Plastic waste crisis: UK exports, local policies, and recycling breakthroughs

A new investigation links UK plastic waste to microplastic contamination in Turkey's farms, reinforcing 'waste colonialism'. The Zero Waste Foundation reports Turkey's per capita plastic waste 44.9% above global average, with a workshop for a 30-year Plastic Action Plan. A lab-scale PVC upcycling breakthrough offers a new recycling pathway. Local policies gain momentum: Miami-Dade's Zero Waste Master Plan (90% diversion by 2040), Fort Collins' layered zero waste roadmap, Montgomery County's successful bag law (1.4% bag use), and Walmart missing packaging targets. A new article highlights the flood of plastic toothpaste tubes in landfills, underscoring the need for systemic redesign and zero-waste alternatives.