Aprendizes’ Post

Exciting Times lay just around the corner. 🌱 Sustainability, while of utmost importance for all companies today. Often clashes with innovative product developments. The core reason being that sustainable materials and processes are not yet available for novel production cycles. To create our Inflatable helmets we use a material called Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) which has, traditionally, been manufactured from virgin petroleum, which of course, creates a large carbon footprint. Therefore if we wish to live by our values and be truly sustainable, we must be at the forefront of the introduction of sustainable new processes and new materials. Which is why we pay such close attention to new updates in this field and are excited to share a few of them today. 🌱Turning the Tide with TPU Recycling: A Game-Changer for Helmet Manufacturing.🌱 Thankfully the Tide is beginning to turn on TPU production. Just this year, we are beginning to see big players such as Patagonia, transition to the use of recycled TPU. A clear indication that advancements in TPU recycled materials are quickly growing and becoming commercially viable. We are also starting to see the development of biobased TPU. The Lubrizol Corporation and BASF are both introducing a bio based TPU which is made from up to 70% bio-based materials and promises the same, and in some cases superior product qualities to traditional TPU. Time will tell (and alot of testing on our side), if these new materials can be applied to Inflabi. Even more excitingly is the news this week, from the Københavns Universitet - University of Copenhagen, that scientists there have found a new way to separate both polyester and cotton during the recycling process, in a way that is non-toxic to humans and more environmentally sustainable. If similar advancements can be achieved with the materials used by Inflabi, Inflabi will be able to take a big step in the creation of a circular economy. By using recycled and Bio raw materials in manufacturing, followed by environmentally friendly methods of separating and recycling old materials at their end-of-life, our long-term aim of creating a helmet that benefits both the customer and also the planet can be achieved. #circulareconomy #productdevelopment #inflabi #bikelife #startup #development #sustainability #recyling

A Reciclagem Química vai se desenvolver com as regulações que trazem segurança jurídica e incentivos para os investimentos. Abaixo uma foto atual de como alguns estados nos EUA definiram esta rota tecnológica, fundamental para a reciclagem de resíduos plásticos e circularidade das embalagens. Excelente resumo trazido pela Resource Recycling. Chemical Recycling Check-in After 2023 brought strong activity around defining and regulating chemical recycling, we're seeing more action in 2024. So far, two bills have passed, in Maine and in Wyoming. In the Pine Tree state, LD 1660 sets into law that any chemical recycling facility would be subject to solid waste facility permitting and will not be considered recycling. It was chartered into law on March 5. Wyoming's SF 80 defines chemical recycling as manufacturing. It was signed into law March 15. With its passage, 25 of the 50 U.S. states now regulate chemical recycling as manufacturing and not waste disposal. Other bills that explicitly do not define chemical recycling as recycling are in play in Michigan (SB 543), Massachusetts (H 4263) and Rhode Island (S 2303). Michigan's bill seeks to amend existing recycling legislation from 2022. It would remove language around chemical recycling from the definitions. Rhode Island's bill is a prohibition on the licensing of any new high-heat waste facility, and Massachusetts' bill sets out that "energy recovery or energy generation by means of combustion; pyrolysis, gasification and any other high-heat chemical conversion processes" does not count as recycling. On the other hand, bills that exclude chemical recycling from solid waste definitions and define it as recycling are in play in Alaska (HB 143), New York (S 3583) and New Jersey (AB 2776). #plastics #circulareconomy

Interesting day at the #Sustainability Forum of ABRE Associação Brasileira de Embalagem. Biobased materials, biodegradability and compostability are obviously all part of the journey towards a more #sustainable world.   Tomorrow, I'll be talking about the added value of #certification at the ABICOM - Associação Brasileira de Biopolímeros Compostáveis e Compostagem #BioplasticsBrazil conference. TÜV AUSTRIA Group TÜV AUSTRIA Belgium #OKcompost #OKbiodegradable #OKbiobased

