Is It Possible to clean up our Oceans

Yes, it is possible to rid our oceans of plastic waste. Ocean pollution accounts for 150 million metric tons of plastics and on top of it, 8 million metric tons of plastics are added annually. Marine life is heavily impacted due to the waste accumulating in their habitat, disturbing a major chunk of the ecological sphere. To address the issue, the ocean clean-up project got behind the task. They have planned to rid the ocean of the waste accumulated within a decade or more. However, if we continue to produce waste at the same rate, it will not help any such projects to come to a conclusion. Moreover, it isn’t a task for one. There are many ways the current technology can enable innovators and entrepreneurs around the world to make this process more efficient and scalable. 

How Does Plastic End Up In The Oceans?

Life exists in a complete full circle. Washing your hands might wash away the tiny plastic particles stuck to you from your daily life. The same single-particle from that water might end up coming back to you, one way or another. That is how nature behaves in a domino-effect. Similarly, the waste we produce on our daily basis eventually ends up getting dumped at landfills or rivers. From rivers, the waste is carried with the flow towards the seas and from there the water currants steer it into the oceans. It is estimated that 80% of all the waste in the oceans originated from land. This waste is present in all shapes and sizes. Much of it is not even visible to the naked eye. These are known as microplastics and they can easily leave aquatic life compromised. Therefore, the waste we may discard today is going to come back to us in the face of a marine life crisis. It is for our own sake that we produce minimal waste, and reuse and recycle as much as possible.

Impact of Ocean Pollution on Marine Life

All that waste accumulated in the oceans is causing a major threat to marine life. Recent research indicated that the ratio of plastic to plankton in the waters may be as high as 46:1, threatening starvation of fish, marine birds, and mammals that mistakenly ingest tiny pellets of plastic that resemble food. Moreover, due to the plastic debris, many aquatic lives end up injuring themselves as well. That is how marine life is compromised as it dies due to choking and consuming plastic. We are completely unaware of the number of animals & fishes killed due to marine pollution so far. However, experts have observed a sharp decline in the population of many prominent sea creatures. Therefore, non-profit organizations are making efforts to prevent any of them from falling into extinction.

But why is marine life important to us? And why should we be saving them? Mainly because it hosts 80 percent of the planet’s biodiversity, and makes up the largest ecosystem on Earth. If there was no life below water, the ocean will not be able to perform much of its essential functions. With a loss of one of the main food sources, such a situation will lead to a lower quality of life. In many places around the world, people depend upon fish for their daily intake of proteins. Moreover, fishing accounts for a major part of the global economy and if all the fish or 90% of the fish were to disappear, the life on land would come crumbling down.

Cleaning Up the Oceans

It is high time that oceans are cleaned up of the waste we have been carelessly producing. Non-profit projects like ‘the ocean cleanup’ are trying to collect the already accumulated waste and recycle it to produce something of value. However, if we continue to produce waste like we normally do, it will continue to pollute our oceans and aquatic life. Therefore, just as nonprofit projects are doing their part to save the planet, we can play our part on an individual level. We can start by adapting to the zero-waste lifestyle and monitor our waste disposal habits. Reusing, recycling, and reducing should be the motto to lead a sustainable life. And just as the oceans are being cleaned up, we can rest assured that ocean pollution will come to a halt, restoring the habitat of marine life to thrive for our own good.

Real-time Results

The efforts of cleaning up the ocean have been successful but they have a long way to go towards actually making a significant impact. The great pacific garbage patch is the world’s largest gyre of plastic waste in the Pacific Ocean. According to Ocean Voyages Institute, 103 tons of plastic waste was collected and removed from the great pacific garbage patch. This is just from a single voyage that took 48 days at sea. Similarly, more voyages will be carried out with a fleet to ensure the task is accomplished in less time and with more efficiency. The garbage collected will then be recycled to produce indisposable products.

