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Return and Earn is a great way to recycle

When you recycle your eligible bottles and cans through Return and Earn, the material that is used to make the bottles and cans stay in use for as long as possible and are turned into new products, rather than ending up in landfill or polluting waterways. The scheme has already more than halved the number of drink containers littering our parks, waterways, or ending up in landfill compared to before the scheme was launched in December 2017. What happens to containers returned through Return and Earn? Have you ever wondered what happens to the containers once they are returned through the scheme? All containers returned through Return and Earn are recycled. The containers are picked up from the return points and trucked to a sorting facility where the containers are processed depending on the material type. Cans are crushed and baled into a giant cube, glass bottles are crushed into small particles called cullet; and plastic bottles are sorted by type and colour and shredded into smaller flakes before being turned into pellets. <img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68727" src="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/crushed-cans-770.jpg" alt="" width="770" height="500" /> The giant cubes of Aluminium cans are melted, rolled into sheets, and sent to manufacturers to be turned into new cans or other products – some even go to make up aeroplane parts! Glass cullet is melted and mixed with raw materials before being blown into a new glass bottle and sent to drink companies. The plastic pellets are melted down, moulded and blown into new plastic bottles, ready to be bought be retailers. The new bottles and cans made from the recycled materials are filled by the beverage companies, labelled, capped, and ready to be consumed. By using the recycled material from Return and Earn, we save water, energy, and landfill, as well as reducing the carbon emissions that would be used if new raw materials were used instead. This conservation contributes to a more sustainable and efficient economy. Keeping materials in Australia The purity and quality of the material from Return and Earn plays a crucial role in establishing local recycling facilities so most of the key materials stay in Australia. A key milestone was the opening of the Circular Plastics Australia plant in Albury, NSW, in March 2022. This state-of-the-art PET plastic recycling facility is a joint venture between waste industry and beverage industry partners and is the largest of its kind in Australia. The facility reprocesses 100% of the PET (one of the materials that make up plastic containers) collected through the Return and Earn network of over 600 return points and uses the materials to remake new bottles and other food-grade plastic packaging. All glass collected through the Return and Earn network is also being reprocessed in Australia and contributes to the growing demand of locally sourced glass to use in making new bottles and other products. Having facilities in Australia means that the cycle of making a new container from the recycled material is fast. Plastic bottles can be back on the shelf in as little as six weeks and glass bottles in four weeks. Now that’s recycling at its best. <img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68725" src="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/what-happens-when-you-return-and-earn-journey-image_770.jpg" alt="" width="770" height="846" /> Do you recycle? It’s easier than ever to recycle your empty containers through Return and Earn. We have over 600 return points across Australia, and we continue to work with businesses and local councils to identify more sites. Every container counts – recycling is an important way to reduce the load on our natural resources and keep valuable waste on the path to being remade into new products and used again. These small acts can make a big impact. If you’re not interested in returning the containers, consider leaving them out for others in your neighbourhood that are collecting them, or donate them to a charity or community group who is fundraising through the scheme. If you are unable to give them away, place your empty drink containers in your yellow lid recycle bin. For more information about Return and Earn, and to find your nearest return point visit <a href="https://returnandearn.org.au/">returnandearn.org.au</a> Case Study: Sharing the dignity through recycling Semi-retiree Wendy Pluckrose from the far north NSW coast has supported Share the Dignity for years, so when she discovered Return and Earn it seemed an obvious way to raise some extra funds as well as protect the environment. Share the Dignity is a women's charity in Australia, that works to make a real difference in the lives of those experiencing homelessness, fleeing domestic violence, or doing it tough. Wendy has installed bins at home and at local shops and restaurants to collect eligible drink containers. Most days she collects between 100 – 500 containers, and in the last year has raised nearly $3,500 from around 35,000 containers recycled through Return and Earn. “Return and Earn is just free money!” Wendy said. “It’s a little bit of effort, but it makes a big difference.” <img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68728" src="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/share-the-dignity-photo-article-770.jpg" alt="" width="770" height="733" /> With the containers collected so far, not only is the refund going towards buying women’s sanitary products to women experiencing hardships, but it has also contributed to protecting the environment. By recycling 35,000 containers to be remade into new containers rather than using virgin materials, the environmental savings calculated by the <a href="https://returnandearn.org.au/impact-calculator/">Impact Calculator</a> include 206,000 litres of water; 46 gigajoules of energy that equates to six months of energy consumption for a household; and 2,100 kilograms of material entering landfill. The carbon emissions avoided equates to keeping two cars off the road for 18 months. To learn more about Return and Earn, <a href="https://returnandearn.org.au/">head to their website</a>. Images: Return and Earn. This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with Return and Earn.

Retirement Income

Done with Barbie? How to reuse or recycle old dolls

Bright pink clothing has been a hot item at a number of Brotherhood of St Laurence (BSL) op shops as movie-goers doll up to see Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. <div class="copy"> Kelly McMurray, an area store manager for BSL, says “a lot of 18 – 35 year old women have been coming in to get outfits for premier parties. “It’s been really fun helping people to find their outfits!” The movie has set off a global Barbiecore mania, pinkifying everything and <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/barbie-movies-potential-500-million-haul-could-have-huge-implications-for-mattel-123756476.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">driving demand</a> for more plastic dolls and toy company merchandise. Even before the movie, the global population of Barbies was growing by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/barbie-science/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">around 100 new dolls every minute</a>. Which begs the question: what to do with all those dolls once the gloss of the movie ultimately wears off? For toys still in good condition, reusing them by donating to friends or op shops is an obvious first choice. “Our stores do receive a lot of toys every year,” McMurray says. “The peak of our toy donations would be in the New Year and the second week of every school holidays – when people have either been gifted new toys (after Christmas) and when they have had time to do a clean out – hence the second week of school holidays.” For those seeking a more sustainable supply of Barbie dolls, accessories or merchandise, McMurray suggests visiting one of the bigger BSL stores, as those tend to receive the bulk of toy donations. In Melbourne, the Deer Park op shop has two large sections dedicated to kids toys and clothes, while the Belmont store has been receiving – and selling – a lot of Barbie DVDs. When donating Barbies, or any kind of doll or toy, McMurray says people need to really consider if the toy is in a suitable condition, and isn’t missing any body parts. “A little wear and tear is ok. But if people have any doubts about it – best not to include it in their donations.” For those ‘weird Barbies’ past the point of no return, recycling is the next best option. Research by retailer Flora & Fauna suggests Australians send <a href="https://giftguideonline.com.au/flora-fauna-launches-upcycled-toys-christmas-initiative/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">26.8 million toys</a> to landfill every year. Plastic toys are considered harder to recycle than many regular household items, and can not be put in kerbside recycling bins. <iframe title="Think Pink: The Science of Barbie" src="https://omny.fm/shows/huh-science-explained/think-pink-the-science-of-barbie/embed?in_playlist=podcast&style=Cover" width="100%" height="180" frameborder="0"></iframe> Global recycling company TerraCycle offers a toy recycling program for worn out and broken toys in partnership with department store Big W. It’s called ‘Toys for Joy’. Marina Antoniozzi, TerraCycle’s head of operations, says the initiative saw over 18 tonnes of old toys collected in the first year of trial operations in 2021. The program has now collected well over 160 tonnes of toys, she says. “The majority of toys are not kerbside recyclable due to the complex nature of their composition. Toys are frequently made up of several materials including different types of plastics and metals, which means they need to be manually sorted and separated,” Antoniozzi says. The recycling company partners with toy brands and retailers because the cost to collect and process the material is usually more than the value of raw material produced through the recycling process. In Barbie’s case, the doll is made up of a <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/culture/plastic-artefact-what-is-barbie-even-made-of/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">complex mix of different types of plastics</a>. According to a <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/14/20/4287" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study by Italian researchers</a> early dolls made between 1959 and 1976 comprised a complex mix of different <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/explainer-what-is-a-polymer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">polymers</a>: polyvinyl chloride faces and legs; hair from polyvinylidene dichloride; and torsos made from low-density polyethylene. More <a href="http://www.designlife-cycle.com/barbie-dolls" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">modern dolls</a> have arms of ethylene-vinyl acetate (also used in thongs, and frozen food packaging), torsos of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (also found in Lego), legs from polypropylene, and heads made of hard vinyl (like the kind used in vinyl records). Once collected, the toys sent to TerraCycle for recycling are checked in at TerraCycle’s Materials Recovery Facility where they are manually sorted, separated into individual material streams and prepared for processing. Antoniozzi says that in Australia, TerraCycle processes Barbie dolls and accessories along with other hard plastic toys. These are sent to recycling facilities to be shredded and cleaned. Residual metals are removed using magnets in a process called eddy current separation. The plastics are then sorted into different types using technologies like near infrared, a spectroscopy technique used for analysing and differentiating between polymers. Afterwards, the separated, shredded plastics go through a melting and extrusion process producing recycled plastic pellets, used by manufacturers to make a variety of products. So, when Barbie goes to the recycling plant, she will ultimately be sorted, shredded, melted and turned into plastic pellets. Antoniozzi says donating toys is a good first option. “But if your Barbie is genuinely beyond repair, then you can take her, Ken, Sandy, as well as all her horses, buses, apartments and accessories along to your local BIG W store and give her a second life through the Toys for Joy recycling program,” she says. “Who knows… she may come back to you as a flower pot.” Image credits: Shutterstock  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=258208&title=Done+with+Barbie%3F+How+to+reuse+or+recycle+old+dolls" width="1" height="1" data-spai-target="src" data-spai-orig="" data-spai-exclude="nocdn" /><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/sustainability/done-with-barbie-how-to-reuse-or-recycle-old-dolls/">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/petra-stock/">Petra Stock</a>. </div>

