In a breakthrough, scientists have used laser flashes to make tiny diamonds out of plastic bottles and even suggested that it could be raining diamonds on planets throughout the universe. The research is published in Science Advances.&nbsp;

Scientists have used common plastic to recreate the precipitation believed to form deep inside Uranus and Neptune. The strange phenomenon of making diamonds could help to limit plastic waste on the planet also.&nbsp;

In the past, scientists theorised that extremely high pressure and temperatures turn hydrogen and carbon into solid diamonds thousands of kilometres below the surface of the ice giants. In the latest research, scientists have found that "diamond rain" could be more common than thought.&nbsp;

Dominik Kraus, who is a physicist at Germany's HZDR research lab, said that diamond precipitation was quite different to rain on Earth. Kraus is one of the study's authors.&nbsp;

The process of creating the nanodiamonds is not easy, it required extraordinarily high pressures. The research team found the necessary mix of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in a readily available source, PET plastic. For the unversed, PET is used for everyday food packaging and bottles. &nbsp;

Siegfried Glenzer at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in California and his colleagues found that by using the mentioned plastic, diamonds can be made in much less extreme conditions.&nbsp;

Kraus said that while the researchers used very clean PET plastic, "in principle the experiment should work with Coca-Cola bottles".&nbsp;

"Very, very short X-ray flashes of incredible brightness" allowed them to watch the process of nanodiamonds - tiny diamonds too small to see with the naked eye - as they formed, Kraus said.&nbsp;

"The oxygen that is present in large amounts on those planets really helps suck away the hydrogen atoms from the carbon, so it's actually easier for those diamonds to form," he added.&nbsp;

Experts believe that ice giants like Neptune and Uranus are thought to be the most common form of planet outside our Solar System. It means that strange diamond rain could be occurring across the universe.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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In a breakthrough, scientists have used laser flashes to make tiny diamonds out of plastic bottles and even suggested that it could be raining diamonds on planets throughout the universe.

In a breakthrough, scientists have used laser flashes to make tiny diamonds out of plastic bottles and even suggested that it could be raining diamonds on planets throughout the universe. The research is published in Science Advances. Scientists have used common plastic to recreate the precipitation believed to form deep inside Uranus and Neptune. The strange phenomenon of making diamonds could help to limit plastic waste on the planet also. In the past, scientists theorised that extremely high pressure and temperatures turn hydrogen and carbon into solid diamonds thousands of kilometres below the surface of the ice giants. In the latest research, scientists have found that "diamond rain" could be more common than thought. Dominik Kraus, who is a physicist at Germany's HZDR research lab, said that diamond precipitation was quite different to rain on Earth. Kraus is one of the study's authors. The process of creating the nanodiamonds is not easy, it required extraordinarily high pressures. The research team found the necessary mix of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in a readily available source, PET plastic. For the unversed, PET is used for everyday food packaging and bottles. Siegfried Glenzer at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in California and his colleagues found that by using the mentioned plastic, diamonds can be made in much less extreme conditions. Kraus said that while the researchers used very clean PET plastic, "in principle the experiment should work with Coca-Cola bottles". "Very, very short X-ray flashes of incredible brightness" allowed them to watch the process of nanodiamonds - tiny diamonds too small to see with the naked eye - as they formed, Kraus said. "The oxygen that is present in large amounts on those planets really helps suck away the hydrogen atoms from the carbon, so it's actually easier for those diamonds to form," he added. Experts believe that ice giants like Neptune and Uranus are thought to be the most common form of planet outside our Solar System. It means that strange diamond rain could be occurring across the universe. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Scientists use laser flashes to make tiny diamonds out of plastic bottles

Recycled plastic bottles have been found to be passing more harmful chemicals into contents than the newly manufactured ones, as per researchers. Over 150 chemicals were found to be passed into drinks from plastic bottles. Around 18 were at levels exceeding regulations.

Why are recycled plastic bottles harmful?

