Recycling news: 2026
Fresh every day from industry press, GOV.UK and research feeds — plus the historical archive. Last updated 1 Aug 2026.
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Research & science
NASA captures wild swirling clouds and rare arctic storm over Alaska
Southern Alaska’s winter finale delivered a spectacular atmospheric display, captured by a NASA satellite. Cold Arctic air flowing over warmer ocean waters created long bands of clouds, swirling vortex patterns, and even a compact polar storm with powerful winds. As the air traveled offshore, it evolved into increasingly complex cloud formations. The result was a dramatic, ever-changing sky tha…
ScienceDaily — Recycling and Waste · 6 May 2026
Research & science
There’s little love for the SNP – so why does the party look set to win in Scotland?
Scots are calling it the ‘scunner factor’ – widespread distaste for the major parties.
University of Edinburgh — The Conversation institution feed · 6 May 2026
Research & science
Even in Japan, robots are a long way from being fully-fledged carers – here’s why
Japan has long been the global leader in the development and deployment of care robots.
University of Edinburgh — The Conversation institution feed · 6 May 2026
Research & science
Rain barrels and other household stormwater strategies are working—for now
In the last two decades, coastal urban areas have taken steps to better minimize flooding and runoff by creating more permeable surfaces and encouraging residents to participate in water retention and use-reduction programs. These efforts, ranging from adding rain barrels and cisterns, to installing water-efficient fixtures, are making a difference, according to new research from Drexel Univers…
Phys.org — 'circular economy' search feed · 5 May 2026
Research & science
Greener process recovers over 96% of rare earths from permanent magnets
Researchers from the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, have developed a solid-phase extraction process that enables the eco-friendly recovery of critical raw materials from NdFeB magnets. The developed method utilizes organic methanesulfonic acid, which is a greener option for traditional inorganic acids. The developed process proved to be highly effective, and it was also patented.
Phys.org — 'circular economy' search feed · 5 May 2026
Research & science
Europe’s dilemma – to use China’s turbines to meet its renewable targets or not
China dominates the wind turbine market, but it wants to expand further.
University of Nottingham — The Conversation institution feed · 5 May 2026
Research & science
School dinners are changing: the strong emotions and memories around these meals reflect their social, economic and cultural importance
When people remember school dinners they remember how they made them feel as much as what they ate.
University of Sheffield — The Conversation institution feed · 5 May 2026
Research & science
Nitrogen pollution identified as major driver of biodiversity loss in UK coastal waters
A new study of the British Isles’ coastal ecosystems has revealed that nitrogen enrichment is significantly reducing the abundance and variety of marine life.
Swansea University News · 5 May 2026
Research & science
Technologies for Identifying Deepfakes, Cyberattacks and Drone Threats
Artificial intelligence, advanced sensor technologies and immersive simulation are opening new possibilities for law enforcement and public security agencies. From May 20 to 22, 2026, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft will present new internal security solutions at the GPEC General Police Equipment Exhibitions & Conference in Leipzig. These will include technologies for analyzing digital evidence, id…
Fraunhofer Research News · 5 May 2026
Research & science
Welsh broadcasters target voters with digital election coverage
From explainers to quickfire interviews, digital coverage is transforming the Senedd campaign coverage.
Cardiff University — The Conversation institution feed · 5 May 2026
Research & science
Stanford science reveals genetically distinct ‘ghost elephants’ - Stanford Report
Stanford Report · 5 May 2026
Research & science
Upcycling pyrolyzed biowaste into functional alkali-activated biochar for hydrogen sulphide capture
Waste Management & Research, Ahead of Print. Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) is a hazardous gas that requires effective removal. In this study, biochar derived from vegetable-tanned, chrome-free leather industry residues was produced via pyrolysis at controlled temperatures 750°C and chemically activated ...
Waste Management & Research (SAGE) · 5 May 2026
Research & science
Eucalyptus bark points the way to cleaner water and air
Eucalyptus bark, usually stripped from logs and treated as waste, could be repurposed to help clean polluted water, filter dirty air and capture carbon dioxide, according to new research from RMIT University. Researchers at RMIT have shown the bark can be converted into a highly porous form of carbon that traps pollutants as water or air flows through it. The findings point to a practical way o…
Phys.org — 'circular economy' search feed · 4 May 2026
Research & science
Programmable Monomaterial for High-Tech Athletic Shoes
High-quality athletic shoes are usually made from a complex combination of materials. This has consequences for both production and recycling. In the ZiProMat project, Fraunhofer researchers have found another way. A sole made of programmable monomaterial performs various functions and is also made of the same material as the upper. The concept combines high-tech, sustainability and recyclability.
