#Advanced Plastic Recycling

[superchemistryclasses]

Top Chemical Plastic Recycling Companies Leading the Sustainable Revolution

Plastic pollution is a growing environmental crisis, with millions of tons of plastic waste ending up in landfills and oceans each year. Traditional mechanical recycling has long been the primary method for managing plastic waste, but it comes with limitations. Many plastics degrade in quality after multiple recycling cycles, and certain types, such as mixed or contaminated plastics, cannot be…

[nexuscircular]

Advanced Plastic Recycling – How Beneficial for Sustainability-minded Companies?

We at Nexus work with sustainability-minded companies and recycling organizations across the plastics supply chain to secure used plastics that would otherwise be thrown away and put into a landfill, reducing the potential of leakage of these plastics into the environment.

[mohitbisresearch]

The global recycled wood plastic composites sales market was valued at $5.94 billion in 2024, which is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.72% and reach $12.07 billion by 2034.

[apic786]

Shaping the Future of Sustainability: The Most Impactful Plastic Recycling Conferences by APIC

The growing concern over plastic waste has put sustainability at the forefront of global discussions. As industries and policymakers strive to create solutions for a circular economy, Plastic Recycling Conferences have emerged as vital platforms for collaboration, innovation, and change. These gatherings bring together industry leaders, environmental advocates, researchers, and policymakers to discuss advancements in recycling technology and regulatory frameworks that shape the future of sustainable waste management.

The Role of Plastic Recycling Conferences in Driving Change

The importance of Plastic Recycling Conferences cannot be overstated. These events act as a melting pot for knowledge-sharing, where key stakeholders engage in discussions on reducing plastic waste, improving recycling efficiencies, and implementing sustainable business models. They serve as an avenue for unveiling groundbreaking research, exchanging best practices, and fostering collaborations between the private sector and regulatory bodies. By addressing the pressing challenges of plastic waste management, these conferences contribute significantly to global sustainability efforts.

In recent years, the need for circular economy solutions has grown exponentially, leading to increased attention on sustainable materials, innovative waste management strategies, and policies aimed at reducing landfill waste. Governments worldwide have started imposing stricter regulations on plastic production and disposal, making recycling a critical area of focus. Conferences dedicated to plastic recycling provide industry professionals with insights into compliance measures, technological advancements, and business strategies to adapt to these changes.

Why Businesses and Industry Leaders Attend

Organizations participating in a Plastic Recycling Conference gain exclusive insights into the latest trends and technological advancements in the field. Attendees get access to expert-led sessions that focus on optimizing recycling processes, regulatory updates, and the economic potential of sustainable waste management. With industry leaders showcasing innovative recycling methods and emerging market opportunities, these conferences provide businesses with a competitive edge and the knowledge needed to stay ahead in an evolving industry.

Additionally, these conferences facilitate networking opportunities that help businesses form partnerships with suppliers, investors, and policymakers. By engaging in panel discussions and workshops, participants can collaborate on sustainable packaging solutions, alternative materials, and advancements in mechanical and chemical recycling. The event also serves as a launchpad for startups looking to introduce disruptive technologies in plastic waste management, providing them with exposure to key stakeholders who can support their growth.

The Impact of Plastic Recycling Trade Shows

Plastic Recycling Trade Shows play a crucial role in promoting technological innovations. Exhibitors from across the globe present state-of-the-art machinery, new recycling techniques, and sustainable materials that have the potential to revolutionize the industry. These events also enable direct interactions between solution providers and decision-makers, facilitating real-time demonstrations and partnerships that lead to practical implementations. The engagement at these trade shows accelerates the adoption of environmentally responsible waste management strategies.

Trade shows also allow businesses to explore cost-effective recycling methods that improve operational efficiency. With waste reduction being a significant concern for manufacturers, attending these events helps businesses identify viable alternatives to traditional plastic usage. Companies investing in closed-loop recycling systems, biodegradable materials, and waste-to-energy solutions gain valuable knowledge from industry experts on integrating these approaches into their production processes.

Exploring the Advanced Recycling Conference

Among the most anticipated events in the industry is the Advanced Recycling Conference. This event brings together pioneers in recycling technology to discuss chemical and mechanical recycling processes, advancements in material recovery, and the future of sustainable packaging. The conference is designed to bridge the gap between scientific research and commercial application, ensuring that the latest innovations reach markets where they can make a meaningful impact. Sessions include expert panels, keynote speeches from industry leaders, and case studies that highlight successful recycling initiatives worldwide.

