• Empire of waste: calls grow for a ban on plastic exports

    Last year, scrap metal recycler Wojciech Topkin’s attempt to move into the plastic export business didn’t go well. It was just “too risky”, and he was “forced to give up”, he tells E&T. The problem for Topkin, whose company JPM Futures has been recycling scrap metal for 15 years, was that as a plastic exporter, he must prove that materials originate in the UK before he can ship them for recycling. However, he is not convinced all plastic waste provided by his local suppliers originated in the UK. “A rubbish company in Uxbridge showed me a mixture of different types of waste,” he recalls. “If you have 200 bags pressed together, how am I supposed to split them and search for evidence that the bags are not from France or China? It’s hard for smaller companies – it’s too much hassle and risk…

  • Concrete industry seeks collaboration with governments on net-zero targets

    It has been widely acknowledged that concrete accounts for at least 7 per cent of total global CO 2 emissions. Last year, the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) issued its 'Roadmap to Net Zero 2050' as the industry seeks to reduce its environmental impact. That roadmap committed GCCA members to fully decarbonise by 2050, aligning with the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5°C. This year, the GCCA's annual gathering of company CEOs – the first such face-to-face meeting of industry leaders since the pandemic began – brought together key policymakers, industry leaders and sustainability representatives from the industry’s leading companies to discuss the future of concrete and the industry's next steps on its roadmap to net zero. The two-day gathering in Atlanta was titled…

  • UK government acquires its first quantum computer

    The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) will work with Orca Computer to develop defence applications with quantum computing. While most computers process data in bits, with a binary value of either zero or one, quantum computers use a two-state unit for data processing called a qubit, which represents several digits simultaneously through a process known as superposition. By being able to bridge binary digits, and cope with high levels of uncertainty, the devices can make highly complex calculations that cannot be done by regular computers. Stephen Till of the Ministry’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DTSL) called the purchase a “milestone moment”. However, Professor Winfried Hensinger, head of the Sussex Centre for Quantum Technologies at the University of Sussex, told the BBC that…

  • Energy firms provided ‘unacceptable service’ during Storm Arwen, Ofgem finds

    It found that while companies worked hard “in challenging circumstances” to get customers reconnected, nearly 4,000 homes had to cope without power in appalling weather conditions for over a week. The six-month review focused on whether the power outages could have been prevented and whether power was restored quickly enough. While companies initiated their emergency plans before the storm hit, the plans were not deemed “sufficient to deal with the scale of damage” that resulted from Storm Arwen. Northern Powergrid, whose customers were affected by the storm, failed to directly contact vulnerable customers enrolled on its Priority Services Register (PSR) prior to Storm Arwen, a process which should have been carried out as part of its planned winter preparedness campaign. Limited remote…

  • Letters to the editor: volume 17, issue 6

    Let media know about misuse of ‘engineer’ I would endorse Malcolm Joynson’s letter, ‘We can get status if we really want it’ , in the March 2022 issue of E&T. I have been a member of the IEE/IET for over 50 years, and if anything our status has deteriorated. When I began my career, drivers of steam locomotives were referred to as ‘engineers’ by the media. Today, this has expanded to include technicians and repair service personnel. Moreover, the software industry feels free to use the title ‘engineer’ as it wishes. Imagine the furore if building contractors called themselves ‘architects’, supermarkets called checkout staff ‘accountants’, or debt collectors were termed ‘lawyers’. Even highly experienced nurses would face disciplinary action for describing themselves as ‘doctors’, though many…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Gadgets: Arlo Go 2 security cam, GoDice, Technics SL-1200M7L and more

    Arlo Go 2 Secure anything, anywhere. This weatherproof security camera can livestream 1080p HD video via Wi-Fi and 4G SIM. The battery lasts months, perfect for a caravan, garage or allotment shed as well as home. You get alerts and can even trigger a siren or spotlight. £50 extra buys a two-year cloud storage plan. £259.99 arlo.com GoDice New from the makers of smart Rubik’s cube GoCube, which we tested in June 2020, these six smart dice contain 3D sensors that connect wirelessly to a clever app full of games. Not just dice games like Yatzy (sic) and Pig but boardgames, maths and trivia games. It’s small, perfect for holidays, and a 13-second charge in the carry case is enough for two hours of gameplay. $119 getgocube.com Petoi Bittle ...

