According to a new report from fossil fuel accountability organization the Center for Climate Integrity (CCI), the plastics industry has known for decades that the widespread recycling of its products was not feasible, but continued to promote it and mislead the public. Many of the fossil fuel companies that were aware and deceived the public […]
A new recycling plant in Motala, Sweden has the capacity to recycle more plastic packaging per year than any other recycling plant in the world, The Associated Press reported. According to Svensk Plaståtervinning (Swedish Plastic Recycling), the plant, called Site Zero, can recycle up to 200,000 metric tons of plastic packaging annually. The facility spans […]
Since its invention more than 100 years ago, plastic has become increasingly ubiquitous in the environment, from the depths of the ocean to within algae beneath Arctic sea ice. Tiny microplastics have been detected floating high in the atmosphere above the French Pyrenees, as well as in human blood. Plastics persist in the environment because […]
A new report from Wrap, a climate action NGO, finds that despite making gains in lowering their carbon impact, such as reducing carbon impact and water usage per garment, fashion companies’ efforts are being canceled out by increased production. The Textiles 2030 Annual Progress Report reviewed brands that had signed up to Wrap’s voluntary Textiles […]
Humans love portable electronics, from the Walkman in the 1980s to the disposable vapes and handheld, miniature fans of today. Over the years, as demand for these electronic gadgets has soared, they have gotten cheaper, leading to an enormous amount of waste. In the past year, 471 million small, inexpensive everyday electronics like headphones and […]
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced grants of more than $100 million to expand the country’s recycling and waste management infrastructure. It is the largest investment in recycling by the EPA in three decades. Funding for the grants will come from President Joe Biden’s Investing in America agenda. Under the new funding opportunity, […]
Have you ever found yourself with a bunch of fabric — maybe old clothes, rags, socks, or tablecloths — that you just can’t find a use for, and don’t quite know what to do with? Well, don’t throw it in the trash, since 95% of all clothing, shoes, and other fabrics can be recycled in […]
A diverse microbiome of bacteria and plastic-degrading fungi lives in salt marshes on the coast of Jiangsu, China. It was identified by an international team of scientists who counted 55 bacterial and 184 fungal strains that are able to break down a biodegradable polyester called polycaprolactone (PCL), often used in polyurethane production, a press release […]
Mars, Inc. is testing out new, paper wrappers for its candy bars in a trial run at Tesco grocery stores in the UK. The paper wrappers are temporarily replacing plastic wrappers, which are not recyclable. The company plans to use feedback from the trial as it works toward developing alternative packaging options for its candy […]