The impact of plastic on the ocean is heartbreaking but the science must be watertight to convince everyone that we need to change.
Academic rigour, journalistic flair
Articles on Plastic
Displaying 241 - 260 of 328 articles
Taxing plastic takeaway boxes will help to reduce the massive amount of plastic which is dumped into the oceans.
Tonnes of plastic end up in the ocean each year, but a switch away from petroleum-based products to bio-derived and degradable composites could lessen marine pollution.
Everyone knows that plastic waste is an environmental problem. So let’s get creative with it.
Victoria’s proposed ban on single-use plastic bags is a step forward, but what about all the other unnecessary packaging? A truly effective waste policy should offer a comprehensive plan for packaging.
The world’s largest recyclable materials importer will leave other countries searching for alternative waste management solutions.
Marine mammals are often referred to as sentinels of the ocean and research on whales and dolphins in particular contributes important knowledge about the health of our seas.
Research suggests much drinking water contains plastic microparticles.
To stop Indonesia polluting the ocean with plastic it is important to change the country’s land-based waste management.
A new study shows that anchovies – key food for larger fish – are attracted to plastic trash because it smells like food. This suggests that toxic substances in plastic could move up through food chains.
Banning single-use plastic bags makes sense, as long as it doesn’t usher in behaviours that are just as bad, or worse – like over-using heavier bags made of even more plastic.
High costs, poor performance, a lack of manufacturing capabilities and local perceptions prevent biodegradable bags from taking root in Kenya.
After making worldwide headlines with the story of the Pacific “garbage island”, researchers were sent a photo of the same beach, white sand free of litter, as recently as 1992.
The plastic bag ban doesn’t consider the impact it will have on Kenya’s economy or consider other environmental alternatives.
Tiny fibres from washing machines are being eaten by a multitude of marine species.
What causes cancer? A scary truth might be that we have created an environment for it. An anthropologist’s search for answers to her own diagnosis raises questions for all of us.
Many people are confused about what they can and can’t recycle, and whether they need to clean everything before it goes in the bin. The best plan is to check the details with your local council.
New research shows that importing goods from low-wage countries has helped US manufacturers shift production to less-polluting industries, produce less waste and spend less on pollution control.
Plastics pose a major threat to seabirds and other animals, and most don’t ever break down - they just break up. Every piece of petrochemical-derived plastic ever made still exists on the planet.
Research shows thyroid hormone, which is required for brain development in all vertebrates, is severely affected by chemicals present in our everyday cleaning products, clothing and cookware.
Top contributors
-
Senior Principal Research Scientist, Oceans and Atmosphere, CSIRO
-
Lecturer, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University
-
Senior Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO
-
Professor of Sustainable Development, Keele University
-
Research Chair, Indigenous Approaches to Environmental Management, Keele University
-
Postdoctoral researcher, Stanford University
-
Lecturer in Ornithology, Charles Sturt University
-
Assistant Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto
-
Professor of Coastal Oceanography, The University of Western Australia
-
Professor, School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University
-
Research associate, Loughborough University
-
Research Scientist, Oceans and Atmospheres, CSIRO
-
Oceanographer, The University of Western Australia
-
Professor in Oceanography and Public Engagement, Utrecht University
-
Professor of Global Environmental Politics, University of California, Berkeley
