Plastics

Microbeads consultation: the good, the bad, & the ???

Posted by Elisabeth Whitebread — 20 December 2016 at 1:17pm - Comments
All rights reserved. Credit: Fred Dott/ Greenpeace

Back in September, the government announced it was planning to launch a consultation on banning microbeads, those pesky toxic beads that companies have added to face washes, toothpastes, washing powders and other products.

Article tagged as: consultation, marine plastic, microbeads, microbeads ban, oceans, Plastics

Plastics

Last edited 7 November 2016 at 1:15pm

Right now an estimated 12.7 million tonnes of plastic – everything from plastic bottles and bags to microbeads – end up in our oceans each year. That’s a truck load of rubbish a minute.

Lion fish in the Maldives
License: All rights reserved. Credit: Greenpeace/Hilton
Article tagged as: microplastics, plastic, Plastics

A joint mission: ending plastic pollution

Posted by Louise Edge — 14 September 2016 at 4:27pm - Comments
All rights reserved. Credit: Ariana Densham, Greenpeace

Back in July I was lucky enough to be one of 100 people who spent the day cleaning up a heavily plastic polluted beach on ‘Freedom Island’ in Manila Bay, Philippines. The beach was in an appalling state - piled high with throwaway plastic wrappers, straws and bottles which also littered the water. This was just a snapshot of the estimated 8-12 million tonnes of plastic that scientists tell us goes into our oceans every year.<--break-><--break->

Article tagged as: #breakfreefromplastic, Ocean, oceans, plastic pollution, Plastics

6 amazing plastic bans from around the world

Posted by Fiona Nicholls — 29 July 2016 at 5:19pm - Comments
All rights reserved. Credit: Greenpeace

Good news! Plastics bans across the world have been hitting the headlines lately.

From the US to India and Morocco, governing bodies are taking control of the plastic pollution problem, bringing in either complete bans on plastic, or bans on specific forms like polystyrene. 

Article tagged as: marine plastic, ocean plastic, oceans, plastic, plastic bans, Plastics, plastics pledge, plastics pollution

310,000 people call for microbead ban in cosmetic products on World Oceans Day

Last edited 21 June 2016 at 1:45pm
8 June, 2016

London, 8 June 2016 - A coalition of environmental groups marked World Oceans Day by presenting David Cameron with a petition signed by more than 300,000 people calling for the Prime Minister to ban the toxic microplastic particles known as microbeads.

Found in products such as facial scrubs and toothpaste, millions of the tiny plastics are flushed unwittingly into the world’s oceans every year where they ultimately end up in the marine food chain.

A report published last week found that fish can become smaller and slower due to the effects of eating microplastics.

The long list of names were presented at Number 10 by representatives of Greenpeace UK, the Environmental investigation Agency (EIA), Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and the Marine Conservation Society (MCS).

Article tagged as: david cameron, EIA, FFI, MCS, microbeads, microplastics, ocean plastics, petition, Plastics, world oceans day

Over 90% of Britons want Cameron to ban toxic microbeads

Last edited 14 April 2016 at 11:12am
14 April, 2016

London, 13 April 2016 - An overwhelming majority of Britons believe a ban should be introduced in the UK on the harmful microplastics known as microbeads, according to a new survey commissioned by Greenpeace UK. More than 90 % of respondents supported a ban similar to that introduced by Barack Obama in the US, representing an opportunity for David Cameron to take a position at the leadership table on marine plastic pollution.

The results of the poll published today showed that an overwhelming 84 % of consumers would be turned off from buying  a company’s product if it was found to be extensively polluting the oceans and come after more than a quarter of a million people have signed a petition calling for a ban.

The survey also demonstrated that over two thirds of people were not aware of what a microbead was, but when told said they would subsequently avoid using anything containing them.

Article tagged as: EIA, FFI, Louise Edge, MCS, microbeads, microplastics, ocean plastics, Plastics

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