An empirical investigation of the determinants influencing consumers' planned choices of eco-innovative materials

Wood-polymer composites (WPCs) are eco-innovative materials combining wood and plastics. Due to the novelty, little is known about consumer acceptance. Investigating the drivers of consumers’ WPC choices reveals consumers’ perception of the materials’ advantages over competing ones. The predictors of WPC acceptance were examined within a theory of planned behaviour (TPB; Ajzen, 1991) framework. An online survey (N = 357), varying material x appearance within and product category between subjects, was conducted in Germany. Structural equation modelling revealed that the attitudes towards environmental and innovative product aspects and the subjective norm explain the intention to buy WPC products (R² = 0.56). Consumers’ choice behaviour was assessed with a choice-based conjoint analysis (CBCA) and predicted by the behavioural intention and perceived behavioural control (PBC) (R² = 0.39). Hence, the present study identifies important drivers of WPC acceptance that could be useful for deriving certain marketing implications, potentially fostering more eco-friendly consumption

Determination of renewable energy yield from mixed waste material from the use of novel image analysis methods

Two novel techniques are presented in this study which together aim to provide a system able to determine the renewable energy potential of mixed waste materials. An image analysis tool was applied to two waste samples prepared using known quantities of source-segregated recyclable materials. The technique was used to determine the composition of the wastes, where through the use of waste component properties the biogenic content of the samples was calculated. The percentage renewable energy determined by image analysis for each sample was accurate to within 5% of the actual values calculated. Microwave-based multiple-point imaging (AutoHarvest) was used to demonstrate the ability of such a technique to determine the moisture content of mixed samples. This proof-of-concept experiment was shown to produce moisture measurement accurate to within 10%. Overall, the image analysis tool was able to determine the renewable energy potential of the mixed samples, and the AutoHarvest should enable the net calorific value calculations through the provision of moisture content measurements. The proposed system is suitable for combustion facilities, and enables the operator to understand the renewable energy potential of the waste prior to combustion

Identification and quantification of microplastics in wastewater using focal plane array-based reflectance micro-FT-IR imaging

Microplastics (<5 mm) have been documented in environmental samples on a global scale. While these pollutants may enter aquatic environments via wastewater treatment facilities, the abundance of microplastics in these matrices has not been investigated. Although efficient methods for the analysis of microplastics in sediment samples and marine organisms have been published, no methods have been developed for detecting these pollutants within organic-rich wastewater samples. In addition, there is no standardized method for analyzing microplastics isolated from environmental samples. In many cases, part of the identification protocol relies on visual selection before analysis, which is open to bias. In order to address this, a new method for the analysis of microplastics in wastewater was developed. A pretreatment step using 30% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was employed to remove biogenic material, and focal plane array (FPA)-based reflectance micro-Fourier-transform (FT-IR) imaging was shown to successfully image and identify different microplastic types (polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon-6, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene). Microplastic-spiked wastewater samples were used to validate the methodology, resulting in a robust protocol which was nonselective and reproducible (the overall success identification rate was 98.33%). The use of FPA-based micro-FT-IR spectroscopy also provides a considerable reduction in analysis time compared with previous methods, since samples that could take several days to be mapped using a single-element detector can now be imaged in less than 9 h (circular filter with a diameter of 47 mm). This method for identifying and quantifying microplastics in wastewater is likely to provide an essential tool for further research into the pathways by which microplastics enter the environment.This work is funded by a NERC (Natural Environment Research Council) CASE studentship (NE/K007521/1) with contribution from industrial partner Fera Science Ltd., United Kingdom. The authors would like to thank Peter Vale, from Severn Trent Water Ltd, for providing access to and additionally Ashley Howkins (Brunel University London) for providing travel and assistance with the sampling of the Severn Trent wastewater treatment plant in Derbyshire, UK. We are grateful to Emma Bradley and Chris Sinclair for providing helpful suggestions for our research

