Plastic

EU Parliament backs clampdown on single-use plastic packaging

The European Parliament approved a proposed law on Wednesday that would ban certain single-use plastic packaging like mini shampoo bottles in hotels and thin plastic bags for groceries, in an…

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In UN talks for a global plastic treaty, delegates to face off over production limits

By Valerie Volcovici Nov 12 (Reuters) - As the world's nations enter another round of talks this week on creating a first-ever treaty to contain plastic pollution, officials are bracing…

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Plastic consumption on course to nearly double by 2050 – research

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Plastic use in G20 countries is on course to nearly double by the middle of the century unless a comprehensive and legally binding global treaty to curb…

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Single-use plastic production rose between 2019 and 2021 despite pledges

Polluting single-use plastic production rose globally by 6 million tonnes per year from 2019 to 2021 despite tougher worldwide regulations, with producers making "little progress" to tackle the problem and…

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England to ban some single-use plastic items from October

LONDON, Jan 14 (Reuters) - England will ban a range of single-use plastic items such as cutlery, plates and bowls from October in an effort to limit soaring plastic pollution,…

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Single-use plastic cutlery and plates to be banned in England

Single-use items such as plastic cutlery, plates and trays are to be banned in England in a bid to reduce pollution, the government has confirmed. Figures suggest that every year…

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UN to approve plastic treaty roadmap

NAIROBI, March 2 (Reuters) - The United Nations is set to approve a plan to create the world's first ever global plastic pollution treaty on Wednesday, describing it as the most significant…

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Britain seeks ban of single use plastic plates and cutlery in England

LONDON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Single-use plastic plates and cutlery and polystyrene cups could all be banned in England as the British government seeks to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste,…

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Italy delays contested new sugar and plastic taxes until 2023

The introduction of contested taxes on plastic and sugary drinks has been postponed for a fifth time and will not now come into force until 2023, the government said in…

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Malta: Imports of single-use plastics banned from Friday

The ban on imports of single-use plastic products such as bags, cutlery, cotton buds, and straws will come into effect from Friday 1 January. Selling and distributing single-use plastic goods…

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Amount of plastic in the Atlantic Ocean has been ‘massively underestimated’

Estimates for the amount of plastic dumped in the Atlantic Ocean have been "massively underestimated", experts have said. There are 12-21 million tonnes of tiny plastic fragments floating in the…

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Microplastics found in fruit and vegetables

Microplastics have been discovered in fruits and vegetables, with apples and carrots found to be the most contaminated, studies show. Campaigners have called for an urgent investigation into the tiny…

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Malaysia refuses plastic waste from rich countries

Malaysia has sent back 150 containers of plastic waste to 13 mainly rich countries since the third quarter last year, with the environment minster warning on Monday that those who…

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China to ban plastic bags and other plastic items

China, one of the world's biggest users of plastic, has unveiled a major plan to reduce single-use plastics across the country. Non-degradable bags will be banned in major cities by…

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Tesco vows to remove 1 billion pieces of plastic packaging by end-2020

Britain’s biggest retailer Tesco has pledged to remove one billion pieces of plastic packaging from products in its UK stores by the end of 2020, seeking to reduce its environmental…

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Nestlé, Pepsi and Coca Cola remain among top plastic polluters in the world

Nestlé, Pepsi and Coca Cola are the top 3 most identified companies in global brand audits for the second year in a row, according to a new report “BRANDED Volume…

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John Lewis and Waitrose to stop putting plastic toys in Christmas crackers

John Lewis and Waitrose have said they will stop putting plastic toys inside Christmas crackers. The John Lewis Partnership, which operates both retailers, made the decision as part of plans…

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Scotland becomes first part of UK to ban plastic cotton buds

Scotland has become the first part of the UK to ban the sale of plastic cotton buds. New regulations have come into force prohibiting the manufacture and sale of the…

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Scientists find plastic microbeads in remote Arctic ice

Even in the Arctic, microscopic particles of plastic are falling out of the sky with snow, a study has found. The scientists said they were shocked by the sheer number…

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Marriott Hotels joins the movement against straws

Not all single-use plastic use is equally problematic. When a ferry company banned plastic straws, there was a particularly obvious reason to celebrate—because straws on ferries are much more likely…

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Indonesia sending back dozens of containers of waste back to Western nations

Indonesia is sending dozens of containers of waste back to Western nations after finding it was contaminated with used nappies, plastic and other materials, adding to a growing backlash in…

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Photo Story: Protest against the use of plastics in Hungary

Whale sculptures made from plastic waste that was recovered from the ocean are on display at the parliament building in Budapest, Hungary. The temporary installation was erected by Greenpeace…

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Oceans under “unprecedented pressure” due to climate change

The oceans are not only under “unprecedented pressure” due to climate change, but “half of all living coral has been lost in the past 150 years”, United Nations Secretary-General…

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WWF publishes report on the extent of plastic pollution in the Mediterranean

As the world today commemorates World Oceans Day, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) issued a report on the worrying state of plastic pollution in the Mediterranean Roughly 600,000…

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Sainsbury’s to become first UK supermarket to remove plastic for loose fruit, vegetables and bakery items

Sainsbury's has become the first UK supermarket to remove plastic for its loose fruit, vegetables and bakery items. The Telegraph reports that by September, paper bags will be available to customers…

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Philippines returns huge amounts of waste ‘illegally shipped’ by Canada

The Philippines is returning huge amounts of waste which it says was illegally shipped by Canada. Manila said it was mislabelled as recyclable plastics and criticised other western countries for…

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Appeal so airlines eliminate single-use plastic

Paulo Mirpuri, the chief executive of Portuguese charter Hi Fly said airlines should get ahead of regulators by voluntarily eliminating single-use plastic within five years. Airlines, facing public pressure, are…

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German Minister calls for ban on plastic bags to reduce waste exports to developing countries

German Development Minister Gerd Müller has called for a ban on plastic bags in Germany, in part to reduce the exports of waste to developing countries,. "The ban on plastic…

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40kg of plastic found in dead whale

Workers at D'Bone Collector Museum found 40kg of plastic bags inside its stomach of a dead whale that washed up in the Philippines earlier in March. The Cuvier's beaked…

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European Parliament votes for extensive ban on single-use plastics

The European Parliament has voted for to implement an extensive ban on single-use plastics to counter pollution entering the world’s oceans. Products including plastic plates, cutlery, straws and cotton buds…

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UK McDonald’s to bring an end to plastic straws

The Guardian: McDonald’s will end the use of plastic straws in its British restaurants next year, after nearly half a million people called on the company to ditch them. The…

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New EU directive to curb plastic use

The European Commission proposed new EU-wide rules on Monday aimed at reducing plastic pollution in cities and oceans by banning several plastic products. Through the new directive plastic utensils, straws,…

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