plastics

PFAS 101: Everything You Need to Know About ‘Forever Chemicals’

PFAS 101: Everything You Need to Know About ‘Forever Chemicals’

You may have heard them by many names: forever chemicals, PFAS, toxins … they all fall under the technical terms per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Called PFAS for short, these chemicals have earned the nickname forever chemicals because they are long-lasting, taking incredibly long times to break down. In the environment, like in soil or water, PFAS may never fully break down.

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    Sustainable Wooden Wind Turbine Blades Being Developed

    Sustainable Wooden Wind Turbine Blades Being Developed

    Two companies are collaborating to make wind turbines more sustainable. Stora Enso, a biomaterials and wood construction company, and Voodin Blade Technology GmbH, a startup in Germany developing rotor blades for wind turbines, have partnered to create wooden wind turbine blades. The wooden turbine blades are meant to replace heavier wind turbine blades made from […]

    High BPA Levels Found in Popular Sports Bra and Athletic Gear Brands

    High BPA Levels Found in Popular Sports Bra and Athletic Gear Brands

    Usually when a person dons workout attire, they are hoping to do something positive for their health.  That’s why new testing from the Center for Environmental Health (CEH) is so concerning. The group found that eight popular sports bra brands and six popular athletic shirt brands had unhealthy levels of the environmental toxin bisphenol A […]

    Wax Worm Saliva Can Degrade Stubborn Plastic Within Hours, Scientists Find

    Wax Worm Saliva Can Degrade Stubborn Plastic Within Hours, Scientists Find

    What began as an infestation could be a surprising nature-based solution to the plastic pollution crisis.  In 2017, scientist and amateur beekeeper Federica Bertocchini found some unwanted intruders in one of her hives, wax-moth larvae that feed on beeswax. She took the worms out of her hive and placed them in a plastic bag. However, […]

    Judge Revokes Permits for Massive Cancer Alley Plastics Complex

    Judge Revokes Permits for Massive Cancer Alley Plastics Complex

    A state court has struck down permits for a massive petrochemical plant that would have doubled or tripled the emissions of cancer-causing chemicals polluting the already beleaguered Cancer Alley.  Louisiana’s 19th Judicial District Court ruled September 14 that the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) failed to protect the public when it issued air permits […]

    10 Events to Attend This Climate Week NYC

    10 Events to Attend This Climate Week NYC

    Starting Monday, Climate Week NYC is launching again for its first fully in-person program since the coronavirus pandemic disrupted lives across the world more than two years ago.  2022’s week, which runs from September 19 to 25 in conjunction with the UN General Assembly, will build on the momentum of last year with the same […]