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UK supermarkets not doing enough to cut plastic use, says report

Supermarkets are still putting nearly 900,000 tonnes of plastic packaging on to the market, representing a plastic footprint which is bigger than in 2017, a new report has found.

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Climate

Record 500,000 people pledge to eat only vegan food in January

A record 500,000 people have signed up to the Veganuary challenge to eat only plant-based foods for a month. The milestone is double the number who pledged to go vegan for January in 2019.

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Toxics

Breakthrough in UK’s slow-brewing move towards an eco-friendly cuppa

Co-op finally set to launch own brand plastic-free teabags after outcry over microplastics.

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Toxics

Tesco removes 20m items of plastic from Christmas range

The UK's largest supermarket removes more than 20m pieces of single-use plastic from its Christmas range this year – including crackers, lights, cards and the packaging for puddings – as part of a national drive to reduce plastic pollution.

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Toxics

Plastic pollution: Body Shop will buy 600 tons of waste plastic

Waste-pickers in some developing countries make a living by trading trash in an informal industry that can be dangerous and dirty, but The Body Shop is now working to source plastic from them — and wants other companies to join the initiative.

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Toxics

Morrisons to remove plastic 'bags for life' and trial paper alternative

Supermarket says move follows evidence that reusable plastic bags are being thrown away after one use.

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Plastic Pollution

Use of plastic bags in England drops by 59% in a year

Shoppers' use of plastic carrier bags in England has continued to fall – by 59% in the last year alone – since the introduction of the 5p charge, according to recent figures.

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Toxics

Coronavirus: Plastic waste surges as restaurants use more disposable packaging

The surge in single-use plastic is a major blow to the fight against plastic pollution, which is projected to increase by 40% in the next decade.

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Biodiversity

Timber from unsustainable logging allegedly being sold in EU as ethical

Laws to protect biodiversity in Ukrainian forests are failing to prevent environmentally unsustainable logging that is harming wildlife, and the resulting timber is being sold to EU consumers as ethical and sustainable, a green campaign group has alleged.

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Silly Billy: What the Ikea bookcase tells us about the true cost of fast furniture

A Billy bookcase is made every three seconds. But with a third of people admitting to throwing away furniture that they could have sold or donated, does the cheap furniture boom have a heavy environmental price?

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Water

UK's sewage system in danger of gridlock from toilet paper substitutes

Consumers have been warned of the dangers of substituting kitchen roll and wet wipes for toilet paper which – if flushed down the loo – could overwhelm the UK's sewers.

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Toxics

Some worry if New York's coming plastic bag ban is enough

New York retailers have begun giving up single-use plastic bags as the state prepares for the March 1 implementation of a ban aimed at reducing pollution, but many of those who support a move away from plastic are worried the new law doesn't go far enough.

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Climate

EU urged to adopt meat tax to tackle climate emergency

A "sustainability charge" on meat to cover its environmental damage could raise billions to help farmers and consumers produce and eat better food, according to a report.

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Toxics

UK will spend £2.4bn on Christmas clothes that barely get worn – survey

When it comes to sparkly dresses and sequins, only 24% of survey respondents said they knew that most contain plastic.

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Climate

UK firms urge Brazil to stop Amazon deforestation for soy production

Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and the UK's largest asset manager are among 87 major companies and investors who have written to Brazil's far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, urging his government to stop further deforestation of the Amazon for soy production.

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From our Newsroom

Fractured: The stress of being surrounded

Jane Worthington moved her grandkids to protect them from oil and gas wells—but it didn't work. In US fracking communities, the industry's pervasiveness causes social strain and mental health problems.

Fractured: Distrustful of frackers, abandoned by regulators

"I was a total cheerleader for this industry at the beginning. Now I just want to make sure no one else makes the same mistake I did. It has ruined my life."

Fractured: Buffered from fracking but still battling pollution

A statewide network of fracking and conventional wells, pipelines, and petrochemical plants closes in on communities.

Fractured: Harmful chemicals and unknowns haunt Pennsylvanians surrounded by fracking

We tested families in fracking country for harmful chemicals and revealed unexplained exposures, sick children, and a family's "dream life" upended.

Fractured: The body burden of living near fracking

EHN.org scientific investigation finds western Pennsylvania families near fracking are exposed to harmful chemicals, and regulations fail to protect communities' mental, physical, and social health.

LISTEN: Kristina Marusic discusses the "Fractured" investigation

"Once they had the results of our study [families] felt like they had proof that these chemicals are in their air, their water, and making their way into their bodies."

Jane Worthington moved her grandkids to protect them from oil and gas wells—but it didn't work. In US fracking communities, the industry's pervasiveness causes social strain and mental health problems.

"I was a total cheerleader for this industry at the beginning. Now I just want to make sure no one else makes the same mistake I did. It has ruined my life."

A statewide network of fracking and conventional wells, pipelines, and petrochemical plants closes in on communities.

We tested families in fracking country for harmful chemicals and revealed unexplained exposures, sick children, and a family's "dream life" upended.

EHN.org scientific investigation finds western Pennsylvania families near fracking are exposed to harmful chemicals, and regulations fail to protect communities' mental, physical, and social health.

"Once they had the results of our study [families] felt like they had proof that these chemicals are in their air, their water, and making their way into their bodies."

Above The Fold

Above the Fold