Chemical recycling, in particular, has gained momentum as a viable alternative to traditional mechanical recycling methods. Unlike mechanical recycling, which degrades plastic quality over time, chemical recycling breaks down plastic into its original components, allowing for repeated reuse without a loss in integrity. This cutting-edge technology is a significant focus at the Advanced Recycling Conference, where experts discuss its scalability, economic feasibility, and potential role in reducing plastic pollution.

The Future of Plastic Recycling Conferences

As sustainability remains a global priority, the relevance and influence of Plastic Recycling Conferences will continue to grow. Future events are expected to focus more on circular economy strategies, government regulations, and industry-wide collaborations to achieve a zero-waste future. These gatherings will play a pivotal role in shaping policies and encouraging industries to adopt more responsible waste management practices.

Industry reports suggest that the demand for post-consumer recycled plastics will continue to increase as companies aim to meet sustainability goals. Large corporations are setting ambitious targets for incorporating recycled materials into their products, making conferences an essential platform for discussing challenges related to material availability, pricing, and consumer awareness. These discussions drive innovation and encourage cross-sector partnerships that can accelerate the transition toward a greener future.

The role of Plastic Recycling Conferences in driving sustainability initiatives is undeniable. From showcasing technological advancements to fostering global partnerships, these events contribute to the ongoing efforts to reduce plastic pollution. Businesses, researchers, and policymakers attending such conferences gain valuable insights and networking opportunities that help push the industry forward. As the demand for sustainable solutions increases, participation in these conferences will remain essential for those looking to make a tangible impact in the world of recycling and environmental conservation.

APIC continues to be a leading force in organizing impactful events that shape the future of sustainability. By attending these conferences, stakeholders can connect with like-minded professionals, discover cutting-edge innovations, and contribute to the global effort of creating a cleaner, greener planet.

As the push for sustainability continues, these events will play an even more critical role in fostering international cooperation, influencing policy, and accelerating the adoption of innovative recycling technologies. Whether you are an industry expert, an entrepreneur, or a policymaker, attending a Plastic Recycling Conference is an investment in the future of our planet.

[sai-int]

au where reader, feeling lonely, splurges on a sex android to keep her company in her lonely little home. two weeks later, it arrives at her door in a human-sized box, and she decides to name it johnny.

she's stunned by how lifelike he is—his skin is unexpectedly warm, his cum has an actual taste, and he somehow remembers more about her preferences each time they fuck. and yet, she only bought the cheapest model, not the advanced one.

about a week and a half later, she heads to her building's recycling room, a task she usually assigns to johnny, but he's already out getting groceries. thats when she sees it: an android, mangled and contorted, shoved into the plastics bin. the model looks eerily familiar. like johnny, but not quite. it's not until she takes a close look that she realizes something is horribly wrong

[reasonsforhope]

"As the world grows “smarter” through the adoption of smartphones, smart fridges, and entire smart houses, the carbon cost of that technology grows, too. 

In the last decade, electronic waste has become one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the world. 

According to The World Counts, the globe generates about 50 million tons of e-waste every year. That’s the equivalent of 1,000 laptops being trashed every second. 

After they’re shipped off to landfills and incinerated, the trash releases toxic chemicals including lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, and so much more, which can cause disastrous health effects on the populations that live near those trash sites. 

Fortunately, Franziska Kerber — a university student at ​​FH Joanneum in Graz, Austria — has dreamed up a solution that helps carve away at that behemoth problem: electronics made out of recyclable, dissolvable paper. 

On September 11, Kerber’s invention “Pape” — or Paper Electronics — earned global recognition when it was named a national winner of the 2024 James Dyson Awards. 

When she entered the scientific competition, Kerber demonstrated her invention with the creation of several small electronics made out of paper materials, including a fully-functional WiFi router and smoke detector. 

“Small electronic devices are especially prone to ending up in household waste due to unclear disposal systems and their small size, so there is significant potential to develop a more user-friendly end-of-life system,” Kerber wrote on the James Dyson Award website. 

“With this in mind, I aimed to move beyond a simple recycling solution to a circular one, ensuring long-term sustainability.” 

Kerber’s invention hinges on crafting a dissolvable and recyclable PCB board out of compressed “paper pulp.” 

A printed circuit board (PCB) is a board that can be found in nearly all modern electronic devices, like phones, tablets, and smartwatches.

But even companies that have started incorporating a “dissolution” step into the end life of their products require deconstruction to break down and recover the PCB board before it can be recycled. 