An Optical Reflector System for the CANGAROO-II Telescope

We have developed light and durable mirrors made of CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics) laminates for the reflector of the new CANGAROO-II 7 m telescope. The reflector has a parabolic shape (F/1.1) with a 30 m^2 effective area which consists of 60 small spherical mirrors. The attitude of each mirror can be remotely adjusted by stepping motors. After the first adjustment work, the re ector offers a point image of about 0.14 degree (FWHM) on the optic axis. The telescope has been in operation since May 1999 with an energy threshold of ~ 300 GeV.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the GeV-TeV Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Workshop, "Towards a Major Atmospheric Cherenkov Detector VI" (Snowbird, Utah, August 13-16, 1999

Prediction of problems in injection moulded plastic products with computer aided mould design software : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Technology in Manufacturing and Industrial Technology at Massey University

Several new technologies to assist plastic injection moulding companies have been developed in the last twenty years. A number of computer software programs are now available which could revolutionise mould design. The most exciting aspect of the Computer Aided Mould Design (CAMD) software is the effect it has on reducing the lead time required to produce a working mould from a product concept. The application of the new technology for designing moulds, however, has been slow in New Zealand. One of the main reasons for the slow progress is the perceived value of the software or consulting services. Many injection moulding companies who design and manufacture moulds do not realise the great potential of CAMD software to save many hours of mould changes and volume of polymer material, even when the program is used after the mould has been made. However, the true benefits are only seen when the mould is designed using CAMD before the mould has been manufactured. Moulds manufactured correctly the first time save a great deal of time, energy and money. The value of the software is not completely understood by injection moulding manufacturers. They perceive the immediate benefits, however, the ongoing benefits are not recognised. A project was carried out to demonstrate the potential of CAMD software in determining moulding problems in existing injection moulded products. Four products, two of which were supplied by an injection moulding company, that had moulding problems, were simulated using Moldflow, a CAMD software package. The results of the simulation were compared with the actual moulding problems. It was found that the Moldflow simulation results described the problems occurring in the moulds accurately. Moulding problems included warpage, air traps and weld lines in poor positions and flow marks. Warpage is a major problem in injection moulded products. Even simple products can warp if not designed correctly. The only problems Moldflow did not identify, and does not claim to, were the flow marks caused by jetting and splashing of plastic as it entered the cavity. The designer must be aware of the problems caused by jetting and design gates to avoid it. Moldflow, and other CAMD software, are beneficial tools for the mould designer. The advantages of CAMD include short mould development time, shorter lead times from concept to production, reduction in the amount of material used, fewer changes to machine settings and predictable, repeatable quality. These benefits are not only savings in the mould design and manufacture, they also continue on into the processing of the product since less material is used in the product and machine down time caused by moulding problems is greatly reduced

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who\u27s the Thinnest of Them All?

Societal standards of feminine beauty are presented in all forms of popular culture, thus bombarding women with images that portray what our society considers to be the “ideal body type.” These images, as seen on the cover of magazines, in popular films and in all forms of web and print advertising, are consistently depicted and easily described with one word: skinny. The regular use of unnatural, unhealthy and unrealistic models sends the implicit message that in order for a woman to be beautiful, she must attain this ultra-thin physique. Such adulation of these images encourages women to sacrifice their health in order to be considered attractive by societal standards. Today we live in a world in which “healthy” is defined as “skinny” and “skinny” has morphed from a physical characteristic into a lifestyle. This paper examines the answers to questions: “What is this ‘thin-ideology’ that all women strive to achieve?,” “How has popular culture effected the ability of women to properly perceive a healthy body weight?” and “How far are women willing to go to reach these unrealistic standards?” This paper highlights the transformation of the way in which women are viewed as our cultural perceptions have taken a risky turn from a celebration of uniqueness to a pressured life filled with attempts to fit an unhealthy mold. Finally this paper calls for the need for combative work against these harmful messages and our societal need to redefine “healthy” in the context of our “skinny obsession.

