Plastic Pollution

Tiwi Beach in Kwale, Kenya may at a distance look idyllic, but it's outward beauty betrays problems that lurk on its shores. Local artist Joel Oenga collects plastics from the ocean and then uses them to make furniture. Frustrated by the amount of plastic gathering on the shore through litter…

Environment When Hurricane Larry struck Newfoundland in 2021, large amounts of microplastic fell from the sky, probably because the storm travelled over an ocean garbage patch By Carolyn Wilke Satellite image of Hurricane Larry over the Atlantic Ocean on 8 September 2021 AP Photo / Alamy In September 2021, Hurricane…

The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC), under the United Nations Environment Programme, met in Nairobi on November 13-19 for its third round of negotiations to develop an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution worldwide. Under the UNEA Resolution 5/14, the INC is responsible for delivering a global plastics treaty…

In recent years, drink chains have switched their single-use cups from plastic to paper to avoid plastic pollution and pile-ups in landfills. But according to recent research, the plastic cup that we feel good walking out of a cafe with isn’t great for the environment either. A study published last…

New research has found that exposure to microplastics led to behavioral changes and immune alterations in mice, particularly older ones. The study discovered that microplastics accumulated in multiple tissues, including the brain, and may contribute to conditions similar to dementia. The study indicates a potential risk for serious health consequences,…

When plastic – including plastic used in food and beverage packaging – is not disposed of correctly, it can end up leaking into the environment and even into people. Last year, four high production volume polymers applied in plastic were identified and quantified for the first time in human blood​.…

Plastic pollution is a global concern, with an estimated eight million tonnes entering the marine environment every year. By 2050, there could be more plastic in the ocean than fish. Can we innovate our way out of the plastic problem? The next wave of packaging pioneers thinks so, and they’re…

Of the 141m tonnes of plastic food and beverage packaging produced annually, just 14% is recycled, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. The problem lies in overconsumption, says Adam Herriott, senior specialist at WRAP – a British NGO advocating for change in the way packaging is produced and disposed of.…

Could plants be the answer to the looming threat of microplastic pollution? Scientists at UBC's BioProducts Institute found that if you add tannins -- natural plant compounds that make your mouth pucker if you bite into an unripe fruit -- to a layer of wood dust, you can create a…

University of British Columbia Could plants be the answer to the looming threat of microplastic pollution? Scientists at UBC's BioProducts Institute found that if you add tannins—natural plant compounds that make your mouth pucker if you bite into an unripe fruit—to a layer of wood dust, you can create a…