We found a germ that ‘feeds’ on hospital plastic – new study: Amparo Garcia/Shutterstock.com Plastic pollution is one of the defining environmental challenges of our time – and some of nature’s tiniest organisms may offer a surprising way out. In recent years, microbiologists have discovered bacteria capable of breaking down various types of plastic, hinting …
How the world fell in love with plastic without thinking through the consequences – podcast: Joaquin Traverso Traverso/Shutterstock Every year, 400 million tons of plastic are produced worldwide, and every year, approximately 57 million tons of plastic pollution is created. And yet in November, the latest round of negotiations on the first legally binding international …
Wildlife, climate and plastic: how three summits aim to repair a growing rift with nature: By the end of 2024, nearly 200 nations will have met at three conferences to address three problems: biodiversity loss, climate change and plastic pollution. Colombia will host talks next week to assess global progress in protecting 30% of all …
Plastic is climate change in a bottle – so let’s put a cap on it: Hedgehog94/Shutterstock Plastic pollution and climate change have common culprits – and similar solutions. The penultimate round of negotiations for a global pact on plastic ended yesterday in Ottawa. Nearly 200 countries have agreed that a treaty must tackle plastic pollution …
Nigeria’s plastic ban: why it’s good and how it can work: Two weeks into January 2024, Nigerian authorities took steps to curb environmental degradation caused by plastic pollution in the country. The Federal Ministry of Environment and the Lagos State government both announced bans on single-use plastics. The Federal Ministry of Environment was the first …
Myths about plastic pollution are leading to public confusion: here’s why: STEKLO/Shutterstock Does the prediction that there could be “more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050” concern you? How about reports that “we eat a credit card’s worth of plastic per week”? These are some of the “facts” about plastic that are cited …
West Africa’s plastic waste could be fuelling the economy instead of polluting the ocean: experts: A beach littered with plastic and other waste in the fishing village of Kayar, north of Dakar, Senegal. Bara Deme, Author provided Plastic pollution is an urgent environmental issue, globally. Every year, about eight million tonnes of plastic end up …
New single-use plastic ban takes effect in England – here’s why its impact may be limited: A new ban prohibits businesses in England from selling some single-use plastic products. Freepik2/Shutterstock Single-use plastic and packaging has become an essential part of our lives. In the UK, households collectively throw away an estimated 100 billion pieces of …
Plastic pollution threatens birds far out at sea – new research: Northern fulmar Beth Clark, Author provided Seabirds are one of the world’s most threatened animal groups. They already contend with multiple issues, including climate change, accidental capture in fishing gear and being eaten by invasive species like cats and some rodents. But these birds, …
Plastic pollution: campaigners around the world are using the courts to clean up – but manufacturers are fighting back: Jose Calsina / shutterstock Plastic pollution has become such major problem that it’s threatening our human rights. That’s the view of two UN special rapporteurs (human rights advisers) who recently issued a joint statement, warning against …
Plastic recycling is failing – here’s how the world must respond: Recycling was once considered the obvious solution to the excessive amount of new (or virgin) plastic produced each year. This is no longer realistic. Global recycling capacity simply cannot keep up with the taking, making and wasting of natural resources. Growing mountains of plastic …
Biodegradable plastic in clothing doesn’t break down nearly as quickly as hoped – new research: Discarded clothing is responsible for millions of tonnes of plastic waste each year. Yudhistira99/Shutterstock Plastic pollution has emerged as one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. Over 100 million tonnes of plastic enters the environment each year, …
Nigeria’s street food adds to the plastic problem – green leaves offer a solution: Okpa, a local delicacy made from Bambara beans, is commonly wrapped in leaves. Obiora Ezeudu Street food is popular in Nigerian cities. Most of the local food delicacies are sold by vendors whose livelihoods depend on informal subsistence activities such as …
Kenya banned plastic bags 6 years ago, but they are still in use – what went wrong: A shopper risks arrest in Nakuru, Kenya, for carrying groceries in banned plastic bags in 2022. James Wakibia/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Kenya banned the use of plastic carrier bags in 2017, prompted by environmental and health costs. …
Plastic fibres stunt growth in mussels by more than a third – here’s why this is a concern: Tiny pieces of plastic litter have a harmful impact on marine animals, including mussels. Popova Tetiana/Shutterstock Plastic pollution poses a threat to marine wildlife. The plastic bags, bottles and straws that we see strewn across beaches have …
Seychelles is becoming overwhelmed by marine plastic — we now know where it comes from: A green turtle on Aldabra entangled in abandoned fishing gear. Rich Baxter, CC BY-NC-ND More than 1,000km southwest of Mahé, the main inhabited island in Seychelles, lies a ring of coral islands called the Aldabra Atoll. The islands are a …
Plastic pollution in Nigeria: whose job is it to clean up the mess?: Companies can do more to reduce plastic waste. Pius Utomi Ekpei/AFP via Getty Images Take a walk or drive through the streets of most Nigerian cities, and you will see plastic waste everywhere. The country’s rivers, lakes and ocean are also full …
Single-use plastic bans: research shows three ways to make them effective: Plastic bottles, cutlery, boxes and bags sold by takeaways dominate ocean litter. Richard Smith/Shutterstock Governments around the world are introducing single-use plastic product bans to alleviate pollution. Zimbabwe banned plastic packaging and bottles as early as 2010. Antigua and Barbuda banned single-use catering and …