Natural rubber latex
Tree-tapped rubber for gloves, balloons and elastics. Latex gloves can break down in compost, but balloons do not break down in the sea, and…
Manufacturers
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Wool, cotton and linen textiles
Natural fibres that shed during washing like synthetics but biodegrade in months to years instead of persisting; the alternative to polyester, nylon and acrylic.
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Reuse and refill systems
Not a material but a system: returnable or refillable packaging that avoids single-use waste entirely, with 35 to 70 percent lower greenhouse gas (GHG)…
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Paper straws, and the caveat about per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
The default plastic-straw replacement after bans, but a 2023 study found per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in 90 percent of paper straw brands; stainless…
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Moulded and dry-moulded fibre
Paper pulp pressed into 3D shapes, wet or with PulPac’s water-free dry process; replaces thermoformed trays, clamshells, cups, caps, blister packs and, in trials,…
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Thermoplastic starch (cornstarch blends)
Plant starch plasticised and blended with biodegradable polyesters; the standard material for certified compostable carrier bags, bin liners and mulch film.
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Clothes washing and tyre wear are the biggest sources of ocean microplastics
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimates 1.5 million tonnes of primary microplastics reach the ocean each year, over a third from synthetic…
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One plastic chemical linked to 356,000 heart-disease deaths a year
New York University (NYU) researchers estimate the plasticiser di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) was linked to 13.5% of all cardiovascular deaths among 55–64-year-olds worldwide in 2018.
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144 chemicals known to be hazardous are actively used in plastics
The Endocrine Society and International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN)’s guide catalogues the plastic additives linked to cancer, diabetes, infertility and developmental harm.
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More than 16,000 chemicals are used in plastics, and a quarter are of concern
The PlastChem report found far more chemicals in plastics than regulators assumed, with over 4,200 hazardous and fewer than 6% regulated internationally.