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Researchers even found textile fibres in very remote lakes with limited human presence.
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The UK needs to fix its recycling system for a more sustainable future.
Recycling can be a bit of a headache.
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Confusion about what should and shouldn’t be recycled? You’re not alone – and it’s causing some people to ignore recycling altogether.
Informal workers earning very little carry out most of the world’s recycling.
EPA-EFE/Monirul Alam
Making less plastic and reusing what exists should be the priority.
Discarded clothing is responsible for millions of tonnes of plastic waste each year.
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Polylactic acid – a popular bioplastic – does not readily break down when released into the ocean, and could disrupt marine ecosystems
Disposable nappies are a major source of plastic pollution.
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How to be more a more eco-friendly parent – it’s not as simple as ditching disposable nappies.
A shopper risks arrest in Nakuru, Kenya, for carrying groceries in banned plastic bags in 2022.
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No scientific monitoring was put in place to track the environmental benefits of banning plastic carrier bags.
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It’s estimated that 1.63 million tons of material will be produced in 2023 for wet wipes.
Researchers discovered a way to turn superglue into strong, clear plastic that can be made into many shapes.
Allison Christy
Researchers have developed a method for producing strong plastic materials by tweaking the chemical structure of superglue.
Plastic, yes. But at least the bottles are being reused.
Marwan Naamani/AFP via Getty Images)
Communal meals to break fast can mean lots of single-use plastics. A switch to environmentally friendly principles is in line with Islamic principles through the ages.
Scientists have identified a condition they call plasticosis, caused by ingesting plastic waste, in flesh-footed shearwaters.
Patrick Kavanagh/Wikipedia
Many marine animals, birds and fish are ingesting plastic. New research identifies the first named health effect from it.
Pam Longobardi amid a giant heap of fishing gear that she and volunteers from the Hawaii Wildlife Fund collected in 2008.
David Rothstein
Pam Longobardi collects and documents ocean plastic waste and transforms it into public art and photography. Her work makes statements about consumption, globalism and conservation.
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Alternative food containers, such as those made of bioplastics, are being promoted as a way to reduce our exposure to plastic in food. But there is still a lack of knowledge around their impacts.
Plastic bottles, cutlery, boxes and bags sold by takeaways dominate ocean litter.
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How to make England’s new ban a success.
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Product standards have real power. We could use them to reduce waste at every part of the plastic lifecycle.
Used masks threaten urban wildlife.
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Billions of face masks and other personal protective equipment have been used throughout the pandemic. Containing plastic, these items are damaging wildlife and their environments.
UV absorbents and industrial antioxidants can reach aquatic environments through the degradation of plastics, or via wastewater treatment plant effluents.
(Environment and Climate Change Canada)
UV absorbents and industrial antioxidants are used in many household goods to protect them from UV radiation. They can have an adverse impact on ecosystems.
Making it easier for people to refill containers is key to slowing the tide of packaging waste.
Plastic waste in Kampala, Uganda.
Omer Faruk Ozbil/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
It’s important to look at the whole value chain in the plastics economy, starting with design of products that can be reused and recycled.
Plastic pollution is a growing global problem.
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The plastic industry uses powerful tactics to convince us it’s not that bad, but in reality many of their green solutions aren’t working.