As the debate on plastic pollution heats up, non-conventional plastics including biodegradable, bio-based, compostable and oxo-degradable are sometimes promoted as sustainable alternatives as companies and policy-makers look to shift away from polymers derived from fossil fuels
A report on the scale and use of plastics in global agriculture and their impacts on the environment in terms of pollution. Plastic coverage use is mainly concentrated in East Asia (almost 80 per cent), while the Mediterranean basin contains about 15 per cent of the world’s covered area
As a mandatory 5p charge for plastic bags comes into effect in England, this report calls on governments, industry, retailers and consumers alike to help end the appalling damage plastic waste inflicts on marine environments.
A staggering 6.4 million tonnes of marine litter is dumped in the ocean every year, it may fragment but does not biodegrade, persisting for hundreds or thousands of years. Single use plastic bags are a significant component of marine debris – more than eight billion plastic bags end up as litter across the EU each year
A briefing to the 64th Annual Meeting of the International Whaling Commission, in Panama, on the impacts of marine debris on cetaceans. Marine debris has the potential to affect all trophic levels and the entire food chain, from planktonic microorganisms through to marine megafauna including cetaceans