All Plastic articles
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ResearchSpectroscopy from space lets satellites spy out ocean plastic patches
The technique could show where and how floating plastic patches form, and raise awareness of plastic pollution in the oceans
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Opinion
Plastics and pandemics
The Covid-19 pandemic is our top priority but the plastic problem isn’t going away
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Business
Taking responsibility for waste
How well are companies that produce and use plastics living up to their duty?
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Podcast
Terephthalic acid
Once thought of as an interesting – but useless – turpentine derivative, this oddly-named acid became the precursor to one of the world’s most widely used plastics
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Review
Exhibition: Plastic
This exhibition wrestles with the conundrums of plastic – cheap to make, expensive to dispose of; it can last forever, but is often used only once.
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Research
Glucose derivative replaces BPA in sustainable polycarbonate plastic
Transparent engineered plastic ditches hormone disruptor and lung irritant
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Research
2D synthetic clay sheets could create easy to recycle crisp packets
Alternative to metal-coated plastics possible thanks to new environmentally-friendly synthesis
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Research
C–H fluoroalkylation tackles plastic waste
Photocatalytic method that upcycles aromatic polymers could breathe new life into rubbish
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Research
Converting waste plastic bottles into jet fuel
Simple three-step process generates minimal waste and diverts plastic from landfill
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Research
New family of polymers can be easily recycled and even upcycled
Dynamic covalent bonds means polymers can be taken apart by acid
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Opinion
Thinking differently about waste
Plastic and carbon emissions are valuable resources we can’t afford to discard
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Research
Plastic packaging waste upcycled into technical materials
Process takes on plastic recycling challenge by turning food packing into heat conducting and electromagnetic shielding material
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Research
Sunlight converts plastic waste to hydrogen fuel
Food contamination no problem for photocatalytic recycling process
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News
£20 million UK fund to clean up plastics production
Money will help tackle environmental problems caused by plastics
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Business
US steel and aluminium tariffs threaten chemical and plastics sectors
Trump administration to levy 25% tariff on steel and 10% on aluminium
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News
No decisive action on UK coffee cup waste problem
Despite environmental committee’s urging the UK government is hesitant to introduce a ‘latte levy’
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News
EU leaders announce plans to tackle plastic waste
Efforts will focus on improved recycling and phasing out single-use plastics
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News
Conventions governing polymers' names revised
Polymer nomenclature based on structure of repeating unit aims to iron out inconsistencies
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Feature
Recycling is taking back plastic
Angeli Mehta explores the evolution of plastic recycling technology and looks to a rubbish-free future
