Plastic

In recent years, microplastics have been found in our liver, kidneys, lungs, gut, brain - the list goes on. New Scientist health reporter, Grace Wade has been looking into the implications for our… Audio

Proponents of a strong global plastics treaty are raising concerns about the influence of lobbyists on the process. This as research seeks to establish a link between microplastics and a rise in bowel… Audio

This weekend, the next phase of New Zealand's ongoing fight against single-use plastics comes into effect. But do we need to re-think our attitudes towards all waste? Audio

Non-stick pans are a staple of most Kiwi kitchens. They are durable, frictionless, and easy to cook with and clean - but when they're scratched, how safe are they? Audio

Cotton buds, drink stirrers and PVC food trays are among a raft of products that have been banned under new waste rules; the first of three key phases to ban throw-away plastic and polystyrene… Audio

Plastic! It’s in our homes, our oceans and filling up our landfills, but how big of an issue is it? Let’s find out! Video, Audio

Picking up discarded sticking plasters on the Routeburn Track was a lightbulb moment for Lucas Smith. He was working as a mountain guide, and blisters were a common problem for the tourists he was… Audio

A new exhibition invites you to think more deeply about those large, woven, plastic, carry-all bags used around the world for years. The mass-produced bags come in fetching combinations of red white… Audio

A huge international commitment to ending plastic pollution has just gained momentum. Late last week, Heads of State, Ministers for the environment and other representatives from 175 nations… Audio, Gallery

When he was 14, engineer Mark Sorensen wrote an essay about the plastic packaging problem - and how it might be fixed. Now, nearly three decades later, he and his wife Ellie Brade have created a new… Audio

Plastic items from more than 25 different countries, including New Zealand, wash up on the remote Pitcairn Islands, posing a threat to a habitat that's home to unique and endangered species. British… Audio, Gallery

The Waiuku company making fence posts from used plastics has expanded into vineyards, is doubling its production capacity, wants to build a South Island plant and is exporting to Australia. Audio

Tests of a selection of plastics marketed as bio-based has found half of them are not all they claim. GNS and Scion have developed new tests that will verify if they are. Audio

Sales of chewing gum fell by 14% worldwide in 2020. Will Coldwell is a London-based journalist who recently composed a piece in The Economist about the demise of chewing gum, which has been used in… Audio

Organisations supporting a beverage container return scheme say opposition from the glass industry could derail the project at the eleventh hour. A container return scheme incentivises people to… Audio

At the height of the season Gisborne's Leaderbrand can churn out 90,000 packets of salad a day Audio

A recent study has showed that the large majority of the microfibres polluting our oceans are not plastic - which has long been assumed - but actually natural fibres like cotton, wool and other… Audio

Gary McLean is a professor in molecular immunology and infectious diseases specialist. He says things are being done well here in relation to the spread of Covid-19, but offers a stark warning that it… Audio

Nanogirl finds out if we can make plastic that's not so bad for the environment. Video, Audio

Science commentator Siouxsie Wiles updates Kathryn on developments with Covid-19 - and why we all need to help flatten the Covid curve. She'll also look at how the beeswax-melting digestive system of… Audio