By Ryan Johnson Malaysia, which has become the dumping ground for the world’s plastic waste, will send back non-recyclable plastic scrap to the developed countries that sent it there, its environment minister said on Tuesday. Malaysia last year became the leading alternative destination for plastic scrap after China banned imports of such waste, disrupting the […]

By Christopher Thompson In a twist, the investors include Chinese companies interested in having access to wastepaper or bottles. The halt on China’s imports of wastepaper and plastic that has disrupted U.S. recycling programs has also spurred investment in American plants that process recyclables. U.S. paper mills are expanding capacity to take advantage of a […]

By Christopher Thompson US reportedly opposed deal, which follows concerns that villages in Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia had ‘turned into dumpsites’ Almost all the world’s countries have agreed on a deal aimed at restricting shipments of hard-to-recycle plastic waste to poorer countries, the United Nations announced on Friday. Exporting countries – including the US – […]

By Ryan Johnson A World Wildlife study finds the equivalent of a dump truck full of plastic waste is dumped into the water every minute. So the WWF has launched an initiative to cut plastic waste by 10 million tons. Coca-Cola, which has signed on to the program, produces 3 million tons of plastic waste. […]

By Christopher Thompson Most likely, when you toss your plastic trash into a recycle bin you believe you’re doing the right thing. You think your plastic waste gets magically whisked away to a recycle center where it will be transformed back into more useful plastic items. Recycling feels like a harmless way to get rid […]

By Christopher Thompson Production must end now, says first ever estimate of plastic’s cradle-to-grave impact The proliferation of single-use plastic around the world is accelerating climate change and should be urgently halted, a report warns. Plastic production is expanding worldwide, fuelled in part by the fracking boom in the US. The report says plastic contributes […]

By Ryan Johnson Hundreds of volcanoes exist in the United States. Most are considered dormant and haven’t erupted for more than 10,000 years. That doesn’t mean that they can’t or won’t. Dr. Gary Michelfelder, assistant professor in the department of geography, geology and planning at Missouri State University, says that though you may not know […]

By Christopher Thompson If you bring a tote bag to the grocery store, you’re not necessarily saving the planet. When you visit the supermarket, is it better for the planet to carry home your groceries in a paper, plastic or reusable tote bag? The answer is more complicated than you might think. Plastic bags are […]

By Christopher Thompson Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have created a next-generation plastic that can be recycled again and again, into new materials of any color, shape, or form. According to the EPA, as of 2015, Americans recycled less than 10 percent of the plastics they’ve used. This isn’t just down […]

By Christopher Thompson Soft-drink brand’s products make up nearly 12% of litter found, says Surfers Against Sewage Coca-Cola bottles and cans are the most commonly found items of packaging pollution on British beaches, making up nearly 12% of all litter, research by Surfers Against Sewage (SAS)has found. The results came from a series of 229 […]