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News

Below is a list of recent news related to the BOTTLE™ consortium.

October 2024

Broadbelt to Deliver Prestigious Danckwerts Lecture
Northwestern University, Oct. 2, 2024

September 2024

Transforming Plastics — Innovations for a Sustainable Lifecycle
DC-MUSE Webinar Series, Sept. 27, 2024

Register Today! BOTTLE Consortium Webinar - Using Analysis to Guide Plastic Circularity
U.S. Department of Energy's Bioenergy Technologies Office, Sept. 26, 2024

August 2024

Turbine Blades Have Piled Up in Landfills. A Solution May Be Coming.
The New York Times, Aug. 30, 2024

NREL Advances Method for Recyclable Wind Turbine Blades: Resin Made From Biomass Enables Chemical Recycling at End of Useful Lifespan
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Aug. 22, 2024

Is This Ancient Process the Future of Plastics Recycling?
On Point, Aug. 16, 2024

Campamento Para Escolares que Desarrollan sus Destrezas Científicas (in Spanish)
UPR Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez, Aug. 2, 2024

Plastics at the Edge of the World
Northwestern Magazine, August 2024

July 2024

Does "Compostable" Plastic Actually Break Down? Here's What to Know
The Washington Post, July 20, 2024

The Future of Plastic Waste
Create the Future Podcast, July 11, 2024

Plastic Recycling Studies Need Reliable Polymer Data. This Database Is Ready To Inform Them
Chemistry World, July 9, 2024

April 2024

Reinventing Recycling: A Feature Documentary
Brightmark, April 30, 2024

Lab Notes: How NREL Is Tackling the Plastics Problem—an Earth Day Special
Transforming Energy: The NREL Podcast, April 22, 2024

From Waste to Worth: Rethinking Plastics with NREL's Insights
Podcast: Science With a Twist, April 22, 2024

The (In)Visible Plastic Pollution Problem
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, April 18, 2024

March 2024

Sustainability Research at a National Laboratory
Nature Chemical Engineering, March 8, 2024

From Instant Grits to Polymers: Scientist Kat Knauer Is Laser Focused on Plastics Pollution
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, March 7, 2024

February 2024

On Its Journey To Make Clothing That Leaves No Trace, The North Face Taps the BOTTLE Consortium To Scale Biodegradable Polyester Alternative
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Feb. 29, 2024

December 2023

Workshop Report: Transitioning to a Sustainable, Circular Economy for Plastics
U.S. Department of Energy's Bioenergy Technologies Office, Dec. 20, 2023

November 2023

NREL-Led Effort Addresses Problem of Plastic in Rivers
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Nov. 28, 2023

Plastic Is Here to Stay: Can We Make it More Sustainable?
Slate, Nov. 24, 2023

October 2023

A New Life for Nylon
U.S. Department of Energy's Bioenergy Technologies Office, Oct. 25, 2023

June 2023

Why Plastic-Eating Enzymes Are in Fashion With Lululemon, Patagonia, Stella McCartney and Puma
GreenBiz, June 28, 2023

Jargon Buster: Your Guide to Becoming a Sustainability Pro
Greenscore – A Sustainability Podcast, June 21, 2023

Available Now! BETO 2023 Project Peer Review BOTTLE Presentations
U.S. Department of Energy's Bioenergy Technologies Office, June 2, 2023

April 2023

Chemists Tackle the Tough Challenge of Recycling Mixed Plastics
Colorado State University, April 26, 2023

Chemists Redesign Biological PHAs, 'Dream' Biodegradable Plastics
Colorado State University, April 11, 2023

January 2023

Why Are We Sending Plastic-Eating Bacteria to Space?
Mashable, Jan. 20, 2023

‘Advanced’ Recycling of Plastic Using High Heat and Chemicals Is Costly and Environmentally Problematic, A New Government Study Finds
Inside Climate News, Jan. 19, 2023

NREL Develops Systematic Framework To Compare Performance of Plastics Recycling Approaches
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Jan. 17, 2023

November 2022

How Chemists Are Tackling the Plastics Problem
MIT Technology Review, Nov. 30, 2022

Enzymes and Bacteria Sent on Mission To Upcycle Plastics
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Nov. 28, 2022

This Company Is Sending Plastic-Eating Enzymes Into Space
Fast Company, Nov. 21, 2022

Episode 43 – Dr. Katrina Knauer, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
PlastChicks Podcast, Nov. 4, 2022

October 2022

Engineered Bacteria Might Help the Dream of Mixed Plastic Recycling
Science Friday, Oct. 21, 2022

Scientists Combine Chemistry, Biology To Recycle Mixed Plastics
Plastics Recycling Update, Oct. 18, 2022

Government Scientists Make Breakthrough in Recycling Plastics That End Up in Landfills
Vice, Oct. 17, 2022

New Process Could Make Plastic Recycling More Profitable
Freethink, Oct. 14, 2022

Chemistry and Biology Unite To Recycle Mixed Plastics
Chemical & Engineering News, Oct. 13, 2022

BOTTLE Project Outlines New Strategy for Valorization of Mixed Plastic Waste
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Oct. 13, 2022

New Technology Is Key Step Toward Big Gains in Plastics Recycling
SciTechDaily, Oct. 13, 2022

Bringing Custom Microbes to the Business of Recycling Plastic
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oct. 13, 2022

July 2022

Accelerating the Fight Against Plastic Pollution
Unfolded, July 28, 2022

Recycling Competition Draws Two Plastic Innovations
Plastics Today, July 12, 2022

