes for expecting mothers, such as #stillbirth or #premature birth
- Increased rates of #ADHD in young children
- Changes in lung function
- #DNA damage
- Respiratory issues
- Impaired thyroid function
- Increased risk of chronic diseases like #cancer and #cardiovascular disease"Additionally, the WHO reports that appropriate collection and #recycling of e-waste can help protect the environment and human health.
"Global E-waste Statistics Partnership (GESP) found that 17.4% of e-waste that was collected appropriately prevented as much as 15 million tons of carbon dioxide from being emitted into the atmosphere. High levels of carbon dioxide entering the environment and therefore contributing to global warming make it clear that e-waste is a much larger issue than some believe it to be. It may seem easy to toss away old electronics in the trash, but doing so negatively affects the environment and can harm human health.
Recycling Electronics to Benefit Humans and the Environment
"More state and federal action is needed to reduce the negative impact e-waste has on humans and the environment. So far, around 25 US states and the District of Columbia have passed legislation to establish an e-waste recycling programme. Additionally, several manufacturers offer some type of electronic return initiative, with some hosting or sponsoring recycling events for consumers.
"Many manufacturers have adopted more #sustainable business practices to prevent outdated devices from entering landfills. However, this can be challenging, considering how often users want to upgrade to the latest technology due to new features and designs.
Republicans and Democrats are pursuing laws that would make it easier for consumers to repair their devices, from vehicles to refrigerators to smartphones. This movement is being coined as the Right to Repair movement. Manufacturers often make it difficult for consumers to fix a wide range of products by limiting the availability of parts or limiting who can perform repairs.
The goal of the movement is to prohibit manufacturers from taking these measures. This can directly reduce the amount of e-waste entering landfills in the first place. Consumers would then be able to repair devices themselves, save money and avoid tossing obsolete products in the trash.
E-waste is a growing problem worldwide, and more emphasis should be put on the importance of recycling electronics. The benefits of recycling far outweigh the drawbacks. Governments, consumers and manufacturers need to find viable solutions to this prevalent issue. Whether it’s contaminated soil entering waterways or toxic chemicals released into the atmosphere, more work needs to be done to mitigate the negative effects e-waste causes."
https://earth.org/e-waste-pollution/
#ElectronicWaste #SupportLegacyProducts #Windows11 #Consumerism #Capitalism #Crapitalism
#PlannedObsolescence
#Landfills #RightToRepair #EnvironmentalRacism #WaterIsLife #SoilIsLife #RightToRepair
#RepairReuseRecycle
#Consumerism
#Anticonsumerism #EnvironmentalPollution