Fraunhofer Research News · 4 May 2026
Research & science
New Measurement Method Detects Field Emissions of Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous oxide is the third most significant greenhouse gas in terms of climate impact after carbon dioxide and methane. It is primarily generated as a result of nitrogen fertilization in agriculture. The Fraunhofer Institute for Physical Measurement Techniques IPM has developed a compact and cost-effective measurement system that detects nitrous oxide emissions from farmland directly in the fie…
Fraunhofer Research News · 4 May 2026
Research & science
Wireless Endoscope Transmits Data via Light
Medical imaging devices such as endoscopes transmit their data via cables to monitors and hospital information systems. In collaboration with partners, Fraunhofer researchers in the OWIMED project are working to make data cables superfluous in the operating room of the future. The project team has developed a prototype for an endoscope that uses light to transmit the images from a laparoscopic …
Fraunhofer Research News · 4 May 2026
Research & science
Biodegradable Seed Coating for Effective Seedling Protection and Supply
While germinating, seeds must be supplied with sufficient water and protected from herbicides, as undisturbed crop development is key to ensuring stable and high yields. As part of the SeedPlus project, researchers from three Fraunhofer institutes have developed a biodegradable seed coating that features integrated water storage capacity and protection from herbicides to facilitate high germina…
Fraunhofer Research News · 4 May 2026
Research & science
Innovative Numerical Simulation Methods for Resilient Hydrogen Networks
Green hydrogen is a key area of opportunity in the energy transition. However, the use of pipelines to transport this energy source is associated with a degree of risk. Research scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for High-Speed Dynamics, Ernst-Mach-Institut, EMI, are developing a hydraulic simulation tool to assist with the planning of a resilient hydrogen infrastructure designed to safegua…
Fraunhofer Research News · 4 May 2026
Research & science
Scientists turn plastic waste into clean hydrogen fuel using sunlight
Scientists are using sunlight to turn plastic waste into clean fuels like hydrogen, offering a breakthrough solution to both pollution and energy challenges. While still in development, the approach could transform trash into a valuable resource for a low-carbon future.
ScienceDaily — Recycling and Waste · 4 May 2026
Research & science
Speed 'training' prepares bacteria for complex tasks, like munching plastics
Millions of tons of plastic waste accumulate in landfills and oceans every year. One promising response is to engineer microbes to break the plastic down into useful chemical building blocks. However, teaching a bacterium to digest plastic efficiently demands fine-tuning not just one gene, but entire clusters of genes working in concert, like upgrading every machine on a factory assembly line r…
Phys.org — 'e-waste' search feed · 4 May 2026
Research & science
SARAH-2 Solar Radiation Data - joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu
EU Joint Research Centre (JRC) news · 2 May 2026
Research & science
Cedars-Caltech Workshop - merkin.caltech.edu
Caltech News · 2 May 2026
Research & science
The king’s state visit was a success – but there is still a chasm to bridge between UK and US outlooks
No act of royal diplomacy, however well executed, can deliver an instant reset in the US-UK relationship.
Loughborough University — The Conversation institution feed · 1 May 2026
Research & science
How Britain’s housing crisis contributes to its declining healthy life expectancy
Poor housing affects education, employment, caring, sleep, relationships and dignity.
University of Glasgow — The Conversation institution feed · 1 May 2026
Research & science
When the Schuylkill swallowed the city: Lessons from Hurricane Ida's historic flood
New Penn research shows that Hurricane Ida wasn't a once-in-a-century anomaly but a preview of how climate change, urbanization, and aging infrastructure are rewriting flood risk.
Phys.org — 'e-waste' search feed · 1 May 2026
Research & science
How close reading took over the internet via The Devil Wears Prada’s cerulean monologue
We’re living in a golden age of close reading.
