Groups threaten to sue Beaver County plastics manufacturer for releasing ‘nurdles’ into Ohio River tributary

Reid FrazierOctober 3, 2023

The groups say they found plastic pellets called nurdles near the outfall of the Styropek plant along Raccoon Creek.

PollutionWater

Pittsburgh is banning plastic bags next month. Here’s what you need to know.

Oliver MorrisonSeptember 25, 2023

Pittsburgh's plastic bag ban goes into effect Oct. 14. Here’s what you can expect and need to know ahead of the rollout.

Pollution

A Penn State researcher weighs in on the UN negotiations to end plastic pollution

Kara HolsoppleJune 9, 2023

Countries met in Paris to decide whether plastic production or recycling should be the focus of the agreement they hope to adopt by 2024.

EconomyPollutionWaterYour Environment Update

Allegheny County could consider ban on single-use plastic bags

Julia ZenkevichFebruary 16, 2023

The council’s Committee on Sustainability and Green Initiatives held a hearing about how they might address plastic pollution in the county.

Pollution

‘Advanced’ plastic recycling using high heat and chemicals is environmentally problematic, a new government study finds

James BruggersFebruary 1, 2023

Industry is pursuing various technologies to recycle plastic, but environmentalists say they only worsen environmental problems.

PollutionYour Environment Update

‘We do have questions to answer’ about single-use plastic waste, Shell internal emails reveal

James BruggersDecember 21, 2022

Emails between Shell communication officials were made public as part of a congressional investigation into the fossil fuel industry and climate change.

EnergyPollutionThe Coming Chemical Boom

Microplastics are everywhere, even in Pennsylvania’s cleanest waterways

LehighValleyNews.comNovember 4, 2022

The advocacy group, PennEnvironment, recommends banning single-use plastic, improving recycling, and limiting "fast fashion."

Pollution

New novel imagines a future where all we’re left with is our plastic pollution 

Kara HolsoppleJuly 1, 2022

Alison Stine’s "Trashlands" depicts a dystopian Appalachia, exploited for its last valuable resource, but also full of ingenuity and resilience.

CulturePollutionYour Environment Update

Surveying the Ohio River for plastic nurdles, as Shell readies to open cracker

Julie GrantJune 10, 2022

Activists have teamed up with local scientists to find out how many pellets are in the river now, to know if the plant spills any after it opens.

EnergyPollutionThe Coming Chemical BoomWaterWild Pennsylvania

Will Pittsburgh’s bag ban reduce plastic trash in the environment?

Julie GrantApril 22, 2022

The hope is to eliminate a source of litter on the streets and microplastics in the water. But some point to studies that show people just buy more plastic bags.

PollutionYour Environment Update