Trump’s plan to slap $200 billion more in tariffs on Chinese goods is premised on yesterday’s waste-fueled economy. Tomorrow’s economy is ‘circular.’
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Articles on Plastic
Displaying 181 - 200 of 330 articles
South Africa needs to strengthen its response to plastic pollution.
BPA, used widely in plastics and as a liner in food cans, was replaced by a related chemical called BPS. But it seems that this substitute may also harm eggs and sperm and disrupt hormones.
Autopsies of 1,000 turtles washed up on Australian beaches paint a grim picture of the impact of plastic debris. Even a single piece can be deadly, and on average 14 pieces equals a 50% fatality rate.
Is 3D printing better for the environment than conventional manufacturing? The jury is still out.
Incineration of household waste has gotten a bad name, argues an economist, who sees today’s recycling crisis as an opportunity to reconsider how the U.S. handles its waste.
Roughly 10,000 tons of plastic enter the Great Lakes every year, and scientists want to know where it ends up. There are some parallels to ocean plastics, but also important differences.
Since China stopped importing ‘foreign garbage’ in March 2018, scrap – especially plastic – has built up in the US. Will this shock trigger long-overdue investments in plastic recycling here?
Bio-based plastics made from natural sources break down more easily than conventional plastic, without producing toxic byproducts. But for this to happen they have to be composted, not buried in landfills.
Research is yielding strategies for making plastics greener and more sustainable. But without support as they scale up, new versions will struggle to compete with well-established synthetic plastics.
You know you’ve hit it big when your designs find their way into millions of kitchens – and the Museum of Modern Art.
Microplastics are everywhere–our water, soil, and even the air we breathe. The consequences of this exposure on human health is unknown. But studies in animals give us reason to worry.
The most common explanation for obesity is overeating calorie-rich foods and a sedentary lifestyle. But new studies suggest that chemicals in our environment might be another cause.
Kitchens are like mini laboratories, with foods and utensils exposed to extreme temperatures. So it’s no surprise that a material used for Mars missions has found its way into a range of cooking ware.
In 2015, over 320 million tons of polymers, excluding fibers, were manufactured across the globe.
Buying reusable bags every time you shop is worse than just using plastic.
Every day we throw away plastic and every day we’re reminded of its environmental impact. Why can’t something be done about it?
New types of biodegradable or compostable plastic products seem to offer an alternative to conventional plastics. But they may be no better for the environment.
Plastic bags are commonly mistaken for food by sea animals. They require a lot of energy and resources to be made, and have caused floods in some countries.
Providing thicker plastic bags for free is worse than pointless. It encourages the same wasteful habits, but with more damaging material.
Top contributors
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Senior Principal Research Scientist, Oceans and Atmosphere, CSIRO
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Professor of Sustainable Development, Keele University
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Lecturer, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University
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Research Chair, Indigenous Approaches to Environmental Management, Keele University
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Senior Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO
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Lecturer in Ornithology, Charles Sturt University
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Postdoctoral researcher, Stanford University
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Professor, School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University
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Professor of Coastal Oceanography, The University of Western Australia
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Assistant Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto
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Research Scientist, Oceans and Atmospheres, CSIRO
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Research associate, Loughborough University
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Professor of Global Environmental Politics, University of California, Berkeley
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Oceanographer, The University of Western Australia
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Professor in Oceanography and Public Engagement, Utrecht University
