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You might not think twice about those ice cube trays sitting in your freezer. I didn’t either until I learned what might be hiding in them. Those standard plastic trays that come with most refrigerators or that you pick up at the dollar store for cheap? They could be adding more than just ice to your drinks. Many older plastic ice cube trays contain chemicals that can seep into your ice and then into whatever you’re drinking. Kind of scary when you think about it, right? Let’s look at which ice cube trays you should avoid and what safer options...

Last month, the Statistical Assessment Service (STATS), a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization affiliated with George Mason University, released "Science Suppressed: How America became obsessed with BPA," a report which accuses the media "of ignoring the extensive research of respected scientists and major health agencies in the United States and around the world, which found BPA was not only safe but played an important role in ensuring food safety."   It also confirms what countless previous studies have said; BPA is safe. If you're unfamiliar with Bisphenol A (BPA), it is a chemical used to make lightweight, versatile, durable, high-performance plastics.  It's...

Microplastics, which are less than 5 millimeters, and nanoplastics, which are invisible to the naked eye, are widespread throughout our environment. Research has shown exposure to plastics in general is harmful to both the environment and humans. Now, researchers will unveil findings that suggest microplastics and nanoplastics have been found in higher concentrations in the placentas of infants born prematurely compared to those born at term. Researchers used highly sensitive mass spectrometry to analyze 175 placentas; 100 placentas collected at term and 75 collected preterm (less than 37 weeks of pregnancy). "Advanced technology now enables us to accurately measure microplastics...

A major scientific review may have found a possible cause of many of the cancers for which genetics, diet and lifestyle cannot explain. After reviewing more than 3,000 studies on microplastics, researchers concluded that these tiny toxins are linked to lung and colon cancer, as well as other lung diseases and infertility. That could be significant because, unlike dozens of cancers that are in decline, colon cancers are rising, especially among young people who are not normally at risk. Likewise, lung cancers not caused by tobacco are also on the rise Microplastics are pieces of plastic smaller than 5mm in...

Research has characterized how polymer-based commercial tea bags release millions of nanoplastics and microplastics when infused. The study shows for the first time the capacity of these particles to be absorbed by human intestinal cells, and are thus able to reach the bloodstream and spread throughout the body. Plastic waste pollution represents a critical environmental challenge with increasing implications for the well-being and health of future generations. Food packaging is a major source of micro and nanoplastic (MNPLs) contamination and inhalation and ingestion is the main route of human exposure. A study has successfully obtained and characterized micro and nanoplastics...

Phthalates are recognized as reproductive toxins and carcinogenic substances. A recent study highlights the ongoing exposure of Southern Californians to hazardous air pollutants known as plasticizers, including a chemical that has been prohibited in children’s products and cosmetics. Plasticizers are chemical compounds that make materials more flexible. They are used in a wide variety of products ranging from lunchboxes and shower curtains to garden hoses and upholstery. “It’s not just for drinking straws and grocery bags,” said David Volz. Previous California monitoring programs focused on plasticizers called ortho-phthalates, some of which were phased out of manufacturing processes due to health...

Scientists have invented tough, chemically recyclable polymers that maintain high performance under stress but can be precisely broken down and reused with no loss in quality. Their method uses a metal catalyst to trigger decomposition, potentially revolutionizing plastic recycling. =================================================================== Researchers at Osaka University have developed a new type of polymer that marries the toughness needed for demanding applications with the ability to be easily recycled into like-new material. Using a unique directing group that acts under specific conditions, this polymer withstands harsh environments yet breaks down effortlessly in the presence of a nickel catalyst. This innovation could make plastics...

Baby food, in particular, had the highest levels of perchlorate.Korin Miller has spent nearly two decades covering food, health, and nutrition for digital, print, and TV platforms. Her work has appeared in Women's Health, SELF, Prevention, The Washington Post, and more. Some experts are raising a red flag after a component in rocket fuel was detected in food. Perchlorate, which is also found in missiles, airbags, explosives, and some types of plastic, was spotted in a range of foods in a new study published by Consumer Reports. For the study, researchers analyzed 196 samples of 63 supermarket products and 10...

Hurricane Debby is barreling through Florida, America’s economy is crashing, US troops were injured in Iraq Monday and conflict in the Middle East is on the brink of a dangerous escalation — sounds like the perfect time to ban the use of plastic cutlery, right?! Instead of addressing the multiple crises the nation is currently grappling with, the Biden administration decided it was time federal government workers stopped using plastic forks.The Biden administration announced it is launching a plan to “phase out” the “procurement of single-use plastics from food service operations, events and packaging by 2027, and from all federal...

