Latest news with #decomposition
Reuters
28-05-2025
- General
- Reuters
Eleven bodies found in beached boat in Eastern Caribbean
KINGSTOWN, May 27 (Reuters) - Police in St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Tuesday said they found a boat beached on the shore of Canouan island carrying the remains of what they believed to be 11 people who may be from Mali, though investigations into their identities are ongoing. "Several passports were recovered at the scene which appear to be from the Republic of Mali," Superintendent Junior Simmons said in a video message. "The remains were in an advanced state of decomposition, and some were not fully intact." Local police received on Monday morning around 10:45 a.m. (1445 GMT) a report about the 45-foot vessel that washed ashore in Little Bay on Canouan, to the south of the archipelago Caribbean nation. Simmons said the remains had been transported to mainland St. Vincent pending further forensic and investigative procedures. In nearby St. Kitts and Nevis, authorities in January said they had discovered a vessel where they found the bodies of 19 people who they estimated had been at sea for a long period due to the advanced stage of decomposition. They also found identifications suggesting some of those passengers also came from Mali, a landlocked West African nation some 6,200 km (3,850 miles) east across the Atlantic Ocean. The Atlantic Ocean off the West African coast is among the world's most dangerous maritime routes, with strong westerly currents and winds capable of driving vessels far off course.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Furniture brand shocks industry with futuristic innovation that destroys its own products: 'We wanted to get to the next level'
If self-cannibalizing furniture sounds far-fetched, think again: A new ingredient in plastic is making that a reality. After years of experimenting with sustainable alternatives to conventional plastic, high-end plastic furniture maker Heller has introduced an enzyme to accelerate the decomposition process. Fast Company reported on the development, which marks a revolutionary milestone for both the furniture industry and the future of plastic waste. The enzyme, which is mixed into the plastic in powdered form, essentially turns the plastic into something appetizing for microorganisms to eat, accelerating a naturally occurring process. It was developed by the research company Worry Free Plastics. Crucially for the indoor-outdoor furniture maker, the enzyme only activates when the furniture is in a zero-oxygen environment — such as a landfill, the ocean, or even soil. From day to day, it remains solid; in a zero-oxygen environment, according to the company, it will degrade in approximately five years. This is an incredible improvement on the typical decomposition of plastic, as a piece of plastic can take up to 500 years to degrade, per the United Nations. Even then, it just breaks down into microplastics and chemicals, contaminating the water and soil in its surroundings. When microorganisms process this plastic, the only byproduct is biogas and nutrient-rich soil — and it happens on a remarkably quick timeline. Worry Free Plastics estimates that its enzyme could help a plastic bottle degrade in approximately seven and a half years and a plastic bag in five. John Edelman, president and CEO of Heller, said that simply looking at recycled plastics wasn't enough to meet the company's environmental goals. "We wanted to get to the next level and become more sustainable," he said, per Fast Company. "How can we be good for the planet and create incredible design?" Even better for consumers, the new biodegradability won't change the price tag. "It's a drop-in technology," said Philip Myers, Worry Free Plastics co-founder. "It doesn't require them to change their equipment, their process — anything. It's plug and play." Heller introduced the enzyme to its production line in November, and the company expects the new products to completely replace old inventory in the coming months to years. "My goal is to do something that is sustainable and at the same price," Edelman said. "We actually achieved our goal of not just using recycled products, not just being recyclable, but going back to the earth." If self-destroying plastic isn't available, opting for plastic-free alternatives for everyday products is a great way to reduce your own plastic pollution and help create a cleaner world. Which of these factors would be your biggest motivator in buying eco-friendly furniture? Durable materials Chic design Lower price Not interested Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Irish Times
20-05-2025
- Irish Times
Cause of Tina Satchwell's death could not be determined because of decomposition, pathologist says
A cause of death for Tina Satchwell , whose skeletal remains were found buried under her Co Cork home more than six years after she disappeared, cannot be determined, the Central Criminal Court has heard. Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster told the continuing trial of Richard Satchwell , who denies murdering his wife, that the cause of Ms Satchwell's death could not be established during a postmortem due to the level of decomposition. Dr Bolster said the significance of the presence of a dressing grown belt – draped diagonally from the left across the front of the body, brought under the right arm and then knotted – was 'unclear'. She said it was in 'a very unusual position'. The pathologist said Ms Satchwell's skull had come apart from her body due to decomposition and there was no evidence of any bone fractures. READ MORE Under cross-examination by defence counsel Brendan Grehan, Dr Bolster said the position of the belt was 'not a usual place' to knot a dressing gown. She agreed that the belt was neither around the neck nor the body. She agreed that the positioning of it made it appear 'like something used to carry a body'. 'That was my impression when I saw this,' she said, adding that she said she has been moving bodies all her life and ligatures are very often used as a means to do so. Dr Bolster agreed there were no bone fractures, no evidence of previous fractures or any signs of trauma to the bones. There was no fracture to the hyoid bone in the neck which, she agreed with Mr Grehan, has not much more than the consistency of a matchstick. In her experience of cases of manual strangulation or throttling, this particular bone is fractured in about 73 per cent of cases with a much lesser incidence of fracturing, about 24 per cent, in cases of ligature strangulation. The pathologist said she has carried out more than 30,000 postmortems in her career. Dr Bolster was giving evidence in the continuing trial of Mr Satchwell (58) who has pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms Satchwell (45) at their home on Grattan Street, Youghal, between March 19th and 20th, 2017. The jury has heard decomposed human remains, identified as those of Ms Satchwell, were discovered during a forensic search of the property on October 11th, 2023, some 6½ years after Mr Satchwell reported his wife missing. After the remains were discovered, Mr Satchwell told gardaí his wife had come at him with a chisel on the morning of March 20th and that he had used the belt of her dressing gown to fend her off. He said she 'went limp' and died. The prosecution case is that Mr Satchwell put his wife's body in a freezer in a shed before burying her in a grave dug under the stairs in their home. In evidence ton Tuesday, Dr Bolster told Gerardine Small SC, prosecuting, that she was asked to attend the scene at Grattan Street on October 12th, 2023, and that she examined the remains of Ms Satchwell, which were wrapped in black plastic. She concluded a postmortem the following morning in the mortuary in Cork. The pathologist agreed that the remains were skeletal and Ms Satchwell's medical records showed she was previously in good health. The body was wrapped in what looked like a soiled bed sheet and bones could be seen protruding through the sheet, the court heard. The body was lying face down and was wearing a dressing gown. A gold-coloured purse, labelled Playboy, was removed from the pocket, and contained various cards, including a Tesco club card and a public service card in name of Tina Mary Satchwell. The trial continues at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of seven women and five men.
