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"Biodegradable Plastics Made from Fish Waste Offer New Path to Sustainable Materials"
#Plastic #Plastics
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Biodegradable Plastics Made from Fish Waste Offer New Path to Sustainable Materials | Happy Eco News
An MIT senior developed biodegradable plastic made from fish waste, transforming fish scales into compostable thin films suitable for single-use products.

"Lack of demand hampering flexible plastics recycling, warns industry alliance"
#Plastic #Plastics #Recycling

😕 Questions are being raised about microplastics studies—here's what's solid science and what isn't
https://phys.org/news/2026-01-microplastics-solid-science-isnt.html

Questions are being raised about microplastics studies—here's what's solid science and what isn't
Over the past few years, studies have suggested that plastic particles from bottles, food packaging and waste have been detected in human blood, lungs, placentas, arteries and even the brain. But a recent investigation by The Guardian suggests that some of these claims may be less robust than they first appeared.

"Environmental trade-offs of biodegradable plastics revealed"
#Plastic #Plastics #Environment

Environmental trade-offs of biodegradable plastics revealed
Switching to biodegradable plastics could slash toxic pollution by more than a third and dramatically reduce global waste by mid-century, but only if cities and companies invest in the right disposal systems, a Yale School of the Environment study found. Without proper composting facilities, biodegradable plastics could double greenhouse gas emissions.

"Plastic household waste burned as fuel on rise in Global South, risking health"
#Plastic #Plastics

Plastic household waste burned as fuel on rise in Global South, risking health
Burning plastic waste for household fuel, or to manage household waste, may be far more prevalent in poor urban areas in developing countries than previously thought, raising serious environmental pollution and public health concerns for individuals, families and communities. That’s according to a new global study that surveyed more than 1,000 “key informants,” including researchers, […]

🧼 New chemi-mechanical process removes pigments and restores properties in recycled plastics
https://phys.org/news/2026-01-chemi-mechanical-pigments-properties-recycled.html

New chemi-mechanical process removes pigments and restores properties in recycled plastics
Researchers in Worcester Polytechnic Institute's Department of Chemical Engineering and at the University of Akron have published research in Chemical Engineering Journal about a new technology that seeks to solve long-standing challenges in plastic recycling that limit the overwhelming majority of plastics to a single use and contribute to the accumulation of plastic waste.

"Plastics everywhere, and the myth that made it possible"
#Plastic #Plastics #Environment

Plastics everywhere, and the myth that made it possible
If there's one material that defines modern life more than any other, it's plastic: present from the moment we're born in newborn stool, in product packaging, in the soil beneath our feet and the air we breathe.

"‘They pushed so many lies about recycling’: the fight to stop big oil pumping billions more into plastics"
#Plastic #Plastics #Recycling

🧋 Microbubbles can release microplastics into our water
#plastics

Microbubbles can release microplastics into our water
Microbubbles in the tap water you just poured into a plastic glass are strong enough to create tiny abrasions on the inner layer of the plastic—quietly adding to our growing microplastic problem.

"Plastic washing at recycling plants can spike phthalates in wastewater, study suggests"
#Plastic #Plastics #Environment

Plastic washing at recycling plants can spike phthalates in wastewater, study suggests
Potentially harmful chemicals can contaminate untreated water used in recycling plants to clean plastics before they're processed into new products, according to a new study by an Iowa State University research group. Researchers from Iowa State's Polymer and Food Protection Consortium tested common industrial plastic-washing practices and found that some methods left the wash water with high levels of two types of phthalates—a class of widely used additives linked to cancer risks and hormone…

"Microplastics and nanoplastics in urban air originate mainly from tire abrasion, research reveals"
#Plastic #Plastics #MicroPlastics

Microplastics and nanoplastics in urban air originate mainly from tire abrasion, research reveals
Although plastic particles in the air are increasingly coming into focus, knowledge about their distribution and effects is still limited. Chemical analyses from Leipzig now provide details from Germany for the first time: Around 4% of the particulate matter consists of plastic. Around two-thirds of this comes from tire abrasion.

"The Ocean Cleanup removed a record 25 million kilos of plastic in 2025 (and they’re just getting started)"
#Oceans #Environment #Plastic

The Ocean Cleanup removed a record 25 million kilos of plastic in 2025 (and they’re just getting started) | The Optimist Daily
With 25 million kilos of plastic removed in 2025 alone, The Ocean Cleanup is scaling up efforts to tackle plastic pollution from rivers to open ocean.

