Have you ever wondered what happens to your chewing gum after its flavours are all used up? You may think it’s no longer useful, but there’s much more to the story. In fact, gum can be an incredible renewable resource through secondary assembly.
Secondary assembly refers to repurposing waste materials or previously used objects and reassembling them into new, useful materials or products. Chewing gum is a perfect candidate for secondary assembly due to its primary component: synthetic rubber.
Chewing gum – A Brief History
Modern chewing gum has roots in many cultures throughout history. The Greeks and Mayans chewed tree resin, while Native Americans enjoyed sap from spruce trees. In the 19th century, chicle from the sapodilla tree was the primary ingredient in chewing gum. Today, most widely available chewing gums contain synthetic rubber as the base component.
A Different Purpose
When your chewing gum loses its flavour, it typically ends up in a landfill or littering public spaces. However, instead of being tossed away, discarded gum can be part of secondary assembly projects that help keep our environment clean and reduce waste.
One ingenious innovation is “Gumdrop Ltd.”, a UK-based recycling company that turns used chewing gum into various products such as shoe soles, phone cases, and even reusable cups. This saves tonnes of chewed-up gum from entering landfills and reduces petroleum-based plastics usage in manufacturing these products.
Similarly, a group of students from the University of Manchester developed a method to recycle old chewing gum into high-grade tires. Using recycled rubber in tire manufacturing cuts down on petroleum consumption and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
How Secondary Assembly Benefits Our Environment
The process of employing secondary assembly for repurposing chewing gum has multiple environmental benefits:
1. Reduces Landfill Waste: Diverting used chewing gum from landfills helps conserve space and reduces the volume of waste that eventually decomposes and harms our environment.
2. Lowers Pollution Levels: Reducing virgin material production can result in lower pollutant emissions from manufacturing processes. Using recycled materials also lessens the pressure on natural resources.
3. Encourages Circular Economy: Secondary assembly promotes a more sustainable, circular economy where materials are used, reused, and repurposed to gain the most value out of them.
Every Time You Chew Gum…
Next time you chew gum, remember that secondary assembly could give it a productive future beyond its brief life as a tasty treat. Innovative approaches like these drive us toward a cleaner, more sustainable world. It’s our responsibility to participate in sustainable consumption and support endeavors that repurpose waste materials for ecological benefits. So, the next time you chew gum, keep in mind its potential to contribute to the secondary assembly process.
The post appeared first on .
Secondary assembly refers to repurposing waste materials or previously used objects and reassembling them into new, useful materials or products. Chewing gum is a perfect candidate for secondary assembly due to its primary component: synthetic rubber.
Chewing gum – A Brief History
Modern chewing gum has roots in many cultures throughout history. The Greeks and Mayans chewed tree resin, while Native Americans enjoyed sap from spruce trees. In the 19th century, chicle from the sapodilla tree was the primary ingredient in chewing gum. Today, most widely available chewing gums contain synthetic rubber as the base component.
A Different Purpose
When your chewing gum loses its flavour, it typically ends up in a landfill or littering public spaces. However, instead of being tossed away, discarded gum can be part of secondary assembly projects that help keep our environment clean and reduce waste.
One ingenious innovation is “Gumdrop Ltd.”, a UK-based recycling company that turns used chewing gum into various products such as shoe soles, phone cases, and even reusable cups. This saves tonnes of chewed-up gum from entering landfills and reduces petroleum-based plastics usage in manufacturing these products.
Similarly, a group of students from the University of Manchester developed a method to recycle old chewing gum into high-grade tires. Using recycled rubber in tire manufacturing cuts down on petroleum consumption and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
How Secondary Assembly Benefits Our Environment
The process of employing secondary assembly for repurposing chewing gum has multiple environmental benefits:
1. Reduces Landfill Waste: Diverting used chewing gum from landfills helps conserve space and reduces the volume of waste that eventually decomposes and harms our environment.
2. Lowers Pollution Levels: Reducing virgin material production can result in lower pollutant emissions from manufacturing processes. Using recycled materials also lessens the pressure on natural resources.
3. Encourages Circular Economy: Secondary assembly promotes a more sustainable, circular economy where materials are used, reused, and repurposed to gain the most value out of them.
Every Time You Chew Gum…
Next time you chew gum, remember that secondary assembly could give it a productive future beyond its brief life as a tasty treat. Innovative approaches like these drive us toward a cleaner, more sustainable world. It’s our responsibility to participate in sustainable consumption and support endeavors that repurpose waste materials for ecological benefits. So, the next time you chew gum, keep in mind its potential to contribute to the secondary assembly process.
The post appeared first on .