The UK's recycling system is confusing, chaotic and broken – here's how to fix it

The UK needs to fix its recycling system for a more sustainable future.

Kristoffer Kortsen, Post Doctoral Research Associate, Materials Engineering, University of Manchester • conversation
June 5, 2023 • ~7 min

Recycling: what you can and can't recycle and why it's so confusing

Confusion about what should and shouldn’t be recycled? You’re not alone – and it’s causing some people to ignore recycling altogether.

Matthew Derry, Lecturer in Chemistry, Aston University • conversation
May 31, 2023 • ~7 min

Biodegradable plastic in clothing doesn't break down nearly as quickly as hoped – new research

Polylactic acid – a popular bioplastic – does not readily break down when released into the ocean, and could disrupt marine ecosystems

Muhammad Ali, Senior Lecturer in Civil Engineering, University of Portsmouth • conversation
May 24, 2023 • ~7 min

What is BPA and why is it in so many plastic products?

The US Environmental Protection Agency is reexamining the health effects of bisphenol A. A chemist explains why BPA is in plastics and why it’s hard to find a safe replacement.

Benjamin Elling, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Wesleyan University • conversation
June 23, 2022 • ~6 min

If plastic comes from oil and gas, which come originally from plants, why isn’t it biodegradable?

Plastic is made from oil and natural gas, which started out as fossilized plant and animal material. But buried deep underground for millions of years, those materials changed in important ways.

Yael Vodovotz, Professor of Food Science & Technology, The Ohio State University • conversation
May 30, 2022 • ~5 min

COVID-19 is laying waste to many US recycling programs

The COVID-019 pandemic has boosted use of disposable packaging and personal protective equipment, at the same time that many recycling programs are facing budget cuts. The upshot: More plastic trash.

Julie Rieland, PhD Candidate in Macromolecular Science and Engineering, University of Michigan • conversation
June 23, 2020 • ~9 min

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