A single scratch on a non-stick coated pan can release approximately 9,100 PFAS plastic particles.

A new study, published in the Science of The Total Environment (PMID: 36030853) found that a single scratch on a non-stick coated pan can release approximately 9,100 plastic particles.

"Plastic" in this paper refers to PFAS chemicals that are polymers - not the kind of plastic used in water bottles, etc.

Many (but not all) chemicals in the PFAS family are classified as polymers. Polymer simply means "many segments" - they are molecules that are long chains made up of many segments.

This paper has found that non-stick-coated cookware can release thousands to millions of these micro and nano-plastic polymers. They are releasing PFAS particles when used, and these particles are ending up in our food. This testing was done mimicking around 30 seconds of cooking on both new and old/used cookware with different types of utensils.

Study authors write: "It is expected that the true amount of the released microplastics and nanoplastics from the actual cooking process is significantly higher, even with variations"

Read study at:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36030853/

NASA Scientists Join White House Cancer Initiative

NASA - "Cancer is a leading cause of death among Americans as well as a long-term risk for astronauts due to space radiation exposure. Scientists at NASA have been studying cancer for decades, focusing on understanding risks to astronauts," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. "Through this initiative, NASA will work with agencies and researchers across the government to help end cancer as we know it. This endeavor represents NASA's ambition to propel humanity forward – for science, for health, and for hope." 

NASA's space radiation team is comprised of 25 people across the agency, universities, industries, and government facilities. Representatives meet periodically with the Presidential Cancer Cabinet, which includes Administrator Nelson, to discuss the status of their research, and brainstorm ideas to further progress and interagency collaboration.

"The White House has requested all hands on deck to improve the outcome of cancer diagnoses," said Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "We are honored to have employees from the Space Radiation Element not only work to protect our astronauts, but also work to protect our nation through the Cancer Moonshot Initiative."

For instance, scientists are seeking to develop and test new screening technologies for specific cancers as only a handful of cancers currently have well-vetted, early-detection protocols. They strive to incorporate these new detection methods into the astronaut health surveillance program, which could help spot certain cancers earlier and make these measures more widely available.

"We want to know: What are those cancers' early 'tells'? And how feasible is it to screen for those tells?" explained Robin Elgart, Space Radiation Element lead scientist at Johnson. "If we could find these early-detection technologies and implement them into the astronaut health surveillance program, collaborations through the Cancer Moonshot could pave the way for broader use and acceptance of these new detection methods." 

"NASA support could even help the new technologies to come to market," added Brock Sishc, Space Radiation Element cancer discipline lead at Johnson. "Then we can help not only our astronauts, but also potential cancer patients on Earth."

Scientists are also working to identify medicines and dietary supplements that could help reduce the risk of cancer from radiation exposure. Searching for such compounds requires scrutinizing large groups of people over long durations – something NASA's small set of astronauts can't provide. Using connections forged through the Cancer Moonshot to access and process vast data sets involved with modern drug screening may help. Finding patterns in these data sets could reveal new insights.

In addition, NASA seeks to harness cutting-edge technologies to develop personalized cancer risk assessments from radiation exposure. The research, still in its early stages, involves using small devices called tissue chips, which help scientists model human systems.

Please read full at:

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-scientists-join-white-house-cancer-initiative/

U.S. Department Of Energy Announces $43 Million to Support the Clean Energy Transition in Communities Across the Country

Research Projects Across 19 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico Will Help Communities Improve Energy Planning, Increase Grid Resilience, and Restore Power After Disasters

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $43 million for 23 projects to help communities plan their transition to a clean energy future and improve grid reliability and security. Twenty research projects will focus on increasing communities' resilience to disruptions from extreme weather and other disasters, and three will focus on building tools to help communities better evaluate and benefit from local energy resources. Researchers will develop and share planning methodologies, tools, technologies, and best practices that can be replicated in communities across the country as they work to install clean energy and strengthen grid infrastructure. Today's project announcements will help communities secure their energy future and support President Biden's goals to decarbonize the electricity sector by 2035 and achieve a net-zero economy by 2050.

"Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to giving local communities the tools to understand and make informed decisions about their own energy supply and needs," said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. "These critical projects will help deliver reliable, affordable energy to every pocket of America—strengthening the safety and resiliency of communities across the nation and improving the quality of life for Americans everywhere."

Communities across the nation have faced increased disruptions in power caused by extreme weather events due to climate change. According to NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information, the U.S. has sustained 15 climate disaster events in 2022 with losses exceeding $1 billion each. Overall, these events have cost $30 billion and had significant economic effects on the areas impacted. Power outages can have disastrous effects, shutting down critical services such as water, energy, communications, transportation, and other types of infrastructure.

The Renewables Advancing Community Energy Resilience (RACER) funding program seeks to enable communities to utilize solar and solar-plus-storage solutions to prevent disruptions in power caused by extreme weather and other events, and to rapidly restore electricity if the power goes down. The 20 projects selected under RACER will advance innovative approaches to community energy planning and develop and demonstrate resilient clean energy technologies. These projects span over 30 diverse communities from California to Puerto Rico, and include partners from local and state governments, national labs, universities, and nonprofit organizations.  

Read more at:
https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-announces-43-million-support-clean-energy-transition-communities-across-country

​ EPA Issues Final List of Contaminants for Potential Regulatory Consideration in Drinking Water, Significantly Increases PFAS Chemicals for Review

WASHINGTON (November 2, 2022) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the Final Fifth Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 5), which will serve as the basis for EPA's regulatory considerations over the next five-year cycle under the Safe Drinking Water Act. This update includes a substantial expansion of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), an important first step towards identifying additional PFAS that may require regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

"Following public engagement and robust scientific review, the final contaminant candidate list is the latest milestone in our regulatory efforts to ensure safe, clean drinking water for all communities," said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. "As EPA takes action to protect public health and the environment from PFAS, including proposing the first nationwide drinking water standards later this year, today's final CCL 5 looks further forward to consider additional protective steps for these forever chemicals."

A year ago, EPA published the PFAS Strategic Roadmap, outlining an Agency-wide approach to addressing PFAS in the environment. Today's announcement strengthens EPA's commitment to protect public health from impacts of PFAS and support the Agency's decision-making for potential future regulations of PFAS.

In addition to a group of PFAS, the Final CCL 5 includes 66 individually listed chemicals, two additional chemical groups (cyanotoxins and disinfection byproducts (DBPs)), and 12 microbes.

In developing the Final CCL 5, EPA requested public nominations, providing an opportunity for people to make recommendations to the Agency about specific contaminants of concern that may disproportionally affect their local community. EPA further enhanced the CCL process based on comments received on this CCL and previous CCLs, including by prioritizing data most relevant to drinking water exposure, improving considerations of sensitive populations including children, and considering the recommendations included in the Review of the EPA's Draft Fifth Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 5) report from the Science Advisory Board. These improvements resulted in a Final CCL 5 that can better inform prioritization of contaminants for potential regulatory actions and/or research efforts.

More information on the final Fifth Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 5).

https://www.epa.gov/ccl/contaminant-candidate-list-5-ccl-5

​OSHA awarded $11.7M in grants to provide training on hazard recognition and injury prevention, workers' rights, and employers' responsibilities.

