What happens to the plastic you recycle? Researchers lift the lid
We investigated plastic recycling in the UK and uncovered startling inconsistencies.
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A rubbish idea: how blockchains could tackle the world’s waste problem
The technology underlying Bitcoin is starting to spread its wings.
Plastic packaging could be a greater sin than food waste
Damaging as it is, food waste has an end point: it decomposes, breaks down, and returns to the soil. Plastic packaging persists indefinitely.
Plastic is now part of our planet’s fabric – a scientist and archaeologist discuss what happens next
Academics from different disciplines come Head to Head in this series to tackle topical debates.
Microplastics have even been blown into a remote corner of the Pyrenees
New research finds tiny particles in the atmosphere had been carried nearly 100km. Should we be worried?
Glitter’s sparkle hides a darker side – it can change the chemistry of our oceans
New research shows microplastics in glitter can disrupt how marine life builds its shells and reefs.
Do patients who suffer heart attack have more micro and nanoplastic in their blood? New study assessed
Cigarettes may act as an efficient delivery system for microplastic particles.
‘Plastic‑free’ fashion is not as clean or green as it seems
While natural fibre textiles like cotton have generated an environmentally friendly reputation in recent years they might be just as bad as microplastic textiles like polyester and Nylon.
Ocean Cleanup won’t turn a profit, but we should still do it
Research finds removing plastic from the ocean has huge economic benefits, even if there is little money to be made doing so.
How installation art can make plastic waste more tangible
A walk along the Kent coast after a storm inspired one of my early works. The shoreline was covered in seaweed, shells, jellyfish – and plastic.
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