Circular Economy

Turning soy oil into industrial grade plastic? Call it food for thought, says University of Delaware chemical engineering professor Richard P. Wool, who discussed his research during a recent presentation at the Royal Academy in Dublin, Ireland. Read More

That next Big Mac you get might be wrapped in sustainability. EarthShell Corporation, makers of environmentally preferable disposable food packaging, announced yesterday that McDonald’s Corp. has approved its EarthShell sandwich container for use in 300 of the fast food giant’s restaurants. Read More

Chiquita, the world's top banana producer, which grows about one-quarter of all bananas sold, announced its participation this week in the Better Banana Project, an environmental certification program requiring companies to rein in the use of toxic chemicals, reduce pollution, and conserve soil and water. Read More

Armstrong World Industries, the world's largest manufacturer of acoustical ceilings, has announced a program that allows building owners to recycle their old ceiling tiles rather than dump them in landfills. Read More

84 Lumber Company, the nation's fourth-largest supplier of building materials, said Thursday it will phase out sales of products from endangered forests by the end of 2003. Read More

In what it claims to be a world first, the Danish environmental protection agency has proposed setting taxes on packaging materials based on their environmental impacts. Read More

Petroleum-based wax paper, watch out: there's a slick new game in town, and it could be better for the environment. Researchers have developed a way to make an eco-friendly bio-based version of the kitchen and food-industry staple. Read More

With dealers now taking orders for Toyota's hybrid gasoline-electric Prius, North American consumers can purchase an environmentally friendly, affordable and practical sedan. The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE), publisher of the Green Book, announced Tuesday that the Prius received its highest rating for a gasoline-powered vehicle. Read More

The verdict is in: A study of natural gas fueling and fleet operations finds trash haulers prefer fueling with natural gas instead of diesel. Read More

Environmental watchdogs are crying foul over a major Olympic sponsor’s plans to install ozone-depleting refrigeration stands at the world’s first “Green Games.” Read More