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#plastics

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Weekend #Plankton Factoid 🦠🦐
27 M tonnes. Dutch NIOZ scientists found that nanoplastics (<1 μm) are not only widespread, but equivalent to the mass of macro & microplastics! Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) #plastics don't just float on the surface, but can be found at depths below 1000m. These particles are likely interfering with #zooplankton feeding because many organisms forage on these sizes of particles. #science
sciencedaily.com/releases/2025

#FYI #PaulBeckwith video lecture and literature review #plastics #nanoplastics #pollution #dementia

"Global plastic production has increased exponentially from 1 to 2 million tons in 1950 to over 400 million tons in 2023, and production is doubling every 10 to 15 years."

"As of 2024, from autopsies of many people, the median level of plastic in the human brain was 0.5% by weight. Numbers were higher for dementia suffering patients."

youtube.com/watch?v=hZpSBn6ORBw

Replied in thread

@kate

OMG this is, as you say, staggeringly serious: (from the abstract) “Scientists have now confirmed that the most abundant form of plastic in the Atlantic is in the form of nanoplastics, smaller than a micrometer. These particles are everywhere: in rain, rivers, and even the air. They may already be infiltrating entire ecosystems, including the human brain, and researchers say prevention—not cleanup—is our only hope.” 😐
Prevention! What hope is there of that? We’re doomed!

"Researchers in Hawaii have discovered that marine fungi (yes, actual ocean mushrooms) can eat one of the world’s most common plastics: polyurethane.
It’s the type of plastic used in everything from medical gear to industrial materials… and it usually sticks around for centuries. But scientists found that more than 60% of fungi collected from the waters around Oʻahu were happily snacking on it. And the best bit? These fungi are getting faster. Some increased their plastic-digesting powers by 15% in just 3 months.
The goal? A future where these mighty microbes help us clean up beaches, seas, and those planet-sized patches of plastic waste floating in our oceans.""
smol.com/uk/stories/smol-talk-
#plastics #biodegrading #fungi #environment.

smol.comsmol talk july 2025.Welcome to your latest smoltalk. It's plastic free July! This month’s smoltalk is packing the goods (none of them come in single-use) Ready to embrace the shine, be lighter on the planet, and expand your cleaning knowledge? Let’s go.

Forgive the elevator pitch but the types of projects which really excite me have the potential for real world positive outcomes for people, community and environment.

Particularly those tackling the challenges of climate change and sustainability.

If you are looking for someone for your sustainability project, I have experience working on projects for WRAP and the Swedish EPA andycarolan.com

www.andycarolan.comAndy CarolanAndy Carolan is an illustrator and designer living in the UK. His work is playful and fun with a bold and bright style.He can be discovered flying solo or as part of a distributed team completing missions globally, spanning illustration, design and creative direction.

Southern Oregon University: SOU awarded grant to create historic plastics database. “The Southern Oregon University Laboratory of Anthropology has been awarded a Preserving Oregon Grant from Oregon Heritage, the state historic preservation office, to create a digital, archaeological database of historic plastics – from buttons to knick-knacks to kitchenware.”

https://rbfirehose.com/2025/07/13/southern-oregon-university-sou-awarded-grant-to-create-historic-plastics-database/

ResearchBuzz: Firehose | Individual posts from ResearchBuzz · Southern Oregon University: SOU awarded grant to create historic plastics database | ResearchBuzz: Firehose
More from ResearchBuzz: Firehose

Study in mice finds certain gut microbes can attack long-chain PFAs (take longer to dispel naturally), taking them out of your body. "Among the most common and dangerous long chains are Pfoa and Pfna, which the microbes expelled at rates of up to 58% and 74%, respectively." Study in humans next. It can take decades for the body to fully expel PFAs naturally. #Forever #Chemicals #PFAs #no #side #effects #gut #microbes #long #short #chain #expel #micro #plastics theguardian.com/environment/20

The Guardian · Some gut microbes can absorb and help expel ‘forever chemicals’ from the body, research showsBy Tom Perkins

#Plastics industry pushed ‘advanced #recycling’ despite knowing problems – report
Producers promoted chemical recycling – used to break plastics into constituent molecules – but knew of limitations
Industry increasingly promoted the tech, as public concern about the #environmental and #health effects of plastic #pollution has grown. Rollout of these technologies has been plagued by problems, according to a new analysis from the Center for Climate Integrity.
theguardian.com/environment/20

The Guardian · Plastics industry pushed ‘advanced recycling’ despite knowing problems – reportBy Dharna Noor
Replied in thread

Thread on #plasticwaste 👆above the fold.

"Malaysia will ban #plastics waste imports from the US starting Tuesday because of America’s failure to abide by the Basel Convention treaty on international waste transfers, in a move that could have significant consequences for #California.

The US is one of just a handful of countries... that hasn’t signed the pact."

#Malaysia emerged as a major destination for U.S. waste after #China banned American waste imports in 2018."
latimes.com/environment/story/

Los Angeles Times · Malaysia will stop taking U.S. plastic waste. What will California do?By Susanne Rust