When Alexander Parkes invented the first thermoplastic in 1856, he probably had no idea how pervasive his invention would become in the centuries that followed. Today, thanks to the invention of injection molding, plastic is used in almost any industry you can imagine, including manufacturing, packaging, construction, education, transportation, and healthcare. The use of plastic…
“Plastics!” Yeah, it’s everywhere … not just in grocery store aisles and department stores and every other commercial outlet you can think of, not to mention your own cupboards and closets and trashcans, but on the grass and on the sidewalks, in the landfills, in the lakes and rivers, in the oceans. And it doesn’t…
Despite known negative effects of BPA and BPS in plastic, these toxic chemicals are still prevalent in many home products and food items. BPA and BPS exposure is linked with reproductive disorders, lowered cognitive function, behavioral problems in children and increased oxidative stress, among other health disorders. Reducing your exposure to these harmful chemicals is…
Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and PepsiCo 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 II: Identifying the World’s Top Corporate Plastic Polluters.” Four hundred and eighty-four cleanups in over 50 countries and 6 continents, organised by the Break Free From…
New studies are being published that detail high levels of dangerous microplastics had been detected in some of the most remote regions of the world. Another study warned microplastics are turning up in human stool. Now there are new reports that show high levels of microplastics have been found in blood and urine samples of children. The study,…
Plastics in our waste streams are breaking down into tiny particles, causing potentially catastrophic consequences for human health and our aquatic systems, finds research from the University of Surrey and Deakin’s Institute for Frontier Materials. Led by Dr Judy Lee and Marie Enfrin from the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering at the University of…
