The Myth of ‘Home-Compostable’ Plastics
As single-use plastics fall further out of favor among environmentally-conscious consumers and governments, many companies are turning to newer materials that they say will break down in people’s backyard composting bins. But new research reveals that most of these so-called “home-compostable” plastics don’t live up to their labels.
A Legal Pot Problem That’s Now Plaguing the Streets of America: Plastic Litter
Waste packaging from a burgeoning and newly legalized marijuana industry litters streets across the country, adding to a global crisis of plastic waste. In New York, regulators who are making the state’s first-ever rules for the retail sale of recreational marijuana hope they have answers to limit their state’s contribution to the problem. They’ve been working to include sustainable packaging requirements into the licenses that businesses will need to open by the end of this year.
The Race to Stop a Plastics Plant Scores a Crucial Win
As an old saying goes, you can't fight city hall, meaning government. But the people of St. James Parish, La., did just that—and they won a major court victory against a massive plastics plant supported by the governor, state and local legislators, the business community and local power brokers.
Single-Use Plastic Is Wreaking Havoc on the Planet. Here’s What You Can Do to Minimize Your Impact.
Plastics do not break down once they're thrown into nature. And, alarmingly, only around 9% plastic in the US is actually recycled, according to the Environmental Protection Agency — even the stuff you specifically threw into the recycle bin. What you might not realize is this isn't just a pollution problem. It's a climate problem. And by the time we start talking about recycling, the damage is already done.
To Reduce Plastic Waste, Make Producers Responsible for It (Guest Opinion by Judith Enck)
Seen any plastic waste littering your favorite lakeshore, park or neighborhood lately? You’re not alone — largely because less than 6% of the plastic we produce is actually recycled. Unlike metal, glass, paper and cardboard, plastics — which are made from a byproduct of hydrofracked gas plus a variety of toxic chemical and colorants — are neither feasible nor economical to recycle.
Why Canada’s Plastics Ban Is About More Than Litter
Monday’s ban on certain single-use plastics is not just about litter and pollution, shopping bags caught in trees and microplastics floating in the ocean. It’s also about limiting future demand for oil, say academics and researchers.
To Avoid A Plastic Future, New York Must Update The Bottle Bill | Opinion
USA Today | January 7, 2022 | State lawmakers and Gov. Kathy Hochul can take action to modernize New York’s successful beverage container deposit law, known as the Bottle Bill, which turns 40 next year.
How Bad Are Plastics, really?
The Atlantic | January 3, 2022 | Plastic production just keeps expanding, and now is becoming a driving cause of climate change.
New York City Banned Foam Containers. Now The Rest Of The State Will, Too.
Three years ago, New York City banned single-use food containers and packing peanuts made out of polystyrene foam. Some suburban counties like Westchester and Nassau soon followed. Now, the rest of the state is going to give it a try.
Plastic as fuel? Why ‘advanced’ recycling gets mixed reviews.
“Advanced recycling” is an industry label for turning old plastics into new uses. But the bigger need – from both waste and emissions standpoints – may be to reduce single-use plastics in the first place.
How a lawsuit against TerraCycle shows the limits of recycling trash in the U.S.
Every day, a warehouse close to Trenton takes in hundreds of boxes of waste that’s hard to recycle — things like pens, cellphone accessories, children’s toys, and coffee capsules. The warehouse belongs to TerraCycle, which was founded to recycle waste that is difficult for municipal programs to deal with.
EPA finalizes its first national recycling strategy
On Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency finalized America’s first “national recycling strategy,” which aims to support the agency’s goal of achieving a 50 percent recycling rate by the end of the decade.
Greece’s Popular Islands Are Crowded — With Plastic
The Aegean islands are parched. Breaking the dependency on imported water will take more than the will of eco-conscious residents.
Baby Poop Is Loaded With Microplastics
An alarming new study finds that infant feces contain 10 times more polyethylene terephthalate (aka polyester) than an adult’s.
Food companies “behind the curve” on plastic pollution, campaigners claim
Major food manufacturing and grocery retail companies that turn a blind eye to the risks related to plastic pollution could face legal action, warns environmental law charity Client Earth.
Plastic Bag Ban Violators Getting Away with Breaking Law as Enforcers Check Out
State regulators charged with overseeing the ban on single-use plastic shopping bags are overwhelmed by complaints, with more than 300 reported violators yet to be checked on, data obtained by THE CITY shows.
WOMR’s Sustainable Practices: Judith Enck
Sustainable Practices interviews Judith Enck, founder of Beyond Plastics, on WOMR Podcasts.
One Planet: 20 Companies Produce 55% Of The World’s Single-Use Plastic Waste -- Exxon & Dow Top The List
Twenty companies are responsible for producing over 50 percent of ‘throwaway’ single-use plastic that ends up as waste, according to the Minderoo Foundation's Plastic Waste Makers Index. ExxonMobil tops the list – contributing 5.9 million tonnes to global plastic waste – closely followed by US chemical company Dow and China’s Sinopec.
Plastic Waste Suppliers: Interview with Judith Enck
Host Bobby Bascomb talks with Judith Enck, founder of Beyond Plastics, about why fossil fuel companies are moving towards more plastic production, as well as what alternatives and next steps we can take to avoid using single-use plastics.
Groups Renew Call For Plastics Ban In National Park System
The change of administrations in Washington, D.C., has led to a renewed call for a ban on disposable plastic bottles in the National Park System, along with a commitment from the agency that plastic wastes in the parks be reduced by 75 percent over the next five years.