Topics
pollution
April 16, 2026
Modeling by Pew Charitable Trusts and ICF International Inc. predicts annual plastic packaging waste to increase by 31% in the US from 2025 to 2040; municipal waste facilities may not be able to scale with the increase; implementing ambitious reduction, collection, recycling, and reuse measures could reduce waste generation by a third
Reading time: 2 minutes
May 30, 2025
Study investigates commodity global plastic flows across production, trade, and waste management in 2022; finds that of 400 million tonnes, less than 10% come from recycling and less than 2 % from bio-based feedstocks; single-use packaging as biggest contributor to plastic waste
Reading time: 2 minutes
August 23, 2024
Report by the World Benchmarking Alliance assesses companies’ measures to protect the environment; many companies do not follow through on commitments; finds lack of action to reduce plastic waste
Reading time: 1 minute
April 24, 2024
Study of PFAS concentrations in consumer products finds that US Environmental Protection Agency protocol likely does not “adequately capture PFAS embodied in consumer products”; also finds “large fraction” of surface and groundwaters exceed regulatory concentrations; “future PFAS environmental burden is likely underestimated”
Reading time: 2 minutes
June 23, 2023
Resolution calls on World Health Organization Member States to increase work on potential human health impacts of plastics, links between chemical exposures, and health; recognizes people are exposed to many chemicals but majority have not been well studied
Reading time: 2 minutes
June 6, 2023
Scientists test polylactic acid (PLA) plastic advertised as biodegradable along with standard polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics for degradation in real marine environment; no signs of degradation found after 428 days; researchers say biodegradable might be misleading term
Reading time: 2 minutes
May 31, 2023
ChemSec reports on societal costs of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pollution; estimates costs of 16 trillion euros per year; says producers and investors need to take responsibility
Reading time: 2 minutes
May 8, 2023
Technical report from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) informs about “chemical-related issues of plastic pollution and options to address them”; finds 13,000 chemicals present in plastic; 7,000 have hazard data of which 3,200 are chemicals of concern; outlines chemical groups, use sectors of concern, human and ecosystem exposure, gaps and improvement options including substitution and waste management in a circular economy
Reading time: 3 minutes
March 21, 2023
Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health publishes extensive report summarizing plastics’ effects across life cycle on human health, environment, and the economy; health effects cost society hundreds of billions every year; report includes actions for “governments and industries to minimize the negative consequences of global plastic contamination”
Topics: BPA, human health, microplastics, nanoplastics, PFAS, phthalates, plastic, pollution, supply chain
Reading time: 4 minutes
March 8, 2023
Media collaboration evaluates Europe’s contamination by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS); maps 17,000 known and 21,000 presumed contamination sites; ChemSec launches PFAS guide for companies
Reading time: 2 minutes
