February 12th, 2019 Evidence of microplastics along the food chain is growing and is becoming a real cause for concern, an Oireachtas committee heard today. Speaking at a hearing on proposed microbeads legislation, Dr Kevin Lynch of the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) said microplastics are becoming a “significant problem” in Read more…
December 8th, 2018 While legislation to tackle plastic waste increases globally, microplastic pollution remains an overlooked problem, a new UN report has revealed. The new report Legal Limits on Single-Use Plastics and Microplastics found that, despite a rise in bans on plastic bags, other single-use plastic products such as microbeads Read more…
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 Read more…
August 3rd, 2018 Plastic Free July ended this week following a month of mobilization around the world to raise awareness about plastic waste. Members of the Sick of Plastic campaign in Ireland participated in the challenge and encouraged people to share their experience on social media. In a recent blog post, VOICE Ireland, one Read more…
May 29th, 2018 A teenage Irish visionary may have discovered a solution to the world’s plastic crisis. Fionn Ferreira, a 17-year-old student from Schull Community College recently left top scientists at the world’s largest pre-college science fair in awe when he revealed his inventive idea for removing microplastics from the Read more…
March 13th, 2018 A new British study has recorded the highest levels of microplastic pollution found anywhere in the world in a Manchester river. The University of Manchester study, which is the first of its kind, found microplastic contamination in river sediments of 40 sites across Great Manchester, including rural Read more…
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…
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…
May 1st, 2017 Microbeads, tiny pieces of plastic found by the hundreds of thousands in shower gels, face-scrubs and toothpaste, were once trumpeted as a cosmetic “must have” – a crucial ingredient in the battle for beauty. Now they have become a hated ingredient. The US, Canada and the Netherlands Read more…