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Artificial leaf devices can produce clean hydrogen from water

    A team of researchers from the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London has created devices that can mimic the natural photosynthesis process but produce fuels like hydrogen instead of sugars. These artificial leaf devices were made from bismuth oxyiodide (BiOI) and other sustainable materials, harvesting sunlight to produce O2, H2 and CO. The discovery could help overcome some of the key challenges in solar fuel production. Currently, most Earth-abundant light-absorbing materials have limited performance or stability. Initially, BiOI was also rejected as a solution for solar fuel applications due to its poor stability in water. However, the study published in Nature Materials states that this non-toxic semiconductor alternative could be key to the production of green hydrogen…

  • UK ‘wasted’ £98m on attempts to revamp criminal electronic tagging system

    Electronic monitoring allows the police, courts, probation and immigration services to monitor offenders’ locations and compliance with court orders. Regarded as a cost-effective alternative to custody, HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) launched a programme in 2011 to transform the system by improving its efficiency and capability by introducing new technologies and adding more sentencing options. But the NAO said that the “fundamental transformation” of the tagging services, which was sought through the £98m adoption of the Gemini case management system, was managed poorly. Gemini was ultimately dumped by the government last year in order to prevent the taxpayer from incurring further losses through its use. “Its lack of focus on monitoring benefits and continued poor evidence…

  • EU net neutrality ‘undermined’ by Big Tech’s money, activists warn

    A group of 34 NGOs from 17 countries have warned that a decision from the EU to force tech companies Google, Meta and Netflix to make financial contributions to the cost of building and running mobile and broadband networks would threaten the principles of an open Internet. The EU has long defended the importance of net neutrality laws that f orbid service providers from prioritising certain applications beyond standard traffic management measures and from charging content providers for additional fees for the preferential treatment. However, last month, Europe's digital chief Margrethe Vestager suggested a possible shift in policy that will ensure Big Tech firms contribute to the cost of building 5G and fibre infrastructure - something for which telecoms operators have long been lobbying…

  • Injectable gel used as scaffolding to repair damaged heart

    Developed by researchers at the University of Manchester, the gel allows doctors to introduce new cells into damaged hearts as a way to repair it and reduce the risk of progression to heart failure. Historically, when cells have been injected directly into the heart, only one per cent have remained in place and survived. The biodegradable gel can be safely injected into the beating heart to act as a scaffold for cells to grow new tissue. The researchers hope their gel will become a key part of future regenerative treatments for damaged hearts.  University of Manchester researcher Katharine King, who led this research, said: “The heart has a very limited ability to repair any damage it sustains. Our research has been looking for ways to overcome this so we can keep the heart in a healthier…

  • Sponsored: Digital engineering in the real world: revolutionising rail infrastructure

    Digital engineering is transforming the world around us. Its impact on our national infrastructure, and rail in particular, is only now being seen and there are some amazing lessons that will be shared in this webinar that will help you see even more about its potential and what it can bring to your work. It’s not just business that sees its importance – government is putting digital engineering at the heart of its approach, as can be seen with the procurement approach for HS2. Its practical cross-sector application and interoperability between assets will be fascinating to witness. However, getting an industry to change how it’s always done things is no mean feat. That was the challenge most recently faced by Mark Wild of Crossrail. Opening this summer, Mark will talk you through how the…

  • UN partners with Uber to deliver food and aid in Ukraine

    A “private label” version of the Uber app is being used by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to track and coordinate a fleet of smaller vehicles delivering relief items to people in need in areas of Ukraine affected by the Russian invasion. Through this platform, WFP can get its food closer to those people needing its support, dispatching deliveries in various sizes of vehicle, tracking each trip in real time until it reaches its destination, and confirming deliveries have been made safely. The service has already been used to deliver food in the central city of Dnipro, with the hope of extending it to four other cities: Lviv, Vinnytsia, Kyiv and Chernivtsi. “WFP is playing a critical role in providing food and cash assistance to those most affected by the war in Ukraine,” said…

