A human hair is roughly 50 to 100 micrometres in width.All consumed foods wrapped in plastic and beverages in plastic bottles, and six ate seafood."There is no published evidence to indicate what the health effects might be.Each kept a week-long log of what they ate, and then provided a stool sample.The two most common were polypropylene -- found in bottle caps, rope and strapping -- and polyethylene, present in drinking bottles and textile fibres."Microplastics have been found in tap water, bottled water, fish and mussel tissue, and even in beer," he added."
There are initial indications that microplastics can damage the gastrointestinal tract by promoting inflammatory reactions or absorbing harmful substances," Schwabl said."What is unknown is whether the concentration of plastic being ingested is higher than that coming out, due to particles crossing the gut wall," she said." Global plastic production has grown rapidly, and is currently more than 400 million tonnes per year.The scientists speculated that the tiny specks -- ranging in size from 50 to 500 micrometres -- may been ingested via seafood, food wrapping, dust or plastic bottles.Health impacts unknownScientists not involved in the study said it was too limited in scope to draw any firm conclusions, especially about health impacts."In our laboratory, we were able to detect nine different types of plastics," said Bettina Liebmann, a researcher at the Federal Environment Agency, which analysed the samples.All eight volunteers in a small pilot study were found to have passed several types of plastic, with an average of 20 micro-particles per 10 grams of stool, researchers reported Tuesday at a gastroenterology congress in Vienna. None were vegetarians."Further studies are needed to assess the potential dangers of microplastics for humans.What is unknown is whether concentration of plastic being ingested is higher than that coming out, due to particles crossing the gut wall.pvc flooring suppliers Suppliers not at all surprised, or particularly worried by these findings," commented Alistair Boxall, # a professor in environmental science at the University of York in Britain.In earlier studies on animals, the highest concentrations of microplastics were found in the stomach and intestines, but smaller amounts have also been detected in blood, lymph and the liver. "It is therefore inevitable that at least some of these things will get into our lungs and digestive system.
Together with polystyrene (utensils, cups, coolers) and polyethylene (plastic bags), they accounted for more than 95 percent of the particles detected."Much more research is needed, he said, before we can determine the origin of plastics found in the gut, and especially whether they are harmful."We were unable to establish a reliable connection between nutritional behaviour and exposure to microplastics," said lead author Philipp Schwabl, a researcher at the Medical University of Vienna..It is estimated that two to five percent of plastics wind up in the ocean, where much of it breaks down into tiny particles.                                                        Global plastic production has grown rapidly, and is currently more than 400 million tonnes per year (Photo: AFP)                                                    Bits of plastic have been detected in the faeces of people in Europe, Russia and Japan, according to research claiming to show for the first time the widespread presence of plastics in the human food chain.For Stephanie Wright, a researcher at King's College London, the real question is whether plastics are accumulating in the human body."Schwabl recruited five women and three men, aged 33 to 65, in Finland, the Netherlands, Britain, Italy, Poland, Russia, Japan and Austria.

Wang added, “Plastic waste disposal, whether recycled or thrown away, does not mean the end of the story."Wang said she hopes her technology will stimulate the recycling industry to reduce the rapidly rising amount of plastic waste.
The clean fuels derived from the polyolefin waste generated each year can satisfy 4 per cent of the annual demand for gasoline or diesel fuels.                                                        Wang said the technology could convert up to 90 per cent of the polyolefin plastic into useful products, including clean fuels.Millions of tons of plastic waste could be turned into clean fuels, other products." Wang, Kai Jin, a graduate student and Wan-Ting (Grace) Chen, a postdoctoral researcher at Purdue, are the inventors of the technology, which can convert more than 90 per cent of vinyl plank suppliers polyolefin waste into many different products, including pure polymers, naphtha, fuels, or monomers. Wang's technology is patented through the Purdue Research Foundation's Office of Technology Commercialisation. (Photo: Pixabay)                                                    Washington: According to the United Nations, more than 8 million tons of plastic flow into the oceans each year. These plastics degrade slowly and release toxic micro-plastics and chemicals into the land and the water.Some results of Wang's study were published January 29 in ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering.”Wang added, "Our conversion technology has the potential to boost the profits of the recycling industry and shrink the world's plastic waste stock..The team is collaborating with Gozdem Kilaz, an assistant professor in the School of Engineering Technology and her doctoral research assistant, Peter Vozka, in the Fuel Laboratory of Renewable Energy of the School of Engineering Technology, to optimise the conversion process to produce high-quality gasoline or diesel fuels. Wang became inspired to create this technology after reading about the plastic waste pollution of the oceans, ground water, and the environment. This is a catastrophe, because once these pollutants are in the oceans, they are impossible to retrieve completely.  
However, a new chemical conversion process could transform the world’s polyolefin waste, a form of plastic, into useful products like clean fuels and other items. She and her team are looking for investors or partners to assist with demonstrating this technology at a commercial scale.Speaking about it, Linda Wang, lead author of the study said, “Our strategy is to create a driving force for recycling by converting polyolefin waste into a wide range of valuable products, including polymers, naphtha (a mixture of hydrocarbons), or clean fuels. Once the plastic is converted into naphtha, it can be used as a feedstock for other chemicals or further separated into specialty solvents or other products.The conversion process incorporates selective extraction and hydrothermal liquefaction.The World Economic Forum predicts that by 2050 the oceans will hold more plastic waste than fish if the waste continues to be dumped into bodies of water.