Home & Garden

6 silent signs you’re being lied to

<h4>Is there a liar in the room?</h4> Lies occur between friends, teachers and students, husbands and wives, lawyers and clients – yet nobody wants to be caught. “I’ve interviewed crooks more apt to admit to a major crime than to lying,” says Glenn Woods, a criminal profiler, who’s been studying deceptive behaviour for more than a decade. “Everybody lies to some degree.” Of course, there’s a gulf that separates little white lies from the whoppers, but learning how to tell if someone is lying is a skill that’ll always come in handy. Here’s what to watch for. 1. Listen to the voices Pay attention to voice changes like change in pitch or cracking; they may well indicate deceit. “A person’s voice pitch tends to be a bit higher when they’re lying than when they’re telling the truth,” says Dr Mary Ann Campbell, assistant professor of psychology. “It doesn’t mean they’re lying for sure, but there’s a higher likelihood.” 2. Watch those words What about written material? Can we spot misleading behaviour in letters, emails and even resumés? Professor David Skillicorn and his students in the School of Computing at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, created software – based on the deception model developed at the University of Texas at Austin – that can sniff out lies in emails and other written material by studying the frequency and kinds of words used. Skillicorn says liars tend to use fewer exclusive words such as but, or and except. They also tend to use more negative-emotion words such as ashamed, upset and embarrassed. “These are the words that send up red flags,” says Skillicorn. “It’s as though some part of the brain is feeling bad and this comes out in the writing.” 3. Look past shifty eyes While most people may interpret darting, unfocused eyes as a classic sign of lying, it’s vital to consider the context of the behaviour. For example, experienced poker players are careful not to make too much of eye “tells.” People usually look to the left or right when thinking about an answer. Someone not making eye contact should arouse suspicion, but eye contact, cautions Woods, can be a tricky evaluation tool: consider that a psychopath can look you in the eye and lie with ease. And in some cultures, it’s considered inappropriate to maintain eye contact. 4. Get better at body language Even though a high percentage of communication is thought to be non-verbal, no single part of the body – such as the eyes or hands – reveals the whole story when it comes to lying. Campbell says people who are lying often become more still: Hand gestures that normally accompany talking may occur with less frequency or intensity, and there may be fewer arm and leg movements. “The person becomes more focused on telling the lie,” explains Campbell, “so they get quieter in their body.” 5. Ask questions – quickly If you suspect you’re being deceived, try this technique, which experts say can trip up a liar. Try asking questions quickly – one after the other. “The initial lie is easy,” explains Kang Lee, professor at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education’s Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development. “The follow-up lie is more difficult. When you continue to ask questions and put people on the spot, it gets harder to maintain the lie.” 6. Check for emotional “leaks” Micro-expressions that flit across the face often expose a person’s real thoughts. “If you were to watch people on videotape, frame by frame, you would see them showing their true emotion just before they show the fake expression designed to cover up the lie,” says Campbell. But these ultra-brief facial movements, some only lasting a quarter of a second, aren’t easy to spot. Even professionals trained in lie detection can’t always isolate them. And deliberate liars tend to add other expressions, like smiling, to disguise a lie. So, here’s hoping that the next time someone lobs a lie your way, you’ll know just how to catch it. Image: Getty This article is written by Diane Sewell originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/relationships/6-silent-signs-youre-being-lied-to" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Relationships

Returning and Earning for your community

Charities and community groups across NSW are cashing in empty drink containers to support their important work in the community, all with the added benefit of helping the environment. It’s an easy win-win to fundraise through Return and Earn, and it makes donating to a local charity or community group very easy. Return and Earn is the incredibly successful container deposit scheme in NSW, where 10 cents is refunded for every eligible drink container returned for recycling through the network of 600+ return points across the state. Since launching over five years ago, <a href="https://returnandearn.org.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Return and Earn</a> has become an important and well used channel for charities and community groups fundraising to support a range of local and broader causes. Groups such as Rotary and Lions Clubs, animal rescue organisations, and fire and rescue services are just a few of the many different cohorts that have partnered with Return and Earn and relied on the generosity of NSW citizens to help them do vital work in their communities. “We’ve seen many groups really embrace the scheme, showing a humbling passion for giving back to the community – whether it’s to help fund an event for a local club, or to donate to a charity,” said Danielle Smalley, CEO of scheme coordinator, Exchange for Change. “Some of these groups have raised a lot of money from recycling drink containers through Return and Earn. Often local residents and businesses are handing over their containers or donating their refunds to support the cause, proving there is enormous goodwill in the community.” The Gerringong Lions Club recently celebrated one million containers collected, raising $100,000 that was donated to a variety of causes including medical research, local sporting facilities, as well as helping both Australian and oversees Lions Clubs provide relief during catastrophes. <img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-67811" src="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Gerringong-Lions-Club-image-2-for-article-2_RD.jpg" alt="" width="770" height="500" /> The Gerringong Lions Club are now raising around $20,000 each year. The COVID shutdowns and restrictions put a halt to the activities that would normally bring funds to the club. Return and Earn was the only means for the club to generate an income to help the community during this time. As routine users of the scheme, the Gerringong Lions Club are now raising around $20,000 each year, all the while making positive impacts to the environment. Bruce Ray is a past president and active member of the club, and says he gets a sense of satisfaction knowing they are helping the community while also looking out for the environment. “We have the bins at the hotel, the bowling club, and campgrounds. The club also provides the container collection bins for events such as weddings and uses them at local New Years’ Eve events,” said Mr Ray. In Cobar, the local Rotary Club is also using Return and Earn to support the work in their community. They partnered with the local Girl Guides who help the club sort through any drink containers collected. They’ve now raised more than $25,000 since they began in early 2020. Club Secretary Gordon Hill said that one of the benefits for the Girl Guides is the real-world experience in seeing how much locally created waste can be recycled. “It also provides a healthy opportunity for a challenge to see which girls can pack the most containers during a 1.5 to 2 hour session. The record currently stands at 3,080, but the challenge continues,” Gordon added. <img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-67813" src="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Cobar-Rotary-Club-image-for-article-2_RD.jpg" alt="" width="770" height="500" /> In Cobar, the local Rotary Club has partnered with the Girl Guides to help with sorting! Since Return and Earn launched in December 2017, over $42 million has been raised through donations and return point hosting fees. The funds have made a significant difference to individuals and groups who have received the support. “There are a lot more collection drives in the community that we don’t track, so the total fundraising amount is in fact even higher,” Ms Smalley said. “We encourage all our Return and Earn users to consider donating containers to a local charity or community group either at the nearest Return and Earn machine or using the Return and Earn app. “And if you’re a member of a group looking for an easy and effective way to fundraise, consider Return and Earn where you can double the benefit by raising funds while also helping the environment.” Every Return and Earn machine features a local donation partner, to whom users can donate part or all of their refunds to. The charity listed changes every six months to give as many groups as possible the opportunity. Charities and groups can also elect to be listed on the Return and Earn app, allowing anyone using the app at a machine or automated depot to donate direct to their favourite charity. There are currently over 170 charities featured on the app. When using a Return and Earn machine, select donate, then select which of the charities listed you want the funds to go. If you’re using the Return and Earn app, simply select donation as your payout option and then select the charity or group you would like to donate your refund to. “Contributions don’t need to be big to make a difference. It can be as easy as collecting a few eligible drink containers and donating them to a charity, helping local communities thrive while looking after the environment.” said Ms Smalley. For more information on donating through Return and Earn visit <a href="https://returnandearn.org.au/donate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">returnandearn.org.au/donate/</a> Images: Supplied This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with Return and Earn.

