Tapping into power down the drain

THE science of waste disposal and recycling is under investigation at Hull University's Centre for Waste and Pollution Research, opened earlier this month. Research will focus on water flow in landfill dumping sites and the genetics of the microbes that break down and decontaminate both domestic and industrial waste. Director Lynne Frostick said that the centre is unique in applying a multidisciplinary knowledge of science and technology to the landfill process which has changed little in decades. Scientists will map microbes. genetically to try and understand how they behave in the environment and thereby improve recycling by large-scale composting.