Recycled plastic bottles pass more harmful chemicals into contents than newly manufactured ones, warned researchers. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Over 150 chemicals were found to be passed into drinks from plastic bottles by researchers at Brunel University, London. Around 18 of these chemicals were in levels, which exceeded regulations. &nbsp;

The drinks, which were bottled using recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), contained greater concentrations of chemicals than with those bottled using new PET, the researchers said. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/chinese-researchers-claim-to-develop-satellite-killing-weapon-463714" hreflang="en">Chinese researchers claim to develop satellite-killing weapon</a>

It may also suggest that the problems with the recycling process may also be causing contamination. &nbsp;

To remove the potentially harmful chemicals, the researchers are calling for better recycling methods. &nbsp;

The researchers also reviewed around 91 studies conducted around the world to look at chemical contamination from plastic bottles. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/sleeping-for-long-hours-may-be-early-sign-of-alzheimers-disease-says-study-463477" hreflang="en">Sleeping for long hours may be early sign of Alzheimer’s disease, says study</a>

Dr Eleni Iacovidou, lecturer, Brunel’s Centre for Pollution Research and Policy, who also led the study, said, “We found these chemicals can come from various sources, such as the catalysts and additives used during production and degradation during PET production, and degradation that can happen across a bottle’s lifecycle.” &nbsp;

The researchers wrote, “This evidence implies that highly recyclable products, such as PET drink bottles, can be inapt for closed-loop recycling when poorly designed, indicating the need for greater adoption of design-for-recycling principles and improvements at the waste-management infrastructure level.” &nbsp;&nbsp;

The research paper has been published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Recycled plastic bottles pass more harmful chemicals into contents than newly manufactured ones, warned researchers. Over 150 chemicals were found to be passed into drinks from plastic bottles by researchers at Brunel University, London.

Recycled plastic bottles pass more harmful chemicals into contents than newly manufactured ones, warned researchers. Over 150 chemicals were found to be passed into drinks from plastic bottles by researchers at Brunel University, London. Around 18 of these chemicals were in levels, which exceeded regulations. The drinks, which were bottled using recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), contained greater concentrations of chemicals than with those bottled using new PET, the researchers said. Also Read: Chinese researchers claim to develop satellite-killing weapon It may also suggest that the problems with the recycling process may also be causing contamination. To remove the potentially harmful chemicals, the researchers are calling for better recycling methods. The researchers also reviewed around 91 studies conducted around the world to look at chemical contamination from plastic bottles. Also Read: Sleeping for long hours may be early sign of Alzheimer’s disease, says study Dr Eleni Iacovidou, lecturer, Brunel’s Centre for Pollution Research and Policy, who also led the study, said, “We found these chemicals can come from various sources, such as the catalysts and additives used during production and degradation during PET production, and degradation that can happen across a bottle’s lifecycle.” The researchers wrote, “This evidence implies that highly recyclable products, such as PET drink bottles, can be inapt for closed-loop recycling when poorly designed, indicating the need for greater adoption of design-for-recycling principles and improvements at the waste-management infrastructure level.” The research paper has been published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials. (With inputs from agencies)

Recycled plastic bottles pass more harmful chemicals into contents than new ones, warn researchers

Dozens of people clutching bags full of <a href="Dozens of people clutching bags full of plastic bottles">plastic bottles and disposable cups </a>queue at a busy bus terminal in the Indonesian city of Surabaya where passengers can swap trash for travel tickets.

The nation is the world's second-biggest marine polluter behind China and has pledged to reduce plastic waste in its waters some 70 per cent by 2025 by boosting recycling, raising public awareness, and curbing usage.

The Surabaya scheme has been a hit in the city of 2.9 million, with nearly 16,000 passengers trading trash for free travel each week, according to authorities.

"This is a very smart solution. It's free and instead of throwing away bottles people now collect them and bring them here," explains 48-year-old resident Fransiska Nugrahepi.

An hour-long bus ride with unlimited stops costs three large bottles, five medium bottles or 10 plastic cups. But they must be cleaned and cannot be squashed.&nbsp;

There is a steady stream of people squeezing past sacks full of recyclables to deposit plastic in four bins behind the small office and claim their tickets.

Franki Yuanus, a Surabaya transport official, says the program aims not only to cut waste but also to tackle traffic congestion by encouraging people to switch to public transit.

"There has been a good response from the public," insists Yuanus, adding: "Paying with plastic is one of the things that has made people enthusiastic because up until now plastic waste was just seen as useless."

