Ocean plastics

A new study has shown that creatures typically inhabiting coastal areas are hitching rides out to sea aboard plastic waste, and are able to not just survive, but thrive out in the open ocean ... with untold impacts on the ecosystem.

Glitter spruces up everything from makeup to craft projects, but one thing it doesn’t improve is the environment. A new biodegradable glitter swaps out the plastic and aluminum for plant-based cellulose, which can be produced at scale.

With the amount of plastic swirling around in the ocean, wouldn't it be handy if the boats cleaning it up could use the trash to fuel their own operations? A new study has crunched the numbers and suggests such an approach may be feasible.

Having only just returned from a trial campaign that yielded massive hauls of plastic waste, the Ocean Cleanup Project is now moving beyond testing and kicking off its first operational mission, while outlining plans for a much larger system.

Back in August, the Ocean Cleanup Project returned to the waters of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch with a redesigned trash-collecting system that was its largest yet, and it has just reigned in a "massive" haul of plastic waste.

We've been hearing a lot lately about how disintegrated waterborne trash is one of the main sources of ocean microplastics pollution. A new study, however, suggests that aging maritime rope could also be making a significant contribution.

The Ocean Cleanup Project has made a significant tweak to its design, switching from a passive device to one powered by active propulsion, which the team sees as a far more efficient and effective way of removing plastic waste from the ocean.

A new study paints a startling picture of how the evolutionary habits of juvenile turtles lure them into the most polluted parts of the ocean, demonstrated by the discovery of plastic in the stomachs of young turtles around the coast of Australia.

Such is the magnitude of our plastic pollution problem that cleaning beaches is a tough ask. The BeBot is a robot designed to tackle this problem, sifting through sand to gather up waste while making a minimal impact on the environment.

Back in January, we covered an autonomous plastic trash collector called Clearbot that was designed to remove waste from local waterways. Now the startup behind the project has partnered with gaming titan Razer for an updated design.

Commissioned to design a sustainable floating hotel, Margot Krasojević Architects produces a proposal that's unconstrained by practicalities. The designer envisions making use of the massive amounts of plastic in the ocean as a building material.

Modern scientific techniques are rapidly improving our understanding of how plastic pollution can impact marine organisms, and a new study has demonstrated how they can also be used to understand the plight of creatures past.