The Indonesian government pushed back on an international study that found high levels of dioxin in a village where plastic is burned to produce tofu.
Tag: Waste Materials and Disposal
To Make Sense of Lebanon’s Protests, Follow the Garbage
The country’s perpetual refuse crisis is just one example of the government corruption and dysfunction that have brought protesters into the streets.
To Make This Tofu, Start by Burning Toxic Plastic
Plastic waste from America, collected for recycling, is shipped to Indonesia. Some is burned as fuel by tofu makers, producing deadly chemicals and contaminating food.
Scientists Solve a Puzzle: What’s Really in a Fatberg
The grisly results of an autopsy in the U.K. were made public on Friday, and they were not pretty. But they did hold a few surprises.
A Plague of Flies Descends on Karachi: ‘They’re Hounding People’
Pakistan’s biggest city had heavy rains, bad drainage and a garbage problem — and now, bugs are everywhere. “There’s no cure,” a shopkeeper said.
It Looks Like a Lake Made for Instagram. It’s a Dump for Chemical Waste.
Siberians have flocked to an industrial waste pond where iridescent water resembles a tropical seascape, with the goal of taking humorous pictures.
Cleansing Plastic From Oceans: Big Ask for a Country That Loves Wrap
Japan is showcasing its plastics recycling at the G-20 meeting in Osaka. But the Japanese also wrap everything in plastic, and a lot winds up in the sea.
Store’s Bid to Shame Customers Over Plastic Bags Backfires
A Vancouver store introduced plastic bags with embarrassing messages to persuade customers to bring reusable alternatives. The bags became a surprise hit on social media instead.
Recyclers Cringe as Southeast Asia Says It’s Sick of the West’s Trash
After China restricted plastic scrap imports, countries like Malaysia took the brunt of the waste. But now there’s a regionwide backlash, and recyclers are worried.
France to End Disposal of $900 Million in Unsold Goods Each Year
The government plans to outlaw the destruction of brand-new consumer products, a practice that companies use to stop goods from being stolen or sold at steep discounts.