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 10th, 2018 Concentrated levels of microplastics are more likely to be found in sewage sludge commonly applied as a fertiliser than in our oceans, according to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). A new assessment from the Agency has identified several diverse sources from which microplastics are entering the environment, Read more…
July 11th, 2018 Microbeads are set to be banned under a new government-backed bill approved by the Cabinet this week. The Times reported this morning that the Bill will be brought forward by the Minister for Housing, Eoghan Murphy, TD and will look to restrict the manufacture, import, export or sale Read more…
July 10th, 2018 The European Parliament’s environment committee voted today in favour of strengthening EU plans to tackle the use of microplastics. The Committee called for a number of measures that go above and beyond the original proposals from the Commission, including a ban on microplastics in cosmetics, personal care Read more…
March 12th, 2018 Krill may be reducing the amount of microplastic in the oceans through their digestive system, creating nanoplastics in their place, a new study has found. The study in Nature Communications found that the small crustaceans – a staple in the diet of seals, whales, squid, and penguins Read more…
January 26th, 2018 Although marketed as the ‘caviar of the sea’, Fleur de Sel may contain much larger amounts of microplastics than normal salt, a new German study suggests. Fleur de Sel is seen as an extraordinarily noble salt by many customers. Due to its harvesting method, usually by hand Read more…
7th April 2017 The “tremendous” response to the public consultation on a microbeads ban outlines the Irish people’s growing concern with protecting our marine environment, says Minister Simon Coveney. Speaking at a Sustainable Water Network (SWAN) workshop in Dublin yesterday, the Housing Minister said that over 3,000 submissions were received. The Read more…