The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $11,746,992, in grants to support worker and employer education to make workplaces around the nation safer and healthier.

Administered by the department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program is making grants to 90 nonprofit organizations in fiscal year 2022 for education and training on hazard recognition and injury prevention, workers' rights, and employers' legal responsibilities to provide safe and healthful workplaces.

Named for late Susan Harwood, former director of OSHA's Office of Risk Assessment, the grants are awarded in the Targeted Topic Training, Training and Educational Materials Development, and Capacity Building categories. During her 17 years with OSHA, Dr. Harwood helped develop federal standards to protect workers from bloodborne pathogens, cotton dust, benzene, formaldehyde, asbestos and lead in construction.

Please read full announcement here:

https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/national/09222022

EPA determined that Pigment Violet 29 (PV29) presents unreasonable risk to human health.

The agency assessed the impact of PV29 on workers, the general population, and consumers. EPA found unreasonable risk to workers and occupational non-users from manufacture, processing, industrial/commercial use in paints and coatings and merchant ink, and disposal. This is based on the severity of the health effects (specifically lung toxicity effects known as alveolar hyperplasia or an adverse increase in the number of cells in the lungs where oxygen transfer occurs) from long-term inhalation exposure. These risks drive the whole chemical determination of unreasonable risk to human health.

Read full at EPA:
https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/final-risk-evaluation-ci-pigment-violet-29

EPA Advances Rule to Designate PFOA, PFOS as CERCLA “Hazardous Substances”

Michael Best & Friedrich: After months of speculation as to timing, last week the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Regan advanced the Agency's proposed rule for the "Designation of Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid (PFOS) as CERCLA Hazardous Substances." The official version of the proposed rule has not yet been published in the Federal Register. When that occurs (expected within a few days), the 60-day public comment period will be triggered.  The proposed rule's release is on the heels of the Office of Management & Budget's (OMB) announcement that it designated the rulemaking as an economically significant action – a designation for measures expected to cost more than $100 million. The proposed rule attempts to address OMB's announcement by releasing its economic analysis (EA) of the potential costs, benefits and impacts associated with this action. When the proposed rulemaking is officially published, EPA's Economic Assessment of the Potential Costs and Other Impacts of the Proposed Rulemaking to Designated Perfluorooctanoic Acid and Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid as Hazardous Substances will be available for review and comment in EPA's docket.

EPA designates five economy-wide categories of entities potentially affected by the proposed rule:

• PFOA and/or PFOS manufacturers (including importers and importers of articles)
• PFOA and/or PFOS processors
• Manufacturers of products containing PFOA and/or PFOS;
• Downstream product manufacturers and users of PFOA and/or PFOS products; and
• Waste management and wastewater treatment facilities.

Given the widespread historic use of PFOA and PFOS for fire suppression and in the manufacture of consumer products and packaging, the proposed rule has wide-reaching impact and EPA's "categories" confirms the same.

Designation as Hazardous Substances
There are two ways that a substance may defined as a "hazardous" substance under CERCLA. The first is automatic when the substance is identified as hazardous or toxic pursuant to other specified federal environmental statutes (such as the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, etc.). The second is where the substance is designated as hazardous pursuant to CERLCA Section 102.  EPA's rulemaking is pursuant to CERCLA Section 102(a) which allows EPA to promulgate regulations designating as hazardous a substance "which, when released into the environment may present substantial danger to the public health or welfare or the environment." 42 U.S.C. § 9602(a).

Notably, EPA has never exercised its authority pursuant to Section 102(a) before so it has not previously issued an interpretation of the standard for designating a hazardous substance under CERCLA. The proposed rule conducts such an analysis to defend its rulemaking. Given that EPA has not used its authority in this manner before, expect this to be an area of focus for future legal challenges.

"Direct Impact" of the Proposed Rulemaking
EPA identifies three direct effects of the proposed rule. First, any person in charge of a vessel or facility must report releases of PFOA and PFOS of one (1) pound or more within a 24-hour period. EPA acknowledges this will apply to very few facilities/vessels because the Agency's estimate is that this will cause an increased cost of $561/release and an estimated annual cost of $370,000.  The second direct effect is that Federal agencies would be required to meet all of the property transfer requirements of CERCLA 120(h) when selling or transferring Federally-owned real property. This would require providing notice when any hazardous substance was stored for one year or more, known to have been released or disposed of, and providing a covenant warranting that all remedial action necessary to protection human health and the environment with respect to hazardous substances has occurred before the transfer (or will be conducted by the Federal government after the transfer).  With PFOA and PFOS included as hazardous substances, Federal agencies would need to consider those compounds in any property transfer notice.  The third direct effect is that upon designation as a hazardous substance, the Department of Transportation (DOT) would be required to list and regulate PFOA and PFOS as hazardous materials under the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (HMTA).

"Indirect Impacts" of the Proposed Rulemaking
EPA seemingly acknowledges that the real "action" of this proposed rulemaking is what the agency considers "indirect, downstream effects" of the designation.  These "indirect effects" include:

• EPA and other agencies exercising delegated CERLCA authority to respond to PFOA and PFOS releases and threatened releases without making the imminent and substantial endangerment finding that is required for responses now.
• EPA and delegated agencies could require potentially responsible parties ("PRPs") to address PFOA and PFOS releases that pose an imminent and substantial danger to public health or welfare or the environment.
• EPA and delegated agencies could recover PFOA and PFOS cleanup costs from PRPs, "to facilitate having polluters and other PRPs, rather than taxpayers, pay for these cleanups."
• Private parties that conduct cleanups that are consistent with the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Contingency Plan (NCP) could also recover PFOA and PFOS cleanup costs from PRPs.

EPA asserts that the CERCLA designation would "likely increase the pace at which cleanups occur because it will allow the Federal government to require responsible private parties to address releases of PFOS and PFOA at sites without other ongoing cleanup activities, and allow the government and private parties to seek to recover cleanup costs from PRPs assuming relevant statutory criteria are met."

EPA considers CERCLA response actions, including the investigation of hazardous substance releases and determining if removal or remedial action is necessary, to be "contingent, discretionary, and site-specific actions" as compared to the "only automatic, private party obligation that flows from designation as a CERCLA hazardous substance" which is the obligation to report releases of PFOA and PFOS.  EPA uses this apparent distinction to assert that this designation "does not create new costs, but rather allows costs to be shifted from the taxpayer to parties responsible for pollution under CERCLA" and that "[e]ven in those circumstances, where the government is able to transfer costs, a private party's ability to pay response costs is taken into account under the statute and in EPA's implementation" of CERCLA.

Read full from Michael Best & Friedrich:
https://www.michaelbest.com/Newsroom/296003/EPA-Advances-Rule-to-Designate-PFOA-PFOS-as-CERCLA-Hazardous-Substances

Forever Chemicals No More? PFAS Are Destroyed With New Technique

The harmful molecules are everywhere, but chemists have made progress in developing a method to break them down.

Dr. Trang and Dr. Dichtel teamed up with other chemists at U.C.L.A. and in China to figure out what was happening. The sodium hydroxide hastens the destruction of the PFAS molecules by eagerly bonding with the fragments as they fall apart. The fluorine atoms lose their link to the carbon atoms, becoming harmless.

"Once you give it a chance, this thing will unzip," Dr. Dichtel said.

