plastic

What to do with all of your holiday trash

By Jamie Leventhal

Many Americans will toss their mountainous pile of holiday waste into the recycling bin, which can do more harm than good. Here's how to properly dispose of holiday wrappings, decorations and Christmas lights.

The Plastic Problem

By Lorna Baldwin

The Plastic Problem

By Travis Daub

By 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans. PBS NewsHour takes a closer look at this now ubiquitous material, how it’s impacting the world and ways we can break our plastic addiction.

A massive plastic cleanup project provokes hope and skepticism

By Vicky Stein

While The Ocean Cleanup has been hailed as one solution for ocean plastic pollution, some researchers have expressed concern.

From seaweed to sugarcane, companies race to find the next great plastic replacement

By Gretchen Frazee

Small businesses are scrambling to meet the demand from consumers who want an alternative to plastic straws.

What if we could put our plastic trash to good use?

By Jamie Leventhal

Humans produce 420 million tons of plastic annually, most of which lands in the environment. With these two innovations, plastic could have a useful second life.

Scientists study the impact of hidden plastic to curb pollution

By PBS News Hour

Microplastics -- tiny fragments of plastic contained in microbeads and microfibers of everyday household products -- have infiltrated the landscape, oceans and living organisms. By studying microplastics, scientists hope to better understand their impact and how to limit their damage.

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Starbucks, citing ocean threat, plans to ditch plastic straws

By Associated Press

Starbucks will eliminate plastic straws from all of its locations within two years, citing the environmental threat to oceans.

Giant plankton eat and transport plastic through the ocean

By Roni Dengler

Giant larvaceans -- bizarre and beautiful zooplankton -- can transport ocean plastic and may introduce it into the food chain.

Humans have made 8.3 billion tons of plastic. Where does it all go?

By Roni Dengler

The plastic debris housed in landfills and natural environments — currently 4.9 billion metric tons — will more than double by 2050, scientists reported Wednesday in Science Advances.