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Plastic Pollution

All articles tagged with #plastic pollution

Beach Fires Create 'Plasticoral' as Melted Waste Fuses with Coral Rubble
environment10 days ago

Beach Fires Create 'Plasticoral' as Melted Waste Fuses with Coral Rubble

Researchers in Japan have identified a new form of marine pollution called 'plasticoral,' where plastic waste has irreversibly fused with coral rubble. This phenomenon was discovered on beaches in the Ryukyu Islands, specifically Okinawa, where spectroscopic analysis revealed household polymers melted into the microscopic pores of coral skeletons. The fusion is likely caused by beach bonfires, as ocean temperatures are currently insufficient to melt plastic. While the long-term ecological impact is unknown, previous studies suggest such plastics can leach harmful chemicals or carry pathogens to living corals.

via wired.com|
#coral-reefs#environment#environmental-hazards
Australian Seabirds Break Plastic-Ingestion Records, Fledgling Carries 894 Pieces
environment23 days ago

Australian Seabirds Break Plastic-Ingestion Records, Fledgling Carries 894 Pieces

Australian seabirds on Lord Howe Island are breaking plastic ingestion records, including a fledgling with 894 pieces—about 64 g, roughly 15% of its body weight. The trend, rising since 2023 with new records each year, reflects increasing ocean waste and parents feeding plastic to chicks. The study urges stronger recycling policies (e.g., attached bottle caps) and highlights research into turning plastic into fuel or other useful materials as potential solutions.

via Gizmodo|
#australia#environment#ocean-pollution
Turning Plastic Waste Into Clean Hydrogen With a Low-Temp Alkaline Process
technology2 months ago

Turning Plastic Waste Into Clean Hydrogen With a Low-Temp Alkaline Process

A study published in PNAS describes an alkaline thermal treatment (ATT) that converts mixed plastic waste into high-purity hydrogen at lower temperatures with negligible direct CO2 emissions, potentially tackling both plastic pollution and clean-energy needs. Lab tests on PET, PE, and PP show hydrogen yields comparable to pyrolysis/gasification, with a need for pre-treatment of some plastics. While promising, researchers caution that scalability, economic viability, and full life-cycle environmental impact still require further research, along with handling contaminated plastics and recycling the sodium hydroxide.

via Gizmodo|
#alkaline-thermal-treatment#energy-transition#hydrogen
Plastic at the Hadal Depth: The Challenger Deep Sighting and the Broader Deep-Sea Debris Trend
science2 months ago

Plastic at the Hadal Depth: The Challenger Deep Sighting and the Broader Deep-Sea Debris Trend

In 2019 Victor Vescovo reached about 10,927 metres in the Challenger Deep and reported seeing something that looked like a plastic bag, but the observation was hedged and not recovered; subsequent analysis notes that a JAMSTEC study had already logged a plastic bag at 10,898 metres, and broader research shows single-use plastic debris is common at hadal depths, making the general claim of plastic in the deep sea well-supported even if the specific bag sighting isn’t definitively confirmed.

via Space Daily|
#challenger-deep#deep-sea-debris#hadal-zone
Hard-to-die plastic: PET bottles linger for centuries and seed microplastics globally
environment3 months ago

Hard-to-die plastic: PET bottles linger for centuries and seed microplastics globally

A PET water bottle takes about 450 years to decompose; since the 1970s essentially every bottle produced remains somewhere on Earth, gradually fragmenting into microplastics that are now found from Arctic ice to deep Mariana Trench sediments, while global plastic production continues and most of it remains unrecycled, ensuring centuries of pollution as plastics persist and disperse through air, water, and soils.

via Space Daily|
#decomposition-timeline#environment#global-dispersal
Maryland researchers near breakthrough in biodegradable packaging to curb plastic pollution
environment4 months ago

Maryland researchers near breakthrough in biodegradable packaging to curb plastic pollution

A University of Maryland research team says it is nearing a breakthrough to tackle plastic pollution by developing cost-effective biodegradable packaging using AI and biomolecular techniques drawn from shrimp and crab shells, with the aim of replacing plastic bags, wraps, water bottles, and other food-packaging materials.

via WJLA|
#ai-tech#biodegradable-packaging#environment
San Diego rail nurdle settlement tightens transport rules for plastic pellets
environment8 months ago

San Diego rail nurdle settlement tightens transport rules for plastic pellets

A settlement over nurdle spills along San Diego-area rail lines leads BNSF Railway, the Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation, San Diego Coastkeeper, and the North County Transit District to adopt nationwide policies requiring sealed plastic-pellet rail cars, penalties for non-compliance, and a donation to local cleanup efforts, in an effort to curb plastic-pellet pollution.

via San Diego Union-Tribune|
#bnsf#coastal-environmental-rights-foundation#environment
Global plastics boom linked to rising health burden, study warns
health8 months ago

Global plastics boom linked to rising health burden, study warns

A Lancet Planetary Health analysis estimates plastic pollution caused about 2.1 million global disability-adjusted life years in 2016 and could rise to roughly 4.5 million by 2040. Health harms come primarily from upstream plastic production and associated pollution rather than waste alone. The study argues for a cradle-to-grave, system-wide shift—reducing primary production while improving reuse and waste management—and urges stronger government action and industry transparency to curb the plastics health crisis.

via yahoo.com|
#health#lancet-planetary-health#plastic-pollution
Heat Boosts Microplastic Shedding from Takeaway Coffee Cups
environment8 months ago

Heat Boosts Microplastic Shedding from Takeaway Coffee Cups

A new study shows heat is the main driver of microplastic release from takeaway cups: all-plastic cups shed more particles than plastic-lined paper cups, and hotter beverages increase particle release. The researchers found a 300 mL daily hot coffee in polyethylene could lead to about 363,000 microplastics ingested annually. While long‑term health effects remain uncertain, the findings suggest using reusable cups or cooler drinks to reduce exposure, and avoiding pouring boiling liquids into plastic-lined containers.

via ScienceAlert|
#coffee-cups#consumer-health#environment
Addressing Plastic Pollution: Strategies, Climate Impact, and Future Risks
environment10 months ago

Addressing Plastic Pollution: Strategies, Climate Impact, and Future Risks

The report updates on plastic pollution, highlighting that without urgent global action, plastic entering the environment will nearly double by 2040, causing severe health, environmental, and climate impacts. It emphasizes the need for transformative policies to reduce plastic production, improve waste management, and shift towards a circular economy to mitigate these risks and create economic opportunities.

via The Pew Charitable Trusts|
#climate-change#environment#global-plastic-system