According to the EC (19 November, 2008) “waste means any substance or object which the holder discards or intends or is required to discard.” Recycling materials and products – that are considered waste - is an ancient practice which shows that in times of resource scarcity (i.e. shortage of virgin materials) societies attach more economic and societal value to their own waste. This implies that throughout time the definition of waste can change as well. Generally speaking longer use or reuse of materials and products this is often mainly to cover a society’s needs.
Bioplastics
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SectorsObjective
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SectorsObjective
Thermal insulation is an important technology to reduce energy consumption in buildings by preventing heat gain/loss through the building envelope. Thermal insulation is a construction material with low thermal conductivity, often less than 0.1W/mK. These materials have no other purpose than to save energy and protect and provide comfort to occupants. Of the many forms, shapes and applications of thermal insulation, this section focuses on those that are commonly used for building envelopes– i.e., floor, walls and roof, and have potential for South-South technology transfer.
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SectorsObjective
It is well documented that solar energy can be an effective means of cleaning contaminated water. This is because ultraviolet (UV) light destroys the formation of DNA linkages in microorganisms, thereby preventing them from reproducing and thus rendering them harmless.
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SectorsObjective
According to the EC (19 November, 2008) “waste means any substance or object which the holder discards or intends or is required to discard.” Recycling materials and products – that are considered waste - is an ancient practice which shows that in times of resource scarcity (i.e. shortage of virgin materials) societies attach more economic and societal value to their own waste. This implies that throughout time the definition of waste can change as well. Generally speaking longer use or re-use of materials and products this is often mainly to cover a society’s needs.
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SectorsObjective
Integrated solid waste management (ISWM) can be defined in different ways, but it refers to the strategic approach to sustainable management of solid wastes covering all sources and all aspects such as waste generation, segregation, transfer, sorting, treatment, recovery and disposal in an integrated manner, with an emphasis on maximizing resource use efficiency. A plausible solution to waste management would be an integrated approach which would include collective management of all types of wastes and implementation of the 3R (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) policies and strategies
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SectorsObjective
Bioplastics have much in common with conventional plastics. Two main characteristics separate bioplastics from conventional plastics: 1) The use of renewable biomass materials in the manufacture of bioplastics. Bioplastics are manufactured from sources such as starch and vegetable oil rather than fossil fuel based plastics which are derived from petroleum. 2) the biodegradability and compostability of bioplastics. Some, but not all, bioplastics are biodegradable or compostable.
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SectorsObjective
A solar updraft power plant consists of a chimney, a collector area and wind turbines. In the collector area air is heated by solar radiation under a glass or plastic roof. This heat is thus forced upwards through the chimney thereby creating a wind force. By placing wind turbines inside the tower the force can be used to produce electricity. The technology is particularly suitable in remote areas (for instance, areas in developing countries) where low-value land can be used for the heat collection. The collector itself functions as a greenhouse and could be used for growing cash crops.