On current trends the world will contain 33 billion tonnes of plastic by 20150, writes Mae Wan Ho, and much of it will litter the oceans, concentrating toxins and damaging marine life throughout the food chain. The alternative is to classify the most toxic plastics as 'hazardous waste', and for all plastics to be reused and recycled in 'closed loop' systems.
… Fighting the plastic plague in our oceans Dr Mae-Wan Ho | … 2015 News Oceans Waste Toxics Recycling beach-plastic-qr-mexico-cut.jpg On current trends … the world will contain 33 billion tonnes of plastic by 20150, writes Mae Wan Ho, and much …
An unimaginably large volume of plastic debris is reaching the world's oceans every year, write Britta Denise Hardesty & Chris Wilcox - and it's set for a ten-fold increase over the next decade, adding to the already terrible toll on marine life from turtles to seals, sea birds and fish. The solution must be to give waste plastic value - if we can find a way.
… Five to 12 million tonnes of plastic are going into the ocean each year … Natural World Pollution Toxics seal-ocean-plastic-cut.jpg An unimaginably large volume of plastic debris is reaching the world's oceans …
Sylvia Rowley examines Rebecca Hosking's tips to rid your town of plastic bags
… How to make your town plastic bag free Sylvia Rowley | 15th April 2009 Activism Plastic Bags Campaigns Rebecca Hosing Modbury Campaigns Plastics Supermarkets Health Politics And …
Sylvia Rowley examines Rebecca Hosking's tips to rid your town of plastic bags
… How to make your town plastic-free Sylvia Rowley | 15th April 2009 News Plastic Bags Campaigns Rebecca Hosing Modbury Campaigns Plastics Supermarkets Campaigns Plastics …
Already 60% of seabird species have plastic in their guts, often as much as 8% of their body weight. And with ocean plastic increasing exponentially, that figure will rise to 99% by 2050, threatening some birds' survival. Unless we act.
… Ocean plastic plague threatens seabirds Chris Wilcox … Already 60% of seabird species have plastic in their guts, often as much as 8% of their body weight. And with ocean plastic increasing exponentially, that figure …
Cornish beaches are awash with millions of 'nurdles', tiny wildlife-choking plastic pellets presumed spilled from an rogue shipping container. As England's plastic bag charge comes into force, it's a sign that there's still a long way to go to rid our seas of the plastic menace.
… Millions of plastic pellets contaminate Cornwall beaches … millions of 'nurdles', tiny wildlife-choking plastic pellets presumed spilled from an rogue shipping container. As England's plastic bag charge comes into force, it's a …
Three scientific expeditions into the Atlantic ocean will take place this summer, writes outdoor philosopher Kate Rawles. But as well as gathering data about plastic pollution and over-fishing, they will give participants the chance to think deeply about our society, its values, the often false narratives it tells; and our place, as humans, in the natural world.
… Rawles. But as well as gathering data about plastic pollution and over-fishing, they will … Gyre last summer to investigate ocean plastic pollution. The sparkling dolphins … A recent paper in Science puts the amount of plastic created annually at around 275 million …
Welsh Government says a charge is the only way to reduce plastic bag use further and encourage reuse
… Wales plans to bring in compulsory plastic bag charge The Ecologist | 16th October 2009 News Plastic Bags Waste And Recycling plasticbag.jpg Welsh Government says a charge …
For 25 years, a group of eco-aware surfers have been campaigning for cleaner waves, writes Summer Brooks. SAS was founded in 1990 to tackle sewage discharges into UK coastal waters, and now, bigger and stronger than ever, they are turning their focus to the global problem of ocean plastic - both picking it up on our beaches, and pushing for long term, global solutions.
… Against Sewage turns its fight to ocean plastic Summer Brooks | 2nd September 2015 … their focus to the global problem of ocean plastic - both picking it up on our beaches, … people's health." Marine litter and ocean plastic Increasingly SAS is turning its focus …
You can turn it into everything from fuel to plastics. But will the surge in demand for sugar end up having a serious environmental impact?
… Zoning President Lula Friends Of The Earth Bioplastics Biofuels Carbon Emissions Climate … You can turn it into everything from fuel to plastics. But will the surge in demand for … of late, has emerged as a material in ‘bioplastics', an industry estimated to take up to …
It may look pretty, but the unmistakable odour of nail polish betrays a cocktail of toxic ingredients
… from a mix of alcohols, solvents and resins/plastics that give polish its ability to stick … may still contain the same toxic colours and plastics as solvent-based ones, they just take … formaldehyde. Phthalates are used to soften plastic, and are hormone disrupting. Studies …
Leeds University is the first in the UK to ban the sale of bottled water on campus. Will other universities follow suit? Sophie Haydock reports
… consequence, there will be 146,365 fewer plastic bottles in landfill sites (based on the British Plastics Federation's estimate that 81% of plastic is not recycled). There will be …
As if melting ice in Polar bears' Arctic habitat was not enough, Norwegian scientists have found that organic pollutants such as pesticide residues are disrupting their thyroid and endocrine systems, adding a further threat to the species' survival.
