In case you missed it: Thoughtful, newsworthy comments from industry professionals, consumers and legislators.
"There's a possibility of really important research coming out of bizarre places ... Sometimes, science surprises us. This is a shock."
— Craig Criddle, a professor of civil and environmental engineering who supervises plastics research at Stanford, said on a study that found mealworms can digest polystyrene. The research development may be a new solution to the issues surrounding the disposal of Styrofoam.
"Companies don’t make plastic with the intent of it ending up in the ocean, and we acknowledge the strong role the industry must play in order to help eliminate ocean plastic waste by 2035."
— Jeff Wooster, global sustainability director for Dow Packaging and Specialty Plastics, on the Ocean Conservancy's report of solutions for plastic marine debris. The report notes that without global action, there could be 1 ton of plastic for every 3 tons of fish in the ocean by 2025.
"Community recycling programs do an excellent job of diverting materials from the waste stream, but it’s also important to make it easier for people to recycle on the go."
— Nicole Giambusso, a spokesperson for the Massachusetts Beverage Association, on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)'s decision to place 7-foot recycling information kiosks in subway stations.
"If they [Whole Foods] can sell asparagus water, they can sell ugly produce ... They have a social responsibility to do the best they can do in terms of eliminating food waste."
— Culinary Nutritionist Stefanie Sacks on food retailers, like Whole Foods, wasting produce that is not aesthetically appealing. Sacks and Jordan Figueiredo, a food specialist, wrote a petition to Whole Foods and Wal-Mart, urging the companies to commit to selling "ugly" produce.
"There will always be a need and a use for landfills, but the emphasis now is how to reduce the amount of waste we generate, and then with the waste that we do create, how can we beneficially use it?"
— SWANA President Michelle Leonard on the changes she's seen in the waste industry during her experiences at SCS Engineers and SWANA.
"The football boots of the future could contain everything from carbon used in aircraft manufacturing to fibers of the boots that scored during the World Cup."
— The Adidas Group in a press release, regarding Adidas' new "infinity-recycling" process that will recycle worn-out cleats and sportswear, combine them with scrap materials, and create new sporting goods.