The Tobacco and Vapes Bill  will reach the report stage in the House of Lords on 24th February.  Every day, an estimated 3 million cigarette filters are littered in the UK. This means that since the first reading of the Bill in parliament on the 20th March 2024, approximately 1.8 billion cigarette filters have been dropped onto UK streets and into waterways. With this bill the UK government could reduce plastic pollution and improve public health by answering the call from re

From bread bags to bubble wrap, crisp packets to cling film, we are still heavily reliant on soft plastic packaging despite the damage it does to the planet after use.  Recycling has been shown to be largely ineffective . We need to reduce our reliance on soft plastics in the first place and encourage reusable packaging. The Role of Supermarkets Despite promising to phase out  soft plastics, UK supermarkets have been failing to meet their own targets on reducing soft plastic

Ben Addelman and Ziya Tong’s Plastic People exposes the problems presented by plastic production and pollution in the world today. Fortunately, there is a glimmer of hope. Some solutions are afloat  in this time of crisis. Rick Smith ( Slow Death by Rubber Duck ) is confident that society can solve pollution problems . Previous generations were exposed to pollutants that ceased to exist once the health costs became clear. Banning certain chemicals improved population health.

As shown in Ben Addelman and Ziya Tong’s Plastic People, national and community-scale decisions and  bans on plastics can be effective. In Rwanda, Juliet Kabera*, Director General of the Rwanda Environment Management Authority, discusses their 2004 nation-wide implementation of an effective plastic carrier bag ban. This was followed by a law against polythene bags in 2008. The next step is curtailing use of other single-use plastic items  including straws, plates and cutlery.

Ben Addelman and Ziya Tong’s evocative documentary Plastic People covers a range of the impacts of plastic pollution on our bodies. Professor Dick Vethaak* states that not only do microplastics affect the health of animals, plants and the environment, but also our own health -  if one component is affected by microplastics, it also affects the health of humans. According to Vethaak, this impact on human health includes a higher probability of cancer development  later in life

Ben Addelman and Ziya Tong’s documentary Plastic People details the many  health problems associated with plastic pollution and exposure . Alongside obesity, inflammatory responses and cancer, plastics potentially contribute to fertility issues due to chemicals leaching out of plastics. This affects both men and women, and by 2045,  a lot of couples may struggle to reproduce naturally , according to Dr Pete Myers*. Even if couples lean towards IVF, plastics used during the pr

In the documentary  Plastic People , Ziya Tong and Ben Addelman describe how we are “ slowly turning into plastic people ,” consuming microplastics in our food and breathing them in from the air. Once within the body, plastics could potentially cause fertility issues, obesity and cancer. Plastic in the body also comes from textiles including toothbrushes, polystyrene containers and non-stick pans. Microplastics are a contaminant different to other types, their physical presen

Ben Addelman and Ziya Tong’s Plastic People covers a range of concerning outcomes resulting from plastic pollution. One of the main concerns is the prevalence of microplastics . Common sources include shedding particles from plastic waste, paint from buildings and boats, and tyre dust from cars and planes. Millions of metric tons of microplastics leave the land each year , some floating and travelling, some breaking down and going up into the atmosphere, some sinking to the b

Ben Addelman and Ziya Tong’s Plastic People is an exposé of the disastrous consequences of plastic pollution . The development of plastic allowed an unprecedented level of material abundance, health and cleanliness alongside 'unlimited capitalist consumption' (Susan Freinkel*). Plastic, created from “molecules never before seen under the sun,” now pollutes the sea, causing the Great Garbage Patch , filling bird carcasses and infiltrating our bloodstream .   With over   1.5 b

Ben Addelman’s Plastic People  is a must-watch documentary offering a chilling exploration of our journey from homo-sapiens to “ homo-plasticus ”, as Dr Sedat Gündoğdu* warns in the film. It exposes the hidden truth about plastic pollution and how it has infiltrated not only the world around us but our bodies too. Co-directed by science journalist Ziya Tong, this compelling film takes us on a journey to discover how   plastic has become tightly knitted into “every aspect an

Every day, we’re surrounded by plastic—it's in our homes, streets, and oceans. The global community has recognized the need for a change,...

In April 2024, Coca-Cola, the largest beverage manufacturer in the world, launched an eye-catching campaign titled ‘ Recycle Me ’ in...

It was over one year ago that a train in East Palestine, Ohio derailed and caused an explosion, waking residents in the small town. The...