Pollution(Page 3)

What you need to know about the gases, toxins, and garbage that make their way into water, air, and land.

Latest in Pollution

Scientists are using AI to track coal train dust

Scientists are using AI to track coal train dust

By Emma Foehringer Merchant / Undark

Lithium samples from the proposed Thacker Pass mining site in the McDermitt Caldera lithium deposit

What’s the most sustainable way to mine the largest known lithium deposit in the world?

Seafarers are unknowingly working with oil smugglers

Seafarers are unknowingly working with oil smugglers

By Nathaniel Peutherer/Hakai Magazine

A woman holds a red smoothie in a glass with a handle on it and a stainless steel straw sticking out. A group of ‘forever chemicals’ commonly called PFAS were not detected on the stainless steel straws in this study, but were on 18 out of 20 brands of paper straws.

‘Forever chemicals’ detected in paper and plastic straws

By Laura Baisas

Inside the fight to reclaim California’s biggest freshwater lake from algae

Inside the fight to reclaim California’s biggest freshwater lake from algae

By Tien Nguyen/Knowable Magazine

Metal mesh with water droplets

Titanium dioxide-coated mesh can purify contaminated fog

A burnt out car lies in the driveway of charred apartment complex in the aftermath of a wildfire in Lahaina, western Maui, Hawaii on August 12, 2023.

The health hazards from wildfires will linger in Maui for years

By Andrew J. Whelton/The Conversation

Aftermath Of Tanker Fire At I-95 In Bensalem

Federal study links testicular cancer to ‘Forever Chemicals’ for the first time

By Hannah Norman and Patricia Kime/KFF Health News

Amazon package at fulfillment center.

Amazon might finally be cutting down on plastic waste

By Joseph Winters / Grist

first road constructed with plastic waste in Agartala

Turning plastic waste into streets faces roadblocks

By James Bruggers/Inside Climate News

turmeric at spice market

For decades, turmeric’s ultra-golden glow had a deadly secret

By Wudan Yan/Undark

No guts left behind: Iceland’s quest to repurpose fish waste

By Lela Nargi/Hakai Magazine

person holding latest fairphone

The most sustainable phone on the market is the one in your pocket

By Carla Delgado

EPA plan to eliminate lead in buildings could help half a million young children

EPA plan to eliminate lead in buildings could help half a million young children

By Kate Yoder/Grist

The giant Douglas firs in British Columbia forests are examples of so-called mother trees

Are ‘mother trees’ real?

Fast fashion might be making us sick

Fast fashion might be making us sick

By Danielle Renwick / Nexus Media News

Fourth of July partygoers playing in red, white, and blue confetti, which could be a fireworks alternative

Celebrate a firework-less Fourth of July with drones, bubble guns, or confetti cannons

By Carla Delgado

Marine microplastics chemicals may make microbes more resistant

Marine microplastics chemicals may make microbes more resistant

By Michael Allen / Hakai Magazine

How can we decarbonize copper and nickel mining?

How can we decarbonize copper and nickel mining?

By Carla Delgado

The 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 has an MPGe of 140.

What an electric vehicle’s MPGe rating really means

Why scientists want to banish barnacles from ship hulls

Why scientists want to banish barnacles from ship hulls

By Chris Baraniuk / Hakai Magazine

Deer and other animals in wildfire smoke during California Dixie fire in 2021

Clouds of wildfire smoke are toxic to humans and animals alike

By Carla Delgado

A popular ‘compostable’ bioplastic isn’t as biodegradable as it seems

A popular ‘compostable’ bioplastic isn’t as biodegradable as it seems

By Carla Delgado

It will cost up to $21.5 billion to clean up California’s oil sites. The industry won’t make enough money to pay for it.

It will cost up to $21.5 billion to clean up California’s oil sites. The industry won’t make enough money to pay for it.

By Mark Olalde/ProPublica

Recycling bins with symbol

Why the recycling symbol is part of a ‘misinformation campaign’

By Carla Delgado

A sign that reads "Protect Our Waters" outside of the US Supreme Court before a rally to call for protection of the Clean Water Act on October 3, 2022. As the term began, the court was hearing arguments in the case of Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency.

Wetlands lose some environmental protections in new Supreme Court ruling

By Laura Baisas

Climate justice campaigners march from the Shell Centre to Trafalgar Square to demand urgent climate finance and reparations for loss and damage for global south communities on November, 12 2022 in London. The march was organized by the Climate Justice Coalition as part of a Global Day of Action called by African climate campaign groups at COP27.

Chevron’s carbon offsets are mostly ‘junk,’ according to global watchdog investigation

By Laura Baisas

Plugging methane leaks could open up thousands of jobs in Texas

Plugging methane leaks could open up thousands of jobs in Texas

By Martha Pskowski/Inside Climate News

Fixing the ozone hole was a bigger deal than anyone realized

Fixing the ozone hole was a bigger deal than anyone realized

By J. Besl/Hakai Magazine

Smoke stacks from a power plant emit smoke.

