Environmental toxins may be behind the rise in neurological disorders
Doctors warn exposure to omnipresent, yet poorly understood, chemicals such as microplastics could play a role in dementia.
microplastics
The Mediterranean Sea is so hot, it’s forming CO2-belching crystals
In the rapidly warming Eastern Mediterranean, water stratifies into layers, like a cake. That’s allowing carbon-spewing crystals to form.
How Canada’s plan to curb farm emissions could make plastic pollution worse
Environmentalists are warning that slow-release nitrogen fertilizers, central to Canada's plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on farms, are filling fields with microscopic plastic pollution.
EU considers new rules to discourage disposable fast fashion
New rules proposed by the EU's executive arm call for a mandatory minimum use of recycled fibers by 2030 and would ban the destruction of many unsold products
Tiny plastic particles are polluting even the 'far corners of Earth'
Tiny particles, including tire dust, have been found in ice cores stretching back 50 years, showing the extent of global plastic contamination.
From poison in cigarette butts to fair futures
Meet Lisa Chen, who wanted to use her biology degree to fight climate change but had trouble finding a relevant job.
Bugs are evolving to eat plastic
A new study is the first large-scale global assessment of the plastic-degrading potential of bacteria and found that one in four of the organisms analyzed carried a suitable enzyme.
Microplastics are wreaking havoc on human cells
A study found the harm from ingesting microplastics included cell death and allergic reactions, and the research is the first to show this happens at levels relevant to human exposure.
Are microplastics cooling and heating the Earth’s climate?
Tiny bits of plastic are swirling in the sky, and a new model suggests they could be subtly affecting the climate.
Fast fashion is cheap, but our environment is paying the price
I love fashion, but this overconsumption has to stop for the sake of our planet and for the sake of thousands of species, writes Ashley Stefureak.
Did you know baby poo is loaded with microplastics?
An alarming new study finds that infant feces contain 10 times more polyethylene terephthalate (polyester) than an adult’s.
England declares ‘war on plastic,’ starting with single-use plates and cutlery
Polystyrene cups will also be banned, but campaigners say action to cut plastic waste is "snail-paced."
Will Canada support a global plastic pollution treaty?
Over 40 leading Canadian researchers signed a letter this week urging Canada to support efforts to create a global UN treaty to address plastic pollution. About two-thirds of countries globally and several major food and beverage companies have indicated support for the approach.
Canada's oceans on the crest of a transformative decade
Fisheries and Oceans Canada is taking on a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity to improve lay a new foundation for sustainable oceans as part of the UN’s Decade of Ocean Science.
Plastic rain is falling from the sky. But where's it coming from?
At any given time, 1,100 tons of microplastic are floating over the western U.S. New modelling shows the surprising sources of the nefarious pollutant.