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Deirdre McKay

@dccmckay.bsky.social
274 followers 380 following 63 posts

🇨🇦 Curious... about geography, migration and development... and the plastic waste it generates....

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Reposted by Deirdre McKay
Monica Morrison @monicamorrisong.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
Transdisciplinary work's reliance on motivated individual researchers needs to shift towards "a structurally supported, ecosystem-level approach to societal impact": findings from an evaluation of the European Convergence programme stefan-de-jong.nl/wp-content/u... @erasmusuniversity.bsky.social
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Ronald Steenblik @ronsteenblik.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
More alkanes (naphtha, ethane, methane, propane) could be made from crude oil and natural gas (and even coal), but that’s what the O&G industry is banking on: rising demand for petrochemicals justifying continued drilling.
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Reposted by Deirdre McKay
Ronald Steenblik @ronsteenblik.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Indeed, plastics are used heavily in renewables too, which in my view is a problem. R&D needs to find substitutes for them. The problem of plastics is manifold — microplastics, dangerous and in some cases persistent chemical additives, and that currently they are 99% made from fossil fuels.
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Mongabay @mongabay.com · 01/10/2026
Scientists in Japan have identified "plasticoral", melted plastic permanently fused to coral rubble, likely from beach fires. Researchers warn this persistent composite can degrade microhabitats, leach toxic chemicals, and break down into microplastics. mongabay.cc/PvFk2s
mongabay.cc
Plastic fused to coral rubble raises new concerns for ocean pollution
From the seafloor to turtle stomachs, scientists are finding plastic everywhere they look for it. Now, researchers in Japan have found plastic thermally adhered to coral rubble, an amalgamation…
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Reposted by Deirdre McKay
Maya Weeks, Ph.D. @mayaweeks.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Here is the link to the full report @ejfoundation.org for those interested ejfoundation.org/reports/pois...
ejfoundation.org
Poison Plastics: How chemicals in everyday plastics are harming your…
Plastics and the chemicals they contain have become deeply embedded in our lives within only a single generation. They are found in the vast majority of…
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Reposted by Deirdre McKay
Maya Weeks, Ph.D. @mayaweeks.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
"We never chose this, and we should have the right to reduce our exposure to plastics." Great overview in film of a new report on plastics from an environmental justice perspective by the @ejfoundation.org that I'm very pleased to have contributed to ejfoundation.org/films/poison...
ejfoundation.org
Poison Plastics: How chemicals in everyday plastics are harming your…
Alarmingly, 83% of chemicals with available toxicity and exposure data are not regulated under any major international agreement.
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Chicago Tribune @chicagotribune.com · 27/09/2026
From flax that can be used in clothing and cars to robotic skimmers to stricter laws, determined researchers, activists and volunteers fight an industry intent on making more plastic.
chicagotribune.com
The overwhelming problem of plastic
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GAIA Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives @gaiazerowaste.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
English: www.no-burn.org/resources/do... @zerowasteasia.bsky.social
no-burn.org
Do we need a plastic recycling treaty -and can it end plastic pollution? | GAIA
The world demanded - and UNEP Resolution 5/14 mandated - a global instrument to end plastic pollution, including measures along the full life cycle of plastics. Can a treaty that avoids controls on plastic production, and instead focuses only on recycling and burning plastics, deliver? Is a recycling-first approach serious and effective, or deceptive framing
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Deirdre McKay @dccmckay.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
The unethical in pursuit of the non-credible (apologies to Oscar Wilde)
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Neil Tangri @tangri0.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Meta is using #plastic credits (renamed EACs) to support chemical "recycling" (not really recycling) in order to #offset its carbon footprint from expanding data centers. It's like a carnival show of bad ideas: www.inc.com/chloe-rosenb...
inc.com
Meta Dropped Out of a Clean-Energy Agreement. Now It's Backing a Plastic Recycling Startup
The tech giant is working with the company to help it develop its first factory. The business says its process uses 80 percent less energy than traditional methods.
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Fighting Dirty @fightingdirty.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
NEW: Papers have now been filed for this case. But we still need support for the crowdfunding. Please do share and please donate. Without financial support we won't be able to keep taking these cases. www.crowdjustice.com/case/fightin...
crowdjustice.com
UK Government scraps chemical safety laws - so we're going to court
George Monbiot, Georgia Elliott-Smith and Steve Hyndside are Fighting Dirty, using the law to stop harmful pollution in its tracks. Find out more and follow our work at https://fightingdirty.org/
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Deirdre McKay @dccmckay.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Wonder if creativity can shift intractable problems like plastics? Yes! Our new book explains why and how: www.routledge.com/Plastics-Cre... On pre-order from December, published January.
routledge.com
Plastics: Creative Solutions
This book reimagines plastics before they become waste to show how creative interventions open pathways for action, understanding, and change.   Drawing on ethnographic insight and real-world experien...
