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Plastic Pollution

New tool offers breakthrough in understanding nanoplastics and their environmental impact

Nanoplastics, particles smaller than one micrometre, are increasing concern for environmental and human health.

Plastic pollution and how COVID-19 contributed to the problem

Plastic pollution has been an issue since the 1960s, but when mask-wearing, single-use plastics and hand sanitiser bottles became the norm, things only got worse.

Could a littering heat map solve the waste problem?

Dyl Kurpil explains the value of a littering heat map in creating a proactive, intelligence-driven anti-litter strategy.

Time to stop passing the buck on plastic waste

Plastic waste and single-use plastic is a significant environmental, climate, and global health challenge – and it only seems to be getting worse.

Eco-friendly filter can remove microplastics in water

The world's first eco-friendly filter has been developed that can remove micro-to-nano-sized microplastics in water.

The light-activated fish robot designed to collect microplastics

Researchers have invented a light-activated fish robot that "swims" around quickly and removes microplastics from the water.

“Advanced recycling” not the answer to plastic pollution crisis

Advanced or chemical recycling, has been incentivised by State laws in the US - but environmental advocates suggest it will only further plastic pollution.

Scientists create hydrogen-based way to recycle plastic bottles

Plastic bottles take up to 450 years to biodegrade naturally, so recycling them quickly is crucial for the environment - Northwestern University chemists may have a new strategy.

Research finds microplastics carrying pathogens into sea

Microplastics carrying pathogens into the ocean via land based parasites are affecting wildlife and human health.

Social media “influence” accelerates fast fashion culture

Fast fashion culture, though widely disapproved of, is still on the rise as social media companies use it as a marketing ploy for adolescents.

Microplastics found in placenta and newborns

Researchers looking at plastics’ connection with pregnancy and children's health, find that placenta can absorb nanoplastics during pregnancy, affecting babies when born.

Nanoplastics in snow: The extensive impact of plastic pollution

Plastic has been found everywhere, from plastic pollution in the oceans, to microplastics in food – researchers have now located nanoplastic particles in the snow.

The environmental competition to challenge coastal pollution

Geovation has launched a national challenge, to award £5000 to find a sustainable solution in tackling coastal pollution.

Plastic pollution could decrease by 85% with policy action

A new policy tool developed by scientists, ‘Plastic Drawdown’, can help governments to radically cut plastic waste by 2030.

Scientists create “breakthrough” technology to separate plastic types

Differentiating between numerous plastic types and separating them according to their chemical composition could increase the rate of plastic recycling enormously.

Nurdles: Tiny building blocks of consumer plastics & a growing environmental health threat

Pamela Lein, University of California, Davis, explains nurdles - tiny building blocks of consumer plastics & growing environmental threat

Transforming plastic use with a circular model

New research provides a model of the global scale of plastic development, tracing where it’s produced, where it ends up, and its environmental impact.

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