Working to reduce plastic use in Missouri

"The Great Rivers State"

We can break free from plastic, Missouri!


This month’s Plastic Newsletter is here! Get the latest on upcoming events & webinars, breaking news & research, and expert tips to help you ditch plastic for good. Plus, discover innovative products that make sustainable living easier than ever!


Here's our January Plastic Awareness news!

January Features

Join us at the River des Peres Watershed Coalition Annual Meeting on Wednesday, February 5 at 6PM.


Learn more and register to attend here!

Enjoy a FREE home screening of the "Microplastic Madness" documentary!


Register here to receive a link to watch the documentary at your convenience between February 24th and March 10th!

How can YOU reduce your personal use of plastic?
  1. When available, choose beverages packaged in glass or aluminum rather than plastic.
  2. Avoid plastic air fresheners. Instead, choose candles or incense!
  3. Purchase bar soap instead of liquid body wash packaged in plastic bottles.
  4. Create a habit of saying "no straw, please" when ordering drinks.
  5. Consider purchasing rechargable batteries to reduce buying single-use batteries packaged in single-use plastic.

Avoiding new plastics is always a great idea, but what about the plastics that are already in our homes?

 Check out these 5 tips!

Plastics in the News

Scientists know our bodies are full of microplastics. What are they doing to us?

NPR


It's a disturbing thought: At this very moment, tiny crumbs of plastic are trickling through our bodies...
 

Is The Party Over For Plastic Foam Foodware Packaging?

Forbes


There was a time when plastic foam foodware packaging - commonly known as Styrofoam - was a regular sight at music festivals, coffee shops and takeaway outlets.

Plastic Pollution Associated with Obesity

U.S. Right to Know


Chemicals from plastics to pesticides may worsen the body’s stress response in ways that cause excessive weight gain, according to what researchers say...
 

Plastic Chemicals in Hundreds of Foods and Beverages

Food Packaging Forum


On December 27, 2024, Plasticlist, a consumer-led research project launched by entrepreneur and investor Nat Friedman, published its final report outlining its process and results.

What Happens When a Plastic City Burns

The Atlantic


As flames rip through Los Angeles County, burning restaurants, businesses, and whole blocks of houses, it’s clear...

More on prenatal exposure to food packaging chemicals

U.S. Right to Know


Phenol and phthalate exposure during pregnancy may be linked to higher fat mass in children as young as three years old, which can lead to obesity later in life...

Recent Research

Microplastics in the bloodstream can induce cerebral thrombosis by causing cell obstruction and lead to neurobehavioral abnormalities

January 2025


Microplastics (MPs) are plastic particles with a diameter of less than 5 mm. These particles originate from small plastic pellets produced for specific purpose...

Effects of leachate from disposable plastic takeout containers on the cardiovascular system after thermal contact

December 2024


Plastic products are widely used in food packaging because of their affordability, durability, and waterproof qualities, and forecasts predict that worldwide plastic consumption will...

Polystyrene microplastics induce liver fibrosis and lipid deposition in mice through three hub genes revealed by the RNA-seq

January 2025


Nano- and microplastics (NMPs) have become a serious global environmental threat that causes damage to mammalian organs.
 

Behavioral and molecular effects of micro and nanoplastics across three plastic types in fish

November 2024


Micro and nanoplastics (MNPs) are ubiquitous in the environment and have been detected in most ecosystems, including remote regions.

Upcoming Webinars and Trainings

Feature Webinars from our partners at Missouri River Bird Observatory!


January 6 to March 31, 2025 - MRBO is hosting a Winter Learning Series every Monday at 6:30PM. Learn more and sign up here!

  • February 24 - Plastics, Petrochemicals, and Communities on the Frontlines with Shiv Srivastana from Fenceline Watch
  • March 10 - Plastics and Public Health: the unsettling in medical research with Megan Wolff from Cottonwood Environmental Law Center

TODAY, January 31 at 12:30PM - Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle: Plastic Waste Management hosted by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine


February 4 at 6:00PM - BYO US Reduces Webinar - Guest Speaker Atsuko Quirk hosted by BYO US Reduces


February 6 at 6:00PM - How Are Plastics Harming Human Health? hosted by Beyond Plastics Virtual Group


February 12 at 8:30AM - The Vision & Playbook for Reuse in EPR: Expectations for a Best-in-Class PRO hosted by Upstream's Indisposable Live


February 20 at 4:00PM - Solutions Series: Less Plastic, Better Business hosted by Plastic Pollution Coalition


February 25 at 7:00AM - Microplastic Pollution and Solutions hosted by the Biological Recording Company


March 6 at 12:00PM - Microplastics Training hosted by the Interstate Technology Regulatory Council (IRTC)

Spring 2025 Online Plastic Courses - Registration Open!


Beyond Plastic Pollution with Judith Enck, Beyond Plastics

  • Every Wednesday at 6:00PM from February 19 to April 2


Plastics, Microplastics, and Human Health with Dr. Megan Wolff, Cottonwood Environmental Law Center

  • Every Wednesday at 6:00PM from April 16 to May 28

January Spotlights

Plastic-Free Product Highlight


Native's Plastic-Free Deodorant gives you all the perks of other brands in 100% plastic-free packaging. Providing 72-hour protection free of aluminum salts, parabens, and phthalates, you'll be glad you made the switch!

Book of the Month


Follow along with journalist and author Erica Cirino on her journey to meet the scientists and activists telling the real story of the plastics crisis in Thicker Than Water: The Quest for Solutions to the Plastic Crisis.
 

Plastic Podcast Pick

Featured Video

This episode of The Great Simplification with Nate Hagens features Jane Muncke, Chief Scientific Officer of the Food Packaging Forum. Nate and Jane explore the complex intergovernmental negotiations that have defined the global plastics treaty process, as well as the environmental and health policies that have shaped these conversations in recent years.

Bioplastics and biodegradable plastics are often considered no-brainer alternatives to conventional plastics. Are they really all they're made out to be? Check out this video from Dr. Imani Walker to learn 4 facts about these proposed plastic alternatives.

In Case You Missed It

December 3 - BYO - US Reduces Meeting with Stephanie Miller hosted by the BYO US Reduces


January 13 - What Can Climate Litigation Teach Us About Holding The Plastics Industry Accountable for Pollution Problems? hosted by Missouri River Bird Observatory


January 15 - Building Powerful Relationships with Newly Elected Officials hosted by Missouri Main Street Connection


January 15 - Microplastics Within Us: Are We Becoming Plastic People? hosted by Plastic Pollution Coalition


January 29 - What we Waste hosted by Reloop

Connect with Our Team!

Interested in being part of the solution to plastic pollution in Missouri? Fill out this brief interest form or scan the QR code to connect with our Plastics Team!

Check out our new plastics website at: https://www.streamteamsunited.org/show-me-less-plastic.html
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Missouri Stream Team Watershed Coalition | PO Box 483 | Shelbina, MO 63468 US

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