Power plants may face emission limits for the first time if EPA rules pass

By Laura Baisas

How the US is fighting wealth disparities in climate action

How the US is fighting wealth disparities in climate action

By Carla Delgado

Empty crumpled plastic bottles pattern on blue background.

Recycling plants spew a staggering amount of microplastics

Yellow-green cyanobacteria bloom in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon. Events like these can cause mass fish dieoffs.

A fish-kill mystery in a remote Alaska village takes a toxic turn

By Saima Sidik/Hakai Magazine

How to keep harmful algae blooms from spoiling your vacation

How to keep harmful algae blooms from spoiling your vacation

By Brad Reisfeld/The Conversation

Airplanes at terminals at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport

Europe’s fourth biggest airport plans to ban private jets

Urban water crises often boil down to classism

Urban water crises often boil down to classism

By Carla Delgado

Tesla’s carbon footprint is much larger than it previously disclosed

Tesla’s carbon footprint is much larger than it previously disclosed

Robot jellyfish swarms could soon help clean the oceans of plastic

Robot jellyfish swarms could soon help clean the oceans of plastic

Robot trash cans have survived a New York City field test

Robot trash cans have survived a New York City field test

By Sara Kiley Watson

Examples of floating plastics collected in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre during The Ocean Cleanup’s 2018 expedition.

Some coastal critters are thriving in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

By Laura Baisas

Rainbow trout are vulnerable to viruses—and microplastics make them even sicker

Rainbow trout are vulnerable to viruses—and microplastics make them even sicker

By Elise Cutts/Hakai Magazine

Otters are back, but that doesn’t mean our rivers are safe

Otters are back, but that doesn’t mean our rivers are safe

By Carin Leong/Hakai Magazine

Our bottled water habit stands in the way of universal clean drinking water

Our bottled water habit stands in the way of universal clean drinking water

By Carla Delgado

Some ‘recycled’ product claims are mostly garbage

Some ‘recycled’ product claims are mostly garbage

By Ian Morse/Undark

A bug on a green leaf feeding on a caterpillar.

Save caterpillars by turning off your outdoor lights

By Laura Baisas

The US might finally regulate toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water

The US might finally regulate toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water

By Sara Kiley Watson

Four male common fruit flies in a chain trying to mate with each other after being exposed to ozone air pollution

Horny male fruit flies plunge into chaos when exposed to air pollution

By Jocelyn Solis-Moreira

Moonlight will help inspire a Danish church’s wildlife-friendly design

Moonlight will help inspire a Danish church’s wildlife-friendly design

By Theo Nicitopoulos / Hakai Magazine

Toilet paper may be a major source of ‘forever chemicals’ in wastewater

Toilet paper may be a major source of ‘forever chemicals’ in wastewater

By Carla Delgado

Cars in a traffic jam emitting exhaust.

Almost everyone in the world breathes unhealthy air

By Laura Baisas

Crane loading cargo onto ship at sunset

Pandemic shipping took a heavy toll on the climate

Smoke from the Ohio train derailment over a small house in East Palestine

Is acid rain forming from the Ohio train derailment site?

By Jocelyn Solis-Moreira

Why some single-use plastic water bottles could be banned in Hawaii

Why some single-use plastic water bottles could be banned in Hawaii

By Carla Delgado

Pink pigeon in New York City wildlife rescue center that was dyed for gender reveal party

Gender reveal parties are turning nature pink and blue

Smoke rises from a derailed cargo train in East Palestine, Ohio

Toxic train derailment in East Palestine, OH highlights issues facing America’s railways

Are reusable takeout boxes worth the resources needed to make them?

Are reusable takeout boxes worth the resources needed to make them?

By Carla Delgado

The Venturi Antarctica electric vehicle pulls a sledge through the snow

This Antarctic EV goes where other electric vehicles can’t tread

The city of Beijing, China shrouded in a hazy layer of air pollution.

China’s decision to reduce coal-powered heating may have saved 23,000 lives

By Laura Baisas

Why we shouldn’t get too excited about bioplastics

Why we shouldn’t get too excited about bioplastics

By Michael Allen / Hakai Magazine

Worker in protective gear takes a sample at steel furnace

New factory retrofit could reduce a steel plant’s carbon emissions by 90 percent

A natural gas pipeline.

An oil spill on this fuel-rich coast could be a supply chain catastrophe

By Laura Baisas

How companies greenwash their plastic pollution

How companies greenwash their plastic pollution

By Carla Delgado

Plastic, pollution, and prescription drugs are making fish act erratically

Plastic, pollution, and prescription drugs are making fish act erratically

By Doug Johnson/Undark

EPA updates emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles for the first time in 20 years

EPA updates emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles for the first time in 20 years

By Carla Delgado