With Kerber’s PAPE products, users don’t need to take the device apart to recycle it.

“By implementing a user-friendly return option, manufacturers can efficiently dissolve all returned items, potentially reusing electronic components,” Kerber explained. 

“Rapidly advancing technology, which forms the core of many devices, becomes obsolete much faster than the structural elements, which are often made from plastics that can last thousands of years,” Kerber poses. 

PAPE, Kerber says, has a “designed end-of-life system” which anticipates obsolescence. 

“Does anyone want to use a thousand-year-old computer?” Kerber asks. “Of course not. … This ensures a sustainable and reliable system without hindering technological advancement.”"

-via GoodGoodGood, September 13, 2024

[seat-safety-switch]

Humanity's greatest achievement, the talking cookie jar, was callously discarded by a so-called "advancing civilization." I ask you now, are you happier now than you were when you had a cartoon dolphin in your kitchen? One that made an ear-piercing screech whenever you pulled its head open to retrieve a Famous Amos? It's time to get back to cookie jars.

Invented in 1491 by a rogue team of Chinese scientists who were looking for a place to safely store the cookies that they had invented the year before, the cookie jar promptly became a mainstay of every home. And then pretty much nothing happened for about another five hundred years, until talking cookie jar technology appeared.

It may seem hard to believe now, seated in the immeasurable comfort of modern-day technology like vtubers and even ztubers, but at the time, sticking a greeting-card noisemaker into a novelty piece of plastic was the only way to get a gift for your weird aunt that she wouldn't immediately smash on the floor and call your dad out for his many crimes against humanity. You had to be there, I guess.

Nowadays, scant few of these artifacts still remain, purged in humanity's rush to recycle old electronics. Perhaps there was also an element of fear around the unhealthy nature of leaving a baked good out in the bare air, tempting you to devour them whenever you entered the kitchen. Cookies themselves are as popular as ever, but we prefer to eat them directly from the package, in secret, away from the judgmental eyes of family members.

There is hope, however. With today's technology, cookie jars can once again talk. And not just that: they can feel. We've inserted a bio-synthetic machine sentience into every single one of these Garfield® cookie jars. It knows your schedule. It knows your diet. It passes judgment on you. And, critically, you are not allowed to recycle it under United Nations law, because we programmed it to feel pain. You can pick one up at your local K-Mart for sixty bucks plus tax. Makes a great gift for your weird aunt.

[sammrapp]

Regina George

CHAPTER TWO: BOTH SIDES

chapter one here

I hadn’t planned on sitting with them again. Not really. I told myself I’d just walk slow enough to end up wherever gravity pulled me. But by the time I got to the lunchroom, Gretchen Wieners was already waving me over like I was late to a meeting.

“Sam! Over here!”

She practically shoves her tray to the side to make room. Regina sat exactly where she’d been the day before — center throne, salad fork in hand, eyes not on me. Not at first. Karen waves like we were in different zip codes. “You came back! Yay!”

I sit down with the same posture you’d have in a dentist chair. Not hostile, just braced. Gretchen leans in immediately. “Okay, I need your opinion: I was thinking about dying my hair caramel honey but, like, muted, you know? Like a sadder honey.”

Karen gasps. “Like if a bee was in therapy.”

“Exactly,” Gretchen says, eyes wide.

I blink. “Sure.”

Karen beams. “Sam, I had a dream about you last night.”

Gretchen froze. “Wait—what?”

Karen nods solemnly. “You were on a boat made of school desks. There were dolphins, but they were, like, mean. They kept saying you had to pass the ‘test of the sea’ or they’d make you eat Cheerios forever.”

Gretchen blinks. “What does that mean?”

Karen shrugs. “I don’t know. But I woke up craving cinnamon.”

Regina finally speaks. “Karen, sweetie, that’s the third time this semester you’ve dreamed about cereal.”

Karen looks offended. “Dreams are subconscious truth or whatever.”

Regina turns to me slowly, and it wasn’t just a turn — it was a shift. Her gaze landed like a bookmark sliding into place.

“You came back,” she says.

It's not a question. I nod, stabbing a carrot with my plastic fork.

“You like being around us?” she asks, voice smooth and neutral — but not empty.

“Hard to say after twenty-four hours,” I reply. “But the company’s never boring.”

Regina tilts her head, like she was cataloging me. Her ponytail sways slightly, deliberately.

“Most people try too hard to impress us,” she says. “You don’t.”

“I could start if it’s a problem.”

“No,” Regina says. “Don’t.”

