News Article
March 15, 2022
Three studies research plastic labeling shortcomings, effectiveness of behavioral interventions; article recommends plastic labels should include sustainability scale, provide regional disposal instructions, and list additives; review considers bigger picture, stakeholder diversity, and several techniques to increase effectiveness of behavioral interventions to reduce single-use plastic consumption; study finds social media does not affect consumer’s intentions to recycle plastics
News Article
September 9, 2015
NGOs urge European Commission to ban recycling of materials containing toxic flame retardant DecaBDE, a chemical previously found in recycled plastic FCMs
News Article
August 14, 2017
City of Chicago introduced tax on paper and plastic checkout bags in February 2017; tax collections and research show shoppers are using less bags, indicating behavioral change
News Article
December 21, 2021
International Pollution Elimination Network and partners publish two studies investigating toxic substances in plastic pellets; virgin plastic pellets recovered from beaches on six continents all contain polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and endocrine-disrupting UV stabilizers; over half of the samples of recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pellets contain at least 11 out of 18 flame retardants and UV stabilizers assessed
News Article
January 9, 2024
Two studies assess antimony presence and migration from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles sold in Brazil and Turkey; detect antimony in almost all samples and in levels below Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI); find migration to increase with temperature, storage time, and beverage pH
News Article
October 13, 2023
First study to assess per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food contact materials (FCMs) in Vietnam detects them in 16 out of 18 samples; mostly in low levels but up to 624 ng/g in mochi paper tray; authors call for more focus on Global South since PFAS research focus is mostly on the North
News Article
May 25, 2016
Musicians and music festivals make efforts to move away from single-use disposable plastic cups, bottles, wrappers, etc. and reduce waste
News Article
June 3, 2014
New study investigates estrogenic activity of BPA-free polycarbonate plastics used in food contact
News Article
April 5, 2013
Minnesota stops buying consumer products containing triclosan over safety concerns
News Article
September 26, 2022
Study finds up to 6000 particles/L to be released from disposable drinking cups; scientists estimate humans ingest 37,613–89,294 microplastics through plastic cups use per year; study suggests consumption from plastic containers changes human gut and oral microbiota composition; review concludes that uptake of microplastics carrying pathogens may impact human health
