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☆ Microplastics discovered in human penises for the first time
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-19 | by ( Jack Guy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Scientists have found microplastics in human penises for the first time, as concerns over the tiny particles’ proliferation and potential health effects mount. Microplastics are polymer fragments that can range from less than 0.2 inch (5 millimeters) down to 1/25,000th of an inch (1 micrometer). Ramasamy said he wasn’t surprised to find microplastics in the penis, as it is a “very vascular organ,” like the heart. Seven different types of microplastics were detected, with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene (PP) the most prevalent, according to the study. “We need to identify whether microplastics are linked to ED and if there is a level beyond which it causes pathology and what types of microplastics are pathologic,” he said.

Persons: Ranjith Ramasamy, Ramasamy, wasn’t, ”, ” Ramasamy, Toxicologist Matthew J, Campen, ” Campen, Leonardo Trasande, don’t, Trasande Organizations: CNN —, University of Miami, CNN, University of New, “ Plastics, NYU Langone Health, American Academy of Pediatrics Locations: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

☆ Microplastics found in penis muscle for the first time. It could be linked to erectile dysfunction.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-19 | by ( Hilary Brueck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

"Penis being such a vascular organ, similar to the heart, we said, 'Hey, could this also be present in the penis?'" What he's found, while still preliminary, is that microplastics are present in some penises experiencing erectile dysfunction (ED). Ramasamy wanted to know whether microplastics might physically impact penis muscle function. The most abundant plastic in the penises was polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, a common plastic used in food packaging including plastic bottles and takeout containers. He's not getting a lot of the takeout that often comes in plastic-lined containers, and he's not drinking from plastic-lined coffee cups or plastic water bottles very often.

Persons: —, Ranjith Ramasamy's, he's, Peter Dazeley, microplastics, It's, Ramasamy, He's, it's, Carol Yepes, Richard Pilsner Organizations: Service, Business, International, University of New, Wayne State University Locations: Miami, University of New Mexico

☆ Plastics and Social Media: N.Y. Lawmakers’ End-of-Session Targets
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-03 | by ( Grace Ashford | Claire Fahy | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In New York, the state legislative session runs for roughly 60 days spread out from January to early June, but most of the actual passing of laws occurs over two periods. Kathy Hochul rush to squeeze in legislative priorities they couldn’t shoehorn into the budget. In most years, the Legislature passes roughly 1,000 bills for the governor to sign or veto. Some proposals, like a measure that would restrict social media companies from using algorithms on minors, are known to have the backing of Ms. Hochul, a centrist Democrat from Buffalo. Others — like a bill restricting state business with companies that contribute to tropical deforestation — seem likely to face a steeper road to becoming law.

Persons: Kathy Hochul, Hochul Organizations: Capitol, Lawmakers, Democrat Locations: New York, Buffalo

☆ The plastics industry says chemical recycling could help banish pollution. It’s ‘an illusion,’ critics say
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —A squat, light-colored building in Tigard, Oregon, was supposed to be part of a game-changing new solution for the global plastics industry. And unlike mechanical recycling, where the quality of the product declines each time, chemical recycling promises virgin-quality plastics. Chemical company Dow says it plans to build multiple chemical recycling facilities in the US and Europe, adding as much as 600,000 tons (1.2 billion pounds) of recycling capacity by 2030. “Mechanical recycling simply uses less energy and chemicals than does chemical recycling, making it overall cheaper and less environmentally impactful,” she said. With that kind of industry pressure, said Congdon, it’s easy to see why chemical recycling may be attractive to policymakers.

Persons: Jennifer Congdon, Congdon, “, ”, Big, Yuri Cortez, Davis Allen, what’s, isn’t, Taylor Uekert, Chaideer Mahyuddin, Mike Kemp, Brightmark, NREL’s Uekert, Allen, ” Congdon Organizations: CNN, Regenyx, Plastics, Getty, Climate Integrity, Companies, Chemical, Dow, Oil, Exxon, American Chemistry Council, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Beyond Plastics, ACC, Center Locations: Tigard , Oregon, Venezuela, AFP, Europe, Asia, Banda Aceh, Indonesia, London, Baytown , Texas, Ashley , Indiana, Macon, Bibb , Georgia, Indiana, The Indiana

