ScienceAugust 24, 2026

upcycling

UP-sy-kuh-ling

Definition

The process of transforming waste materials or discarded products into new materials or products of higher quality, value, or nutritional utility.

Etymology

A blend of the prefix 'up-' (indicating improvement) and 'cycling' (referring to recycling). It was coined in the 1990s to distinguish the creative reuse of waste from traditional recycling, which often results in lower-quality materials.

In the news

The article describes the conversion of plastic beverage bottles and agricultural waste into edible, protein-rich food products, identifying this process as PET upcycling.

Scientists Transform Plastic Bottles Into Cookies

Read the full article ↗

Bioengineer.org

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