Previous Pollution News 2021-2025
2025
Everyone Hates Gas-powered Leaf Blowers. So Why is it So Hard to Ban Them? 11-26-25 Read more
How Government Shutdowns Give Polluters a Free Pass 11-11-25 Read more
Toxic Wastewater From Oil Fields Keeps Pouring Out of the Ground. Oklahoma Regulators Failed to Stop It. 10-29-25
During his time at Oklahoma’s oil and gas regulator, Danny Ray worked to contain pollution events known as purges. Read more
Buoyed By a Retro Revival, Kodak’s Dark Environmental Past is Coming to Light 10-09-25
A snapshot of Kodak’s history includes cameras, military contracts, and a legacy of environmental damage in the communities it is a part of. Read more
‘It’s Never Good!’: A Street-Level Look at New York City’s Air Quality 09-10-25
While traveling through Manhattan, an NYU expert uncovers troubling air pollution levels in places you wouldn’t expect.
Toxic Sludge is Tainting Florida’s Longest River, With No Solution in Sight 07-24-25
Biosolids spread on farmers’ fields as fertilizer are causing toxic algae blooms in the St. Johns. Read more
Pollution From Wildfires Can Contaminate Our Water For Up to 8 years, Study Finds 06-27-25
An analysis of 500 watersheds found levels of organic carbon, phosphorus, and other pollutants up to 103 times higher after a wildfire. Read more
The Misleading Accounting Behind Your ‘recycled’ Plastic 05-12-25
A convoluted credit system allows companies to label virgin plastic as recycled. Here’s how it works. Read more
Senate Overturns EPA Rule on Seven Highly Toxic Air Pollutants 05-01-25
If also passed by the House as expected, the action will be the first time Congress has weakened protections under the Clean Air Act.
The Unregulated Link in a Toxic Supply Chain 04-16-25
From El Paso, Texas, to Richmond, Virginia, warehouses are leaking ethylene oxide, a cancer-causing chemical. Almost no one knows about them. Read more
State Denies Drax, a Repeat Violator, Ability to Expand Emissions 04-08-25
Last year, the state fined Drax $225,000 for releasing over 50% more than its permitted limit of HAPs into the air.
Power Companies Would Rather Not Clean Their Toxic Messes. Trump’s EPA is Granting Their Wish. 03-24-25
Advocates fear the agency will “justify avoiding any enforcement whatsoever” of millions of tons of coal ash nationwide. Read more
In a ‘big blow’ to Public Health, the State Department Will No Longer Share Global Air Quality Data 03-06-25
Data from U.S. embassies around the world will no longer be shared with the EPA due to the Trump administration’s cuts to climate initiatives. Read more
Does N.C. Need Another Polluting Plant to Turn Plastic Waste Into Diesel Fuel? 03-01-25
Buffeted by PFAS-emitting industries, Fayetteville could soon be home to a financially troubled company that wants to turn tons of plastic waste into diesel fuel using a polluting, energy-intensive process called pyrolysis. Read more
A UK Energy Company Received $762M in ‘green loans’ Despite Years of Pollution Violations in the South 01-25-25
Drax’s facilities in Mississippi have been fined millions of dollars for violating state pollution loans. Read more
2024
After 2 Years, Coca-Cola’s Promise to Scale Up Reusable Packaging is Dead 12-13-24
The pledge was born out of shareholder activism — and was withdrawn as regulators crack down on greenwashing. Read more
In a world flush with hazardous air pollutants, there is one that causes far more cancer than any other…
Over 100 Countries Want an Ambitious Plastics Treaty. Oil-producing Nations Are Getting in the Way. 12-02-24
“If it wasn’t for Saudi and Russia we would have reached an agreement here.” Read more
Who’s Responsible For Waste? A Q&A About the ‘conspiracy’ of Overconsumption. 11-27-24
The director of Netflix’s “Buy Now!” says companies should be accountable for the trash they generate. Read more
The Nation’s First Commercial Carbon Sequestration Plant is in Illinois. It Leaks. 10-21-24
The locals are worried: “Just because CO2 sequestration can be done doesn’t mean it should be done.” Read more
Home Depot’s Big Plastic Packaging Purge 10-08-24
It cut enough Styrofoam in 2023 alone to fill 67 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Read more
EPA Funded Citizen Science to Address Gaps in Air Monitoring. Will it Result in Cleaner Air? 09-26-24
Funding communities burdened by pollution to monitor air quality is the “do-it-yourself approach to public health,” one researcher said. Read more
US Has its First National Strategy to Reduce Plastic Pollution − Here Are 3 Strong Points and a Key Issue to Watch 08-16-24
Plastic waste is piling up at a daunting pace around the world. The World Bank estimates that every person on the planet generates an average of 1.6 pounds (0.74 kilograms) of plastic waste daily. Read more
How to Create a ‘World Without Waste’? Here Are the Plastic Industry’s Ideas. 07-02-24
A deep dive into the petrochemical industry’s proposals for the global plastics treaty. Read more
The Country’s First New Aluminum Smelter in 45 Years Could Cut Production Emissions by 75% 05-03-24
