This website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience and deliver personalised ads. By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyse site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Recycling Innovations From Around the World
Recycling Innovations From Around the World
Unfortunately, much of the waste related news that we hear these days tends to be negative in nature, which is why, this month, the Brown Recycling team wanted to bring you something a little more positive: recycling innovations from across the world! From shoes made of chewing gum to edible packaging, we have a lot of exciting stuff to show you, so let’s dive in!
Roads made of plastic
This might seem crazy to us, but plastic roads aren’t just a pipe dream – they’re already here. Springfield Properties, a Scotland-based company, became the UK’s first housebuilder to use waste plastic to build a road on one of their housing developments. The road itself is made up of both plastic and asphalt and, while looking like a traditional road, actually benefits from being a lot more durable.
Mushrooms that eat plastic
While some scientists have been busy working out how we can reuse plastic, others have been working out how to cultivate things that will eat it. Yes, there’s a plastic-eating fungus out there. Known as “decomposers”, this group of fungi prey on organic matter by breaking it down using microscopic webs. As it turns out, a handful of these decomposers can actually survive by feeding on plastic alone.
Can it be scaled up to a point where this phenomenon can actually be harnessed in a meaningful way? It’s not clear yet, but it’s exciting nonetheless!
Shoes made of chewing gum
Chewing gum is the bane of all city centres, and Amsterdam is no exception. In fact, all across the Netherlands, around 1.5 million kilograms of chewing gum ends up stuck to the streets each year – the second most littered item after cigarette ends.
Luckily, Amsterdam-based businesses have decided to help tackle this problem by launching Gumshoe. Yep, that’s right, the sole of each Gumshoe is made from around 1.5 kilos of recycled chewing gum found on Amsterdam streets. The compound material for the sole is called Gum-tec – an innovation from recycling company Gumdrop.
Edible packaging
Have you ever been so hungry that you wanted to just eat the box that your sandwich came in? Well, soon you might just be able to. An agricultural research team from the US has been developing a packaging material that’s made almost entirely from milk proteins. Apparently, as well as being edible, it also preserves food far better than traditional plastic.
The one obvious drawback, of course, is that this process still involves cows, so the whether or not this solution is sustainable isn’t quite clear yet.
It’s also important to note that the key benefit of this type of packaging is its biodegradability – you wouldn’t be forced to eat it!
Plastic that you can wear
It’s no secret that the fashion industry is one of the biggest contributors towards the climate crisis, which is why we need more companies like Recover Brands – an eco-focused clothing manufacturer that creates 100% recycled t-shirts out of old water bottles and cotton. Since its inception in 2010, the company has diverted nearly 8 million plastic bottles from landfill – that’s good going if you ask us!
Brown Recycling is Stoke-on-Trent’s favourite recycling company. We offer skip hire and commercial waste management solutions to homes and businesses throughout the region, so if you’re interested in our services, why not give us a call? We’d love to hear from you.
Got any burning questions?
You can ask us a question online using our contact form. Simply provide your name, email (purely for confirmation purposes) and the details of your enquiry, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Why choose Browns Recycling?
- Paper, Plastic & more recycled
- Dedicated recycling centre
- Aim for zero waste to landfill
What our clients say about us
“We are hugely grateful to Brown Recycling for their help on DIY SOS: The Big Build in Stoke. Dave and the team went above and beyond to clear the site and then bring in other suppliers who also supported this great cause. Thanks to the generosity of countless suppliers and volunteers, Stoke now has a community centre that will support its residents for many years to come.”
Read more testimonials
Recycling
- Paper, Plastic & more recycled
- Dedicated recycling centre
- Aim for zero waste to landfill
A Guide to Recycling Construction Waste
If you’ve ever managed or been involved in a construction project, you’ll know just how difficult it is to keep track of all the waste materials – and how quickly…
10 Things You Didn’t Know Could Be Recycled
If the bin or tip tends to be your first port of call when throwing out awkward items, you may want to hold fire. Truthfully, there are actually many items…Fully accredited by leading industry bodies
-
Excellent service on a recent Hazardous waste removal from one of our sites. Paddy and Stacey wasted no time in arranging for our waste to be removed in surprisingly quick turnaround. 10/10...
1 week ago -
Hired a skip to clear a huge pile of garden waste. Arrived on time, picked up bang on time, dead easy to book and pay. Courteous, helpful drivers. Job done! just as it should be, without drama. Highly...
1 month ago -
Very professional service and the customer service team are very helpful and knowledgeable. We have been working with browns and using their services for a number of years and cannot fault it. Very co...
1 month ago -
Terry was very efficient. We will use brown for skips again...
2 months ago -
Had problems with getting the skip into our drive but Browns persisted and 3 trucks later the 3rd driver got the job done. Incredible service from a very professional and competent company. Special me...
2 months ago -
Really efficient service, competitive price and they dropped off skip exactly where we asked them to. Easy to book a skip over the weekend using their online booking system. Very helpful when we nee...
3 months ago -
I ordered a skip at short notice and it arrived as requested. Having finished with it early Terry came and collected it very promptly which freed up the driveway. A Good service and reasonably priced....
3 months ago -
Brilliant service - I booked for the wrong date, but Browns were really helpful and changed the booking at the last minute....
4 months ago -
We chose Brown Recycling because out of the firms we rang the lady on the end of the phone knew exactly what we needed and was very helpful. ( Yes you can place a skip in a council paying car park) A...
5 months ago -
A big thanks to Phil, always helpful and polite when collecting cardboard, nothing too much trouble ....
5 months ago -
Christie has been great in providing us with a total review of our waste services on site. If you are looking at reviewing your waste service then I would highly recommend that you reach out to her as...
6 months ago -
really fast and a easy process. Thank you Christie...
6 months ago -
Christie has been most helpful and informative whilst booking a new service for plastic and general waste recycling. Would recommend :)...
6 months ago -
Christie was very helpful, she managed the whole process very efficiently and met our expectations. We now have the service and commercial offering we need for our business waste. We would recommend...
9 months ago -
Quick and really reliable service.... was a pleasure dealing with Christie!!!...
9 months ago -
Requested amendment to current waste collection. Very helpful and was able to answer all queries and adapt to our requirements. Definitely recommend...
10 months ago -
We had a visit today from Mark and Andy dropping off our new waste bin. I would just like to acknowledge their outstanding customer service. They disposed of the built up waste that we had gathered si...
11 months ago -
Full marks to Andy and Mark. Went above and beyond today and would highly recommend them to anybody looking to recycle large quantities of waste. Professional, efficient and very approachable...
11 months ago -
First time using Browns, they were clear, efficient and got the job done. Will continue to use their services....
1 year ago -
New to sorting a bin service for our new business. Christie and Brown Recyling has been great with helping us select the right type of bin required as well as not overspending for the sake of it. He...
1 year ago -
Super easy to set up a long term skip hire, Christie made things nice and clear and the prices were good too! everything was ready to go really quick, highly recommend Browns...
1 year ago