Kate Griffin freelance journalism and editing

It's official: the plastic bag is now seriously uncool. On a global level, marine scientists have known for decades that plastic rubbish finds its way into our oceans. Once in the sea, the same tiny pellet of plastic can kill countless birds and fish in a macabre cycle: the animal eats the plastic and dies, then the animal's body rots away to expose the plastic inside. The plastic is then back in the ocean, ready to kill another unsuspecting bird or fish.

An eight-month investigation by Oxfordshire County Council has concluded that a rubbish-burning scheme is the best solution to the county's waste disposal problems, despite concern that this method of waste disposal will allow dioxins (which have been linked to cancer in humans and other animals) to enter the local food chain.