Biodegradable plastics (a type of bioplastic) have been developed to attempt to mitigate the plastic waste management problem. Plastic once produced, doesn’t just disappear. It’s either sent to landfill, incinerated, recycled (only 9% of plastic has ever been recycled), or ends up polluting the environment. Biodegradable plastics can be broken down by microorganisms into safe by-products such as water, natural gas and biomass. A big concern with biodegradable plastics is whet

From a plastic bottle to microplastic particles, told as if it happened in a single day 6:00 AM It began the workday at 6 AM: filled, capped, handed to someone in a hurry. It held water for twenty minutes, then was put down and, missing the recycling bin by a few steps, dropped into a drain instead. It is made of PET, which is a recyclable plastic engineered to resist breaking down. It is built for permanence, but used within minutes. 9:00 AM Rain carried it to a stream, the

A new symbol is showing up on cups, bottles, and return bins — and it isn’t the recycling triangle. It marks something recycling never could: proof that an item belongs to a working reuse system. A Symbol for a System, Not an Item Recycling’s triangle just means a material can theoretically be reprocessed. The new reuse symbol certifies something different: that the container sits inside a real loop — collected, washed, and redistributed, again and again — by a system built t

‘Bioplastic’ is a general term which includes bio-based plastics, biodegradable plastics and compostable plastics. These bioplastics have been developed with the idea of creating a more sustainable plastics system. Traditional plastics are made from non-renewable fossil fuels. In contrast, bio-based plastics (a type of bioplastic) are made in whole, or in part, from biomass e.g. sugar cane or starch. These are potentially more sustainable, as biomass is a renewable source; in

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a rotating vortex of plastic debris, now spans three times the size of France, holding an estimated 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic. That number keeps climbing not because solutions don't exist, but because the industry responsible for managing plastic waste has little financial reason to shrink it. Since 1950, the world has produced 6300 million tonnes of plastic waste. Of that, roughly 9% has been recycled; the rest was incinerated, landfille

Plastic pollution should be on everyone’s mind, with single-use plastic items such as plastic bags and snack and food wrap packaging being at the top of the list. These items pose a serious risk globally by destroying natural environments, creating unmanageable waste, and increasing health hazards. A typical UK household generates 20 to 30 items of single-use plastic a week (most of which comprises soft plastic packaging such as film lids and food wrappers). This has led to a

Transitioning to a circular economy would mean moving away from a ‘throwaway’ economy and towards a system which prioritises resource-efficiency, reuse and repair, and designing out waste entirely. The UK lacks a set of ambitious policy recommendations that would structure this transition. A Circular Economy Plan for the UK was originally scheduled for autumn 2025. Yet, given the upcoming leadership change, climate organisations and some industry leaders worry that the govern

Every product takes a unique journey through the supply chain before reaching store shelves. But what about the packaging trail it leaves behind? To bring this into focus, let’s take a closer look at a product in high demand among UK consumers and produced across the country: British beef. In 2023, UK farmers supplied 80.9% of the beef that was consumed nationwide, offering a clear case for tracing the role of packaging closer to home. Beef is a nationally relevant product be

The plastic industry is pushing back against the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), claiming it “discriminates” against plastic. In a joint statement, three major trade associations, European Plastics Converters, IK, and Elipso, argued that the proposed regulation unfairly singles out plastic by imposing specific bans on plastic packaging, while providing exemptions for other materials. They claim the PPWR sets out different rules for plastics when it comes

As the public has become more concerned about plastic, Coca-Cola has deliberately hidden how harmful their products are to the environment. Coca-Cola is the world’s biggest plastic polluter and yet they present themselves as a sustainable brand. Coca-Cola has used deceptive advertising and misleading claims about their plastic packaging. They have presented recycling as the solution to the plastic problem, whilst producing more and more plastic. They have offered various vol

Soft plastic pollution is a global problem that negatively impacts the environment and the health of people living in countries with the most vulnerable climates and waste management systems. The corporations behind soft plastic pollution have not done enough to invest in effective waste management systems to handle the soft plastic they produce. Therefore, governments and consumers play a vital role in creating protections against soft plastic pollution. Various governmen

Coca-Cola has deliberately hidden the damage its ever increasing plastic packaging does to the environment. Their deceptive advertising and push for recycling as the primary solution can be seen as examples of greenwashing. Many voluntary promises for sustainable change have been made and abandoned. These misleading marketing claims can be seen as part of a wider tactic to distract the public and delay and derail legislation that restricts plastic use. Coca-Cola has lobbied

Single-use soft plastics, such as sachets and crisp packets, are produced on a massive scale but are nearly impossible to recycle. Nevertheless, they are exported across the world for waste management. The sorting process for soft plastic waste is difficult and requires that workers identify and separate over seven different types of plastics, often by burning them and smelling the fumes produced. To be recycled, the sorted plastic must then be cut into fine pieces, washed, a

In response to public pressure concerning plastic pollution, Coca-Cola launched their World Without Waste campaign in 2018. They appeared to accept some responsibility for the waste they produce and announced voluntary pledges for environmental change. In their 2022 business sustainability report, Coca-Cola presented voluntary targets for packaging. These included aiming for 50% recycled content in packaging, selling 25% of their products in reusable packaging, and collectin

Single-use soft plastics, such as sachets and crisp packets, are produced on a massive scale but are nearly impossible to recycle. Inadequate investment in waste management results in these plastics ending up in rivers, oceans, streets, and backyards across the world. The trouble with sachets… Soft plastics - defined as flexible plastic materials that do not hold a specific shape - are produced from natural gas or fossil fuels that are extracted from shale (a rock composed of

Deposit Return Schemes (DRS) are designed to incentivise recycling and reduce litter by assigning monetary value to drinks containers. Hailing from an era when soft drinks, milk and beer companies collected, washed and refilled glass bottles, DRS are now tackling modern waste issues. However, DRS alone doesn't address the key issues: overproduction of single-use plastics. Extended Producer Responsibility Whilst DRS is often discussed separately, it is in fact a form of Extend

Recycling is often proposed as the answer to plastic pollution. In practice, however, recycling is totally failing - both technologically and economically. Most plastic is not recycled (under 9% globally), and even when it is, the process often degrades the material, making it more toxic and limiting its future use. Mechanical recycling, the most common method, involves melting and remolding plastic. This causes the plastic quality to drop with each cycle, ending up in a plas

Coca-Cola has a history of deceptively marketing its products as sustainable. Tactics include campaigns to manipulate consumers and using misleading content in advertising and on packaging. Litter Bugs In the 1950s Coca-Cola, along with other beverage corporations, created the Keep America Beautiful advertising campaign. This campaign pushed the idea that consumers are responsible for litter, promoting community ‘clean-ups’ and deflecting corporate responsibility. In 2024, C

You might have heard about Scotland’s ‘black bag’ waste ban. The ban is set to cover all biodegradable municipal waste (BMW), in both the domestic and commercial sectors. BMW encompasses the significant portion of municipal waste that breaks down naturally, e.g. food waste, garden waste, paper, cardboard, and natural fibres. But you may question: isn’t waste breaking down naturally a good thing? After all, isn't biodegradable waste preferable to plastics and metals that persi

The UK’s recycling rates are around 70% lower than in leading Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) countries with return rates exceeding 90% such as Germany, Finland and Norway. Financially incentivising recycling and reducing waste is important, but our end goal must be a reuse, not throwaway, economy. A DRS that includes glass is key. Glass is infinitely recyclable (although currently energy intensive). Inclusion of glass, as seen in Wales’ proposed model, helps improve resource re