wastewater

PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Used on Farms Could Significantly Raise Health Risks, EPA Draft Guidelines Warn

PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Used on Farms Could Significantly Raise Health Risks, EPA Draft Guidelines Warn

Toxic chemicals from sewage sludge used as fertilizer pose health risks to those who regularly consume products from farms that use it, in some instances raising cancer risk by “several orders of magnitude” over what is considered acceptable by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), federal officials said on Tuesday. EPA’s draft risk assessment, […]

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    Study Finds Alarmingly High Levels of PFAS Contamination in Small Estuaries

    Study Finds Alarmingly High Levels of PFAS Contamination in Small Estuaries

    A new study has discovered that small coastal estuaries contain concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) “forever chemicals” high enough to indicate a worldwide issue. For the study, the researchers looked at the distribution, occurrence and risks of PFAS during the dry season in three micro-estuaries, a press release from Hebrew University of Jerusalem […]

    Fertilizing Fields With Sewage Sludge Releases More Microplastics Into the Air Than Previously Believed, Study Finds

    Fertilizing Fields With Sewage Sludge Releases More Microplastics Into the Air Than Previously Believed, Study Finds

    Microplastics are tiny plastic particles from textiles and other sources that have broken down into smaller and smaller pieces until they are less than five millimeters in length. They have been found all over the world, from sediments in the deep ocean to Arctic snow. Scientists have found that microplastics are being released though natural […]

    California Approves Rules for Converting Sewage Into Drinking Water

    California Approves Rules for Converting Sewage Into Drinking Water

    In a unanimous vote, the California State Water Resources Control Board has approved its first standards for converting sewage waste into drinking water that can be piped directly into the taps of households and businesses. It’s a historic moment for a state plagued by drought and water shortages. “A city produces wastewater during a drought, […]

    95,000 Gallon Sewage Spill Closes Over Two Miles of Laguna Beach

    95,000 Gallon Sewage Spill Closes Over Two Miles of Laguna Beach

    On Wednesday, 95,000 gallons of sewage spilled into the coastal waters of Laguna Beach in Southern California, prompting the closure of over two miles of the coastline. The closure spans from Laguna Avenue to Blue Lagoon, according to the announcement from the Orange County Health Care Agency. The area will be closed until further notice. […]

    China Bans All Japanese Seafood Imports as Fukushima Wastewater Is Released Into Pacific

    China Bans All Japanese Seafood Imports as Fukushima Wastewater Is Released Into Pacific

    Japan has begun discharging treated water containing radioactive tritium from the decommissioned Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the Pacific Ocean. The move led to China announcing an immediate ban on all aquatic products from the island nation. China’s customs bureau said in a statement that it was “highly concerned about the risk of radioactive […]