Dr. Strathmann, who was not involved in the research, said that the new study was important because it was based on chemistry profoundly different from other methods that were being studied. "We're going to need some creative solutions," he said.

Read full at NY Times;

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/18/science/pfas-forever-chemicals.html

Wisconsin PFAS Action Council Releases PFAS Action Plan Progress Report

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced the Wisconsin PFAS Action Council (WisPAC) released its PFAS Action Plan Progress Report. The Progress Report outlines steps taken by state agencies to address PFAS contamination since December 2020, when the Wisconsin PFAS Action Plan was released.

The Wisconsin PFAS Action Plan includes 25 recommended action items categorized into eight themes: standard setting, sampling, pollution prevention, education and communication, research and knowledge, phase-out, future investments and historic discharges.

"The progress we've seen with addressing PFAS as a state is a reflection of the coordination and collaboration that grew out of WisPAC and the PFAS Action Plan," said DNR Secretary Preston D. Cole. "I am proud of the continued work by WisPAC, with DNR at the helm, in partnership with communities and stakeholders working together toward solutions that will protect the public and support our businesses."

Progress report highlights include:

• Investing $1 million to collect more than 25,000 gallons of PFAS-containing firefighting foam waste from across more than 60 counties in Wisconsin.
• Sampling more than 125 municipal drinking water systems, 100 waste water treatment plants and hundreds of private drinking water wells.
• Establishing the Office of Environmental Justice.
• Initiating legal action against 18 major chemical companies.

WisPAC member agencies will continue working on the Action Plan and expect additional community resources to be deployed this year. In addition to launching an interactive PFAS mapping tool, work continues with stakeholders to implement standards for certain PFAS in drinking water and surface water.

The PFAS Action Plan was developed by WisPAC, a group of nearly 20 state agencies and the University of Wisconsin, to address environmental and public health concerns that are or may be posed by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Wisconsin. The plan was created in response to Governor Evers' Executive Order #40, directing Dept. of Natural Resources to lead a group of state agencies in building a blueprint for how Wisconsin can address the use of and contamination from these "forever chemicals."

With DNR leading the way, WisPAC has partnered with Wisconsin's local governments, businesses and communities in developing and implementing the PFAS Action Plan. Recommended actions in the plan include items identified through input from the public, state agencies and a citizen and local government advisory group. Each recommendation contains an overview of what would be required to bring it to fruition, including budgetary, legislative and staffing needs.


To read the PFAS Action Plan, the Progress Report or learn more about WisPAC, please visit the DNR's Wisconsin PFAS Action Council (WisPAC) webpage. 

https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/PFAS/WisPAC.html

Dangerous Cleaning Products Prompt FDA Warning

This summer, the FDA issued a warning to consumers outlining the risk of using certain UV disinfecting light wands. Recent testing found some of the lights produce dangerous levels of UV-C radiation and pose the risk of eye and skin damage to people in the vicinity of the light.

The damage can occur with just a few seconds of exposure, officials say. Symptoms include a burn-like skin reaction and photokeratitis, a painful eye condition that can lead to a feeling of sand in the eyes.

Safety investigators on the case said the following list includes products not properly equipped to protect people from the radiation (but noted that the list is not exhaustive, and other products on the market may be unsafe, as well). In some cases, UV-C radiation levels were 3,000 times more than the exposure limit recommended by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection.

Image Source: FDA (Content draxe.com)

Cleaning Alternatives

Home cleaning products are generally not tested for long-term impact on public health. In fact, it's difficult to even know all of the ingredients in cleaners, since they only have to account for active ingredients.

It may come as no surprise, then, that people who clean for a profession can experience lung damage equivalent to smoking 20 cigarettes a day for 10 to 20 years.

Knowing the chemical damage that can occur from chemical cleaning products, it's no wonder people are looking for alternatives like UV disinfectants. The problem is we don't have strong laws to make sure they are safe before going on sale to the general public.

You can even take a look at its database, focusing in on how products rank in its disinfectant category.

Here are a few cleaning tips to remember:

• While vinegar is a group cleaning product, it is generally not the greatest disinfectant.
• A 2014 study found that it can kill bacteria that causes tuberculosis, however, it took 30 minutes of contact time, which isn't always practical.
• When you do clean with vinegar, use a 1:1 ratio of what vinegar to water for cleaning stovetops, floors and other surfaces. (Always test an inconspicuous spot. Vinegar doesn't play well with certain surfaces, like stone, waxed wood, aluminum and cast iron, according to NSF.)

Conclusion

• UV light disinfection wands are gaining popularity, although the FDA found many to be unsafe.
• FDA testing found certain UV wands emitted UV-C radiation at levels 3,000 times above the recommended safe level.
• Even just a few seconds of exposure at these levels can cause skin and eye damage, the FDA noted.
• Choose safer cleaning and disinfection methods, like scrubbing with soap and water and using unscented rubbing alcohol (minimum 60% alcohol) to kill germs.

Regulatory actions for Cycle 1 of "Safer Products for Washington"

Regulatory actions for Cycle 1 of o"Safer Products for Washington"

We determined restrictions are needed for the following chemical-product combinations:

• Organohalogen flame retardants in external plastic device casings for electric and electronic products intended for indoor use
• Organohalogen and organophosphate flame retardants in RCW 70A.430 in recreational polyurethane:
  • Uncovered foam pits
  • Covered floor mats
  • Covered flooring
  • Outdoor recreational products
• Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in:
  • Carpets and rugs
  • Indoor leather and textile furniture and furnishings
  • Aftermarket stain- and water-resistance treatments for leather and textile products
• Bisphenols in:
  • Thermal paper
  • Drink can linings
• Alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs) in laundry detergent
• Ortho-phthalates in:
  • Vinyl flooring
  • Fragrances used in personal care and beauty products

We determined reporting requirements are needed for the following chemical-product combinations:

• Organohalogen flame retardants in external plastic device casings for electric and electronic products intended for outdoor use
• Organohalogen and organophosphate flame retardants listed in RCW 70A.430 in recreational polyurethane covered wall padding
• PFAS in outdoor leather and textile furniture and furnishings
• Bisphenols in food can linings

What changed between the draft and final report

We made a number of changes to integrate feedback from our stakeholders and communities. Read how we incorporated feedback in our comment overview. Three regulatory determinations changed between draft and final:

• We changed our determination to no action on polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in paints or printing inks. We believe federal Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) regulations preempt us.
• We changed our determination from a restriction on PFAS in leather and textile furniture and furnishings intended for outdoor use to a reporting requirement.
• We changed our determination from a restriction on flame retardants in electric and electronic enclosures intended for outdoor use to a reporting requirement. We also further clarified which electric and electronic products are in scope.

If interested, you can view comments from other stakeholders on the draft report. To hear a summary of the results from our public comment survey, watch our video covering the highlights (also available in Spanish). For more details, check out our infographic (also available in Spanish) and blog post covering the results. You can also review the complete, unedited responses to the survey.