Future Prospects

The waste collected from the oceans, shall restore the aquatic life to its entirety and allow it to thrive. Taking away the threat of declining coral reefs, we can expect marine life to grow. Once the waste is collected, it can be recycled into raw materials for other manufacturers. That’s where YFC steps in, as it takes the waste to its recycling plant and segregates it into categories for recycling. From there on, raw materials are produced for different manufacturers to create their end-products. Read more about it here.

Such a collective economic effort to eliminate waste and practice continual use of resources enables the circular economy to become effective. Moreover, cleaning up the ocean is just a part of it with a plethora of challenges to actually end ocean pollution yet to come. We have got a long way to go but every goal has a start. Let us make this goal a reality by combining our efforts. Visit www.yesfullcircle.com or email us at info@yesfullcircle.com for more information.

7 Innovative Waste Management Solutions To Look Out For In 2021

 Waste Management solutions have evolved tremendously to meet the high standards of sustainability and profitability. These solutions are developed around the fact that the world is under a climate crisis and as a part of the climate action plan, waste management solutions become integral for survival. Many jump to empty conclusions in regards to how to fight climate change or global warming, but are blind to adopting smart strategies to implement and eradicate the problem.

Waste accumulation accounts for a major chunk of global warming, as it causes greenhouse gas emissions and pollutes our oceans, environment, and our natural source of food. How? Well, marine life is a major source of protein for many around the world and it is heavily impacted due to the waste found in the oceans. The waste, which is mostly plastic waste, ends up breaking down into microplastics which are mistaken for food. That is just one way of waste interacting with marine life, many of them tend to die by getting caught in a mass swirl of waste. Due to such incidents, the entire ecosystem gets compromised causing a chain reaction.

Similar is the case with the waste accumulated on land at the landfills. From landfills, some of the waste ends up in the oceans or it is left to rot or burn. Both ways it is emitting greenhouse gases, which traps the heat in the atmosphere, causing global warming. If all that waste was to be taken care of, there would be fewer GHG emissions and our planet wouldn’t be warming up as it is today.

Innovative waste management solutions are there to help us manage our waste and ensure that an object’s usability is maximized. It can be done by either reusing, recycling, or reducing. All of that is applicable on an individual level. However, industrial-scale waste management or community-wide waste management requires specialized resources and strategic planning. As a result, waste management solutions are being implemented around the world in different industries to combat waste production.

While there have been many solutions that we come across daily, the new decade comes with an opportunity to revolutionize these solutions with a more sophisticated approach. Here we are going to expound upon the latest innovations in waste management technology and see how they have the potential to solve waste accumulation.

1- AI for Waste Sorting

Globally, Artificial Intelligence is taking up much of our daily chores upon itself and making our lifestyle more convenient than ever. However, the waste management industry, up to this date, struggled to efficiently sort the waste for recycling. From draining their resources and having to put up with time-consuming processes, the industry needed a solution to solve their waste sorting problems. After years and years of development, there’s hope in 2021 for an AI solution that can provide an efficient way of sorting the waste into different kinds of recyclable materials. That technology is termed as machine vision that can help us tackle improper waste disposal and make the most of missed opportunities. Therefore, an AI solution can help us recycle efficiently and inexpensively while avoiding environmentally hazardous mistakes, inevitably achieving a zero-waste lifestyle.

2- Innovative Waste Recycling plants

With technology advancing every day and machines getting smarter by the minute, it is no surprise that waste management facilities have received a major push as well. With more efficient machines saving businesses money and time while providing new raw materials to be pushed into production, this has led to a new era of recycling led by the Circular Economy movement. Sorters, shredders and scanners and more have made the whole recycling process streamlined and beneficial for investors and clients both. An industry that is valued in the billions globally, is still coming to terms with the whole recycling concept but it is definitely one for the future. Want to benefit through such a solution as well? Reach out to us on our official Website.

