EPA flags microplastics as “priority” contaminants in drinking water
Federal regulators are moving to add microplastics to a list of drinking water contaminants marked for research, funding and possible regulation in the future.
human health
Long-term exposure to a common pesticide speeds up aging in fish, study finds
Chronic exposure to small amounts of a pesticide greenlighted for almost a dozen US crops speeds up aging in fish and cuts their lives short, adding to concerns about the chemical’s human health risks, according to a new study.
Plastic pollution could more than double by 2040, report finds
Failure to address a worldwide plastic pollution crisis could trigger a surge in greenhouse gas emissions and human health problems tied to the industry, according to a new report.
Microplastics drive plaque buildup in arteries of male mice, study suggests
Exposure to tiny plastic particles that litter the environment may speed plaque buildup in the arteries of male mice, a condition that leads to heart disease, according to a new study.
US social costs of plastics may total over $1 trillion annually, report finds
Plastic production, use and disposal each year saddles the US with up to $1.1 trillion in social costs, the bulk of which are due to human health impacts, according to a new report from Duke University that characterizes the tally as a “conservative” estimate.
New maps reveal 73 million people exposed to PFAS in US drinking water above EPA standards
By Shannon Kelleher
Over 73 million people in the US are being exposed to toxic PFAS chemicals in their tap water, according to an analysis of data from a US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) water monitoring program.
Chemical exposure from ultra-processed foods may contribute to health issues
By Shannon Kelleher
Toxic synthetic chemicals that migrate into ultra-processed foods from packaging, processing equipment and other sources may explain why these foods are so bad for our health, according to a new review article.
Living on Earth radio show: PFAS rule withdrawn
TNL Reporter Shannon Kelleher joined the nationally syndicated public radio program Living on Earth to speak with Host Paloma Beltran about the Trump administration’s reversal of a proposed EPA rule, which aimed to put limits on the PFAS chemicals manufacturers discharge into waterways. Read the TNL story.
Texas farmers, watchdog group demand EPA act on PFAS in farm fertilizer
By Shannon Kelleher
In the wake of fresh evidence that US farms are being poisoned by PFAS-laden fertilizers, a watchdog group and two Texas farm families said Thursday they plan to sue regulators to try to force protective actions.