Find out more at:

https://www.ezview.wa.gov/site/alias__1962/37555/safer_products_for_washington.aspx

Free Virtual Workshop Indoor Air Management of Airborne Pathogens Lessons, Practices,

About this workshop

The Environmental Health Matters Initiative (EHMI) of the National Academies invites you to register for the first workshop in our three-part series on Indoor Air Management of Airborne Pathogens building upon the 2020 workshop on the airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2. These workshops will explore strategies needed for airborne disease control and risk reduction in enclosed places by drawing on accumulated community and institutional knowledge, on-the-ground observations of indoor environments management during the pandemic, and novel and promising scientific discoveries.

The first workshop in the series will engage multidisciplinary speakers and active participants to investigate the state of knowledge concerning building management to reduce the transmission of airborne pathogens. Speakers will highlight progress made since 2020, identify critical research gaps, and explore technical and social barriers to implementation. Participants will share their experiences with the management of enclosed spaces during the pandemic and identify promising practices to be adopted to make these places safer.

Learn more about the structure of the workshop and the speakers by visiting our webpage, where you will soon be able to download the meeting agenda.

Your Voice Matters!

We want to hear a broad range of perspectives before the workshop to inform the conversation during the event. Please fill out any or all questions included in this anonymous questionnaire if you are or aren't able to attend the event.

Date and time

Thu, August 18, 2022

11:30 AM – 3:30 PM EDT

Register here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/indoor-air-management-of-airborne-pathogens-lessons-practices-innovations-tickets-379941755017

Help counseling patients on PFAS

Healthcare providers need to know how to counsel patients about PFAS, known as "forever chemicals." Perfluoro alkyl substances (PFAS) have been found contaminating over 2,500 communities in the US, and 97% of Americans have PFAS in their blood. On July 28, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine released a report recommending that healthcare providers order PFAS blood levels on their exposed patients.

Doctors, nurses and other health professionals need to know who is exposed, how to interpret blood PFAS results, and what to tell their patients. We have developed two short videos (2 minutes each) for healthcare providers that introduces them to PFAS and directs them to a CME webinar on PFAS hosted at the University of Cincinnati. We are asking you to help us disseminate these videos to your providers and other stakeholders, on your social media, or in your newsletter.

Here are the links to the videos:

PFAS Doctor's Perspective - YouTube

PFAS Questions with Dr. Nicholas Newman - YouTube

 

Via Susan Buchanan, MD, MPH
Director, Great Lakes Center for Reproductive and Children's Environmental Health at the University of Illinois at Chicago/ Region 5 Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit https://childrensenviro.uic.edu/

EPA Issues Draft Revisions to its Risk Determination for the 1-Bromopropane (1-BP) Risk Evaluation Issued Under the Toxic Substance Control Act

On July 20, 2022, EPA published a draft revision to its risk determination for 1-bromopropane, also referred to as "1-BP." EPA proposed revisions to supersede the conditions of use previously issued in the 2020 1-BP evaluation. Due to recent policy changes, EPA is replacing its condition of use-specific unreasonable risk determinations with a determination of unreasonable risk for 1-BP as a whole chemical substance driven by certain condition of uses.

As part of the revision, EPA is removing the assumption of personal protective equipment use by workers, which means that 23 out of 25 conditions of use evaluated would drive the determination that 1-BP presents an unreasonable risk of injury to human health under its conditions of use. Two out of 25 conditions of use would not drive the unreasonable risk: commercial and consumer use of 1-BP in insulation for building and construction materials, and distribution in commerce.

Comments are due on August 19, 2022.

Read the revised risk determination here
https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-07/1-Bromopropane%20Draft%20Revised%20Unreasonable%20Risk%20Determination.pdf

​The world's largest vertical farm ready to produce more than 2 million pounds of leafy greens annually.

The world's largest vertical farm using 95% less water and is ready to produce more than 2 million pounds of leafy greens annually.

Bustanica was built by Crop One Holdings in collaboration with Emirates Flight Catering. It recently opened its doors in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, near Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central. The facility is as big as 330,000-square-foot and spans over 175 yards.
95% less water

The crops produced in the facility will turn out clean and not require pre-washing as they will grow without pesticides, herbicides, or chemicals. The facility itself employs 95 percent less water, unlike traditional farms, and will produce three tons of output per day while wielding machine learning, artificial intelligence, and data analytics.

The facility utilizes a closed-loop system that circulates water through plants to use water efficiently. Water vaporizes during the watering process and is recycled into the system, which saves 250m liters of water every year compared to traditional outdoor farming producing the same output.


Read full at:
https://interestingengineering.com/the-worlds-largest-vertical-farm-using-95-less-water-opens-in-dubai

7 Cryptomining Companies Use Nearly as Much Energy as All Homes in Houston, Congressional Investigation Finds

A new congressional investigation, led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass), has found that seven of the top Bitcoin mining companies will use about as much energy as all the homes in Houston (nearly 1 million homes), the fourth most populous city in the U.S.

A group of Democratic Senators, including Warren and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Representatives Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) are calling on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) for more regulations on the cryptomining industry.

"The results of our investigation … are disturbing … revealing that cryptominers are large energy users that account for a significant – and rapidly growing – amount of carbon emissions," the lawmakers wrote in a letter to EPA and DOE. "Our investigation suggests that the overall U.S. cryptomining industry is likely to be problematic for energy and emissions. But little is known about the full scope of cryptomining activity. Given these concerns, it is imperative that your agencies work together to address the lack of information about cryptomining's energy use and environmental impacts, and use all available authorities at your disposal…  to require reporting of energy use and emissions from cryptominers."

Please read full from sources:
https://grist.org/climate-energy/congress-crypto-mining-electricity-use-houston/
and
https://www.ecowatch.com/cryptomining-companies-energy.html

Maine Act To Stop Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Pollution

In July 2021, Public Law c. 477, An Act To Stop Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Pollution (LD 1503, 130th Legislature) was enacted by the Maine Legislature. This new law requires manufacturers of products with intentionally added PFAS to report the intentionally added presence of PFAS in those products to the Department beginning January 1, 2023. The law also prohibits the sale of carpets or rugs, as well as the sale of fabric treatments, that contain intentionally added PFAS beginning on January 1, 2023. Effective January 1, 2030, any product containing intentionally added PFAS may not be sold in Maine unless the use of PFAS in the product is specifically designated as a currently unavoidable use by the Department.

 

To implement the product notification requirements the Department is working with the Interstate Chemicals Clearinghouse to develop an online reporting database similar to those already in use by other states. The Department is also in the process of developing a rule to clarify the upcoming reporting requirements. During the rule development process there will be an opportunity for stakeholder input on the implementation of the program. If you are interested, please sign up to receive notification of Department rulemaking and opportunity to comment notices on our website. 

 

There is also a FAQ at https://www1.maine.gov/dep/spills/topics/pfas/PFAS-products/index.html

Notice - Wisconsin PFOA/PFOS Rules to Take Effect August 1

Effective August 1, 2022 are two PFOA/PFOS rules. One on drinking water rule (CR 21‐088) and the second on surface water rule

CR 21-088
Department of Natural Resources (NR)
Environmental Protection – Water Supply
The promulgation of new drinking water maximum contaminant levels for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) including Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)

Visit https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code/register/2022/798b/register#cr

for details.

CDC study finds ‘Disturbing’: weedkiller ingredient tied to cancer found in 80% of US urine samples

theguardian: CDC study finds glyphosate, controversial ingredient found in weedkillers including popular Roundup brand, present in samples

More than 80% of urine samples drawn from children and adults in a US health study contained a weedkilling chemical linked to cancer, a finding scientists have called "disturbing" and "concerning".

