Plastics

Designing the Death of a Plastic

Decades ago, synthetic polymers became popular because they were cheap and durable. Now, scientists are creating material that self-destructs or breaks down for reuse on command.

How Bad Are Plastics, Really?

They’re harmful to health, environment, and human rights—and now poised to dominate this century as an unchecked cause of climate change.

The Types of Plastics Families Should Avoid

If it seems like plastic is everywhere, that’s because it is. But there are easy ways to limit your exposure.

A Look Into The Future Of Plastics And What Part Your Business Plays In It

While we can all agree that plastics have provided numerous benefits in the areas of hygiene, versatility, insulation and convenience, their disposal and the gas emissions generated to produce them are at the top of the industry’s agenda.

COVID-19 has resurrected single-use plastics – are they back to stay?

COVID-19 is changing how the U.S. disposes of waste. It is also threatening hard-fought victories that restricted or eliminated single-use disposable items, especially plastic, in cities and towns across the nation.

Here Is Who’s Behind the Global Surge in Single-Use Plastic

A new report shows that a surprisingly small number of big companies and banks are behind the manufacturing and financing of much of the world’s single-use plastic.

Know Your Plastics

To select the plastics that are best for your children and for the environment, get to know the easy-to-identify plastic recycling codes you’ll usually find on the underside of the bottle or packaging. Look for these numbers and symbols before you buy. The safer plastic choices are coded 1, 2, 4, and 5. Try to avoid 3, 6, and most plastics labeled with number 7.

Microplastics are everywhere. Here’s what that means for our health

The impacts to our bodies remain murky, but early findings suggest the smallest bits could cause harm.

Plastic bags were finally being banned. Then came the pandemic.

Single-use plastics are all over the front lines of the Covid-19 response.

The Immense, Eternal Footprint Humanity Leaves on Earth: Plastics

If human civilization were to be destroyed and its cities wiped off the map, there would be an easy way for future intelligent life-forms to know when the mid-20th century began: plastic.

The oceans are so polluted, we're now eating plastic

Shortly after a study revealed that there could be more plastic than fish in the sea by 2050, another troubling report says humans have polluted oceans so much that plastic is now a part of our diet.

The problem with all the plastic that’s leaching into your food

There’s a good chance much of what you ingested was packaged, stored, heated, lined, or served in plastic. And unfortunately, there’s mounting scientific evidence that these plastics are harming our health, from as early as our time in our mother’s womb.

The world is stuck with decades of new plastic it can’t recycle

As a planet and a species, we are awash in plastic. But just 60 years ago, it hardly existed. In 1955, LIFE magazine ran an article titled “Throwaway Living: Disposable items cut down on household chores.” It featured a full-page photograph of a cheerful young white man and woman tossing plastic plates and forks into the air.

There are some single-use plastics we truly need. The rest we can live without

It is remarkable how far we have already come in the effort to reduce our plastic pollution. We are rapidly reaching the point at which the relevant question is not “which plastics can we do without?”, but “which single-use plastics do we genuinely need?”

We’re all ingesting microplastics at home, and these might be toxic for our health. Here are some tips to reduce your risk

We still don’t know the true impact of these microplastics on human health. But the good news is, having hard floors, using more natural fibres in clothing, furnishings and homewares, along with vacuuming at least weekly can reduce your exposure.

It’s on our plates and in our poo, but are microplastics a health risk?

The omnipresent plastic is rife in dust, rice, placentas and tap water, but experts say it’s hard to untangle whether it’s harmful to humans.

Americans Eat and Inhale Over 70,000 Plastic Particles Each Year According to a New Analysis

Plastics have for years been used to make nearly everything that surrounds us. But along the way, they escaped the confines of packaging and objects and settled in the environment, the food we eat and the air we breathe.

Are Plastics Making Us Fat?

Health gurus claim chemicals—not calories—are the cause of obesity.

Artificial Spider's Silk Could Be Strong Enough to Replace Plastic

With wood glucose, it forms a tough, flexible, and biodegradable material.

Be the Change, End Your Use of Plastic

Sadly, we recycle only 9% of all the plastic products we ever use. Worse however, is that almost all of these plastic items, which we toss into the trash, are single-use plastics, designed to be used only once before they are thrown into the trash where they will persist in the environment for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years, or more.

BPA is Everywhere - Are We Safe?

