Taking the ‘forever’ out of ‘forever chemicals’: we worked out how to destroy the PFAS in batteries

By Jens Blotevogel, CSIRO and Naomi Boxall, CSIRO Lithium-ion batteries are part of everyday life. They power small rechargeable devices such as mobile phones and laptops. They enable electric vehicles. And larger versions store excess renewable energy for later use, supporting the clean energy transition. Australia produces more than 3,000 tonnes of lithium-ion battery waste…

Firefighting foam face-off: CDU’s quest for a greener blaze buster

Charles Darwin University (CDU) is turning up the heat on innovative, eco-friendly solutions with their latest project aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of fluorine-free firefighting foams (F3). As global efforts intensify to phase out PFAS-based foams—dubbed ‘forever chemicals’ for their environmental persistence—CDU’s initiative, supported by the United States Department of Defense, aims to create safer…

Manufacturing news briefs – stories you might have missed

SciDev enters European PFAS treatment market Wastewater treatment company SciDev has entered the important European market for PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ treatment, securing its first commercial order in Europe. The contract with Swedish Hydro Solutions AB is for a containerised PFAS treatment system to remediate contaminated landfill site in Northeast Sweden. The initial value of the…

Furniture makers take action on PFAS chemicals

The Australian Furniture Association (AFA) has called on furniture manufacturers and suppliers to address the presence of persistent PFAS chemicals which have been linked to harmful effects in humans. Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances have been identified in numerous consumer goods, including furniture, where they are often used in fire retardants, stain repellents, and water-resistant treatments. The…

Detpak to begin supplying sugarcane-based compostable product range to South East Asia, Middle East

Packaging business Detpak is launching its Eco-Products range into South East Asia and the Middle East.  The Eco-Products from Detpak range was formerly only available in ANZ. The range is made from moulded sugarcane bagasse fibres and includes fast food packaging such as clamshell containers, bowls and plates. (Eco-Products is a Boulder, Colorado-based developer and…

Best of the week — the five most popular stories among readers, February 26 – March 1, 2024

What were the five biggest stories of the week? Here’s what visitors to this site were reading. 5) Toyota Australia assembles first hydrogen-powered generator at Altona Toyota Australia has announced that mining services company Thiess will take delivery of the first locally-assembled EODev GEH2 hydrogen fuel cell stationary power generator. The announcement was made on…