Pollution

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    Prozac Contamination in Water Is Changing Fish Behaviors, Study Finds

    Prozac Contamination in Water Is Changing Fish Behaviors, Study Finds

    In a new study, scientists have confirmed that even low concentrations of the antidepressant pharmaceutical fluoxetine, also known by the brand name of Prozac, are affecting fish behaviors in the wild. Biologists from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia and the University of Tuscia in Viterbo, Italy have completed a five-year investigation on how fluoxetine pollution […]

    Researchers Detect ‘Alarming’ Levels of Microplastics in Human Brain Samples

    Researchers Detect ‘Alarming’ Levels of Microplastics in Human Brain Samples

    It’s well-known that microplastics are pervasive, with scientists finding microplastics in testicular tissue, lungs and even blood. But now, researchers have discovered microplastic pieces in samples of the human brain at higher levels than expected. In a new pre-printed study published early by the National Library of Medicine, scientists analyzed plastic content in the livers, […]

    1,600 Gallons of Toxic Firefighting Foam Spilled in Maine

    1,600 Gallons of Toxic Firefighting Foam Spilled in Maine

    More than 1,600 gallons of firefighting foam were discharged by a malfunctioning fire suppression system at the Brunswick Executive Airport, formerly the Brunswick Naval Air Station, in Maine on Monday. According to WBUR, the foam was released in an airport hangar by a malfunctioning system early on Monday. After it discharged, the foam ran off […]

    Arctic ‘Mercury Bomb’ Threatens Food Chain as Climate Warms

    Arctic ‘Mercury Bomb’ Threatens Food Chain as Climate Warms

    As global heating caused by the climate crisis warms the Arctic as much as four times faster than the worldwide average, Alaska’s Yukon River is eroding thawing permafrost and releasing mercury-laden sediment that has been sequestered for thousands of years into the surrounding environment. The toxic contaminant is putting the food chain and communities that […]

    U.S. Signals New Support for Global Plastics Reduction, Reports Say

    U.S. Signals New Support for Global Plastics Reduction, Reports Say

    The U.S. has shifted its policy position and is now in favor of supporting limitations on global plastics, Reuters confirmed. As reported by Grist, the Biden administration announced in closed-door meetings this week that it supported global efforts to limit plastic pollution via the United Nations’ plastic treaty. Previously, the U.S. had held the stance […]

    Massachusetts to Phase Out Toxic PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Firefighting Gear

    Massachusetts to Phase Out Toxic PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Firefighting Gear

    Governor of Massachusetts Maura Healey has signed a new law to phase out per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the protective gear firefighters wear. PFAS “forever chemicals” do not break down in the environment and have been associated with serious health problems, including liver and thyroid issues, immune system disruption, cancer and reproductive harm. They […]