Plastics are everywhere and so is BPA. Is it a real environmental hazard or just another scare?

Burning Question: Is it OK to Heat Food in Plastic?

Since plastic was first synthesized in the early 1900s, it has evolved into everything from lifesaving medical devices to a softening agent in hair conditioner. Plastic is ubiquitous but there are two chemicals in it to watch out for when it comes to what your body ingests.

Microplastic Is Everywhere and It's Sneaking Into Our Bodies

New research shows plastic pollution isn’t limited to the ocean and landfills. It’s all around us and people are eating and drinking it.

Most Table Salt Is Probably Full of Plastic

Researchers aren't sure yet what it means for human health.

Plastic and Human Health: A Lifecycle Approach to Plastic Pollution

Despite being one of the most pervasive materials on the planet, plastic and its impact on human health remain poorly understood. Yet exposure to plastic is expanding into new areas of the environment and food chain as existing plastic products fragment into smaller particles and concentrate toxic chemicals. As plastic production increases, this exposure will only grow.

Plastic and Humankind: An Unhealthy Relationship

Plastic has indeed completely transformed our lives—everything from modern medicine to food safety has been made possible by its fantastic and varied properties.

Plastic Bans: Curbing Choice for the Public Good

Freedom in the United States has never been freedom to do absolutely anything. So none of us should get too bent out of shape by cities finally choosing measures to reduce municipal solid waste.

Plastic Isn't The Enemy, Our Single-Use Mindset Is

Just telling people to give up convenient and affordable products and services isn't enough. Sure, some people will (and do) give up plastics, live a zero-waste life and even become advocates but fundamental change requires bigger ideas.

Plastic Peril?

Special series from NPR.

Plastics in the Ocean Affecting Human Health

In fact, not only do the toxins in plastic affect the ocean, but acting like sponges, they soak up other toxins from outside sources before entering the ocean. As these chemicals are ingested by animals in the ocean, this is not good for humans. We as humans ingest contaminated fish and mammals.

Scientists Remind Us That Single-Use Plastics Can Be Unsafe Amid a Pandemic

All the plastic from food deliveries and online shopping is piling up. But as a group of experts point out, disposable plastics aren’t inherently safer when it comes to possible virus transmission.

The Tiny Plastics in Your Clothes Are Becoming a Big Problem

Microfibers from synthetic clothing can make their way into seafood and drinking water every time the garments are washed.

We are guinea pigs in a worldwide experiment on microplastics

Microplastics interest me because they are now turning up everywhere and we know virtually nothing about how they might impact human health. So are these tiny pieces of plastic damaging our bodies?

Think plastic is pure evil? The surprising benefits of the world’s most wasteful material

Plastic is polluting our oceans, killing wildlife, and damaging our health, and there are widespread calls to get rid of it. But it isn’t as simple as wishing the pervasive material away.

9 Life Hacks To Help You Break Up With Plastic

To my surprise, the challenge wasn’t insurmountable. Sure, I struggled at times; but overall, I found it doable and liberating. I also saved some money and might’ve even inspired some friends in the process. Here are the guidelines I set for myself...

Plastic Health Coalition

With more and more alarm bells ringing about the suspected health risks that plastic poses, new scientific research is needed now more than ever. That’s why the Plastic Soup Foundation has created a new research and advocacy alliance: the Plastic Health Coalition. With this coalition, various national and international environmental and research organisations have joined forces to encourage, enhance, and disseminate scientific research into the health effects of plastic.

Five Ways That Plastics Harm The Environment (And One Way They May Help)

Plastics may actually be co-opted to help reduce harm to the environment -- but only if we stop screwing it up in all those other ways we mess with it.

Plastic Free July

Plastic Free July® is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution – so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities. Will you be part of Plastic Free July by choosing to refuse single-use plastics?

Plastic Soup Foundation

Stop the plastic soup tsunami as soon as possible! If we do not achieve this, we are leaving future generations with a terrible plastic plague. We are a ‘single issue’ environmental organization that is concerned with one thing: stopping plastic pollution at its source.

Plasticisers

Plasticisers (US: plasticizers) are chemical substances essential to soften PVC, also known as vinyl, and make flexible and durable goods such as floors, cables and wall coverings. They include a large and diverse number of substances with very different properties, uses, classification and legal requirements.