Money & Banking

3 little-known reasons why plastic recycling could actually make things worse

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/pascal-scherrer-230971">Pascal Scherrer</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/southern-cross-university-1160">Southern Cross University</a> This week in Paris, negotiators from around the world are <a href="https://www.unep.org/events/conference/second-session-intergovernmental-negotiating-committee-develop-international">convening</a> for a United Nations meeting. They will tackle a thorny problem: finding a globally binding solution for plastic pollution. Of the staggering <a href="https://stats.oecd.org/viewhtml.aspx?datasetcode=PLASTIC_USE_6&lang=en">460 million tonnes of plastic used globally in 2019 alone</a>, much is used only once and thrown away. About <a href="https://www.oecd.org/environment/plastic-pollution-is-growing-relentlessly-as-waste-management-and-recycling-fall-short.htm">40% of plastic waste</a> comes from packaging. Almost two-thirds of plastic waste comes from items with lifetimes of less than five years. The plastic waste that escapes into nature persists and breaks up into smaller and smaller pieces, <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.1700782">eventually becoming microplastics</a>. Plastics now contaminate virtually every environment, from <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/20/microplastic-pollution-found-near-summit-of-mount-everest">mountain peaks to oceans</a>. Plastic has entered vital systems such as our food chain and even the human <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/mar/24/microplastics-found-in-human-blood-for-first-time">blood stream</a>. Governments and industry <a href="https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/nations-agree-end-plastic-pollution">increasingly acknowledge</a> the urgent need to reduce plastic pollution. They are introducing <a href="https://apco.org.au/the-australian-packaging-covenant">rules and incentives</a> to help businesses stop using single-use plastics while also encouraging collection and recycling. As a sustainability researcher, I explore opportunities to <a href="https://www.scu.edu.au/research/zerowaste/">reduce plastic waste </a>in sectors such as tourism, hospitality and meat production. I know how quickly we could make big changes. But I’ve also seen how quick-fix solutions can create complex future problems. So we must proceed with caution. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> The best way to tackle plastic pollution is to prevent it in the first place. Governments, businesses, civil society, and academia can all be part of the solution to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BeatPlasticPollution?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BeatPlasticPollution</a>. Join in this <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldEnvironmentDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldEnvironmentDay</a>: <a href="https://t.co/ENu9UG82kz">https://t.co/ENu9UG82kz</a> <a href="https://t.co/1p5G0183uh">pic.twitter.com/1p5G0183uh</a> — UN Environment Programme (@UNEP) <a href="https://twitter.com/UNEP/status/1660873190577680384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2023</a></blockquote> <h2>Plastic avoidance is top priority</h2> We must urgently eliminate waste and build a so-called “<a href="https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/overview">circular economy</a>”. For plastics, that means reuse or recycling back into the same type of plastic, not lower grade plastic. The plastic can be used to make similar products that then can be recycled again and again. This means plastics should only be used where they can be captured at their end of life and recycled into a product of the same or higher value, with as little loss as possible. Probably the only example of this to date is the recycling of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) soft-drink bottles in Norway and Switzerland. They boast recovery rates of <a href="https://phys.org/news/2020-02-norway-bottles-plastic-fantastic.html">97%</a> and <a href="https://houseofswitzerland.org/swissstories/environment/switzerland-leads-way-pet-recycling">95%</a> respectively. The <a href="https://wastewise.be/2014/11/ad-lansink/">waste management pyramid</a> below shows how to prioritise actions to lessen the waste problem. It is particularly relevant to single-use plastics. Our top priority, demanding the biggest investment, is prevention and reduction through redesign of products. Where elimination is not yet achievable, reuse solutions or recycling to the same or higher-level products can be sought to make plastics circular. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527407/original/file-20230522-21-y07zqy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527407/original/file-20230522-21-y07zqy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=406&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527407/original/file-20230522-21-y07zqy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=406&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527407/original/file-20230522-21-y07zqy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=406&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527407/original/file-20230522-21-y07zqy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=510&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527407/original/file-20230522-21-y07zqy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=510&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527407/original/file-20230522-21-y07zqy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=510&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Inverted pyramid diagram showing waste management priorities" /><figcaption>In the inverted pyramid of waste management priorities, downcycling is almost the last resort. Pascal Scherrer</figcaption></figure> Unfortunately, a lack of high-quality reprocessing facilities means plastic waste keeps growing. In Australia, plastic is largely “downcycled”, which means it is recycled into lower quality plastics. This can seem like an attractive way to deal with waste-plastic stockpiles, particularly after the recent collapse of soft-plastics recycler <a href="https://theconversation.com/redcycles-collapse-is-more-proof-that-plastic-recycling-is-a-broken-system-194528">RedCycle</a>. But downcycling risks doing more harm than good. Here are three reasons why: <h2>1. Replacing wood with recycled plastics risks contaminating our wildest natural spaces</h2> An increasing number of benches, tables, bollards and boardwalks are being made from recycled plastic. This shift away from timber is touted as a sustainable step - but caution is warranted when introducing these products to pristine areas such as national parks. Wood is naturally present in those areas. It has a proven record of longevity and, when degrading, does not introduce foreign matter into the natural system. Swapping wood for plastic <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0269749122019510?via%3Dihub">may introduce microplastics</a> into the few remaining places relatively free of them. Replacing wood with downcycled plastics also risks plastic pollution through weathering or fire. <h2>2. Taking circular plastics from their closed loop to meet recycled-content targets creates more waste</h2> Clear PET bottles used for beverages are the most circular plastic stream in Australia, approaching a 70% recovery rate. When these bottles are recycled back into clear PET bottles, they are circular plastics. However, the used PET bottles are increasingly being turned into meat trays, berry punnets and <a href="https://www.praise.com.au/faqs-100-recycled-bottles">mayonnaise jars</a> to help producers meet the <a href="https://apco.org.au/national-packaging-targets">2025 National Packaging Target</a> of 50% recycled content (on average) in packaging. The problem is the current industry <a href="https://anzpacplasticspact.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Recovered-Polymer-Specifications_FINAL_June2021d.pdf">specifications for plastics recovery</a> allow only downcycling of these trays, punnets and jars. This means that circular PET is removed from a closed loop into a lower-grade recovery stream. This leads to non-circular downcycling and more plastic sent to landfill. <h2>3. Using “compostable” plastics in non-compostable conditions creates still more plastic pollution</h2> Increasingly, plastics are labelled as compostable and biodegradable. However, well-intended use of compostable plastics can cause long-term plastic pollution. At the right temperature with the right amount of moisture, compostable plastics breakdown into soil. But if the conditions are not “just right”, they won’t break down at all. For example, when a landscape architect or engineer uses a “compostable” synthetic fabric instead of a natural alternative (such as coir or jute mats) they can inadvertently introduce persistent plastics into the environment. This is because the temperature is not hot enough for the synthetic mat to break down. We must also <a href="https://documents.packagingcovenant.org.au/public-documents/Considerations%20for%20Compostable%20Packaging">differentiate</a> between “home compostable” and “commercially compostable”. Commercial facilities are more effective at composting because they operate under more closely controlled conditions. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Plastic pollution could reduce by 80% by 2040 if governments and companies make policy and market shifts using existing technologies. OUT NOW – UNEP’s new report provides a pathway for nations to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BeatPlasticPollution?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BeatPlasticPollution</a>: <a href="https://t.co/dcfBkZaOfN">https://t.co/dcfBkZaOfN</a> <a href="https://t.co/iSQ9QSpYC1">pic.twitter.com/iSQ9QSpYC1</a> — UN Environment Programme (@UNEP) <a href="https://twitter.com/UNEP/status/1658419925638152192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2023</a></blockquote> <h2>Learning from our mistakes</h2> Clearly, we need to reduce our reliance on plastics and shift away from linear systems – including recycling into lower-grade products. Such downcycling may have a temporary role in dealing with existing plastic in the system while circular recycling capacity is being built. But we must not develop downcycling “solutions” that need a long-term stream of plastic waste to remain viable. What’s more, downcycling requires constantly finding new markets for their lower-grade products. Circular systems are more robust. So, to the negotiators in Paris, yes the shift to a circular plastics economy is urgent. But beware of good intentions that could ultimately make things worse.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/206060/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/pascal-scherrer-230971">Pascal Scherrer</a>, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Business, Law and Art, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/southern-cross-university-1160">Southern Cross University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/3-little-known-reasons-why-plastic-recycling-could-actually-make-things-worse-206060">original article</a>.

Home Hints & Tips

“Putrid cookers”: Anti-vaxxers slammed for spreading lies about Jock Zonfrillo’s death