  • AI courses face negative perception from UK students, study suggests

    Despite analyst predictions that the AI industry will be worth approximately £49bn globally in 2022, a new in-depth study by BT has uncovered a lack of awareness among UK students about the opportunity to pursue qualifications in AI-related courses. The findings are revealed in BT’s report, 'AI skills: Motivation & AI careers myths debunked', which was commissioned in partnership with Yonder Consultancy, to understand how to grow and retain AI talent in the UK. Where almost three in five (59 per cent) of higher education students said they were unaware of AI courses at the time of choosing their course, over half (51 per cent) revealed that they would consider studies centred around AI in the future, once they had understood and received more information about what the courses entail. …

  • View from India: Plastic waste collection, an incremental income

    The informal sector, comprising waste pickers, scrap dealers, aggregators and recyclers, are key people in the chain of the circular economy. “It is necessary to build bridges and give the informal workers their due recognition. This could facilitate seamless processing of waste management for end-to-end efficiency. It can also reduce gaps in the integrated value chain and make it sustainable,” said Prashant Singh, member of the CII Task Force on Waste to Worth, at the CII Webinar on Waste Management Through Social Inclusion. Looking back, the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2011, notified in 2011, included plastic waste management. In 2016, the government notified the Plastic Waste Management Rules, which was amended in 2018 and later in 2021. “What is required is the recognition…

  • Transparent film made from cellulose could help cut plastic waste

    Developed by researchers at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, the regenerated or recrystallised cellulose has been designed to replace plastic films, which are typically difficult to recycle and often end up in the wrong places after use. “We can produce transparent and flexible cellulose film. The consumer cannot distinguish between the crystal-clear material and traditional oil-based plastic. Cellulose film can resist dampness, but in nature it disappears as completely as a sheet of paper does. The product is biobased and biodegradable,” said VTT research professor Ali Harlin. In addition to their protective properties, transparent plastics allow consumers to see the product itself without exposing it to the air, which can lead to faster degradation. Image…

  • EU agrees to impose common USB-C charger

    In order to reduce e-waste and ease user experiences, all phones and electronic devices sold in the European Union from Autumn 2024, no matter what brand, will have a common USB-C charger, EU lawmakers have decided. The deadline will apply to smartphones, as well as tablets, digital cameras, headphones, handheld video game consoles and e-readers. However, laptops will have 40 extra months to comply with the new rule, as they tend to require more power and use a wider variety of chargers. The legislation has been under development for more than a decade , but an agreement on its scope was only reached on Tuesday, following negotiations between different EU bodies. The legislation also includes provisions designed to address wireless chargers in the future, as well as harmonising fast-charging…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Efforts to decarbonise UK fishing sector hampered by restrictive licencing

    Alongside a broader UK target of net zero by 2050, the post-Brexit UK Fisheries Act was introduced in 2020 which set out a clear objective to address the climate impact of fisheries. A new report from the University of Hull - 'Electrifying the Fleet' - has found that although technology exists for fishers to switch to a more efficient and sustainable system, current licensing systems which encourage the use of short, wide, fuel-inefficient boats are preventing the sector from using greener vessels. Dr Magnus Johnson, senior lecturer at the University of Hull and lead author of the report, said: “Every sector has a role to play in transitioning to net zero, including the UK’s fishing fleet. Powering the UK's fishing fleet currently relies heavily on fossil fuel. Our report presents new findings…

  • Researchers create ‘time machine’ simulations of ancestor galaxy cities

    Cosmological simulations are crucial to studying how the universe came to be, but many do not typically match what astronomers observe through telescopes. Instead, they are often designed to mirror the real universe in a statistical sense. Constrained cosmological simulations, on the other hand, are designed to directly reproduce the structures we actually observe in the universe. However, most existing simulations of this kind have only been applied to our local universe, until now. A team of researchers from the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe have developed a simulation that allows them to study the life cycle of ancestor galaxy cities, known as 'COSTCO' (COnstrained Simulations of The COsmos Field). The tool's findings have been published in Nature Astronomy…

