logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2021
23m 28s

Shred it yourself: The DIY plastic recyc...

Bbc World Service
About this episode
<p>Machines to shred, melt and mould waste plastic are popping up in workshops around the world - from the UK to Malaysia, Kenya to Mexico. The project is being led by an organisation called Precious Plastic. They put designs for the devices online for anyone to download and build themselves. More than 400 teams around the world are now taking on the c ... Show More
Up next
Yesterday
Super seagrass
Seagrass meadows are one of the world’s most valuable underwater habitats. As well as providing food and shelter to thousands of species, seagrass is also known for its ability to store carbon and improve water quality, making it a powerful natural solution to tackle the impacts ... Show More
23m 24s
Feb 24
The school run by kids
If you could invent a new kind of school what would it look like? What skills would you teach children, and how would the school be run?On this edition of People Fixing The World we visit the Mechai Pattana School in Thailand which was founded by the campaigner Mechai Viravaidya ... Show More
23m 22s
Feb 17
Who cares for the carers?
Millions of people around the world are unpaid carers, providing help for a friend or family member who due to illness or disability cannot cope without their support. For some this may be a few hours a week but for many this can be a round-the-clock role. This can lead to the ca ... Show More
23m 20s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2022
The problem with plastics -- and how to start cleaning up the mess | Patricia Villarrubia-Gómez
Plastics are everywhere -- they're in our favorite electronic devices, they package our food and insulate our homes. Today, the total mass of plastic is twice the total mass of all living organisms on the planet, and it's starting to change the processes that allow the Earth's cl ... Show More
10m 22s
Nov 2018
Why We Fell In Love with Plastic
Plastic waste and pollution have become a global problem but is there any sign of a global solution? And how did we allow this to happen in the first place? Materials scientist and broadcaster, Professor Mark Miodownik, explores how we fell in love with plastic, why we've ended u ... Show More
26m 28s
Jul 2018
#10: Plastic, not fantastic
An action packed double-digit episode! We met some of our listeners at our first community event who were kind enough to share some of their thoughts. Our thanks to Joy, Nathalia & Sandy for those. The Two Vegans talk about the rising awareness around plastic—in particular, vario ... Show More
39m 44s
Aug 2017
Plastic
A couple of decades after Leo Baekeland invented the first fully synthetic plastic – Bakelite – plastics were pouring out of labs around the world. There was polystyrene, often used for packaging; nylon, popularised by stockings; polyethylene, the stuff of plastic bags. As the Se ... Show More
9m 14s
Dec 2022
The Myth of Plastic Recycling
For many, recycling feels like a tangible way to personally combat climate change and to positively affect the environment. But after a years long investigation, NPR correspondent Laura Sullivan finds that reality is generally the opposite: Only a small fraction of plastic is ult ... Show More
13m 48s
Mar 2024
Plastics Greenium Boosts Chemical Recycling Outlook
With plastic production set to double by 2050, immediate action is needed to address plastic waste pollution and the inefficiencies of existing recycling systems. Chemical recycling could help process lower-grade feedstocks, significantly upping the amount of plastic that can be ... Show More
26m 20s
Oct 2023
Comment se débarrasser du plastique ?
<p>En 2022, le monde a produit 500 millions de tonnes de plastique. Et si on continue sur cette trajectoire, ce sera deux fois plus en 2060. Plus fou encore : la moitié des plastiques qui existent dans le monde ont été fabriqués depuis l’an 2000. En une vingtaine d’années tout ju ... Show More
46m 10s
Nov 2021
171. IELTS 16 General Training | What Damage Does Plastic Do to the Environment?
Plastic bags, plastic bottles and plastic packaging are bad for the environment.  What damage does plastic do to the environment? What can be done by governments and individuals to solve this problem? Read the sample essay here: https://www.ieltsessaybank.com/plastic-bags-plastic ... Show More
4m 56s
Jul 2017
Is it Time to Ban the Plastic Bottle?
Every single second, 20,000 single-use drinking bottles are sold around the world. That is more than a million pieces of non-biodegradable rubbish produced every minute. And as demand grows in developing economies, so will the mountains of waste, with much of it ending up in the ... Show More
23m 35s