Karen squints. “Wait, was that a compliment?”

Regina doesn't answer. She's still looking at me. Gretchen drums her fingers on the table. “Regina, did you hear about Ashley Palmer’s nose job? She says it’s for ‘deviated cartilage,’ but it’s, like, clearly a Disney Princess upgrade—”

“Gretchen,” Regina says flatly, “volume down.”

Gretchen shuts up instantly. Karen leans her head on my shoulder and sighs. “I’m so glad we have a new person. You smell like someone who doesn’t scream in their car.”

I smirk. “That’s specific.”

“Gretchen screams in her car.”

“I said I was doing vocal warmups,” Gretchen mutters.

As the table descends into another spiraling debate over something stupid — possibly the ethics of lip gloss recycling — I feel it. That feeling. Not of being welcomed. Of being examined. I glance up, and Regina is looking away now, pretending to scroll through her phone. But she isn't scrolling. She's watching me, just above the screen.

-

Fourth period: Advanced Studio Art.

I like the classroom immediately — high ceilings, old wooden tables with years of pencil carvings and paint stains that no one bothered to scrub out. The walls are covered in student projects, some incredible, some horrifying, most somewhere in between. I can breathe here. Think. Hide in plain sight. At least, usually. Today, Janis was already at the corner table when I walked in. She doesn't look at me. Not even a flicker. I slide into the stool across from her without asking. My combat boots hit the table leg as I sit, loud and deliberate.

Still no reaction.

Damian shows up late, carrying a cup of iced coffee and a pair of sunglasses he definitely doesn't need indoors.

“Oh good,” he says, settling onto the stool between us. “Tension. My favorite color palette.”

I glance over. “You always this chipper when people are silently seething?”

“I thrive in cold war environments,” he says. “It’s my niche.”

Janis pulls out her sketchbook like I'm not even there. Her fingers are smudged with charcoal. Her thumbnail was black with ink. Mr. Crayden — yes, Crayden — claps his hands and barked from the front of the room, “Alright, weirdos, we’re doing timed partner sketches. Five minutes, quick linework, minimal detail. Choose someone you won’t sue for drawing your nose wrong.”

He scans the room like a lazy hawk. “You three — corner table — you’re in rotation. Janis, you start.”

She doesn't say anything. Just lifts her pencil and starts drawing me. No eye contact. No expression. Just cold, surgical lines. I can feel her looking through me, like she's sketching what she wants to erase. Damian leans toward me and whispers behind his coffee cup, “She’s just like this when she’s bleeding trust. Doesn’t mean she hates you.”

Janis paused her pencil and said without looking up, “Yes it does.”

Damian gave a little “oof” and scoots half an inch farther from her, like she's radioactive. I stay still, not blinking. Just letting her draw. Janis finally spoke, low and without punctuation:

“You know what the worst part is? You’re nice. You’re likable. You’re careful. Regina loves girls like you.”

I don't respond.

“I tell myself you're just a snake,” she continues, pencil scratching faster now, sharper. “But you’re not. You’re a sponge. You soak up everyone else’s approval so quietly no one even notices.”

Her eyes flicker up at mine for the first time.

“You’re gonna get eaten alive.”

The timer buzzes. Mr. Crayden clapped once and bellowed, “Switch!”

I turn toward Damian, who gives me a little shrug and says, “You’re doing great, sweetie.”

Janis doesn't look at me again the rest of class.

-

My locker never closes all the way unless I kick it. Today it resisted even more than usual — sticking just enough to make me look like I didn’t know what I was doing. I had barely gotten it shut when I felt her.

Not saw. but felt.

Regina has a way of entering space, making gravity shift slightly. Like the hallway made room for her. She leans her shoulder against the locker next to mine, arms crossed, gaze already fixed.

“You always wear black?”

Her voice is lower when it wasn’t performing. Smoother. Less bite, more drawl. I glance down at my outfit — black jeans, oversized black hoodie, combat boots.

“Sometimes I diversify,” I say. “Worn denim. Faded band shirts. Very experimental.”

She smiles faintly. “Hm.”

Her eyes don't leave me. Not once.

“You’re hard to read,” she says.

“That’s intentional.” I say.

“Is it?” she asks. “Or are you just hiding?”

I stared back at her, face neutral. “What do you think I’m hiding?”

“Something soft,” she says. “Or something dangerous.”

She steps a little closer, just enough that her perfume — vanilla and winter air — started mixing with the scent of metal lockers.