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Deirdre McKay @dccmckay.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Our '50 years of marine litter on Skye' project, led by Tom Stanton, has been nominated for a prize: volume.lboro.ac.uk/50-years-of-...
volume.lboro.ac.uk
50 years of litter on Skye
The tranquil beach on the Isle of Skye where 1 square metre of sand holds 1,000 pieces of litter
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Reposted by Deirdre McKay
GAIA Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives @gaiazerowaste.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
The #plasticstreaty negotiations were launched to end plastic pollution, NOT postpone action. We’re calling on governments to uphold the UNEA 5/14 mandate, address plastic production, protect ambition &reject a weak treaty. www.no-burn.org/gaia-respons... #couragenotcompromise #breakfreefromplastic
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Mongabay @mongabay.com · 10/09/2026
Thousands of tons of imported plastic waste leak into Latin American communities daily, fueling a growing health crisis. Ahead of global treaty talks, advocates warn that only reducing global plastic production can curb the region's pollution hotspots. Mark Hillsdon reports for #Mongabay.
mongabay.cc
‘Plastic pollution hotspots’ spawn a public health crisis across Latin America
Since China banned the import of plastic waste in 2018, plastic pollution has been having a growing impact on the people and ecosystems of Latin America. As the region imports an increasing amount of…
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Deirdre McKay @dccmckay.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
More on our Skye marine litter research: volume.lboro.ac.uk/50-years-of-...
volume.lboro.ac.uk
50 years of litter on Skye
The tranquil beach on the Isle of Skye where 1 square metre of sand holds 1,000 pieces of litter
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Reposted by Deirdre McKay
Elle Cordova @ellecordova.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Rough Draft vs Final Draft
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The White Horse Press @whitehorsepress.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
We're pleased to share the contents of a forthcoming special collection 'Waste Ethnographies', in 'Worldwide Waste' journal. The articles will be published soon, in 2026. #envhum #enthnography #waste
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Mongabay @mongabay.com · 29/08/2026
Over 4.5 billion secondhand garments are shipped to Africa annually, but much ends up in dumpsites as toxic textile waste. In Kenya, researchers warn discarding synthetic clothing spreads pathogens and microplastics, urging to enforce stricter import controls. Fellow Ouma Elvine Tina reports.
mongabay.cc
Kenya’s clothing waste raises concerns about potential public health risks
Kenya’s secondhand clothing trade, locally known as mitumba, clothes millions of people and supports an estimated 2 million livelihoods, making it one of Africa’s largest markets for used garments.…
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IPEN: toxics-free @toxicsfree.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Plastic pollution is not only a waste issue, it's also a chemical safety concern. A report highlighted by Ateneo de Manila University examines hidden chemical risks from plastics, including exposure to phthalates and bisphenols linked to human health impacts. 🔗 Read more: ow.ly/kFp050ZGABA
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IPEN: toxics-free @toxicsfree.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Microplastics have reached some of Earth’s most remote ecosystems. New research found them in deep-sea molluscs more than 2,000 metres below the surface, highlighting that plastic pollution is also a chemical pollution issue. 🔗 Read more from Oceanographic Magazine: ow.ly/UeBi50ZFjtu
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IPEN: toxics-free @toxicsfree.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Plastic waste and recycling workers can face chemical exposures that often go unseen. IPEN's Plastics Poison the Workplace reports explore why protecting workers' health must be part of addressing the plastics crisis. 🔗 Read the reports: ow.ly/6fF950ZCq9S
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IPEN: toxics-free @toxicsfree.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Malaysia has enacted a total ban on imported electronic waste to curb illegal processing facilities, Mongabay reports. Officials say the move will help stop toxic heavy metals and plastic residue from contaminating local waterways. 🔗 Read more: ow.ly/RNwx50ZA9BQ
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natureandspace.bsky.social @natureandspace.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
OnlineFirst - "Hotter trends: Working conditions and climate-linked heat stress in the Cambodian garment sector" by @laurieparsons.bsky.social, Sabina Lawreniuk, Serey Sok, Long Vouch Ly, Pratik Mishra, Jennifer Cole, and Camellia Biswas: journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
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Dr Alex Bond @thelabandfield.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Our @adriftlab.bsky.social blog post for our latest paper is now up: The Birds That Never Came Home: Long-Term Data Reveal Population-Level Impacts of Ocean Plastic Pollution adriftlab.org/news/the-bir... #ornithology #PlasticPollution
adriftlab.org
The Birds That Never Came Home: Long-Term Data Reveal Population-Level Impacts of Ocean Plastic Pollution
For decades, scientists have documented plastic inside the stomachs of seabirds. We have measured it, weighed it, counted it, photographed it, and described the damage it causes.