☆ Clean Energy Ventures raises $305 million to back early-stage climate startups
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-29 | by ( Pippa Stevens | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Clean energy stocks may be underperforming in the public market, but there is still great appetite for companies focused on decarbonization in private markets — with Clean Energy Ventures' new fund serving as the latest example. The climate tech firm said Wednesday that it raised $305 million for its second fund, five years after closing its first fund. This latest fund was oversubscribed — the initial target stood at $200 million — but interest from limited partners including The Grantham Foundation, Builders Vision and Carbon Equity led to a higher raise. The firm is already putting the new money to work, focusing on technologies that go beyond the traditional green investments of solar and wind. Co-founder and managing partner Daniel Goldman identified industrial decarbonization as one compelling vertical — specifically emissions-reducing technology for the cement and steel industries.

Persons: Daniel Goldman Organizations: Clean Energy Ventures, The Grantham Foundation, Builders Vision, Carbon Equity, CNBC

☆ Lawyers to Plastics Makers: Prepare for ‘Astronomical’ PFAS Lawsuits
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Hiroko Tabuchi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The defense lawyer minced no words as he addressed a room full of plastic-industry executives. Prepare for a wave of lawsuits with potentially “astronomical” costs. Gross was referring to PFAS, the “forever chemicals” that have emerged as one of the major pollution issues of our time. Used for decades in countless everyday objects — cosmetics, takeout containers, frying pans — PFAS have been linked to serious health risks including cancer. “Weed out people and find the right witness to represent your company.”A spokesman for Mr. Gross’s employer, MG+M The Law Firm, which defends companies in high-stakes litigation, didn’t respond to questions about Mr. Gross’s remarks and said he was unavailable to discuss them.

Persons: Brian Gross, Gross, ” Mr, ”, “ Weed, Gross’s Organizations: The New York Times, “, Law Locations: United States

☆ The Push to Control Plastic Waste in New York: What to Know
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-27 | by ( Hilary Howard | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In 2020, the plastic supermarket bag was banned in New York. Many more single-use plastic products could go the way of the supermarket bag should state lawmakers approve the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act in early June. Many single-use items — especially anything soft or bendable — are a challenge to recycle because of their chemical composition, among other reasons. Anything flimsy like a potato chip bag, a bread bag, a squeezable baby food pouch should go in the trash in New York City. And those plastic bags that some places like food delivery businesses are still allowed to use?

Persons: Read Locations: New York, New York City

☆ Norfolk Southern to Pay U.S. $310 Million for East Palestine Accident
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Peter Eavis | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Norfolk Southern has agreed to pay more than $310 million to settle claims and cover costs stemming from the February 2023 derailment of a freight train carrying hazardous materials in an Ohio town, the federal government said on Thursday. The Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency said the settlement, which still needs to be approved by a federal court, requires Norfolk Southern to improve rail safety and pay for cleanup costs and health and environmental monitoring in and around East Palestine, Ohio, where the accident happened. On a Friday night in early February last year, 38 rail cars on a Norfolk Southern train derailed, 11 of which were carrying hazard materials like vinyl chloride, a chemical used to make plastics. Days later, emergency responders, fearing an explosion, decided to release and burn vinyl chloride from derailed cars, sending vast plumes of dark smoke over the town. Hundreds of residents were evacuated and life in East Palestine was upended for months.

Persons: Michael S, Regan Organizations: Norfolk Southern, of Justice, Environmental Protection Agency, Norfolk Locations: Ohio, East Palestine , Ohio, Norfolk Southern, East Palestine

☆ Chemical toxin exposure in the womb linked to greater health risks for children ages 6 to 11
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —Chemical toxins are everywhere — in our water, food, air and soil. Children born to European mothers exposed to four families of chemicals that disrupt the body’s endocrine (hormone) system had elevated levels of metabolic syndrome at ages 6 to 11. Metabolic syndrome can include obesity, elevated blood pressure, and abnormally high cholesterol and insulin resistance, which is a precursor to type 2 diabetes. Metabolic syndrome is typically associated with adult cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke, but the growing epidemic of childhood obesity has seen symptoms appearing in kids at younger and younger ages. Having metabolic syndrome as a child is highly predictive of chronic disease as an adult, experts say.

