Plastic Pollution

As of last year, PIBOs had the target to recycle 40-60 per cent of this collected packaging material

Forever chemicals, widely used in everyday products like nonstick cookware and food packaging, may accelerate biological ageing, particularly in middle-aged men, according to a new study

Today's Opinion highlights RBI's draft digital fraud framework, Nepal's political churn under Balen Shah, questions around India's growth optimism, LBS reforms, and a book on plastic's global spread.

As evidence grows, fertility specialists explore whether environmental plastic exposure may play a role in modern reproductive challenges

Scientists find that even tiny prenatal exposure to bisphenol A, a common plastic chemical, can permanently feminise males and masculinise females, reshaping metabolism, immunity and disease risk

From climate change to cancer risk, plastics may be silently harming human health across their entire lifecycle as a Lancet study warns the damage could double by 2040 without urgent action

From food packaging to drinking water, microplastics are almost impossible to avoid. A new study suggests these particles can lodge in blood vessels and accelerate artery damage linked to heart diseas

Lab-made PET bottle nanoplastics were found to weaken probiotic bacteria and trigger stress and inflammation markers in human and blood cells, raising fresh safety questions

Global plastic pollution will hit 280 million metric tonnes per year by 2040, or a dump truck's worth every second

New research reveals that single-use face masks can release harmful micro particles and chemicals into air and water, with potential effects on human health and ecosystems

During the most recent set of talks, the US aligned itself with this second group, saying it opposed any restrictions on business and commerce

Negotiators working on a treaty to address the global crisis of plastic pollution failed to reach an agreement in Geneva on Friday. Nations were meeting for an 11th day at the United Nations office in Geneva to try to complete a landmark treaty to end the plastic pollution crisis. They remain deadlocked over whether the treaty should reduce exponential growth of plastic production and put global, legally binding controls on toxic chemicals used to make plastics. The negotiations at the UN hub were supposed to be the last round and produce the first legally binding treaty on plastic pollution, including in the oceans. But just like at the meeting in South Korea last year, they're leaving without a treaty.

An international group of researchers and experts has launched an initiative aimed at tracking health impacts due to plastics, ahead of the final negotiations before the signing of the world's first treaty on regulating the chemical substances. Titled 'The Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics', the launch accompanies the release of a 'Health Policy', which is published in 'The Lancet' journal and a review of currently available evidence on how plastics -- including microplastics and plastic chemicals -- affect human health. The team of experts, including members of the United Nations (UN)-established Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, have authored the 'Health Policy' document. The 'UN Global Plastics Treaty' is a legally binding document aimed to regulate plastics through their life cycle from production to consumption to disposal. The second part of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee -- titled 'INC 5.2' -- is scheduled for August 5 to 14, 20

Doctors warn that chai in polythene or substandard plastic cups may leach hormone-disrupting chemicals, raising cancer risk over time

From coffee cups to food containers, experts explain how workplace plastic exposure raises risks of hormone disruption and cardiovascular damage

A French study challenges the belief that glass bottles are safer to drink from. It found that they contain up to 50 times more microplastics than plastic or metal bottles

Beverage firms, big users of PET bottles, are exploring the possibility of seeking legal recourse for extending the deadline, principally because of the challenges involved in the transition

The UN General Assembly announced June 5 as 'Environment Day' during the Stockholm Conference in 1972. The theme of World Environment Day 2025 is 'Putting an End to Plastic Pollution'

A global study links common household plastics to over 100,000 heart-related deaths in India, revealing an urgent public health crisis hiding in plain sight

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday launched a 20-day intensive cleanliness drive across Delhi, promising a visible transformation in public spaces under the "triple-engine" government model. She also announced a ban on the use of single-use plastics in religious places, schools, and markets. The cleanliness campaign, which begins Friday, will focus on large-scale waste segregation, removal of encroachments, and strict daily monitoring. "Civic officials will be held accountable for areas falling under their jurisdictions. No garbage, debris or encroachment will be tolerated in public places," Gupta said at a press conference. The announcement came after a high-level meeting chaired by Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena at Raj Niwas, attended by district magistrates, deputy commissioners, DCPs and senior officials from civic bodies. "All top officials, including DMs and DCPs, must visit their areas daily and submit compliance reports. Cameras will monitor every corner of the ...