Glossary Term Selection
Key Facts
Assignments
Useful Websites
Plastic is everywhere around us, from the water bottles we drink out of, to the packaging of our favourite snacks, to the containers we use for storage. It has become an integral part of our modern lives, but what many of us may not realize is the growing problem associated with plastic. In this book, we will explore what plastic is, how it is made, and the various ways it is used, while also shedding light on the environmental challenges it poses.
From the deepest parts of our ocean to the summit of Mount Everest, microplastics have spread to nearly every crevice on the planet.
By Charlotte Cameron
Plastic is everywhere. It’s in our phones, our clothes, our food packaging, our toys, and even our toothbrushes. Plastic is cheap, durable, and convenient, but it also has a huge environmental impact. Plastic pollution is harming wildlife, ecosystems, and human health. It takes hundreds of years to decompose, and it releases toxic chemicals into the soil and water.
By Lesley Henderson, Chair professor, University of Strathclyde
The Resin Identification Code (RIC), commonly known as recycling numbers or plastic recycling codes, is a system used to identify the type of resin used in plastic products. The RIC consists of a number inside a triangular arrow symbol and is found on the bottom of plastic containers and products. Each number represents a specific type of plastic resin used in the item. Understanding these codes is important for proper recycling and waste management. Here are the different recycling numbers and what they mean:
A ban on plastic cutlery, plates, and trays came into force in October 2023 – but are the ‘sustainable’ alternatives really that eco-friendly?
By Boudicca Fox-Leonard
By Becky Mckay
Plastic recycling with table salt is poised to revolutionise the industry, offering a sustainable, cost-effective solution to enhance the recyclability of polyolefin polymers.
By Inemesit Ukpanah
No corner of the planet is free from minuscule fragments of plastic packaging, textiles or utensils. We ask scientists what this means for our health – and what we should do to protect it.
By Amy Fleming
Scientists are calling for urgent global action to address the escalating issue of marine plastic pollution, as a recent study identified deadly ocean hotspots.
By Yasmin Dahnoun
Researchers will examine the amount of plastic cattle and donkeys ingest.
Seventeen ground-breaking projects announced in March 2023 have the potential to alter the UK’s relationship with, and management of, plastic packaging.
Scientists at the University of Portsmouth are to develop ‘plastic-eating’ enzymes that could help solve the ever-growing problem of waste polyester clothing.
Greenpeace says that the UK produces more plastic waste per person than almost any other country. So why do shops still make it so tough for individuals to ditch the stuff?
By Emma Henderson
It is hard to miss the news reports on television and in the press showing the effects of plastic waste and the amount of plastic debris in the ocean. From single-use plastic bags to fishing nets there is a vast quantity of plastics that end up in the sea. Most people understand that introducing plastic waste into the oceanic ecosystem is harmful. However, not everyone is aware of the devastating impact the plastic problem has already had and is still currently having on both the marine environment and for human health.
By James Ashworth
The protective equipment that kept us safe from COVID-19 could pose a lethal threat to nature.
From up in the mountains to down on the seabed, plastic waste is everywhere. If we’re to end plastic pollution, the biggest contributors need to take responsibility and minimise the waste they’re creating. Find out why single-use plastic is such a problem and how to hold polluters to account.
By Jo Foster
By Ben Hardman