Century Aluminum Co. hopes half a billion dollars in federal funding will help it revive a dying industry while making it less polluting. Read more
California Communities are Fighting the Last Battery Recycling Plant in the West — and its Toxic Legacy 04-22-24
Lead battery recycling is a crucial but dirty business. As a plant outside Los Angeles seeks to renew its operating permit, the community pushes back. Read more
As Amazon Eliminates Plastic Packaging Abroad, It’s Using Even More in the US 04-04-24
A new report finds Amazon has reduced plastic packaging the most in countries with stringent regulations. Read more
Zero- and Low-waste Businesses Band Together Against Plastic Pollution 04-04-24
As part of a national coalition, sustainable businesses are pooling resources to fight plastic pollution. Read more
Amazon Says Its Plastic Packaging Can Be Recycled. An Investigation Finds It Usually Isn’t. 03-20-24
Trackers placed in 93 bundles of Amazon packaging marked for “store drop-off” recycling showed many of them were buried or burned. Read more
Some residents along the route in Virginia worry their concerns about pollution and safety aren’t being heard.
Air Pollution Could Be Significant Cause of Dementia – Even For Those Not Predisposed 02-21-24
People in areas of high PM2.5 concentrations had higher amounts of amyloid plaques in brain Read more
Lives “devastated’ by Petrochemical Industry Pollution in Texas: Report 01-25-24
The report underscores the climate, environmental, and human rights tolls linked to petrochemical production.
Plastic bag bans have already prevented billions of bags from being used, report finds 01-23-24
“The bottom line is that plastic bag bans work.” Read more
2023
At COP28, a Growing Sense of Alarm Over the Harms of Air Pollution 12-06-23A study released on the eve of the conference found that 8 million people around the world die annually from air pollution. And experts say the crisis is worsening.
UN Declares PFAS Pollution in North Carolina a Human Rights Violation 12-01-23
Its declaration marks the first time the international body has used such a framework to address the threat of “forever chemicals” in the U.S. Read more
Georgia has world’s largest wood pellet factory, and state says its exceeding pollution limits 12-01-23
“They are just completely blowing past the legal limits for hazardous air pollutants and have been for some time,” said Heather Hillaker.
Polluting Industries Say the Cost of Cleaner Air Is Too High 11-13-23
As the Biden administration prepares to toughen air quality standards, health benefits are weighed against the cost of compliance. Read more
Navy base’s wretched reminders not just petroleum in soils 11-02-23
Petroleum spilled and partially cleaned up at a long-abandoned U.S. Navy base at Cape Hatteras recently reemerged in clumps of peat soil after a storm.
Lawn equipment spews ‘shocking’ amount of air pollution, new data shows 10-30-23
“Really inefficient engine technology is, pound for pound, more polluting than cars and trucks.” Read more
How the ‘circular economy’ went from environmentalist dream to marketing buzzword 08-09-23
Can plastics be circular? At a recent conference, companies’ answer was a resounding yes. Read more
Did plastic straw bans work? Yes, but not in the way you’d think. 08-04-23
Plastic straws used to be “environment enemy number one.” Read more
Study is first to sample NC rivers, streams for microplastics 07-31-23
A recent study estimates that 230 billion tiny pieces of plastic the thickness of a human hair and 670 million microplastics about than the size of a grain of sand flow into the Pamlico Sound from the Neuse River Basin each year. Read more
Here are the chances your water supply is contaminated by ‘forever chemicals’ 07-07-23
If you live in America, it’s a coin toss. Read more
Clothed in chemicals: A new book sheds light on the toxic substances we wear daily 07-28-23
A Q&A on the fashion industry’s toxic chemicals problem — and how we can protect ourselves. Read more
As Plastics Keep Piling Up, Can ‘Advanced’ Recycling Cut the Waste? 06-01-23
Proponents of a process called pyrolysis — including oil and gas companies — contend it will keep post-consumer plastics out of landfills and reduce pollution. Read more
Opinion: UN plastics treaty should prioritize health and climate change 05-31-23
Delegates should push for a treaty that takes a full-lifecycle approach to plastic pollution. Read more
Burning trash for the planet? Climate cash sets off branding frenzy. 05-29-23
Incinerators, plastics companies and big agriculture among polluters racing to position as green as billions in federal subsidies flow. Read more
The EPA’s proposed PFAS regulations ignore a major source of drinking water contamination 05-18-23
A new study suggests unregulated “precursor” compounds account for half of total PFAS pollution at sites around the country. Read more
A simple way to prevent heaps of methane pollution: Composting 05-15-23
A new study says the practice could slash landfill emissions by as much as 84 percent. Read more
