Is Chemical Recycling Greenwashing?
The US is being seen as the testbed for the rollout of a range of technologies that proponents say are the solution to the worldwide plastic crisis. But can chemical recycling even be considered as recycling or is the oil and gas industry looking for a lifeline?
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.
‘Compostable Plastic’ Doesn’t Live Up to Its Environmental Claims. Here’s What You Can Focus On Instead
So as demand for climate action escalates and the dangers of plastics become more evident, consumers are turning to so-called compostable and biodegradable alternatives for things like food containers, cups, plates, cutlery and bags, in hopes of mitigating further climate and environmental harms. But unfortunately, researchers say those products are also a problem.
California Expands Plastic Producer Probe Into Bag Manufacturers
California's attorney general on Wednesday sent letters to top plastic bag manufacturers requesting information about their claims that the bags they produce are recyclable, the latest move by the state to scrutinize the plastics industry and their role in the global plastic pollution crisis.
Plastic Bags Are Supposed to Be Recyclable in California. The Attorney General Suspects They Are Not.
Nearly a decade ago, a California law required manufacturers of plastic bags to make their bags recyclable. The state’s top cop says this doesn’t appear to be happening. On Wednesday, Attorney General Rob Bonta sent letters to seven plastic bag producers that supply the bulk of California’s grocery stories, demanding they provide proof that their bags can really be recycled.
Greens Push to Oust Coke From COP 27 Sponsorship
Two environmental groups want a major beverage giant pushed out of the world’s largest climate conference over plastics concerns, arguing the material has become “the new coal” and warrants a major response. Just Zero and Beyond Plastics, two U.S. based-groups, called on the United Nations Climate Change Conference to kick Coca-Cola Co, out as a sponsor of this year’s COP 27 on Wednesday.
Dangers of Plastic Pollution Energize Citizens and Scientists as Lawmakers Devise Controls
That plastic spoon that I used to eat my takeout salad today will remain on Earth for as long as the planet exists. Except for the 1% of “bioplastics” made from corn or other plants, 99% of plastics are made from fossil fuels and a mixture of 10,000 petrochemical additives, also made from oil and gas. They do not biodegrade.
Plastic Leaching Into Farmer’s Fields at Alarming Rate: New Report
Plastics are accumulating in the world’s soils at a worrying rate, according to a new report from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The 29th edition of UNEP’s Foresight Brief highlights how plastics used extensively in farming – from plastic coated plastic fertilizers to mulch film – are contaminating the soil and potentially threatening food security. Microplastics are also impacting human health when transferred to people through the food chain.
How to Treat, Not Trick, the Planet With Your Halloween Candy
With just weeks until many neighborhood streets are flooded with candy-seeking trick-or-treaters, environmentalists and sustainability experts say you should consider taking a second look at the sweet treats you might be planning to hand out — or eat — this Halloween.
Inside the Industry Push to Label Your Yogurt Cup ‘Recyclable’
A network of groups backed by the plastics industry claims polypropylene containers are “widely recyclable,” despite ample evidence to the contrary.
New York Banned Plastic Bags Two Years Ago. Why Are They Still Everywhere?
Once ubiquitous, they’re now nowhere to be seen. Or at least, that’s what was supposed to happen when New York banned plastic bags for most uses in 2020. Yet two years later, many New York City supermarkets — not to mention smaller markets and bodegas — continue to distribute plastic bags as they always have.
California Passed a Landmark Law About Plastic Pollution. Why Are Some Environmentalists Still Concerned?
The law shifts the responsibility for plastic pollution from consumers to companies that make and use plastic packaging. Some green groups fear it gives the industry too much leeway.
Report Pinpoints Composting, Recycling to Cut Emissions
A report from the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives targeted organics diversion, increased recycling and reduced plastic use as key elements in keeping planetary warming below a critical threshold. The report explored several zero-waste solutions to model how to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius, with a focus on the waste sector.
What the Shell Cracker Plant Looks Like: The Visible and Invisible
How residents of Beaver County will experience the new Shell petrochemical complex in Potter Township depends on a lot of things. The time of day. The particular equipment that’s churning or not churning inside the fenceline of the sprawling industrial site that spans nearly 400 acres on the Ohio River. Whether the trains that will carry plastic pellets to customers are running. Shell, a Dutch energy and petrochemicals giant, built the complex in Beaver County because it sits on top of one of the largest reserves of natural gas in the world, the Marcellus and Utica shales.
Experts Decry ‘Funny Math’ of Plastics Industry’s ‘Advanced Recycling’ Claims
Environmental experts say there’s a strong possibility that a federal bill will be introduced in the U.S. that seeks to strengthen an industry known as “advanced recycling,” or “chemical recycling.” While proponents of advanced recycling tout it as a solution to the ever-growing plastic pollution issue, critics say that it’s not recycling at all, but a highly polluting incineration process that converts plastic into fuel.
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.
Judith Enck: Plastic Recycling Doesn’t Work and Will Never Work
Judith Enck, founder of Beyond Plastics, illuminates the global failure of recycling and what we can all do to make a positive difference moving forward.
All The Convincing You'll Need To Ditch Bottled Water For Good
As of 2017, people worldwide are purchasing plastic water bottles at the rate of 1 million bottles per minute, with the average American consuming 45 gallons of bottled water apiece every year. And though bottled water sales have continued to skyrocket since 2010 ― climbing to a whopping 15 billion gallons of bottled water sold in the United States in 2020 ― data shows and experts say there are compelling reasons to ditch the plastic for good.
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.