Are sewage spills and coastal winds contributing to airborne microplastics?
This image was taken looking out across Plymouth Sound (UK) during Storm Eunice in February 2022. The area was the focus of new research which analysed existing records on two years of combined sewer overflows into Plymouth Sound, alongside same-day and long-term...
Recycled plastics can affect hormone systems and metabolism
Recycled plastic pellets from polyethylene (PE) can be used when making a water bottle for instance. But we can never have full knowledge of what chemicals will end up in an item made of recycled plastic. Therefore the item could contain toxic chemicals that can leach...
Why plastic sheds dangerous fragments
In lab experiments simulating real-world conditions, these nanoplastics shattered into even smaller pieces. Credit: Kumar Research Group. The unique construction that makes plastic so useful also makes it prone to forming hazardous micro- and nanoscopic shards. The...