(The uardian) Five firms in plastic pollution alliance ‘made 1,000 times more plastic than they cleaned up’

Companies such as ExxonMobil, Dow, Shell, TotalEnergies and ChevronPhillips have only diverted 0.1% of the plastic they produced since 2019 away from the environment, according to data.

Oil and chemical companies who created a high-profile alliance to end plastic pollution have produced 1,000 times more new plastic in five years than the waste they diverted from the environment, according to new data obtained by Greenpeace.

The Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) was set up in 2019 by a group of companies which include ExxonMobil, Dow, Shell, TotalEnergies and ChevronPhillips, some of the world's biggest producers of plastic. They promised to divert 15m tonnes of plastic waste from the environment in five years to the end of 2023, by improving collection and recycling, and creating a circular economy.

"The recycling schemes they're promoting can barely make a dent in all the plastic these companies are pumping out," he said. "They're letting the running tap flood the house while trying to scoop up the water with a teaspoon. The only solution is to cut the amount of plastic produced in the first place."

Bill McKibben, a US environmentalist, said: "It's hard to imagine a clearer example of greenwashing in this world. The oil and gas industry – which is pretty much the same thing as the plastics industry – has been at this for decades."

Read on from source:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/nov/20/five-firms-in-plastic-pollution-alliance-made-1000-times-more-waste-than-they-saved-analysis-shows

EPA Launches New Initiative to Tackle PFAS, Identify Emerging Contaminants in Water

EPA - November 20, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency launched a new, no-cost technical assistance effort focused on reducing exposure to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and other emerging contaminants in small or disadvantaged communities. This initiative is part of EPA's Water Technical Assistance (WaterTA) program.

The Tackling Emerging Contaminants initiative will help eligible public drinking-water systems evaluate emerging contaminant issues, conduct initial water quality testing, and identify next steps in 200 small or disadvantaged communities over the next three years. EPA will also share best practices and amplify successes through case studies, fact sheets, webinars, and other resources regarding addressing emerging contaminants, including PFAS.

"The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is providing a focused opportunity to help small and disadvantaged communities address PFAS and emerging contaminants to ensure that drinking water is clean and safe for residents," said EPA Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for Water Bruno Pigott. "By working hand-in-hand with local partners, the Tackling Emerging Contaminants initiative will help ensure that historically underserved areas have access to safer drinking water that is essential for healthy and vibrant communities."

President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has provided an unprecedented $50 billion to improve water infrastructure across the nation. Of this funding, $5 billion is dedicated to the Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) grant program, which supports this latest technical-assistance initiative.

EPA's free water technical assistance initiatives help communities identify their water challenges, develop plans, build capacity, and develop their application materials to access federal funding. The Tackling Emerging Contaminants initiative builds on EPA's robust suite of technical assistance programs and includes diagnostic water quality sampling and analysis, source water assessment, preliminary treatment design and evaluations, operational and sampling training, and identifying solutions to address emerging contaminants and PFAS contamination including community engagement and outreach support.

In April 2024, EPA issued the PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation to protect communities from exposure to harmful PFAS, also known as "forever chemicals." Exposure to PFAS has been linked to adverse health impacts that include some cancers, liver and heart disease, and immune and developmental damage to infants and children.

Communities can learn more about EPA's new Tackling Emerging Contaminants initiative, on EPA's WaterTA website.

Source:

https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-launches-new-initiative-tackle-pfas-identify-emerging-contaminants-water

Some good news: Greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union fell by 37 percent below 1990 levels

Greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union fell by eight percent last year — to 37 percent below 1990 levels — according to a new report, Trends and projections in Europe 2024, by the European Environment Agency (EEA).

The massive reduction in pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuels in 2023 was aided by the ramping up of renewables like solar and wind, as well as the shutting down of coal-fired power plants.

Source:

https://www.ecowatch.com/greenhouse-gas-emissions-decrease-europe-2023.html

A world without OSHA: Saudi Arabia’s $1 trillion giga-project The Line reaches new milestone after reports that 21,000 workers had died

NEWSWEEK: The largest construction project in Saudi Arabia has reached a new milestone amid growing concerns about the nation's workplace safety.

The city of Neom, which is the largest construction site in the world, announced that neighborhood planning and design for the 105-mile-long "linear city" will begin in 2025, with new global partners steering the process.

The announcement comes after a documentary shown by U.K. broadcaster ITV alleged that 21,000 foreign workers had died and another 100,000 more have gone missing while working on Saudi Arabian megaprojects.

In a statement released on Monday, Neom announced that the city, also known as The Line, would soon be entering "Phase One" of construction, heralded by the appointment of British development consultancy firm Mott MacDonald as the city infrastructure engineer.

Global design firm Gensler was also announced as the city's planning consultant, responsible for designing microclimate, mobility, logistics, and sustainability for the city, which aims to house 9 million residents once completed.

Source:

https://www.newsweek.com/workers-killed-saudi-megaprojects-construction-1977972

https://www.newsweek.com/saudi-arabia-megaproject-construction-workers-1984257