Latest news with #plastic
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Health
- Telegraph
How to remove microplastics from your home, room by room
Look around most homes and you'll see plastic everywhere, on food packaging and cleaning products; even the mattress you sleep on and the sponge you scrub the dishes with are probably made from plastic. We know that our reliance on plastic is damaging the environment, but there is also growing concern for how it could be affecting our health. Plastic utensils, when in contact with heat, can leach chemicals into our cooking. Microplastics – plastic debris, sometimes containing toxins – can transfer from plastic chopping boards into our food. Studies have suggested links between microplastics and various health conditions. One way to address these concerns is to rethink our plastic use at home. For Kate Jones, author of a new book, My Plastic-Free Home, and owner of The Natural Living Shop, a refill shop in Lancashire, pregnancy was the start of a big reset and a plastic-reducing journey. She felt overwhelmed by the material things she was told she needed to buy for her baby and questioned the impact that plastic can have. 'It is such a new product in terms of how long we have been on the Earth, and we don't know the full consequences,' she explains. 'We know microplastics contain a number of harmful chemicals, and that the amount of microplastics in the world and our bodies is significantly on the rise.' Jones spent her maternity leave making changes, swapping plastic items for natural materials, and sharing her findings on her Instagram, @my_plastic_free_home. What started as 'an enjoyable obsession' evolved into an online community and is now a book, full of positive advice, tips, swaps and suggestions for living plastic-free. While Jones and her family have eradicated a huge amount of plastic from their home, she encourages other people to start slowly. 'Start with one thing that you'd like to change. When you're happy with that and it's become a habit, look for the next change. For a habit to stick and feel good, it shouldn't feel overwhelming.' Here are some easy swaps to start with. The kitchen The kitchen often harbours a lot of disposable plastic, which Jones says is top of the list when it comes to plastic she'd like to avoid. Food packaging is a key offender, so an easy swap is to use a greengrocer or a veg box delivery service where possible, instead of buying plastic-wrapped fruit and vegetables from a supermarket. Jones says that the sink is another great area to tackle. Use a glass bottle for washing-up liquid refills, or buy dish-soap bars. And opt for wooden dish brushes with tampico bristles that are strong and durable, over cheap plastic brushes. The wooden brush might change colour over time, explains Jones, 'and it is supposed to because it will eventually return to the earth and that is a good thing. We get it into our heads that we need everything to look fresh and new and we need to change that concept.' Jones avoids cheap sponges, which shed microplastics, and uses cellulose sponges made from wood pulp instead. These can go into the top rack of the dishwasher when they are dirty and eventually can be composted. She suggests using wood or glass chopping boards instead of plastic, swapping plastic food containers for glass ones with bamboo lids for the fridge, and using lightweight stainless-steel reusable containers when out and about. Try for plastic-free kitchen utensils and dish soap, and for food containers. Another top tip: Jones has a big basket of tea towels in her kitchen, which she uses for everything from wiping up spills to covering food. The laundry Before you even think about removing plastic from the laundry, you have to consider your clothes, explains Jones: 'If your clothes are polyester, they will shed microplastics every time you wash them. So a good thing to do is to look for natural fibres as much as possible.' Washing powders and tablets not only are packaged in disposable plastic, they also may contain silicones and parabens, which Jones says, 'aren't good for our waterways and are dangerous to aquatic life.' Although she is an advocate of making your own laundry products (you can find recipes in her book), there are also many eco-friendly laundry products on the market. Try laundry sheets, where the powder is embedded in the paper sheet (an ideal travelling solution and good for handwashing too; try and avoid laundry scent boosters which contain synthetic fragrances. Jones uses natural bleach, also known as percarbonate of soda, which brightens whites and colours. She recommends air drying (cheaper and better for your clothes, plus yet more microplastics are shed in the tumble dryer) and swapping plastic pegs for stainless steel or wooden ones (the plastic ones go brittle in the sun anyway). The bathroom 'The UK has an affinity for putting bleach down the toilet and it is so commonplace and something that I used to do, but it is so bad for the environment,' says Jones. A great alternative is citric acid, which is a disinfectant and eats away limescale. It is simple to use: 'Plunge the toilet so that the water level goes lower, then put a few scoops of citric acid in, leave it overnight, flush it in the morning and it takes away the limescale.' There is a concerning trend on TikTok for mixing bleach with other cleaning products, which creates toxic fumes. Instead, Jones makes her own multi-purpose cleaning scrub: a combination of liquid soap (the soap that you use for washing up) and bicarbonate of soda. 