The report by a unit of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that out of 2,310 urine samples, taken from a group of Americans intended to be representative of the US population, 1,885 were laced with detectable traces of glyphosate. This is the active ingredient in herbicides sold around the world, including the widely used Roundup brand. Almost a third of the participants were children ranging from six to 18.
A bumblebee covered in pollen

Academics and private researchers have been noting high levels of the herbicide glyphosate in analyses of human urine samples for years. But the CDC has only recently started examining the extent of human exposure to glyphosate in the US, and its work comes at a time of mounting concerns and controversy over how pesticides in food and water impact human and environmental health.

"I expect that the realization that most of us have glyphosate in our urine will be disturbing to many people," said Lianne Sheppard, professor at the University of Washington's department of environmental and occupational health sciences. Thanks to the new research, "we know that a large fraction of the population has it in urine. Many people will be thinking about whether that includes them."

Read full here:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jul/09/weedkiller-glyphosate-cdc-study-urine-samples

Read full CDC report here:
https://wwwn.cdc.gov/Nchs/Nhanes/2013-2014/SSGLYP_H.htm

Glyphosate weedkiller damages wild bee colonies, study reveals
Read more
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jun/02/glyphosate-weedkiller-damages-wild-bumblebee-colonies

Revealed: US water likely contains more cancer causing ‘forever chemicals’ than EPA tests show

Guardian analysis of water samples taken in nine US locations shows test agency uses is likely missing significant levels of PFAS pollutants

A Guardian analysis of water samples from around the United States shows that the type of water testing relied on by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is so limited in scope that it is probably missing significant levels of PFAS pollutants.

The undercount leaves regulators with an incomplete picture of the extent of PFAS contamination and reveals how millions of people may be facing an unknown health risk in their drinking water.

The analysis checked water samples from PFAS hot spots around the country with two types of tests: an EPA-developed method that detects 30 types of the approximately 9,000 PFAS compounds, and another that checks for a marker of all PFAS.

The Guardian found that seven of the nine samples collected showed higher levels of PFAS in water using the test that identifies markers for PFAS, than levels found when the water was tested using the EPA method – and at concentrations as much as 24 times greater.

"The EPA is doing the bare minimum it can and that's putting people's health at risk," said Kyla Bennett, policy director at the advocacy group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility
Ties to cancer

PFAS are a class of chemicals used since the 1950s to make thousands of products repel water, stains and heat. They are often called "forever chemicals" because they don't fully break down, accumulating in the environment, humans and animals. Some are toxic at very low levels and have been linked to cancer, birth defects, kidney disease, liver problems, decreased immunity and other serious health issues.

Read full at:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jul/06/us-drinking-water-pfas-toxic-forever-chemicals-epa-tests

The US Supreme Court Narrows EPA’s Authority to Regulate GHG Under the Clean Air Act

In a 6-3 decision issued today in the case West Virginia v. EPA, the United States Supreme Court held that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) exceeded its statutory authority when it attempted to enact an economy-wide, power generation shifting rule in 2015 known as the Clean Power Plan. Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts cited a series of recent decisions where the Court held that administrative agencies had attempted to regulate the economy far beyond Congressionally delegated powers, implicating serious constitutional separation of powers questions. Citing its "major questions" doctrine, the Court concluded that Section 111 of the Clean Air Act does not empower EPA to substantially restructure the American energy market. Rather, the statute empowers the agency to regulate emissions and not direct an economy-wide shift of energy sources, that Congress "conspicuously and repeatedly" rejected. The Court noted that its "major questions" doctrine refers to "an identifiable body of law that has developed over a series of significant cases all addressing a particular and recurring problem: agencies asserting highly consequential power beyond what Congress could reasonably be understood to have granted." The decision does not disturb EPA's authority to regulate GHGs under the Clean Air Act, but significantly narrows that authority. The decision also fails to directly address the scope of EPA's authority to regulated GHG's under Section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act.

Read full at:
https://www.michaelbest.com/Newsroom/291812/The-US-Supreme-Court-Narrows-EPAs-Authority-to-Regulate-GHG-under-the-Clean-Air-Act

EPA Announces New Drinking Water Health Advisories for PFAS

On June 15, 2022, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released drinking water health advisories for PFOA, PFOS, GenX chemicals, and PFBS. These chemicals are four separate subsets of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). EPA's advisories identify the PFAS chemical concentration in drinking water that EPA does not anticipate creating adverse health effects. EPA released its first ever drinking water health advisories for GenX chemicals and PFBS.  However, EPA's drinking water health advisories for PFOA and PFOS replaced the health advisories it announced in 2016, which recommended a combined PFOA and PFOS chemical concentration below 70 parts per trillion (ppt). EPA's updated health advisories dramatically decrease its recommended PFOA and PFOS chemical concentration to near zero levels. The newly released drinking water health advisories are as follows:

• PFOA = 0.004 ppt
• PFOS = 0.02 ppt
• GenX chemicals = 10 ppt
• PFBS = 2,000 ppt

EPA acknowledges its recommended drinking water PFOA and PFOS chemical concentrations are below levels that EPA can reliably detect at this time.  While it may be difficult to determine whether drinking water is compliant with EPA's advisory PFAS levels, EPA states "[t]he lower the level of PFOA and PFOS, the lower the risk to public health." 

EPA's drinking water health advisories are non-enforceable and non-regulatory documents meant to provide guidance for drinking water systems operators and other related parties. However, EPA is moving forward with proposing a PFAS National Drinking Water Regulation in fall 2022. Further, EPA is making $1 billion in grant funds available to help reduce PFAS chemical concentration in drinking water throughout the country. EPA's grants are the first of $5 billion allocated in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill toward reducing PFAS in drinking water.

Read full at:

https://www.michaelbest.com/Newsroom/290804/EPA-Announces-New-Drinking-Water-Health-Advisories-for-PFAS

100 Million People in the U.S. Live With Medical Debt

In the past five years, more than half of U.S. adults report they've gone into debt because of medical or dental bills. "Debt is no longer just a bug in our system. It is one of the main products. We have a health care system almost perfectly designed to create debt."

Read full at:
https://portside.org/2022-06-17/sick-and-struggling-pay-100-million-people-us-live-medical-debt

EPA Announces $6.5 Billion in New Funding Available for Water Infrastructure Projects

EPA Press Office – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the 2022 notices of funding availability for the agency's Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program and the State Infrastructure Financing Authority WIFIA (SWIFIA) program. This year's funding will provide up to $6.5 billion in total funding to support $13 billion in water infrastructure projects while creating more than 40,000 jobs.

"Water infrastructure provides the foundation for healthy and vibrant communities by delivering safe drinking water and returning our treated wastewater to the environment," said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. "In too many communities, these essential pipes and pumps are decades old and need to be upgraded. That's why EPA is providing $6.5 billion in low-cost financing through WIFIA and SWIFIA that can help revitalize our water systems while creating good paying jobs and delivering significant economic benefits, especially in underserved and overburdened communities."

