Plastic bottles with a capacity of 2.3 litres contain the most liquid for the lowest packaging weight and could reduce plastic waste by thousands of tonnes per year Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2269358-plastic-bottles-holding-2-3-litres-are-least-harmful-to-the-planet/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…
Tag: plastic waste
Hundreds of fish species, including many we eat, are consuming plastic
As more and more plastic trash permeates the oceans, microplastics are making their way into fish and shellfish, and potentially into humans. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/hundreds-fish-species-consume-microplastics-including-human-food…
Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Nestle Named Top Plastic Polluters For Third Year In a Row
An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Guardian: Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Nestlé have been accused of “zero progress” on reducing plastic waste, after being named the world’s top plastic polluters for the third year in a row. Coca-Cola was ranked the world’s No 1 plastic polluter by Break Free From Plastic in its annual audit, after its beverage bottles were…
In Rare Show of Solidarity, 14 Key Nations Commit To Protect Oceans
When the heads of state of 14 nations sat down together in late 2018 to discuss the grim condition of the world’s oceans, there was no certainty that anything consequential would result. The leaders planned 14 gatherings, but met only twice before the pandemic upended their talks. So when the group announced this week the world’s most far-reaching pact to protect…
US and UK Citizens Are World’s Biggest Sources of Plastic Waste
An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Guardian: The U.S. and UK produce more plastic waste per person than any other major countries, according to new research. The analysis also shows the U.S. produces the most plastic waste in total and that its citizens may rank as high as third in the world in contributing to plastic pollution in the…
Microwaving plastic waste can generate clean hydrogen
Chemists have successfully used microwaves to convert plastic bags, milk bottles and other supermarket packaging to a clean source of hydrogen Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2256822-microwaving-plastic-waste-can-generate-clean-hydrogen/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…
Big Oil Is in Trouble. Its Plan: Flood Africa With Plastic.
Confronting a climate crisis that threatens the fossil fuel industry, oil companies are racing to make more plastic. But they face two problems: Many markets are already awash with plastic, and few countries are willing to be dumping grounds for the world’s plastic waste. The industry thinks it has found a solution to both problems in Africa. From a report: According…
A new type of plastic may be the first that is infinitely recyclable
A plastic that can be easily broken down and remoulded into high-quality products should make recycling easier and reduce plastic waste entering the environment Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2252265-a-new-type-of-plastic-may-be-the-first-that-is-infinitely-recyclable/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…
Beetle larvae that eat polystyrene may help solve plastic waste crisis
The larvae of a north-east Asian beetle can biodegrade polystyrene, converting it to carbon dioxide and small chemical fragments, meaning they could help break down the millions of tonnes of polystyrene waste produced each year Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2249155-beetle-larvae-that-eat-polystyrene-may-help-solve-plastic-waste-crisis/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…
Plastic rain: More than 1,000 tons of microplastic rain onto western US
New research finds that microplastics are emitted into the atmosphere. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/microplastic-rain-western-us…