'It is mildly abrasive so it is great on soap scum or cleaning the glass on your shower. It is so effective and you can use it all over your house,' she says. She stores it in a glass jam jar and it has allowed her to dramatically reduce the amount of cleaning products under her sink. She also suggests replacing plastic bottles of shampoo and conditioner with shampoo bars (she recommends Wild Ona and Eco Living) and buying toothpaste in aluminium tubes or glass jars (try or even in tablet form. The garden 'Starting from seed is my favourite tip, says Jones, 'as it avoids so much plastic. It's mindful and it helps you slow down.' Jones starts off her seedlings in little pots made from newspaper – all you need to do is roll the paper around a glass jar (you can use different sized jars according to the particular needs of the plants: longer, thinner ones for sweet peas, for example). Her children enjoy making the pots with her and the seedlings can be planted out into the ground inside their paper containers (seedlings in biodegradable cardboard containers that you can buy online can also be planted out in the same way). Instead of buying plant food, she suggests using nettles soaked in a bucket of water or using banana skins as a natural fertiliser – soak them in water first until they start to ferment (usually it takes a couple of days). Drain the liquid and use it to feed your roses or tomatoes. The bedroom The simplest swap in the bedroom is to switch to natural fibres when it comes to both your bedding and your mattress. Polyester sheets will shed microplastics, so cotton, linen or silk are the natural alternatives. Some of us probably haven't given a huge amount of thought to what our mattresses are made of but most contain foam made from plastic. Memory foam is made from polyurethane, a plastic derived from petroleum. Look instead for mattresses made from natural materials – for example, the British company Naturalmat makes mattresses from natural and biodegradable materials. A word of advice: Jones has not yet swapped her own mattresses for non-plastic ones because they don't yet need replacing and she knows that people rarely want second-hand mattresses. 'Sometimes you need to hang on to some of that plastic to avoid it just polluting the world,' she says, 'because there is no such thing as 'away'. If you put it in the bin, it is just going to go to landfill.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Popular yogurt recalled over possible choking hazard
A popular yogurt brand has issued a voluntary recall due to the potential presence of plastic pieces. Danone U.S. recalled all of its YoCrunch products currently available on the market Friday after customers reported plastic pieces in the dome toppers, which hold various sweet treats such as Oreos or M&M's. Sharp-edged plastic pieces could be a choking hazard or pose other risks. The recall does not apply to the yogurt itself, but only to the yogurt topping container. Many lot numbers and expiration dates are involved in the recall, spanning from July 7 through September 4. The full list of affected products can be found here. No injuries or illnesses have currently been reported, and Danone is working alongside the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There are currently no reported illnesses or injuries (YoCrunch) 'The company is working swiftly with retail partners to remove the impacted product from shelves, while it works to address the issue and bring back the YoCrunch products so many people enjoy,' the company said in a press release. Customers who have purchased any of the recalled products are urged not to consume them and to contact YoCrunch's Customer Care Line using the phone number 1-877-344-4886. The news of the yogurt's recall comes after Hartford Bakery Inc. recalled its Lewis Bake Shop Artisan Style half-loaf bread after an internal packaging error resulted in visible hazelnuts, an undeclared allergen, in some loaves. About 883 units from six production lots were mistakenly wrapped and labeled merely as 'May Contain Tree Nuts,' without specifying hazelnuts. The contamination stems from a packaging changeover from a hazelnut-containing bread batch to the white loaf variant, the company said. The recalled bread was distributed across 12 states, including Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Arkansas, Missouri, Alabama, and Mississippi. The bread is packaged in a flexible plastic bag and can be identified by lot codes T10 174010206, T10 174010306, T10 174010406, T10 174020206, T10 174020306, and T10 174020406, which appear on the front panel. The packaging also includes a net weight of 12 oz, a UPC of 24126018152 on the bottom, and an expiration date of 07/13/2025 displayed on the front panel. The last two years have seen an alarming and unexplained rise in recalls. In 2024, approximately 300 food recalls were issued, with those recalls being linked to nearly 1,400 illnesses, a Public Interest Research Group report revealed. Out of the 1,400 illnesses, 487 people became sick enough to require hospitalization, and 19 people died. While those numbers are still low when weighed against the entire U.S. population, they are also double the number of hospitalizations and deaths from foodborne illnesses in 2023. Solve the daily Crossword
Al Arabiya
6 days ago
- General
- Al Arabiya
Fire breaks out at plastic parts factory in eastern China, state media reports
A fire broke out at a company making plastic parts in the eastern Chinese city of Danyang on Thursday, state broadcaster CCTV reported. A picture posted by CCTV showed thick plumes of smoke billowing into the sky, and flames burning inside a seven-story building.