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Marvee Sambajon @marveeambi.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Hi everyone. I’m glad to say I have started a new role as the Regional Communications Officer for Campaigns at GAIA Asia Pacific. If you’re a journalist from AP or an organization in AP working on anti-incineration or plastic pollution and policy, please reach out, would love to connect.
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Rob Ralston @policyrelevant.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
good piece on the status of the UN plastic treaty, with insights from colleagues from the @scientistscoa.bsky.social an agreement based on the current negotiating text will be little more than a waste management treaty
theguardian.com
UN plastic treaty is going backwards, experts say
NGOs say agreement held back by tenuous human health commitments and lobbying from plastic industry
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Adrift Lab (Marine Science) @adriftlab.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
For decades, researchers have documented the sub-lethal effects of #plastic (eg fibrosis, chemical exposure). What’s been missing is the demographic link Until now.
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Adrift Lab (Marine Science) @adriftlab.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Why has it taken so long? Studies like ours are difficult. #Seabirds spend years at sea before returning to breed. Thus, most mortality occurs far from land. Detecting the consequences of plastic ingestion therefore requires long-term #monitoring of individually marked birds across many years.
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Adrift Lab (Marine Science) @adriftlab.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Since 2010, we’ve banded chicks & measured their plastic exposure. We then follow them through to adulthood. No other wildlife study anywhere in the world can directly connect a juveniles’ plastic burden to its eventual recruitment into a breeding population
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Adrift Lab (Marine Science) @adriftlab.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
The message from the birds is clear: plastic pollution is not just something animals survive with. It is affecting who lives long enough to come home and breed. Read the Open Access paper in PNAS >> doi.org/10.1073/pnas...
doi.org
PNAS
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...
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Adrift Lab (Marine Science) @adriftlab.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
For years, one of the most common criticisms of #PlasticPollution research was that we could show harm to individual animals, but not to populations. Today, after 15 years of fieldwork, we finally have an answer. #IngestedPlastic reduces #seabird survival, and thus, can drive POPULATION decline
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Dr Alex Bond @thelabandfield.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
I was told in a meeting of seabird luminaries in 2016 to "work on something that actually mattered" and that "plastic doesn't affect populations; stop wasting your time". Well guess what. Open access paper in PNAS www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/... #ornithology #PlasticPollution
pnas.org
PNAS
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...
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Dr Alex Bond @thelabandfield.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Birds that were fed > 5 g of plastic as chicks (affecting more birds now than in 2011) are basically never seen again. But even 0.5 g of plastic was enough to affect recruitment to the breeding population 6-10 years later.
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Dr Alex Bond @thelabandfield.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Big new @adriftlab.bsky.social paper - we show for the first time that plastics affects seabirds at the POPULATION level. Plastic ingested as a chick reduces recruitment of birds to the breeding population. And the story is pretty grim. 🧵 www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
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Ronald Steenblik @ronsteenblik.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
Folks, we need to get all of these plastic toys, and plush animals, out of our lives and our children’s lives. Plastics and synthetic fibers are made from fossil fuels, the production of which needs to end. These products do not biodegrade but only degrade into micro- and nanoplastics.
nytimes.com
Why Are These Toys So Hard to Get a Hold Of?
Kids are making, trading and hunting for squishies, or squeezable, malleable blob toys that come in a variety of forms.
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IPEN: toxics-free @toxicsfree.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Pacific Island negotiators, led by Fiji, are pushing for strict caps on plastic production and mandatory disclosure of toxic chemical additives in the global Plastics Treaty, National Indigenous Times reports. 🔗 Read more: ow.ly/riRn50ZxULQ
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Wet Tribe @wettribe.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Not only is plastic a primary marine pollutant, but research also shows that microplastics disrupt the ocean’s natural ability to absorb carbon dioxide by interfering with marine life and carbon cycles, weakening defenses against climate change. #WetTribe #TidetotheOcean #MicroplasticMonday
A research diver monitoring scientific equipment on a patch of sandy seafloor within the reef.
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Center for International Environmental Law @ciel.org · 28/07/2026
A #plasticstreaty built around consensus alone won't end plastic pollution. The next draft will reveal whether negotiations are moving toward an effective treaty—or simply the lowest common denominator. Here's what to watch 👉 bit.ly/4vMXHT1
bit.ly
What to Watch for in the New “No Surprises” Plastics Treaty Draft - Center for International Environmental Law
Will the next plastics treaty draft tackle production and toxic chemicals — or settle for the lowest common denominator? Here's what to watch for.