The notices of funding availability include $5.5 billion for the WIFIA program and an additional $1 billion for the SWIFIA program. This round of funding will prioritize funding in four areas:

• Increasing investment in economically stressed communities.
• Making rapid progress on lead service line replacement.
• Addressing PFAS and emerging contaminants.
• Supporting one water innovation and resilience.

By prioritizing investment in underserved communities, EPA is considering prospective WIFIA borrowers consistent with the goals of President Biden's Justice40 initiative. This initiative intends to ensure that federal agencies deliver at least 40% of benefits from certain investments, including water and wastewater infrastructure, to underserved communities.

To make WIFIA funding more adaptive to ongoing community needs, EPA is changing the way it accepts letters of interest from prospective borrowers. Letters of interest may be submitted by prospective borrowers and received by EPA at any time on or after September 6, 2022. The submission period will close when all available funds are committed to prospective borrowers. A rolling selection process allows EPA to provide year-round access to WIFIA funding, quicker selection decisions to prospective borrowers, and technical assistance to prospective borrowers. Since letters of interest will be evaluated when they are received, EPA encourages submissions at the beginning of the availability period.

EPA's WIFIA loan program is delivering the benefits of water infrastructure improvements nationwide. To date, EPA has closed 88 WIFIA loans that are providing over $15 billion in credit assistance to help finance nearly $33 billion for water infrastructure while creating nearly 100,000 jobs and saving ratepayers over $5 billion.

For more information about WIFIA and this funding announcement, visit: https://www.epa.gov/wifia.

Background

Established by the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014, the WIFIA program is a federal loan and guarantee program at EPA that aims to accelerate investment in the nation's water infrastructure by providing long-term, low-cost supplemental loans for regionally and nationally significant projects.

WIFIA credit assistance can be used for a wide range of projects, including:

• Drinking water treatment and distribution projects.
• Wastewater conveyance and treatment projects.
• Nonpoint source pollution management program.
• Management, reduction, treatment, or recapture of stormwater.
• National estuary program projects.
• Enhanced energy efficiency projects at drinking water and wastewater facilities.
• Desalination, aquifer recharge, alternative water supply, and water recycling projects.
• Drought prevention, reduction, or mitigation projects.

Elevated Levels of PFAS Found In Several Fish Species

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Department of Health Services (DHS) today announced a new PFAS-based consumption advisory for bluegill, crappie, largemouth bass and northern pike from Angelo Pond in Monroe County based on fish sampling.   

Elevated levels of PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate), a type of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), were found in several fish species sampled from Angelo Pond, a 53 acre impoundment of the La Crosse River near Sparta in May of 2021.

As a result, the DNR and DHS recommend the following consumption guidelines for bluegill, crappie, largemouth bass, and northern pike harvested from the La Crosse River at Angelo Pond:

Angelo Pond Fish Consumption Advisory Guidelines

SPECIES	PREVIOUS ADVISORY	NEW ADVISORY
Bluegill	General/Statewide Advisory*	1 meal/week for everyone
Crappie	General/Statewide Advisory*	1 meal/month for everyone
Largemouth Bass	General/Statewide Advisory*	1 meal/month for everyone
Northern Pike	General/Statewide Advisory*	1 meal/month for everyone

*The general/statewide consumption advice for women <50 and children is 1 meal/week for panfish and 1 meal/month for all other species. For women >50 and men, the general/statewide consumption advice is 1 meal/week for all species except for panfish, which are unrestricted.

In April 2021, the DNR and DHS issued a consumption advisory of 1 meal/month for brook and brown trout caught in Silver Creek, which flows into Angelo Pond. Sampling efforts continue in consultation with Fort McCoy due to results of elevated PFAS surface water samples received from Silver Creek in 2019.

PFAS are a group of human-made chemicals that have been used for decades in various products, such as non-stick cookware, fast food wrappers, stain-resistant sprays and certain types of firefighting foams that have made their way into the environment.

Health risks may increase when fish with high levels of PFAS are consumed. These can include increased cholesterol levels, decreased immune response, and decreased fertility in women, among other health effects. More information is available on the DHS website.

Following fish consumption advisories will help protect you from consuming excess PFOS, Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and mercury. A complete list of up-to-date consumption advisories can be found in the DNR's Choose Wisely booklet.

Additional fish consumption advice and information on the effects of PFAS can be found on the DNR's website at:

https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/chemical/pfas.htm

​ Study finds ‘millions of tons’ of extremely reactive chemical in Earth’s atmosphere

(Independent) Scientists say the newly discovered chemicals may be able to penetrate into aerosol

Scientists have discovered an entirely new class of super-reactive chemical compounds in the Earth's atmosphere that they say may affect both human health and global climate.

The study, published in the journal Science, documented for the first time the formation of so-called trioxides – extremely oxidising chemical compounds with three oxygen atoms attached to each other.

"This is what we have now accomplished. The type of compounds we discovered are unique in their structure. And, because they are extremely oxidising, they most likely bring a host of effects that we have yet to uncover," study senior author Henrik Grum Kjærgaard from the University of Copenhagen said in a statement.

In the new study, scientists have shown that hydrotrioxides, as they are known, are a completely new class of chemical compounds that form under atmospheric conditions.

Hydrotrioxides are a kind of hydrogen polyoxide, with water – containing two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom – being the simplest and most common of the type.

Read full at:

https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/earth-atmosphere-highly-reactive-chemical-b2095147.html

Scientists have detected a new type of extremely reactive substance in the Earth's atmosphere that could pose a threat to human health, as well as the global climate.

(DailyMail) Scientists have detected a new type of extremely reactive substance in the Earth's atmosphere that could pose a threat to human health, as well as the global climate.

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have demonstrated that trioxides – chemical compounds with three oxygen atoms attached to each other – are formed under atmospheric conditions.   

Trioxides are even more reactive than peroxides – which have two oxygen atoms attached to each other, making them highly reactive and often flammable and explosive.

Peroxides are known to exist in the air surrounding us, and it was predicted that trioxides were probably in the atmosphere as well, but until now it has never been unequivocally proven.

'This is what we have now accomplished,' says Professor Henrik Grum Kjærgaard, at the University of Copenhagen's Department of Chemistry.

'The type of compounds we discovered are unique in their structure. And, because they are extremely oxidising, they most likely bring a host of effects that we have yet to uncover.'

Read full from source:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-10861331/Entirely-new-kind-highly-reactive-chemical-Earths-atmosphere.html

Upcycling end-of-life vehicle waste plastic into flash graphene

Nature article about plastics from end-of-life vehicles can be upcycled - all together, without being sorted - into  graphene.

Abstract

Responsible disposal of vehicles at the end of life is a pressing environmental concern. In particular, waste plastic forms the largest proportion of non-recycled waste material from light-duty vehicles, and often ends up in a landfill. Here we report the upcycling of depolluted, dismantled and shredded end-of-life waste plastic into flash graphene using flash Joule heating. The synthetic process requires no separation or sorting of plastics and uses no solvents or water. We demonstrate the practical value of the graphene as a re-inforcing agent in automotive polyurethane foam composite, where its introduction leads to improved tensile strength and low frequency noise absorption properties. We demonstrate process continuity by upcycling the resulting foam composite back into equal-quality flash graphene. A prospective cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment suggests that our method may afford lower cumulative energy demand and water use, and a decrease in global warming potential compared to traditional graphene synthesis methods.