Not every environmentalist is stupid, and many are trying to accomplish desirable goals. They aren't the ones you hear about, and with good reason. Pursuing a reasonable policy rationally and persuasively isn't particularly newsworthy. My father, for instance, has been deeply involved in efforts to find common ground between ranchers in the West and preservationists trying to protect every square inch of land and keep it pristine--an obviously dumb idea. It is a fool's errand because almost all environmental activists are insane, but I admire his persistence. And, as he pointed out, there have been a few successful compromises over...

Plastic producers should ‘pay for the damage they’ve caused’ after decades of deception, the report's authors say. Recycling has been promoted as a solution to plastic waste management for more than 50 years. But big oil companies and the plastics industry have known for decades that it’s not a technically or economically viable solution, a new report reveals. Combining existing research and recently revealed internal documents, the report by the Center for Climate Integrity Research (CCI) could form the foundation for legal action, its authors say. “When corporations and trade groups know that their products pose grave risks to society,...

Plastics producers have promoted recycling their products as an environmental solution for decades despite firsthand knowledge that it was not feasible, according to a report published Thursday. More than 99 percent of plastics are produced using fossil fuels, and of these, the vast majority cannot be “recycled” in the sense of being processed and turned into entirely new products, according to the report from the Center for Climate Integrity. Viable end markets, or businesses that buy recyclables to make new products, only exist for polyethylene terephthalate and high-density polyethylene plastic containers, according to the report. Environmental Protection Agency materials have...

Washington (AFP) – Bottled water is up to a hundred times worse than previously thought when it comes to the number of tiny plastic bits it contains, a new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences said Monday. Using a recently invented technique, scientists counted on average 240,000 detectable fragments of plastic per liter of water in popular brands -- between 10-100 times higher than prior estimates -- raising potential health concerns that require further study. "If people are concerned about nanoplastics in bottled water, it's reasonable to consider alternatives like tap water," Beizhan Yan, an associate...

The following products will require 10% or greater PCR content as of January 1, 2024 in the state of New Jersey: - Rigid Plastic Containers - Plastic Beverage Containers - Plastic Carryout Bags - Plastic Trash Bags

Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) Confronts Anti-Plastics Witness About All The Things She Has Containing Plastic

Here’s something many of you probably suspected, but now there’s even more scientific data to back it up. A new study from the University of Strathclyde in Scotland has determined that recycling is not only failing to “save the planet” as we’ve long been promised, but it’s arguably producing a net harmful effect on both the environment and human health. In case that still comes as a surprise to you, the primary culprit in all of this is our old friend plastic. The ubiquitous use of various types of plastics in nearly everything humans manufacture or use is producing cumulative...

Scientists studying a giant collection of plastic trash floating in the middle of the open ocean have found some unexpected inhabitants: dozens of marine species that usually stick close to the coast. Among the plastic debris, the researchers found all kinds of nonnative species, from anemones to worms to little crustaceans. "To find that many coastal species on a relatively small sample size was shocking," says Linsey Haram, a marine ecologist who did this research while working at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. The findings, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, should help overturn the long-held idea that the open...

Millions of metric tons of plastic are produced worldwide every year. While half of this plastic waste is recycled, incinerated, or discarded into landfills, a significant portion of what remains eventually ends up in our oceans.In fact, many pieces of ocean plastic waste have come together to create a vortex of plastic waste thrice the size of France in the Pacific Ocean between California and Hawaii.Where does all of this plastic come from? In this graphic, Visual Capitalist's Freny Fernandes and Louis Lugas Wicaksono used data from a research paper by Lourens J.J. Meijer and team to highlight the top...

The discovery and exploitation of crude oil have literally transformed the world beyond all recognition.This was such a great discovery, that our modern world is literally fuelled by it.If the crude oil supply was to suddenly dry up, could we survive?Crude oil is one of the most important resources we have ever discovered. Oil and the many products made from it have literally and figuratively transformed the world beyond all recognition. However, as we are constantly reminded, crude oil is not in infinite supply. After all, it took millions of years to "brew". RelatedWhat Would Happen If the World Ran...

A new report by the environmental nonprofit Greenpeace released on Monday finds that the vast majority of plastic waste produced by U.S. households is not recycled. Lisa Ramsden, a senior plastics campaigner at Greenpeace USA and one of the authors of the report, spoke with host Brad Mielke on ABC News’ “Start Here” podcast about the biggest takeaways from the report, the state of the recycling industry in the U.S. at large and what consumers should know about recycling. START HERE: Can you describe this new report you guys have because it freaked me out. Like, am I not…should I...