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Zero Waste
Single-Use Plastic a Growing Environmental Threat
Single-Use plastics have become a pollution and litter problem in the United States and across the globe. Only about 9.5% of post-consumer plastic is collected for recycling so much of the non-recycled plastic ends up in the oceans, rivers, lakes, streams, along roadways or in landfills and incinerators. ....more
Articles & Videos
2021
US Pet bottling recycling market continues to sink - Plastics Recycling Update – Resource Recycling – 11/03/2021
Massachusetts banning the disposal of textiles, mattresses and more organics in 2022 - Waste Dive – 11/03/2021
Plastic's GHG emissions could outpace those from coal by 2030: report – Waste Dive – 10/25/2021 (Full Report posted on the WEAL website)
Chemical Recycling: It’s Not What You Think – The Hill – 10/20/2021
More Than 1 Million Mattresses Recycled in Connecticut - Waste 360 – 10/19/2021
Canadian organics programs share lessons learned on policy, plastics and public engagement - Waste Dive – 10/18/2021
The recycling myth: A plastic waste solution littered with failure (reuters.com) – Reuters – 7/29/20921
Report: Cities should prioritize PET, HDPE, PP collection -Plastics Recycling Update – 7/28/2021 (report on WEAL website)
Merkley: States will aid push for U.S. plastics recycling – Portland Tribune – 7/25/2021
Time to dump harmful plastic production - San Francisco Examiner – 7/21/2021
Progress report: State waste and recycling policies gain notable traction this year - Waste Dive – 7/19/2021
Composting has spiked since food scraps were banned from landfills - Vermont Digger – 7/15/2021
Nation’s first packaging EPR bill is signed into law – Resource Recycling – 7/13/2021
Our Plastic Is Poisoning Eggs Eaten by the World’s Poor, Study Finds - Mother Jones - 6/23/2021
Wisconsin - Video - Greenwashing: Sustainability or showmanship by companies? - Fox6 News - 6/23/2021
NGOs and Governments Push for World Treaty on Plastic Waste - The Maritime Executive - 6/21/2021
The Coca-Cola Company, BlueTriton Brands, and Niagara Bottling Sued For Misleading Consumers On Plastic Bottle Recycling | Sierra Club - Sierra Club - June 15, 2021
Earth Island Institute Files Lawsuit Against Coca-Cola for False Advertising :: Earth Island Institute - Earth Island Institute - June 8, 2021
Here Is Who’s Behind the Global Surge in Single-Use Plastic - NYT - 5/18/2021
Tracking the Future of US Recycling Policy in Congress - Waste Dive - 4/23/21
Maryland becomes the latest state to pass organics diversion mandate - Waste Dive - 4/14/2021
U.S. Recycling: The Come Back is Better than Ever (Commentary) - Waste 360 - Neil Seldman - 4/08/2021
Washington, DC zero waste bill is now law, though funding remains uncertain -Waste Dive - 4/05/2021
Deposit return systems are a key part of solving the plastic paradox - (Opinion) Waste Dive - 3/29/2021
2019
Argentina could become 'sacrificial country' for plastic waste, say activists – The Guardian US Edition - 11/01/2019
Ocean Plastic Pollution Prompts Lawsuit – Honolulu Civil Beat – 11/01/2019
Plastic bags are banned in Victoria from today — here's what it will mean for your shopping – ABC News – Australia – 11/01/2019
Udall, Lowenthal Seek Input on Landmark Legislation to Address the Global Plastic Waste Crisis – Press Release on Proposed Legislation – 10/31/2019
We know plastic bottles are choking our planet. So why are companies still selling them? - CBC News – Canada – 10/31/2019
Beverage giants pledge $100M to capture more PET bottles with major recycling groups – WasteDive – 10/30/2019
Why does the Arctic have more plastic than most places on Earth? – National Geographic – 10/30/2019
