Pragya

About Pragya Yajurvedi

This author Pragya Yajurvedi has created 52 entries.

The biodegradable Sulapac® material aims to challenge plastic

The Sulapac® innovation, developed by Finns Suvi Haimi and Laura Kyllönen, combines wood and Nordic design in biodegradable packaging. The Sulapac® material has already got the attention of the world packaging markets as a potential challenger for plastics. Sulapac® innovation is based on Suvi and Laura’s years of study of medical applications and biomaterials. In the research world, they realized that as entrepreneurs they could have a stronger impact on the future of the environment. When the doctoral duo’s biomaterial

Waitrose trials bio-based alternative to black plastic

Waitrose & Partners is set to trial innovative, fibre-based packaging across its range of Italian ready meals as part of the supermarket group’s commitment to eliminate black plastics from its own-brand products by 2019. The new packaging carries a label encouraging customers to recycle it along with their paper waste The firm, which operates more than 350 stores across the UK, will replace the black plastic trays currently used for three of its Italian ready meal products with the alternative material, which it

Tyres and synthetic clothes ‘big cause of microplastic pollution’

Vehicle tyres and synthetic clothing are the two leading contributors to microplastic pollution from UK households, according to a new report from Friends of the Earth. Up to 32,000 tonnes of microplastics enter British waterways each year, according to the report The report, published today (22 November) and entitles ‘Reducing Household Contributions to Marine Plastic Pollution’, reveals that between 9,000 and 32,000 tonnes of microplastic pollution enter British waterways each year from just four sources. The two leading sources are tyre abrasion, with

Merlin Entertainments begins single-use plastic phase out, starting with straws

The Legolands, Sea Life and Madame Tussauds operator has launched a review into the sale and distribution of single-use plastic items across its global estate, pledging a removal of plastic straws from its operations by the end of 2018. Merlin Entertainments operates more than 120 attractions worldwide, including Thorpe Park and Legoland in the UK Merlin Entertainments committed on Friday (23 November) to phase out plastic straws from its entire estate of 124 attractions by the end of 2018, replacing them with paper

Soon, plastic could be used to construct roads in Gurgaon

Officials said that the construction method can be the “best possible solid waste disposal method”, and will reduce financial burden on government and civic bodies by cutting costs, giving roads a longer life”. Plastic waste could soon be used in construction of Gurgaon roads, said officials of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) during a house meeting Thursday, adding that the project is likely to take off in December. “We are planning to launch a project in which plastic waste would

Disruptive plastics firm Polymateria backed by £1m Innovate UK funding

BT’s former chief sustainability officer Niall Dunne’s vision to create the “Tesla of plastics” has moved a step closer to reality, after securing more than £1m in Innovate UK grants to research and scale-up compostable plastics. Biotransformation does not create micro-plastics and does not impact normal recycling processes British-based technology company Polymateria is seeking to introduce solutions that convert standard plastics into biodegradable packaging. The company hired BT’s former sustainability chief Niall Dunne in January 2018, to help realise the company’s mission

Plastic tax could be on the way for Australia to deal with ‘impending plasticide’

  Australia will need to introduce a tax on plastic to help reduce a mounting waste problem, a global financial analyst has predicted. A report by global wealth manager Credit Suisse found those restrictions have had a “colossal” impact on Australia and warns of an “impending plasticide”. Australia was exporting a large portion of its recyclable waste to China, but China has tightened its contamination standards and banned 24 types of waste. “There will be more plastic than fish in the ocean, by weight, in

Handover plastic waste to cement manufacturers: AP Pollution Control Board

Stressing the need for scientific disposal of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) chairperson BSS Prasad said that Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across the State should take measures to hand over segregated plastic waste to cement manufacturers for them to make revenue out of it. Speaking at the brainstorming session on ‘Co-Processing of MSW and Plastic in Cement’, held in the city on Wednesday, Prasad called upon the municipalities to accord priority to allocating budget for scientific

Greener broadcasting: BBC builds on plastics pledge with new sustainability strategy

The BBC has unveiled a new sustainability strategy, which sets out commitments to achieve zero waste to landfill and source 100% renewable energy, with the broadcaster also revealing it has cut out more than 500,000 pieces of single-use plastics since April 2018. In February 2018, the BBC vowed to “lead the way” by removing single-use plastics from its operations by 2020 The BBC has today (12 November) published its Greener Broadcasting strategy, outlining new commitments to reduce carbon emissions

Marks and Spencers unveils reusable bags made with 75% ‘ocean-bound’ plastic

Retail giant Marks and Spencer (M&S) has unveiled a new range of reusable carrier bags made with 75% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic in a bid to boost consumer awareness around plastic pollution and raise money for recycling infrastructure. The bags will be made with post-consumer recycled plastics from Plastic Bank’s Manilla recycling facility The bags, which are set to go on sale on Tuesday (6 November), are made using plastic waste sourced from social enterprise Plastic Bank, which aims to prevent plastic