MIT scientists developed a way to turn discarded plastic into strong building materials, with recycled composites already used in a 40-foot bridge
A new MIT-backed company is turning discarded plastic into structural parts for buildings and infrastructure. Atlas Building Composites has developed an AI-powered robotic manufacturing platform that shreds single-use plastic, melts it, and fuses it with…
In 2024, New York turned 250 discarded Christmas trees into nearly 600 feet of breakwaters; by fall, the trees were trapping sediment around a restored salt marsh
What looked like holiday waste ended up helping rebuild a fragile salt marsh at Jamaica Bay, where the trees were turned into nearly 600 feet of natural breakwaters. In 2024, 250 discarded Christmas trees were repurposed into nearly 600 linear feet of…
Australian researchers buried discarded plastic pipes inside mine waste-rock piles; cameras showed northern quolls entering and leaving the artificial dens, with conditions similar to natural shelters
The researchers looked at whether high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes could be used in waste-rock piles to create inexpensive artificial dens. What appears to be industrial waste could provide a small refuge for one of Australia’s most threatened…
In 1997, Texas mixed discarded roofing shingles into two 1,000-foot Highway 31 test sections; years later, officials said their performance was comparable to conventional asphalt
Highway engineers in Texas have shown that discarded household roofing shingles can be recycled into durable road surfaces that perform as well as standard asphalt after years of heavy traffic. In 1997, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)…
In 2013, a UK beach began planting discarded Christmas trees to trap blowing sand; by 2026, the project had created 90 metres of new dunes that help defend homes from flooding
More than 2,000 Christmas trees were planted at St Annes beach in February 2026. (Photo: .visitstannes.info) Discarded Christmas trees are being used to help protect homes and businesses along the Fylde Coast in Lancashire, UK. Since the project began in…
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
An EcoDom prototype house built using its plastic panels. 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…
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
Discarded Christmas trees Discarded holiday trees collected from living rooms across Alabama are finding a second life along the Gulf of Mexico, forming the foundation of a student-led coastal restoration campaign. Discarded Christmas trees collected…
By 2060, discarded solar panels could total 297 to 402 million tonnes worldwide; recycling them could generate almost $1 trillion in economic benefits
Solar Panel Waste: The Unknown Side of Solar Power Discarded solar panels could become a major global waste problem, with as much as 402 million tonnes of photovoltaic (PV) waste expected by 2060. But if these panels are recycled properly, the materials…
New Orleans collected 9,000 discarded Christmas trees and airlifted them into coastal wetlands; the programme has restored marsh equal to nearly 200 football fields
A helicopter dropping its first bundle of trees for the Christmas tree drop restoration project (US fish and wild life service photos) Every year after Christmas, thousands of used trees are thrown away. In New Orleans, however, many of them get a second…