Tag: University of Portsmouth

‘Forever chemicals’ found throughout Solent food web as researchers call for stronger regulation

Stuart Mitchell

Scientists from the University of Portsmouth and the Marine Conservation Society have published their most wide-ranging study yet of toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in the waters, wildlife, and seabed in a stretch of UK coastline. Current laws are not doing enough to protect the environment or public health against toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), warns a new study.  PFAS are a family of nearly 15,000 synthetic chemicals used in everyday products since the 1950s, from non-stick cookware and waterproof clothing to firefighting foam. Because they are extremely resistant to breaking down, they…

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New research aims to reduce microfibre pollution released from cruise and hotel laundry

Stuart Mitchell

Microfibre pollution from large-scale laundry operations is emerging as a significant and largely unseen environmental issue. New research led by the University of Portsmouth is using Cleaner Seas Group’s industrial filtration technology – already deployed in commercial settings to better understand the scale of the problem and how it can be prevented before it reaches our waterways. The study builds on previous data that revealed more than 700,000 microfibres can be released from clothing during a single domestic wash. Researchers are now turning their attention to industrial laundry systems, where…

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Global push for reuse stalls as fragmented policies hold back progress of tackling plastic pollution, new report finds

Stuart Mitchell

Reuse systems, as a model to reduce plastic pollution, are beginning to emerge across the world but remain constrained by fragmented policies, weak financial incentives and gaps in infrastructure, according to a trio of new reports released today.  The research, launched by the Global Plastics Policy Centre at the Revolution Plastics Institute at the University of Portsmouth, provides the first comparative analysis of reuse policy across Europe, South America and Southeast Asia.   Drawing on multi-year policy analysis, stakeholder interviews and comparative research, the reports examine how governments are supporting reuse and what must happen next for systems to…

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“Plastic-eating” fusion enzyme improves polyester textile recycling

Stuart Mitchell

A redesigned “plastic-eating” enzyme could help turn old polyester textiles back into useful raw materials – but only if the plastic is prepared in the right way In a study published in Bioresource Technology Journal, scientists from the universities of Portsmouth and Manchester report that a specially engineered enzyme can significantly speed up the breakdown of PET – the plastic used in water bottles, food packaging and polyester clothing – when it is processed at high concentrations similar to those used in industry.  PET, short for poly (ethylene terephthalate), is cheap, durable, and widely used. But those same qualities mean it builds up in vast quantities once thrown…

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Researchers find microplastics in 100 per cent of donkey faecal samples tested

Stuart Mitchell

A study by the University of Portsmouth has revealed for the first time the extent of the devastating impact of plastic pollution on livestock, humans and the wider environment on the Kenyan island of Lamu.   The study was carried out by members of the Revolution Plastics Institute at The University of Portsmouth, in collaboration with The Donkey Sanctuary, The Flop Flopi Project and the Kenyan Marine and Fisheries Research Institute.   Until now the impact of plastic waste on terrestrial working animals has been largely overlooked with most of the…

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