You’re not fighting against the hydrodynamics of the system,” said Chew, an associate professor at NUS..                                                     Researchers in Singapore have built an underwater robot that looks and swims like a manta ray, using only single motors and flexible fins to propel it through water in a manner uncannily like its biological cousin. The MantaDroid can swim for up to 10 hours.The Singaporean team went through 40 different fin designs over two years before settling on using flexible PVC sheets. Chew said the fin’s passive flexibility allows it to interact naturally with the water, propelling it at a speed of seven-tenths of a metre (yard) every second, to cover about twice its body length.So-called bio-locomotion, says Keith Moored, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering and mechanics at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, has been studied for about 30 years.The Singaporean team went through 40 different fin designs over two years before settling on using flexible PVC sheets.  

Chew and his team from the university’s engineering faculty plan to test the robot in sea waters and incorporate more modes of movement into its fin mechanism. One of nature’s most efficient and graceful swimmers, manta rays have long fascinated scientists with a unique propulsion method to cruise through even turbulent seas, flapping their pectoral fins effortlessly to drive water backwards. Robots such as the ray, he said, could help carry out underwater mapping and ocean bed surveys, besides military reconnaissance.                                                        The MantaDroid can swim for up to 10 hours.By creating a passive fin from a single PVC sheet, rather than trying to mimic its movements with a series of motors and joints, Chew’s team found the robot interacted more naturally and efficiently with its environment.It’s not the first of its kind - academics have spent years trying to mimic the wing-like movements of rays’ pectoral fins - but Chew Chee Meng of the National University of Singapore says it’s the first to use single motors for each fin and rely on the interplay of fluid and fin. But there is still a lot of work to be done on understanding the fluid flow around bio-robotic fins and the interaction between fluid and structure in flexible fins such as Chew’s manta ray robot, he said.He said the team is also working on a ray twice the size of the 35-cm (14-inch) original and believes such robots would be useful for studying marine biodiversity, gathering hydrographic data and underwater search efforts.Chew’s MantaDroid is a flat black PVC body with ray-like fins and two rear rudders, which moves through the water like its natural counterpart.The MantaDroid is part of a growing field of biomimetics, which applies learning about natural systems and robotics to the design of new vehicles, said Thomas Atwood, executive https://www.bestpvcfloor.com/product/ pvc plastic carpet roll director of the US National Robotics Education Foundation

We are committed to removing or reducing plastic packaging."We have initiated projects on waste management by engaging with relevant stakeholders," Nestle said, adding it also supported initiatives to recycle or recover energy from used plastic. https://www.bestpvcfloor.com/product/  China pvc plastic carpet roll Manufacturers                                                       Major companies across sectors, including RB, PepsiCo, Nestle and Hyundai, have pledged to reduce usage of plastics in their businesses and enhance recycling on the World Environment Day. In 2017, the company said it reduced packaging material weight by approximately 1,532 tonnes by ensuring eco designing of packaging in a sustainable way. Similarly, as part of the World Environment Day initiative Volkswagen asked its customers to book appointments for water-less car wash, a special service initiative from the brand to assist in water conservation and get saplings for plantation."Nestle India also said it will continue with its efforts to reduce, recycle and recover towards protecting the environment...and investing in research into alternative materials," RB said in a statement. (Photo: AFP)                                                    New Delhi: Major companies across sectors, including RB, PepsiCo, Nestle and Hyundai, have pledged to reduce usage of plastics in their businesses and enhance recycling on the World Environment Day."The responsible use of plastic for packaging is our overriding aim and we have organised our efforts using the 4R approach -- reduce, reuse, replace, and recycle.The company, along with its vendor partners, will also opt for alternate packaging material for spare parts and usage of water-borne paints..FMCG major RB has committed to make 100 per cent of its plastic packaging to be recyclable or reusable by 2025.PepsiCo will also pilot first-ever plant-based, 100 per cent compostable packaging for Lay's and Kurkure snacks products in India..Commenting on the initiatives, HMIL Director - Sales and Marketing Rakesh Srivastava said: "This year's theme is 'Beating Plastic Pollution', for which we are exploring green alternatives to reduce the usage of plastics across all our offices, dealers and service networks".Hyundai said its initiatives will focus on reducing the usage of plastics at its manufacturing plant in Sriperumbudur near Chennai and across all its 493 Hyundai Dealerships and 1,309 Service Workshops.India will be among the first countries to pilot this new, sustainable packaging solution developed by PepsiCo.PepsiCo will also pilot first-ever plant-based, 100 per cent compostable packaging for Lay's and Kurkure snacks products in India. ElSheikh further said, "..PepsiCo India President and CEO Ahmed ElSheikh said the company has been working to reduce the impact of its packaging on the environment. Auto major Hyundai Motor India also announced plans to reduce the usage of plastics across all its offices, dealers and service networks. We plan to launch this pilot in the fourth quarter of 2018. Similarly, food and beverages major PepsiCo India said it would explore ways to scale up recovery and recycling, equivalent to 100 per cent of its post-consumer plastic waste in the next few years."We are committed to working with partners to leverage new technologies and developing sustainable, environmentally friendly packaging solutions," he said