N.S. passes legislation banning single-use plastic bags – CBC News – Nova Scotia - 10/30/2019
Ted Danson urges lawmakers to take action against single-use plastics – The Hill – 10/29/2019
Coca-Cola Named The World’s Most Polluting Brand in Plastic Waste Audit – Forbes – 10/29/2019 – SEE REPORTS – “Branded Volume II”
Plastic waste illegally imported into India, claims expose – DownToEarth - 10/29/2019
Plastic pollution: A global problem with local solutions – Vancouver Sun – 10/27/2019
Every human should be alarmed by the plastic crisis in our oceans – Washington Post – 10/26/2019
You think you have a recycling problem? Try Carnival’s 18M plastic yogurt cups at sea – Miami Herald = 10/25/2019
'Evil economics': William Barber condemns proposed plastics facility in Cancer Alley - The Guardian US Edition – 10/24/2019
Seal found stuck in plastic waste on Norfolk beach – BBC News – 10/24/2019
Coca-Cola Named Most Polluting Brand in Global Audit of Plastic Waste – The Intercept – 10/23/2019 - SEE REPORTS – “Branded Volume II
Philly Council committee moves plastic bag ban to final vote, but kills 15-cent fee – WHYY – Philadelphia, PA – 10/23/2019
VIDEO - Providence plastic bag ban now in effect - WPRI.com – Providence, Rhode Island – 10/22/2019
Leaked Audio Reveals How Coca-Cola Undermines Plastic Recycling Efforts - The Intercept – 10/18/2019
AUDIO - Millions Of Tons Of Plastic Are Dumped In The Ocean Every Year. We Don't Know Where Most Of It Ends Up – WBUR – Boston – 10/18/2019
Ocean cleanup device successfully collects plastic for first time – The Guardian US Edition – 10/04/2019
Companies are promoting false solutions to plastic waste - TreeHugger – 10/03/2019 – Full report posted under “Reports”
VIDEO - Islamabad Bans Plastic Bags – VOA News – 10/03/2019
VIDEO – The Plastic’s Industry’s Long Fight to Blame Pollution on You – The Intercept – 10/03/2019
Federal 'Save Our Seas' bill spurs debate over plastics recycling – Waste Dive – 10/02/2019 - WEAL Signed Letter - Opposition Letter to Save our Seas Legislation
VIDEO - How worried should we be about microplastics? – The Guardian US Edition – 10/01/2019
Indian State an Example of Successful Plastic Ban – VOA News – 10//01/2019
VIDEO - A single tea bag can leak billions of pieces of microplastic into your brew - CNN - 9/27/2019
GREAT LAKES - 22 million pounds of plastics enter the Great Lakes each year – Chicago Tribune– 9/04/2019
Drowning in plastic Visualizing the world’s addiction to plastic bottles – Reuters -9/04/2019
Has Kenya's plastic bag ban worked? – BBC News – 8/28/2019
Do plastic bag taxes or bans curb waste? 400 cities and states tried it out. – Vox – 8/27/2019
'It is raining plastic': Scientists find colorful microplastic in rain – CNN – 8/14/2019
How Bad Is Pakistan's Plastic Bag Problem? See for Yourself – NPR – 8/13/2019
WISCONSIN – AUDIO - Are Plastic Bags Really Recycled? – WUWM 89.7 – 8/05/2019
Freshwater is getting neglected when it comes to plastic pollution research - Environmental Health News – 8/02/2019
VIDEO - Divers Remove Plastic Waste from Greek Waters – a Gulf Full of Plastic Corals – VOA – 8/01/2019
On first day of new 10 cent tax some Connecticut Shoppers say they’re giving up plastic bags – Hartford Courant, CT – 8/01/2019
VIDEO – Plastic pollution is making seabirds smaller and sicker, a study finds – CNN – 7/30/2019
Lightweight Plastic Bags Banned in New Zealand – Voice of America - 7/01/2019
Where are Plastic Bags Banned Around the World? – Waste 360 - 6/28/201
VIDEO - Pennsylvania blocks plastic bag bans for at least a year – Action News4 (PA) - 6/28/2019
VIDEO - How rivers became the plastic highway to the oceans – CNN - 6/27/2019
