NEWS / BLOGS
♻️🌊 Are we investing in the right solutions for plastic pollution?
Recent announcements from across the United States have brought renewed attention to the future of chemical recycling. In just the past few weeks, several proposed or operating facilities have been canceled, delayed, or suspended, raising important questions about the long term role of these technologies in addressing the growing plastics crisis.
Many scientists and environmental organizations continue to examine whether chemical recycling can deliver on its promises at a commercial scale. At the same time, there is increasing focus on reducing plastic production, improving existing recycling systems, and developing more sustainable materials and waste management strategies.
As research and innovation continue, understanding which approaches create meaningful and lasting impact will be essential for protecting our oceans and coastal communities.
🔗 Learn more: https://www.beyondplastics.org/publications/chemical-recycling
🌊💚 A hopeful story from our coastlines!
A new study published in science.org found that Earth's mangrove forests have experienced unexpected expansion and regrowth over the past four decades. Using nearly 40 years of satellite data, researchers discovered that recent gains from natural regeneration, restoration efforts, and seaward expansion have largely offset decades of losses. In fact, global mangrove coverage has shifted from net loss to net gain since around 2010.
Mangroves are some of the ocean's most valuable ecosystems. They provide critical habitat for fish and wildlife, protect coastal communities from storms and erosion, and store large amounts of carbon, making them an important natural climate solution.
While conservation work is far from over, this research highlights the resilience of nature and the positive impact that protecting and restoring ecosystems can have. It also serves as a reminder that preventing further deforestation is one of the most effective ways to support long-term recovery.
At Ocean Grants, we believe that celebrating conservation successes is just as important as tackling the challenges. Stories like this show that science, restoration, and dedicated conservation efforts can make a real difference for our oceans. 💙
🔗 Read the study: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aec9773
Ocean Monitoring Matters
🌊 The future of ocean conservation starts with understanding the ocean itself!
A recently announced plan to scale back parts of the U.S. deep-ocean monitoring network has brought renewed attention to the importance of long-term ocean observation. These underwater sensors collect critical data on ocean currents, marine ecosystems, water chemistry, and changing environmental conditions. This information that helps scientists, conservationists, and coastal communities make informed decisions.
Reliable ocean data doesn't just support research. It strengthens fisheries management, improves weather forecasting, and helps us better understand the changing ocean.
At Ocean Grants, we believe that investing in science and the organizations advancing marine research is one of the most powerful ways to protect our blue planet for future generations. 💙
🔗 Learn more: https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/03/climate/ocean-monitoring-system-amoc-trump-administration
Can Probiotics Help Fight Plastic Pollution?
A new study has identified a probiotic bacterium found in kimchi that may help remove nanoplastics from the body. Researchers discovered that the microbe was able to bind to tiny plastic particles under conditions designed to mimic the human digestive system, suggesting it could help prevent these particles from accumulating in organs.
As plastic pollution continues to impact marine ecosystems, scientists are also working to better understand how microplastics and nanoplastics affect human health. While more research is needed, this discovery highlights an innovative approach to addressing one of the growing challenges associated with plastic pollution.
The findings serve as another reminder that the effects of plastic pollution extend beyond the Ocean and can ultimately impact people around the world.
🔗 Click the link below to read the full article and learn more.
Why the Ocean May Be Our Most Valuable Asset Yet 🌊
A recent article from TIME highlights a growing shift in how the world views the Ocean. Beyond its beauty and biodiversity, the Ocean plays a vital role in supporting economies, regulating climate, protecting coastal communities, and sustaining billions of people around the world.
As climate change, pollution, and habitat loss continue to threaten marine ecosystems, experts are emphasizing the importance of investing in Ocean conservation and restoration. The health of the Ocean is closely connected to the health of our planet, our communities, and future generations.
The message is clear: protecting the Ocean is essential for a sustainable future.
🔗 Click the link below to read the full article and learn more.
https://time.com/article/2026/05/28/the-new-value-of-oceans/
☕️♻️RECYCLABLE VS.ACTUALLY RECYCLED
“Widely recyclable” does not always mean actually recycled.
