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Mounds of plastic trash
Image: Manira Chaudhary/DW

Plastic pollution

Plastic is made from fossil fuels and greatly contributes to pollution worldwide. All the plastic waste we produce ends up somewhere, be that the street, the landfill or the ocean.

Skip next section Reports & Analysis

Reports & Analysis

A landfill in front of smokestacks

How European trash illegally ends up in Southeast Asia

How European trash illegally ends up in Southeast Asia

The illegal waste trade from Europe to Southeast Asia has emerged as a highly profitable, low-risk criminal enterprise.
Nature and EnvironmentApril 17, 2024
A pair of glasses with a black frame against a yellow background beside contact lense kit on a pink background

Eyeing sustainability: Contact lenses vs. glasses

Eyeing sustainability: Contact lenses vs. glasses

Is all the waste associated with contact lenses better than the environmental impact of manufacturing glasses?
Nature and EnvironmentApril 12, 2024
People sort through mountains of largely plastic waste in a city dump

Nigeria joins global efforts to curb plastic waste

Nigeria joins global efforts to curb plastic waste

The number of countries banning plastic bags is growing, but enforcement is still an issue, especially in Africa.
Nature and EnvironmentMarch 13, 2024
Global Us vom 04.03.2024 - Chennai Indien Taucherin

Child scuba diver spearheads plastic clean-up in India

Child scuba diver spearheads plastic clean-up in India

A nine-year old and her scuba instructor father have sparked a movement, collecting garbage off the coast of Chennai.
Nature and EnvironmentMarch 5, 202402:55 min
external

Don't forget your Pfand!

Don't forget your Pfand!

Germany's deposit return system is a leading one in Europe. But from a global perspective there's still a lot to improve
SocietyJanuary 29, 202401:04 min
A woman carries harvested sugar cane on her head

Recycling waste to produce plastic-free packaging

Recycling waste to produce plastic-free packaging

Reducing waste in more ways than one: The Mozambican company supplying biodegradable packaging to businesses.
Nature and EnvironmentJanuary 16, 202402:06 min
Skip next section In the spotlight

In the spotlight

A tiny piece of plastic on a finger

Surrounded by microplastics: The risks and solutions

Microplastics have been found almost everywhere — even in the human body. What does this mean for our health?
Nature and EnvironmentJanuary 10, 2024
A hand holds a sieve filled with microplastic particles taken from the ocean

Can the problem of plastic pollution ever be solved?

Microplastic particles are a threat to the environment and human health. The problem: nobody can agree on a solution.
Nature and EnvironmentNovember 18, 202302:40 min
A detail of a man's hands holding a pile of shredded blue plastic

Plastic waste: What can be done to reduce it?

Plastic is cheap and lightweight. It's also placing an increasingly severe strain on the environment.
ClimateNovember 16, 20237 images
Kenyan workers pick plastic waste in a river in Nairobi

How African nations are combating plastic pollution crisis

Some African nations are already spearheading efforts for a plastic-free continent as a UN treaty stalls.
Nature and EnvironmentNovember 16, 202301:28 min
A sculpture made of plastic waste. Plastic rubbish flows out of a giant tap suspended in the air.

Waves of waste: The harsh truth about ocean plastic

Some of the world's most motivated janitors are trying to clean up vast fields of plastic waste. But is it worth it?
Nature and EnvironmentNovember 13, 2023
Profile of a woman with glitter on her cheek and under her eye

EU bans microplastics added to consumer products

What do the new rules entail and what are the consequences for industry and consumers?
Nature and EnvironmentOctober 17, 2023