“I think,” she continues, “you’re the kind of girl who keeps everything quiet because you’re afraid of what would happen if it got loud.”

I don't say anything. Regina’s eyes flicker to the pendant around my neck — an old silver triangle with a cracked enamel edge, the chain thin from wear. She reaches out — slow, deliberate — and touches it with two fingers.

“This looks better on you than it would on anyone else,” she murmurs. “It doesn’t try too hard.���

She lets her fingers linger half a second too long, then drops her hand. And just like that, she turns and walks away. She doesn't look back. Doesn't wait for a response. She doesn't need to.

-

The girls’ bathroom on the second floor has a broken paper towel dispenser and a sink that ran hot water for exactly four seconds before giving up. I went in because I didn’t want to see anyone — and definitely didn’t want anyone to see me. The stall door clicks shut behind me. I sit, not because I need to, but because standing is making me feel too exposed. Too upright. Too available. That’s when the voices come in — high-pitched, sharp-edged, clacking like heels on tile.

“Did you see her today? Sitting there like she belonged? In her little Hot Topic outfit?”

It was Trina Meyers. Junior. Cheer squad. Wore glitter eyeliner like it's currency.

“Regina always gets these weird projects,” another girl replies— I think it was Lindsay Nance. “Remember when she made that girl from yearbook carry her stuff for a week? Like, as a joke?”

Trina snorts. “This one’s different. I think it’s a charity case. Like, gay and sad? Regina eats that up. It’s very compassionate dictatorship of her.”

Lindsay laughs. “Yeah but like… is she even cute? In a ‘reclaiming trauma’ kind of way, sure. But she looks like she listens to music that wants to bite you.”

“Oh totally,” Trina says. “She’s probably drawing blood in her diary with a mechanical pencil.” They laugh again — and eventually leave. The door closes behind them with a final click, and silence expands like breath held too long. I stare at the cracks in the stall wall. I don't cry. I don't even feel embarrassed. Just… enraged. Every word has landed somewhere between my ribs and settled like lead. I flush the toilet I haven't used, walk to the mirror, and stared at myself like i'm trying to see what they saw.

Gay and sad.

They aren't wrong. But they aren't right, either. Later, after sixth period, I open my locker and find it waiting for me — folded once, no name, written on lined paper like it had been ripped from someone’s notes. I unfold it.

“If you’re going to play both sides, at least be good at it.” —J

No signature, but the J had a slash through the tail. Janis’s trademark. I crush the note in my fist and shove it deep into my pocket. I don't throw it out. And I don't forget it.

-

The air is colder than it had been in the morning. Fall is settling in, and my hoodie isn't thick enough to ignore it. The walk home is fifteen blocks, all uneven sidewalk and brittle leaves crushed underfoot. I don't take the bus. I don't ask for a ride. I don't want company — not from Gretchen and Karen, who’d left in a swirl of perfume and matching phone cases, and definitely not from Janis, who hadn’t looked at me once since art class. So it's just me. Just the sound of my boots scuffing pavement, the rhythm as steady and strange as my own heartbeat. Left. Right. Right. Left. Heel drag. Repeat. Every step felt like I was walking farther into something I couldn’t name. Not a trap. Not a choice. A middle. Janis had once been on the inside. Regina had once cared enough to burn her. And now both of them are circling me like i'm carrying the matchbook. I don't belong to either world — not entirely. The Art Freaks saw me as a question mark with loyalty issues. The Plastics saw me as novelty. A new black to try on for the season.

And Regina…

Regina looks at me like i'm the one person who might see her and not flinch. Or worse — look back. I turn the last corner toward home and pass under a flickering streetlamp. The orange glow buzzes like a dying neon sign above me. I stop walking. Pull out my phone. Two message threads hovered on the screen:

Janis Ian: unopened.

Regina George: no text, but she’d just reacted to something I posted with a black heart.

I stare at both threads. Open none. Instead, I lock my phone, shoved it back in my pocket, and look up at the dark sky with nothing to say.

I don't belong to them. Not yet. And maybe not ever.

[cognitivejustice]

Europe is leading the charge in plastic waste management

The European Patent Office technology insight report explores five decades of technology trends in plastic waste management based on 12,924 unique inventions in waste recovery (separation and purification) and waste recycling (conversion into new materials).

The report also offers insights into the patenting behaviour of large applicants in the field, as well as of emerging startups and the research sector.

Steep increase in intervention

Innovation in plastic waste management has outpaced other technology fields, with patenting activity increasing 18-fold during the period from 1990 to 2023. The growth in applications intensified after 2015 and rapidly accelerated in the 2020s.

