CLIFF NOTES● The EPA approved new pesticides containing PFAS compounds.● The chemicals are classified as ultrashort-chain PFAS.● Critics warn persistence still poses environmental risk.● PFAS from pesticides can migrate into soil and water.● The approval highlights regulatory disagreement over PFAS safety. The Environmental Protection Agency has approved two pesticides that contain PFAS, a group … Read more
CLIFF NOTES● The EPA moved to roll back newly established PFAS limits.● The decision followed legal challenges.● Health advocates warned of increased risk.● Regulatory uncertainty complicates compliance.● Exposure may persist during disputes. After years of public concern and agency work to limit PFAS exposure in drinking water, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has taken … Read more
CLIFF NOTES● Biosolids were used in wetland restoration.● PFAS contamination was detected.● Environmental spread is a concern.● Regulation of biosolids is limited.● Long-term impacts remain unknown. Across the United States, municipalities have embraced a controversial method for restoring degraded wetlands—pumping them full of treated wastewater effluent. The practice is often labeled “green” and “sustainable,” … Read more
Texas farms are crumbling under toxic PFAS contamination, and Synagro, the nation’s top biosolid fertilizer maker, points fingers elsewhere. Their “independent” study stays hidden, leaving ranchers and regulators in the dark. Let’s dig into what’s poisoning the land and what you can do. A Toxic Crisis in Texas Johnson County, Texas, is reeling—ranches devastated by … Read more
For decades, the Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.) has encouraged the use of sewage sludge as fertilizer, a practice marketed as sustainable waste management. However, evidence reveals that this sludge, often laden with toxic PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” contaminates farmland, food, and water sources nationwide. The origin of these chemicals, their risks, and the … Read more
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has expanded its Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) to include nine additional “forever chemicals.” This move is aimed at increasing transparency and helping communities monitor the release of these persistent substances into their environments. What Are Forever Chemicals? Forever chemicals, technically referred to as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), are synthetic … Read more
In Chesapeake, Ohio (not to be confused with Chesapeake, Virginia, which is in the ECWQ service area), residents have grown increasingly vocal about a sewage-like odor that has plagued the area for years. Many attribute the foul smell to a nearby utility company, Aqua Ohio, and are calling for change amid concerns for their health … Read more
Virginia’s ongoing expansion underscores the urgent need for secure and sustainable water systems. As cities modernize, critical decisions about infrastructure materials will shape the health and safety of residents for decades. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) current review of vinyl chloride, a chemical central to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes, casts new scrutiny on one … Read more
Microplastics, tiny fragments of plastic smaller than five millimeters, are now found in nearly every corner of the human body. Studies have detected these particles in organs like the lungs, liver, and even the brain, raising pressing questions about their potential health impacts. While scientists have long studied microplastics in oceans and marine life, recent … Read more
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a sweeping ban on two widely used but hazardous industrial solvents: trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE). The decision marks a significant step in addressing the long-standing health risks posed by these chemicals, commonly found in everyday products and industrial processes. Understanding TCE: A Decades-Long Hazard A Ubiquitous … Read more