plastics

High-income countries have long sent their waste abroad to be thrown away or recycled — and an independent team of experts says they’re inundating the developing world with much more plastic than previously estimated.

Everywhere they look, Pacific Northwest scientists find teeny-tiny plastic pollution. Broken down particles are in our water, falling out of the air, in salmon, shellfish and in our own bodies. Scientists, environmental advocates and Democratic lawmakers in Olympia and Salem have seen enough to make them seek more regulations.

Recycling rates in King County are some of the highest in the nation. The statewide ban on single-use plastic bags that took effect Oct. 1 is also improving efforts to reduce waste and recover valuable resources. But officials here say there’s still a lot of room for improvement.

State lawmakers passed significant legislation this session that takes concrete steps to address climate pollution and the concerns of communities that it…

It looks increasingly likely that Washington will ban plastic foam, reduce plastic waste and strengthen recycling markets. A bill to that effect is nearly…

A law that would respond to the plastic waste crisis in the U.S. is advancing in the state Legislature. It passed the state Senate earlier this month; a…

A statewide ban on single-use plastic bags is supposed to take effect on Jan. 1. But proponents are asking for a six-month delay.In a letter to Gov. Jay…

Of all the things people do every year, flying causes more greenhouse gas pollution than almost anything. Seattle-based Alaska Airlines is working to…

One of the top issues for environmental groups this legislative session is the pollution caused by thin, single-use plastic bags. They fly out of…

A coalition of state legislators, environmental groups and retailers have proposed a sweeping ban on single-use plastic bags. If approved, Washington…