GoKawiil
Tech News
MacroCycle, a Cambridge-based startup that developed a chemical process to purify recycled PET plastic from waste streams like textiles, has struck a deal with Meta. Meta will pay for the environmental attribute credits tied to MacroCycle's reduced carbon emissions, funding construction of MacroCycle's first commercial recycling facility in the U.S.
Cornell University scientists created a process called Direct Electrode-to-Electrode Regeneration (DEER) that revives worn EV battery electrodes by chemically stripping excess solid electrolyte interphase buildup rather than shredding cells into raw materials. Treated electrodes recovered up to 95% of original capacity and degraded more slowly than untreated batteries, and a second treatment round restored capacity to 90% even after prior regeneration.
A new report from the nonprofit Basel Action Network estimates that AI infrastructure will generate far more electronic waste than previously projected, potentially amounting to enough discarded material to fill 23 million shipping containers by 2050. Unlike earlier estimates that only counted servers and GPUs, this analysis includes power supplies, cooling systems, backup power, and networking equipment tied to data centers, plus a category BAN calls 'AI Waste Contagion.' The group attributes 15-20 percent of the world's projected 211 million metric tons of annual e-waste by 2050 to AI-related infrastructure.
Writers Alex Chalmers and Rob Wiblin make the case that landfilling waste, when done properly, is frequently cheaper, cleaner, and more environmentally sound than recycling or reusing materials. They point to plastic bags versus cotton totes as a key example: plastic bags require a fraction of the energy to produce and dispose of compared to the water- and energy-intensive process of making reusable cotton alternatives.
A new guide highlights that consumers can drop off old laptops, desktops and printers at major retailers such as Best Buy and Staples for free recycling, regardless of where the device was originally purchased. Some retailers even offer trade-in credit or discounts on new purchases as an incentive. The process is straightforward, but users are advised to fully wipe personal data via a factory reset or dedicated drive-scrubbing tool before handing over devices.
Scientists have outlined a new enzymatic approach that reuses byproducts to synthesize thiophosphate molecules, compounds valued for their applications in chemistry and biology. The method relies on biological catalysts rather than traditional chemical synthesis routes, offering a more sustainable pathway to these materials.