Beyond Plastics @PlasticsBeyond

We know that microplastics are harming our bodies, but what’s been less clear is exactly how that’s happening. A major new study from scientists at @Columbia provides insight into how: the combination of microplastics and water create highly reactive chemicals. Reports @shannonosaka for @washingtonpost, “These chemicals, known as reactive oxygen species, are known to contribute to heart disease, cancer and neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s.” Plastics are a public health crisis. We need our elected officials and government regulators to take action, now. #plastic #microplastics #health

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Plastic is made with toxic chemicals and fossil fuels, and its production contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. Tackling plastic pollution is part of addressing the climate crisis. But understanding the problem is only the beginning. We need people who can work on public policy, educate their communities, and push for solutions. Our free, two-hour Beyond Plastics Grassroots Advocacy Training will help you build those skills, identify opportunities to make a difference in your community, and connect with a growing national movement for change. Join us November 7, or 10, or 12. Register: beyondplastics.org/trainings Let's turn concern about plastic pollution into collective action. #ClimateAction #BeyondPlastics #EndPlasticPollution

Individual choices alone won't solve plastic pollution. We need policies, programs, and systems that stop plastic waste at the source. That takes people who understand how government works, how public decisions get made, and how to turn community concern into action. Our free, two-hour Beyond Plastics Grassroots Advocacy Training will help you build those skills, identify opportunities in your community, and become part of a growing national movement for change. Join us November 7, or 10, or 12. Let's build the grassroots power needed to stop plastic pollution at the source. Register: beyondplastics.org/trainings #BeyondPlastics #GrassrootsAdvocacy #PlasticPollution

Wherever you live, you have a role to play in stopping plastic pollution at the source. Civics is at the heart of effective grassroots advocacy. Understanding how government works, how decisions are made, and how to engage in the public process helps us identify opportunities to make change happen. Our free, two-hour Beyond Plastics Grassroots Advocacy Training will help you explore opportunities in your own community, build your advocacy skills, and connect with a growing national network of people working to stop plastic pollution. Join us November 7, or 10, or 12. Learn how to turn concern into action. Register: beyondplastics.org/trainings #BeyondPlastics #PlasticPollution #GrassrootsAdvocacy

We tried recycling one of @starbucks’ “recyclable” plastic cups in a Queens store. Did it actually get recycled? No. It went straight to this incinerator in Westchester, NY. Tell Starbucks to ditch the plastic: actionnetwork.org/petitions/star…  #StarbucksDitchThePlastic #Starbucks #BrianNiccol #plastic @WASS_Peekskill

Tell @LA28: Don’t Waste the Games The 2028 @Olympics and Paralympic Games will bring millions of visitors to Los Angeles and, without a commitment to protecting the environment, could also generate millions of disposable cups, bottles, and other throw away items. We’re calling on LA28 and its sponsors, partners, and venues to make waste reduction and reuse a foundation of the Games by using reusable cups and foodware, expanding water refill stations, and encouraging athletes and spectators to bring their own reusable bottles. Add your name to the petition at dontwastethegames.org @MayorOfLA @SanDistricts #la28 #olympics #dontwastethegames

Thank you to the hundreds of people across the country who showed up and called on @starbucks to ditch the plastic. We worked on 22 demonstrations at Starbucks stores in 11 states including Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington. We called on Starbucks to do 3 things: Stop lying about recycling their millions of plastic cups Switch from plastic to fiber-based cups for to-go orders Serve customers in reusable ceramic mugs and glasses for in store orders. We are grateful to everyone who showed up and grateful to be in community with you. #StarbucksDitchThePlastic #Starbucks #BrianNiccol #plastic @storyofstuff @CALPIRG

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Join @enckj, Beyond Plastics president and author of The Problem with Plastic, for a free book talk on Friday, November 20 at 7 pm at The Sanctuary for Independent Media in Troy, NY. Judith and Shaunty M of Golden Leaf Books will discuss The Problem with Plastic and how a bill becomes a law. Books will be available for sale, and Judith will sign books following the conversation. The event is free, but please register in advance at mediasanctuary.org/event/judith-e… Thanks to our friends at the Sanctuary for Independent Media for hosting this book event. #freeevent #Troy #ny

Want to attend the virtual National Zero Waste Conference on October 21–22, 2026, hosted by Zero Waste USA? Beyond Plastics supporters get a discounted rate of $50! Use this link to register at the discounted rate: events.humanitix.com/nzwc2026?acces… We're especially excited for the session, "Plastic: Policies, Pitfalls, and Particles" where you'll glean insights and solutions for your community on how to tackle the challenges of extender producer responsibility, bioplastics, and microplastic pollution at construction sites. We are excited that Brian Thompson will present at this online conference on behalf of Beyond Plastics. #zerowaste #plastic #nzwconference2026