With Germany, France, Italy and the UK forging ahead, Europe has consistently led in plastic waste management innovation, accounting for 44% of related patenting activity during the past three decades.

Asia also contributed steadily to the growth and now matches North America, with each region of origin accounting for just under 30% of all international patent families (IPFs).

Europe also leads in removing plastics from water

[zerooup]

uhhh something something Curly, Anya, and Daisuke being small together on the Tulpar something something Swansea needs a break something something pure chaos and fluff I don’t know ur rlly cool I’ve a req here b4 but I still get nervous whenever I send reqs 2 cool blogs 🫠👍 (also the others r ur choice but the padded regressor Curly headcannon has infested my brains, Jimmy can be included but I don’t know where he stands in this or where to put him so that’s up 2 u, I hope this req is good)

I'm assuming this is for a lil fic - so sorry in advance if that's not what you wanted! also TYSM... i don't bite i promise !!

LITTLE CURLY, ANYA, DAISUKE + CG SWANSEA [bros trying his best </3] also overtired curly bc thats lit cannon everyone here needs a break .

DON'T LIKE, DON'T READ! DO NOT HARRASS ME BECAUSE YOU DONT LIKE WHAT I DO!

⏾ Anya sat in the common area with Daisuke, arguing over how one cheated at a dice game, Swansea was nearby; letting the two argue it out, Daisuke being around 4, and Anya being about 6. Swansea was on his break; though this made him feel young again, not in the same way regression would. In the way he felt like he was 20 years younger, he loved his "shipkids" dearly! Even if they were sometimes a pain in his butt, he knew they didn't mean it.

⏾ Curly finally left the cockpit after what felt like literal weeks, heading to the kitchen and punching in some numbers on the packet dispenser. 3142.. for some water; he mindlessly opened the package, quickly drinking it, and tossing the plastic pack into the recycling. Swansea's hand rested on the blondes shoulder; causing him to jerk away unintentionally. "Oh.. Swansea, sorry; am I in the way?" The older gentleman simply shook his head, sighing softly. "Grant, How long has it been since you took a break?" Curly paused for a moment, clearly thinking.. had he remembered to?- He was quickly pulled out of it with a hasty sigh from the older, who spoke firmly. "Go get changed, Curly. Then come join Anya, Daisuke and I; Okay? I ain't takin "no" either, you need a break." Curly spoke, with a huff. "You need a break too, Swansea. We all do, But as Captain I need to make sure everyone in this ship is cared for in every manner I can." Swansea cut him off, his gruff voice speaking. "And how do you plan to take care of everyone when you're not taken care of? Even the best oiled machines need downtime for cleaning." Curly rubbed his temple, his head hurt; so he reluctantly agreed. "Fine, I'll be back" Swansea simply nodded, letting the other walk off to go do what he needed; in the meantime he broke up the impending fight between Anya and Daisuke, re-directing them to a game where they had to work together to get a marble to the end, a rube Goldberg machine. He eventually heard the door to the lounge re- open. there stood Curly, rubbing his face with one hand; holding a stuffed Polle plush with the other, it'd clearly seen better days.

⏾ Curly slowly walked to Swansea, sitting next to him before resting his head on the older's shoulder. Swansea carefully wrapped his arm behind Curly's back. "You feelin' okay buddy?" Which was responded with a soft nod and him stuffing his face closer into Swansea's shoulder, his eyes were heavy from the lack of sleep. Swansea picked up on this; moving the taller into his lap, letting him cuddle up and get comfortable. Swansea rubbed his back; helping Daisuke and Anya with the little machine they were building.

⏾ Eventually they did get it together.. Daisuke rested against Swansea's shoulder, Anya doing the same with his other shoulder. The eldest kissed their foreheads gently, holding all of them. xxsc

[superchemistryclasses]

Eastman Chemical’s Advanced Plastic Recycling: A Game Changer for the Circular Economy

Introduction Plastic pollution is a growing environmental challenge, with millions of tons of waste ending up in landfills and oceans every year. While traditional recycling methods help reduce some waste, they have limitations in handling complex plastic materials. Eastman Chemical is leading the way with its advanced plastic recycling technology, offering a sustainable solution to the plastic…

[nexuscircular]

Advanced Recycling of Plastics Creating a Cleaner and Circular Economy

Advanced recycling companies have bolstered many city economies with opportunities in terms of climate benefits and jobs. Houston City is an example where hundreds of petrochemical manufacturing units are witnessing a boom in the recycling industry as an ancillary industry.