Just hours after MasterChef judge Jock Zonfrillo’s sudden death, heartless anti-vaxxers took to social media to spread disinformation. Zonfrillo died in Melbourne on May 1. While the cause of death has not been publicly announced, police said that his death was not being treated as suspicious, and a report was made for the coroner. The anti-vaxxers took this as a chance to spread disinformation online, implying that his death was linked to the Covid vaccine. “Did Jock Zonfrillo get the Pfizer or Moderna RNA vaccine?” one person tweeted the day after his death. Another commented on the way that his death was described as “sudden” with no confirmed cause- completely ignoring the fact that Zonfrillo’s family have not released that information. “The mainstream media has been reporting countless such ‘sudden deaths’ with ‘no cause of death given’,” wrote the anti-vaxxer on Facebook on May 2. “Since when are death reports being provided with no cause given? “I know since when: since they rolled out those experimental Covid vaccines, which are dropping people faster than they can clue in that it is murdering them. The mainstream media and medical establishment will never admit it – they omit the REAL reason someone died by saying ‘no immediate cause of death was given’,” wrote another. The ill-informed comments have attracted significant backlash from Aussies who slammed the “cookers” for taking advantage of the tragedy to spread disinformation. “Of course the putrid cookers have already come out, saying it was the Covid vaccine that killed Jock Zonfrillo. They really are opportunistic scum. RIP Jock,” one person tweeted in response to the lies. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Of course the putrid cookers have already come out, saying it was the covid vaccine that killed Jock Zonfrillo. They really are opportunistic scum. RIP Jock. <a href="https://t.co/t7jxe9QX1P">pic.twitter.com/t7jxe9QX1P</a> — JayJay (@JayJay91341991) <a href="https://twitter.com/JayJay91341991/status/1653215630768865281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2023</a></blockquote> “I’m always unsurprised at the amount of cookers that come out of the woodwork when a celebrity dies. Shame on anyone who is using Jock Zonfrillo’s death to push their anti-vax vile rhetoric,” tweeted another. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> I’m always unsurprised at the amount of cookers that come out of the woodwork when a celebrity dies. Shame on anyone who is using Jock Zonfrillo’s death to push their anti-vax vile rhetoric. — MrDreeps (@MrDreepy) <a href="https://twitter.com/MrDreepy/status/1652947746419281921?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2023</a></blockquote> “Distance yourself from people who impulsively attribute the death of a celebrity to the Covid-19 Vaccine. “It demonstrates extreme congruence bias, and a profound lack of empathy. #jockzonfrillo,” wrote a third. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Distance yourself from people who impulsively attribute the death of a celebrity to the Covid-19 Vaccine. It demonstrates extreme congruence bias, and a profound lack of empathy. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/jockzonfrillo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#jockzonfrillo</a> — Nick Holt (@realnickholt) <a href="https://twitter.com/realnickholt/status/1652919969926254592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2023</a></blockquote> Images: Instagram

News

Microwaving solar panels makes them easier to recycle

<div> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/news/solar-cells-essential-for-brighter-future/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Solar cell</a> manufacturing and recycling should be easier with a surprising new discovery by Macquarie University scientists – that uses a commercial microwave. While they’re being made, the silicon in solar panels goes through a process called “annealing”, which involves heating the materials to temperatures well above 500°C. Annealing is usually done with ovens. But a study <a href="https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0127896" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a> in Applied Physics Letters shows that microwaves are not only faster and more energy efficient for the job, but make the panels much easier to disassemble, and thus recycle, at the end of life. This is because microwave radiation heats individual substances – like the water in food, or silicon. “It just heats the very thin layer of silicon rather than heating the bulk of the materials around, and it’s really fast,” says lead author Dr Binesh Puthen Veettil, a researcher at Macquarie University’s School of Engineering. This also makes the process easier, because the microwave doesn’t have to be as carefully cleaned. “In most of the high temperature processes, lots of contaminants come out of the walls of the oven. But in this case, the heat is flowing from the silicon outwards, while everything else is at room temperature, it’s kind of a pseudo room temperature process where the contaminants don’t get diffused from outside,” says Veettil. “But the thing we are most excited about is the benefit to recycling.” Currently, solar cell recycling is a very <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/sustainability/solar-panel-recycling/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">energy intense process</a> which involves crushing up the panels and heating them to temperatures of at least 1000°C, so that all of the expensive elements can be extracted. This method destroys some of the reusable solar cell components: particularly, the toughened glass on the top of the panel. “This glass contains most of the weight of the solar panel,” explains Veettil. That glass is stuck to a layer of plastic, usually ethylene vinyl acetate, which keeps the silicon plate underneath dry. This plastic is too hard to remove, so the whole thing is smashed up, with the glass sold as scrap. But microwaving the silicon specifically softens the plastic, making it easy to peel. “You can just peel off the silicon cell, without destroying the glass, and you can reuse that expensive glass,” says Veettil. “If you can reuse the glass, the recycling will pay for itself.” Plus, it doesn’t need the same high temperatures, or extra chemicals needed to wash and dissolve the plastic. For now, the process is lab-based – and only for solar panels that fit in a commercial microwave. “Initially, when we started the research, we used a laboratory microwave that we purchased from a US company,” says Veettil. “And we after that, we purchased some kitchen microwaves locally, and modified it to suit our purposes.” This modification involved heat-proofing the microwave so that it could handle the annealing temperatures. “It goes from room temperature to 500° Celsius in just two seconds,” says Veettil. (Depending on the size of the sample: bigger things take longer.) But the researchers have a patent pending for the recycling process, and are now investigating how to improve and commercialise it. “We are hoping that with some industry collaboration and funding, we can scale it up,” says Veettil. “Recycling needs to be meet two conditions: it should be environmentally friendly, and second, it should pay for itself. “I’m pretty sure, with the numbers I have in mind, it will it will be profitable and then the market will take care of itself and it organically grow recycling centres. That’s my hope.” </div> <div id="contributors"> This article was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/microwaving-solar-panels-recycling/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Ellen Phiddian. Images: Getty </div>

Technology

Jamie Lee Curtis looks back on some of her most iconic roles

Whether you know her from her Halloween ‘scream queen’ roots or her comedic prowess in the body swap Freaky Friday, Jamie Lee Curtis is an actress who needs no introduction. The star - who had been credited in an astounding 80 projects before her first ever Academy Awards nomination in 2023 for her role in Everything Everywhere All at Once - has seen and done it all. Beginning her career at the age of 19, Curtis has spent the years since adding success after success to her resume, and proving her doubters wrong at almost every turn. And in a candid interview with Yahoo Entertainment, the actress opened up about some of the most memorable roles that have steered her journey in Hollywood. <ul> <li>Laurie Strode, Halloween (1978)</li> </ul> Curtis made her film debut on the set of John Carpenter’s cult classic Halloween, and though the film (and its entire franchise) is considered to be one of the most influential horror films of all time, the then-19-year-old Curtis found nothing to be scared of while filming. The reason? Nick Castle, who played the film’s main antagonist Michael Myers, was too much of a delight to instill real terror in Curtis. “Here's the problem,” she explained. “He's played by Nick Castle, who was one of John's best friends. He had two little kids, his wife was around, and he's this funny guy. And he's also a very talented director and he's a musician. So I cannot lie to you and tell you I was so frightened." <ul> <li>Tess Coleman, Freaky Friday (2003)</li> </ul> Curtis was actually a last minute replacement for Annette Bening in the 2003 body swap comedy Freaky Friday, but that certainly didn’t put a damper on her experience. The actress became fast friends with Lindsay Lohan while playing the mother-daughter duo, and the pair have remained in contact ever since. In a fun friendship anecdote, Curtis shared how she has a test in place to find out whether or not it is Lohan texting her, or some sneaky stranger. "There's a song called 'Like I Love You' by Justin Timberlake. Lindsay and I were doing a scene in a car, and there was a lot of time in between takes, and there's a rap in the middle of that song by Clipse. She and I were trying to learn the words, and we were, like, sitting there with a pad,” she said. “We were writing them down,” Curtis continued. “And then we would do the scene, and then we'd play the song and try to lip-sync the few words that we knew. I'm telling you, we laughed. And that is my secret code with her. 'What was the song we were lip-syncing to in the car?'” She then confessed that while she may have given away their secret code, she wasn’t worried - the two have a second one, just in case. <ul> <li>Helen, True Lies (1994)</li> </ul> Although Curtis has said that the 1994 James Cameron blockbuster tops the list of her favourite filming experiences, featuring everything from a striptease to an intense helicopter stunt scene, she almost didn’t star at all, with co-star Arnold Schwarzenegger hesitant about signing her on to play his wife in the action packed project. When explaining why, Curtis noted that Arnold knew her “as Tony’s daughter”. Her father, Tony Curtis, had starred in the only film Schwarzenegger had directed, the 1992 Christmas in Connecticut. "He only knew me as Tony's daughter,” she said. “He loved Tony Curtis, so I'm sure Arnold just looked at me like it'd be like kissing your niece or something ... I guarantee, in fact, he did not want me to be in that movie. I think he just thought it would be weird. We knew each other a little bit socially. I just don't think he thought of me as his leading lady, I think he thought of me as Tony's little girl. And it was Jim who said, 'no, I've written this for her. She's the one to do this with you’.” Schwarzenegger, of course, eventually came around on the idea. And the rest, as they say, is history. Images: Getty