A new report from Beyond Plastics, one of Ocean Grants’ recommended organizations, tracked Starbucks cold drink cups placed in clearly marked in store recycling bins across the United States and found that not a single tracked cup ended up at a recycling facility. Many reportedly ended up in landfills or incinerators instead.
This is an important reminder that the plastic pollution crisis is not just about what can be recycled. It is about what actually is.
Real change means:
Reducing single use plastics
Investing in stronger recycling infrastructure
Supporting reusable alternatives whenever possible
As consumers, businesses, and communities, we all play a role in pushing for systems that truly work for both people and the planet.
Be sure to check out Beyond Plastics for more resources and ways you can help make a difference.
Link to article: https://www.theguardian.com/.../starbucks-plastic-cups...
🌊 Why Are Orcas Targeting Boats? 🐋⛵
Since 2020, Iberian orcas off the coasts of Spain and Portugal have damaged hundreds of boats and sunk several vessels, leaving scientists searching for answers. But despite the headlines, experts say these interactions are not attacks on humans. Everyone involved has been rescued safely, and no human injuries or deaths have been linked to these incidents.
So why are they doing it? Researchers suggest several possibilities:
🔹 Play & curiosity – Orcas may be fascinated by moving rudders, especially on sailboats.
🔹 Learned behavior – Younger whales may be copying others in their pod.
🔹 Environmental stress – Noise pollution, busy shipping lanes, and competition for tuna could be influencing behavior.
These highly intelligent marine mammals remind us that the ocean is their home first. Understanding wildlife behavior is key to protecting both animals and people at sea.
💙 The more we learn about orcas, the more we see how connected conservation, human activity, and marine life truly are.
Learn more: https://oceangeneration.org/why-are-orca-sinking-boats/
Life Beneath the Strait Marine Ecosystems at Risk Amid Rising Geopolitical Tension 🌊
Just beneath one of the world’s most strategic waterways lies a fragile and extraordinary ecosystem. The Strait of Hormuz is home to dolphins, coral reefs, whale sharks, sea turtles, and rare marine mammals and it is now facing growing environmental pressure as regional conflict escalates and maritime traffic becomes increasingly unstable 🌍
A recent CNN report highlights how war related disruptions, oil spills, and heavily congested shipping lanes are threatening this underwater biodiversity hotspot. Scientists warn that even small oil leaks can severely harm marine life by disrupting heart and respiratory systems, impairing navigation, and weakening entire food webs. Coral reefs, some of the most diverse in the Persian Gulf, are especially vulnerable despite their importance as resilient ecosystems adapted to extreme conditions 🐢
Researchers and conservationists emphasize that this region is not only a critical global shipping corridor but also an ecological treasure that cannot be ignored. As tensions continue, concerns grow that long term environmental damage may outlast the conflict itself.
In a space where geopolitics and ocean life collide, the stakes beneath the surface are just as high as those above it 🌊
https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/17/science/strait-of-hormuz-marine-animals
Partner Highlight of the Month - Plastic free delaware
With a mission to protect people, animals, and our environment, Plastic Free Delaware works to eliminate single use plastic pollution and reduce waste through education, outreach, community events, and impactful policy change. What started in 2008 as a small group of young changemakers in the Jane Goodall Institute Roots & Shoots program has grown into a powerful movement driving real change across Delaware and beyond.
From helping pass statewide legislation on plastic bags to reducing harmful materials like Styrofoam and balloon releases, their work continues to create cleaner communities and healthier ecosystems. One initiative we especially love is YES!, their Youth Environmental Summit, which brings together hundreds of high school students each year to inspire the next generation of environmental leaders 💚
Want to get involved?
♻️ Learn more at PlasticFreeDelaware.org and discover how you can take steps toward a zero waste future
🌎 Take action by supporting policies that reduce plastic waste
👩🍳 Support YES! and help empower young environmental leaders
💚 Get involved by volunteering, donating, or learning more at their website
Small actions lead to big change be part of the movement 💫
🌍 Big Oil and the Future of Plastic Production
A recent article from Atmos examines how major fossil fuel companies are increasingly investing in plastic production as part of their long term business strategies.