Human-Robot Collaboration as a new paradigm in circular economy for WEEE management

E-waste is a priority waste stream as identified by the European Commission due to fast technological changes and eagerness of consumers to acquire new products. The value chain of the Waste on Electric and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) has to face several challenges: the EU directives requesting collection targets for 2019–2022, the costs of disassembly processes which is highly dependent on the applied technology and type of discarded device, and the sale of the obtained components and/or raw materials, with market prices varying according to uncontrolled variables at world level. This paper presents a human-robot collaboration for a recycling process where tasks are opportunistically assigned to either a human-being or a robot depending on the condition of the discarded electronic device. This solution presents some important advantages; i.e. tedious and dangerous tasks are assigned to robots whereas more value-added tasks are allocated to humans, thus preserving jobs and increasing job satisfaction. Furthermore, first results from a prototype show greater productivity and profitable projected investment

Bioplastics made from upcycled food waste. Prospects for their use in the field of design

In recent years, the negative effects on the environment of the intensive use of synthetic, oil-derived plastics to make products, even those with a limited required duration, have given renewed impetus to the search for biodegradable and/or compostable materials obtained from renewable sources, particularly biopolymers derived from vegetable, animal or microbial matter that could prove a valid alternative in a number of applications: not only in the packaging industry, but also for making objects with a longer required duration. Indeed, as well as offering the possibility of being used as they are, immediately after having undergone traditional-type mechanical processing, it is also possible to mix, supplement and modify them both on a macro- and nanometric scale, allowing us to significantly increase their properties and performance and adapt them to a wide variety of needs. However, the real challenge is to create new materials from food waste and not from specially grown crops, whose production has, in any case, an environmental cost. This allows us to reduce the waste produced when processing foods, which is usually a practical problem and involves a considerable investment in economic terms. It also helps us address one of the worst problems of our time: that of the waste that sees a third of the food produced worldwide lost along the various steps of the food production chain. There is an enormous variety of vegetable, animal and microbial waste that can be used to create biopolymers: from the orange peels left over from fruit juice production to the grapes used to produce wine; from chocolate production waste to egg shells and prawns. We can extract the starches, cellulose, pectin, chitin, lactic acid, collagen, blood proteins and gelatin that form the basis of bioplastics from these materials, either extracting them directly or using mechanical or chemical processes. These are true ‘treasure troves’ of substances that can become useful materials thanks to processes of varying complexity. In recent years, the testing of substances made from food waste has increased significantly; the sheer abundance of raw materials that can be used to make them has encouraged institutional research, as well as an approach to project development that has been widely embraced by many young designers who craft these materials. Nevertheless, there is still no systematic record of the results achieved. This has slowed down their adoption, which in contrast offers enormous potential that is still almost entirely unexplored. This paper considers all aspects of these materials, starting with the most interesting experiments underway, and envisages possible future scenarios

Experimental investigation of the productivity of a wet separation process of traditional and bio-plastics

The separation process within a mechanical recycling plant plays a major role in the context of the production of high-quality secondary raw materials and the reduction of extensive waste disposal in landfills. Traditional plants for plastic separation employ dry or wet processes that rely on the different physical properties among the polymers. The hydraulic separator is a device employing a wet technology for particle separation. It allows the separation of two-polymer mixtures into two products, one collected within the instrument and the other one expelled through its outlet ducts. Apparatus performance were analyzed as a function of fluid and solid flow rates, flow patterns developing within the apparatus, in addition to the density, shape, and size of the polymers. For the hydraulic configurations tested, a two-way coupling takes place where the fluid exerts an influence on the plastic particles and the opposite occurs too. The interaction between the solid and liquid phases determines whether a certain polymer settles within the device or is expelled from the apparatus. Tests carried out with samples of increasing volumes of solid particles demonstrate that there are no significant differences in the apparatus effectiveness as far as a two-way interaction takes place. Almost pure concentrates of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), and Polycarbonate (PC) can be obtained from a mixture of traditional polymers. Tests conducted on Polylactic Acid (PLA) and Mater-Bi® samples showed that the hydraulic separator can be effectively employed to separate bio-plastics from conventional plastics with remarkable grade and recovery