Persons: Nuria Güil, ”, Oumrait, Vicente Mustieles, Mariana Fernández, Carmen Messerlian, Messerlian, phthalates, “, Jane Houlihan, ” Houlihan, Houlihan, PFAS, EWG Organizations: CNN, Icahn School of Medicine, JAMA, Biomedical Research, University of Granada, Harvard, of Public Health, International Council for Chemical Associations, American Chemistry Council, EPA, Food, Food and Drug Administration, FDA, NSF, National Sanitation Foundation Locations: Mount Sinai, New York City, Spain, Messerlian, Chan, Boston, United States

☆ 2 teens won $50,000 for inventing a device that can filter toxic microplastics from water
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Ellyn Lapointe | Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

They wanted to find out whether this type of facility already had tools that could remove microplastics from wastewater. In a single pass, their device can remove between 84% and 94% of microplastics in water, according to a press release. On a smaller scale, it could filter microplastics in laundry machines and even fish tanks. In another 2023 study, researchers at Shinshu University tested a similar ultrasound-filtering method to remove microplastics from water. But Ou and Huang say their device is simpler, more efficient, and the first to use ultrasound to block and filter microplastics directly.

Persons: —, Victoria Ou, Justin Huang, Huang, Gordon E, Moore, Lisa Fryklund, Huang —, Chris Ayers, Society for Science Huang, Ou, Justin Huang didn't, Chris Ayers Ou, they're Organizations: Service, Mount, Business, Science, Engineering, Google, Environmental Sciences, Society for Science, EPA, ISEF, New Mexico Tech, Technology, Shinshu University Locations: Woodlands , Texas, Mount Everest, Victoria, Los Angeles, Texas, microplastics, Mt, Everest

☆ Here are Thursday's biggest analyst calls: Nvidia, Tesla, Ford, Super Micro, Wendy's, Hasbro, Take-Two, Wynn & more
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Bank of America reiterates Nvidia as buy Bank of America raised its price target on the stock to $1,320 per share from $1,100 following earnings. Deutsche Bank initiates Freshpet a buy Deutsche said it sees "multiple structural tailwinds" for shares of the pet food and health company. Deutsche Bank initiates BellRing Brands as buy Deutsche said it sees a long runway for growth for the food company. " Deutsche Bank initiates Legend Biotech as buy Deutsche said it's bullish on the biotech company's multiple myeloma drug Carvykti. Bank of America reiterates Super Micro Computer as buy Bank of America said Nvidia's earnings report on Wednesday bode well for companies like Super Micro.

Persons: Bernstein, Ford, Morgan Stanley downgrades NetEase, Morgan Stanley, Evercore, BRBR, Wedbush, Jefferies, GDRX, Oppenheimer, Armour, Kevin, Dell, Chubb, Stephens, FHN, Tesla, Argus, it's bullish, bode Organizations: " Bank of America, Nvidia, Bank of America, Deutsche Bank, Deutsche, BellRing Brands, JPMorgan, Hasbro, RBC, Norfolk Southern, NSC, GE Vernova, GE, UBS, Eastman Chemical, Eastman, SAP, underperform Bank of America, Berkshire Hathaway's, of America, Rockstar Games, NextEra Energy Partners, Argus, Wynn, Biotech, Computer Locations: U.S, China, Berkshire, Macau, Las Vegas, 2H24

☆ Tiny plastic shards found in human testicles, study says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Human testicles contain microplastics and nanoplastics at levels three times higher than animal testes and human placentas, a new small study found. “They look like little shards, tiny broken bits from very, very old plastics,” said Campen, a regents’ professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Researchers expected to find more plastic shards in the testicles of older men in the study, but that wasn’t the case, Campen said. “In testes, the levels of plastic was three times as much as we saw in placentas,” Campen said. In studies of pregnant mice, researchers have found plastic chemicals in the brain, heart, liver, kidney and lungs of the developing fetus 24 hours after the pregnant mother ingested or breathed in plastic particles.