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Yogurt products voluntarily recalled due to possible plastic contamination
Danone U.S. is voluntarily recalling 17 varieties of YoCrunch yogurt sold nationwide "due to the potential presence of plastic pieces in the dome topper," the company said this week. In a company announcement shared on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website Monday, Danone U.S. said it initiated the recall in cooperation with the FDA on July 11, 2025, after consumers "reported the presence of plastic pieces in the toppers, which have the potential to cause choking." The products come in two adjoining containers, a base filled with yogurt and a separately sealed topper with various add-ins like Oreo pieces, mini M&M's candies, Snickers and Twix. The transparent plastic pieces may have sharp edges, which Danone U.S. said "could present a risk to consumers because some pieces are between 7 and 25 mm in length." "The issue is isolated only to the separately packaged topper and does not impact the separately packaged yogurt," the company said, noting that the recall applies to "all flavors and sizes of YoCrunch products currently inmarket." A full list of impacted products, including lot numbers and expiration dates, can be found here. Danone U.S. said it is "working swiftly with retail partners to remove the impacted product from shelves, while it works to address the issue and bring back the YoCrunch products so many people enjoy." Customers who purchased the recalled YoCrunch products have been urged to not consume them and to contact the company's consumer care line at (877) 344-4886, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, for questions and refund information. In a statement to ABC News on Wednesday, Danone U.S. said, "We take every consumer experience seriously and are issuing this voluntary recall in line with Danone's commitment to product quality and consumer safety." Solve the daily Crossword
Fast Company
16-07-2025
- General
- Fast Company
Yogurt recall: 17 YoCrunch products with Oreos, M&Ms, and more pulled off shelves for serious health risks. Toss these now
Danone U.S., the maker of YoCrunch yogurt, announced it is voluntarily recalling products sold at retails stores nationwide due to the potential presence of plastic pieces in the dome topper, that if consumed, could potentially cause choking. Its toppers contain mix-ins like Oreos and M&Ms. Here's what to know. What's happened? The voluntary recall was initiated by the White Plains, New York-based Danone U.S. last Friday, July 11, in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The recall was prompted by consumers who reported the presence of plastic pieces in the toppers, which are transparent, may have sharp edges, and are between 7 and 25 mm in length. Which YoCrunch yogurt products are impacted by the recall? The recall currently applies to all flavors and sizes of YoCrunch products; however, it is isolated only to the separately packaged topper, and does not impact the separately packaged yogurt itself. There appear to be 17 different YoCrunch flavor combos, ranging in mix-ins from M&Ms and granola to Twix candy bar. Here's a full list of impacted products: Product Name: YOCRUNCH STRAW W/GRANOLA 6OZ UPC: 46675000105 Lot Number/Expiration Date: 7.07.25, 7.12.25., 7.26.25, 8.03.25, 8.8.25, 8.19.25, 8.22.25, 8.30.25, 9.04.25 Product Name: YOCRUNCH VANILLA W/M&M 6OZ UPC: 46675000792 Lot Number/Expiration