Earth Action report assesses leakage of plastic additives into the environment

Earth Action (EA) publishes report quantifying plastic additives leaking into the environment; estimates more than 6,000,000 tons of additives leak into the environment annually by applying a mathematical modeling approach; briefing paper assesses environmental and human health impacts of plastic additives and discusses ways forward

Reusable take-away food packaging outperforms single-use in greenhouse gas emissions, report says

Zero Waste Europe investigates CO2 emissions of reusable and single use take-away packaging; models suggest that switching to reuse results in less emissions for most packaging; includes number of rotations and return rates to reach breakeven point

Biodegradable polyactic acid does not degrade in marine environment, study finds

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

EU Member States endorse 8th Environmental Action Program

Council of the EU announces member states endorsement of recently completed negotiations on the 8th Environmental Action Program (EAP); EAP will guide EU climate and environmental policy until 2030; priority objectives include decreasing the EU’s material and consumption footprints

Nature Food study finds gaps in food system plastics research

Systematic scoping review assesses the research literature covering plastic’s effects on human health, the environment, and food security/economics through the entire food system from 2000 through 2018; includes over 3,300 studies; found majority of previous research focused on food security/economics; identified gaps related to studies on the effect of plastics on human health, meta-analyses, and research within low-income nations

Krebsliga hosts Environment and Cancer Forum

Krebsliga (Swiss Cancer League) forum discusses interaction of environmental factors and cancer; brings together experts from academia, non-governmental organizations, and industry; addressed topics including endocrine disruptors, migration, risks posed by chemical mixtures

Game launched to inform about impacts of food choices

The Lexicon develops online game to bring awareness about personal food choices on health, environment, and culture; supporting resource articles provide insights from experts into developing sustainable diets, dietary guidelines, and making choices about the food we eat

Plastics and climate change

CIEL report highlights plastics’ contribution to climate change, urges global ban on single-use plastics

Environmental fate of biodegradable bags

Plastic bags labeled as ‘biodegradable’ remain intact after 3 years in marine environment, scientists report; bioplastics industry criticizes study design, interpretation

Nordic declaration on ocean plastics

Environment and climate ministers of Nordic countries release declaration calling for ‘global agreement to combat marine plastic litter and microplastics’