Plastics
November 1st, 2017 Almost ten per cent of whales, dolphins, and porpoises examined as part of a new Irish study were found to have plastics in their digestive tracts. The study published in Environmental Pollution found that 8.5 per cent (45 individuals) of Irish cetaceans tested had marine debris in Read more…
July 21st, 2017 Humans have produced 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic in just shy of seven decades and most of it has been dumped into the environment. That’s according to a new study published in the journal Science Advances and conducted by a team of US scientists from UC Santa Read more…
July 14th, 2017 The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) – responsible for implementing chemical legislation in the EU – has officially recognised the endocrine-disrupting properties of bisphenol A, also known as BPA. The update was made to the ECHA Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC), which contains substances Read more…
July 12th, 2017 The Waste Reduction Bill was heard in the Dáil last night. The bill would see a deposit refund scheme implemented on plastic bottles, glass bottles and cans. The other aspect would introduce a ban on single-use non-compostable plastic such as coffee cups. If the bill is successful Read more…
July 11th 2017 To celebrate Plastic Free July we have put together a list of five groups in Ireland that can help you cut plastic out of your life. From re-using goods to simple advice, these groups are invaluable sources of information and also lots of fun to be a Read more…
June 27th, 2017 Marine scientists aboard Greenpeace’s vessel the Beluga II have documented extensive plastic pollution in some of the most remote parts of the UK. The Beluga II is due to dock in Edinburgh today after a 2-month survey and in-depth analysis will follow in the coming months. Initial Read more…
June 14th, 2017 Last week, World Oceans Day correctly directed our attention to the 5 trillion pieces of plastic floating in the world’s oceans. Active research and public awareness of this issue may well be at its highest ever. This is a good thing. The question, however, is whether we Read more…
June 8th, 2017 Today marks World Ocean Day 2017, a global day of celebration honouring the world’s oceans and an opportunity to appreciate, conserve and protect our marine life and habitats. This year’s conservation focus is on preventing plastic pollution and marine litter, encouraging solutions for healthier seas. And rightly Read more…
June 8th, 2017 A groundbreaking Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report published today reveals for the first time evidence on the sources and scale of microplastic pollution in Ireland’s freshwater system. The research, led by the Marine and Freshwater Research Centre at Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology also highlights a number of Read more…
June 8th, 2017 Plastic bottles were found in over 80 per cent of all coastal sites surveyed during the latest All-Ireland Coastwatch Survey, a new report reveals. The results, seen by The Green News, indicate that plastic bottles are the primary macro litter item found around the island of Ireland Read more…