Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<ul><li>Indian scientists have suggested a method to convert the <keyword id="34567" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="plastic">plastic</keyword> used in <keyword id="2493103" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="personal-protective-equipment">personal protective equipment</keyword> (PPE) into renewable liquid fuels, an advance that could help mitigate the problem of dumped PPE, currently being disposed of at unprecedented levels due to the COVID-19 pandemic. </li><li>According to the study, published in the journal Biofuels, billions of items of disposable PPE can be converted from its plastic state into biofuels using a high-temperature chemical process called pyrolysis. </li><li>According to the researchers, when these plastic materials are discharged into the environment they end up in landfill or oceans, as their natural degradation is difficult at ambient temperature. </li></ul> Indian scientists have suggested a method to convert the plastic used in personal protective equipment (PPE) into renewable liquid fuels, an advance that could help mitigate the problem of dumped PPE, currently being disposed of at unprecedented levels due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the study, published in the journal Biofuels, billions of items of disposable PPE can be converted from its plastic state into biofuels using a high-temperature chemical process called pyrolysis. Sapna Jain, lead author of the study from The University of Petroleum and Energy Studies in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, noted in a statement that the transformation into biocrude -- a type of synthetic fuel -- "will not just prevent the severe after-effects to humankind and the environment but also produce a source of energy". "Presently, the world is focusing to combat COVID-19, however, we can foresee the issues of economic crisis and ecological imbalance also. We have to prepare ourselves to meet the challenges which are forcefully imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, so as to maintain sustainability," Jain said. She said the disposal of PPE is a concern owing to its material -- non-woven polypropylene (plastic) -- adding that these are being designed for single use followed by disposal. According to the researchers, when these plastic materials are discharged into the environment they end up in landfill or oceans, as their natural degradation is difficult at ambient temperature. "They need decades to decompose. Recycling these polymers requires both physical methods and chemical methods," Jain said. She said the proposed strategy is a suggestive measure addressing the anticipated problem of disposal of PPE. In the study, the scientists explored the current policies around the disposal of PPEs, their polypropylene content, and the feasibility of converting them into biofuel. They focused on the structure of polypropylene, its suitability for PPE, why it poses an environmental threat, and methods of recycling the plastic material. Based on their analysis, the scientists call for the PPE waste to be converted into fuel using pyrolysis -- a chemical process for breaking down plastic at high temperature between 300 to 400 degree Celsius for an hour without oxygen. "Pyrolysis is the most commonly used chemical method whose benefits include the ability to produce high quantities of bio-oil which is easily biodegradable," study co-author Bhawna Yadav Lamba said. "There is always a need for alternative fuels or energy resources to meet our energy demands. The pyrolysis of plastics is one of the methods to mitigate our energy crisis," Lamba added. She said the challenges of PPE waste management and increasing energy demand could be addressed simultaneously by the production of liquid fuel from PPE kits. "The liquid fuel produced from plastics is clean and has fuel properties similar to fossil fuels," Lamba said. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/zerodha-valued-itself-at-1-billion-hurun-unicorn-startups-list-bumps-it-up-to-3-billion-but-founder-says-valuation-doesnt-matter/articleshow/77347721.cms">Zerodha valued itself at $1 billion, Hurun unicorn startups list bumps it up to $3 billion but founder says valuation doesn't matter</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/tech-mahindra-wants-25-30-of-its-employees-working-from-home-permanently-by-june-2021/articleshow/77346959.cms">INTERVIEW: Tech Mahindra wants 25-30% of its employees working from home permanently by June 2021 — CFO explains how they got to that number</a>