In food-contact plastics: 92% of plastic chemicals present a high risk to human health 91% of high-risk chemicals are unregulated internationally 76% of chemicals do not have available data on toxicity and/or exposure In plastic toys: 89% of plastic chemicals present a high risk to human health 85% of high-risk chemicals are unregulated internationally 53% of chemicals do not have available data on toxicity and/or exposure

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A new study looked at the toxicity of the chemicals used in everyday plastic items, focusing on food-contact plastics, textiles, toys, household items, and hygiene and medical items. It found that the “majority of chemicals (79%) in the five use categories analysed lacked relevant data to assess human health toxicity, risk of exposure, or both.” Of the chemicals that had relevant data, over 90% were considered hazardous, potentially linked to cancer, genetic changes, and endocrine, reproductive and organ toxicity. Our elected officials have failed to regulate Big Plastic, putting our bodies and health at risk. @SenatorHarckham @NYSA_Majority @AndreaSCousins #plastic #microplastics #health

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On Sunday, environmentalists gathered in Albany to urge @Starbucks to stop lying about plastics recycling. Beyond Plastics founder @enckj spoke with @SpecNews1Albany about our Starbucks plastic cup recycling investigation, which exposed that none of Starbucks’ plastic cups were confirmed to have been recycled. “One of the cups went from New York City to the Westchester County garbage incinerator on the Hudson River in Peekskill. Another cup went all the way to Alabama to a landfill. Some went to landfills in the Midwest from New York City. So we're really concerned that Starbucks is lying to its customers. So we are involved in 22 demonstrations at Starbucks in 11 states around the country this weekend and next.” spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/rochester/… #StarbucksDitchThePlastic #Starbucks #BrianNiccol #plastic #PRRIA @NYPIRG @feinforauditor @SenatorHarckham @NYSA_Majority @AndreaSCousins

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🥤 The case of Judith Enck vs. @Starbucks over the recycling of their plastic cups, from Albany Times Union, Capital Confidential “Enck is the leading advocate for the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act, a bill that would force companies to reduce and change the kind of packaging they use to be more recyclable. They would also have to pay fees to help fund municipal recycling infrastructure. The bill is opposed by business trade groups, who have warned that companies will increase costs for consumers if they’re forced into the bill’s requirements. Some companies have directly hired lobbyists to defeat it. One of those companies is — you guessed it — Starbucks. Starbucks reported in filings with the state Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government that it had paid lobbyists with the Roffe Group $19,000 and Greenberg Traurig $20,000 to represent their interests before the state Legislature in May and June. Those filings show the coffee company had few legislative measures of interest. But one of them was the packaging bill, which failed to pass for a third year in June.” capitolconfidential.com/p/cornell-jane… @enckj @TUCapCon @timesunion @DanClarkReports @SenatorHarckham @NYSA_Majority @AndreaSCousins #StarbucksDitchThePlastic #Starbucks #BrianNiccol ,

We sense a trend with this company #Starbucks apnews.com/article/starbu…

Twenty-four states have passed legislation loosening air pollution standards for plastics pyrolysis plants. Learn more: news.oilandgaswatch.org/post/controver… @PlasticsBeyond @O_R_V_I @WVCAG @CleanAirMoms

.@Starbucks needs to come clean on plastics recycling. Grest rally in Albany NY today @timesunion @WAMCNews @WNYT

Tempe, Arizona, residents gathered outside @Starbucks to urge the world’s largest coffee chain to ditch the plastic. At the demonstration, Julie Morrison, founder of Plastic Free Phoenix, and Arizona State Representative @TraversforAZ spoke about the need to ditch the plastic for the sake of our personal, communal, and planetary health. #StarbucksDitchThePlastic #Starbucks #BrianNiccol #plastic #Arizona

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Environmental and labor activists unite to tell @Starbucks to change its harmful ways. Alongside members of @storyofstuff, @CALPIRG, @CALPIRGatUCI, and @SBWorkersUnited, we held a demonstration outside CEO Brian Niccol’s Newport Beach office, calling on Starbucks to stop deceiving the public about the recyclability of its plastic cups and to ditch the plastic. A barricade prevented us from hand-delivering our petition, which now has more than 14,000 signatures, but we still made our message clear: Starbucks must be held accountable for its deceptive claims and environmental harms. And we stand with Starbucks Workers United in their quest for a fair contract. #StarbucksDitchThePlastic #Starbucks #BrianNiccol #plastic #california

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watertownmanews.com/2026/09/28/op-…

The Microplastics Epidemic in Indonesia nytimes.com/interactive/20… via @nytimes