You have dutifully cleaned, dried, and separated your household plastics. When you do your weekly shop, you take your plastic bags and chuck them into the supermarket’s soft plastics recycling bin. You have done your bit.  But where do your used plastics go? Despite your best efforts, your household recycling may end up in an illegal dump on the other side of the world. The UK exports 9.25 million tonnes of plastic waste every year, making it the sixth largest exporter in the

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

“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

For a long time, the fossil fuel industry has been pushing the narrative that it is the fault of consumers that there is so much plastic pollution.  They have said that the public is not recycling enough.  They blame developing countries for the pollution that ends up in the sea.  With the fall in revenue from fossil energy, the industry ramped up plastic production to mitigate its losses and focused on single use products to maximise turnover.  They turned a blind eye to wha

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

“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...

‘The Fraud of Plastic Recycling’ reveals plastic producers have known for decades that plastic recycling is not a real solution.

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

Half a million tons of plastic microfibres, found in many fast fashion clothing items, are being dumped into the ocean each year,...

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

Biodegradability is a complex issue. Unknown and unclear terms are used in misleading ways. We have all heard the buzzwords around...

Many objects describe themselves as being recyclable or compostable. For example, take-away coffee cups, which at first sight seem to...

Plastic waste is mostly recycled mechanically – shredded, melted and shaped into new products. The UN has stated: 'chemical recycling...

Despite its 'pristine' public image, Switzerland’s environmental record turns out to have more holes than one of its famous cheeses....

The energy crisis has caused bills to rise globally and has forced many into poverty. The issue was worsened by Russia’s invasion of...

'Plastic pollution has grown into an epidemic. With today’s resolution we are officially on track for a cure.' Espen Barth Eide, Minister...

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

The world produces two billion tonnes of waste per year. Most solid plastic waste is produced in the Global North, which includes...

The Russian invasion of Ukraine revealed the UK and Europe’s heavy dependence on fossil fuels. In 2020, imports from Russia made up 39%...