Tanzania: Total Plastics Use Ban Plan By Next January Remains

The government has reiterated that it won’t back down on its decision to ban the use of plastic bags effective January next year.
Cubans bemoan trashing of island’s beaches

Litter is a problem virtually everywhere in the world. But the trashing of Cuba’s world-class beaches by beachgoers has become so extreme, that tourists are complaining and Cubans bemoan it as a symptom of something amiss in a nation that’s long cherished cleanliness, order and mutual respect.
Authorities investigate source of 30km oil spill in Darwin harbor, Australia

Environmentalists says the spill could be devastating for the harbour’s mangrove and marine ecosystems and those responsible needed to be found.
Study maps hidden water pollution in U.S. coastal areas

Researchers have uncovered previously hidden sources of ocean pollution along more than 20 percent of America’s coastlines.
Plastic ‘continents’: Is there a way out?

Plastic “continents” are not static. Based on the oceanic circulation modelling work conducted in the Pacific, researchers have recently shown that there are exit currents for these areas of the sea where these piles of waste build up.
Aquatic Olympians Face a Toxic Stew in Rio

Environmentalists and scientists say Rio’s waters are much more contaminated than previously thought.
Slimy Green Beaches May Be Florida’s New Normal?

The green slime that washed onto Florida beaches earlier this month marks the eighth time since 2004 that toxic algae have fouled the Sunshine State’s storied coastline. The guacamole-thick algae that fouled both coasts will likely be a regular occurrence for the Sunshine State. Here’s why.
1.5 million gallons sewage spill shuts down beaches 20 miles away, Los Angeles

Officials say at least 1.5 million gallons of sewage spewed from a 90-year-old pipe that burst in an industrial area near downtown Los Angeles, leading beaches to close 20 miles downriver in Long Beach.
Ship engine emissions adversely affect the health of inhabitants of coastal regions

This was the main finding of a study on the influence of ship engine emissions on macrophages in the lungs. Since macrophages also play a key role in lung diseases such as COPD, the study is important for understanding the health risks of ship exhausts.