Planet or Plastic? is National Geographic’s multiyear effort to raise awareness about the global plastic trash crisis. Come to this page often to learn more, and find out what you can do to ...

In the domestic waste industry, recyclable plastic waste is categorized under either synthetic polymer or synthetic resin waste depending on the material and can be sold to facilities specialized ...

While a common family of bacteria, Comamonadaceae, grow on plastics in urban rivers and wastewater systems, it was unclear how these bacteria interact with and break down plastic. Professor Ludmilla ...

A new study finds a bacterium in this family can break down the plastic for food. Researchers also identified the enzyme the bacterium use to degrade plastic. The discovery opens new possibilities ...

Scientists discovered that bacteria commonly found in wastewater can break down plastic to turn it into a food source, a ...

Plastic bags start out as fossil fuels and end up as deadly waste in landfills and the ocean. Birds often mistake shredded plastic bags for food, filling their stomachs with toxic debris. For hungry ...

Plastic grocery bags are a significant contributor to global plastic pollution, and California is taking a big step up in tackling the problem. Thomas is a native of upstate New York and a ...

Plastic pollution is everywhere, and a good amount of it is composed of polyethylene terephthalate (PET, ♳). This polymer is used to make bottles, containers and even clothing. Now, researchers report ...

A rising tide of plastic waste is choking our oceans, threatening fragile ecosystems and killing sea life. While plastic has revolutionised our way of life since it was invented in the 1950s, the ...

Now, Northwestern University-led researchers have discovered how cells of a Comamonas bacterium are breaking down plastic for food. First, they chew the plastic into small pieces, called nanoplastics.