Analysis calculates current commitments will only reduce plastic pollution flows into oceans by 7%; implementing all feasible solutions now could cut pollution by up to 78%; authors call for urgent and coordinated action by all stakeholders, redirecting all current and future investments away from virgin plastic infrastructure
July 21, 2020
The Globe and Mail article on human microplastics exposure
Author Rick Smith describes experiment carried out on himself with University of Rochester to identify uptake of microplastics in his diet; article discusses unknowns and concerns held by scientific experts, criticizes increased plastic use during COVID-19 pandemic
June 26, 2020
California adopts microplastics definition
U.S. California’s Water Resource Control Board adopts definition for microplastics in drinking water; long-term monitoring of microplastics planned in drinking water supplies to understand implications for public health
June 16, 2020
Calls for UK to ban oxo-degradable plastics
Industry associations and non-governmental organizations send letter to UK authorities urging ban on all oxo-degradable plastics in the country; call for UK to uphold equivalent standards to EU legislation after leaving the bloc
April 29, 2020
ACC GlobalChem conference webinar series
American Chemistry Council (ACC) shifts presentations from canceled GlobalChem conference online; series of ten webinars to cover topics such as US Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) registration, microplastics, and global chemicals management
April 21, 2020
New FPF dossier: Microplastics
Food Packaging Forum (FPF) publishes background article and dossier informing about microplastics; discusses sources, analytical approaches, health hazards, and risk assessment
April 21, 2020
Microplastics
Microplastics are an invisible form of plastic pollution; effects on human health and the environment are largely unknown; summary article and FPF dossier define microplastics, explain sources and occurrence, focus on food contact materials
April 21, 2020
Microplastics
Microplastics have been found in all environmental compartments and in biota. Food is one source of human exposure to microplastics, and initial studies have shown that food packaging and processing equipment can contribute to this contamination. Risk assessment of microplastics that is based on exposure and toxicity data is currently hampered by insufficient data.
April 9, 2020
Review of ingestion of microplastics
Literature review estimates 20% of sampled aquatic organisms have microplastics in stomach and intestines, average of 4 microplastic particles per organism; call for urgent standardization of analytical methods
March 24, 2020
California develops definition for microplastics
State Water Resource Control Board for the U.S. state of California publishes draft definition for microplastics in drinking water, criteria include having at least 2 dimensions in 1 – 5,000 µm range; public comments accepted until April 24, 2020
