microplastics

Plastic pollution is changing the processes of the entire Earth system, exacerbating climate change, biodiversity loss, ocean acidification, and the use of freshwater and land, according to scientific analysis.

When UBC food safety researcher Tianxi Yang became a mother, she wondered how much microplastic her son would ingest when drinking milk out of widely available plastic containers.

Studies find red, blue and green plastic decomposes into microplastic particles faster than plainer colours due to the way their colourants interact with UV radiation.

Recent lawsuits filed against the companies behind brands including Arrowhead, Evian and Poland Spring say they and other water bottlers are deceiving customers.

A New York City bill — dubbed “Pods Are Plastic” — proposes a ban on dishwashing and laundry detergent pods coated in PVA, a type of plastic that disintegrates when submerged in water.

Researchers in Italy examined fatty plaques removed from the blood vessels of patients with arterial disease and found that more than half had deposits contaminated with tiny particles of plastic.

According to a new report, plastic bag bans can eliminate nearly 300 single-use plastic bags per person per year.

Zooplankton vital for fish on B.C.’s southern coast are lining their guts with synthetic microfibres shed and flushed out to sea when we wash our clothes, causing big ripple effects for marine life.

The tiny fragments that tires release into the environment are yet another reason to reduce car use.

In March 2022, 175 countries agreed to write a global treaty to address the plastic pollution crisis. Now, a year and a half later, they have a rough draft.

The algae Melosira arctica is the foundation of the food chain, and its contamination could have major consequences for ecosystems and the climate.

Celebrations in a beachside California city will soon have to take place without an iconic, single-use party favour: balloons.

Humanity is now a "geological superpower" and declaring a new epoch is critical to tackling its impact, scientists say.

Simple things like washing festive plastic knitwear on the gentle cycle can reduce microfibre shedding by 70 per cent and better protect marine ecosystems, a recent Ocean Wise study shows.

Blue whales consume up to one billion particles over a feeding season with as-yet-unknown impacts on their health.