Movies

Body language expert reveals “telling” signs Michael Clarke lied

A body language expert has weighed in on the infamous public scuffle where former Cricketer, Michael Clarke, was accused of cheating on his girlfriend, Jade Yarbrough. Louanne Ward, an Australian relationship expert, told The Daily Mail that some of Clarke's words and actions were indicative of him not telling the truth. The first sign that Clarke wasn't being truthful was when he took his shirt off to try and "make himself look bigger". "People....often make really big, bold gestures in an attempt to intimidate, look at the way Michael was walking in that video and you'll notice his arms are rounded and splayed," she said. She also told The Daily Mail that removing his shirt is a "fight response". The second sign the expert identified was the rising inflections in his voice as he pleaded with his girlfriend. "When someone is not telling the truth, their voice goes up a little bit at the end of a word," she highlighted. "You'll notice that you can definitely hear the inflections in Michael's voice when he speaks to Jade". Another "telling" sign was Clarke's choice to deflect the argument back to Jade. "Go, hit me ... do it again. You're wrong, you're f**king wrong," Clarke deflected in the video. The expert said that in choosing to say "you're wrong" instead of "I", "he's not taking any responsibility," which could be "indicative of guilt". Another subtle sign, according to the expert, was that he "kept shuffling his feet while he was standing with Jade", which is a natural response. The expert said that when people are being accused of something, "the limbic brain - which controls our behavioural and emotional responses - switches on and freezes body responses." "So when he can't keep his feet still, that could seem to be a sign of something not quite right". The last tell-tale sign was that he tried to invade Jade's personal space despite her walking away from him. "Clearly, Michael got slapped and that's a big invasion of personal space," said the expert. "But when someone tries to remove themselves from the situation like Jade walked off, and you go and follow them and get back in their space". The expert said that it's impossible to tell if someone is lying based on their body language alone and that we should look out for clusters of behaviours. "If they have three different things, then you can certainly tell that if they're not being dishonest, then there is something that is making them exceptionally uncomfortable, it's important to look at all aspects of their behaviour," she said. Image: Getty

Body

The most feel-good way to recycle

Long-time Return and Earner "Scooter Dave" has been a keen participant in the NSW container deposit scheme since the program started, and the Illawarra local has returned 500,000 containers in that time. Dave gets about on a scooter and any day when weather and health permits, he completes his route to collect rubbish from Windang Bridge in Shellharbour. Along the way he picks up eligible drink containers from residents and businesses who keep them in their yards ready for his scooter collection service. He has donated all of the $50,000 in refunds to many charities, including the Smith Family, the Sydney Children’s Hospital, and children’s ward in Wollongong, bushfire appeals and the Illawarra Convoy. “It gives me something to do, and I know that I am doing something to help people," says Scooter Dave. "People always say that there should be more people like me. There are, but they aren’t cleaning up rubbish like I am.” In a world that’s becoming more eco-conscious, we’re seeing more and more initiatives implemented to reduce the impact we’re having on the planet – from the single-use plastic bans to adopting reusable packaging and recycling. Recycling remains one of the best ways to help protect the environment. The benefits of recycling include reducing the amount of rubbish that ends up in landfill or as litter in our local environment, and reducing the need to extract raw materials from the earth to create new products such as mining raw aluminium to create cans. And with <a style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;" href="https://returnandearn.org.au/?utm_source=over-60&utm_medium=article&utm_content=native-article&utm_campaign=grey-partnership" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Return and Earn</a> there are even more direct benefits for you. Return and Earn is one of many drink container return schemes that have been adopted around the world, where customers who return their used eligible drink containers for recycling can collect a refund. “With Return and Earn, you earn a 10c refund for every empty can, glass or plastic bottle, carton, juice box or popper that you return through one of its 600 return points across NSW. “Since the scheme launched five years ago, over 8.6 billion containers have been returned for recycling by the NSW public resulting in over $860 million in container refunds back in people’s pockets,” says Danielle Smalley, CEO of Exchange for Change, scheme coordinator for Return and Earn. The scheme is entirely funded by the beverage industry, aiming to place responsibility for container recycling firmly back with the industry. The scheme targets commonly littered items and includes most 150ml to three litre plastic, glass, aluminium, steel, and liquid paperboard containers. Eligible containers featuring the 10 cent refund mark can be redeemed for the refund. “Return and Earn is an extraordinary example of how individual action can have a collective impact,” says Smalley. The environmental benefits of the scheme have exceeded expectations – reducing the volume of drink container litter by 52 per cent compared to pre-scheme levels and sending over 755,000 tonnes of material to be recycled. Plus the Return and Earn app makes recycling your containers even easier because you can check the map to see where the nearest return points are to your location and make sure they’re open. Another fantastic feature on the app is the container checker which helps you avoid taking containers that are not eligible. Simply scan the barcode on your container and the app tells you if it can be returned for recycling at a return points. If not, they can go straight into your household recycling bin. Choose your recycling experience To return your containers, you can choose from four types of return points, depending on what suits you and what is nearby. There are Return and Earn machines - a self-service option where you return your containers one-at-a time. You’ll receive a receipt which is redeemable for cash at the partner redemption location or payment straight to your bank account by downloading the Return and Earn app. There are also Return and Earn Centres which are larger format indoor locations featuring multiple machines inside. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2023/01/Tomra1.png" alt="Return and Earn" width="741" height="423" /> For larger numbers, heading to your nearest automated depot is your best option. Here staff will take your bags of eligible containers and process them in their automated counting system called a singulator. Once counted, they’ll provide you with your cash refund. Even local businesses are taking part, with some corner stores, newsagents, fruit shops and some Surf Life Saving Clubs able to take your containers and give you your refund. To find your nearest return point, visit <a href="https://returnandearn.org.au/return-points/?utm_source=over-60&utm_medium=article&utm_content=native-article&utm_campaign=grey-partnership" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.returnandearn.org.au</a>. Top tips for returning and earning When you’re ready to return your first collection of containers, here are some tips to make your experience even easier: <ul> <li>Download the Return and Earn app: use the app store available on your mobile phone. </li> <li>Sort your containers before you go: if you’re using a Return and Earn machine, sort your glass containers from your plastic bottles and cans as these are return using separate chutes on the machine. If you’re using an automated depot or an over-the-counter return point, there’s no need to sort. </li> <li>Check if your containers are eligible: Use the Return and Earn app to check if your containers are eligible for a refund. And make sure they’re uncrushed, with the barcode visible and keep the lid on.</li> <li>Plan your trip: make sure to check opening times of your nearest return point via the Return and Earn app or website. You can even optimise your trip by checking the busiest and quietest times to visit.</li> </ul> With these tips under your belt, you can make the most of your Return and Earn experience and reap the benefits for your wallet and for the environment. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OYDROMQIDbU" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> For more information, visit <a href="https://returnandearn.org.au/?utm_source=over-60&utm_medium=article&utm_content=native-article&utm_campaign=grey-partnership" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Return and Earn.</a> All images: supplied This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with <a href="https://returnandearn.org.au/?utm_source=over-60&utm_medium=article&utm_content=native-article&utm_campaign=grey-partnership" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Return and Earn</a>.

Retirement Income

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle caught out in another lie

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have once again had to bite their tongues after being caught out in another lie. At the beginning of their six-part Netflix series Harry and Meghan, a disclaimer hit the screen to say that all interviews were completed by August 2022 and that the royal family declined to comment. “All interviews were completed by August 2022. Members of the royal family declined to comment on the content within this series,” the statement read. However, sources have come out swinging to deny the claims, explaining that the royal family weren’t given an opportunity to comment. “Palace sources confirm Buckingham Palace nor Kensington Palace nor any Members of the Royal Family were approached for comment on the content of the series,” royal editor Robert Jobson tweeted. “Nor will be making any further comment on this or any other aspect of it. “Netflix claimed at the beginning of the series that they were.” Other family members who were targetted in the Netflix series include Prince William and Kate Middleton. The Duchess of Sussex was describing the first time she met the pair and how her outfit was “jarring” to them. “Even when Will and Kate came over and I met her for the first time. I was in ripped jeans and I was barefoot,” Meghan said. “I’m a hugger. I've always been a hugger. I didn’t know that could be jarring for a lot of Brits. “I guess I started to understand very quickly that the formality on the outside, carried through on the inside. “That there is a forward facing way of being then you close the door and you go phew, great we can relax now. “But that formality continues on both sides and that was surprising to me.” Prince Harry also took a dig at his sister-in-law, the Princess of Wales saying how it was ideal for the men of the family to marry someone they approved of. “I think for so many people in the family, especially men, there can be a temptation or an urge to marry someone who would fit the mould as opposed to somebody who you are perhaps are destined to be with,” he said. Harry also then attacked his father, King Charles, after claiming that he has a “second family” following the death of his mother Princess Diana. “I was brought up by friends in Africa,” he said. “I’ve got a second family out there. A group of friends that literally brought me up.” Images: Netflix

Cadbury's huge change in a bid to save the planet

In a “world first” from Cadbury, the iconic chocolate block is about to change, in efforts to save the environment. Looking to curb their contribution of single-use plastic to landfill, Mondelez International, the company that owns the confectionary giant have unveiled a new and sustainable version of the signature purple packaging that is now 100% recyclable. The chocolate-maker said it used “emerging advanced recycling technology” to create soft plastic packaging that contains up to 30% recycled content, saving 120 tonnes of packaging waste from going to landfill. “Until recently, soft plastic packaging has been considered a single-use material,” Mondelēz International chief executive Dirk Van de Put said. “The development of advanced recycling technology and our significant investment in recycled soft plastic means it’s now possible for Cadbury fans to enjoy their favourite treats more sustainably here in Australia.” Australia is the first country to experience the new sustainable wrappers, which are initially launching on Cadbury Dairy Milk, Caramilk and Old Gold family blocks. The brand said it was “committed” to rolling out the eco-friendly packaging across the entire Cadbury range in the coming years, however in order to create the new eco-friendly packaging Cadbury sourced 120 tonnes of recycled content from overseas. Australia doesn't yet have the ability to recycle soft plastic into food-friendly packaging. The first Cadbury family blocks in their new packaging are being delivered to major retailers and supermarkets across Australia this week. Image: Woolworths

