Infrequently asked questions

Over 100 of the most curious and infrequently asked questions - and their answers.

Here is just one of them: Has recycling gone too far?

Research is now underway that would allow recyclers to turn: a Dead fish into disposable nappies (diapers); b Sewage into pillow stuffing; c Compost into cake filling; d Liposuctioned human fat into soap; And the answer is (a); Babies, beware: food scientist Srinivasan Damodaran knows how to make an eco-friendly filler for disposable nappies (diapers in America) out of "bycatch", the nearly 20m tonnes of fish caught each year that is unsuitable for sale.

Dr Damodaran extracts protein from the fish and then treats it with a chemical known as EDTAD that lends it superb absorbency.

Not only does this make use of dead fish that would otherwise be dumped into the sea to decompose and pollute coastal areas, but, unlike their synthetic counterparts, fish-based nappies are easily broken down by the fungi and bacteria that populate landfills.

Only a few squeamish parents stand in the way of an environmental triumph. (The Economist "Smells fishy," 7 Dec 2000)