Palm Beach becomes first county municipality to ban plastic bags, polystyrene containers – Palm Beach Post - 6/27/2019
Japan’s plastic problem: Tokyo spearheads push at G20 to tackle waste – The Guardian US Edition - 6/27/2019
In Pakistan's northern mountains, plastic bags face the bin – Reuters - 6/26/2019
The US Recycling System is Garbage – Sierra Club Magazine - 6/26/2019
VIDEO - 3 Million Plastic Bags in Osaka Bay Cloud Japan's Anti-Waste Push – Bloomberg -6/25/2019
The Earth’s climate is paying for our addiction to plastic – The Guardian US Edition - 6/25/2019
Americans’ plastic recycling is dumped in landfills investigation shows – The Guardian US Edition - 6/21/2019
Maine and Vermont Pass Plastic Bag Bans on the Same Day – EcoWatch - 6/20/2019
Plastic wrapped in plastic: the wasteful reality of America’s grocery stores – The Guardian US Edition - 6/20/2019
Vermont adopts the most comprehensive plastics ban in U.S. – National Geographic - 6/18/2019
Zero waste: The global plastics crisis – Op-Ed - Nation of Change - 6/18/2019
How you're recycling plastic wrong, from coffee cups to toothpaste – The Guardian – US Edition - 6/17/2019
Why the Guardian is taking on America's plastic waste crisis – The Guardian US Edition - 6/17/2019
Gov. Mills signs bill to ban single-use plastic bags – Press Herald (Maine) - 6/17/2019
Canada in talks with Malaysia about taking back plastic waste – The Japan Times - 6/17/2019
G20 agrees landmark international deal to tackle plastic waste polluting world’s oceans – The Independent - 6/16/2019
Deposit scheme could dramatically reduce plastic waste – The Guardian US Edition - 6/14/2019
A Simple Online System that could End Plastic Pollution – BBC - 6/13/2019
AUDIO - America's grungy 'recycled' plastic is creating wastelands in Asia – PRI - 6/13/2019
Turkey becomes new dump for global plastic waste – AL Monitor - 6/12/2019
VIDEO - Canada banning single-use plastics as early as 2021 – CBS News - 6/11/2019
How did we let plastic bags get everywhere? – The Guardian US Edition - 6/09/2019
VIDEO - World Ocean Day 2019: Ocean plastics problem isn't going away, but here's what you can do to help – ABC News - 6/10/2019
Recyclers Cringe as Southeast Asia Says It’s Sick of the West’s Trash – New York Times - 6/07/2019
VIDEO - India’s trash mountains are a fetid symbol of the country’s plastic problem – CNN - 6/07/2019
VIDEO - If you drink bottled water, you could double how many microplastic particles you ingest, study says – CNN - 6/05/2019
VIDEO - How the Country Once Nicknamed ‘Garbage Island’ Cut Waste By 30% – Huffpost Post - 5/27/2019
VIDEO - Mediterranean Garbage Patch: Huge New ‘Island’ of Plastic Waste Discovered Floating in Sea – Newsweek - 5/21/2019
Plastics Industry on Track to Burn 14 Percent of World’s Remaining Carbon Budget – Truthout - 5/20/2019
Young sperm whale found dead in Sicily with stomach full of plastic – CNN - 5/20/19
Tonnes of plastic waste pollute Cocos Island beaches, and what you see is only a fragment – ABC Science - 5/16/2019
$2.5 trillion breathing problem? Ocean plastic endangers bacteria that create oxygen necessary for life – Fox News - 5/15/2019
Plastic pollution harms the bacteria that help produce the oxygen we breathe –Science Daily - 5/14/2019
It’s Time to Wake Up to the Threat of Single-use Plastics – Waste 360 – 5/13/2019
Islamabad to go plastic bag-free by August – Gulf News Asia – 5/11/2019
Nearly all countries agree to stem flow of plastic waste into poor nations -The Guardian (US Edition) – 5/10/2019
VIDEO - Microplastics Have Invaded Some Of The Planet’s Most Remote Places – Huff Post - 5/07/2019
Investors Pressure Oil Giants on Ocean Plastics Pollution - Inside Climate News – 5/06/2019