Persons: ”, Matthew Campen, Campen, ” Campen, “ We’re, Adrienne Bresnahan, Kimberly Wise White, Leonardo Trasande, don’t, Trasande Organizations: CNN, micron, Sciences, University of New, Endocrine Society, Getty, American Chemistry Council, placentas, American Academy of Pediatrics, NYU Langone Health, Natural Resources Defense Council, Invest Locations: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States, placentas, Beijing

☆ Microplastics have been found in human testicles. Now what?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Hilary Brueck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The latest bad news on microplastics and human health emerged last week, when a study from researchers at the University of New Mexico examined 47 canine and 23 human testes, taken from neutering operations and cadavers, respectively. All of those testicles had microplastics inside — there were 12 different kinds of microplastic inside the organs studied, including the common plastic making material that plastic silverware and plastic bottles are made from. Woodruff isn't exactly surprised that microplastics are showing up in testicles. AdvertisementBut Dr. Ranjith Ramasamy, an expert in reproductive urology, says if it's true that microplastics are invading testicles, that's of extra concern. Getty ImagesScientists know that certain chemicals inside plastic disrupt our hormones.

Persons: —, microplastics, Tracey Woodruff, Woodruff isn't, Woodruff, Ranjith Ramasamy, Jonathan Kitchen, Ramasamy Organizations: Service, University of New, Business, University of California San, New, of, Getty Locations: University of New Mexico, —, University of California San Francisco, California

☆ World’s biggest waste-to-energy facility will power more than 100,000 homes
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Ana De Oliva | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Much of it ends up at a plant operated by the Warsan Waste Management Company. “Around 45% percent of Dubai’s total waste comes to this facility,” says Tim Clarke, the company’s CEO. Operational since March of this year, the Warsan plant will use 2 million metric tons of trash annually to produce electricity, enough to power approximately 135,000 homes, according to the company. However, since the plant produces power, replacing the burning of fossil fuels, Warsan Waste Management believes the overall result is positive. But some environmental groups, such as Zero Waste Europe, argue that burning waste to generate electricity discourages efforts to cut waste and initiatives to increase recycling.

Persons: ”, Tim Clarke, Clarke, “, Bryan Staley, Staley Organizations: Dubai CNN, CNN, Warsan Waste Management Company, “, United Nations Environment, Waste Management, Energy, Research, Education Foundation Locations: Dubai, Europe, Japan, China, UAE

☆ China's imports jump 8.4% in April, exceeding expectations as purchases from the U.S. grow
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Aly Song | ReutersBEIJING — China's customs agency released data Thursday that showed exports rose in-line with expectations in April, while imports surged ahead of forecasts. Worldwide, China's exports rose by 1.5% year-on-year in April in U.S. dollar terms, while imports climbed by 8.4%, the data showed. China's exports to ASEAN rose by 8% in April from a year ago, while imports rose by 5%. In April, China's imports and exports of integrated circuits rose from a year ago, the data showed. By volume, China's exports of cars, LCD panel displays and home appliances rose, while exports of cellphones fell slightly.

Persons: Aly Song Organizations: Reuters, CNBC, U.S, Association of Southeast, ASEAN Locations: Yangshan, Shanghai, China, Reuters BEIJING, U.S, Union, Russia, Nations, Vietnam, Mexico

☆ Opinion: The problem with space junk – and how to solve it
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Opinion Moriba Jah | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

This incident serves as an example of the urgent need for a profound shift toward sustainable space practices. Proponents of a circular space economy advocate for a transformative departure from this wasteful paradigm. Much like embracing reusable materials on Earth, transitioning to a circular space economy means designing space systems with reuse, refurbishment and recyclability in mind. The European Space Agency (ESA) has emerged as a trailblazer in the pursuit of a circular space economy. By leading the charge toward sustainable space practices, NASA can inspire other space agencies and private companies to follow suit.

Persons: Moriba Jah, Otero, Moriba Jah Mark Thiessen, wasn’t, I’m, Artemis Organizations: MacArthur Fellowship, University of Texas, CNN, Space, European Space Agency, ESA, NASA, Space Shuttle, Twitter, Facebook Locations: Austin, Naples , Florida, Naples

☆ Waste-management facilities are using AI to turn trash into recycled treasure
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Leila Jordan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The company's software, installed at waste-management sorting facilities, uses artificial intelligence to identify misplaced materials in waste streams. Greyparrot devices also catalog what enters the facility so that waste-facility managers can better understand what they're collecting. Data is transforming the way waste-management facilities operateSince 2020, the UK waste-management company Grundon has been using Greyparrot devices in three of its facilities. GreyparrotGrundon's feedback also led to updates in the Greyparrot device's capabilities. AI development is also promising a brighter future for waste-management facilities and their perception.

