Let the Kite Fly High
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Let the Kite Fly High

UNITED NATIONS, Jan 22 2025 (IPS) – The global plastics negotiation process, launched in 2022 under a resolution by the UN Environment Assembly, represents an unprecedented effort to combat the escalating plastic pollution crisis. Despite progress, negotiations stalled at the end of 2024 due to diverging views on the scope, measures, financing, responsibilities and other…

Microplastics in Seafood: What You Need to Know About What’s on Your Plate
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Microplastics in Seafood: What You Need to Know About What’s on Your Plate

By John Patterson Staff Writer for Wake Up World Microplastics, the tiny particles shed from clothing, packaging, and other plastic products, have infiltrated our food chain. A study by researchers at Portland State University (PSU) revealed how widespread this contamination is in seafood. Their findings, published in Frontiers in Toxicology, underscore the urgent need for solutions to…

Imitation leather from industrial hemp: innovative and sustainable material for future car interiors
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Imitation leather from industrial hemp: innovative and sustainable material for future car interiors

Volkswagen has entered into a cooperation with the German start-up Revoltech GmbH from Darmstadt. The aim is to research and develop sustainable materials based on industrial hemp. These could be used as a sustainable surface material in Volkswagen models from 2028. The material made from 100% bio-based hemp uses residues of the regional hemp industry….

The History of Industrial Hemp in the United States: A Case for Revitalization through the Commodity Credit Corporation
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The History of Industrial Hemp in the United States: A Case for Revitalization through the Commodity Credit Corporation

Industrial hemp has played a pivotal role in the economic and agricultural history of the United States. From its use in rope and textiles during the colonial era to its critical importance during World War II, this versatile crop has proven its value time and again. Despite its many benefits, industrial hemp faced decades of…

The Biggest Delegation at Plastic Treaty Talks? Plastic Industry Lobbyists

The Biggest Delegation at Plastic Treaty Talks? Plastic Industry Lobbyists

“Allowing fossil fuel and petrochemical companies to exert their influence in these negotiations is like letting foxes guard the henhouse,” said one campaigner. At the fifth and final session of the United Nations Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to finalize a global plastics treaty in Busan, South Korea, one anti-pollution campaigner noted on Wednesday that “waste pickers,…

‘Moment of truth’ for world-first plastic pollution treaty
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‘Moment of truth’ for world-first plastic pollution treaty

Plastic pollution litters our seas, our air and even our bodies, but negotiators face an uphill battle next week to agree on the world’s first treaty aimed at ending the problem. Countries will have a week in South Korea’s Busan from Monday to round off two years of negotiations. They remain deeply divided on whether…

US Plastics Industry Dumps Almost Half a Billion Gallons of Wastewater Daily

US Plastics Industry Dumps Almost Half a Billion Gallons of Wastewater Daily

“Plastics plants are poisoning our waters and contaminating our bodies—and EPA needs to do its job and protect our waterways and downstream communities,” said one watchdog leader. Amid fears over President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, a government watchdog on Thursday called out the EPA for letting the plastics industry pollute…

Bio-based fibers could pose greater threat to environment than conventional plastics

Bio-based fibers could pose greater threat to environment than conventional plastics

Bio-based materials may pose a greater health risk to some of the planet’s most important species than the conventional plastics they are designed to replace, a new study has shown. Such materials are increasingly being advocated as environmentally friendly alternatives to plastics, and used in textiles and products including clothing, wet wipes and period products….

This New Bioplastic Could Change Manufacturing: All About Sway
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This New Bioplastic Could Change Manufacturing: All About Sway

Seaweed is responsible for producing more than half of Earth’s oxygen and has the potential to suck up and store massive amounts of carbon dioxide. It’s a trending superfood rich in protein, calcium, folic acid, and iron, and can reduce your blood pressure and improve your digestion. It’s used in a diverse range of industries,…

Microplastic pollution is everywhere, even in the exhaled breath of dolphins – new research shows.
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Microplastic pollution is everywhere, even in the exhaled breath of dolphins – new research shows.

Microplastic pollution is everywhere, even in the exhaled breath of dolphins – new research shows. Bottlenose dolphins in Sarasota Bay in Florida and Barataria Bay in Louisiana are exhaling microplastic fibers, according to our new research published in the journal PLOS One. Tiny plastic pieces have spread all over the planet – on land, in the…