Plastic Coverage

Talks advance on a treaty to end plastic pollution

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Nations made progress on a treaty to end plastic pollution as their fourth round of talks finished early Tuesday in Canada.

By JENNIFER McDERMOTT, Associated Press

A Breakthrough in Plastic Recycling Is Coming Up Short

By 2025, Nestle promises not to use any plastic in its products that isn’t recyclable. By that same year, L’Oreal says all of its packaging will be “refillable, reusable, recyclable or compostable.”

Hiroko Tabuchi, New York Times

How to minimize exposure to plastic chemicals lurking in food, water

5 On Your Side's Keely Arthur shows you what products to avoid when it comes to harmful plastics.

The best ways to avoid chemicals that spike risk for diseases, cancer

From packaged produce to meat, canned foods to fast food, you name it, it probably contains some form of a chemical used to make plastic.

Pritchard Strong, WRAL consumer investigations producer and Keely Arthur, WRAL consumer reporter

Replacing single-use plastics with biomaterials

An Israeli company and N.C. State researchers are working together to replace single-use plastics in farming and developing nations with products made from organic waste.

Searching for a sustainable replacement for single-use plastics in agriculture

An Israeli company and N.C. State researchers are working together to replace single-use plastics in farming and developing nations with products made from organic waste.

Liz McLaughlin, WRAL Climate Change Reporter

Return plastic bags to the store: What to recycle, and what not to recycle in the Triangle

Rechargeable batteries can explode and cause fires in recycling sorting facilities. Plastic bags jam machines. Don't put them in your curbside bin.

Travis Fain, WRAL state government reporter

See inside a factory processing your waste and items you should never put in the recycling bin

Only 5% of all the plastic in the U.S. gets recycled with something like 300 pounds per person ending up in the ocean. So, what actually happens when you throw a plastic bottle in the recycling bin? WRAL News takes you inside the factory processing your waste. Plus, here are recycling don'ts that could gunk up the whole system.

US landfills near capacity as Triangle leaders try to find ways to reduce waste

As landfills across America reach capacity, a growing number of states are passing extended producer responsibility laws to curb waste at the source. Meanwhile, Orange County aims to reach zero waste by 2045.

North Carolina, other states aiming to stop plastic pollution at the source

As landfills across America reach capacity, a growing number of states are passing extended producer responsibility laws to curb waste at the source. Meanwhile, Orange County aims to reach zero waste by 2045.

Liz McLaughlin, WRAL Climate Change Reporter

95% of plastic waste isn't recycled

Only about 5% of plastic waste is recycled, meaning most of the plastic we use ends up in our landfills and oceans.

The myth of plastic recycling

Only about 5% of plastic waste is recycled, meaning most of the plastic we use ends up in our landfills and oceans.

Liz McLaughlin, WRAL Climate Change Reporter

Wegmans to halt use of plastic bags by the end of 2022

Officials with Wegmans announced Thursday that they would be eliminating the use of plastic bags by the end of this year.

Dangerous chemicals found in food wrappers at major fast-food restaurants and grocery chains, report says

Alarming levels of dangerous chemicals known as PFAS were discovered in food packaging at a number of well-known fast-food and fast-casual restaurants and grocery store chains, a new report found.

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN

Study: Nearly 26,000 tons of pandemic-related plastic waste in the ocean

A new study has found that plastics from the COVID-19 pandemic weighing approximately 25,900 tons is now polluting the world's oceans.

Durham residents could soon be charged for single-use plastic bags

Durham residents could soon be charged extra for using a single-use, plastic bag. The 10 cent tax would apply to restaurants, grocery stores, drugstores, retailers and more.

Leslie Moreno, WRAL multimedia journalist

Durham City Council considers plastic bag tax

Durham residents could soon be charged extra for using a single-use, plastic bag. The 10 cent tax would apply to restaurants, grocery stores, drugstores, retailers and more.

Fast food waste rapidly filling the ocean with plastic

According to a new study highlighted by 'Nature,' the main source of plastic litter accumulating along coasts is plastic packaging from fast food.

Cutting down on microplastics

Research shows tiny particles of plastic waste are everywhere ... including our bodies ... but there are ways to cut down on how much you ingest.

China reveals strategy to cut down plastic use

According to the country's National Development and Reform Commission, single-use items, such as bags and straws, will be phased out by 2025.

5 On Your Side: How much plastic are we consuming?

Between bags, bottles and packaging, plastic is everywhere, including in hand lotion, dish soap, coffee pods and yogurt. Many of us are eating, drinking and breathing in tiny pieces of plastic on a regular basis.

Monica Laliberte, WRAL executive producer/consumer reporter

Study finds people consume 5 grams of plastic a week

Between bags, bottles and packaging, plastic is everywhere, including in hand lotion, dish soap, coffee pods and yogurt. Many of us are eating, drinking and breathing in tiny pieces of plastic on a regular basis.

Researchers find thousands of dead hermit crabs killed by plastic

Scientists are concerned after finding half a million hermit crabs killed by plastic on two remote islands in the Indian Ocean.

Surf City brewery creates eco-friendly packaging that is edible for wildlife

A Surf City brewery has started packaging its beer cans in eco-friendly rings that can be safely consumed by wildlife.

Study: Tea bags contain billions of plastic particles

A report published in 'Environmental Science & Technology' uncovered the alarming amount of microplastics that are present in plastic tea bags.