3- Zero-Waste Commercial Places

To manage waste, we need to come to terms with the amount of waste we produce. Reducing your waste production by practicing zero-waste lifestyle, can reduce the burden on the landfills. Keeping that in mind, multiple zero-waste commercial places are opening up around the world. One example is the City of Noida where YES Full Circle has implemented a Zero Waste Solution to benefit the community. These places specialize in producing zero-waste at an operational level, encouraging individuals to follow the same practice. Overall costs are reduced for all stakeholders involved and the forecasted results are amazing in the long run. Such a practice is reducing waste production on a business level as well as on a household level. If these zero-waste commercial places continue to progress, individuals will find themselves inevitably switching towards a more sustainable way of life.

4- Sustainable 3D Printing

As 3D printing became more popular, its potential was explored widespread. So much so that there are construction companies using this technology to build infrastructures. Some are building homes, meanwhile, there’s an architectural design agency that created the world’s first 3D printed school set on four acres of land off the coast of Africa. To make 3D printing a sustainable and profitable solution for waste management, plastic waste can be used as a raw material. Recycled plastic can become a cheaper and sustainable resource, used for the purpose of building infrastructures. 3D printing is only sustainable when it is being utilized for manufacturing long-lasting products. Therefore, the potential of the technology can be tested with an aim of being environmentally friendly and 3D printed infrastructure has proven it by utilizing plastic waste as raw material.

5- Eco-ATM Devices

More than 53 million tonnes of E-waste is generated every year. Much of it ends up at the landfills, an insignificant number of it is recycled. The lack of convenience of recycling E-waste has led to its accumulation. However, as our natural resources are depleting, it is high-time to recycle electronic-waste through innovative waste management solutions. An innovation of Eco-ATM Devices was introduced which is going to pay in cash every time you deposit your E-waste. This E-waste can consist of portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, laptops, tablets, etc, no matter what’s the condition. These Eco-ATM devices can be set up nearby in every community. Ensuring that all communities take part in recycling their E-waste for a sustainable future.

6- Waste Monitoring System

The IoT garbage monitoring systems are deployed all around the world, mostly in the developed countries. These systems enable the waste management authorities to monitor the level of garbage collected in the bins. Based on that, they can strategize the waste collection routes, ensuring that the waste-collecting vehicles are on a route that is energy efficient, saves money and time. These systems are also known as smart waste collection monitoring and alert systems because whenever the bins are full, the relevant collectors are informed and they can collect it in time. Moreover, the users can also interact with the authorities regarding their waste disposal through the application provided by them. Bringing waste disposal on an exclusive digital platform, making waste disposal convenient and efficient. In this decade we will observe increased demand for these smart monitoring systems.

7- Plasma Gasification

Plasma Gasification is another technique that has been recently developed in order to deal with waste keeping in mind the sustainability and profitability goals. A process that involves heating waste with plasma to extreme temperatures and converting it into usable gases like hydrogen. Since this process produces hydrogen, it creates an opportunity for a sustainable fuel source. This process is not widespread yet because it is new with impressive potential. If it were to be adopted soon, it has the potential to replace environmentally hazardous energy production. However, this new method is expensive, but it can also become a source of income by selling off hydrogen. The potential of plasma gasification is yet to be completely explored and can prove to be beneficial for energy-consuming industries. Currently the main sites for this new innovation are set up at Wuhan China, Mihama-Mikata Japan, Tainan City Taiwan and USS Gerald R.

With all of these technologies in hand and more innovative ideas to promote environmentally friendly solutions coming out every day, maybe it won’t be long till we can bring the world back to how it was before. The only thing that is missing is the right mindset. Many people are stuck in the same traditional linear economy cycle instead of trying to fit into the Circular Economy lifestyle that is beneficial for all. Even though there are some claiming that the damage has been done and no amount of effort can fix the mess created, we believe that it can be decreased to such a level that will effectively make the world more sustainable for generations to come. Join hands with us as we promote the Circular Economy approach to make that all-important difference. Looking for the right solution to handle your waste management? Visit www.yesfullcircle.com or email us at info@yesfullcircle.com for more information.