Quick Dips
Curated topical articles on the Blue Economy

Plastic Pollution: We Need To Act Now

• The ASEAN Post Team • Plastics & Pollution

The problem has now been further exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic as “a new wave of plastic pollution” is littering beaches and public spaces in the form of disposable masks and gloves, said Jack Middleton from Surfers Against Sewage, a movement tackling plastic pollution.

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This Seagrass Traps Marine Plastic

• Alex Fox, Smithsonian Magazine • Fisheries & Aquaculture • Plastics & Pollution

Researchers find the Mediterranean species of seagrass collects plastics in fibrous balls that form from its fallen leaves.

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What does the Biden presidency hold for ocean sustainability?

• World Ocean Initiative, The Economist Group • Energy Solutions • Fisheries & Aquaculture • Plastics & Pollution

A major drive to promote offshore renewable energy, sustainable aquaculture and coastal restoration while redoubling international commitments is likely.

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Marine waste turned into beach cleaning equipment

• Charley Adams, BBC News • Plastics & Pollution

A charity dedicated to clearing the planet of rubbish two minutes at a time has created a beach cleaning station made out of marine litter.

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New Post-Consumer Plastic Waste Recycling Plant from TOMRA and Borealis

• Ben Messenger, Waste Management World • Plastics & Pollution

TOMRA and Borealis have begun operations of start of their advanced mechanical recycling demo plant in Lahnstein, Germany.

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Seagrass 'Neptune balls’ sieve millions of plastic particles from water, study finds

• Agence France-Presse, The Guardian • Plastics & Pollution

Underwater seagrass in coastal areas appear to trap plastic pollution in natural bundles of fibre known as “Neptune balls”, researchers have found.

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Help UK seas recover to deliver £50bn in benefits, report urges

• Emily Beament, Yahoo! Finance • Energy Solutions • Fisheries & Aquaculture • Plastics & Pollution • Shipping & Ports • Tourism

Restoring the UK’s seas from their damaged state could give a £50 billion boost to the economy, create thousands of new jobs and help the climate crisis, a report says.

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Clothes washing linked to ‘pervasive’ plastic pollution in the Arctic

• Damian Carrington, The Guardian • Plastics & Pollution

The Arctic is “pervasively” polluted by microplastic fibres that most likely come from the washing of synthetic clothes by people in Europe and North America, research has found.

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More than 50 countries commit to protection of 30% of Earth's land and oceans

• Patrick Greenfield and Fiona Harvey, The Guardian • Energy Solutions • Fisheries & Aquaculture • Plastics & Pollution • Shipping & Ports • Tourism

A coalition of more than 50 countries has committed to protect almost a third of the planet by 2030 to halt the destruction of the natural world and slow extinctions of wildlife.

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Banks Called Out For Their Role In Financing Plastic Pollution

• Mike Scott, Forbes • Plastics & Pollution

The pressure to clean up plastic pollution faded in 2020 thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to a surge in the use of plastic in PPE and to keep food and other purchases safe.

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Why Plastic Pollution Is a Producer Responsibility

• Alex Truelove, The Revelator • Plastics & Pollution

We won’t be able to stem the tide of plastic waste until manufacturers are held accountable for their products.

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Muggi tray inventor keen to close the marine plastic pollution loop

• Olivier Vergnault, In Your Area • Plastics & Pollution

Serial inventor David Trotter, the man behind the Muggi trays is keen to use plastic from the sea and close the plastic pollution loop.

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The Don Quixote of Brooklyn, Tilting at Plastic Bags

• Gabriel Cohen, The New York Times • Plastics & Pollution

Captain Ahab hurled his harpoon at the Great White Whale. Don Quixote tilted at windmills with his lance. Taylor Mali, a poet in Brooklyn, has become known for wielding a long and pointy weapon at city treetops.

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Watch: Hannah Testa and Lesa Wilson Create Plastic Pollution Video Series

• Plastic Pollution Coalition • Plastics & Pollution

Passionate environmentalists and Plastic Pollution Coalition members Hannah Testa and Lesa Wilson have released a new video series on the plastic pollution crisis and how each of us can get involved.

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The solution to marine plastic pollution is plural, and plastic offsetting is one of them

• Roxane Lauzet, Modern Diplomacy • Plastics & Pollution

Due to growing concerns around environmental protection, businesses, individuals and governments have been looking for solutions that can be largely implemented to close the tap on plastic pollution.

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Catalyst transforms plastic waste to valuable ingredients at low temperature

• Osaka City University • Plastics & Pollution

For the first time, researchers have used a novel catalyst process to recycle a type of plastic found in everything from grocery bags and food packaging to toys and electronics into liquid fuels and wax.

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Repurposed: Adding value to aquaculture via recycling

• Bonnie Waycott, Global Aquaculture Alliance • Fisheries & Aquaculture • Plastics & Pollution

Efforts in Chile, Europe illustrate new opportunities for environmental stewards and entrepreneurs.

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How the EU Plastic Waste Ban Could Turn the U.S. into a Next-Generation Recycling Destination

• Tina Casey, Triple Pundit • Plastics & Pollution

Next-generation plastic recycling technologies could breathe new life into the U.S. petrochemical industry, and not a moment too soon.

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Bali's beaches buried in tide of plastic rubbish during monsoon season

• Graham Readfearn, The Guardian • Plastics & Pollution

Tourist drawcards Kuta and Legian beaches are being overwhelmed by up to 60 tonnes of plastic rubbish every day.

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COVID-19 hazard: 1.56 bn masks polluted oceans in 2020, claims study

• Manoj Sharma, Business Today • Plastics & Pollution

These masks will take as long as 450 years to break down and all the while serve as a source of micro plastic and negatively impact marine wildlife and ecosystems, says a new report by OceanAsia.

Read more → (3 minute read)