University of Warwick — The Conversation institution feed · 1 May 2026
Research & science
CIRCULAR LOGISTICS SERVICES: CONCEPTUALIZATION, CONFIGURATION AND VALUE-CREATION - research.chalmers.se
Chalmers University of Technology News · 1 May 2026
Research & science
Turning crisis into a super campaign: Lessons from KitKat
KitKat’s success proves we have moved beyond the era of one-way communication and into the era of “navigating moments”.
University of Edinburgh — The Conversation institution feed · 1 May 2026
Research & science
Plastic Policy Development in the Philippines: Insights from Key Stakeholders Across the Plastic Value Chain
dc.title: Plastic Policy Development in the Philippines: Insights from Key Stakeholders Across the Plastic Value Chain dc.contributor.author: World Bank dc.description.abstract: The Philippines’ blue economy - spanning maritime transport, fisheries, aquaculture, and tourism—is a growing contributor to economic output but is increasingly threatened by escalating plastic pollution. With substanti…
World Bank Open Knowledge Repository — 'waste' search · 1 May 2026
Research & science
Dolls beat screens for building children’s social skills, study finds
Playing with dolls may help children build empathy and better understand other people’s thoughts and feelings.
Cardiff University — The Conversation institution feed · 30 Apr 2026
Research & science
Which bird has the best song? These experts think they know
Who makes the best case?
University of Sheffield — The Conversation institution feed · 30 Apr 2026
Research & science
Lithium in the Appalachians could replace imports for a century or more, estimates suggest
The southern Appalachians hold an estimated 1.43 million metric tons of lithium oxide, concentrated in the Carolinas, and the northern Appalachians hold an estimated 900,000 metric tons, concentrated in Maine and New Hampshire, according to estimates in a new USGS scientific paper published in Natural Resources Research. The lithium is present in pegmatites, large-grained rocks similar to granite.
Phys.org — 'e-waste' search feed · 30 Apr 2026
Research & science
What we cannot see in the operating room may matter just as much as what we can
I study how the surgical team generate airborne particles through their movements and activities, and how these contaminants are distributed over short distances around the patient and surgical field (the surgical microenvironment). Invisible particles, real consequences: Rethinking contamination in operating rooms We all remember the time of COVID-19, when suddenly everyone became aware of vir…
NTNU Norwegian SciTech News · 30 Apr 2026
Research & science
Smart motorways were halted over safety concerns – what’s the future for digital roads?
Many people welcome technology that will improve road safety or reduce congestion. But the rollout has proved unsettling.
Cardiff University — The Conversation institution feed · 30 Apr 2026
Research & science
Upload large data sets - Empa Scientific IT
Empa News · 30 Apr 2026
Research & science
Register a new user - Empa Scientific IT
Empa News · 30 Apr 2026
Research & science
Library guides and databases: Reference management software: What is reference management software - UCL | University College London
UCL News · 30 Apr 2026
Research & science
Mining critical materials is creating 'sacrifice zones' that harm water and health of world's poor
There is a troubling contradiction at the heart of the global transition to a cleaner, greener, tech-driven future: Modern technologies—everything from AI to wind turbines, as well as cellphones, electric vehicles and defense systems—depend on critical minerals. But many of the communities where those minerals are mined end up with polluted water and poorer health because of the mining.
Phys.org — 'battery recycling' search feed · 30 Apr 2026
Research & science
Metro Manila air still carries toxic lead decades after gasoline phaseout
Counterintuitively, despite the ongoing fuel crisis and the over two decades since the global phaseout of leaded gasoline, toxic lead still lingers in Metro Manila's air. By analyzing aerosol data from as far back as 2018 and 2019 using lead isotope fingerprinting, an international team including researchers from the Ateneo de Manila University Department of Physics and the Manila Observatory f…
Phys.org — 'e-waste' search feed · 30 Apr 2026
Research & science
Thermo-kinetic and reactivity analysis of rice husk and its macromolecular constituents during thermochemical conversion for sustainable valorization
Rice husk (RH), an abundant agricultural by-product, offers significant potential for sustainable energy generation and material recovery due to its lignocellulosic composition and high silica content. We conducted a detailed thermo-kinetic analysis of RH under inert and oxidative atmospheres. Initial characterization showed that RH is primarily composed of cellulose (56.6%, mass fraction), lig…
Waste Disposal & Sustainable Energy (Springer) · 30 Apr 2026