All posts tagged with microplastics

(Natural News) There’s no denying the convenience provided by wet wipes. Originally marketed for babies, wet wipes have since seen more use by adults the world over (makeup wipes, anyone?). Though they make life easier for people, their impact on our infrastructure and the environment is anything but positive. After use, wet wipes are usually […]

(Natural News) You wouldn’t dream of ordering a side of plastic with your meal, but you’re already eating 100 pieces of plastic each day without even realizing it, according to an alarming new study. When scientists from Edinburgh’s Heriot-Watt University placed Petri dishes with sticky dust traps on tables near dinner plates in people’s homes […]

(Natural News) Microfibers may be tiny, but their impact is nothing short of massive. A number of studies over the years have produced a wide array of facts and figures that demonstrate the extent of their impact. For instance, the researchers behind a 2011 study found that microfibers account for a considerable portion of man-made […]

(Natural News) The biggest of the trash islands in the oceans have gone from the size of Texas to bigger than Mexico. And their growth shows no sign of abatement due to the increasing amount of plastic use and waste around the world, warned a Pacific Standard article. Individual islands are formed out of seaweed, styrofoam, and […]

(Natural News) Last February, the world’s “first plastic-free supermarket aisle” was launched in Amsterdam. Shoppers at the Jan Pieter Heijestraat branch of Ekoplaza, a Dutch supermarket chain, can now choose from more than 700 plastic-free products such as cereals, chocolate, dairy, fresh fruit, meat, rice, sauces, snacks, vegetables, and yogurt. All items at the supermarket are packed in either compostable materials or cardboard, glass, […]

(Natural News) Microplastics have been leaking out into the environment by the millions from a manufacturing site in Stenungsund. But, far from just affecting the immediate area, these tiny plastic pellets have spread all over the coastal region. This was what a team of researchers from Gothenburg University uncovered over the course of several studies. […]

(Natural News) By now toxic microplastics are everywhere. Their victims include seabirds, aquatic mammals, and mega-fauna. Now, they’re also in three out of every four mesopelagic fish caught in the Northwest Atlantic, warned a Science Daily article. The 73 percent contamination rate is one of the highest levels in the world. The unique feeding behavior […]

(Natural News) In a bid to reduce plastic waste, the Taiwanese government intends to phase out all single-use plastics by 2030. This includes takeaway beverage cups, disposable cutlery, and plastic shopping bags, though the primary focus will be on drinking straws. The blanket ban will be part of the country’s proposed 12-year plan to manage […]

(Natural News) Deadly microplastics have been discovered in Alaskan seabirds in the Aleutian Islands, endangering both animals and the region’s native American population, reported a News Deeply article. The University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) had been examining hundreds of Aleutian seabirds over the better part of a decade. The study found that one out of every five specimens had ingested microplastics […]

(Natural News) Plastics have long been known to pose a threat to sea life. But now tiny bits of toxic microplastics are threatening to choke and poison many of the ocean’s gentlest giants, warned articles in EcoWatch and The Guardian. Published in the Trends in Ecology and Evolution journal, a new study took a look at the […]