252K views · 3.2K shares | Japan's push to be more self-reliant through recycling | The Economist | Facebook

Japan has developed advanced recycling systems that convert discarded clothing and textile waste into usable fuels, including bioethanol, solid fuel pellets, and experimental aviation fuel. This breakthrough tackles one of the world’s fastest-growing waste streams while producing clean energy from materials that once went to landfills. • Used clothes are broken down into their basic chemical components using high-temperature and enzymatic processing. • Cotton-based textiles are converted into bi