Date: 7.11.25, 7.14.25, 7.25.25, 8.07.25, 8.11.25, 8.22.25, 8.26.25, 9.03.25 Product Name: YOCRUNCH VANILLA W/OREO 6OZ UPC: 46675000808 Lot Number/Expiration Date: 7.11.25, 7.14.25, 7.24.25, 7.25.25, 8.06.25, 8.11.25, 8.21.25, 8.26.25, 9.03.25 Product Name: YOCRUNCH STRAW W/M&M 6OZ UPC: 46675000839 Lot Number/Expiration Date: 7.12.25, 7.25.25, 8.07.25, 8.22.25,, 9.04.25 Product Name: YOCRUNCH VANILLA W/SNICKERS 6OZ UPC: 46675001126 Lot Number/Expiration Date: 7.10.25, 7.24.25, 8.06.25, 8.21.25 Product Name: YOCRUNCH VANILLA W/TWIX CANDY 6OZ UPC: 46675001133 Lot Number/Expiration Date: 7.24.25, 8.07.25, 8.21.25 Product Name: YOCRUNCH STRAW W/M&M MULTI 4X4OZ UPC: 46675013129 Lot Number/Expiration Date: 7.08.25, 7.12.25, 7.13.25, 7.17.25, 7.18.25, 7.26.25, 7.27.25, 8.03.25 8.09.25, 8.11.25, 8.12.25, 8.13.25, 8.15.25, 8.16.25, 8.23.25, 8.24.25, 8.29.25, 8.30.25, 8.31.25 Product Name: YOCRUNCH VAN W/COOKIE DOUGH 4X4OZ UPC: 46675013150 Lot Number/Expiration Date: 7.17.25, 8.01.25 8.013.25, 8.29.25 Product Name: YOCRUNCH VANI W/SNICKER PCS 4X4OZ UPC: 46675013266 Lot Number/Expiration Date: 7.17.25, 8.01.25, 8.13.25, 9.01.15 Product Name: YYOCRUNCH VANI W/TWIX CANDY 4X4OZ UPC: 46675013273 Lot Number/Expiration Date: 7.17.25, 8.01.25, 8.14.25, 8.29.25 Product Name: YOCRUNCH VANILLA OREO 4X4OZ UPC: 46675013501 Lot Number/Expiration Date: 7.13.25, 7.14.25, 7.20.25, 7.21.25, 7.24.25, 7.26.25, 7.31.25, 8.1.25 8.2.25, 8.8.25, 8.9.25, 8.10.25. 8.11.25, 8.16.25, 8.23.25, 8.24.25, 8.25.25, 8.30.25, 8.31.25 Product Name: YOCRUNCH VANILLA M&M 4X4OZ UPC: 46675013518 Lot Number/Expiration Date: 7.7.25, 7.9.25, 7.14.25, 7.15.25, 7.16.25, 7.17.25, 7.22.25, 7.23.25, 7.27.25, 7.27.25, 7.28.25, 8.2.25, 8.3.25, 8.5.25, 8.6.25, 8.7.25, 8.10.25, 8.13.25, 8.14.25, 8.16.25, 8.17.25, 8.18.25, 8.19.25 8.20.25, 8.21.25, 8.22.25, 8.27.25, 8.28.25, 8.29.25, 9.1.25, 9.1225, 9.3.25, 9.4.25 Product Name: YOCRUNCH VAN OREO & M&M FR PK 8X6OZ UPC: 46675014003 Lot Number/Expiration Date: 7.12.25, 7.13.25, 7.14.25, 7.15.25, 7.16.25, 7.20.25, 7.21.25, 7.22.25, 7.23.25, 7.24.25, 7.25.25, 7.28.25, 8.2.25, 8.3.25, 8.4.25, 8.5.25, 8.6.25, 8.7.25, 8.10.25, 8.11.25, 8.12.25, 8.13.25, 8.14.25, 8.17.25, 8.18.25, 8.19.25 8.20.25, 8.21.25, 8.22.25, 8.23.25, 8.25.25, 8.26.25, 8.27.25, 8.28.25, 8.29.25, 9.2.25, 9.3.25 Product Name: YOCRUNCH STR/RAS GRNLA FR PK 8X6OZ UPC: 46675014010 Lot Number/Expiration Date: 7.26.25, 8.23.25, 8.30.25 Product Name: YOCRUNCH STRW W/M&M&OREO FR PK 8X6OZ UPC: 46675026136 Lot Number/Expiration Date: 7.22.25, 8.3.25, 8.19.25, 8.29.25 Product Name: YOCRUNCH VAN W/SNIC&TWIX FR PK 8X6OZ UPC: 46675026143 Lot Number/Expiration Date: 7.14.25, 7.28.25, 8.3.25, 8.11.25, 8.26.25 Product Name: YOCRUNCH VAN OREO/VAN M&M 18X6OZ CLB UPC: 46675027010 Lot Number/Expiration Date: 7.11.25, 7.19.25, 7.20.25, 7.26.25, 7.27.25 7.31.25, 8.1.25, 8.2.25, 8.8.25, 8.9.25, 8.16.25, 8.17.25, 8.23.25, 8.24.25, 8.25.25, 8.30.25, 8.31.25 'The company is working swiftly with retail partners to remove the impacted product from shelves, while it works to address the issue and bring back the YoCrunch products so many people enjoy,' read a statement from Danone. What should I do if I have the recalled items? Customers who purchased the affected yogurts are advised not to consume them, and may contact Danone regarding refunds at the YoCrunch Consumer Care Line at 1-877-344-4886. Consumer Care specialists are available to speak live Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET.