  • Nano-sensors detect pesticides on fruit

    The technique uses flame-sprayed nanoparticles made from silver to increase the signal of chemicals. “Reports show that up to half of all fruits sold in the EU contain pesticide residues that in larger quantities have been linked to human health problems,” said Georgios Sotiriou, the study’s corresponding author. “However, current techniques for detecting pesticides on single products before consumption are restricted in practice by the high cost and cumbersome manufacturing of its sensors. To overcome this, we developed inexpensive and reproducible nano-sensors that could be used to monitor traces of fruit pesticides at, for example, the store.” The new nano-sensors employ a 1970s discovery known as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), a powerful sensing technique that can increase…

  • Apple presents new MacBook Air powered by M2 chip, plus iOS updates and more

    The new MacBook Air features a strikingly thin design - its all-aluminium unibody enclosure is a mere 11.3mm in thickness - and is powered by Apple's own next-generation M2 chip. The consumer-oriented laptop now has a larger 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display, a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, a four-speaker sound system and claims to have up to 18 hours of battery life. The MagSafe power cable connection also returns to the Air. Four different colours for the Air will be available, including two new options in Midnight and Starlight. Its more professional-oriented sibling, the MacBook Pro 13”, previously announced by Apple, has also now been upgraded to the new M2 chip and retains its Retina display, FaceTime HD camera, "studio-quality mics" and up to 20 hours of battery life. With the latest upgrades…

  • Biden takes emergency route to boost US solar energy production

    The United States is committed to becoming a solar energy superpower as its president, Joe Biden, looks at ways to jumpstart progress toward his climate change-fighting goals. In order to boost the country's renewable energy production, Biden has announced his intention to use his executive powers to accelerate the domestic manufacturing of solar panels and issue a 24-month tariff exemption on imports of the products from several Asian countries. Advancements in the manufacturing of this technology froze last March, after the Commerce Department launched an inquiry into possible trade violations involving Chinese products. The investigation halted the flow of solar panels that make up more than half of US supplies and 80 per cent of imports. The Commerce Department is still scrutinising…

  • Beam-steering antenna enables 6G speeds on 5G equipment

    Experimental results show the device can provide continuous ‘wide-angle’ beam steering, allowing it to track a moving mobile phone user in the same way that a satellite dish turns to track a moving object, but with significantly enhanced speeds.  Devised by University of Birmingham researchers, the technology has demonstrated vast improvements in data transmission efficiency at frequencies ranging across the millimetre wave spectrum, specifically those identified for 5G (mmWave) and 6G, where high efficiency is currently only achievable using slow, mechanically steered antenna solutions.   For 5G mmWave applications, prototypes of the beam-steering antenna at 26GHz are said to have shown unprecedented data transmission efficiency.   The device is fully compatible with existing 5G specifications…

  • Autonomous Mayflower robot boat reaches North America

    In 1620, a ship known as the Mayflower carried a group of English families from England to Plymouth, Massachusetts, leading to the establishment of the first permanent New England colony and the beginning of the history of colonial America. Four centuries later, an autonomous robotic boat has replicated the journey. The sleek autonomous trimaran docked in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Sunday, after more than five weeks crossing the Atlantic. The 50-feet Mayflower Autonomous Ship was built by ocean research non-profit ProMare and IBM and did not carry any humans on board. Instead, the ship was piloted by an innovative artificial intelligence technology. Autonomous Mayflower robot boat reaches North America/ ProMare and IBM Image credit: IBM “The technology that makes…

  • Nuclear waste energy could power the US for a century, scientist says

    Scientists have long known the potential of nuclear fast reactors, which turn nuclear waste into energy. However, although the technology was proven in a US government pilot that took place between the 1960s and 1990s, it was never deemed profitable enough to be commercialised, until now. According to Jess C. Gehin - an associate laboratory director at Idaho National Laboratory, one of the government’s premier energy research labs - current levels of nuclear waste in the US could produce enough energy to power the entire country for 100 years. The technology would not only help alleviate the current energy crisis , but also solve the difficult challenge of managing nuclear waste. The 2015 Paris Agreement, coupled with the recent rapid rise in energy costs, are driving the development of…

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