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Dr. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele @drdragases.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Good grief, this hits home.
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Jen Iris Allan @jenirisallan.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
A techno, status quo fix - like carbon capture & storage- is proving un-investable Chemical recycling plants closing in EU and US | Business | Chemistry World share.google/2T42CmcpHQ3F...
share.google
Chemical recycling plants closing in EU and US
Firms aiming to break down and re-make plastics are struggling with economic feasibility and environmental impact
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Eos @eos.org · 23/07/2026
"In those waves and bubbles, we also see a transport system, one that lofts salt and moisture into the air, as well as fragments of plastic light enough to ride the breeze.” eos.org/science-upda... Read more: eos.org/themes/micro...
eos.org
Tracking Microplastics Above and Below the Waves - Eos
Measuring plastic particles carried on Cozumel’s sea breezes and ocean currents reveals how simple physics shapes the particles’ pathways and the impacts they may have on coastal regions.
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Plastic Pollution Coalition @plasticpollutes.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Today’s wildfires are growing in destructiveness and intensity, fueled by a growing wildland–urban interface, a warming climate, and widespread use of plastics in our built environment. 🔥 🔗 Learn how to protect yourself: bit.ly/WildfirePlas...
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Dr. Jonathan Foley @globalecoguy.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
This is a great read about why the "Ocean Cleanup" project didn't work as well as hoped. There are so many parallels with other well-intentioned efforts -- including in the climate space -- that don't pan out because folks ignored the science.... therevelator.org/why-ocean-cl...
therevelator.org
Why The Ocean Cleanup Hasn’t Solved the Plastic Pollution Crisis • The Revelator
Global problems are rarely solved by one person or invention. The Ocean Cleanup didn’t work, for the reasons experts said it wouldn’t. What can we learn from this?
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Rest of World @restofworld.org · 10/07/2026
For $7 an hour, virtual assistants in the Philippines are using AI to write LinkedIn posts and comments on behalf of Western executives, fueling a "thought leadership" content mill restofworld.org/2026/virtual-assist…
restofworld.org
The Filipino virtual assistants behind LinkedIn’s “thought leadership” content mill
For $7 an hour, virtual assistants use AI tools to write LinkedIn posts and comments on behalf of Western executives.
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Dr Claire Asher @claireasher.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Plastic pollution and drug-resistant infections are two of the biggest crises facing humanity. New research is finding deeply concerning links between them. My latest article for @mongabay.com explores how plastic pollution is enhancing antimicrobial resistance. 🧪 news.mongabay.com/2026/07/micr...
news.mongabay.com
Microplastic pollution can fuel rise in antibiotic resistance, studies find
Plastic pollution is among the gravest environmental crises facing humanity. Plastic production since 1950 has exceeded 8,300 million metric tons, with most plastic waste ending up in the environment,...
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Holly Kaufman @hollykaufman.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
The Plastics & Climate Project launches its new website today! Please take a look to see all we've done and plan to do to spotlight the undercounted, significant, and growing climate impacts of plastics by sharing the story, spurring the science, and influencing policy. www.PlasticsAndClimate.com
plasticsandclimate.com
The Plastics & Climate Project | plastic climate impacts
This research project is identifying the data gaps to account for all the climate impacts of plastics. The project consists of a literature review, research agenda, policy recommendations, and dissemi...
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Bathsheba Demuth @brdemuth.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
A gorgeous and exacting piece by Max Liboiron, on plastics and science and birds and much more placesjournal.org/article/thro...
placesjournal.org
Through the Guts
What can plastic fragments found in an animal’s digestive tract tell us about the waters it has traversed?
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David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
Happy World Ocean Day! The ocean is the heart of our life support system, without which we’d all be dead. It’s taken up >90% of the heat from global warming and 30% of our CO₂ emissions. In return, we give it 11 million tonnes of plastic annually, which animals ingest and also become entangled in.
theatlantic.com
Oceans Awash in Plastic Waste
On a day that many might be headed to the beach, take a moment to consider some of the widespread impacts of all of that plastic, and the ongoing efforts to clean it up.
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Wet Tribe @wettribe.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
Plastics are not only a primary marine pollutant but a significant driver of the climate crisis. Ocean plastics ingestion ranges from plankton to whales, leading to toxic bioaccumulation. Plastics both absorb heat and release greenhouse gases. #WetTribe #TidetotheOcean #Research #Cleanup #Plastics
Two palms full of wet, multicolored microplastics were collected on the coastline
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