Plastics, Recycling and the Circular Economy - SmartBrief

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Plastics, Recycling and the Circular Economy

Today we focus on plastics, recycling, and the circular economy. Guests include Dan Coughlin from Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Roman Smith from AT&T.

2 min read

InfrastructureSustainability

Plastcs, Recycling and the Circular Economy

This episode is sponsored by:

LyondellBasell

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This episode is sponsored by the Circulen family of sustainable solutions from LyondellBasell. Visit LyondellBasell.com/Circulen to learn more.

The Sustainabilty SmartPod gang is doing something different and bringing you a themed episode. Today we’re going to focus on plastics, recycling, and the circular economy. From wind turbines and solar panels to 3D printing and executive education, all of today’s segments will touch on at least one of those topics, if not all three. And after the four of us do our usual roundtable discussion, we will also be welcoming in two different guests.

Roman Smith, Director of Global Environmental Sustainability and Social Innovation from AT&T, joins the show (25:07) to talk about an AI-powered recycling tool AT&T has deployed at its headquarters in Dallas.

Dan Coughlin, Senior Staff and Leader of Industrial Collaborations at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, will also join the show (31:32) to delve into how the government is working hand in hand with industry and leveraging technologies like 3D printing to create more sustainable manufacturing materials for industries like aviation, wind energy, housing and more.

Show Segments

Sustainable or Suspicious – (1:54)
The recycling/repurposing conundrum surrounding wind turbines and solar panels

Top Headlines from SmartBrief on Sustainability – (8:29)
Smart bin will automatically track food waste
Investors urge CPG firms to speed plastic reduction
Execs seek courses to fill sustainability knowledge gaps

Here and There – (18:30)
How The Philippines is using AI to monitor its plastics trash