McDonalds produces 1 billion kg of packaging per year, equivalent to the weight of 100 Eiffel towers! Proposed EU regulations would force them to transition to refill and reuse systems. This article from the EU observer reveals how they have been leading campaigns against the legislation.

A Dutch coalition, responsible for $10tn of assets, is calling for FMCGs such as Amazon, McDonalds and Unilever to reduce their single-use plastic in response to concerns about the environment and our health.

A lawsuit has been filed against Shell, whose new plastic plant has allegedly been repeatedly releasing dangerous levels of airborne emissions, harming the health of local residents.

In an article in the South China Morning Post, Trash Hero Programme Director Seema Prabhu discusses how cleanups cannot solve plastic pollution, but are an important tool for educating local communities and holding corporate polluters accountable through collected data.

The UN has been accused of limiting access to the negotiations of the Global Plastics Treaty in Paris, in a last minute change that will allow only 1 out of 5 delegates to take part at any time. This means many voices from independent science and developing countries will not be heard by lawmakers.

A concerning new study on mice shows that tiny particles of polystyrene – a material frequently used to package takeaway food worldwide – were found in their brain just hours after consuming it.

Scientists have found 37 new species living in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is now like a new ecosystem. These species may become invasive, and the plastic they’re living on is getting into the food we eat.

Lingering smoke from the toxic fire at a plastic recycling plant in Indiana is causing health concerns for those who live close by, even after the fire has been put out. This video discuss the health concerns the residents are left with.

Experts have warned that Exxon’s newest chemical recycling plant could pollute a drinking water source while enabling oil companies to continue producing plastic pollution

Did you realise that oil is involved in nearly every stage of manufacturing clothes? This article reveals how petroleum is a huge part of the fashion industry – from the materials to the dye.

Meet the Nigerians who are helping to increase access to education while tackling the issue of local plastic waste

A new disease called ‘Plasticosis’ has been found in birds. Caused by plastic pollution, it seriously impacts their ability to digest food, and exposes them to infection and parasites. Watch the report from ABC news.

Are you aware of the hidden dangers in your period products and daily beauty routine? Vogue France explores why women are more affected by plastic pollution and how we can protect ourselves.

Lack of regulation is making it challenging to verify recycled content, and creating loopholes for companies to label items actually made from virgin plastic as “recycled”

The Ocean Cleanup raised millions of dollars and made big promises about cleaning up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. A new report asks if their projects are really working, or doing more harm than good?

Stopping single-use plastic is possible! Joanna Nisenbaum in Canada runs a cafe that is 95% zero waste, and she says people are ready for reusables. A great, positive read!

Trash Hero Da Nang’s hard work running regular cleanups for over six months in Vietnam has been featured in a national newspaper, that praised their success in bringing together strangers to form a civic-minded community.

A shocking report from Reuters exposes a “recycling scheme” from Dow Chemicals. It promised that old trainers would be turned into playgrounds and roads, but tracking devices found the waste had been exported to Indonesia instead.

New mini-documentary ‘Trashion’ reveals that in Kenya, half of donated clothes sent from overseas are poor quality, plastic fast fashion. These unusable garments are piling up, causing an environmental crisis in the country.

Plastic-to-fuel production increases the risk of getting cancer to 1 in 4 over a lifetime – 250,000 times above the accepted level. So why is the American Environmental Protection Agency allowing this to go ahead in poor communities?

A new app launched by Oddbox will help reduce food waste by providing recipes inspired by vegetable pairing in their Tinder-style app. Swipe left or right on the vegetables to get a match made in heaven for your dinner!

“Let’s Recycle Glass Bottles” challenged primary schools to collect 10 tonnes of glass in a local competition. The goal was smashed, and a total of 24 tonnes was collected, with the help of Trash Hero Mersing at their weekly cleanups. The success of the initiative has inspired a yearly event.

Coca-Cola claims to be addressing their plastic problem, but last year they produced an extra 236,000 tons of single-use packaging! Is this to be expected? Or are they taking greenwashing to the next level? Read the full story here

Discussions about the global plastics treaty have begun at a UN summit in Uruguay. However, researchers warn that a lack of data will make implementing any regulations difficult. Do you think the treaty will work?

A new study has found that plastics advertised as “home compostable” don’t in fact break down! They leave plastic scraps which pollute soil and could end up in the food chain. Have you tried to put any of these in your compost bin?

Blue whales – the largest animal on the planet – consume over 10 million pieces of plastic daily. They are filter feeders, and dense plastic pollution in the water column means their intake is massive. How can we protect these beautiful creatures?

At current levels of production, the plastics industry will account for 20% of oil and gas use by 2050, making it impossible to keep global warming below the 1.5C target. Reducing the production of plastic is one of the only ways we can limit climate change. How can this be made a priority?

New laws will stop the country being an international “dump site for plastic waste” by 2025. Read the full story here

This article shows that less than a quarter of smokers realise filters are made from plastic, 1 in 3 believe they are cotton wool

A new report from Greenpeace reveals that recycling levels are dropping each year. You can also read the article about it here

The world’s largest packaged goods company says governments should bear more of the cleanup costs. Read the full story here or here.

Zero waste strategies are the easiest way to rapidly and cheaply bring down emissions, finds new report from GAIA. The report is explored here.

Valuable resources in e-waste could be reused in new electronics, to help the move to low-carbon societies, read the full story here.

Our Basel chapter shares their experience on a Swiss sustainability blog

The claim states that their ‘Conscious Collection’ marketing is “misleading” and “falsified”. It has even been claimed that parts of the collection are more damaging to the environment than the regular products. Find out more here

130 ton container declared as “paper” discovered to contain 20-30% general municipal waste – which under current law is not allowed to be shipped into Thailand. Read the full story here

An investigation into companies’ “plastic promises” shows how Danone and others fail to deliver. Find out more about what these companies have done and how it compares to their promises here

A free, step-by-step handbook to help food & drink establishments be part of the solution on plastic waste. Find it here and don’t forget to share it with any restaurant owners you know!

Sustainable travel writers join a beach cleanup on the Thai island. Read their story here