"The fossil fuel industry’s backup plan? Plastic."
#FossilFuels #Plastic #Plastics

The fossil fuel industry’s backup plan? Plastic.
In her new book, journalist and author Beth Gardiner explains how the industry has made plastic part of our daily lives – and what we can do about it.

"Dishwashing with side effects: Kitchen sponges release microplastics"
#Microplastics #Plastic #Plastics

Dishwashing with side effects: Kitchen sponges release microplastics
Kitchen sponges are considered a potential, yet largely understudied, source of microplastics in households. A study in Environmental Advances investigated how many microplastic particles are released from kitchen sponges during use and what environmental impacts result. The paper is titled "From sink to sea: Microplastic release from kitchen sponges and potential environmental effects."

"Scientists trace microplastics in fertilizer from fields to the beach"
#Plastic #Plastics #Microplastics

Scientists trace microplastics in fertilizer from fields to the beach
Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have studied how polymer-coated fertilizer (PCF) applied to fields ends up on beaches and in the sea. They studied PCF deposits on beaches around Japan, finding that only 0.2% of used PCFs are washed into rivers and returned to the coastline. When there are canals connecting fields to the sea, this rises to 28%.

"Once Dried up and Full of Plastic, Canal in India Is Now Clear and Lined with Mangroves"
#India #Environment #Plastic

Once Dried up and Full of Plastic, Canal in India Is Now Clear and Lined with Mangrove Trees
750 kilograms—almost 2,000 pounds—of trash were pulled from the canal along with heaps of invasive prosopis plants. 

"Penguins are ingesting worrying amounts of white plastic. Could switching colours protect them?"
#Penguins #Animals #Plastic

Penguins are attracted to harmful white plastics, study shows
Researchers set out to discover why seabirds appear to be attracted to white plastic over other colours.

"Cutting-Edge Plant-Based Plastic Bag Dissolves In Seawater Leaving No Microplastics"
#Microplastics #Plastic #Plastics

Cutting-Edge Plant-Based Plastic Bag Dissolves In Seawater Leaving No Microplastics
A team of researchers has demonstrated a cutting-edge plant-based plastic bag that can dissolve in water without producing microplastics

"Takeaway coffee cups release thousands of microplastic particles, research reveals"
#Plastic #Plastics #Microplastics

Takeaway coffee cups release thousands of microplastic particles, research reveals
It's 7:45am. You grab a takeout coffee from your local café, wrap your hands around the warm cup, take a sip, and head to the office.

"One-Third of Pacific Island Fish Contaminated With Microplastics"
#Microplastics #Plastic #Plastics #Fish

One-Third of Pacific Island Fish Contaminated With Microplastics - Inside Climate News
From the coral-covered coastlines of Tonga to the remote sandy atolls of Tuvalu, microscopic synthetic fibers are infiltrating the region’s species and food systems. One-third of fish living in Pacific island waters—like Fiji’s thumbprint emperor or Vanuatu’s dash-and-dot goatfish—are contaminated with microplastics, according to data published Wednesday by researchers at the University of the South […]

"Huge amounts of nanoplastics discovered in tap and bottled water"
#Water #Plastic #Plastics #Microplastics

Huge amounts of nanoplastics discovered in tap and bottled water
The amount of nanoplastics in drinking water in the U.S. has been wildly underestimated. That’s according to a new study that found the amount of plastic in both tap and bottled water was 10-100 times higher than previous estimates. For the new study, researchers used more advanced methodology and found more plastic. “It is like […]

"Rivers and tidal currents keep 80% of microfibers from reaching oceans, study suggests"
#Plastic #Plastics #Oceans #Water

Microbes make microplastics more likely to form ice in clouds, research reveals
Tiny pieces of plastic, called microplastics, are showing up everywhere, even in the water in clouds, rain, and snow—and they may be affecting our weather and temperatures. A study published in Environmental Science & Technology and led by Hosein Foroutan, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, found that microbes living on microplastics dramatically boost their ability to trigger ice formation in clouds.

"Even in Antarctica, Insects Are Eating Microplastics"
#Antarctica #Microplastics #Plastic #Plastics

Even in Antarctica, Insects Are Eating Microplastics

"Seabird nests built with plastic waste off the coast of Germany: Photo of the week"
#Germany #Birds #Plastic #Plastics

Seabird nests built with plastic waste off the coast of Germany: Photo of the week
The northern gannet, a seabird that lives across the northern Atlantic Ocean, typically builds its nests from seaweed and other aquatic plants. But more recently, its nests have started to include plastic material fished from the ocean. Martin Brogger, a researcher at Argentina’s Institute of Marine Organisms Biology (IBIOMAR), photographed several gannet nests containing plastic […]