As global energy systems slowly transition toward renewable sources, demand for fuel is expected to shift. According to the report, plastics have become a significant growth area for oil and gas companies, providing a continued market for fossil fuel feedstocks. Industry investments in new petrochemical facilities and plastic manufacturing infrastructure reflect this trend.
The article highlights that global plastic production is projected to rise in the coming decades. While public attention often focuses on recycling and consumer behavior, researchers and policy experts note that production levels and corporate investment decisions play a central role in shaping the scale of plastic pollution.
The piece also discusses ongoing international negotiations and policy conversations aimed at addressing plastic waste, emphasizing that future outcomes may depend on how production is regulated alongside waste management.
As debates continue around climate policy, corporate responsibility, and sustainable materials, plastic remains a key intersection between fossil fuel economics and environmental impact.
Read more: https://atmos.earth/political-landscapes/big-oils-not-so-secret-weapon-for-world-domination-plastic/
Plastic waste in the United States keeps rising but it does not have to 🚮
A new report from The Pew Charitable Trusts shows that proven solutions can significantly reduce plastic pollution while lowering long term costs. Stronger policy, expanded reuse systems, and improved recycling infrastructure can shift the trajectory. 📊
This is not about future innovation. The tools already exist. What matters now is action. 💪🌎
Cleaner systems. Smarter design. Real accountability.
For more information: https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/white-papers/2026/02/10/new-report-shows-how-us-can-reduce-plastic-waste-pollution-and-costs
🌍 Big update in the fight against plastic pollution!
The United Nations has elected Ambassador Julio Cordano (Chile) as the new Chair of the global plastics treaty negotiations — a key step toward restarting stalled talks to create the world’s first legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution.
For too long, plastic has harmed our oceans, marine life, and communities around the world. With this new leadership, there’s renewed hope that countries can come together to tackle plastic pollution at its source and protect our blue planet for generations to come 🌊💙
👉 Dive deeper and learn more here: https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/new-chair-elected-lead-negotiations-global-plastic-pollution-treaty
🦈 Even sharks aren’t immune to an acidifying ocean
As our oceans absorb more CO₂, seawater chemistry is changing — and new research shows those changes may be weakening sharks’ most iconic feature: their teeth. When shark teeth were exposed to future-projected pH levels, scientists observed cracks, holes, and structural weakening forming faster than expected. Over time, this damage could outpace sharks’ ability to replace their teeth, affecting how these apex predators hunt, feed, and survive.
In 2025, Ocean Grants highlighted ocean acidification as a critical ocean challenge, recognizing that its impacts extend far beyond corals and shell-forming species. This research is a powerful reminder that even the ocean’s fiercest hunters are vulnerable to a changing climate — and that addressing acidification is essential to protecting healthy, balanced marine ecosystems.
👉 Dive deeper and learn more about this issue:
https://evidencenetwork.ca/oceans-too-acidic-so-sharks-are-losing-their-most-lethal-weapon-their-teeth/
🌊 New Report Drop: Breaking the Plastic Wave 2025 🌍A new global assessment from The Pew Charitable Trusts just revealed what our plastic future could look like and why action is urgent.
🚨 If we do nothing:
• Plastic waste could reach 280 million metric tons per year by 2040.
• Production is expected to surge, overwhelming waste systems.
• Pollution, health risks, and climate impacts will intensify.
✨ But there is a solution:
A system-wide shift — reducing single-use plastics, scaling reuse, redesigning products, improving recycling, and choosing safer materials — could cut plastic pollution by up to 83% by 2040.
This report makes one thing clear:
🌱 Change is possible. But we have to act now.
At Ocean Grants, we’re committed to supporting organizations and innovators working toward a plastic-free future.
💙 Together, we can break the wave before it breaks us.
Read more: https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/reports/2025/12/breaking-the-plastic-wave-2025
🌍 COP30 Wraps After Overtime Talks — What It Means for Our Oceans
COP30 concluded after extended negotiations, resulting in an agreement that focuses on adaptation funding but does not include a global commitment to phase out fossil fuels.
