Articles about recycling

Recycler rescues mysterious trove of rare aerospace hardware, and sets out to discover its past

Instead of obsolete laptops, gaming consoles or a mess of tangled cords, a drop-off at a Bellevue, Wash., electronics recycler turned up experimental 1970s microprocessors and early flight-control cables that were more like the ultimate tech time capsule. Read More

A look inside Amazon’s push to eliminate plastic packaging

Amazon is phasing out plastic from the envelopes, bags, boxes and cushioning it uses to ship items, swapping in paper-based solutions. Read More

Recycling startup Ridwell hits 130,000 customers as new mail-in service takes off across the U.S.

Ridwell, the Seattle startup that collects plastic and other hard-to-recycle items from consumers, keeps growing its footprint across the U.S.… Read More

AI-powered robots are helping AWS extend the life of data center electronics

Amazon Web Services has successfully integrated AI-empowered robots into its system for reusing and recycling used data center electronics. Read More

I tried to sell my old tech at a PayMore store — here’s the reality check I walked out with

The pile of tech hardware taking up space in a closet in my home has been the constant source of… Read More

Recycling gets smarter: AI robots from Amazon-backed startup are sorting waste in Seattle

Entering Recology’s recycling facility in South Seattle stuns your senses. The din from heavy machinery is continuous. While recycled goods… Read More

Inside Amazon’s sustainability lab: Grueling tests forge the future of planet-friendly plastics

In its pursuit of planet-friendly plastics, Amazon is putting candidate materials through a series of devices that recall medieval torture… Read More

Portland startup expands to Seattle to help schools, businesses slash their waste with reusable dishes

Portland, Ore.-based Bold Reuse, a startup providing reusable dishes and food containers paired with environmental analytics, is setting up shop… Read More

Citing fire dangers, Seattle bans batteries from the trash — here’s where they should go instead

Beginning this year, households in Seattle are banned from tossing old batteries in the trash — including everything from the… Read More

Ridwell starts collecting more difficult types of plastic as recycling startup grows to seven states

Ridwell, the Seattle startup that aims to keep more trash out of landfills, is adding more types of plastic to… Read More

This startup aims to improve recycling by capturing ‘chemical fingerprints’ with high-tech cameras

If you’re someone who recycles, you’ve experienced that paralyzed moment in front of a row of waste bins not knowing… Read More

How do you recycle plastic? Startups and scientists are trying to make it easier

Each week, Ridwell workers fan neighborhoods in six cities around the country picking up canvas sacks stuffed with plastic bags… Read More

Washington state researchers get $2M grant to invent better ways of recycling plastic trash

Despite well-intended efforts to keep plastic water bottles, packaging and other items out of landfills, only 9% of plastics in… Read More

Behind the recycling scenes at Ridwell: Seattle startup growing as fast as piles of plastic and more

In a warehouse south of downtown Seattle, Ridwell co-founder and CEO Ryan Metzger stands amid the garbage that has turned… Read More

Return of the mugs: Starbucks lets customers bring their own cups after COVID pause as part of sustainability push

Starbucks will again allow customers to bring their own clean, reusable cups to their stores for beverages beginning June 22.… Read More

Scientists develop method to recycle plastic bottles into aviation fuel using less energy

Humans produce more than 6 billion tons of plastic every year, and its accumulation in landfills and oceans is considered… Read More

Starbucks trying reusable cups to cut down on waste while teaming with Seattle recycling startup

Starbucks is launching a new effort to cut down on waste from its ubiquitous beverage cups with a limited trial… Read More

Recycling startup Ridwell wants a piece of Prime Day with its plan to collect Amazon package waste

Ryan Metzger sees a lot of recyclable material from the 1,500 Seattle-area households using Ridwell, a startup he helped launch… Read More

Ridwell goes the extra green mile, recycling your old light bulbs, batteries, Styrofoam and more

Seattle takes its trash seriously. The city banned single-use plastic shopping bags and plastic straws and utensils. It taught residents… Read More

Astronauts install Tethers Unlimited’s 3-D printer plus recycler on space station

NASA astronauts on the International Space Station have installed the first integrated 3-D printer and plastic recycler to go into… Read More

Environmental group slams Starbucks over non-recyclable cups in this funny video

Another day, another Starbucks cup controversy. But this time, critics of the cup aren’t attacking Starbucks for its supposed liberal… Read More

Seattle startup Evrnu pairs with Levi’s to create first jeans from post-consumer cotton waste

A T-shirt and pair of jeans may be a staple of many wardrobes, but think about the recycling possibilities if… Read More

Startup Spotlight: Upmod operates a marketplace for artisans who turn trash into treasure

Upcycling, while still a niche, is gaining popularity as consumers become more environmentally conscious. The trend involves repurposing waste into new… Read More