Disposed PPE could be turned into biofuel, say Indian scientists

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Disposing of COVID-19 <keyword id="13407633" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="medical-waste" source="Orion">medical waste</keyword> puts an increasing strain on our waste and <keyword id="12063226" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="recycling" source="Orion">recycling</keyword> systems.</li><li>One problem arises when people try to recycle <keyword id="11917128" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="masks" source="Orion">masks</keyword>, which cannot be recycled traditionally.</li></ul>Disposable masks, cloth face coverings, used gloves, and other <keyword id="12953431" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="personal-protective-equipment" source="Orion">personal protective equipment</keyword> (<keyword id="12380744" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ppe" source="Orion">PPE</keyword>) are some of the <a href="https://wasteadvantagemag.com/a-retrospective-look-at-2020-and-forecasts-for-2021/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">extra waste</a> that people have been generating over the past two years as they've tried to protect themselves during the pandemic. The World Health Organization released a <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/01-02-2022-tonnes-of-covid-19-health-care-waste-expose-urgent-need-to-improve-waste-management-systems" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> in February stating that the influx — tens of thousands of tons — of COVID-19 medical waste is putting a strain on healthcare waste systems, which could pose both environmental and health risks. It's also affecting traditional waste management and recycling systems.<div type="image" title="headshot of Sue Kauffman" height="3369" width="4492" msid="90296678" hostid="261"></div>"As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, waste and recycling haulers experienced a clear increase in the amount of waste being collected due to marked increase of takeout orders and the explosion in single-use PPE," <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/suemcgillkauffman/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sue Kauffman</a>, North American public relations director at recycling company <a href="https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TerraCycle</a>, told Insider.Most of these items end up in landfills, she said, but many "well-intentioned but misinformed" people throw PPE waste — which can't be recycled through traditional means — into their curbside recycling bins with the hope that it'll get recycled."This is a counter-productive practice known as 'wishcycling,' and it leads to clogs in machinery, which translate to losses in time and otherwise recyclable material," Kauffman added.Several companies like <a href="https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TerraCycle</a> are offering solutions for recycling PPE, and Kauffman said the demand for these services has soared over the past two years.<h2>The problem of PPE ending up in traditional recycling bins</h2><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/pete-keller-68a9385b/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pete Keller,</a> vice president of recycling and <keyword id="11896309" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sustainability" source="Orion">sustainability</keyword> at <a href="https://www.republicservices.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Republic Services</a>, a business and residential waste disposal and recycling company that works in <a href="https://www.republicservices.com/about-us" target="_blank" rel="noopener">47 states</a>, said more cloth and disposable masks, gloves, and at-home COVID-19 test kits are ending up in trash and recycling streams these days, though he doesn't have data on exactly how much."We went from seeing almost none of that type of material to seeing it show up in some of our recycling streams," he said. "When you think about what's in the <keyword id="11898165" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="garbage" source="Orion">garbage</keyword> can, we don't sort through that. But clearly, there's an increase in that type of material."Overall residential waste generation is about 3% to 4% higher than pre-pandemic levels, with commercial waste close to pre-2020 rates, Keller said. Residential trash had increased by about 25% and commercial had decreased by 35% in the early days of the pandemic.<a href="https://www.republicservices.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Republic Services</a> doesn't recycle masks, gloves, or COVID-19 tests, but Keller said any cardboard packaging that comes with these items is likely recyclable.PPE can contaminate other recyclables, he added. Recycling machinery is calibrated to process specific items like glass, paper, cardboard, and plastics and isn't equipped to handle interloping items, like masks. Kauffman said these contaminants — like other non-recyclable items that inadvertently end up in recycling bins — can clog up or damage machines, which can be costly for municipalities' recycling programs.There's also a fear that PPE that's been exposed to COVID-19 could infect frontline waste management workers who may not be properly protected to handle hazardous waste, Kauffman added.<h2>Some companies are offering solutions to PPE waste</h2>Even though <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mask-mandates-democratic-governors-cdc-president-joe-biden-2022-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mask mandates are being lifted</a> across the country, they're still required in some situations, like <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airplanes-are-the-final-front-in-the-mask-warsand-the-battle-is-about-to-escalate-2022-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">flying</a> or using public transportation, and people <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/may/10/the-people-who-want-to-keep-masking-its-like-an-invisibility-cloak" target="_blank" rel="noopener">still choose to wear them</a> in other situations. So PPE waste will continue to increase.Several private companies are offering solutions for recycling these items. French company <a href="https://www.plaxtil.com/recyclagemasques?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Plaxtil</a> recycles masks and other fabrics by <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/20200827-face-mask-recycling-french-firm-finds-way-to-re-use-covid-waste" target="_blank" rel="noopener">transforming them into a plastic-like material</a> that can be molded into many different objects. British firm <a href="https://www.reworked.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ReFactory</a> launched <a href="https://www.reworked.com/2020/10/22/reclaimthemask-what-is-reclaim-the-mask-recycling/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reclaim the Mask</a>, a program that recycles disposable masks, gloves, and visors into plastic boards.TerraCycle's <a href="https://tcrwusa.com/collections/ppe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EasyPak recycling systems</a>, which range in price from $128 to $293, are designed for property and facility managers for getting rid of disposable masks, disposable gloves, and safety equipment.The company's <a href="https://zerowasteboxes.terracycle.com/collections/ppe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PPE Zero Waste Boxes</a>, starting at $88, are available for individuals, institutions, or businesses to recycle masks, gloves, disinfectant wipes, and other items. Kauffman said users fill the box with the waste and ship it back to TerraCycle using a prepaid label, and the items are separated by material type and processed. There was a 145% increase in sales of Zero Waste Boxes that solve for PPE year-over-year from 2019 to the start of the pandemic in 2020 in Canada.<div type="image" title="bales of recyclable material behind a worker" height="4156" width="5541" msid="90296679" hostid="261"></div>"The resulting recycled material is used by third parties to manufacture a variety of new products," Kauffman said. These products include outdoor furniture and decking, plastic shipping pallets, storage containers, tubes for construction applications, and more.<div type="image" title="COVID-19 PPE waste ground up in a box" height="4154" width="5539" msid="90296680" hostid="261"></div>Research published in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969721005957" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Science of the Total Environment</a> in 2021 suggested that single-use masks can be repurposed into pavement bases and sub-bases, as mask materials can improve ductility, flexibility, and strength."Not recycling and allowing otherwise usable materials to become waste is just that — a waste," Kauffman said. "By recycling otherwise non-recyclable material, we're able to capture and reuse material destined for landfills, recycle it into a form suitable for manufacturers, and eliminate the need to extract new raw material."

