26 September 2024 : the month’s most important stories

ExxonMobil is being taken to court for misleading the public about the effectiveness of recycling. The state of California says the oil giant’s false claims have lead directly to an increase in plastic pollution. Environmental groups praised the lawsuit, saying it would hold the industry accountable.

A Swiss study has found more than 3,600 chemicals used in food packaging inside the human body, including BPA and PFAS. These chemicals can migrate from packaging into food and may have long-term health impacts. The study highlights the need for more research into their migration and health effects.

At New York Climate Week, researchers called for the world to focus on the role of plastics in global warming. This editorial argues that leaving plastic production out of any agreed fossil fuel phase down is a huge and dangerous loophole – but one that could be addressed in the new Global Plastics Treaty.

K-pop activist group K4P protested outside Hybe’s headquarters, calling for the company to stop campaigns encouraging fans to buy multiple physical copies of albums and other plastic merchandise. A survey found 42.8% of K-Pop fans considered Hybe’s marketing tactics as the “worst business practice”. 

Volunteers in Bengaluru are helping their local temples to go zero waste. The initiative promotes waste segregation, composting, and reducing single-use plastic in the offerings and involves both temple staff and visitors.