May 2022

Tackling the Plastic Waste Challenge Through Design
Plastics Unwrapped Podcast, May 10, 2022

March 2022

Amazon Joins NREL-Led BOTTLE Consortium To Help Change the Way We Recycle
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, March 30, 2022

How the DOE Is Finding Energy & Value in Plastics
Waste 360 Nothing Wasted! Podcast, March 28, 2022

Amazon Joins the U.S. Department of Energy and MIT to Tackle Plastic Waste With New Science
Good News Network, March 27, 2022

New Enzyme Discovery Is Another Leap Towards Dissolving Plastic Waste With 'Amazing Efficiency'
Good News Network, March 26, 2022

New Enzyme Discovery Is Another Leap Towards Beating Plastic Waste
University of Portsmouth, March 21, 2022

Amazon and U.S. Department of Energy Team Up To Cut Plastic Waste
About Amazon, March 9, 2022

Amazon and Energy Dept. Team Up To Change How We Recycle Plastic
Amazon Science, March 9, 2022

November 2021

Plastics Are Worse Than You Think: The Solutions Are Better
Grist, Nov. 23, 2021

October 2021

Researchers Engineer Microorganisms To Tackle PET Plastic Pollution
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Oct. 13, 2021

September 2021

Frontiers in Science: Breaking the Cycle of Plastic Pollution
Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sept. 29, 2021

August 2021

Plastic Isn't the Problem With Dr. Kat Knauer
Trash Magic! Podcast, Aug. 30, 2021

July 2021

Register Today for Aug. 24 Virtual Seminar Presented by Gregg Beckham: Plastics Upcycling and Redesign in the BOTTLE Consortium
Institute for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern University, Aug. 6, 2021

PET Process Shows Viability of Enzyme-Based Recycling
The Engineer, July 21, 2021

Enzyme Recycling of PET Plastics Can Reduce Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
University of Portsmouth, July 16, 2021

Analysis Shows Enzyme-Based Plastics Recycling Is More Energy Efficient, Better for Environment
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, July 15, 2021

Portsmouth Becomes the First Non-US Partner of a New Project To Tackle Plastic Pollution in the USA
University of Portsmouth, July 13, 2021

Could Plastic-Eating Microbes Take a Bite out of the Recycling Problem?
Science, July 1, 2021

April 2021

The Future of Plastics
Science Friday, April 30, 2021

February 2021

How To Solve the Mounting Problem of Plastic Waste? Focus on Its Chemical Roots
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Feb. 3, 2021

January 2021

A Mild Way To Upcycle Plastics Used in Bottles into Fuel and Other High-Value Products
ACS News Service Weekly, Jan. 27, 2021

NREL Reports Sustainability Benchmarks for Plastics Recycling and Redesign
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Jan. 21, 2021

Research Paper on Two-Enzyme System for Plastics Depolymerization #39 in Top 100 Publications for 2020
Altmetric, Jan. 20, 2021

Department of Energy Releases Plastics Innovation Challenge Draft Roadmap and Request for Information
U.S. Department of Energy, Jan. 19, 2021

Why Scientists Say "Plastivores" Could Be the Solution to Plastic Pollution
WHYY, Jan. 15, 2021

December 2020

Download Coloring Page of "Upcycling Waste Plastic: Ru Ready!"
ColorMePhD, Dec. 22, 2020

Biggest Scientific Breakthroughs of 2020
Business Insider, Dec. 15, 2020

Could Plastic-Eating Bacteria Save the Planet?
Bloomberg, Dec. 14, 2020

November 2020

ORNL Joins Effort to Make Plastic More Recyclable
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Nov. 24, 2020

Los Alamos National Labs Participates in New Initiative To Help Reduce Plastic Pollution
KOB4 TV, Nov. 9, 2020

Los Alamos Works To Make Better, More Recyclable Plastics with New BOTTLE Consortium
Los Alamos National Laboratory, Nov. 9, 2020

October 2020

SLAC Researchers Join Effort To Make Plastic More Recyclable
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Oct. 28, 2020

Can Plastic-Eating Bacteria Help Cut Down on Pollution?
Marketplace, Oct. 26, 2020

BOTTLE Consortium Launches To Change the Way We Recycle
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Oct. 20, 2020

U.S. Department of Energy Announces $27 Million in Plastics Recycling Research and Development
U.S. Department of Energy, Oct. 15, 2020

Scientists Develop 'Super Enzyme' That Breaks Down Plastic Faster Than Ever
CBC Radio One, As It Happens, Oct. 1, 2020

NREL, UK University Partner To Dive Deeper into How Enzymes Digest Plastic
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Oct. 1, 2020

September 2020

Better Way to Recycle Plastic
Kelly Cutrara with Global News (21-minute mark), Sept. 29, 2020

‘Super-Enzyme’ Speeds Up Breakdown of Plastic, Researchers Say
New York Times, Sept. 29, 2020

August 2020

American Ingenuity Will Solve the Global Plastics Pollution Problem
U.S. Department of Energy, Aug. 11, 2020

July 2020

Report Released! Plastics for a Circular Economy Workshop: Summary Report
U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office, July 7,  2020

March 2020

Department of Energy Announces $25 Million for Plastics Recycling R&D, Launches Upcycling Consortium
U.S. Department of Energy, March 16, 2020

December 2019

Plastics for a Circular Economy Workshop
U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office, Dec. 11, 2019

November 2019

Department of Energy Launches Plastics Innovation Challenge
U.S. Department of Energy, Nov. 21, 2019