COVID-19 medical waste is putting a strain on removal systems. Here are the companies trying to solve the problem.

Guwahati, Apr 17 () Four more COVID-19 patients were discharged from a hospital on Friday, taking the total number of cured persons to nine, out of the 34 people who have tested positive for the disease in Assam so far, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. The four persons, including two women, were released from the Golaghat Civil Hospital after they tested negative for coronavirus in four successive tests, he said. They will spend the next 14 days under home quarantine as a precautionary measure. The cumulative number of coronavirus positive patients in Assam now stands at 34, which include one dead and nine patients who have been cured, he said. Currently, 24 patients from Assam and another person from Nagaland are undergoing treatment in the state. The condition of all of them, except a cancer patient, are stable and they would be gradually released, he said. Meanwhile, samples of Morigaon Deputy Commissioner Rituraj Bora and Superintendent of Police Swapnaneel Deka have been taken for testing, the minister said. The deputy commissioner, superintendent of police, the joint director of health along with two journalists of Morigaon were asked to stay in quarantine as they had come in contact with two persons who tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday. Golaghat with nine patients, Morigaon with six and Dhubri, Goalpara and Nalbari with four patients each have been identified as the five hotspot districts of Assam.The other districts with positive patients are two from Silchar and one each from Kamrup (Metro), Kamrup, Hailakandi, Lakhimpur and South Salmara. Meanwhile, oil exploration major ONGC has spent over Rs 17 lakh on COVID-19 protection gears in Assam, while the Airports Authority of India distributed masks among people in and around airports in the Northeastern region. The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation's (ONGC) Assam asset has extended Rs 9.81 lakh for purchase of PPE kits and N95 masks for COVID-19 health care providers, officials said in Jorhat. The contribution was made by ONGC Assam assets' Cinnamora headquarters and its Assam-Arakan Basin to Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (JMCH). The officials said an amount of Rs 7.71 lakh has also been extended to the JMCH to purchase beds for patients and other equipment. To ensure that no one enters a public place without wearing masks, the women welfare wing of AAI, Kalyaanmayee, has manufactured about 5,000 masks for distribution at different airports and their surrounding areas in the N-E region, an AAI spokesman said. The target is to provide 25,000 home-made masks to the needy people, he said adding that the masks are mainly made from unused old clothes or uniforms. "To ensure sanitisation and promote personal hygiene, we are distributing masks for free to our employees, police personnel, media, staff, security guards, garbage collectors, vendors, drivers, house-keeping staff and other stakeholders," AAI Regional Executive Director Sanjeev Jindal said at a mask distribution event in Guwahati on Thursday. DG ESB NN TDSTDS

You Searched For "PPE kit garbage" and got 3 results

Disposed PPE could be turned into biofuel, say Indian scientists

PTI

COVID-19 medical waste is putting a strain on removal systems. Here are the companies trying to solve the problem.

Erica Sweeney

4 more COVID-19 patients discharged from hospital in Assam

PTI

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides