Massachusetts Institute of Technology chemical engineers have invented a new type of plastic that is twice as strong as steel and could one day be used as a building material. More about MIT engineers invent plastic that is stronger than steel
Danish brand Sinful has created a range of three sex toys using ocean plastic collected in Southeast Asia. More about Ohhcean sex toys are made from recycled ocean plastic
Discarded plastic medical equipment from hospitals across Europe was melted into a filament and 3D-printed to create the mobile toilet cubicle The Throne, designed by Spanish studio Nagami for the To.org foundation. More about Nagami 3D prints "aesthetically pleasing" portable toilet using plastic waste
Rotterdam studio The New Raw has recycled misprints and prototypes from its previous experiments in additive manufacturing to 3D print a limited edition chair called Ermis. More about The New Raw 3D prints "zero-waste" Ermis chair from studio's own offcuts
Thinking of using plastic in your project? Our latest Dezeen guide includes more than 11 types of plastic commonly used in architecture, design and interiors, with links to hundreds of projects for inspiration. More about The Dezeen guide to plastic in architecture, design and interiors
The winners at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics will be crowned on podiums designed by Japanese artist Asao Tokolo, which were made from 24.5 tonnes of discarded household plastics. More about Asao Tokolo 3D prints Tokyo 2020 podiums from donated plastic waste
Toy brand Lego has created its first prototype bricks using recycled PET plastic from discarded bottles. More about Lego develops recycled bricks made from discarded bottles
Berlin startup Made of Air has developed a bioplastic made of forest and farm waste that sequesters carbon and can be used for everything from furniture to building facades. More about Atmospheric CO2 is "our biggest resource" says carbon-negative plastic brand Made of Air
German designers Kai Linke and Peter Eckart have created an exhibition for the London Design Biennale in which disposable plastic cutlery is displayed as archaeological artefacts. More about Spoon Archaeology at London Design Biennale shows single-use cutlery as archaeological remnants
New York artist Hugo McCloud has created a series of artworks that contain no paint or glue, only thousands of small plastic pieces cut from single-use bags and melted together to form a motif. More about Hugo McCloud’s artworks use plastic bags instead of paint
Designers and environmentalists have slammed Coca-Cola's efforts to tackle plastic pollution as "greenwashing" and "a huge step backwards in sustainability". More about Coca-Cola's plans to reduce plastic waste "simply don't go far enough"
Technology company Razer has developed a conceptual design for a clear plastic face mask with lights and a built-in sound system to improve social interaction during the pandemic. More about Razer develops concept for transparent light-up face mask
London designer Tom Robinson used 100 per cent recycled plastic from e-waste to produce his Evolve Chair, which aims to give the manmade material a more natural feel. More about The Evolve Chair is made of recycled plastic from discarded laptops
Fashion designer Virgil Abloh has created a water bottle for Evian that is made almost entirely from recycled plastic and visualises this history through a distinctive hammered texture. More about Virgil Abloh designs recycled plastic water bottle as emblem of Evian's circular ambitions
South Korean designer Donghoon Sohn has pressed plastic slabs together like slices of bread for his latest furniture series, allowing primary coloured, recycled binder to bleed from the cracks as if it was melted cheese. More about Recycled 3D-printing waste oozes from monolithic furniture collection by Donghoon Sohn
For the third consecutive year, an audit by environmental initiative Break Free From Plastic has found The Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo and Nestlé to be the companies creating the most plastic pollution. More about Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Nestlé named world's worst plastic polluters for third year running
Seoul-based brand Supublic has developed a series of more sustainable cleaning supplies that save on single-use plastic by replacing liquid products with dissolvable tablets. More about Supublic's 1N9 Modern Cleaner tablets cut down on plastic waste
Plastic can help create more energy-efficient products that reduce the need for fossil fuels, according to Håkan Nordin, head of sustainability at flooring company Bolon. More about Plastic is "part of the solution" to climate change says Bolon's head of sustainability
Bolon's head of sustainability Håkan Nordin discussed ways of using plastic more sustainably in this live conversation produced by Dezeen for the Swedish flooring brand. More about Live interview with Håkan Nordin on rethinking the use of plastic in design
Plastic will have to break down into organic matter and carbon dioxide in the open air within two years to be classed as biodegradable under a new UK standard being introduced by the British Standards Institute. More about UK to get first ever standard for biodegradable plastic following confusion over terminology