Plastic snowfall in the Alps
In a new study, Empa researcher Dominik Brunner, together with colleagues from Utrecht University and the Austrian Central Institute for Meteorology and Geophysics, is investigating how much plastic is trickling down on us from the atmosphere. Accord.....»»
Using CO₂ and biomass, researchers find path to more environmentally friendly recyclable plastics
Modern life relies on plastic. This lightweight, adaptable product is a cornerstone of packaging, medical equipment, the aerospace and automotive industries and more. But plastic waste remains a problem as it degrades in landfills and pollutes oceans.....»»
A microbial plastic factory for high-quality green plastic
Engineered bacteria can produce a plastic modifier that makes renewably sourced plastic more processable, more fracture-resistant and highly biodegradable even in seawater. The Kobe University development provides a platform for the industrial-scale,.....»»
Protecting our planet: Five strategies for reducing plastic waste
Plastics are ubiquitous in our world, and given that plastic waste can take thousands of years to break down, there's more of it to be found on Earth every single day. Worse yet is the fact that the stuff doesn't easily decompose—it mostly just dis.....»»
Cutting-edge enzyme research fights back against plastic pollution
Since the 1950s, the surge in global plastic production has paralleled a concerning rise in plastic waste. In the United States alone, a staggering 35 million tons of plastic waste were generated in 2017, with only a fraction being recycled or combus.....»»
Ocean floor a "reservoir" of plastic pollution, study finds
New research from CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, and the University of Toronto in Canada, estimates up to 11 million metric tons of plastic pollution is sitting on the ocean floor. The article, "Plastics in the deep sea—A global estima.....»»
Plastic Omnium changes name as it adds software, lighting
The French supplier will be known as OPMobility, reflecting a broader ambition and new product line, executives said......»»
Manila confronts its plastic problem through a community-guided protocol
Governments and international organizations have touted the circular economy, in which materials and products stay in circulation for as long as possible, as an antidote to our global plastic problem. (The equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks of plasti.....»»
New Zealand"s glaciers shrinking faster, scientist warns
New Zealand's glaciers are shrinking as ice melts at an accelerating rate, a top government scientist warned Monday after concluding a monitoring expedition in the country's Southern Alps......»»
Samsung users ask, “Why does the S-Pen smell so bad?“
Apparently the "Ultra" phone's S-Pen often smells like burning plastic. Enlarge / The Galaxy S24 line. (credit: Samsung) Electric design is a field full of varying opinions and trade-offs. Companies agonize over the phy.....»»
Users complain that the Samsung Galaxy S24 stylus… smells bad?
Apparently the "Ultra" phone's S-Pen often smells like burning plastic. Enlarge / The Galaxy S24 line. (credit: Samsung) Electric design is a field full of varying opinions and trade-offs. Companies agonize over the phy.....»»
Icefields in South America are larger than all glaciers in the European Alps together
Although the two huge icefields in the Andes in South America cover approximately 16,000 square kilometers, an area roughly equivalent to the state of Thuringia in Germany, not much is known about the Patagonian icefields. A team led by Johannes Für.....»»
Climate change disrupts vital ecosystems in the Alps
Reduced snow cover and shifting vegetation patterns in the Alps, both driven by climate change, are having major combined impacts on biodiversity and functioning of ecosystems in the high mountains, according to new research published today......»»
Yeast uses plastic waste oils to make high-value chemicals
Polyolefins are a type of plastic that is resistant to breaking down. This makes this plastic—a kind found in everything from grocery bags to car bumpers—hard to recycle. In a new study, scientists have discovered a potential solution, the yeast.....»»
Study finds large accumulations of plastics in the ocean, even outside so-called garbage patch
When plastic ends up in the ocean, it gradually weathers and disintegrates into small particles. If marine animals ingest these particles, their health can be severely affected. Large accumulations of plastic can therefore disrupt the biological bala.....»»
Cellulose fibers are emerging as a sustainable option for wrapping everything from foods to electronics
Attention supermarket shoppers in Belgium, France and Luxembourg: a test to cut waste from plastic packaging of foods is coming to nearby stores......»»
Is food waste the key to sustainable, plastic-free diapers and sanitary pads?
Once thrown away, disposable items such as diapers and sanitary pads can take hundreds of years to decompose, because their absorbent parts and waterproof layers contain plastics and other synthetic polymers. But now, researchers are replacing these.....»»
Holographic message encoded in simple plastic
There are many ways to store data—digitally, on a hard disk, or using analog storage technology, for example as a hologram. In most cases, it is technically quite complicated to create a hologram: High-precision laser technology is normally used fo.....»»
How the Tudors dealt with food waste
More than 10 million tons of food is wasted in the UK each year. Leftovers perish in their plastic Tupperware tombs, supermarket bins heave with damaged but perfectly edible produce, and fields are littered with spoiled harvests. Preventing good food.....»»
Polar plastic: 97% of sampled Antarctic seabirds found to have ingested microplastics
Anthropogenic plastic pollution is often experienced through evocative images of marine animals caught in floating debris, yet its reach is far more expansive. The polar regions of the Arctic and Antarctica are increasingly experiencing the impacts o.....»»
Opinion: Lagos bans single-use plastics—why I think Nigeria should have taxed them instead
Waste pollution is a huge problem in Nigeria, with serious impacts on the environment. In response, the Lagos state government has banned styrofoam (a type of plastic widely used as food containers) and other single-use products......»»