AI speeds up breeding and a story about Recyclable plastic packaging advances. In Vertical Farm Daily Professor Lee Hickey said AI offered unique new opportunities to accelerate the development of all aspects of speed breeding in genetics. "Breeders are collecting billions of data points, but the big challenge is how we turn this colossal amount of data into knowledge to support smarter decisions in the breeding process," Professor Hickey said. Professor Ben Hayes, the co-inventor of genomic prediction, said his team had identified four applications for AI in crop and livestock breeding: -Helping decide what to breed. "In an increasingly challenging environment, consumer acceptance will be more important, so AI is a good way to pull together the preferences of millions of people.” -The ability to analyze images taken on a large scale, so as to capture preferred genetic variation. -The use of genetic markers to predict how good a variety is going to be for breeding. -And the fourth application is to create a change from looking at individual genetic lines to thinking about a breeding population as a collection of chunks of DNA that are good for a trait. "Integrating speed breeding with genomics and, in particular, AI is the new frontier in plant and animal breeding, where we tap into these big data sets," Professor Hickey said. "This will be a game changer, bringing desirable traits together faster than ever before, particularly when it comes to multiple traits governed by multiple genes." AI is coming like a tidal wave to CEA- there are so many uses for it, and here is just one aspect of it now. And in The Produce News, the company Side Delights will use new BioFlex sustainable packaging technology for both conventional and organic potato bags. Thermoplastics are a worldwide problem. “The global production of thermoplastics is projected to increase to almost 450 million metric tons by 2025. Packaging is the largest market segment in plastics and currently accounts for around 26 percent of the total volume of plastic used. Less than 10 percent of all plastics will be recycled and more than 90 percent of plastic waste will end up in landfills.” But the creation of BioFlex as a sustainable packaging technology increases the natural microbial activity in modern landfills. “BioFlex is a low-density polyethylene plastic that looks and works like most plastic containers but breaks down completely within 3.62 years and won’t remain in a landfill for generations. It is completely recyclable. Recyclable plastic, and AI advances- Bravo.   What do you think? #agtech #environment #development #greentechnologies #project #controlledenvironmentagriculture #Agriculture #Technology #farming #environmental #science #growtainers #controlledenvironmentagriculture #verticalfarming  #indoorfarming#regenerativeagriculture#hydroponics #microgreens #regenerative#climate#machinelearning#ai #fungi

Excited to share my first research article publication ''Meat Packaging Sustainability Perception among Undergraduate University Students Studying Food and Forensic Science related Courses: A Coventry University Scoping Exercise'' in journal Sustain Earth. The study examined students perception and knowledge of meat and meat packaging sustainability and their behaviours towards recycling flexible plastic are sufficient to contribute to achievement of net zero strategy. The research revealed that often the space, availability of recycling facilities and distance to them is a barrier to correct plastics recycling, observed among students leaving in student’s accommodation. Moreover, generation Z even understanding the importance of recycling, not always interprets On-Pack Recycling Massages according to guidance and often unconsciously contaminates recycled waste streams. Whereas, educated and women individuals showed a significant understanding of meat and plastic waste problems. However, the role of plastic packaging in meat shelf-life extension was only understood by students educated in this field. Therefore, the problem of packaging and meat sustainability is complex and depends on different variables such as consumer's sociodemographic, knowledge, and perception of plastic packaging design. Without resolving those problems on the consumer level, movement towards circular economy and achieving net zero strategy is impossible. The full article is available in the link below (Open Access): https://lnkd.in/eymA-eJU I would like express my gratitude to my coauthors Isabella Nyambayo, Marie Lunel, PhD, Mary-Jane Hawkes BSc, PGCert, MSc, MCIEH, MIFST, FHEA whose invaluable ideas, guidance and substantive support contributed to research.

