Plastic
New York Plastic Bag Ban—What You Need to Know
The ban on plastic bags in New York State can be enforced from today following a seven-month delay.
Gas Made by Bacteria May One Day Replace Fossil Fuels in Plastic Production
Scientists made the discovery by mistake while working on an ongoing project.
Microplastics in the Ocean May Be Vastly Underestimated, Study Says
Microplastics are ubiquitous in the marine environment. However, accurately classifying and quantifying them in the oceans has proven challenging for researchers.
Microplastics Discovered in 150-Year-Old Seabed 7,000 Feet Below Surface
"It was very surprising to find microplastics so deep," researcher Winnie Courtene-Jones told Newsweek.
Scientists Identify 1.9 Million Microplastics in Square Meter of Ocean Bed
An international team of researchers describeD how deep-sea currents transport and dump large quantities of microplastic across the ocean floor.
LEGO Bricks May Survive in the Oceans for 1,300 Years
Researchers compared LEGO bricks that have washed up to pristine sets from the 1970s and 1980s to calculate their lifespan.
This Is How Long Coronavirus Can Survive on Surfaces and in the Air
The COVID-19 virus appears to survive longest on plastic (polypropylene) and stainless steel.
Sea Turtles Like the Smell of Plastic in the Ocean so Much They Eat It
Plastic covered in algae and micro-organisms could be releasing a smell that encourages sea turtles to mistake it for food.
Plastic-Eating Caterpillars Have Gut Bacteria That Can Live on Polyethylene
Researchers say this could help with the problem of plastic pollution, but not all are convinced.
Scientists Turn 'Trash to Treasure' by Making Graphene From Coal, Plastic
"This is a big deal," said lead scientist James Tour. "The world throws out 30 percent to 40 percent of all food, because it goes bad, and plastic waste is of worldwide concern."
Over 15,000 Pounds of Patties Recalled, May Be Contaminated With Plastic
"While the product was distributed to schools, it resulted from a commercial sale and was not part of the food provided by the USDA for the National School Lunch Program," the FSIS said.
There May Be Million Times More Microplastics in Oceans Than We Thought
The new estimate based on samples collected in California 8.3 million per cubic meter—not ten as previously calculated.
Whales Spotted Swimming Through Great Pacific Garbage Patch for First Time
Sightings included beaked, baleen and sperm whales, and a mother with her very young calf.
Tragic Image Shows Pregnant Dead Whale and Fetus Tangled in Fishing Gear
The cetacean had died after getting caught in a fishing net. Scientists say the netting had become jammed in the whale's baleen.
I Tried To Give Up Plastic for a Month—and It Was Harder Than I Thought
Millions of people have taken part in the Plastic-Free July challenge, which asks participants to help reduce their plastic waste by choosing to refuse to use single-use plastics.
School in India is Accepting Trash to Pay For Student Fees
Each week, students at the Akshar Foundation School in Assam are asked to bring in 25 recyclable plastic items, which are then transformed into low-cost, durable construction material.
Green Turtles are Eating Trash Bags Thinking They're Food
Seagrass and algae, some of their favourite foods, look like plastic.
PepsiCo to Sell Water in Aluminum Cans to Reduce 8,000 Tons of Plastic Use
The beverage giant will test selling cans at restaurants before putting them on supermarket shelves.
Breaking Up with Plastic While You Travel
Once touted as an indestructible magic material, plastics have proven they are, indeed, long lasting - often ending up in our oceans, polluting reefs and killing wildlife. Here's how to help while you travel.
Devin Nunes Compares California Straw Law to Socialism
"At restaurant tonight waitress asks if we want straws. Says she has to ask now in fear of THE STRAW POLICE," Nunes tweeted to his 380,000 followers.
Nurdles: The Plastic Pollution You've Never Heard Of
These microplastics cause huge problems for marine life and can be colonized by microbes dangerous to humans.
World's Biggest Ocean Sinkhole Has Plastic at Bottom
Richard Branson and Fabien Cousteau dove to the bottom of the Blue Hole in December.
Florida Woman Robs Mailman With Plastic Gun
Police arrested the woman for armed robbery and aggravated assault.
Plastic Waste Wins International Statistic of the Year
If someone could collect and recycle all the unrecycled plastic on earth, they would be the richest person on the planet.
Anti-plastic Book Distributed With Plastic Covering
"It undoes all our hard work and proves once again that we are using plastic with our eyes closed," author Martin Dorey said.
Woman On Life Support After Botched Plastic Surgery
The woman's family is hoping to transfer her to a hospital in Dallas for a second opinion.
Urban 'Mermaid' Saves Cow Drowning in Thames
She thought the cow was a sheet of plastic but then realized it had "four legs and was mooing."
Cold Plasma Pyrolysis Could Revolutionize Plastic Waste
Rather than wasting plastics, cold plasma pyrolysis can be used to recover valuable materials, which can be sent directly back into industry.
Plastic-Eating Mosquitoes Could Disperse Material
On average, researchers found 40 pieces of plastic in adult mosquitoes.
How Much Plastic Pollution Will Kill a Turtle?
It's not uncommon to find stranded dead turtles with guts full of plastic.