U.K. government announces ban on all plastic straws, cotton buds and drink stirrers
The ban will come into place in April 2020 and will be applied throughout towns and cities in England.
Circular economy & zero waste
This archive tracks real progress on circular economy and zero-waste efforts worldwide — from packaging redesigns and repair-economy expansions to industrial waste-to-resource programs. More than 155 stories document what’s working, who’s driving it, and how communities and companies are closing the loop on consumption.
Morrisons to become first U.K. supermarket to offer plastic-free fruit and vegetables
The British supermarket will offer 127 loose fruit and veg varieties over the next year. The fruit and veg will either be sold in recyclable paper bags or loose.
187 nations signed a UN plastics waste protocol
The protocol requires countries that want to ship their waste products to other nations to first obtain the permission of the receiving nations.
Scientists claim to have created an environmentally friendly alternative to Styrofoam
Scientists at Washington State University say they have developed an experimental foam made primarily from nanocrystals of cellulose – the most abundant plant material on earth.
Scientists invent 100% recyclable plastic
Scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have created a recyclable plastic that can be disassembled into its constituent parts and reassembled without loss of performance or quality.
Los Angeles launches its own Green New Deal to go carbon-neutral by 2050
The plan requires all new city-owned buildings and major renovations to be all-electric, effective immediately. The plan also hopes to phase out styrofoam and to plant 90,000 trees by 2021, and to end plastic straws and single-use containers by 2028.
Maine becomes the first state to ban Styrofoam
The law, which will go into effect January 1, 2021, prohibits restaurants, caterers, coffee shops and grocery stores from using the to-go foam containers because they cannot be recycled in Maine.
Diageo to remove plastic packaging from Guinness multipacks
The company has said it is investing £16 million into reducing the amount of plastic used in their packaging. This initiative will remove 40 million plastic bottles from the world.
Bali bans single-use plastics
Bali Governor Wayan Koster announced that the Indonesian province of Bali is officially banning single-use plastics. The country produces 3.2 million tons of plastic annually.
New York becomes second U.S. state to ban plastic bags
State lawmakers in New York have approved a ban on plastic bags at retail and grocery establishments that would take effect next year as part of the state’s budget.