Persons: Steven Cohen, Druckman, Greyparrot, Grundon, Owen George, George, Cohen Organizations: Service, Columbia University, Environmental Protection Agency, Bollegraaf Locations: United Kingdom, South Korea, United States, Grundon

☆ Welcome to ‘the Tepid Twenties’? The US economy’s strength won’t be enough to boost global growth
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-05 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Invigorating growth is critical: When the economy expands, it improves standards of living, promotes innovation and makes households wealthier. Economic growth in Spain and France was stronger than expected last year. But the US is outperforming mainly for one key reason: Robust productivity growth. Productivity growth came in well below expectations in the first three months of the year, according to Labor Department data released last week. A “course correction” isn’t an even stronger US economy: Economic policymakers around the world need to address a range of key issues.

Persons: ” Kristalina Georgieva, ” Georgieva, ” Stephen Gallagher, Gallagher, “, ”, Hande Atay Alam, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Israel Katz, John Williams, Neel Kashkari, Lisa Cook, Krispy Kreme, John’s, Austan Goolsbee Organizations: Washington CNN, Monetary, IMF, European Central Bank, Labor Department, Societe Generale, CNN, Reuters, Palantir Technologies, Tyson Foods, Marriott Worldwide, New York Fed, Disney, UBS, Duke Energy, Suncor, Bros, Minneapolis, Toyota, Uber, Anheuser, Busch InBev, Airbnb, Fox Corporation, News Corporation, Duolingo, Icahn Enterprises, New York Times Company, AMC Entertainment, Honda, Warner Bros Discovery, Warner Music Group, Hyatt, Hilton, Bank of England, US Labor Department, United Kingdom’s, National Statistics, University of Michigan, . Chicago Fed, China’s National Bureau of Statistics Locations: Europe, China, United States, Spain, France, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Israel, Gaza, Olesya, “ Turkey, Lyft, TripAdvisor

☆ Turkey halts trade with Israel over Gaza war
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Hande Atay Alam | Olesya Dmitracova | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Turkey has halted all import and export transactions with Israel in protest over the war in Gaza. “All import and export transactions related to Israel, including all products, have been stopped,” Turkey’s trade ministry said in a statement Thursday. Thursday’s measures by Turkey follow the introduction last month of restrictions on its exports to Israel after the Turkish foreign minister accused Israel of denying a request to airdrop aid to Gaza. Turkey is one of the biggest donors of aid to Gaza, according to Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories. Israeli attacks in Gaza have killed more than 34,600 Palestinians as of May 1, according to the territory’s Ministry of Health.

Persons: “, ”, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Israel Katz, Katz, Israel, Turkey’s, Eyad Organizations: CNN, Reuters, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hamas, territory’s Ministry of Health Locations: Turkey, Israel, Gaza, “ Turkey, “ Israel, Territories, Republic of Turkey, Gaziantep

☆ U.S. Employers Added 175,000 Jobs in April
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Lydia Depillis | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

The American job market may be shifting into a lower gear this spring, a turn that economists have expected for months after a vigorous rebound from the pandemic shock. Employers added 175,000 positions in April, the Labor Department reported Friday, undershooting forecasts. The unemployment rate ticked up to 3.9 percent. “It’s not a bad economy; it’s still a healthy economy,” said Perc Pineda, chief economist at the Plastics Industry Association. We cannot continue robust growth indefinitely considering the limits of our economy.”

Persons: It’s, ”, Perc Pineda, “ Organizations: Labor Department, Plastics Industry Association

☆ 5 ways to attack the climate crisis
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Andrea Kane | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The climate crisis impacts Earth — its land, its atmosphere and its bodies of water — and it also profoundly affects the health and behavior of the planet’s inhabitants large and small, including humanity. And CNN Chief Climate Correspondent Bill Weir has a front-row seat to the ever-evolving situation. “Five million people die prematurely every year just to, just from particulate pollution of burning fossil fuels around the world,” Weir said. “It is taking care of water and soil and air… (that) fills those (Maslow) needs in ways that we can’t imagine in our modern, convenient world,” he said. “I just want folks to connect with each other and nature in the best possible ways,” he said.

