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Next UK prime minister must ban microplastics, says drainage group

Envirotec Magazine

The UK’s next prime minister should ban manufacturers from intentionally adding microplastics to consumer or professional use products, according to a new environmental campaign from the drainage experts at Lanes Group plc. Microplastic particles measure less than 5mm and are incorporated into a wide variety of consumer products.

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Using microbes to remove microplastics

Envirotec Magazine

Researchers at Hong Kong Polytechnic University have developed a seemingly new technique to trap and recover microplastics. The method uses bacterial biofilms, a sticky substance created by micro-organisms, to trap microplastic particles. In bioreactors, this makes the microplastics more convenient to collect, according to Liu.

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Campaigners take Environment Agency to court over microplastics spread on land

Envirotec Magazine

The campaign group, Fighting Dirty, has launched legal action against the Environment Agency (EA) and the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, over a lack of testing for microplastics and harmful ‘forever chemicals’ in sewage sludge spread on land. The group announced the action on 2 November.

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Brazilian group presents novel method of analyzing microplastic pollution

Envirotec Magazine

The last decade has seen some progress with studying plastic pollution, but there are still significant challenges, such as a lack of comparability of reported results, especially when it comes to microplastic particles. Plastic production and pollution affect human health and fuel greenhouse gas emissions.

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How do you tackle microplastics? Start with your washing machine.

Grist

By one estimate , they account for as much as one-third of all microplastics released to the ocean. Research has yet to establish just what this means for human and planetary health. Blackburn’s own startup, Keracol, develops natural dyes, pulled from things like fruit waste, that break down more easily in nature than synthetic ones.

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Study: Microplastics found in nearly three-quarters of tested meat and dairy products

Business Green

Research commissioned by Plastic Soup Foundation points to microplastics in feed pellets as possible cause for high content of plastic particles found in meat and dairy. Released today, the results of the study reveal 73 per cent of meat and dairy products tested by scientists contained microplastics.

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Why the Oil and Chemical Lobby Is Taking Aim at New York’s Plastic Waste Bill

DeSmogBlog

Last week at the New York State Capitol, more than 300 advocates joined lawmakers for a rally to urge the passage of a landmark waste reduction bill that proponents say is the best piece of legislation in the country aimed at lessening plastic trash. percent of the plastic waste produced in the country per year.