The idea is to develop a way to remove valuable metals from wastewater using specially created beads of resin. Wastewater from places such as recycling plants often contains precious metals in bits too small to be efficiently filtered by conventional methods. To gather these tiny particles it I possible to use beads made of a resin based on polystyrene, which bond with the dissolved metals and makes them easier to remove. This not only purifies the water, but also allows the...

In an effort to re-use the million of tons of building rubble produced each year, a way to recycle concrete with lightning was found. The lightning bolts of a short duration are more likely to pass through a solid. The idea is to produce lightning bolts and direct them to the concrete. As the lightning follows the path of least resistance, it separates the material into its fundamental components. A concrete recycling plant using the lightning method could be a reality in as...

The idea is to use waste bins as mobile power sources, able to power household appliances or party starting speakers and amplifier. The bins will consist of a solar panel, car battery, and inverter. They will be lightweight and mobile, and can be adapted to a variety of uses, and could eventually be used to provide cellular charging stations or sell goods in rural areas.

The label popper will make is easy to quickly and completely remove the labels from steel cans, making it easier to recycle every part of the can. When the paper label is left on the can, it is burned away when the metal is melted down, wasting trees. The label popper's narrow, flexible extension will not be sharp, but will be able to slip underneath the label, slicing it and making it easier to remove. Each label popper will be manufactured using renewable energy, and include...

The idea is to create a way to make foam from paper mill waste, simultaneously reducing waste and creating a useful product. Some of the finer waste fibers from paper making are excellent feed-stock for nano-crystalline cellulose (NCC). Why not develop a method of processing the NCC into composite foams by adding a furan resin to the unprocessed foam. Paper mills create millions of tons of waste product annually, much of which could be re-used in this new method of foam...