Plastic Pollution

A major report about plastic bottle recycling in the Southeast Asian region reveals the severity of the waste crisis facing countries that simply do not have the adequate infrastructure for collection with hundreds of millions of dollars…
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Before modern liquid shampoo became widespread, hair care routines didn’t involve so much plastic waste. Now, we are conditioned (!) to believe we need liquid shampoo in plastic bottles that usually get disposed of rather than refilled,…
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In August this year, Argentina changed its definition of what counts as “waste”, a move that could enable the import of millions of tonnes of low-grade plastic waste scraps discarded in the United States. Environmental campaigners have…
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The plastic crisis is one of the biggest challenges that our planet is facing, and one that desperately needs to be tackled, especially if we want to save the fate of our oceans. Currently, millions of tonnes of plastic ends up in the…
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If you've been around the Central ferry piers lately, you may have noticed a large solar panel covered watercraft docked at Pier 9. Race For Water's ambassador vessel, which is 100% sustainably powered and boasts zero carbon emissions, is…
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We sat down with the CEO of Hong Kong-based startup Urban Spring, Ada Yip, who is on a mission to fight plastic pollution in the city. Hong Kongers buying more than 1.5 million disposable plastic bottles of water per day, an addiction Ada…
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In a global audit of plastic waste conducted by the Break Free From Plastic movement, Coca-Cola was found for the second year in a row to be the top polluting brand worldwide. The multinational beverage giant is accountable for more…
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In a new study conducted by the German Environmental Ministry and the Robert Koch Institute, plastic byproducts were found in almost all blood and urine samples taken from children between the ages of 3 and 17. These shocking results…
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German footwear brand Birkenstock has just released its Natural Skin Care products, infused with the company’s iconic material: cork. The shoemaker has expanded to skincare after realising that a substance in cork oak contains…
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Many of us are taking steps to live more sustainably, but are overlooking a major culprit of household waste? Cleaning products are a large source of ocean and landfill waste, and some figures say that the average household throws away…
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Global luxury hospitality group Mandarin Oriental Hotels has pledged to phase out all single-use plastics across its entire portfolio by March 2021. This follows recent moves by the group to remove plastic straws and single-use drinking…
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Asia is home to many of the planet’s wonders, including beautiful fine sand beaches and coastlines. However, due to years of plastic pollution, marine litter and waste mismanagement, many of these beaches are no longer as pristine as they…
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Multinational beverage giant Coca-Cola has recently partnered up with a number of technology companies to develop a way to manufacture bottles using plastic collected from oceans. This comes after the company faced public criticism for its…
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Turkey-based home appliance manufacturer Arçelik just developed a new washing machine, which targets and captures the microplastic fibres released during the washing process. While fast fashion continues to manufacture more plastic-based…
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Netherlands and Vietnam-based social enterprise Upp! is on a mission to fight the global plastic pollution crisis by closing the plastic waste loop with a local approach. Using a circular economy approach, Upp! hopes to save plastic waste…
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Swire Pacific Group's Swire Coca-Cola has just unveiled their reverse vending machines that will reward consumers HK 20 cents for every plastic bottle inserted for recycling via Octopus cards. Rolling out the scheme in 10 locations across…
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When you conjure up the term zero-waste lifestyle, many of us picture instagrammable rows of glass jars filled with bulk bought food staples lining kitchen pantries. But whether the obsession with glass containers is really that much…
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In a just-released report, Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas outlines the eco-forward steps it has taken in recent years in recent years from investing in conservation to phasing out plastics. With tourists increasingly sensitive to…
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Global charity Oxfam has recently launched their #SecondHandSeptember campaign, calling on people to join the pledge to say no to new clothing for 30 days. Having been reusing and reselling clothes since 1948, the NGO has declared that…
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Amsterdam-based startup WAVE Eco Solutions has developed a biodegradable and hot water soluble cassava-based bio-plastic bag in a bid to tackle the global plastic pollution crisis. Unlike conventional plastic bags, WAVE’s products are made…
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In order to tackle global plastic waste, Nestlé Japan has announced that it is launching recyclable paper packaging for KitKat products, which comes with instructions to fold origami cranes. With Japan being the largest market for KitKats…
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