Plastic debris was already observed in the world’s oceans in the 1960s. From then on, the contamination of ecosystems by plastic debris started to raise concerns. Nevertheless, to this day governance has not been successful in tackling the issue of plastics. Why is that? What is holding us back to take appropriate measures? In this…
Happy World Oceans Day! Today we celebrate the important role our oceans play in our lives. Oceans are the lungs of our planet, a source of food and medicine and an integral part of the biosphere. The porpuse of this day is to raise awareness about the human impact on oceans and unite people in…
This World Environment Day in 2023 serves as a poignant reminder that each individual’s actions regarding plastic pollution have a significant impact. The collective efforts of governments and businesses in addressing this issue are a direct consequence of the actions taken by people. Now is the time to accelerate our actions and shift towards…
Biodegradable plastics are innovative materials developed for specific applications to enable a circular use of resources. In these applications, biodegradability in the intended end-of-life can help for example, to reduce the formation and release of persistent microplastics into the environment. For instance, certified compostable biowaste bags are designed to biodegrade under industrial composting conditions and…
Today, May 9th, is Europe Day, a day that celebrates peace and unity in Europe. It is a day when people come together to remember the achievements of the European Union and to reaffirm their commitment to a united Europe. This year’s Europe Day is the 70th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration, which laid the…
At SETAC Europe, LABPLAS Project partner Todd Gouin, emphasises the importance of producing high-quality data, which is necessary to better support the ability of regulators to assess the implications that plastic exposure might represent to humans and the environment
Bio-based and bio-degradable plastics are becoming more popular as a way to address environmental problems such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and depletion of natural resources. Biodegradability is seen as a key property that plastics should have to reduce environmental impacts, but it is not the ultimate solution to the problem of mismanaged plastic waste.…
Today, April 22nd is International Earth Day, a date that reminds us of the importance of caring for and protecting our planet. Oceans are filled with plastics and are becoming more acidic. Extreme heat, forest fires, floods, and other climate events have affected millions of people. Even today, we are still grappling with the consequences…
World Water Day is a unique opportunity for us to come together in support of water and accelerate progress in this critical area. Before….we need to know some interesting data given by the United Nations: 4 million people die annually and 74 million will have their lives shortened by diseases related to poor water, sanitation…
One of our partners from LABPLAS project, the National Oceanography Centre, released a brand-new podcast three months ago with periodical updates on YouTube. Into The Blue addresses very varied topics with different guests, but always focused on ocean-related problems or the scientific career on oceanography. This time, we want to talk to you about a…