Read full from Nature

https://www.nature.com/articles/s44172-022-00006-7

Can We Generate Renewable Energy by Burning Trash? (cnbc.com)

(Via SlashDot) CNBC visited a company that burns trash from a California landfill, and then "harnesses steam to make enough electricity to power 18,000 homes in the area" — which turns out to be part of a surprisingly large industry: A portion of the waste comes from companies including American Airlines, Quest Diagnostics, Sunny Delight and Subaru.... Major retailers like Amazon also use this combustion method to dispose of returns they deem unfit to recycle, resell, or donate....

The U.S. is one of the most wasteful developed countries in the world. Of the record 292 million tons of waste generated by Americans each year, more than half is landfilled, about a third is recycled, and 12% is incinerated at waste-to-energy facilities, according to the World Bank. Online commerce poses a particular problem. Not only are internet purchases breaking records in terms of volume, but roughly 20% of items get returned, which is a higher number than for in-store purchases. Returns solutions provider Optoro says U.S. returns generate an estimated 5.8 billion pounds of landfill waste each year.
But the article also points out that more than half of U.S. states define waste-to-energy as a renewable energy source." Unlike landfills, many governments and non-governmental organizations consider it a source of greenhouse gas mitigation. That includes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, where Susan Thorneloe leads research on materials management.

U.S. climate experts say these are the three reasons the burning process produces a net reduction of greenhouse gasses. First, it keeps waste out of landfills, which emit methane that the EPA estimates is 86 times greater than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. Second, waste-to-energy facilities reduce the need for mining because they recover 700,000 tons of metal each year. And finally, they produce energy, reducing the need to burn fossil fuels.... The steam can also be captured and piped up to a mile away to heat or cool entire buildings, like Target Field in Minneapolis....

The EPA estimates that for every megawatt-hour of electricity generated, waste-to-energy emits an average of just over half a metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalent gasses. Landfills emit six times that, and coal plants emit nearly double.
At least some scientists CNBC spoke to said that air pollution technology has advanced so much in the last two decades that most common toxins have largely been eliminated.

AIPG MN/WI 2022 Geology and Remediation Weekend

AIPG MN/WI 2022 Geology and Remediation Weekend (Sept 30 – Oct 2) - Join us for a gathering of professional geologists and their guests to view and listen to presentations and then visit the unique natural and human areas of the SE Minnesota and SW Wisconsin corners of our States. Successful Remediation and Investigation projects (including per fluorinated chemicals PFAS and emerging contaminants ECs) will be showcased by local Consultants, Regulatory and University professionals, and students. Event participants will be offered field trip options to Bluff Natural Areas or Karst Areas, and a Cruise on the Mississippi River to #7 Dam.

For registration and more information please see:

https://aipg.org/page/2022MNWIGeoWeekend

The Most Detailed Map of Cancer-Causing Industrial Air Pollution in the U.S.

Propublica has put together a remarkable map of EPA data of dangerous air pollution.

See it here
https://projects.propublica.org/toxmap/

AP analysis finds growing number of poor, high-hazard dams

An Associated Press analysis tallied more than 2,200 high-hazard dams in poor or unsatisfactory condition across the U.S. — up substantially from a similar AP review conducted three years ago. The actual number is likely even higher, although it's unclear because some states don't track such data and many federal agencies refuse to release details about their dams' conditions.

The nation's dams are on average over a half-century old and often present more of a hazard than envisioned when designed because homes, businesses or highways have cropped up below them. Meanwhile, a warming atmosphere can bring stronger storms with heavier rainfall that could overwhelm aging dams.

"All of a sudden, you've got older dams with a lower design criteria that now can potentially cause loss of life if they fail," said Del Shannon, an engineer who is president of the U.S. Society on Dams.

"The number of deficient, high-hazard dams is increasing," he said, adding that without investment in upgrades, that number will continue to rise.

Decades of deferred maintenance has worsened the problem. But a changing climate and extreme floods — such as the one that caused the failure of two Michigan dams and the evacuation of 10,000 people in 2020 — have brought a renewed focus to an often overlooked aspect of America's critical infrastructure.

The $1 trillion infrastructure bill signed last year by President Joe Biden will pump about $3 billion into dam-related projects, including hundreds of millions for state dam safety programs and repairs.

Source: AP

EPA takes three new actions to address PFAS

The agency is developing a new broad PFAS testing method, a PFAS development for the NPDES program, and ambient water quality criteria to protect aquatic life from PFA.


The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced three actions to protect communities and the environment from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in waters.

"EPA is using all available tools to address PFAS contamination as part of a broader, whole-of-government effort to protect communities across the country from these chemicals," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "Today's actions help protect the health of all Americans as we deliver on our commitment to research, restrict, and remediate PFAS."

A New Testing Method
EPA is publishing a new method that can broadly screen for the presence of PFAS in water at the part per billion level. EPA's new Draft Method 1621, the Screening Method for the Determination of Adsorbable Organic Fluorine (AOF) in Aqueous Matrices by Combustion Ion Chromatography (CIC), provides an aggregate measurement of chemical substances that contain carbon-fluorine bonds. PFAS are a common source of organofluorines in wastewater.

The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program interfaces with many pathways by which PFAS travel and are released into the environment and ultimately impact people and water quality. EPA is seeking to proactively use existing NPDES authorities to reduce discharges of PFAS at the source and obtain more comprehensive information through monitoring on sources of PFAS.

EPA is also developing national recommended ambient water quality criteria for PFAS to protect aquatic life. The agency is proposing the first Clean Water Act aquatic life criteria for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS)—two of the most well-studied chemicals in this group. The criteria are intended to protect aquatic life in the United States from short-term and long-term toxic effects of PFOA and PFOS.

Please read full from:
https://www.waterworld.com/drinking-water/potable-water-quality/press-release/14275856/epa-takes-three-new-actions-to-address-pfas

WDNR - Stop Food Waste Day April 27

MADISON, Wis. – Join the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for Stop Food Waste Day on April 27 by helping keep food waste out of Wisconsin landfills.

Stop Food Waste Day is an international day of action in the fight against food waste. Food waste is edible food thrown away before it is eaten or because it is spoiled, as well as scraps such as banana peels and eggshells.

According to the DNR's 2020-2021 Statewide Waste Characterization Study, food waste make up 20% of trash headed to our landfills, an amount that has more than doubled since the last study in 2009. Most of this food waste, 14.5%, could have been consumed.

Approximately 854,000 tons of food waste and scraps were sent to the state's landfills in 2020 – that's 294 pounds per Wisconsinite. Households contribute heavily to this amount, with food waste making up 30% of waste from residential sources.

"Wisconsin is one of several states where food waste dominates the waste stream, so momentum is building to address the issue," says Brad Wolbert, DNR Waste and Materials Management Program Director. "Residents have a major opportunity to positively impact the environment while reducing resources and costs associated with food production, purchasing and disposal."

Food waste in landfills doesn't just take up valuable space. When organic waste breaks down in landfills, it emits significant amounts of methane, one of the main contributors to global warming. Landfills are required to collect and treat the gas, but it can be several years before a landfill cell is covered and those systems are in place. Meanwhile, the food waste continues to break down.