Food & Wine

Give your “empties” a new life

In a time when a lot of people are trying to be more eco-conscious, we are often trying to find new ways to make sure items are recycled correctly. While recycling labels can often be confusing and misleading, it is very common for recyclable items to still end up in landfill. When it comes to beauty products, these small plastic containers can often end up in garbage bins, despite being able to be broken down and recycled correctly. Luckily, <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/in-store-services/terracycle-at-priceline/">Priceline’s partnership with Terracycle</a> is helping people recycle their “empties” more easily than ever before. As part of the Greener Together recycling program, Priceline stores all over Australia are housing specialised recycling bins for customers to place their “empties” in when they come into a store to stock up on their favourite products. Once stores have sent the empty makeup containers to Priceline’s recycling partner Terracycle, the empties are separated by polymer type, cleaned and then extruded into plastic pellets to make new recycled products. Since the launch of the initiative, Priceline and Terracycle have helped save 3 tonnes of product from ending up in landfill. When customers drop their empties into a recycling box, you can scan the QR code available for Sister Club members to gain 50 Bonus Sister Club points every month when you recycle your makeup empties. Empty items such as glass bottles, pumps, caps, droppers, plastic tubes, bottles, containers, mascara tubes, eyeliners, lip products, and palettes (even ones that include a mirror) can all be recycled in store. There is a list of items that are not accepted into the recycling boxes, such as nail polishes, makeup brushes, wooden makeup pencils, perfumes, aerosols and products that are not empty. So next time you’re heading into a Priceline store to stock up on your favourite beauty products, be sure to bring in your empties to help cut down on landfill and protect Mother Earth. Image credits: Getty Images / Instagram

Beauty & Style

5 signs you need new towels

Sadly, even if you have taken good care of your towels, there comes a time in every towel's life when they are no longer useful and need to be replaced. <h3 dir="ltr">5 signs you need new towels</h3> Here are five clear signs it's time to say goodbye to your old faithful bathroom towels. <h3 dir="ltr">1. No longer soft and fluffy</h3> As your towels age, they will lose what you loved about them the most: their fluffy exterior. Once they lose that softness, towels start to feel stiff and scratchy. If this happens to your towels, it might be time for some new ones. Keep your towels softer for longer by following these <a href="https://www.bhg.com.au/how-to-wash-new-towels-the-secret-to-fresh-fluffy-soft-towels">towel washing tips</a>. <h3 dir="ltr">2. Not absorbent</h3> The purpose of a towel is to remove water after your shower. If you find that you have to dry yourself several times before you're actually dry, then it's time to say goodbye. <h3 dir="ltr">3. Rips and holes</h3> A more obvious sign that your towel has seen better days is it's starting to fall apart. Holes, rips and frays mean it is time for new towels. <h3 dir="ltr">4. They smell</h3> A smelly towel is not a good sign. Towels left damp for too long will develop a musty smell. Likewise, if you put them in the wash and forget about them, you will need to rewash them to avoid bacteria growth. If your towel starts to smell after only a few uses, no matter how you wash it, then there's a chance there are bacteria embedded in the fibres, and it's time to toss it out. <h3 dir="ltr">5. They won't stop shedding</h3> New towels will shed to some degree initially. Still, if your towels continue to lose fibres, it could be a sign of poor manufacturing. When searching for a new towel, ensure the cotton is pre-combed. <h3 dir="ltr">How to recycle old towels</h3> Thankfully, there are a few options for your old towels to avoid ending up in landfills. <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> The recycling program, Upparel will take all of your old towels (and other unsellable clothes), and recycle them into furniture and other bits and pieces. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Call your local animal shelter and see if they need any old towels or sheets. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Alternatively, your local mechanic might appreciate some old towels and sheets to work with. </li> </ul> Image: Getty

Home Hints & Tips

Brands are leaning on ‘recycled’ clothes to meet sustainability goals

Today we make more clothing than ever before. And the driver for this is primarily economic, rather than human need. Over the past decade, the term “circular economy” has entered the fashion industry lexicon, wherein materials are made to be reused and recycled by design. Yet we haven’t seen the same level of recycling in fashion as we have in other spaces – such as with plastic recycling, for instance. And this is mainly because clothing-to-clothing recycling is much more difficult. The use of recycled polyester and cotton by brands such as H&M and Cotton On are key aspects of these companies’ sustainability initiatives – but the source of these recycled fibres usually isn’t clothing. Recycled polyester tends to <a href="https://artsandculture.google.com/story/zwUxmcq5wIZqLA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">come from plastic bottles</a>, and recycled cotton is usually made from manufacturing waste. The fact is most clothing is simply not designed to be recycled. Even when it is, the fashion industry lacks the kind of infrastructure needed to really embrace a circular economy model. Why is recycling clothes difficult? Recycling clothing isn’t like recycling paper, glass or metal. Clothes are endlessly variable and unpredictable. So they’re not ideal for recycling technologies, which require a steady and consistent source material. Even a seemingly simple garment may contain multiple materials, with fibre blends such as cotton/polyester and cotton/elastane being common. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469705/original/file-20220620-24-w9gmlu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469705/original/file-20220620-24-w9gmlu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469705/original/file-20220620-24-w9gmlu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=292&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469705/original/file-20220620-24-w9gmlu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=292&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469705/original/file-20220620-24-w9gmlu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=292&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469705/original/file-20220620-24-w9gmlu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=367&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469705/original/file-20220620-24-w9gmlu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=367&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469705/original/file-20220620-24-w9gmlu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=367&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Despite seeming simple, clothes are complex products containing many components and materials. This means recycling them is very difficult. Shutterstock</figcaption></figure> Different fibres have different capacities for recycling. Natural fibres such as wool or cotton can be recycled mechanically. In this process the fabric is shredded and re-spun into yarn, from which new fabric can be woven or knitted. However, the fibres become shorter through the shredding process, resulting in a lower quality yarn and cloth. Recycled cotton is often mixed with virgin cotton to ensure a better quality yarn. Most fabrics are also dyed with chemicals, which can have implications for recycling. If the original fabric is a mixture of many colours, the new yarn or fabric will likely need bleaching to be dyed a new colour. A complex garment such as a lined jacket easily contains more than five different materials, as well as trims including buttons and zippers. If the goal of recycling is to arrive at a material as close to the original as possible, all the garment’s components and fibres would first need to be separated. This requires labour and can be expensive. It’s often easier to shred the garment and turn it into a low-quality product, such as <a href="https://www.cjr.org/language_corner/shoddy.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shoddy</a> which is used for insulation. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469714/original/file-20220620-20-6cxi7m.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469714/original/file-20220620-20-6cxi7m.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469714/original/file-20220620-20-6cxi7m.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469714/original/file-20220620-20-6cxi7m.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469714/original/file-20220620-20-6cxi7m.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469714/original/file-20220620-20-6cxi7m.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469714/original/file-20220620-20-6cxi7m.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469714/original/file-20220620-20-6cxi7m.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Massive amounts of clothing scraps are stacked on top of each other, loosely sorted by colour." /></a><figcaption>Even if a garment is designed to be recyclable, if the infrastructure needed is missing, it will likely still end up in landfill. </figcaption></figure> Industry progress and challenges Companies such as <a href="https://www.blocktexx.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BlockTexx</a> and <a href="https://www.evrnu.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Evrnu</a> have developed processes to recycle fibres from blended fabrics, though such recycled fibres aren’t yet widely available. Through a proprietary technology, BlockTexx separates cellulose (present in both cotton and linen) and polyester from textile and clothing waste for new uses, including in new clothing. And Evrnu has developed <a href="https://www.evrnu.com/nucycl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a type of lyocell</a> made entirely from textile and clothing waste. Spain-based company <a href="https://recoverfiber.com/products/rcotton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Recover</a> meticulously sorts through different kinds of cotton textile waste to produce high quality, mechanically recycled, cotton fibre. There’s also biological recycling. Fibre waste from the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-04/cotton-compost-turns-trash-to-treasured-fertiliser/12410248" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rivcott cotton “gin”</a> (or cotton engine) is composted to become fertiliser for a new cotton crop. The same is possible with natural fibres from worn-out clothing, after potentially toxic dyes and chemicals have been eliminated. Synthetic fibres such as polyester and polyamide (nylon) can also be recycled mechanically and chemically. Chemical recycling through re-polymerisation (where the plastic fibre is melted) is an attractive option, since the quality of the original fibre can be maintained. In theory it’s possible to use polyester clothing as the source for this. But in practice the source is usually bottles. This is because clothing is usually “contaminated” with other materials such as buttons and zippers, and separating these is too labour intensive. The plastic problem Almost all recycled polyester in clothing today comes from recycled plastic bottles, rather than previous polyester clothing. This is significant when you consider polyester accounts for more than 60% of all fibre use. Given the rapid increase in the production of <a href="http://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/FOSSIL-FASHION_Web-compressed.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">synthetic fibres</a>, and the as-yet-unknown impact of microplastics (which were <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412020322297" target="_blank" rel="noopener">documented in human placentas</a> last year) – the question remains whether clothing should be made from biologically incompatible materials at all. Polyester clothes, regardless of fibre sources, contribute to microplastic pollution by shedding fibres when worn and laundered. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469721/original/file-20220620-26-z0f5f8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469721/original/file-20220620-26-z0f5f8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469721/original/file-20220620-26-z0f5f8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469721/original/file-20220620-26-z0f5f8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469721/original/file-20220620-26-z0f5f8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469721/original/file-20220620-26-z0f5f8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469721/original/file-20220620-26-z0f5f8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469721/original/file-20220620-26-z0f5f8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Plastic bottles are ready to be used for recycling" /></a><figcaption>Although plastic bottles can be recycled into clothing, that clothing is very difficult to further recycle. Shutterstock</figcaption></figure> A new generation of synthetic fibres from renewable sources (recyclable and also biodegradable) offers a path forward. For instance, the <a href="https://www.kintrafibers.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kintra</a> fibre is made from corn. Reduce and reuse before you recycle There’s plenty of evidence that reducing the consumption of clothing by wearing items longer and buying second-hand is preferable to purchasing recycled fibre clothes. But even second-hand fashion isn’t without problems when you consider the scale and pace of clothing production today. Liz Ricketts of the US-based OR Foundation, a charity focused on sustainable fashion, <a href="https://atmos.earth/fashion-clothing-waste-letter-ghana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">paints a gruesome picture</a> of the Kantamanto market in Ghana, where much of the world’s secondhand clothing ends up (including from Australia). <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> "You have to understand that this is recycling, this is not a landfill.” Thousands of tonnes of knock-off clothing from Europe and the U.S. are being piled up in a mass dump in Chile's Atacama desert <a href="https://t.co/ANHu7RiN5q">pic.twitter.com/ANHu7RiN5q</a> — Bloomberg Quicktake (@Quicktake) <a href="https://twitter.com/Quicktake/status/1470991517292630022?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2021</a></blockquote> One path forward is for companies to take responsibility for products at their end of life. US fashion brand Eileen Fisher is a pioneer on this front. The company has purchased garments back from customers since 2009. These are cleaned and sorted, and mostly resold under the <a href="https://www.eileenfisherrenew.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eileen Fisher Renew</a> brand. Garments too damaged for resale are given to a dedicated design team, which redesigns them to be sold under the <a href="https://www.eileenfisherrenew.com/shop/resewn-collection" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eileen Fisher Resewn</a> collection. Off-cuts from this process are captured and turned into textiles for further use.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/184406/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/timo-rissanen-1339498" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Timo Rissanen</a>, Associate professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of Technology Sydney</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/brands-are-leaning-on-recycled-clothes-to-meet-sustainability-goals-how-are-they-made-and-why-is-recycling-them-further-so-hard-184406" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Beauty & Style

