Plastic Pollution

DAKAR, Senegal, Apr 17 (IPS) - In a quiet corner of Medina Gounass, on the outskirts of Dakar, Senegal, one man has taken it upon himself to breathe new life into a place many had abandoned.

Scientists are finding microplastics everywhere from brain tissue to arteries and warning of the health risks posed by their buildup inside our bodies.

A 2016 report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation claimed that by 2050 there would be 850 tons of plastic in the oceans and just 812 tons of fish.

In 2021, researchers identified a new whale species and are now scrambling to save their natural habitat

The booming ocean economy sustains hundreds of millions of people, but it is being squeezed dry by overfishing, pollution, climate change and waste, UN economists warned on Monday, in a call for smarter, more concerted action to protect the world's vast marine spaces for future generations.

In the UK, bottled water brand Win Win Water has introduced plant-based, polylactic acid packaging supplied by TotalEnergies Corbion. Launched on February 18, the bioplastic bottles are produced using sustainably sourced sugarcane as feedstock. The bottles can be reused several times and also breakdown in commercial composting facilities. "Win Win water is revolutionizing sustainable hydration […]

Trade groups are seizing the moment to call for fewer restrictions on plastics.

An executive order from President Trump will negate a Biden initiative that required federal procurement offices to purchase paper straws in lieu of plastic.

Trump's order targets a Biden administration policy to phase out federal purchases of single-use plastics by 2027.

Wisdom the Laysan albatross was first tagged by researchers in 1956. Since then, she's believed to have raised as many as 30 chicks.

Dozens of countries say the treaty will only "end plastic pollution" if it restricts production.

Environmental advocates call the reversal 'absolutely devastating.'

Dr. Jason Bara, a professor in the University of Alabama College of Engineering, leads a team working to improve methods to recycle the plastics we interact with daily.

A new tool recognized spectral features that distinguish plastics from sand or organic debris.

Amazon says it has gotten rid of plastic air pillows at warehouses around the world.

The inflatable plastic pillows are officially a thing of the past, replaced by paper-based padding that can be recycled

SYDNEY, Oct 14 (IPS) - The Pacific Islands region is both the frontline of the wrath that climate change is lashing on the environment and human life and the drive for innovation and solutions to stem the destruction and strengthen island environments for the future. The survival of life, even nations, in the Pacific depends on it.

California's lawsuit against Exxon is about ending the lie that most plastic is recyclable

Small plastic particles are everywhere: in the soil where our food is grown, in the water we drink and in the air we breathe. They got there from the plastic we throw away, which ends up in landfill sites, rivers and seas. There the plastic waste slowly breaks down, releasing tiny particles called microplastics and even tinier nanoplastics into the environment.

In a report published in Marine Pollution Bulletin, researchers from Kyushu University have for the first time, provided a clear numerical target for global efforts to tackle marine plastic pollution. By mapping the flow and fate of plastic waste in the oceans, the team found that at a minimum there must be a 32% reduction in plastic littering by 2035 to prevent further marine damage.