The DNR estimates that using or composting the amount of food waste sent to state landfills in 2020 would equal the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from taking nearly 600,000 passenger vehicles off the road for a year.

"The DNR's Blueprint for Climate Action has set the goal of reducing food waste disposed of in Wisconsin landfills by half by 2030," Wolbert said. "In addition to engaging residents, we look forward to building partnerships with communities, organizations and businesses."

Make A Difference – Tips To Fight Food Waste

We all can do a few easy things every day to reduce our food waste and its burden on our landfills.

• Plan ahead. Before heading to the grocery store, take stock of what you have on hand, plan a few meals, make a list and stick to it. Don't just wing it.
• Store leftovers safely. Handling your leftovers properly will help you avoid throwing them away. Cool them in shallow containers in the fridge to keep bacteria at bay, and if you're freezing something, wrap it securely to prevent freezer burn and label it so you can identify it later.
• Make smart food substitutions. Avoid buying ingredients you'll only use once in small amounts, and instead swap in substitutes. Use maple syrup instead of honey, cottage cheese instead of ricotta and make your own buttermilk by adding vinegar or lemon juice to milk.
• Know the fridge zones. Bust out your fridge's user guide to learn about its zones or pay close attention to food when you store it in different areas of your fridge. Learn what areas work best for what types of food.
• Rescue foods nearing the end. Bananas getting brown? Peel and freeze them in sections, then use them for smoothies or banana bread. Sad-looking spinach? Sauté it for a few minutes, then add it to pizza, lasagna or pasta. Wilty kale? Stick it in a glass of water in the fridge to perk it up.
• Understand date labels. Except for infant formula, expiration dates are provided by the company for best quality. Food past a "best by" or "use by" date is not automatically unsafe.

For more resources, visit the DNR's webpage on reducing residential food waste at home. When food waste is unavoidable, composting is an alternative to throwing food waste into the trash. For more information, check out the DNR's Composting in Wisconsin webpage.

Guide to Marine Plastic Pollution - EarthDay addition

(OBERK) - Plastic can be found in many of the items that people use on a daily basis. Despite the benefits that make it popular, the overuse of plastic is taking a heavy toll on the environment, particularly the ocean. For many years, throwing away a plastic bottle was done with little thought, and even today, many people routinely toss away plastic goods such as straws, utensils, or bags without considering what happens to them. Many of these items make their way into rivers and eventually the ocean, where they leach chemicals into the water that harm both human and animal health. For instance, fish are exposed to these toxins and ingest them, and then people who eat the fish are also exposed to these chemicals. Over time, this can cause problems such as birth defects or cancer. Plastics such as bottles, netting and straps, soda rings, and pellets further threaten wildlife in a number of ways. Seabirds, for example, often consume plastic, which they may inadvertently feed to their young, harming or killing them in the process. And sea turtles and other marine life frequently become trapped and tangled in plastic debris, which can cause suffocation, starvation, lacerations, and death.

Plastic debris in the ocean can accumulate in gyres or circulating ocean currents. This debris attracts other marine pollutants and continues to grow as more plastics make their way into the gyre, creating large marine trash vortexes. The largest of these is known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It is located in the North Pacific Ocean and is currently estimated at three times the size of France. Trash vortexes such as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch continues to grow in size because most types of plastic are non-biodegradable: When a plastic bottle is tossed into the water, it cannot be transformed over time into a harmless state by natural means. Instead, it may break into smaller pieces of plastic called microplastics that remain a part of the vortex. Fortunately, the more people understand plastic ocean pollution, the more chances there are that action will be taken to reduce it.

The Problem of Marine Plastic Pollution

Learn all about marine plastic pollution and the problems that it creates by visiting this page on the Clean Water Action website.

Ocean Plastic Pollution: Our Ocean's Biggest Threat

Click this link to read about the deadly impact of plastic pollution on marine animals.

22 Facts About Plastic Pollution

There's a lot to learn about plastic pollution, and this page on the EcoWatch website can help educate people about 22 related facts.

Plastic Oceans: How You Can Help

Everyone can do their part in reducing plastic pollution, and this infographic provides seven simple actions that can help.

Facts and Figures on Marine Pollution

UNESCO provides a list of marine pollution facts and figures here.

Plastic Pollution, Our Oceans, Our Future

In this video, 17 students from Hawaii study the impact of plastic pollution in the ocean, with an emphasis on the state's high use of Styrofoam.

Marine Pollution

The U.S. Department of State website features an article that discusses the challenges associated with marine pollution, including plastics, and what the necessary steps forward are.

Plastic Pollution and its Solution

People who click this link will learn about marine debris, how it ends up in gyres, and what the potential solutions are.

Ocean Plastic Pollution

The Monterey Bay Aquarium offers this page on the plastic pollution problem in oceans to help explain its cycle, what you can do, and what they are doing to reduce and prevent it.

Ocean Plastic a Planetary Crisis

Click on this link to the BBC website to learn about ocean plastic and why the UN considers it a crisis for the entire planet.

Plastics in Our Oceans

It's hard to imagine how plastic from one's home ends up in the ocean, but this article helps to explain not only how it gets there but also how it threatens marine life and what's being done about it.

Plastics in the Ocean Affecting Human Health

Plastics in the ocean is the topic of discussion on this page, which includes information on plastic islands, sources of plastic toxins, and plastics impacting human and animal health.

Plastic Pollution Iis Killing Coral Reefs, Four-Year Study Shows

Read this NPR article about a four-year study on how the millions of tons of plastic that end up in the ocean on an annual basis are harming coral reefs.

An Ocean of Plastic

Parents and kids who visit this page can learn about plastic polluting the ocean and how to turn the tide and keep the ocean cleaner.

Health of Seabirds Threatened as 90 Percent Swallow Plastic

Learn how plastic threatens seabirds by reading this article on the Imperial College London website.

Ten Ways to Reduce Plastic Pollution

Click this link to the National Resource Defense Council website to read the ten ways that it suggests people can help to reduce plastic pollution.

Popularity of Plastic Takes Toll on Oceans, Puts Human Health at Risk

This Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health resource cites statistics regarding plastic and discusses how its use is negatively impacting the oceans and human health.

Plastic Pollution

People who visit this website can read how plastics are filling the ocean with waste and the deadly consequences it has on both humans and animals.

Trash-Free Seas: Plastics in the Ocean

On this page, site visitors will find information on the problem with plastic, the waste it produces, and how it affects the ocean.

An Ocean of Plastic

Click this link to the University of California website to read about plastic waste, including how much of it makes it into the ocean and the impact it has on more than 600 species of marine life.

Trash Talk: What Is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?

Visit this page on the NOAA website to watch a video explaining the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Great Pacific Garbage Patch Now Three Times the Size of France

CNN presents a report about birds eating plastic and how the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is growing faster than expected.

Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Anyone interested in learning about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch can click this link to read a National Geographic article and look through the slide show.

Plastic Within the Great Pacific Garbage Patch Is Increasing Exponentially, Scientists Find

Learn more about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and its growth.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch Is Ballooning

According to this article, more than 87,000 tons of plastic is clogging the Pacific Ocean, representing a major threat to marine life and birds.

Article source: https://www.oberk.com/guide-to-marine-plastic-pollution

Via: Mikayla Saunderson greenislove.org