Recycling, as a topic, encompasses the collection, separation, processing, and reintroduction of post-consumer or post-industrial materials into manufacturing cycles to displace primary raw resources. Scientifically, it involves material-specific pathways such as mechanical and chemical recycling for polymers, re-smelting and refining for metals, and deinking and pulping for paper fibers. Research addresses process efficiency, contamination control, life cycle assessment (LCA), and system-level optimization of material flows within circular economy frameworks. Key metrics include recovery rates, material quality retention, embodied energy, and net environmental impact relative to landfilling, incineration, or virgin-material production.
Transporting material from Earth to the moon is an expensive proposition: By some estimates, moving a single kilogram (2.2 pounds) can cost more than $1 million. Any plan to build a permanent human habitat up there will depend ...
Space Exploration
Oct 6, 2026
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19
Corporate uniforms, advertising banners and industrial technical fabrics almost always end up in landfills at the end of their "life cycles," even when they are still in good condition. To address this issue, Ciclou, a startup ...
Environment
Oct 1, 2026
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9
Federal prosecutors recently described an interstate criminal enterprise with all the trappings of organized crime: clandestine warehouses, money laundering and stolen goods transported across state lines. The mid-September ...
Environment
Sep 30, 2026
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11
Photos taken using a microscope reveal the colorful, kaleidoscope-like crystal structure of a new NASA-made material that could be used for manufacturing during future space missions. Developed at NASA's Glenn Research Center ...
Space Exploration
Sep 29, 2026
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26
The most sustainable smartphone is the one you currently own. An estimated 80% of your phone's negative impact on the environment happens before the first minute of use—before it is even unboxed.
Environment
Sep 23, 2026
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14
Around 2.5 billion single-use cups are used in the U.K. every year, yet fewer than 1% are recycled. They contribute to litter, contaminate recycling streams and increase waste management and street cleaning costs for local ...
Environment
Sep 23, 2026
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8
Throwing something away that is urgently needed, expensive and difficult to source sounds crazy. Yet of the 60 metals contained in old electronic devices such as phones, screens and washing machines, only a few are recycled. ...
Environment
Sep 15, 2026
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10
Industrialized countries send millions of metric tonnes of used clothing, electronic equipment and other products to the Global South, along with the environmental and health costs tied to producing, consuming and disposing ...
Environment
Sep 11, 2026
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36
Vaping isn't just annoying to passersby who have to walk through clouds of vapor but may be actively harmful to the environment, a new study says. Discarded nicotine vapes contain extremely high levels of lead and other heavy ...
Environment
Sep 10, 2026
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13
Plastic is a wonder material that has molded itself to fit a wide variety of applications. But it comes with a host of drawbacks that aren't fully considered. That's why the United Nations has convened to hammer out a treaty ...
Environment
Sep 4, 2026
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