In 2019 Adidas expects to make 11 million pairs of shoes with recycled ocean plastic. That's more than double what it made in 2018. Adidas says their partnership with Parley for the Oceans has prevented 2,810 tons of plastic from reaching the oceans. And this is just the first step. Adidas is also developing a 100% recyclable shoe called the Futurecraft Loop. This shoe is made to be remade- it can be returned and broken down to create a brand-new pair.
https://www.businessinsider.com/adidas-sneakers-plastic-bottles-ocean-waste-recycle-pollution-2019-8
A 2023 start-up aiming to make recycling convenient and accessible to all is about to go national. The aim is to provide people with a home pick-up option for some of the "trickier" items the normal recycling bins can't handle - including soft plastics. https://wastemanagementreview.com.au/recyclesmart-goes-national/
A Kyushu University study (2021) estimated there were 24.4 trillion pieces of microplastics in the world's upper oceans or roughly 30 billion 500-ml plastic water bottles. Microplastics are tiny, toxic and very hard to remove from the environment. But researchers in the US have discovered that some Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NADES) can attract and bind microplastics, making it easier to remove them from the environment. And the N in NADES is key - natural - in this instance, think extracts from plants. https://www.research.uky.edu/news/researchers-develop-eco-friendly-magnet-battle-microplastics
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