11 ocean-friendly companies like Patagonia and Adidas that are removing plastic from our seas and transforming it into cool new products – Business Insider – 5/06/2019
Flying to Kenya With A Plastic Bag? Face A $40,000USD Fine! - Simple Flying – 5/04/2019
Our plastic footprint sinks, right to the bottom of the sea – WHYY – 5/03/2019
How biodegradable plastic bags don’t live up to their name – PBS Newshour – 5/02/2019
Reports Suggest Carnival Ships Systematically Discharged Plastic Waste - Cruise Law News – 5/01/2019
Maine outlaws single-use Styrofoam, as the first state to sign ban into law – CNBC – 5/01/2019
Biodegradable shopping bags buried for three years still work – National Geographic – 4/28/2019
A stranded dolphin in Florida shows why plastic bags are the worst – Quartz – 4/28/2019
The latest on plastic bags? A bill to ban the ban of bag banning – M-Live (Michigan) – 4/28/2019
VIDEO - B.C.'s unrecycled plastics contributing to ocean pollution, conservation group says - CTV News – 4/25/2019
Albuquerque, New Mexico signs single-use plastic bag ban into law – Waste Dive – 4/24/2019
Oklahoma governor signs law banning bans on plastic bags – The Hill – 4/24/2019
Dumping plastic waste in Asia found destroying crops and health – ABS/CBN News – 4/23/2019
How plastic waste could destroy the Earth within a few centuries -Salon – 4/22/2019
The single-use plastic pollution problem – Marketplace – 4/22/2019
Cities and countries aim to slash plastic waste within a decade – The Conversation (US) – 4/18/2019
Walmart Launches New Reusable Bag Campaign, Sustainability Goals – Waste 360 – 4/12/2019
10 Cities and Countries Confronting Plastic Bag Pollution Head-On – Earth Day Network – 4/10/2019
ALDI says all packaging will be reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025 – Tree Hugger – 4/04/2019
Proposed bottle ban goes to town meeting across Cape Cod - Wicked Local Yarmouth (MA) – 4/03/2019
Massachusetts, Vermont could be next to ban single-use plastic bags - Waste Dive – 4/03/1029
This young whale died with 88 pounds of plastic in its stomach – National Geographic – 3/18/2019
AUDIO - Where Will Your Plastic Trash Go Now That China Doesn't Want It? - NPR – 3/13/2019
California proposes phaseout of single-use plastics by 2030 - CNBC – 2/23/2019
An Island Crusader Takes On The Big Brands Behind Plastic Waste – Break Free From Plastic - 1/16/2019
2018
The answer to plastic pollution is to not create waste in the first place – Monica Wilson (GAIA) – The Guardian (US) – 12/26/2018
Plastic pollution discovered at deepest point of ocean - The Guardian (US) – 12/20/2018
Found, Inside Dead Sperm Whale: 100 Plastic Cups, 4 Plastic Bottles, 25 Plastic Bags, 2 Flip-Flops – Live Science 11/21/2018
How mountains of U.S. plastic waste ended up in Malaysia, broken down by workers for $10 a day – Los Angeles Times – 10/29/2018
Swamped with plastic waste: Malaysia struggles as global scrap piles up – Reuters – 10/25/18
WISCONSIN***AUDIO - How China's New Recycling Rules Affect Wisconsin's Waste Industry, What Companies Mean When They Call A Product 'Natural' Wisconsin Public Radio – 10/17/2018
Japan eyes reducing amount of plastic waste by as much as 25% by 2030 – The Japan News – 10/13/2018
Nestlé, Tim Hortons named Canada's top plastic polluters – CBC News – 10/10/2018
Coke, Pepsi, Nestle top makers of plastic waste: Greenpeace - Channel News Asia – 10/09/2018
Plastic waste on remote South Atlantic Islands ten times higher than decade ago – Sky News - 10/08/2018
Plastic bottle washes up looking 'almost new' after nearly 50 years at sea – The Guardian (US) – 8/30/2018
Cola and Nestle among worst plastic polluters based on global clean-up