Persons: Bill Weir, Weir, Olivia, —, “, ” Weir, Sanjay Gupta, it’s, Abraham Maslow’s, ”, Elisabeth Kübler, Rogers, “ There’s, he’s, Maslow Organizations: CNN, Earth Locations: Hope, America, Charleston , South Carolina, Miami, thrivers, United States, Maine, Canada, Asia, Lahaina, ‘

☆ The US is under pressure to lead the way in reducing plastic pollution — but it keeps making more of it
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

World leaders are gathering in Ottawa, Ontario, this week to hash out a global treaty to end plastic pollution. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. AdvertisementHundreds of businesses and countries support cutting plastic production. Lin represents the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty, which includes more than 200 companies. Cutting plastic production would also hit the bottom line of oil majors such as Exxon.

Persons: Carroll Muffett, Jose Fernandez, Biden, Allison Lin, Lin, Stewart Harris, Harris, Neil Nathan, Nathan, He's Organizations: Service, Business, Center for International Environmental Law, Organization for Economic Co, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, State Department, Mars Inc, Business Coalition, Global Plastics, Walmart, PepsiCo, International Council of Chemical Association, Oxford Economics, Exxon, The International Energy Agency, UC Santa Barbara, US Locations: Ottawa , Ontario, Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Washington, DC, Paris, Ottawa, Belgium

☆ The fight over the future of plastics
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Hiroko Tabuchi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Earlier this week in Ottawa, the Vinyl Institute, a major plastic industry group, hosted a reception for delegates who are negotiating what would be the first global treaty to tackle the world’s mounting plastic waste problem. There were cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. And signs with the message that plastics save lives. Scientists have increasingly raised the alarm over the risks that the chemicals used in plastic pose to human health and the environment. Ahead of the latest round of talks, European researchers published a database of more than 16,000 chemicals plastics can contain, many of which have been linked to cancer risks and damage to the human immune system.

Persons: Domenic DeCaria, DeCaria Organizations: Vinyl Institute, Times Locations: Ottawa

☆ America's Plastic Catastrophe: Most Waste Can't Be Recycled
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Taylor Dorrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

It's an urgent question — what do we do with the 40 million tons of plastic waste we produce annually? One year of plastic waste is roughly enough to smother the entirety of Manhattan a meter deep, and it has to go somewhere. For decades, America sent its plastic waste to countries like China and Indonesia. Unlike aluminum or glass, the plastic that can be recycled rarely results in replacing one recycled water bottle with another. By downcycling a tiny portion of plastic waste, companies can genuinely reuse a relatively small share of plastic, while convincing consumers that the industry has created a circular economy of infinitely recycled plastic.

Persons: Kartik Byma, they're, Tim Miller, Susan Freinkel, Nestlé, Lea Suzuki, Larry Thomas, what's, Taylor Dorrell, Biden, that's, Taylor, Miller, Kelley Sayre, Vicky Abou, it's, Mike Bloomberg, Bloomberg, Espen Barth Eide, Norway's, Abou, It's Organizations: Getty, America, Chevron, Exxon, Paper Stock, Plastics Industry Association, Organization for Economic Co, San Francisco, NPR, International Energy Agency, ExxonMobil, Alterra Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Royal Paper Stock, Akron, Buckeye Environmental, Business, Eastman Chemical Co, American Chemistry Council, New, Beyond Plastics, UN, Buckeye Environmental Network Locations: America, Manhattan, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, AFP, Ohio, American, San Francisco, Akron, Taylor Dorrell Akron , Ohio, United States, Oregon, New York City

☆ Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Breaded shrimp contained the most tiny plastics by far, at well over an average of 300 microplastic pieces per serving. Plastics are everywhereThere are a staggering number of plastics in the world, today, according to a recent analysis — 16,000 plastic chemicals, with at least 4,200 of those considered to be “highly hazardous” to human health and the environment. (The authors declined to mention which brands of bottled water they studied.) Prior research using older technology had identified only about 300 nanoplastics in bottled water, along with bigger microplastics. · If you can, eat as much fresh food as possible, and limit purchase of processed and ultraprocessed foods wrapped in plastic.

Persons: CNN —, can’t, Rice, Let’s, it’s, ” Sherri “ Sam ” Mason, ” Mason, ”, pollock, Mason, don’t, “ Organizations: CNN, McGill University in, University of Queensland, Penn State, International, Water Association, Environmental Research, Environmental Locations: McGill University in Quebec, Canada, Erie , Pennsylvania, United States

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