public health

PFAS Found in 21 Major Toilet Paper Brands

PFAS Found in 21 Major Toilet Paper Brands

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS or forever chemicals, have been identified in toilet paper from brands around the world in a new study. The research adds to a growing list of studies finding PFAS in everything from rainwater to tap water to even umbilical cord blood. The study, published in the journal […]

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    U.S. Lawsuit Seeks to Force Two Major Companies to Significantly Reduce Emissions From ‘Cancer Alley’ Plant

    U.S. Lawsuit Seeks to Force Two Major Companies to Significantly Reduce Emissions From ‘Cancer Alley’ Plant

    The U.S. filed a complaint last week against two companies behind a highly polluting petrochemical plant in Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley.”  The Pontchartrain Works facility makes neoprene, a synthetic rubber used for everything from laptop covers to wetsuits. But to do this, it releases chloroprene, a likely carcinogen that is the main reason that the majority […]

    Pesticides 101: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

    Pesticides 101: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

    Pesticides have been used, in one way or another, for thousands of years to protect crops against invasive species, fungi and other “pests.”   While there are organic options, chemical pesticides are commonly used, with industrial agriculture relying heavily on it for their crops. However, as many studies and literature over the decades have shown, […]

    <strong>If Your Strawberries Taste Bland, Pesticides May Be to Blame</strong>

    If Your Strawberries Taste Bland, Pesticides May Be to Blame

    If you’ve ever bitten into a juicy, red strawberry only to find that it was watery and somewhat flavorless, certain pesticides could be to blame. In a recent study, scientists found that two common fungicides used on strawberries — boscalid (BOS) and difenoconazole (DIF) — can affect the fruit’s cellular mechanisms and mute its sweetness […]

    U.S. Averages One Chemical Accident Every Two Days, Analysis Finds

    U.S. Averages One Chemical Accident Every Two Days, Analysis Finds

    From spills to fires at industrial facilities to the recent train derailment in Ohio, it seems chemical accidents are making the news more and more. But it’s not just your imagination — a map by the Coalition to Prevent Chemical Disasters shows that chemical accidents are happening at a rate of one every two days […]

    Tornadoes Leave Trail of Destruction in Oklahoma

    Tornadoes Leave Trail of Destruction in Oklahoma

    At least one person has died and a dozen people have been injured as a fast moving storm system made its way across the Texas Panhandle and into Oklahoma earlier this week. Weather services classified the storm as a derecho – a large, fast-moving, violent thunderstorm paired with exceptionally strong winds.

    Could Solar Geoengineering Trigger War?

    Could Solar Geoengineering Trigger War?

    Alongside drought, famine, and climatic destabilization, you can add war to the list of potential (un)intended consequences of geoengineering, the Washington Post reports. As fossil-fueled climate changes continue to exacerbate drought, extreme heatwaves, and other disasters, so grows the incentive for governments to use geoengineering to block the sun or change rainfall patterns, despite the inevitable impacts outside their borders.