The Myth of Good Plastic Published: 21 January 2021 Essay Plastic is a material that used to be a symbol of progress and modernity. Now it represents an industry that subordinates everything to profit, even if the world is ruined in the process. By Barbara Unmüßig
Why the Plastic Crisis Matters Published: 6 November 2019 Article The plastic crisis is not just about what ends up in the ocean; it is about whether we are capable of achieving a sustainable existence on this planet. By Lili Fuhr and Froilan Grate
Regulation: Solutions at the wrong end Published: 4 November 2019 Plastic Atlas There is no lack of agreements and initiatives to manage the plastic crisis. But almost all address waste disposal only; they are not coordinated with each other, and they absolve manufacturers of their responsibilities. By Linda Mederake, Stephan Gürtler and Doris Knoblauch
Waste Exports: The rubbish dump is closed Published: 4 November 2019 Plastic Atlas What to do with your unwanted plastic bottles and bags? Simple: send them somewhere else. Until recently, much of the developed world’s hard-to-recycle waste was shipped off to China. That is no longer an option. By Claire Arkin
Plastic Published: 28 August 2019 Dossier We live in a world full of plastic - Plastic has become pervasive in our daily lives. It is in our food and drinking water, in our clothing and cosmetics, in our consumer articles and vehicles. But we are just beginning to understand the full extent of how plastic pollutes and contaminates our environment and bodies. Who is responsible and what are the effects on humans and nature? What are the solutions?In order to change course we need a sound understanding of the players, the extent and the implications of the plastic crisis. Our plastics dossier is a contribution to this cause.
History: Breakthrough in three letters Published: 31 October 2019 Plastic Atlas The first plastics imitated ivory and silk and attracted just a limited market. Things took off after World War II with the rise of PVC. Cheap plastics soon conquered the world. By Alexandra Caterbow and Olga Speranskaya
Zero Waste: Stopping the problem at the source Published: 4 November 2019 Plastic Atlas Recycling alone cannot solve the plastic crisis. New ideas are needed that tackle the roots of the problem. A growing movement is showing how that can work - and a few pioneering cities and towns are blazing the trail. By Esra Tat
Corporations: Blaming the consumer Published: 4 November 2019 Plastic Atlas Masters in lobbying, petrochemicals firms and plastic producers focus attention on waste management and recycling so they can evade their responsibility for the true problem: the growth in the volume of plastics being made. By Jane Patton
Climate Change: Not green, but greenhouse Published: 4 November 2019 Plastic Atlas Plastics are sometimes seen as environmentally friendlier than other materials - not least because of their light weight. But the plastics boom is pumping huge amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. By Steven Feit and Carroll Muffett