Green groups sue EPA over decades-old water pollution rules 04-12-23
Technologies to control wastewater contamination have come a long way since the 1980s. Regulations haven’t. Read more
EPA announces rules curbing cancer-causing pollution from chemical plants 04-06-23
The agency claims the proposed rules will result in a 96% reduction in the population facing cancer risk from 200 polluters. Read more
As Enforcement Lags, Toxic Coal Ash Keeps Polluting U.S. Water 03-23-23
Despite rules requiring remediation, only a few of the nearly 300 U.S. power plants storing toxic ash — the residue of burning coal — have started cleanups or have plans to do so. Read more
Microplastics Are Polluting the Ocean at a Shocking Rate 03-08-23
Some 11 billion pounds of plastic particles are blanketing the surface alone. But a new study points to hope—if countries act now. Read more
In a growing petrochemical hub, the East Palestine derailment triggers ‘an uneasy feeling’ 03-01-23
The Upper Ohio River Valley has been layered in industrial pollution for centuries, and residents are fed up. Read more
Any Way the Wind Blows 02-16-23
A Koch-owned chemical plant in Texas spent years running from the Clean Air Act. New evidence suggests it bent the law until it broke. Read more
Coal Ash Along the Shores of the Great Lakes Threatens Water Quality as Residents Rally for Change 02-05-23
More than 100 coal ash waste sites, many unregulated, sit just feet from the Great Lakes, raising concerns for nearby communities and the 30 million people who rely on the lakes for drinking water. Read more
Will California’s new oil and gas laws protect people from toxic pollution? 01-09-23
California will soon have the largest oil drilling setbacks in the U.S. Experts say other states can learn from this move. Read more
2022
E.P.A. Tightens Rules on Pollution From Vans, Buses and Trucks 12-20-22
For the first time in decades, the agency has restricted nitrogen dioxide emissions from heavy vehicles. Read more
Amazon’s plastic packaging waste grew 18% in 2021, report says 12-15-22
The retail giant says it generated 214 million pounds of plastic waste last year. An advocacy group says it produced three times as much. Read more
California’s two largest cities ban plastic foam 12-09-22
San Diego and Los Angeles join hundreds of municipalities nationwide that are phasing out polystyrene. Read more
Poultry Farm Aerial Investigations 11-29-22
The goal of the flight was to identify farms in the White Oak River Basin and look for permit violations that can lead to contamination in waterways. Read more
How Floating Wetlands Are Helping to Clean Up Urban Waters 11-22-22
As cities around the world look to rid their waterways of remaining pollution, researchers are installing artificial islands brimming with grasses and sedges. The islands’ surfaces attract wildlife, while the underwater plant roots absorb contaminants and support aquatic life. Read more
380 million tons of plastic are made every year. None of it is truly recyclable. 10-24-22
According to the Last Beach Cleanup, only 3 percent of Americans have access to recycling facilities that accept these trays. Credit: The Last Beach Cleanup. Read more
California Passed a Landmark Law About Plastic Pollution. Why Are Some Environmentalists Still Concerned? 10-12-22
California has a new environmental law that’s described as either a major milestone on the road to tackling the scourge of plastic pollution—or a future failure with a loophole big enough to accommodate a fleet of garbage trucks. Read more
Hawaii to US Navy: Quit polluting our waters 10-06-22
A $9 million fine and a sewage leak into Pearl Harbor are just the latest in a series of water crises. Read more
Toxins study notes Clean Water Act’s ‘unfulfilled promise’ 10-05-22
North Carolina is home to two of the top five watersheds in the country that had the highest amounts of toxins discharged in 2020 – the upper New River and the lower Cape Fear River, a new report finds. Read more
How California’s Salton Sea went from vacation destination to toxic nightmare 10-04-22
And why the shrinking lake might be key to meeting America’s clean energy goals. Read more
New study suggests coal ash pollution more widespread than previously thought 10-03-22
The study found large quantities of coal ash in the sediment, or sand, of five recreational lakes across North Carolina. Read more
Ocean oil pollution is growing — and not from oil spills 09-29-22
Cars and highways are among the top contributors to ocean oil pollution, study finds. Read more
In defense of darkness 08-05-22
Artificial light is polluting the night sky. What do we stand to lose? Read more
The search for the source of plastic pollution 07-21-22
Clean up efforts in the Pacific Northwest are directing their attention away from the end life of plastic to focus on the beginning. Read more
Here are 3 ways the EPA can still regulate climate pollution 07-15-22
After West Virginia v. EPA, the Clean Air Act still holds the keys to climate action. Read more
