PNW Consortium on Plastics

Oregon Letter to Congress in Support of Sea Grant Dear Oregon congressional delegation: We, the undersigned constituents from Oregon, are writing to urge your support for federal funding for the Sea Grant Program in fiscal year (FY) 2026. Sea Grant ...

Please sign this letter in support of Oregon Sea Grant 🌊 💪

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Thank you!

I, too, am shocked that so many are so quiet as if they think it will protect them from the worst of this. I don't think it will.

48 Scientific Societies Representing Almost 100,000 Scientists Ask Congress to Protect the Future of Science 48 scientific societies representing almost 100,000 scientists signed on to a letter asking Congress to protect the future of science

Today, a broad coalition of scientific professional societies who represent over 92,000 scientists are speaking out against the politicization and demonization of Federally funded science and government scientist jobs.

It was an honor to help the Union of Concerned Scientists with this! 🧪🌎

Buildings' Hidden Plastic Problem: Policy Brief and Recommendations - Habitable This policy brief reveals stunning statistics about current and projected plastic use in buildings and highlights the significant body of science connecting plastic building materials to serious healt...

#Plastics in the build environment are yet another hidden use of #ToxicChemicals and exposure route for people and the environment.

habitablefuture.org/resources/co...

We wrote about this in a report with Habitable, Teresa McGrath, Rebecca Stamm, Veena Singla. Now in French and Spanish!

Things are rough right now, but at least Debbie Downer and Robert Deniro had a hilarious exchange about #microplastics on SNL’s 50th anniversary special.

@pnwmicroplastics.bsky.social

youtube.com/clip/UgkxExl...

Disappointed & shocked to hear the Woods Hole Partnership Education Program (PEP) has been discontinued by the 6 Woods Hole research institutions. This is one of the longest running REU type programs offering research experiences for underrepresented students. Simply unbelievable.

Stand Up for Science rallies will be held in DC and state capitals on March 7th. Share with friends. Sign-up here to get email updates with details: www.eventbrite.com/e/stand-up-f...

Yay!

Plastic tap art installation

Hiya plastics people 👋!

The Scientists’ Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty is here!

Give us a follow for all things #PlasticsPollution and #PlasticsTreaty

@scientistscoa.bsky.social

Photo by Ben Von Wong

Great idea! 💡

Join us for a PNWC webinar Feb 19, 9 am PT. We'll hear from Siobhan Anderson, co-founder of The Tyre Collective!

She'll discuss recent results demonstrating collection of highly concentrated tire wear from vehicles and the future of this novel technology.

thetyrecollective.com (DM for link)

Am visiting a rural town in Chile today, and their restaurants have no single use plastic. It’s possible.

@pnwmicroplastics.bsky.social

January 29, 2025 M-25-14 MEMORANDUM FOR HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES FROM: Matthew J. Vaeth, Acting Director, Office of Management and Budget Me SUBJECT: Rescission of M-25-13 OMB Memorandum M-25-13 is rescinded. If you have questions about implementing the President's Executive Orders, please contact your agency General Counsel.

🚨 BREAKING: OMB has just issued a memo *rescinding* the previous memo freezing all federal financial assistance programs.

Full text, per government source:

A toxic relationship: ultra-processed foods & plastics - Globalization and Health Background Among the crises engulfing the world is the symbiotic rise of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and plastics. Together, this co-dependent duo generates substantial profits for agri-food and petr...

There is a link between unsustainable food production & consumption and the adverse impacts of plastics. Many of the #alternativeproteins are #ultraprocessedfoods
"You are what you eat" globalizationandhealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....

Weathering and size influence the health effects of microplastics A recent study published in Frontiers in Toxicology compared the health impacts of exposure to different types of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) in fish, highlighting the importance of considering par...

A study led by Dr. Sara Hutton from our group, published recently in Frontiers in Toxicology , was highlighted in Environmental Health News today!

@pnwmicroplastics.bsky.social

www.ehn.org/differing-ef...

Hey, ecotoxicologists! Check out this new starter pack for us to unite to chat about #ecotoxicology. Please message me to add you to this list. go.bsky.app/Sj5Dc3F

Abortion Pill Limits, Protections Dominate Statehouse Lobbying Anti-abortion groups are executing a multi-pronged state lobbying campaign to limit access to abortion medication as question marks surround ongoing federal litigation and the Trump administration’s a...

Never thought studying wastewater impacts on the environment would lead to being quoted in Bloomberg Law, but these are strange times.

A pro-life group claims the FDA shouldn't allow mifepristone to be used because it contaminates waterways. 🤔

news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-a...

Congrats to Clarissa Raguso on defending your PhD today! We were so glad to have been able to host you for the year at Oregon State!

@pnwmicroplastics.bsky.social

If you're a researcher impacted by the NIH/CDC/FDA travel and communication pause and are open to chatting about your experience, big or small, please reach out to me at jmogensen@motherjones.com or DM for Signal

Daphnia reproductive impacts following chronic exposure to micro- and nano-scale particles from three types of rubber Environmental context Tyre rubber particles, from both driving and reuse of tyre rubber, are pollutants that carry toxic chemicals into the environment. We investigated the long-term effects that thes...

Link to paper: www.publish.csiro.au/EN/EN23131

The Scientists Coalition has released a new declaration in advance of #INC5 supporting a strong #GlobalPlasticsTreaty. There is still time to sign!

ikhapp.org/wp-content/u...

@pnwmicroplastics.bsky.social #scientistscoalitionforaneffectiveplasticstreaty

New paper out today! We found that #nanoplastics produced from three different plastic types (tire, polyester, bio-based cups) interfere with the expression of genes related to muscle function in fish, and also disrupt behavior.

@pnwmicroplastics.bsky.social

www.frontiersin.org/journals/tox...

Chemicals used in plastics can cause infertility, cancer and even obesity.

But a campaign by the plastics industry is undermining science.

A number of scientists studying plastics, including me, were interviewed here.

@pnwmicroplastics.bsky.social
@oregonstate.bsky.social

t.co/DIhLKcVEPv

Last night after we learned negotiations would be ongoing, Mexico delivered a powerful intervention listing the nearly 100 countries supporting a strong treaty.

It was disappointing that consensus could not be achieved, but the momentum is there! Onward 💪🏻

#INC5

@pnwmicroplastics.bsky.social

Scientists Coalition in Busan at INC5

Has been a week since we left the plastics treaty negotiations, with consensus still out of reach. Regardless, it is an incredible honor to work with this amazing group of scientists to continue pushing for change. Onward to INC6!

#scientistscoalition #INC5

@pnwmicroplastics.bsky.social

Was interviewed on #microplastics impacts today. A lot of what I mention has been said before, but it bears repeating until we have a strong plastics treaty. Thank you @npr.org for giving scientists a voice.

www.npr.org/2024/12/09/n...

@pnwmicroplastics.bsky.social
@oregonstate.bsky.social

Chronic studies w/ #tires are limited for recycled #rubber, used for outdoor surfaces.

This is the first comparison of chronic & generational toxicity across rubber types in #Daphnia.

#Reproduction was the most sensitive endpoint, #microplastic rubber particles were more toxic than #nanoplastic.

🎉DON'T FORGET!🎉 Mark your calendars for Wednesday, December 18th at 12pm to join us as for an update on treaty negotiations and the outcome of INC5, which Susanne Brander will be attending as part of the Scientists Coalition for an Effective Treaty from Nov 24 – Dec 1.

Big shout out to Lauren Kashiwabara for her excellent presentation at the PICES meeting in Hawaii recently!! #microplastics #microfibers