New plastic-eating enzyme could eliminate billions of tons of landfill waste
An enzyme created by engineers and scientists at the University of Texas breaks down plastics that typically take centuries to degrade in a matter of days.
Plastic pollution
Plastic pollution touches every ocean, watershed, and food chain on Earth — but solutions are gaining ground. This archive tracks scientific advances, policy wins, and community-led efforts that are reducing plastic waste and cleaning up what’s already out there.
New technique uses plastic waste to capture CO2 emissions
The scientists from Rice University developing the technique estimate that the cost to remove CO2 from flue gas streams would be about US$21 a ton, a significant improvement over existing alternatives.
Scientists develop a new method for recycling industrial plastic at room temperature in 20 minutes
The researchers at the University of Bath hope the new process will help recycling become less energy intensive, and thus more economically viable.
U.N. adopts landmark resolution that aims to end plastic pollution
The measure calls for an international negotiating committee to set the terms of a treaty on plastic pollution by the end of 2024.
France to ban plastic packaging for most fruit and vegetables in January 2022
France’s environment ministry expects that the measure will prevent more than one billion useless plastic packaging items per year.
Spain to ban sale of fruit and vegetables in plastic wrapping from 2023
The ban on fruit and vegetable packaging will apply to produce weighing under 1.5 kilograms, following similar legislation in France, where it will go into effect next year.
New Zealand to ban most single-use plastics by 2025
The new measure builds on the country’s 2019 decision to phase-out plastic bags and includes everything from disposable cutlery to ear buds and fruit labels, The Guardian reported.
Major firms sign ambitious deal to cut plastic waste in the Pacific
Called the ANZPAC Plastics Pact, the agreement aims to drastically reduce plastic waste from Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific by 2025. Among the signatories are big brands like Coca-Cola, Nestle, and Woolworths.
Scientists create world’s first truly biodegradable single-use plastic
Scientists at Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley discovered that water or soil composts converted the enzyme-embedded plastic into its building blocks and eliminated microplastics in a few weeks.
Coca-Cola to test fully recyclable paper bottle in Hungary
Coca-Cola has partnered with Danish startup Paboco (“Paper Bottle Company”) as one of many strategies to reduce the three million metric tons of plastic packaging it goes through per year.