Plastic recycling is failing – here's how the world must respond

Making less plastic and reusing what exists should be the priority.

Stephanie Northen, Research Associate, Revolution Plastics, University of Portsmouth • conversation
May 30, 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

Check your tyres: you might be adding unnecessary microplastics to the environment

Inflating your cars’ tyres properly isn’t just good for your bank account - it can minimise your environmental footprint too.

Samantha Garrard, Marine Ecosystem Services Researcher, Plymouth Marine Laboratory • conversation
May 19, 2023 • ~7 min

Reusable nappies can reduce the environmental footprint of parenting – but only if they're used with care

How to be more a more eco-friendly parent – it’s not as simple as ditching disposable nappies.

Sharon George, Research Chair, Indigenous Approaches to Environmental Management, Keele University • conversation
May 15, 2023 • ~7 min

Microplastics: we've found startling quantities in the ice algae that are essential for all Arctic marine life

Arctic sea ice algae contaminated with microplastics have serious consequences for ecosystems and the climate.

Steve Allen, Ocean Frontier Institute researcher, Dalhousie University • conversation
May 11, 2023 • ~6 min

Plastic fibres stunt growth in mussels by more than a third – here's why this is a concern

A study shows that exposure to polyester microfibres inhibits growth in mussels.

Chris Walkinshaw, PhD Candidate, Plymouth Marine Laboratory • conversation
March 24, 2023 • ~7 min

Seabirds that swallow ocean plastic waste have scarring in their stomachs – scientists have named this disease 'plasticosis'

Many marine animals, birds and fish are ingesting plastic. New research identifies the first named health effect from it.

Matthew Savoca, Postdoctoral researcher, Stanford University • conversation
March 21, 2023 • ~9 min

UK laundry releases microfibres weighing the equivalent of 1,500 buses each year

By washing our clothes, we release microfibres into the environment which are then ingested by marine animals.

Mark Taylor, Research Officer, University of Leeds • conversation
Feb. 14, 2023 • ~8 min

Plastic pollution: European farmland could be largest global reservoir of microplastics

Up to 42,000 tonnes a year of microplastics are removed from sewage, spread on fields as fertiliser and eventually wash back into watercourses.

Valentine Muhawenimana, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Environmental Engineering, Cardiff University • conversation
May 23, 2022 • ~6 min

Disease-causing parasites can hitch a ride on plastics and potentially spread through the sea, new research suggests

Normally land-bound pathogens that cause deadly diseases for both humans and animals can cling to microplastics and end up in your seafood.

Emma Zhang, Veterinary student, University of California, Davis • conversation
April 26, 2022 • ~7 min

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