microplastics
Ten years ago, I stood with then US Secretary of State John Kerry in the spectacular Sant Ocean Hall at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC to discuss an issue that we both hold dear: the state of the world’s oceans. Before that week in 2014, no one had gathered world leaders, funders, non-profits, and academics together under one roof to dedicate time to solving some of the greatest threats facing our oceans. That all changed when Secretary Kerry created Our Ocean – an annual international conference that will meet this week, for the ninth time, in Athens, Gre...
Euronews (English)
The simple idea of pinpointing an annual date when humans can no longer properly manage plastic waste was first marked in 2023. Plastic Overshoot Day provided a moment to reflect upon the challenge laid before us. Since the launch of last year’s report and overshoot day, we have had INC2 negotiations in Paris; INC3 in Nairobi, and the published drafts of a Global Plastic Treaty that many hope can be the vehicle for change. But despite these steps forward, it often seems that we are stuck in a cycle of single-use plastic dependency. Whilst policy has been mooted, schemes devised and initiatives...
Euronews (English)
Scientists in the UK have found evidence that microplastics are contaminating archaeological soil samples. The discovery has the potential to upend the way historical remains are preserved. Tiny particles of microplastics were discovered seven metres underground in samples dating from the first or early second century. They were first excavated in the 1980s. “This feels like an important moment, confirming what we should have expected: that what were previously thought to be pristine archaeological deposits, ripe for investigation, are in fact contaminated with plastics, and that this includes...
Euronews (English)
Environment ministers have broadly contested the inclusion of maritime transport in EU rules to counter microplastic pollution, arguing during an Environment Council meeting that unilateral European action would have limited impact and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) should take the lead. Cyprus, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Poland and Slovenia are among the member states which on Monday (March 25) have been vocal against the inclusion of maritime transport in the European Commission proposal to reduce microplastic pollution from industrial pellet loss...
Euronews (English)
MEPs have given a green light to proposed new rules designed to reduce and prevent microplastic pollution, but tweaked the European Commission’s proposal so that the measures would also cover maritime transport. The parliament’s environment (ENVI) committee voted on March 19 on a report prepared by MEP Joāo Albuquerque (Portugal/S&D) with 71 votes in favour and five against, following a proposal by the EU executive tabled in October last year, which only considered river transportation. Up to 180,000 tonnes of pellets are estimated to be released into the environment every year, with many of t...
Euronews (English)
The EU defied expectations when it finally adopted an ambitious sweeping ban on intentionally added microplastics — a real win for tackling plastic pollution at source. But just months after its adoption, this ambition is threatened by behind-closed-doors tinkering of the legislation. Microplastic pollution is out of control. These tiny plastic particles have been found everywhere scientists have looked, most recently in every human placenta tested in a study. Measuring less — and often significantly less — than five millimetres across, they are extremely persistent, which means it is almost i...
Euronews (English)
Microplastics have been linked to heart attacks, fertility issues and cancer - and they’re found everywhere from clouds to our bloodstreams. These tiny plastic particles come from larger plastics that have broken down, with synthetic clothing a key culprit. Humans consume up to 52,000 microplastic particles per year, according to a 2019 study by scientists in Canada. While the particles are pervasive in the environment, there are important and simple ways you can reduce their presence in your home - starting with your laundry. Why you should reduce microfibre pollution in your laundryWhen you ...
Euronews (English)
How do microplastics and the even smaller nanoplastics impact the heart? That's the question asked by a small Italian study that found that these tiny plastic particles, mostly invisible nanoparticles, were in the artery plaque of study participants. The researchers analysed 257 people who had surgery to clear blocked blood vessels, looking at the fatty buildup in their carotid arteries which supply blood to the brain, face, and neck. Microplastics ingested by humans can be found in every organ including the brain, new study findsUsing two methods, they found evidence of nanoplastics in the pl...
Euronews (English)
Recycling has been promoted as a solution to plastic waste management for more than 50 years. But big oil companies and the plastics industry have known for decades that it’s not a technically or economically viable solution, a new report reveals. Combining existing research and recently revealed internal documents, the report by the Center for Climate Integrity Research (CCI) could form the foundation for legal action, its authors say. “When corporations and trade groups know that their products pose grave risks to society, and then lie to the public and policymakers about it, they must be he...
Euronews (English)
Washington (AFP) - Extracts of okra and other slimy plants commonly used in cooking can help remove dangerous microplastics from wastewater, scientists said Tuesday. The new research was presented at the spring meeting of the American Chemical Society, and offers an alternative to the synthetic chemicals currently used in treatment plants that can themselves pose risks to health. "In order to go ahead and remove microplastic or any other type of materials, we should be using natural materials which are non-toxic," lead investigator Rajani Srinivasan, of Tarleton State University, said in an ex...
AFP
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