We all have secrets, but keeping them to yourself can be bad for your health

<h2>How to tell someone a big secret</h2> We all have personal secrets. While not everybody needs to know everything about you, the benefits of sharing secrets can often be greater than whatever damage you’re imagining you will incur from doing so. Here’s how to tell someone a big secret. <h2>Ask: is it harmful?</h2> The idea that secrets can be a psychic weight is what first intrigued psychologist Michael Slepian. His research shows that 97 per cent of people have a secret, and the average person is keeping 13 at any given time. Keeping secrets has been linked with less-satisfying relationships, higher rates of anxiety and depression and a generally diminished sense of well-being. Slepian’s research revealed 38 categories of common secrets spanning everything from big ones (infidelity, addiction) to relatively minor ones (embarrassing habits, hidden possessions). All types of secrets have the potential to harm your mental health, but that harm doesn’t actually come from the stress of concealment. Slepian says the biggest clue to how damaging a secret is to you is how often you involuntarily think about it – like you’re picking at a scab. It’s more likely, says Slepian, that your mind will get stuck thinking about a secret that speaks to your intrinsic sense of self (a hidden marriage) than a more workaday secret (like the fact that I have a stash of chocolate that I hide from my family). “The hard part about having a secret is not that we have to hide it,” he says, “but that we have to live with it alone in our thoughts.” <h2>Distinguish shame from guilt</h2> Chances are good that the secrets that will weigh on you the most are the ones that make you feel bad about yourself. Many of us can relate to shame keeping us mum. (My husband still likes to remind me about when I “forgot” to tell him that I was visiting a psychic because I knew he would think it was silly and a waste of money.) Slepian says that what’s more harmful about shame – and what distinguishes it from guilt – is that when you feel ashamed you think I’m a bad person, but when you feel guilt you think I’ve done a bad thing. The latter is actually much healthier, he says, and telling your secret can help get you past the shame and to a place where you might reflect on your behaviour. And if you decide you acted wrongly, he adds, you can then figure out how to act differently next time. “You can learn from your mistakes.” <h2>Confide…</h2> The most obvious thing you can do to lessen the weight of keeping a secret, says Slepian, is to share it with someone. Telling it to another person – be it a friend, a therapist or even an online acquaintance – can reduce the number of times your mind will obsessively go back to it, sort of like opening an emotional pressure valve. But Slepian points out it’s not simply the act of confessing that helps get your mind out of the record groove – it’s the conversation that follows. “Confessing something on the Internet anonymously can feel really great for about 10 seconds,” he says. “But having a conversation with someone you trust works because people can bring a unique perspective, emotional support or advice.” Even being heard by one person can help you think about your secret differently and move forward. <h2>But confide in the right person</h2> Slepian says that people share 26 per cent of the secrets they’re told, which seems like a pretty big gamble to take if you have a secret you really want kept (mostly) under wraps. The key, he says, is to choose someone who has a similar set of morals and values as you. “People are more likely to pass on a secret if they’re morally outraged by the behaviour,” he says. “So don’t confide in someone who’s going to be scandalised by your admission.” You may not want to share, for example, that you’ve developed a crush on a colleague (even though you’re already in a relationship) with the friend who thinks that even looking at another person is tantamount to cheating. It’s probably better to save that particular tidbit for the pal who knows a bit of innocent daydreaming when she sees it and can reassure you that you’re not a monster who’s destined to break up your family. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/relationships/we-all-have-secrets-but-keeping-them-to-yourself-can-be-bad-for-your-health" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader’s Digest</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Relationships

Readers respond: What were the dumbest lies you believed as a kid?

From the real reason behind thunder, to where babies come from, our readers were told some hilarious fibs in their youth.We asked what what the funniest, silliest and downright ridiclous lies you believed as a kid, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what you said:Kaz Appleford - We can't go to the beach because granddad has pulled the plug and there's no water. Marianne Oates - Our golden Labrador was hit by a car and taken to the vet for medical attention. When he came back he was a black Labrador, changed colour because of the medication.So for many years we had a black Labrador called Goldy.Sharon Waldron - If I didn't clean my ears, I would get potatoes growing out of them.Aileen May - That is the wind changed just when I was pulling a face, my face would stay like that forever. Sharon McPherson - That my Dad left England (banished by Queen) because he wanted tomarry Princess Margaret and she wouldnt let him!!!I believed this until year 6 in Primary school.Yolanda Battistini - When I would ask where babies come from, ,y mum told me I was in a shop window & they bought me.Trish Hogan - if you swallowed a fruit pip, you'd grow a tree inside you. Angie Broyles - Thunder was angels bowling in heaven.Annette Saarinen - That babies were found in the cabbage patch. Glenda Barkle - I was told when we had thunderstorms, that it was God just moving his furniture around.Bev Baldock - That if I picked at my navel, it would turn into a big hole and all my guts would fall out.Greg Browning - My grandfather told me that he didn’t shave, he just pushed his whiskers through to the inside and bit them off.Heather Gleeson - My dad said he worked in Queensland putting bends in bananas. Pete Lemin KT - If you sit too close to the TV, you'll go blind. Cheryl Ann Brown - Eating your crusts makes your hair curly. I never ate my crusts and I have a head full of uncontrollable curls.Jodi Pickering - I went to a catholic school the first few years when I was young, and the nuns told me if Jesus stops watching me I will die, I have never forgotten that. I was absolutely terrified.Brian Wolfe - If you hear the Mr Whippy jingle, it means they're out of ice cream. Dawn Dean - My Aunty told me there was a man in the moon that God put there because he chopped wood on a Sunday.Deidre Moore - I was told people who had a gap in their front teeth were going to be rich one day. Still hasn’t happened.Sandra Anderson - If I bit my nails, my hands would turn into pigs feet.Jill Croden - My mum said if you swallowed chewing gum it would wrap around your bones.Image credits: Getty Images