… the researchers found high concentrations of plastic pollution and pesticide contamination … that in 2010, around eight million tons of plastic waste ended up in the world's oceans. The resulting plastic particles concentrate organic …
As summer sets in, Andy Hamilton grabs his tongs and invites you to have a sizzling and sustainable barbecue
… and economy lemonade served in throwaway plastic cups as soon as the sun comes out. … her village. She never bothers with paper or plastic plates and cup, and instead uses … worried about breakage and would want to use plastic plates. For you there is a recycled …
The 'plasticiser' DEHP is known to leach out of plastics and cause fertility problems in male foetuses, writes Tess Crean. That's why it is banned under EU law. But now the Commission looks likely to grant a wide-ranging exemption for PVC recycling which would make the ban redundant. They must be stopped.
… EU must uphold ban on toxic plasticiser DEHP Tess Crean ClientEarth | 21st … Toxics Health disney-princesses-cut.jpg The 'plasticiser' DEHP is known to leach out of plastics and cause fertility problems in male …
The next big hit fuelwise will have corporations falling over each other to claim plant life, but the comedown could leave us in a sticky mess
… that’s sugar replacing oil. Those bioplastics that your food now comes wrapped in: … fraction of what is being eyed up for fuels, plastics and chemicals production. This new … cellulose can be fermented into fuels and plastics. Synthetic biology researchers are …
The rapid deterioration of the world's oceans and the life they contain calls for a breakthrough in their governance, writes Deborah Wright. The seas must be protected, respected and policed as the common heritage of all mankind, and of all generations present and future.
… by nets, lines and debris of all kinds. Plastic waste covers hundreds of thousands of … fuel emissions and the proliferation of plastic waste. Over-fishing and destructive … become a thing of the past; pollution and plastic waste will diminish and eventually …
Water - we pollute it, waste it, privatise it and dam it. Around the world millions of people lack access to it. But there are organisations out there trying to protect the planet's water for the benefit of all
… buying bottled. Of the three billion empty plastic bottles thrown away in Britain each … of fluoride. www.fluoridealert.org Algalita Plastic rubbish in our oceans is one of the … research foundation examining the scope of plastic contamination and its implications on …
It's an ancient craft using renewable resources with sustainable techniques. But that doesn't mean it can't be damned sexy, as Mary Butcher shows
… she says. The introduction of cardboard, then plastic, containers led to a steep decline in … with willow bark, holly, palm leaves, jute, plastic-covered washing line, metals and … in part, due to the current backlash against plastic and the rising demand for more …
Next time you grumble that it's too much effort to seperate you plastic from your cans, imagine doing it as the bullets are flying over head
… that it's too much effort to seperate you plastic from your cans, imagine doing it as … so both were filled with smelly mixtures of plastic and rotting vegetable scraps, and one … up the festering pits, keeping one open for plastic and tins. We held a rubbish-tip …
Lettuces, peppers and other vegetables grown under 'semi-slavery' conditions in Spain are filling supermarket shelves in the UK, writes Almudena Serpis. Workers are routinely abused, underpaid, sprayed with pesticide, and sacked if they dare complain, an C4News / Ecologist investigation has found. But now they are getting organised to defend their rights.
… Film Unit investigation. Working inside a plastic city A few hours East of this region, … Almeria, we arrive at El Ejido, the so-called plastic city which can be seen from outer … on a few kilometres away, under a sea of plastic. It looks abandoned but inside this …
Instead of dumping carbon deep underground we could be exploring ways to use it and reduce our overall emissions at the same time
… we could use it as a resource for making oil, plastics and cement Instead of dumping carbon … oil produced by algae to make biodegradable plastics. ‘In the short term the whole world … green revolution? Plant-based biodegradable plastics Novacem Ltd READ MORE... …
Little angers environmentalists more than receiving food or products in Styrofoam packaging, and now the Californian Ocean Protection Council has called for a blanket ban on the use of the material in food containers across California.
… Responsibility EPR Campaigns Fast Food US Plastics Recycling Packaging Recycling … recommends introducing fees for paper and plastic bags – the Council calls for all of …