Petrochemical companies pour billions of dollars into new plastic-generating plants; 450,000 people petition for Target to ban plastic bags; plastic rain is becoming more common; a list of the coolest sustainability innovations of 2019, and more.
Petrochemical companies continue to pour billions of dollars into new plants, set to make millions more tons of plastic than they now pump out. Photo and article on Yale Environment 360.
INITIATIVES
This week, Change.org delivered a petition to Target with more than 450,000 signatures, asking the company to ban its use of plastic bags. This was Change.org’s largest environmental petition of 2019, and it remains to be seen how Target will reach to the initiative. Read more on Star Tribune.
Airports around the world are implementing measures to cut back on single-use plastic. India and Dubai host multiple airports that have implemented single-use plastic bans. In February, Glasgow Airport gave all its employees free, reusable bottles. And San Francisco’s airport is encouraging travelers to bring their own bottles. Read more about these initiatives on CNBC.
Tel Aviv municipalities are working toward removing plates, cups, and cutlery from public pre-schools and schools. These efforts follow a plastic bag ban in 2017, and are in line with efforts from private organizations such as IKEA, SodaStream, and some workplaces in Israel. Read more on Israel21c.
Kenya has launched a plastic action plan aimed at enabling a circular economy for its plastics. Kenya introduced a ban on plastic bags in 2017, and it is aiming to become a zero-waste society. Read more on People Daily.
San Francisco cafes are finding innovative ways to eliminate single-use coffee cups. These include everything from glass jars to rental mugs to BYO cup policies. Read more on USA Today.
In India, a cafe offers a hot meal in exchange for plastic waste. In doing so, the Garbage Cafe is simultaneously addressing two of India’s most rampant problems: plastic waste and poverty. Read more on The Guardian.
Italian ski resort Pejo 3000 is banning all single-use plastics beginning this season. The decision was made after an April study revealed that a nearby glacier contained microplastics, including polyester fibers and polythene, used to make plastic bags. Read more on CNN.
TECHNOLOGY
Eco-Business has compiled a list of the coolest sustainability innovations of 2019. From Sweden’s car-charging roads, to the UK’s drone reforestation, to China’s smart trash-sorting systems, technology is helping us to combat climate change one innovation at a time. Read about them on Eco-Business.
Also in the world of innovation, New Atlas has compiled a list of 5 things that scientists can make out of plastic waste. These include filters for harsh chemicals, jet fuel, and biodiesel. Read about these opportunities on New Atlas.
OTHER NEWS
Plastic rain is becoming more common. You read that right: plastic is making its way into our precipitation, meaning we are eating it, drinking it, and even breathing it. Read more about this terrifying reality and the study behind it on Weatherboy.com.
Despite society’s demands for curbing plastic, fossil fuel and petrochemical industries are pouring billions of dollars into new plants intended to make millions more tons of plastic than they now pump out. And due to fracking, the U.S. is a large growth area for plastic production. Read more on Yale Environment 360.
The Indonesian government is pushing back on the recent study that found that burning plastic for fuel is poisoning residents in an East Java village. Instead of acting on the report, the government is challenging it and continuing to allow the burning of plastic. Read more on The New York Times.
Something to consider: Some people actually NEED plastic straws to live. There are some with certain disabilities - especially those affecting motor skills - who rely on plastic straws to consume their drinks. Alternatives such as metal, silicone, or biodegradable straws may not offer the same necessary features, such as flexibility and malleability. Read more about this issue on the CT Mirror.
If you haven’t heard of TerraCycle or its circular economy initiative, Loop, the publication Waste Dive has written an article introducing the program and talking about society’s packaging habits and the company’s efforts to create a more sustainable waste management process. Read about it on Waste Dive.
Is compostable plastic the solution to our problems? Sorry, no. As it stands most of our compostable plastics need special processing to be rendered into compost, and that’s just not happening at the moment. Read more about this issue on the LA Times.