Momentum Towards a Global Plastics Treaty: Update article 'Coming discussions will range from how to define “plastic pollution” to the design of “national action plans” that will develop country-specific approaches to addressing the crisis and the setting up of financial mechanisms to support the new treaty implementation. The ninety hours of hard-fought negotiations during UNEA 5.2 reveal that the road ahead will not be simple or easy.' (Center for International Environmental Law, Washington DC) >

Artificial Intelligence in the Sorting of Municipal Waste as an Enabler of the Circular Economy. '...robotic sorting system based on artificial intelligence, for the separation of bulky municipal solid waste.' (MDPI, Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, Switzerland) >

Discovery and quantification of plastic particle pollution in human blood. Research article. (Environment International Journal) >

Could insect digestion solve the waste crisis? 'CSIRO researchers are peering into the digestive processes of insects to see what happens when they are exposed to plastics.' (CSIRO, Canberra) >

Advanced recycling technologies could turn hard-to-recycle plastics, such as mixed, multi-layer, flexible or contaminated plastics back into food grade recycled plastics or other products through chemical, thermal or biological processes.' (CSIRO Canberra) >

Production of methane and ethylene from plastic in the environment. 'Plastic is known to release a variety of chemicals during degradation, which has a negative impact on biota. Here, we show that the most commonly used plastics produce two greenhouse gases, methane and ethylene, when exposed to ambient solar radiation.' (PLOS ONE, San Francisco) >

Over 700 Groups Call for an International Plastics Treaty. 'Despite a doubling of voluntary initiatives and national regulations over the last five years, plastic continues to leak into the environment at alarming rates. There is an urgent need to amplify current efforts through a more coordinated and ambitious approach. (The Center for International Environmental Law, Washington DC) >

'Researchers find that over 1,000 metric tons of microplastic fall on 11 protected areas in the US annually, equivalent to over 120 million plastic water bottles.' (Wired - Boone, Iowa) >

Rens' claims: 'We transform post-industrial plastic and used coffee grounds into feature-rich products that are made to go the distance. From materials to methods, we will never stop seeking new ways to minimize your footprint and maximize your movement.'(Rens, Helsinki, Finland) >

Ocean plastic is creating new communities of life on the high seas. 'Coastal plants and animals have found a new way to survive in the open ocean—by colonizing plastic pollution.'