Author: Justine Calma

Despite making pledges to cut down on plastic packaging, a new report from the nonprofit conservation organization Oceana estimates that Amazon’s plastic waste has continued to grow in the US. The company created 208 million pounds of plastic waste from its packaging in the US in 2022 alone, which Oceana says is enough trash to circle Earth more than 200 times in the form of plastic air pillows. That’s a nearly 10 percent jump from the amount of plastic waste it generated the year before, according to the report.

Author: MalayMail

KUALA LUMPUR, April 2 — South-east Asia remains a significant destination for illicit waste shipments, with Europe, North America, and Asia identified as the primary regions of origin, according to a new United Nations (UN) report. The report titled “Turning the Tide: A Look Into the European Union-to-Southeast Asia Waste Trafficking Wave” highlights that illegal waste is being diverted to countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, posing a significant challenge to the region.

Author: The Hindu

A major fire broke out at a godown that stocked plastics and other scrap material in Pallikaranai on Tuesday (April 2, 2024) morning. However, police said no casualties were reported.

The blaze broke out at 10.30 am at the godown located adjacent to Sixth Street, Ram Nagar South Extension. Thick smoke billowed as plastic and other inflammable materials went up in flames. The entire residential area was enveloped in smoke. Panic-stricken residents out their houses to see what was going on. 

Author: Mark Smulian

The Textile Recycling Association (TRA) has warned of an imminent collapse of the textile recycling sector because of global market difficulties. It said its members had “a real fear” they would be unable to collect from charity shops, recycling centres or community textile banks because processing plants had reached capacity. President Dawn Dungate said that some countries were unable to pay for goods because of political issues, delays in receiving goods or due to unfavourable exchange rates, which had left UK plants having to store the clothing concerned.

Author: Sandee LaMotte, CNN

Flame retardants added for decades to thousands of consumer products in the United States may raise the risk of dying from cancer, according to new research. People with the highest levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs, in their blood had approximately a 300% increased risk of dying from cancer compared with people with the lowest levels, the study found.

Author: Bhavesh Bakshi

Mumbai: A significant fire erupted at a scrap godown in the Bhiwandi area of Maharashtra on Saturday night, according to fire officer Shailesh Shinde. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported thus far. Upon receiving the fire call at 11:30 pm, two fire tenders promptly arrived at the scene, initiating efforts to contain the blaze. The fire brigade is currently endeavoring to extinguish the fire, though the cause of the incident remains undetermined.

Author: Regtechtimes

Waste trafficking, a clandestine trade raking in billions of dollars annually, presents a formidable obstacle to global sustainability assists states in enacting or strengthening domestic legislation against waste trafficking. Waste trafficking, also known as the illegal trade of waste, is a highly profitable yet illicit activity that generates billions of dollars annually. This clandestine trade poses significant challenges to global efforts towards sustainability and environmental protection. It is one of the important components of Trade-Based Money Laundering.

Author: Aaron Boorstein

Today, microplastics are found almost everywhere: oceans, food, the atmosphere and even human lungs, blood and placentas. But while they’re thought of as a modern problem, plastic particles are now appearing where one might least expect: ancient archaeological sites. Researchers found microplastics in soil deposits 7.35 meters (24.11 feet) below the ground, according to a study published this month in the journal Science of the Total Environment. The soil samples date to the first or early second century C.E. and were sourced from two archaeological sites in York, England. Some were excavated in the late 1980s, while others were contemporary samples.

Author: Amanda Vanjaarsveld

AUSTIN, TX — At SXSW, a new documentary highlighted the harmful effects of plastics on human health and opened my eyes to this widespread crisis. Upon arriving at the premiere of Plastic People, I felt well-informed about plastics. However, throughout the film I discovered new insights, including the production process, impacts on the human body from the harmful chemicals in plastics and potential solutions. I was captivated.

Author: The Baltic Times

VILNIUS – Lithuania, supported by the Czech Republic, Latvia and Estonia, has proposed that the European Union ban imports of ferrous metals, copper, and aluminum waste and scrap from Russia, saying that Moscow is using the money to finance its war against Ukraine. The proposal was tabled at the Environment Council's meeting in Brussels on Monday, the Environment Ministry said in a press release on Tuesday. 

Author: Marianne Gros

The environment ministers of Denmark, France and Sweden today called on the European Commission to request a change to international rules on waste exports to stop the bloc from exporting hazardous textile waste to developing countries. At today’s Environmental Council, the three ministers asked the Commission to put forward a draft Council decision that would allow the EU to make a formal request to change the Basel Convention, an international treaty that governs the shipments of hazardous waste across borders.

Author: Council of the EU

Today, the Council adopted the revision of the regulation on shipments of waste. As revised, the regulation aims to reduce shipments of problematic waste to outside the EU, update shipment procedures to reflect the objectives of the circular economy and climate neutrality, to make use of electronic submission and exchange of information, and to improve enforcement and tackle illegal shipments.

Author: Rethink Plastic Alliance

Today, the Council of the European Union unanimously agreed to address the harmful practice of the EU’s waste trade, including plastic waste, by fully endorsing the revised Waste Shipment Regulation. The final text is expected to be published in the Official Journal in April, and the Regulation will then enter into force 20 days after publication. The Rethink Plastic alliance and Break Free From Plastic welcome the Council’s decision to endorse the revised text negotiated at Trilogue, which includes increased obligations and standards with regards to the shipment of EU plastic waste. 

Author: Richard Gower

Thousands of people all over the UK have been taking part in the Big Plastic Count, to help show our leaders the extent of our plastic waste problem. (There’s still time to signup to take part, until 25 March. Count your household plastic waste for one week, and submit the data by 31 March.) All over the world, waste pickers are collecting, sorting and recycling plastic and many other types of rubbish. Here’s why their work is so valuable – and how the Global Plastics Treaty should support them.