Plastic is polluting our oceans. Will we get a treaty to cut plastic waste?
Negotiators are considering ways to limit the massive amounts of plastic waste polluting oceans, harming wildlife and contributing to climate change.
Better Planet
"Worrying" remote ocean plastics study troubles scientists
"There should be considerably less plastics in this area," researcher Robby Rynek explained.
News
Lake Tahoe littered with thousands of plastic bag, bottle, and toy pieces
An average of 133 pieces of plastic litter were found per mile of the lake floor, mostly coming from food containers, plastic bags, toys, and bottles.
Sustainability
Scientists use bacteria to turn plastic into useful substances
Researchers developed genetically engineered strains of one type of bacteria that they say could help to tackle the growing problem of plastic pollution.
Scientists warn toxic microplastics now getting stuck in our airways
Researchers have found that microplastics floating in the air that we breathe accumulate in our noses and the back of our throats.
Shocking pics of critically endangered brown bears living on garbage dump
A study by the Indian wildlife conservation charity Wildlife SOS found that 75 percent of the bears' diet consisted of human food waste.
"I stopped throwing things away for a year, we made a surprising discovery"
Eve Schaub and her family spent a year not throwing away their garbage. Here's how they did it.
Dead great white shark on California beach was killed by fishing gear
Great white sharks have declined in population worldwide by between 30 and 49 percent in recent decades, in large part due to overfishing and fishing gear.
Alarming Level of Microplastics Found in Fish—Eating It 'A Personal Choice'
Microplastics accumulate up the food chain, increasing in concentration in predators compared with prey.
Why is Sprite Changing Iconic Green Bottles?
Coca-Cola announced on Wednesday that the iconic green bottles would transition to clear plastic from August 1.
Plastic Waste Has Turned Deep Sea Into Trash Can of Oceans: Scientists
The shock findings emerged after scientists studied the impact of pollution in the West Pacific Kuril-Kamchatka Trench in the Pacific Ocean.
Dead, Beached 32ft White Whale Is Not Migaloo, the Famous Albino Humpback
Migaloo, or "white fella," was first spotted in 1991 off Byron Bay, Australia, and is one of a few confirmed genetically albino humpback whales in the world.
Dead Orca Wrapped in Fishing Gear Spotted Off Oregon in Rare Entanglement
"These are opportunities to learn what we can do to better protect whales, we don't have many opportunities to see and learn about orcas off the Oregon coast."
Scientists Create Fish-Shaped Robots to Absorb Microplastics in Oceans
Chinese scientists have developed a small, self-propelled robot that can "swim" into the oceans' hard-to-reach spots and clean them up.
Microplastics Heath Risk Discovered in Hitchhiking Vomiting Viruses
Viruses that cause sickness in humans can attach to microplastics, remaining infectious for much longer than they would otherwise.
Māori Artist Gives Glimpse of Future Water-World Full of Plastic
New Zealander artist George Nuku has presented his latest work as an installation that imagines the state of the world's oceans 100 years in the future where plastics have totally changed the marine environment.
Coastline Clogged with Plastic from One of World's Most Polluted Rivers
Shocking footage from company shows a Guatemalan beach completely engulfed in plastic waste.
Packaging Can Contain Chemicals That Cause Cancer, Infertility: Study
The wrappings had 388 individual "substances of concern," including 352 known to be carcinogenic, mutagenic and toxic to reproduction, which are dubbed CMRs.
Shark Gets Frisbee Stuck on Its Head
A picture of the shark released by SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium highlights the risks plastic debris pose to marine animals
58.4M Tons of Plastic Will End Up in World's Oceans Every Year By 2030
The report showed that a DNA study found bacteria and viruses from humans and animals on plastic that could potentially spread disease.
87 Percent of U.S. Shoppers Concerned About Plastics, Packaging Waste: Poll
The poll also found that 47 percent of Americans would choose to buy recyclable products if given that option.
Over Half of the World's Plastic Waste Created by 20 Companies
A report has revealed the petrochemical companies behind 90 per cent of the world's plastic waste, and the banks and financial institutions that fund them.
Microplastics Discovered in Sea Breeze May Explain Missing Ocean Plastic
"We keep putting millions of tonnes of plastic into the ocean every year. This research shows that it is not going to stay there forever. The ocean is giving it back to us," said researcher Steve Allen.
Toxic Chemicals Are Accumulating in Seabirds That Eat Plastic, Study Finds
It is estimated that around eight million tonnes of plastic makes its way into the planet's oceans every year.
Plastic Waste on Inaccessible Island in Atlantic Comes From Chinese Ships
The results of the study question the widely held assumption that most plastic debris at sea comes from land-based sources, the authors say.
Heartbreaking Images That Show the Impact of Plastic on Ocean Animals
Plastic fragments are frequently ingested by a wide range of marine animals that often mistake the substance for food.
Microplastics Stunt the Growth of Worms and Make Them Lose Weight: Study
"It's highly likely that any pollution that impacts the health of soil fauna, such as earthworms, may have cascading effects on other aspects of the soil ecosystem, such as plant growth," researcher Connor Russell said.
Man Paddles from California to Hawaii for Ocean Pollution Awareness
After 76 days, Antonio de la Rosa arrived in Honolulu on Saturday in his motorless rig. "My arms and my legs are my motor," said the 50-year-old Spaniard.
School in India is Accepting Trash to Pay For Student Fees
Each week, students at the Akshar Foundation School in Assam are asked to bring in 25 recyclable plastic items, which are then transformed into low-cost, durable construction material.
Japan's Sacred Nara Deer Found Dead With Plastic in Their Stomachs
Nara park is home to more than 1,000 free-roaming sika deer which have been designated a national treasure and are even considered sacred by some.