Microplastic pollution has become a major environmental concern, receiving growing interest from scientists, policymakers, and the general public. While much attention has been given to the persistence and toxicity of plastics themselves, research has more recently suggested that microplastics may pose an additional and less visible risk: they can act as carriers for microorganisms, including potentially harmful pathogens. Once in the natural environment, microplastics are ra

Plastic pollution fuels the climate crisis and social injustices, while also threatening human health and biodiversity. Tiny plastic particles, from micro to nanoscale, are found everywhere from oceans to human organs. Meanwhile, the production and disposal of larger plastics generate massive greenhouse gas emissions. Scientists warn that plastic production could triple by 2050, worsening waste, environmental toxicity, and climate impacts. Governments and communities all arou

Ghost nets, or “ghost fishing gear”, are fishing and aquaculture nets abandoned, lost, or discarded in the sea (ALDFG = Abandoned, Lost, or Discarded Fishing Gear). Once in the water, they do not become inert trash, but they continue to “fish” passively. Drifting with currents, or settling on the seabed, they can trap fish, turtles, marine mammals, seabirds, and other organisms, often killing them slowly by entanglement, starvation, or injuries. Ghost nets can also damage vul

Considered one of the greatest environmental risks to health, air pollution is laden with fine particulate matter that causes cardiovascular and respiratory disease, cancers, and substantial mortality. Cleaning up our air demands concerted action by local, national, and international level policy makers.  A 2023 briefing  from the United Kingdom Without Incineration Network (UKWIN) examined claims and assumptions about the health impacts of ‘Energy from Waste’ incinerators,

“If you really believe in something you can make it happen and it’s okay to make it up as you go along.”* Back in 2016, Dan Webb thought that plastic pollution happened in other parts of the world, not at home in the UK. But when he moved out of London to the coast, he was really shocked to see how much plastic pollution there was on the beaches, and decided to do something about it. Inspiration He started to realise just how much packaging there was, the amount that he was b

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a large and diverse group of synthetic chemicals that have been widely used for decades. They are found in many everyday products, including water-repellent clothing, food packaging, furniture, and nonstick cookware. These chemicals do not break down in the environment, and once released, they can bioaccumulate for years or even decades, contaminating soil, water, and wildlife for generations unless active measures are taken to r

Cigarettes are among the most littere d items worldwide with an estimated 4.5 trillion cigarette filters entering the environment every year. Cigarettes also make up around two thirds of all litter found in England across 80% of surveyed sites . Despite the prevalence of cigarettes discarded in the environment, filters have rarely been tackled as a source of plastic in efforts to reduce this environmental waste. So why should we be concerned about cigarette filters? Cigarette

In March 2022, the United Nations Environment Assembly committed to addressing the ever-growing threat of plastic pollution and established the Global Plastics Treaty. The treaty aims to regulate the full lifecycle of plastic from production to disposal. This includes regulation of the most harmful marine plastic pollution: Abandoned, Lost, or Discarded Fishing and aquaculture Gear (ALDFG).  It is estimated that over 11000 tonnes of ALDFG enters European seas annually, the m

The United Nations is currently tackling a global crisis: ghost gear .  Ghost gear is plastic fishing or aquaculture gear that is abandoned, lost or discarded and it is the most damaging source of marine pollution in the ocean . Why ghost gear is so harmful  Every year, 2% of ghost gear ends up in the ocean due to extreme weather, tangled on the seabed or simply thrown away. Ghost gear does more than just pollute; it harms protected or endangered marine life, it damages the

Sustainable’ is a widely known environmental term. However, it is often used loosely and without clear definition. Companies engaging in greenwashing tactics  may misleadingly refer to their plastic products as ‘sustainable’. It is important then to understand what sustainability really means, why it is so important and if a sustainable plastics system is possible. The World Commission on Environmental Development (WCED) introduced the idea of ‘sustainable development’  in th

Sustainability means using resources that we can continue using in the long-term without causing irreversible harm to the environment.  Our plastic use is clearly unsustainable. Traditional plastics are made from non-renewable fossil fuels, such as oil and natural gas. Plastic released into the environment causes untold and irreversible harm to human health and ecosystems. The life cycle of plastic is also responsible for 3.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions . Is it possi

Over the last few months, you might have noticed more news stories talking about forever chemicals. But you might not realise the true...

It is not uncommon to see images or videos online of turtles trapped in plastic six-pack rings or with plastic straws stuck up their...

A recent study by the University of Strathclyde reveals that alarming amounts of microplastics are being produced by an unnamed plastics...

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...

E-cigarettes and their potentially harmful effects on aquatic plants. You may have smelt it before you’ve seen it, a new scourge of...

Poisoning. Dismemberment. Disease. It sounds like a horror film in the making. But this is the reality faced by many beneath the ocean’s sur

Have you ever gone to the beach and had to awkwardly hop along the sand and take refuge under umbrellas due to the hot sand beneath your feet? It is safe to say that nobody enjoys doing that and so the last thing we would want is for the sand to get even hotter, right? Dr Jennifer Lavers, an ecotoxicologist from the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies at the University of Tasmania, has conducted a study and found that the presence of microplastics increases sand temper

France recently passed a groundbreaking law requiring all new washing machines sold in France to have filters that capture plastic...

Tyres are the second largest source of ocean microplastics, and new research has identified them as the source of a lethal toxin that’s...