Urban Waters: Discovering the Hidden Beauty of a Jersey River 07-12-22
Flowing through hard-pressed Camden, New Jersey’s Cooper River was long abused and ignored by area residents. Read more
Nearly half of Amazon shareholders agree: Time to cut back on plastic packaging 06-14-22
They’re part of a growing movement calling for greater plastic reductions. Read more
Interior Department to phase out single-use plastics on all public lands 06-09-22
Agencies including the National Park Service will have until 2032 to eliminate them. Read more
EPA reaches tandem deals over ‘Cancer Alley’ pollution 06-06-22
Under a proposed consent decree that still needs a federal judge’s approval. Read more
Air Monitors Alone Won’t Save Communities From Toxic Industrial Air Pollution 05-18-22
Calvert City, Kentucky, has long had what people in other toxic hot spots have been begging for: monitors to prove they’re being exposed to toxic industrial air pollution. Read more
Report: Pollution is connected to 9 million deaths worldwide each year 05-18-22
World governments have made “strikingly little effort” to solve the problem. Read more
In ‘Silent Spring,’ Rachel Carson Described a Fictional, Bucolic Hamlet, Much Like Her Hometown. 05-10-22
Now, There’s a Plastics Plant Under Construction 30 Miles Away. Read more
The US only recycled about 5% of plastic waste last year 05-04-22
A new report highlights recycling’s failure to keep up with growing volumes of plastic trash. Read more
U.N. Adopts Historic Resolution Aimed at Ending Plastic Pollution 03-02-22
For the first time, the international community has agreed on a framework to curb the world’s growing plastic problem. Read more
The environmental costs of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine 02-25-22
“Fighting around these sites risks generating extreme toxic pollution.” Read more
Plastic pollution is a global problem – here’s how to design an effective treaty to curb it 02-24-22
According to one widely cited estimate, by 2025, 100 million to 250 million metric tons of plastic waste could enter the ocean each year. Read more
Yes, disposable masks are made of plastic. And that’s a problem. 02-22-22
Masks are filling the oceans, killing marine life, and boosting carbon emissions. Environmentalists need to weigh in. Read more
Americans agree on something: Get single-use plastics out of our national parks 01-14-22
A new poll finds bipartisan support for ridding parks of plastic. Read more
Ghosts of Polluters Past 01-13-22
As new soil tests reveal the pervasiveness of lead contamination, one California barrio continues its long struggle for justice. Read more
2021
Beyond reusing and recycling: How the US could actually reduce plastic production 12-13-21
Whether it’s a cap on production or a market mechanism, it’s likely to meet industry opposition. Read more
Report: Plastic is on track to become a bigger climate problem than coal 10-22-21
A new report details 10 ways, from fracking to incineration, that plastic contributes to global warming. Read more
Corporations tried to blame you for the plastic crisis. Now states are turning the tables. 09-13-21
As recycling heads to the dump, Maine and Oregon have a new strategy: Make companies pay. Read more
North Carolina’s New Farm Bill Speeds the Way for Smithfield’s Massive Biogas Plan for Hog Farms 08-31-21
Environmental justice advocates say the legislation curtails community input on the plan for capturing methane from giant, polluting waste lagoons and selling it as natural gas. Read more
How the U.S. Could Slash Climate Pollution by 2030 08-24-21
Democrats will soon reveal how the Biden administration’s plans could cut U.S. climate pollution in half this decade. Is that goal even possible? Read more
Ocean Plastic: What You Need to Know 06-08-21
Ocean bound plastic is plastic waste that is headed toward our oceans. Read more
Study suggests pollution plays an outsized role in western Pennsylvania cancer rates 06-04-21
Researchers estimate that if everyone in Allegheny County had quit smoking 20 years ago, lung cancer rates would only be 11% lower. Among 612 other U.S. counties, lung cancer rates would have declined an average of 62%. Read more
How a massive new cattle feedlot threatens one of Iowa’s last pristine waterways 04-26-21
Years of controversy, environmental violations, and a whole lot of poop Read more
Delaware Poultry Plant Agrees to Pay $205 Million After Polluting Groundwater for Years 04-15-21
Montaire’s plant in Millsboro, Delaware, dumped approximately two million gallons of sludge into fields. Read more
Mississippi biomass facility fined for emitting three times more air pollution than permitted 02-25-21
Wood pellet manufacturing plants have underreported emissions at plants throughout the South, which are most often in Black and low-income communities. Read more at Southerly Magazine
Hometown pollution shaped the next EPA chief 01-22-21
It’s 6 miles as the crow flies from the childhood home of Michael Regan to the shuttered coal plant that helped light up this city of 35,000 people. Read more at E&E News