Family & Pets

Woman’s angry post sparks debate about bin diving

A Sydney resident’s Facebook post about a bin diver has made headlines, as residents of her south-Sydney suburb debated whether bin diving is ethical or not. Following the introduction of container refund schemes in Australia, which have served as a way to encourage recycling and money saving in kids, “bin diving” has seen a sharp increase, with people rummaging through others’ bins in an effort to find cans and bottles they can turn in to NSW’s Return and Earn program. The program gives residents 10 cents for every can and bottle they hand in, and there are reports that some are earning as much as $2000 a week through the scheme. A Mortdale resident learned about the lengths people will go to in order to collect recyclables this weekend, after finding an elderly man on her property on Sunday morning, going through her son’s collection of cans. Submitting her complaint to a Mortdale community group on Facebook, she wrote, “Was awoken this morning 21/11/21 to our dog barking, only to find this elderly man had entered our property (via the front gate) and was caught red handed helping himself to my son's recycle can collection, located up the side of our house.” She included a photo of the man, hoping the community would be able to identify him. The woman went on to explain that her “very large” husband came outside after hearing the commotion, and tried to take the bag of recycling from the man. The man refused to let go, and subsequently slipped. The woman made various claims about the man’s English abilities, namely that he was pretending he couldn’t speak English, and said he was “of sound mind and knew exactly what he was doing”. She finished, “If you know of this man, please let him know that trespassing on other people's properties is not only illegal, but may end up terribly for him, should a man of a different disposition to my hubby (or an aggressive dog) decide to take matters into their own hand!!” Many were quick to agree with her that his behaviour was inappropriate, with people calling him a thief and calling for him to be locked up. One commenter wrote that she should have “turn[ed] the hose on him”, while another wrote that there was “no excuse to steal”. Others weren’t as harsh, with several saying that there was no need to post about the ordeal. One commenter urged the woman to “try compassion”, while another said that she was not being “very nice”. One person said, “I do not condone theft but if someone is stealing veggies out of my garden, my first response is to find out why,” while another wrote that they would have given him the cans along with $10. “I am so blessed and feel for the old and elderly that may be having a hard time getting money for food.” Image: Maskot

Legal

How to make roads with recycled waste, and pave the way to a circular economy

It cost <a href="https://www.buildingfortomorrow.wa.gov.au/projects/russell-road-to-roe-highway/">A$49 million</a> to add 12.5 kilometres of extra lanes to Western Australia’s Kwinana Highway, south of Perth’s CBD. That’s not unusual. On average, building a single lane of road costs about about <a href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/sites/default/files/rr148.pdf">A$5 million per kilometre</a>. What is unusual about this stretch of extra freeway is not the money but the materials beneath the bitumen: two stabilising layers comprised of <a href="https://www.wasteauthority.wa.gov.au/images/resources/files/2021/06/RtR_Pilot_Report.pdf.pdf">25,000 tonnes of crushed recycled concrete</a>, about 90% of which came from the demolition of Subiaco Oval (once Perth’s premier football ground). <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jiFwKw3NTkk?wmode=transparent&start=75" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Recycling building and construction materials remains the exception to the rule in Australia. The<a href="https://www.awe.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/national-waste-policy-action-plan-2019.pdf"> National Waste Policy</a> agreed to by federal, state and territory governments has a target of 80% resource recovery by 2030. It’s currently <a href="https://www.awe.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/sustainable-procurement-guide.pdf">about 40%</a>. Of the 74 million tonnes of waste <a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/pages/5a160ae2-d3a9-480e-9344-4eac42ef9001/files/national-waste-report-2020.pdf">generated in Australia in 2020</a>, masonry materials comprised about 22.9 million tonnes. Plastics, by comparison, comprised about 2.5 million tonnes. Of the 61.5 million tonnes of “core waste” managed by the waste and resource recovery sector, 44% (27 million tonnes) came from the construction and demolition sector, compared with 20% (12.6 million tonnes) from households and local government activities. Most of this waste – concrete, brick, steel, timber, asphalt and plasterboard or cement sheeting – could be reused or recycled. It ends up in landfill due to simple economics. It’s cheaper to buy new materials and throw them away rather than reuse and recycle. Changing this equation and moving to a circular economy, in which materials are reused and recycled rather than discarded in landfill, is a key goal to reduce the impact of building and construction on the environment, including its contribution to climate change. <h2>The economics of ‘externalities’</h2> The fact it is more “economic” to throw materials away than reuse them is what economists call a market failure, driven by the problem of “externalities”. That is, the social and environmental costs of producing, consuming and throwing away materials is not reflected in the prices charged. Those costs are instead externalised – borne by others. In such cases there is a legitimate – and necessary – role for governments to intervene and correct the market failure. For an externality such as carbon emissions (imposing costs on future generations) the market-based solution favoured by most economists is a carbon price. For construction material waste, governments have a few more policy levers to help create a viable market for more recycling. <h2>Using procurement policies</h2> One way to make recycling more attractive to businesses would be to increase the cost of sending waste materials to landfill. But this would likely have unintended consequences, such as illegal dumping. The more obvious and effective approach is to help create more demand for recycled materials through government procurement, adopting policies that require suppliers to, for example, use a minimum amount of recycled materials. With enough demand, recyclers will invest in further waste recovery, reducing the costs. Lower costs in turn create the possibility of greater demand, creating a virtuous circle that leads to a circular economy. <hr /> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/432794/original/file-20211119-17-19fvngo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/432794/original/file-20211119-17-19fvngo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Diagram of the circular economy" /></a> <a href="https://www.awe.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/sustainable-procurement-guide.pdf" class="source">Australian Government, Sustainable Procurement Guide: A practical guide for Commonwealth entities, 2021</a> Australia’s federal, state and territory governments all have sustainable procurement policies. The federal <a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/856a1de0-4856-4408-a863-6ad5f6942887/files/sustainable-procurement-guide.pdf">Sustainable Procurement Guide</a> states the Australian government “is committed to transforming Australia’s waste into a resource, where most goods and services can be continually used, reused, recycled and reprocessed as part of a circular economy”. But these policies lack some basic elements. <h2>Three key market-making reforms</h2> Our research suggests three important reforms could make a big difference to waste market operations. This is based on interviewing 27 stakeholders from the private sector and government about how to improve sustainable procurement. First, government waste policies that set aspirational goals are not supported by procurement policies setting mandatory minimum recycled content targets. All contractors on government-funded construction projects should be required to use a percentage of recycled waste materials. Second, the nature of salvaging construction materials means quality can vary significantly. Cement recycled from a demolition site, for example, could contain contaminants that reduce its durability. Governments can help the market through regularly auditing the quality of recycler’s processes, to increase buyer confidence and motivate suppliers to invest in production technologies. Third, in some states (such as Western Australia) the testing regimes for recycled construction products are more complex than that what applies to raw materials. More reasonable specifications would reduce compliance costs and thereby the cost of using recycled materials.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/164997/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/salman-shooshtarian-693412">Salman Shooshtarian</a>, Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/savindi-caldera-1187623">Savindi Caldera</a>, Research Fellow and Project Development Manager, Cities Research Institute, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tayyab-maqsood-711277">Tayyab Maqsood</a>, Associate Dean and Head of of Project Management, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tim-ryley-1253269">Tim Ryley</a>, Professor and Head of Griffith Aviation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-make-roads-with-recycled-waste-and-pave-the-way-to-a-circular-economy-164997">original article</a>. Image: Main Roads Western Australia

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Kate Middleton stuns in recycled dress for Earthshot awards

Image: Getty The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have walked the green carpet in London for the first ever Earthshot Prize awards ceremony. Established by Prince William, this prize recognises those who have set up projects that help the environment and combat climate change. Celebrities including Emma Watson, David Attenborough, Ed Sherran, Emma Thompson and Coldplay either presented awards or performed. Attending guests were asked to “consider the environment” when choose an outfit. Kate Middletown stunned the crowd in a recycled Alexander McQueen dress she had previously warn to the BAFTA dinner in 2011. William worn a velvet green suit he had been seen in back in 2019. The couple arrived in an electric car, ditching the usual royal fleet of Range Rovers. The Earthshot Prize offers winners a huge £1 million ($1.8million AUD) cash prize to fund and scale-up their environmental projects. There are five categories: <ul> <li>Protect and restore nature.</li> <li>Clean our air.</li> <li>Revive our oceans.</li> <li>Build a waste-free world.</li> <li>Fix our climate.</li> </ul> Winners of the inaugural event include a food waste hub in Milan and the nation of Costa Rica, which is pioneering a project to pay people to restore natural ecosystems. Among the judges were Sir David Attenborough, Cate Blanchett and singer Shakira. A Sydney team behind the ‘Living Seawalls’ project was among the list of nominees selected in the oceans category. In a short, pre-recorded video played to the crowd, William said: “We are alive in the most consequential time in human history.” “The actions we choose or choose not to take in the next 10 years will determine the fate of the planet for the next 1000,” he said. “Many of the answers are already out there,” he added. “But we need everyone, from all parts of society to raise their ambition and unite in repairing our planet.” The ceremony comes days ahead of the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, which begins October the 31st.

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Return and Earn is a great way to recycle