Invasive Species Are Riding on Plastic Across the Oceans – National Geographic – 8/28/2018
The plastic waste crisis is an opportunity for the US to get serious about recycling at home – Gazette Times – 8/23/2018
VIDEO - Do you flush your contact lenses? Here's why you should stop – CNN – 8/22/2018
WISCONSIN***AUDIO - Beach Trash: Where Lake Michigan’s Litter Originates – WUWM 89.7 – 8/17/2018
VIDEO - Welcome To The Plastic Beach: Shocking Footage From Mexico Shows Extent Of Plastic Waste Problem – CBS News 8/15/2018
Wave After Wave of Garbage Hits the Dominican Republic – New York Times 7/24/2018
We're Drowning in Plastic Trash. Jenna Jambeck Wants to Save Us – NPR 7/24/2018
VIDEO - Waves of Plastic Debris Found in Caribbean Sea off Coast of Santo Domingo - Star TV – 7/21/2018
VIDEO - See Wave of Garbage off The Dominican Republic – CNN – 7/18/2018
How Penzance Became Britain’s First Plastic-Free Town - The Guardian (US) 7/18/2018
Adidas Joins the Fight Against Plastic – CNN Money – 7/16/18
Can Norway Help Us Solve the Plastic Crisis, One Bottle at a Time? - The Guardian (US) – 7/12/2018 -
China One Year On – Waste 360 – 7/10/2018
Solution to Ocean’s Plastic Waste Problem ‘Starts with Product Design’ EcoWatch – 7/10/2018
Has the Environment Reached Peak Plastic? - CNBC - 7/02/2018
The US Used to Ship 4,000 recyclable containers a day to China. Where will the Banned Trash Go? – USA Today – 6/22/2018 -
China’s Plastic Waste Ban Will Leave 111 Million tons of Trash with Nowhere to Go – The Verge 6/20/2018
Ikea to Ban Single-Use Plastic from Stores and Restaurants – The Hill – 7/08/2018
The Himalayan State That Declared War on Plastic Bags – The Guardian (US) 7/03/2018
World Oceans Day: Tourists Creating a ‘Toxic Legacy’ Plastic Waste in the Mediterranean Sea -The Telegraph – 6/08/2018
Over 60 Countries Have Introduced Bans, Fees to Cut Single-Use Plastic Waste CBS New – 6/05/2018
World Environment Day: Planet is Being ‘Swamped” by Plastic Waste, Says UN Chief – The Independent – 6/05/18
VIDEO - Chile to Become First Country in the Americas to Ban Plastic Bags EcoWatch – 5/31/2018
VIDEO - Scottish Government to Ban Single-Use Cups From its Buildings – Sky News – 5/30/2018
VIDEO - EU Plans Ban of Plastic Cutlery, Straws and More – CNN Money 5/28/2018
VIDEO - National Geographic Launches Effort to Reduce Plastic Waste – ABC News – 5/17/2018
What You Can Do to Fight Plastic Pollution – Phys.org – 5/17/2018 Plastics Explained from A to Z – National Geographic – 5/16/2018
Plastic Problem: What One Tiny Iowa town did to Combat it, and How yours Ranks – Des Moines Register – 5/09/2018
16 Times Countries and Cities Have Banned Single-Use Plastics – Global Citizen 4/25/2018
VIDEO - It’s Not Just the Oceans: Microplastic Pollution is All Around Us – CNN 4/22/2018
WISCONSIN - VIDEO - Lake Michigan - Wind, Waves, Push Pile of Garbage onto Sidewalk along Lakefront, and ‘We Eat the Fish that Eats the Plastic’ – Fox6 News (TV) – 4/18/2018
VIDEO - 'Plastic, plastic, plastic': British diver films sea of rubbish off Bali – The Guardian (US) – 3/06/2018
2017
UN Commits to Stop Ocean Plastic Waste – BBC News – 12/05/2017
VIDEO – Plastic Floating in Caribbean – YouTube – Posted 11/05/2017
Public Shaming and Even Prison for Plastic Bag Use in Rwanda – New York Times 10/28/2017
VIDEO - Kenya Plastic Bag Ban Comes into Force After Years of Delays – BBC News – 8/28/2017
Top Ten Items – Ocean Conservancy – 5/09/2017
WISCONSIN - VIDEO - Winds Whip Up Trash from Landfill into Trees, Yards – Menomonee Falls WISN News (TV) 3/08/2017
WISCONSIN - VIDEO - Garbage from Outagamie County Landfill Blown into Neighborhoods WLUK (TV) 3/08/2017