Laundry Lint Can Cause Significant Tissue and DNA Damage Within Marine Mussels
Microscopic fibers created during the laundry cycle can cause damage to the gills, liver, and DNA of marine species, according to new research. Scientists at…
Plastic
Plastic Pollution Is Everywhere: Research Reveals How It Travels
Plastic pollution is ubiquitous today, with microplastic particles from disposable goods found in natural environments throughout the globe, including Antarctica. But how those particles move…
Bacterial Strain Uncovered for Producing Bioplastics From Sewage Sludge and Wastewater
Salt-Tolerant Bacteria With an Appetite for Sludge Make Biodegradable Plastics Using a bacterial strain found in mangroves, Texas A&M researchers have uncovered a low-cost, sustainable…
Microplastics in Our Drinking Water – Significant Source of Microplastics in Human Diet
Emerging environmental contaminants, both chemicals, and particulates, have been a concern for risk scientists for many years. Methods for reducing health and environmental risks from…
Making Plastic More Recyclable Through Chemical and Biological Processes
From soda bottles to car bumpers to piping, electronics, and packaging, plastics have become a ubiquitous part of our lives. Advancements in materials have made…
New Recycling Process Could Cut Down on Millions of Tons of Plastic Waste
Multilayer plastic materials are ubiquitous in food and medical supply packaging, particularly since layering polymers can give those films specific properties, like heat resistance or…
Mount Everest: Microplastics in the Death Zone
Scientists have identified the highest recorded microplastics ever found on Earth — at an altitude of more than 8,000metres, close to the summit of Mount…
Tough New Bioinspired Material to Replace Petroleum-Based Plastics
Modern life relies closely on plastics, even though the petroleum-based production creates serious environmental challenges. The industry opts out to use sustainable materials due to…
Experts Warn: War on Plastic Is Distracting From More Urgent Threats to Environment
A team of leading environmental experts, spearheaded by the University of Nottingham, have warned that the current war on plastic is detracting from the bigger…
Mythbusting: 5 Common Misperceptions on the Environmental Impacts of Single-Use Plastics
Stand in the soda pop aisle at the supermarket, surrounded by rows of brightly colored plastic bottles and metal cans, and it’s easy to conclude…
New Research Finds Bioplastics Are Just As Toxic as Ordinary Plastics
Bioplastics may be not produced from oil, but that’s about the only benefit, researchers say. Conventional plastic is made from oil. The production of plastic…
Plastic-Eating Super-Enzyme “Cocktail” Offers New Hope for Plastic Waste Solution
The scientists who re-engineered the plastic-eating enzyme PETase have now created an enzyme ‘cocktail’ which can digest plastic up to six times faster. A second…
Plastic Flow Into Ocean Expected to Triple by 2040, But Action Could Stem Tide More Than 80%
Research lays out viable pathway to “break the plastic wave.” A new analysis by The Pew Charitable Trusts and SYSTEMIQ finds that without immediate and…
Solid Acid Nano-Sponges Transform CO2 Into Fuel and Plastic Waste Into Useful Chemicals
Solid acids are amongst the most essential heterogeneous catalysts, which have the potential to replace environmentally harmful liquid acids, in some of the most important…
MIT Chemists Make Tough Thermoset Plastics Recyclable
New method for producing thermoset plastics allows them to be broken down more easily after use. Thermosets, which include epoxies, polyurethanes, and rubber used for…
Plastic You Put in Recycling Bin May End Up in Asian Waters
Study Finds That Plastic Recycling From Europe Being Dumped in Asian Waters Up to 31% of plastic exported for recycling is not recycled at all….
Each Year More Than 1000 Tons of Plastic Rains on Western US Protected Lands
Microplastic particles and fibers spiral through the Earth system, accumulating even in protected wilderness areas and national parks in the western US. Utah State University…
Microfiber Forensics: How to Reduce Microfiber Loss From Washing Clothes
Almost 13,000 tonnes of microfibers, equivalent to two rubbish trucks every day, are being released into European marine environments every year. A new study has…