Currently, the fleet consists of 20 near-new buses, each with<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/i-like-plastic-pakistans-toxic-love-affair-with-waste-240201"> recycling bins and ticket officers</a> who roam the aisles to collect any leftover bottles.

Authorities said roughly six tons of plastic rubbish is collected from passengers each month before being auctioned to recycling companies.

Nurhayati Anwar, who uses the bus about once a week with her three-year-old son, said the trash swap program is changing how people see their throwaway cups and bottles.

"Now people in the office or at home are trying to collect (rubbish) instead of just throwing it away,” the 44-year-old accountant told AFP after trading in several bottles for a free ride.

"We now know that plastic is not good for the environment people in Surabaya are starting to learn."

Other parts of Indonesia, an archipelago of some 17,000 islands, are also trying to tackle the issue.

Bali is phasing in a ban on single-use plastic straws and bags to rid the popular holiday island of waste choking its waterways, while authorities in the capital Jakarta are considering a similar bylaw to rid the city of plastic shopping bags.

Governments around the globe are increasingly taking measures to curb the menace of disposable plastic.

A 2016 report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation warned there would be more plastic than fish, by weight, in the seas by 2050.&nbsp;

It estimated eight million tonnes of plastics enter oceans annually.

It added: "This is equivalent to dumping the contents of one garbage truck into the ocean every minute. If no action is taken, this is expected to increase to two per minute by 2030 and four per minute by 2050." 
&nbsp;

Dozens of people clutching bags full of plastic bottles and disposable cups queue at a busy bus terminal in the Indonesian city of Surabaya where passengers can swap trash for travel tickets.

Dozens of people clutching bags full of plastic bottles and disposable cups queue at a busy bus terminal in the Indonesian city of Surabaya where passengers can swap trash for travel tickets. The nation is the world's second-biggest marine polluter behind China and has pledged to reduce plastic waste in its waters some 70 per cent by 2025 by boosting recycling, raising public awareness, and curbing usage. The Surabaya scheme has been a hit in the city of 2.9 million, with nearly 16,000 passengers trading trash for free travel each week, according to authorities. "This is a very smart solution. It's free and instead of throwing away bottles people now collect them and bring them here," explains 48-year-old resident Fransiska Nugrahepi. An hour-long bus ride with unlimited stops costs three large bottles, five medium bottles or 10 plastic cups. But they must be cleaned and cannot be squashed. There is a steady stream of people squeezing past sacks full of recyclables to deposit plastic in four bins behind the small office and claim their tickets. Franki Yuanus, a Surabaya transport official, says the program aims not only to cut waste but also to tackle traffic congestion by encouraging people to switch to public transit. "There has been a good response from the public," insists Yuanus, adding: "Paying with plastic is one of the things that has made people enthusiastic because up until now plastic waste was just seen as useless." Currently, the fleet consists of 20 near-new buses, each with recycling bins and ticket officers who roam the aisles to collect any leftover bottles. Authorities said roughly six tons of plastic rubbish is collected from passengers each month before being auctioned to recycling companies. Nurhayati Anwar, who uses the bus about once a week with her three-year-old son, said the trash swap program is changing how people see their throwaway cups and bottles. "Now people in the office or at home are trying to collect (rubbish) instead of just throwing it away,” the 44-year-old accountant told AFP after trading in several bottles for a free ride. "We now know that plastic is not good for the environment people in Surabaya are starting to learn." Other parts of Indonesia, an archipelago of some 17,000 islands, are also trying to tackle the issue. Bali is phasing in a ban on single-use plastic straws and bags to rid the popular holiday island of waste choking its waterways, while authorities in the capital Jakarta are considering a similar bylaw to rid the city of plastic shopping bags. Governments around the globe are increasingly taking measures to curb the menace of disposable plastic. A 2016 report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation warned there would be more plastic than fish, by weight, in the seas by 2050. It estimated eight million tonnes of plastics enter oceans annually. It added: "This is equivalent to dumping the contents of one garbage truck into the ocean every minute. If no action is taken, this is expected to increase to two per minute by 2030 and four per minute by 2050."

Trash for tickets on Indonesia's 'Plastic bus'

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