Micronutrients (e.g.  Mn, Mo, Mg, B, Fe, Cu, and Zn) are essential for our food production. Recently, Environmental Technology - Wageningen University & Research was part of a TKI project “Micronutriënten in de kringloop” (Micronutrients in the food chain) led by KWR Water Research Institute that as a first step towards more circularity assessed which of these micronutrients can be recovered from residues (in a safe way). This was done in three case studies: drinking water sludge, the sugar beet industry, and domestic organic waste and wastewater. More information (in Dutch) can be found at the TKI website: https://lnkd.in/gZffugqB Royal Agrifirm Group, AquaMinerals B.V., Brabant Water N.V., BVOR - Branche Vereniging Organische Reststoffen, Cosun Beet Company, Energie- & Grondstoffenfabriek, #Eurofins Agro, ICL Group, KWR Water Research Institute, LeAF BV, Royal Avebe, SEMiLLA Sanitation, Nutrient Platform via NWP (Netherlands Water Partnership), STOWA, Van Iperen, Vereniging Afvalbedrijven • Partner in de circulaire economie, Vitens, Wageningen University & Research, Waterschap De Dommel, Waterschap Vallei en Veluwe, WLN.

It was a great experience to participate in the SEMAR Essay Competition held on March 7-10, 2024 at Sebelas Maret University Surakarta. I took the topic of the environment with the title "Utilization of Winged Bean Beans into Enviromentally Friendly Bioplastic Straws" which explains our efforts to protect the environment around us, especially the large amount of plastic waste that will damage the environment. Bioplastic research or biodegradable plastic is one of the research that can be developed now to answer environmental problems in the future. One of the plants that can be used to make bioplastics is winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus). Winged bean can be a solution to the use of plastic straws to be environmentally friendly. Thankyou so much for the best experience✨ #essay #universitassebelasmaret

A new study has discovered how to create biodegradable films from coffee grounds. Associate professor in South Dakota State University’s Department of Dairy and Food Science Srinivas Janaswamy has been focussing his research on plastic alternatives which are both biodegradable and from agricultural byproducts. Coffee grounds are a common waste material, easily accessible and contain lignocellulosic fibres (needed to make the film), making them the perfect material for Srinivas Janaswamy to research when looking for plastic alternative solutions. While it is still early days into the study there has been some promising success with the film which can biodegrade in 45 days and, “Interestingly, these films could block significant amounts of UV radiation and display antioxidant properties". We are always interested in learning about new innovations towards lessening the use of plastics and are even more excited to learn when plastic alternatives are created from other waste which would otherwise end up in landfills. You can read the full article by following the link in the first comment. #SustainablePackaging #BiodegradableFilm #CoffeeGrounds #PlasticAlternatives

Are you under the impression that metal recycling industries are the same as junkyards? Do not be impressed, this comparison is still very common! However, as people take the time to visit YvY Reciclagem in Itaquaquecetuba-S.P., this image completely disappears and gives way to the vision of a structured, organized and clean company with industrialization processes within the best quality and safety standards found in largest and best transformation and assembly industries in Brazil. Furthermore, there is no continuous improvement without investments in infrastructure. That is why YvV Reciclagem is in the process of finalizing a new unit, built within an area of 70,000 SQM and with 35,000 SQM of warehouses. Investments are not limited to buildings, but also to the machines and equipment necessary for handling, separating and disposing of recyclable materials. With regard to legislation, YvY Reciclagem complies with all sector regulatory standards and keeps all its environmental, operating, transport and disposal licenses up to date. From a fiscal point of view, no negative certificates, whether state, municipal, federal or labor, present any restrictions. To conclude, YvY Reciclagem is a lean company, with specialized processes and labor aimed at minimizing costs and maintaining a company with balanced financial health. We invite you to visit the website to learn more about this company! https://lnkd.in/d9xEmKir Contact: [email protected]

#Actnow #SURE_2025 #GreenWorms_Kerala Vallikkunn GP has started a 2 year project in association with Greenworms which aims to elucidate and to improve the perception on sustainability.As a part of this project the students spend a day with Harithakarmasena(HKS) at coastal ward. Insights : 💡Only 43% of Households are cooperated with HKS 💡Although 74% of Households are aware about 'Cause by Marine litter' 37% are not satisfied with 1 month service of HKS at wards. 💡Students recieved uncleared napkins(with human excretions), bundle of hair, Household utensils, plastic Covers(including Multi Layer plasrics), hard plastics, bunches of paper all at single sacks. Due to the human excretion some of the plastic films are imposed the students to note it as Reject material. 💡Students Unit to Revive Environment (SURE) has now managed to express their inner feelings for their Nature in public domain too.