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October 7, 2008 6:41:32 PM CDT

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Stories related to: plastic

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  • July 2008

    • Congress Moves to Ban Toxin Found in Toys

      Washington Post  |  Jul 29, 08 1:11 PM CDT

      Congress Moves to Ban Toxin Found in Toys

      (Newser) - Congressional negotiators have agreed to ban a group of toxins common in children’s toys, part of a consumer-protection bill, the Washington Post reports. The ban mirrors tougher standards at big retailers like Wal-Mart and Toys R Us, and, like those bans, wouldn’t take effect until after the holiday season. President Bush opposes the measure, but hasn’t yet promised to veto it. More »

      Tags

      Congress  • toys  • plastic  • Exxon Mobil  • toxic chemicals  • phthalates  • toy safety

  • June 2008
  • May 2008

    • Self-Fixing Plane in the Works

      Gizmag  |  May 28, 08 5:55 AM CDT

      Self-Fixing Plane in the Works

      (Newser) - British aerospace engineers are working on technology that could create self-repairing aircraft, Gizmag reports. In a technique very much like nature's healing process, resin would "bleed" out of damaged parts of the plane and harden, making a damaged aircraft strong enough to continue to fly until it could be repaired properly on the ground. More »

      Tags

      airplane  • aviation  • plastic  • 787 Dreamliner  • aerospace  • aircraft  • engineering  • invention

  • April 2008

    • Cindy's Tips for Green Living

      Daily Green  |  Apr 22, 08 3:07 PM CDT

      Cindy's Tips for Green Living

      (Newser) - “We all want to live a little greener,” ex-supermodel and mom Cindy Crawford writes in The Daily Green. The key for moms is making small changes that mesh with hectic household living: Filter your tap water and use a reusable bottle. Thirty-eight billion bottles end up in landfills each year—why add to the pile? More »

      Tags

      celebrity  • climate change  • pollution  • plastic  • bottled water  • green home

    • Nalgene Nixes Suspect Chemical

      Associated Press  |  Apr 18, 08 1:31 PM CDT

      Nalgene Nixes Suspect Chemical

      (Newser) - The maker of Nalgene bottles will pull the products from stores over concerns about the health effects of the chemical bisphenol A, Reuters reports. The plastic water bottles, long a favorite of hikers, will be made with BPA-free materials going forward. The move comes despite the chemical industry's assurances that BPA does not harm humans. More »

      Tags

      Canada  • public health  • plastic  • chemicals  • bisphenol A  • bottles  • Nalgene

    • Feds Warn of Chemical in Plastics

      Washington Post  |  Apr 15, 08 6:11 PM CDT

      Feds Warn of Chemical in Plastics

      (Newser) - A federal health panel warned today a chemical used to make a slew of everyday plastic items—including baby bottles—could be linked to several types of cancer, early puberty for girls and even hyperactivity, the Washington Post reports. The report urges more study and marks a reversal for the government, which previously rejected health risks associated with bisphenol A (BPA). More »

      Tags

      health  • FDA  • plastic  • baby bottle  • health advisories  • BPA

  • March 2008

    • Sea of Plastic Dooms Oceans, Expert Says

      CNET  |  Mar 5, 08 4:16 PM CST

      Sea of Plastic Dooms Oceans, Expert Says

      (Newser) - A noted oceanographer says the aquatic pollution in the Pacific Ocean is too significant to be cleaned up. “We are damned to a future of pollution by plastic,” Charles Moore said after showing that the amount of Pacific plastic has ballooned fivefold in the last 10 years. A garbage patch twice the size of Texas is old news, but Moore found a “highway” that makes the polluted area as large as Africa. More »

      Tags

      global warming  • pollution  • ocean  • recycling  • plastic  • garbage  • Pacific Ocean  • green revolution

  • February 2008

    • Tax Helped the Irish Bag Plastic

      New York Times  |  Feb 6, 08 12:13 PM CST

      Tax Helped the Irish Bag Plastic

      (Newser) - "Paper or plastic?" is perhaps the last question you'll hear on the Emerald Isle, thanks to a 33-cent tax on each plastic bag that cut Irish consumption by 94% within weeks of its 2002 enactment, reports the New York Times . Cloth bags have become downright fashionable since, but strong manufacturer and merchant opposition has hindered similar efforts in Britain and LA, and laws elsewhere have met mixed results. More »

      Tags

      environmentalism  • taxes  • Ireland  • plastic  • plastic bags  • supermarket  • landfill  • paper bags

  • January 2008

    • Hot Water Leaches Harmful Chemical From Plastic

      USA Today  |  Jan 30, 08 9:55 AM CST

      Hot Water Leaches Harmful Chemical From Plastic

      (Newser) - Hot liquid causes a potentially harmful chemical to leach out of certain plastics much faster than usual, researchers have found. The study, published in Toxicology Letters , discovered that  bisphenol A, or BPA, was released from some common plastic bottles 55 times faster when they were placed in boiling water. Concerns about BPA, a hormone "disrupter," have been growing, particularly for containers used by babies and young children. More »

      Tags

      research  • plastic  • hormones  • chemicals  • baby bottle

    • Whole Foods Sacks Plastic Bags

      Austin American-Statesman  |  Jan 23, 08 10:51 AM CST

      Whole Foods Sacks Plastic Bags

      (Newser) - After Earth Day on April 22, customers at any of Whole Foods' 270 stores will be taking home their groceries in a paper bag—unless they bring their own bag, reports the Austin American Statesman's Business Blog. The chain, concerned about the environment, is phasing out plastic bags. Experts say it's a bold move, but one that others may follow. More »

      Tags

      environment  • plastic  • Whole Foods  • plastic bags  • grocery stores  • paper bags

    • Why Am I Fat? One Word for You: Plastics

      Boston Globe  |  Jan 14, 08 1:30 PM CST

      Why Am I Fat? One Word for You: Plastics

      (Newser) - Early exposure to chemicals found in common plastics could predispose a person to obesity, scientists suggest. Studies have shown that animals fed the chemicals, called endocrine disrupters, are fatter later in life than those who were not, the Boston Globe reports. Diet, exercise, and genetics are key factors, but "chemicals can play a role," says one scientist. More »

      Tags

      health  • obesity  • genetics  • obesity epidemic  • plastic  • fat  • baby bottle  • chemicals and obesity

  • December 2007

    • Go Green on Christmas, Tree Huggers Say

      Smithsonian  |  Dec 15, 07 12:20 PM CST

      Go Green on Christmas, Tree Huggers Say

      (Newser) - You can be eco-friendly this holiday season without turning into Scrooge, the Smithsonian reports. For those considering Christmas trees, environmentalists claim real trees are actually better for the environment than the plastic variety, which emit harmful dioxins when created or when on fire. More »

      Tags