News

The New York Times: Microplastics Are Everywhere. Here’s How to Avoid Eating Them.

Microplastics and nanoplastics are everywhere. The teeny tiny pieces of plastic have been found in everything from drinking water to chicken nuggets, apples, and broccoli.
Recent studies have linked these pollutants to heart disease, lung disorders, and more worrying health issues.

Naure: The distribution of subsurface microplastics in the ocean

Marine plastic pollution is a global issue, with microplastics (1 µm–5 mm) dominating the measured plastic count^1,2. Although microplastics can be found throughout the oceanic water column^3,4, most studies collect microplastics from surface waters (less than about 50-cm depth) using net tows⁵. Consequently, our understanding of the microplastics distribution across ocean depths is more limited.

Latest Updates on Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS) in Europe

EU PFAS Generic Restriction – Recently leaked documents from the Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) reveal that industry representatives are relying on legal opinions to push back against the planned regulations. A key argument is that the EU’s proposed restriction unfairly groups over 10,000 PFAS compounds together, assuming they all share the same level of risk. This broad categorization would lack a sufficient scientific basis and could make regulatory compliance unnecessarily difficult for businesses.

EU Regulation Limits PFAS in Food Packaging, Bans Single-Use Plastic Packaging for Produce

New EU plastic packaging and waste regulations have been published, which limit per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food packaging, ban single-use plastics for fruit and vegetables under a certain weight, and set forth other changes. Regulation (EU) 2025/40, also known as the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), has transition periods for different requirements beginning as early as August 12, 2026.

Microplastics: Are we facing a new health crisis – and what can be done about it?

• Microplastics have been found in the land, sea and air, across the food chain and throughout the human body.
• It's still unclear what the environmental and health impacts of microplastics could be, but a recent study points to the possibility that they can increase the likelihood of heart attack, stroke, or death.

Forever chemicals: What are they and could they be totally banned in the EU?

Since PFAS were found in the south of Lyon, Pierre-Bénite has become a European symbol in the fight against forever chemical pollution. But what are these substances exactly, and why are they causing concern across Europe?

ECHA: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large class of thousands of synthetic chemicals that are used throughout society. However, they are increasingly detected as environmental pollutants and some are linked to negative effects on human health.

Newsweek: Stop Drinking Bottled Water, Experts Warn of Health and Climate Impacts

A widespread reliance on bottled water is posing significant threats to both human health and the environment, with an estimated 1 million bottles bought every minute worldwide.

This alarming figure is expected to increase as demand continues to grow, warn health experts in a new commentary published in BMJ Global Health.

CNN: Chemicals linked to breast cancer leach into our foods, study finds

CNN - Nearly 200 chemicals connected to breast cancer are used in the making of food packaging and plastic tableware, and dozens of those carcinogens can migrate into the human body, a new study found. “There is strong evidence that 76 known or potential breast carcinogens from food contact materials recently purchased all over the world can be found in people,” said study coauthor Jane Muncke, managing director and chief scientific officer at the Food Packaging Forum, a nonprofit foundation based in Zurich, Switzerland, that focuses on science communication and research.

World Economic Forum - Seabin: How these 'floating garbage bins' can help clean up our waters

About 8 million tonnes pf plastic waste ends up in out ocean every year, and forecasts suggest this could double by 2025 if we don't take drastic action. Seabin Project is a clean tech startup on an ambitious mission to help solve the global problem of ocean plastic pollution and ocean conservation. Each Seabin, or a floating garbage bin, is capable of capturing 90,000 plastic bags every year for less than $1 a day.

UNDP: Microplastics on Human Health: How much do they harm us?

In recent years, a silent menace has emerged, threatening the environment and human health. Microplastics, tiny particles of plastic less than 5 millimeters in size, have infiltrated our oceans, soil, and even the air we breathe. With their omnipresence, microplastics have become a matter of growing concern for the environment and human health.

BBC: Microplastics are everywhere: Is it possible to reduce our exposure?

A new study has found that bottled water contains hundreds of thousands of nanoplastics. With tiny plastic fragments infiltrating every part of human existence, can we ever hope to avoid them?
 

EU to ban single-use plastic in deal on new green packaging rules

Negotiators struck a deal that’s far less ambitious than initially proposed. Single-use plastic packaging for fresh fruit and vegetables, mini hotel toiletries and fast food in restaurants will soon be banned in the EU, after negotiators struck a deal Monday to make the packaging of everyday items more sustainable.
 

Cross-cutting story 1: Pathways towards zero pollution from plastics

This cross-cutting story explores how our increasing use of plastics creates more pollution, which impacts both ecosystem and human health. It aslo examines the measures that can help society sustainably use plastics.
Cross-cutting story 1: Pathways towards zero pollution from plastics — European Environment Agency (europa.eu)