Please visit : https://medium.com/@nexuscircular8/advanced-recycling-of-plastics-creating-a-cleaner-and-circular-economy-22cbda0d2a3b

[princess-nobody]

Avatar Rant: Two Avatar takes that bother me

(Pssst! This was originally posted on reddit, but I liked it so much I decided to post it onto my this account! Here's a link to the original if you'd rather read it there!)

So, I saw a semi-viral tweet a while back that bothered me because it not only felt like a complete misunderstanding of the point of Avatar as a film franchise, but also just a very childish view of how societies and different communities function. I can't find it though (I didn't interact with it and it has since been buried) so I apologize for not being able to give the best context.

It was your typical RDA sympathizing humanity first take (makes sense, the account that tweeted it was a walking red flag) that claimed that the na'vi were stupid for not accepting human advancement and technology, that humanity should always put its preservation first, and that the RDA were simply prioritizing the well being of their people whilst the na'vi wanted them gone. I want to start by addressing the latter take(s).

The first and second movies make it very clear that the RDA are NOT prioritizing the survival of Earth or humanity. They are a money hungry organization that want to monetize pandoran resources to their dying people in hopes to squeeze out whatever little money they have left. The people of Earth are said to be protesting them for that very reason, every solution to their planet's problems that they have discovered is insanely expensive and inaccessible to anyone below the upper class one percent. The RDA don't care about humanity, they care about profit, which is the exact reason why their actions are so callous in the films.

There are certainly humans that want to preserve humanity, but I truly cannot wrap my head around how you can watch either film and come to the conclusion that it is the RDA that wants the best for humanity. Avatar is not a "human bad" movie, it is a "corporate greed bad" movie, which is reflective of real life environmental issues. The individual is green, the individual recycles and doesn't litter, the individual cleans their local rivers and sea shores. However, the powerplants continue to polute our air, the corporations continue to flood our oceans with plastic, the rich continue to cut corners and burn the air with private jets.

I truly believe the reading of Avatar as an anti-humanity movie is what has lead to people thinking the RDA are the "good guys". It is because they actually believe the RDA are supposed to represent humanity and their will to keep surviving (and that James Cameron is portraying them as wrong for that), when it is clear they are a representation of the corporate greed that leads to environmental damage and the destruction of humanity.

As for the belief that the na'vi are hostile and somehow wrong for not caring to "advance" in the way humanity did, that is just flat out wrong. When it came to the respectful, peaceful humans such as Grace and her team, the na'vi were incredibly welcoming. I mean, Grace built an entire school for them and taught them human language and other human academics, so clearly they aren't against learning from humans. Again, Avatar is clear about the fact that humans as a collective aren't bad, corporate greed is.

However, why should the na'vi "advance" when there is no need to? Innovation is built on the back of necessity, and in a world where there is no need for certain technological advancements, why should the na'vi chase it? Why do they need phones and tablets and video games and McDonalds? They are living just fine without it. This idea that every society needs to be "modernized", even when they function just fine without said modernization has always driven me up a wall.

This entitlement from the western world is what leads colonial brained weirdos to try and go to indigenous islands and force religion or their world view upon them, because they believe that if a society doesn't function like the "modern" world, it is wrong. The na'vi don't need currency, or modern tech, or modern trends or fast food. They aren't perfect, but they also aren't in a desperate situation that would call for innovation or some sort of technological evolution. They are fine, they don't need nor even want it, and it is strange to believe humanity is in their right to force it upon them.

I'll stop this here because it's getting too long, I would love to hear your thoughts. Last time I made a post in this vein I got some really interesting responses, I couldn't reply to all but I'll try and reblog if that means anything!

[materialsscienceandengineering]

Stretchable, flexible, recyclable: 3D printing method creates fantastic plastic

Princeton engineers have developed an easily scalable 3D printing technique to manufacture soft plastics with programmed stretchiness and flexibility that are also recyclable and inexpensive—qualities not typically combined in commercially manufactured materials. In an article in the journal Advanced Functional Materials, a team led by Emily Davidson reported that they used a class of widely available polymers called thermoplastic elastomers to create soft 3D printed structures with tunable stiffness. Engineers can design the print path used by the 3D printer to program the plastic's physical properties so that a device can stretch and flex repeatedly in one direction while remaining rigid in another. Davidson, an assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering, said this approach to engineering soft architected materials could have many uses, such as soft robots, medical devices and prosthetics, strong lightweight helmets, and custom high-performance shoe soles.

