MIT scientists recycle plastic bags to develop a new sustainable fabric
Plastic grocery bags are one of the most pernicious types of plastic waste. Now, scientists say they have developed a technique that could recycle plastic bags into the fabrics of the future. MIT researchers have come up with a method that can transform polyethylene into lightweight fabrics that Read More...
Giant retailers like Walmart and Target unite to take on plastic bags
Single-use plastic shopping bags are a real problem. They take decades to break down but nearly 100 billion of them are used in the United States every year to cart away goods from retailers. Fewer than 10 percent of those are recycled — often winding up in landfills and waterways because many Read More...
Mexico City takes its people back in time with ban on plastic bags
For centuries, Mexico City residents brought warm tortillas home in reusable cloths or woven straw baskets, and toted others foods in conical rolls of paper, "ayate" net bags, or even string bundles. Now, people in Mexico's massive capital city may have to return to those old ways thanks to a Read More...
How Africa is leading the world when it comes to banning plastic bags
Tanzania is moving into the second phase of the country’s anti-plastic initiative, which means both locals and tourists will no longer be able to make use of plastic bags. But will banning plastic actually help the country rid itself of plastic waste? To find an answer to this question, all we Read More...
New York to introduce second statewide ban on bags, after California
State action on plastic bags is picking up pace in the US. After California gave plastic bags the boot, New York is set to impose the second statewide ban on most types of single-use plastic bags from retail sales, changing a way of life for millions of New Yorkers as lawmakers seek to curb Read More...
Scientists unveil new method that turns used plastic bags into batteries
Plastic bag pollution has become a major environmental challenge, pushing cities and countries around the world to heavily tax or ban the sacks. But what if discarded plastic bags could be made into higher-value products? Recently, researchers have come up with a new method of converting plastic Read More...
Australia uses 80 percent less plastic bags since supermarket ban
Two giant Australian supermarket chains have managed to slash down plastic bag consumption by 80 percent in the country. Since their remarkable decision to ban single-use plastic bags earlier this year, the supermarkets prevented an estimated 1.5 billion bags being introduced into the environment. Read More...
Better than the landfill: Pyrolysis turns plastic bags into crude oil
Walk down any city street and you’ll undoubtedly see an underlying commonality: plastic bags. Either littered about the gutter or being used by a passer–by, plastic bags are everywhere. Plastic bags are inexpensive to produce, easy to transport, and take about half a millennia to biodegrade. Read More...