Author: Salbjörg Rita Jónsdóttir

The production of plastic has increased twenty fold since 1964 and continues to grow. According to data from 2018, Lithuania tops the European rankings when it comes to recycling plastic with about 74% while Iceland ranks #16 on that list recycling 42% of plastic. The UN has launched a global campaign to combat plastic pollution in the ocean and once of its principal efforts is ending the use of disposable plastic packaging. The EU has approved a ban on disposable plastic table items (plates, cups, utensils and chopsticks), plastic straws, plastic cotton swabs, plastic balloon sticks and oxo-degradable plastic food […]

The initial production of glass is worse for the environment than the production of plastic. But when we take into account what becomes of the packaging after disposal, glass has less of an impact if it ends up in the environment since glass degrades into mineral. It is not possible, however, to create new glass packaging from used glass packaging. Plastic can be recycled and used in new applications, like the creation of synthetic fleece. But synthetic fleece and other plastic-based textiles shed microplastics when laundered, which often are washed out to sea. Microplastics generated in washing machines have a […]

There is no straightforward answer. The production of aluminum takes a serious toll on the environment as it is sourced from bauxite, an ore that contains a high concentration of aluminum. Harvesting the aluminum component generates two materials: one is aluminum oxide, which is a fine white powder, and the other is a thick, red sludge containing caustic soda. This sludge has no practical application. Likewise, the destruction of land caused by aluminum production, i.e., the land that is displaced (often permanently) during the course of bauxite mining, is detrimental to the environmental. Manufacturing a disposable plastic bottle from new […]

Plastic production began when the technology emerged at the beginning of the 20th century, with mass production taking off around 1950. Production requires fossil fuels, i.e., oil and gas, which are limited resources. Crude oil is pumped up from underground and processed in oil refinery facilities. During the refining process reactive monomers are created. These monomers are collected and bonded through the introduction of a catalyst. This process creates long-chain molecules called polymers. These polymers accumulate to form a malleable mass that can easily be shaped. Various combinations of polymers (i.e., how the polymers are ordered) yield different types of […]