Read more.

[reasonsforhope]

"At the University of Maine, one of the world’s largest 3D printers is using sawdust from the state’s lumber industry to 3D print cozy wooden cabins.

It’s part of a move towards making 3D printing faster and more sustainable in a state where the housing shortage that has metastasized in most states around the country is dire.

It’s thought that 80,000 new homes will be needed over the next 5 years to keep pace with demand, and though it takes years for building codes to be changed, the technicians at the Advanced Structures & Composites Center (ASCC) at the Univ. of Maine hope their new toy can help address this need.

Guinness World Records certified the machine at ASCC as the world’s largest prototype polymer 3D printer, capable of creating a 600 square foot house 96 feet in length, 36 feet in width, and 18 feet tall entirely out of bio-based material at a rate of 500 pounds per hour.

In 2022, it could print the walls, floors, and roof of the house in just 96 hours, but the ACSS has been refining the design with the hope of doubling the printing speed and getting it down to a 48-hour timeline.

“When they’re doing concrete, they’re only printing the walls,” Habib Dagher, the executive director of ACSS told CNN. “The approach we’ve taken is quite different from what you’ve seen, and you’ve been reading about for years.”

Indeed, GNN has reported on a fair number of 3D printing projects, but most if not all involve printing only the walls. One fantastical exception is an Italian firm that is 3D-printing domed, beehive-like, modular concept homes inspired by the Great Enclosure in Zimbabwe.

STAND-OUT 3D-PRINTING PROJECTS: 

First 2-Story Home to be 3D Printed in the U.S. Reaches for the Sky in Texas 

The World’s Largest 3D Printed Building is a Horse Barn That Can Endure Florida Hurricanes

This 23-Year-Old Founder is 3D Printing Schools in Madagascar Aiming to be a ‘Stepping Stone’ for the Community

A Startup Is Using Recycled Plastic to 3D Print Tiny $25,000 Prefabricated Homes in LA

The ASCC is calling the house design the BioHome3D, and says it’s rare people who tour the concept version don’t ask when they “can have one up?”

The interior gives the feel of a modern Scandinavian wooden cabin, making it fit well with the Maine aesthetic. The ASCC is now doing work on how to incorporate conduits for wiring and plumbing “exactly where an architect would want them,” says Dagher.

WATCH a time-lapse video of the printer doing the job…

-via Good News Network, August 16, 2024. Video via The University of Maine, March 3, 2023.

[oldmanontumbler]

To Whomst It May Concern,

If you're suddenly in a stage of intense mood swings, anger, depression, or find that symptoms of one of your mental illnesses (ie, inability to focus for ADD) is getting more pronounced, and you menstruate, please let this be a check-in point.

I always forget about PMS until it hits me in the face. So, if you're in the same boat:

Make sure you have all of your period essentials. Heat pads, pain-killers, pads/tampons/cups if you bleed, reliable underwear, and whatever else you may need.

If your period cramps get really bad, to the point where you cannot go to work or school, take this moment to compose a message to your boss/teachers, if you haven't already. Unfortunately, since most of us aren't clairvoyant, you probably don't know the exact dates you'll be menstruating, but composing a message in advance means that when your period hits, you won't have to think of what to write whilst in pain.

Keep a water bottle next to your resting place. Either a plastic, recyclable one, or a reusable one. This is good practice for any time, really, but having a water bottle nearby makes drinking water easier.

If you bleed on your period, you may have to wash your genitals more frequently/with more care. Do not put soap inside your vagina. Vaginas are self-cleaning. But using baby wipes throughout the day, in addition to bathing/showering, should be good.

Give yourself some grace. Your mind, your body, or both may be in turmoil right now. Take it easy on yourself. Pretend that "yourself" is another person, and you are counseling them through their period instead. If you need either more companionship or more distance for a bit, let your friends know directly! It also helps to have at least one friend who you can just openly discuss menstruation with.

Periods can be rough to weather, and we're fortunate to have resources to make them easier. :)

Now, unfortunately, this gift does not extend everywhere.

Nesma (nesmamomen here on Tumbler) has talked openly about the difficulty that Palestinians go through to find even adequate pads. People need food, medicine, shelter, but once a month, even amidst a famine, one-quarter of Palestine's population bleeds for a week.

We're fortunate to have resources to get through our periods. And we can extend the same kindness to Palestine.

Nesma's linked P^yP^l:

And a fund for people who menstruate: