Plastics in the marine environment pose a significant threat to marine life. Macroplastics entering ocean waters have two fates - floating on the surface, or sinking. If not removed by clean-up operations, they may harm or even kill marine life through entanglement or ingestion, and/or... click to read more

Plastic has been unbeaten for decades as the top packaging material. Plastic materials are lightweight, flexible and durable, and can easily undergo a plethora of recycling processes without being irreversibly damaged. Why then, do substantial amounts of unused plastic material end up going to waste? Plastic... click to read more

Textile microfibers are fine strands of thread used to make clothing, carpeting and a myriad of very common household items like mops, table cloths and curtains. With use, these fibers are released and can now be found in the air we breathe, the water we... click to read more

Microplastics (pieces less than 5 mm in size) have now been discovered in a wide range of aquatic habitats, from deep-sea sediments to seemingly pristine tropical beaches. Their small size and omnipresence mean that microplastics can be eaten by animals at the base of the... click to read more

Halfway between the coastal beaches of Southern California and the paradise islands of Hawaii lies the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP) - a patch of plastic debris covering a vast area of the oceanic surface. Despite the name, it is not a compact garbage island... click to read more