Category: epa

Common Weedkiller Ingredient Harms Gut Bacteria and Multiple Organs: Study

The toxic chemical diquat, an ingredient used in place of glyphosate in weedkillers in the United States, has been found to cause multiple types of damage to organs and kill gut bacteria, according to new research. Diquat is sprayed extensively on orchards and vineyards, and its use has increased as controversial substances like paraquat and […]

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‘Poisoning the Well’ Authors Sharon Udasin and Rachel Frazin on PFAS Contamination and Why It ‘Has Not Received the Attention It Deserves’

In the introduction to Sharon Udasin and Rachel Frazin’s new book, Poisoning The Well: How Forever Chemicals Contaminated America, the authors cite an alarming statistic from 2015 that PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are present in the bodies of an estimated 97% of Americans. How did we ever get to this point? Their book is […]

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Higher Levels of PFAS Found in Waterways Downstream From Wastewater Treatment Plants: Report

Recent research from Waterkeeper Alliance warns that 98% of tested waterways across 19 states contain PFAS, and the problem is particularly noticeable in areas downstream from water treatment plants and sites where biosolids are applied. According to a new report, the PFAS Report Phase II, 95% of sampling sites that were downstream from wastewater treatment […]

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EPA Employees Sign ‘Declaration of Dissent’ Over Trump Administration Policies

A group of more than 170 employees of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Monday published a Declaration of Dissent from policies under the Trump administration. The employees said the administration’s policies “undermine the EPA mission of protecting human health and the environment.” “Since the Agency’s founding in 1970, EPA has accomplished this […]

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PFAS Found in 65% of Private Wells Sampled in Pennsylvania

New research has found that 18 percent of private wells sampled in Pennsylvania exceed the maximum contaminant levels for per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Of the wells sampled, 65 percent had detectable levels of PFAS, and almost half contained several of the chemical compounds. […]

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Trump EPA Announces Major Weakening of Power Plant Emissions Rules

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Wednesday announced a plan to repeal a landmark pollution rule that aims to eliminate most greenhouse gas emissions from power plants in the next decade. Not only will power plants be able to release more greenhouse gases, but another regulatory rollback will allow them to pollute the […]

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PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Detected in 95% of Beers Tested in U.S.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can be found in many places, including food packaging and waterproof clothing, but did you know the ubiquitous chemical compounds can also be found in the most popular alcoholic beverage in the world — beer? Forever chemicals have been detected in most beers in the United States, with beer brewed […]

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Trump EPA Plans to Cancel 781 Environmental Justice Grants

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to cancel 781 environmental justice grants that were issued under former President Joe Biden, according to a court filing last week that went relatively unnoticed, reported The Washington Post. The grants had already been awarded to recipients and were twice the number previously believed. “EPA is in […]

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NRDC Map Shows Populations With Lead Contamination in Tap Water

A new map from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) highlights U.S. populations with higher levels of lead in drinking water. The map builds on recently released data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that revealed millions of people in the U.S. had lead in their water systems for at least some of the […]

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Environmental and Science Groups Sue Trump Admin for Deleting Environmental Justice and Climate Information From Federal Agency Websites

Environmental and science groups are suing the Trump administration for removing public information concerning climate and the environment from federal agency websites. The Sierra Club, the Environmental Integrity Project, California Communities Against Toxics and Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) filed a complaint on Monday in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. […]

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