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Waste incineration in the UK has increased five-fold  in the 20 years between 2001 and 2021. It is a major part of the UK's waste disposal operations for residual waste that falls outside the scope of reuse and recycling. Although incineration is seen as a better alternative to landfill, the UK Government recognizes the need for stringent requirements to be met for the construction of new facilities . More incinerators would undermine new waste management schemes  such as Simpler Recycling,...

Plastic pollution has become one of the most critical and urgent threats to ocean health, affecting marine ecosystems from the surface to the deepest seabed through biological and chemical impacts at both macro- and microscales. Each year, an estimated 8 to 11 million metric tonnes of plastic enter marine environments, where they persist for decades to centuries and continuously interact with seawater, organisms, and sediments. At the macroscale, large plastic debris, such as bags, bottles,...

Chemical Recycling  is the process of converting plastic waste into raw materials to make new plastic, helping reduce the need for fossil fuels - the feedstock of most plastics. Chemical Recycling initially appeared to be a promising solution to the plastic waste crisis, however, concerns are growing about its effectiveness, environmental impacts and economic sustainability.     The Reality Behind the Technology Chemical Recycling is proving to be a costly gamble. The most common chemical...

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 rapidly colonised...

The substantial water and energy consumption of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) usage is acknowledged by many in the scientific community, yet public awareness of the ecological impact of AI usage is remarkably small. While certain social stigmas surround its usage - namely how it facilitates laziness or lack of creativity by the user - discussions around how AI damages the environment are rare outside of scientific debates. GenAI works by using large-scale machine learning models...

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 world. Instead...

Over the past decades, ocean plastic pollution has become one of the most urgent global environmental challenges.   Plastics continue to enter marine environments through a variety of pathways, accumulate and persist for long time periods in many different forms, from large items to microscopic fragments that are integrated into ecosystems and food chains. Most of the plastic entering the ocean originates on land. Mismanaged waste, especially single-use plastics such as packaging, bottles,...

It is estimated that 11 million tonnes of plastic debris enter the oceans each year. Every year, the world produces over 400 million tonnes of plastic, and with recycling rates remaining below 10% globally, the volume entering our oceans continues to grow. Poor waste management and littering cause plastic to enter rivers and waterways, eventually pouring into the ocean. Discarded fishing gear is another major contributor. Once in the ocean, plastic is easily swept away by ocean currents,...

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 around the world are...

Take a look around on a busy day. Parks, offices, cars, backpacks. You'll spot them everywhere: plastic water bottles. They're convenient, sure, but that convenience comes with a cost we don't always see. Reducing plastic bottle use and choosing tap water instead is one of the simplest and most powerful changes we can make for both the planet and our health. Let's start with the environmental side. "Around 117,000 plastic bottles  will have been used by the time you finish reading this...

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 vulnerable habitats,...

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, in particular...

“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 bringing home and...

Many corporations engage in ‘greenwashing’ tactics. Greenwashing involves marketing products to appear more environmentally friendly than they really are. Profit-driven corporations are aware that many consumers care about the environment and want eco-friendly products. To appeal to these consumers, they use terms such as ‘carbon-neutral’, ‘organic’, ‘farm-fresh’, ‘biodegradable’ and ‘sustainable’. They may also use circular or green imagery on their packaging and promotional material.  These...

On 7 November, schools and young people worldwide came together for the Plastic Clever Schools International Day of Action to tackle plastic pollution through inspiring assemblies, expert talks and hands-on activities. It made a visible difference across schools and communities, showing how small changes can add up to big wins for our ocean and planet. Hundreds of schools from the UK to Indonesia took part in the Day of Action, stepping up to lead the way toward a plastic clever future. Their...

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 remove or contain...

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 researchers and...

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 filters are...

The Coca-Cola Company  is a multinational beverage corporation. In 2022, Coca-Cola produced 134 billion single-use plastic bottles  and were responsible for around one in five of the world’s PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) plastic bottles. It is the top plastic producing company in the world, with a plastic footprint of   3.45 million tonnes , estimated to increase to 4.13 tons by 2030.  Since 2018, Break Free From Plastic  (BFFP) member organizations and supporters have contributed to a...

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 what happens after...