microplastics

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    A New Biodegradable Glitter Is Here Thanks to Cambridge Researchers

    A New Biodegradable Glitter Is Here Thanks to Cambridge Researchers

    The holiday season is approaching, which means that stores are starting to fill with cards and decorations coated in glitter. Scientists and environmental advocates have pointed out that glitter is actually made of microplastics, and is therefore a dangerous contribution to the ocean plastic crisis. But now researchers may have developed a path towards a […]

    Community Scientists Have New EPA Guidelines for Sampling Microplastic Pollution. How Useful Are They?

    Community Scientists Have New EPA Guidelines for Sampling Microplastic Pollution. How Useful Are They?

    Scientists have found microplastics in nearly every kind of aquatic ecosystem, from rivers and lakes down to the depths of the ocean. Now, new federal guidelines show how anyone interested in undertaking their own community science experiment can investigate their waterways — but their results may not perfectly represent what’s lurking underwater. Community scientists can […]

    10 Simple Ways to Avoid Microplastics in Your Everyday Life

    10 Simple Ways to Avoid Microplastics in Your Everyday Life

    More than 8.3 billion tons of plastic has been produced by humans since the 1950s, 79% of which has landed up in dumps, landfills, and the natural environment. Scientists warn that if our patterns of plastic production and disposal continue, our oceans could contain more plastic than fish as soon as 2050. Plastic is so […]

    Babies Are Already Pooping Plastic, Study Finds

    Babies Are Already Pooping Plastic, Study Finds

    Babies haven’t spent a lot of time on the planet, but apparently it’s still enough time to be exposed to lots of plastic. A new study published in Environmental Science and Technology Letters Wednesday found an average of 36,000 nanograms of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics (MP) per gram of infant feces, compared to 2,600 nanograms […]

    Record Levels of Harmful Particles Found in Great Lakes Fish

    Record Levels of Harmful Particles Found in Great Lakes Fish

    By Andrew Blok A record-setting fish was pulled from Hamilton Harbor at the western tip of Lake Ontario in 2015 and the world is learning about it just now. The fish, a brown bullhead, contained 915 particles—a mix of microplastics, synthetic materials containing flame retardants or plasticizers, dyed cellulose fibers, and more—in its body. It […]

    Here’s What Happens When You Eat From Plastic Containers

    Here’s What Happens When You Eat From Plastic Containers

    Drinking water is supposed to be good for you, but what happens when you diligently carry that disposable water bottle around all day, to remind yourself to take a sip? With that sip, you take in an undue amount of plastic, according to recent research. And that’s not all. Takeout cartons, shelf-stable wrapping, those water […]

    Biden EPA Appears to Side With Chemical Industry in Microplastics Health Conflict: Greenpeace Investigation

    Biden EPA Appears to Side With Chemical Industry in Microplastics Health Conflict: Greenpeace Investigation

    By Julia Conley A Greenpeace investigation revealed Monday that the Biden administration appears sympathetic to oil and chemical industry giants — not the public, scientists, and public health advocates — regarding a push in Europe to curb the use of microplastics in everyday products. According to a report by Unearthed, Greenpeace UK’s investigative journalism unit, […]

    Ocean Plastic: What You Need to Know

    Ocean Plastic: What You Need to Know

    Ocean bound plastic is plastic waste that is headed toward our oceans. The term “ocean bound plastic” was popularized by Jenna Jambeck, Ph.D., a professor from the University of Georgia. In 2015, she and a team of researchers estimated the amount of plastic waste entering the ocean from land.