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Go ahead for new UK oil and gas exploration threatens whales and dolphins

Go ahead for new UK oil and gas exploration threatens whales and dolphins

Permission has been granted for the development of the UK’s biggest untapped oilfield off Shetland, a decision which will exacerbate the climate crisis and result in the use of damaging and harmful activities within areas known to be critical to whales and dolphins. Norwegian listed company Equinor, and the British firm Ithaca Energy will now…

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New WDC pollution report points to UK toxic tragedy

Our new report into chemical pollution paints a grim future for the dolphins, whales and porpoises that inhabit UK waters. Exposure to toxic pollutants (chemicals and heavy metals) is leading to cancer, foetal deaths, problem births and stillbirths in these marine mammals, with chemical pollution worsening the impact of natural infections by suppressing their immune…

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Antibiotic resistance in dolphins mirrors trend seen in humans

Samples collected from dolphins by scientists over a 12 year period indicate that dolphins may be mirroring the trend in human resistance to antibiotic drugs. Researchers looked at the samples from bottlenose dolphins living in the Indian River Lagoon in Florida between 2003 and 2015 and found that nearly 90% of the 733 samples taken…

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Nature may have the answer to plastic pollution

Scientists working on solutions to the growing problem of plastic pollution are now focusing attention on a potential breakthrough supplied by Mother Nature. A study by researchers at Utrecht University reveals that several species of mushrooms will break down and ‘eat’ plastic, sometimes in a matter of weeks. Some, such as the oyster mushroom, are…

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EU parliament approves ban on single use plastics

The European Union parliament has announced today that it has approved a ban on single-use plastics, a move that would reduce the amount of plastic pollution feeding into rivers and then out to the ocean. The ban covers several types of products, such as straws, cutlery and cotton buds, with the EU also encouraging all…

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UK Government urged to phase-out single-use plastics by 2025 not 2042

4,000 billion pieces of unnecessary single-use plastic waste could be consumed in the UK between 2026 – 2042 Eighteen leading environment charities (including WDC), coordinated by Wildlife and Countryside Link have put further pressure on the UK Government to phase-out all non-essential single-use plastics by 2025 to tackle the scourge of plastic pollution. More than…

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