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

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

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...

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

Described as the most important green deal since the Paris Accords, 180 nations have taken key steps towards agreeing a legally binding...

The massive influx of plastic waste into our oceans is one of the most significant environmental crises currently impacting global...

The Situation In recent years, brands such as H&M and Primark have advertised their clothing ranges made from recycled bottles. Brands...

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

Plastic-free and sustainable clothing are big news right now, and for good reason. People are starting to realise the implications of our...

Every plastic product we use is made of small 5mm plastic pellets (the size of a lentil) called nurdles, which are melted and moulded...

Sachets are small, single-use sealed plastic pouches that contain one portion of a product. The developing world has seen an explosion of...