While the deal supports communities preparing for climate impacts, scientists note that addressing emissions remains essential for protecting ocean health — from warming waters to acidification and habitat loss.
This year’s outcome highlights both progress and the continued need for stronger long-term action for our oceans and coastal communities.
👉 Read the full article here: www.reuters.com/sustainability/cop/cop30-talks-grind-into-overtime-eu-objects-proposed-deal-2025-11-22/
or click the link in our bio!
🌊 ❌We Have Crossed a Red Line for Coral Reefs🪸
A new study reveals that warm water coral reefs have passed their climate tipping point, meaning large scale collapse is now likely unless immediate action is taken. Coral reefs are the heart of ocean ecosystems. They support marine life, protect coastlines, and provide food and livelihoods for millions of people. Losing them would impact both ocean health and human communities.
At Ocean Grants, we believe this moment calls for bold action:
• Supporting reef restoration and resilience research
• Encouraging sustainable practices that reduce pollution and overfishing
• Promoting stronger environmental policies that reduce emissions
This is not just about saving coral. It is about preserving the health of our oceans, protecting biodiversity, and ensuring a sustainable future for all!
👉 Join us in taking action before it is too late. Reefs cannot recover without us.
🔗 Read more: https://time.com/7325086/coral-reef-climate-tipping-point-crossed
🌐 Don’t forget to check out our 2025 Special Report on Ocean Acidification: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/59d7e693a9db09b4b03d07d6/t/68d345cfeef287021d786039/1758676431461/Special+Report.pdf
brain samples contained seven to 30 times more tiny shards of plastic than kidneys and livers - an amount equal to an entire plastic spoon!
“It is unclear if, in life, these particles are fluid, entering and leaving the brain, or if they collect in neurological tissues and promote disease,” she said in an email. “Further research is needed to understand how the particles may be interacting with the cells and if this has a toxicological consequence.”
In fact, researchers did see signs that the body’s liver and kidneys may be capable of flushing some plastics from the body, Campen said. Whether that can happen in the brain, he said, is unknown.
See Full Article Here: https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/03/health/plastics-inside-human-brain-wellness/index.html
See Full Study Here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-03453-1
Great Pacific Garbage Patch
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a collection of marine debris in the North Pacific Ocean. Marine debris is litter that ends up in the ocean, seas, and other large bodies of water.
How Plastics Are Poisoning Us
They both release and attract toxic chemicals, and appear everywhere from human placentas to chasms thirty-six thousand feet beneath the sea. Will we ever be rid of them?
June 26, 2023
In 1863, when much of the United States was anguishing over the Civil War, an entrepreneur named Michael Phelan was fretting about billiard balls. At the time, the balls were made of ivory, preferably obtained from elephants from Ceylon—now Sri Lanka—whose tusks were thought to possess just the right density. Phelan, who owned a billiard hall and co-owned a billiard-table-manufacturing business, also wrote books about billiards and was a champion billiards player. Owing in good part to his efforts, the game had grown so popular that tusks from Ceylon—and, indeed, elephants more generally—were becoming scarce. He and a partner offered a ten-thousand-dollar reward to anyone who could come up with an ivory substitute.
See full article here: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/07/03/book-reviews-plastic-waste
Plastic recycling a "failed concept," study says, with only 5% recycled in U.S. last year as production rises
OCTOBER 24, 2022 / 6:20 AM / AFP
Washington — Plastic recycling rates are declining even as production shoots up, according to a Greenpeace USA report out Monday that blasted industry claims of creating an efficient, circular economy as "fiction."
Titled "Circular Claims Fall Flat Again," the study found that of 51 million tons of plastic waste generated by U.S. households in 2021, only 2.4 million tons were recycled, or around five percent. After peaking in 2014 at 10 percent, the trend has been decreasing, especially since China stopped accepting the West's plastic waste in 2018.
Virgin production — of non-recycled plastic, that is — meanwhile is rapidly rising as the petrochemical industry expands, lowering costs.
See Full Article at Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/plastic-recycling-failed-concept-us-greenpeace-study-5-percent-recycled-production-up/