Science Jul 20 Malaysia stops accepting plastic waste from the U.S. and other rich nations By John Yang, Andrew Corkery
World Dec 01 Negotiators fail to reach agreement on plastic pollution treaty at talks in South Korea More than 100 countries want the treaty to limit production as well as tackle cleanup and recycling, and many have said that is essential to address chemicals of concern. But for some plastic-producing and oil and gas countries, that crosses… By Jennifer McDermott, Associated Press
Science Sep 04 The world is producing 57 million tons of plastic pollution per year, new study finds Researchers say the world creates 57 million tons of plastic pollution every year — enough to fill New York City’s Central Park as high as the Empire State Building — and spreads it from the deepest oceans to the highest… By Seth Borenstein, Associated Press
Science Apr 03 1 in 3 Americans say they’ve reduced how much plastic they’re using Women, people in households making more than $50,000 annually, and college graduates were more likely to report a decrease in how often they used single-use plastics in the last five years, according to a new PBS NewsHour/NPR/Marist poll. By Bella Isaacs-Thomas
Science Mar 16 Watch 6:32 The plastic industry knowingly pushed recycling myth for decades, new report finds The world produces an average of 430 million metric tons of plastic each year. The United States alone produces tens of millions of tons of plastic waste annually. Yet on average, only about 5 to 6 percent of plastic in… By Ali Rogin, Andrew Corkery
Nov 17 European Union nations reach major breakthrough to stop shipping plastic waste to poor countries By Samuel Petrequin, Associated Press European Union countries and lawmakers have reached a breakthrough to stop sending their plastic trash to poor countries. Continue reading
Jun 03 UN delegates agree to produce draft treaty to end global plastic pollution By Angela Charlton, Associated Press Global negotiators have agreed to craft a draft treaty to end plastic pollution, a preliminary but crucial step toward tackling one of the most lasting sources of human waste. Continue reading
May 27 Watch 7:27 The UN wants to drastically reduce plastic pollution by 2040. Here’s how By William Brangham, Lorna Baldwin, Harry Zahn As plastic waste piles up in the world’s landfills, sewer systems and oceans, the United Nations has set a goal to reduce plastic pollution by 80 percent by the year 2040. Inger Andersen, head of the United Nations Environment Programme,… Continue watching
Dec 04 Watch 5:44 How countries are trying to tackle the plastic pollution problem together This week, representatives from 150 nations are meeting in Uruguay with the goal of dramatically reducing or eliminating all plastic pollution by 2040. Meanwhile, U.S. lawmakers introduced a new bill to help curtail the harmful impacts of plastic waste. Washington… Continue watching
Jun 11 Bold single-use plastic ban kicks Europe’s plastic purge into high gear By Paul Hockenos, Yale Environment 360 As part of a broader effort to create a circular economy that reduces waste and greenhouse gas emissions, the European Union will ban a host of throwaway plastic items next month and is working to create an expansive and lucrative… Continue reading