September 25th, 2018 The onus on ending the use of non-recyclable plastics must be placed squarely at the door of producers and supermarkets “pushing” plastics on consumers, the Social Democrats have warned. The call from the party’s climate spokesperson, Councillor Cian O’Callaghan, comes after the launch of Repak’s Plastic Packaging Recycling Strategy earlier this month. Repak […]
September 6th, 2018 Taxing non-recyclable plastics will only work if both consumer and producer behaviour towards plastic consumption change, a new study has found. The study, carried out by the New Economics Foundation for the Rethink Plastic Alliance, shows that while taxation would increase recycling rates in Europe, increased production and consumption of plastic would […]
September 5th, 2018 The level of unnecessary waste left over at this year’s Electric Picnic festival is “heartbreaking” to see, according to Friends of the Earth. A jumble of thousands of tents and personal objects was abandoned at the scene of this year’s festival in Stradbally, Co Laois last weekend. Although there is no official […]
September 3rd, 2018 Today sees the start of Zero Waste Week to highlight how to eliminate the likes of plastic packaging and food waste from our everyday lives. The opening of the week will take place at Small Changes in Drumcondra, Co Dublin, an independent grocery shop that sponsored last year’s Zero Waste Festival. Since […]
August 30th, 2018 As a new academic year kicks in, the Environment Society at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) promises a variety of environmentally friendly events for its students during fresher’s week. The society has a range of events planned, including a Zero Waste Picnic on Tuesday, 4 September to bring attention to the issue of […]
August 27th, 2018 Green-minded British entrepreneur, Nik Spencer, sealed his first sustainable business deal at the tender age of 20. Two decades later, and now a seasoned businessman, he has innovated a device with the potential to allay the world’s fuel shortage and plastic crisis. “Even when I was in junior school, I must have […]
August 23rd, 2018 Contact lenses can contribute to microplastics pollution when they’re not disposed of properly, a new study has found. Researchers at Arizona State University discovered that flushing old contact lenses down the toilet or bathroom sink is polluting waterways with microplastics. Microplastics pollution is a growing issue around the world, with approximately 8 […]
August 22nd, 2018 Bottled water companies are quietly depleting aquifers across the globe. This is the findings of a recent report in Bloomberg that revealed Nestlé, one of the world’s leading bottled water producers, is exploiting economically depressed areas with lax water laws, sucking their aquifers dry, and paying very little in return. Nestlé was […]
August 13th, 2018 The plastic used in everyday items such as plastic bags emit greenhouse gases when exposed to sunlight, a new study has found. Researchers from the University of Hawaii discovered that our everyday plastic rubbish on land and in the oceans releases a variety of potent chemicals during degradation. The most commonly used […]
August 13th, 2018 Only four of Ireland’s 50 beaches, rivers and harbours are clean enough to meet European norms, a new survey has found. The survey from Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) and carried out by An Taisce found that 40 per cent of the areas surveys are either littered or heavily littered. The three […]
