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☆ EPA Proposes Regulations for ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Kris Maher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Known as forever chemicals because they take a long time to break down, PFAS have been found throughout the environment. The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday proposed the first federal limits on so-called forever chemicals in public drinking water, a move that is expected to cost water utilities billions of dollars to filter out substances that have contaminated the water supplies of millions of people. The agency is proposing maximum allowable levels in the nation’s public drinking-water systems for two compounds in a class of chemicals known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, which were used for decades in carpeting, clothing, food packaging, firefighting foam and other consumer and industrial products. The EPA also said it would regulate four other PFAS chemicals by requiring treatment if the combined level reaches a certain concentration.

☆ EPA Proposes Limits for ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Kris Maher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Known as forever chemicals because they take a long time to break down, PFAS have been found throughout the environment. The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday proposed the first federal limits on so-called forever chemicals in public drinking water, a move that is expected to cost water utilities billions of dollars to filter out substances that have contaminated the water supplies of millions of people. The EPA is proposing maximum allowable levels for two compounds in a class of chemicals known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. Known as forever chemicals because they take a long time to break down, they were used for decades in carpeting, clothing, food packaging, firefighting foam and other consumer and industrial products.

☆ Hazardous 'forever chemicals' in water, food, and air won't disappear with new EPA rules. But 6 simple tactics can reduce your exposure at home.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Hazardous "forever chemicals" called PFAS are contaminating drinking water, food, and air. It may be impossible to completely avoid PFAS, but there are a few simple ways to reduce your exposure. A 2019 study found that people had lower PFAS levels in their blood after eating at home, and higher levels after eating fast food or at restaurants. A few types of water filters can diminish PFAS levels, though they may not completely remove the chemicals from the water. It was previously updated to reflect disagreements in the scientific community about the degree of PFAS exposure from Teflon.

☆ EPA cracks down on 'forever chemicals' in tap water: What PFAS are, where they are, and why they're harmful
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | Jessica Orwig | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

The US Environmental Protection Agency just released a proposal for enforceable standards for six PFAS compounds in drinking water. The new EPA proposal would set the threshold for those two substances at 4 nanograms per liter of drinking water. It also proposes a "hazard index" to set a limit on the combined quantity of four other PFAS in drinking water: PFNA, GenX, PFBS, and PFHxS. Communities across the US have especially high PFAS contamination in their drinking water, often due to a nearby industrial or military facility. "You can't just regulate in drinking water, without addressing the other side," Sunderland said, adding that you have to "turn off the source."

☆ Biden proposes first national limits on toxic 'forever chemicals' in drinking water
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Emma Newburger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday proposed the first nationwide restrictions on so-called "forever chemicals" in drinking water after discovering the compounds are more dangerous than previously known — even at undetectable levels. The chemicals, known as perfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, have been voluntarily phased out by U.S. manufacturers. The EPA's proposed standards cover six PFAS that have polluted drinking national water supplies. The proposal would regulate PFOA and PFOS as individual contaminants, and would regulate four other PFAS — PFNA, PFHxS, PFBS, and GenX Chemicals — as a mixture. For PFOA and PFOS, the agency proposed a binding drinking water limit of four parts per trillion per chemical.

☆ Animals full of PFAS 'forever chemicals' have been found on every continent except Antarctica, new report finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Animals, birds, and fish across the planet are contaminated with forever chemicals, a new report found. Though they're useful for resisting water, heat, and stains, PFAS do not break down in the environment, earning them the "forever chemicals" nickname. The new report suggests that contamination from forever chemicals may pose yet another threat to many species' survival. Cleaning up these emission sites is key to stopping more forever chemicals from building in the environment. "It will take regulatory action to move the entire market and country away from dependence on these chemicals," Andrews said.

☆ Dow forecasts dour quarterly revenue, says will slash 2,000 jobs
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Ankit Kumar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 26 (Reuters) - Dow Inc (DOW.N) on Thursday forecast current-quarter revenue below estimates and said it would cut about 2,000 jobs as the chemical giant navigates challenges including inflation and supply chain disruptions. Dow Chief Financial Officer Howard Ungerleider said while the pace of inflation has moderated, the overall cost levels remain elevated. The company expects the recent shifts in China's COVID policy to stimulate demand, but that would take some time to take effect. "Chemical prices are likely to go up in the first quarter (2023) and we will see better demand in the second quarter," said Aleksey Yefremov, analyst at KeyBanc Capital Markets. It expects 2023 capital expenditure be $2.2 billion, about 21% higher than last year.

☆ Dow posts dour quarterly results, says will slash 2,000 jobs
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dow said it plans to achieve $1 billion in cost savings in 2023 by reducing operating expense by $500 million. The company would record a charge of $550 million to $725 million in the first quarter of 2023 for costs associated with these activities. Shares of the company fell nearly 4% in premarket trade to $55.80. Net sales in the fourth quarter fell 17% to $11.86 billion, pressured by customer destocking, missing the average estimate of $12 billion, according to Refinitiv IBES data. Packaging and Specialty Plastics segment net sales in the quarter were $6.1 billion, down 16% compared with a year earlier.

☆ Dow posts dour quarterly results, plans to slash 2,000 jobs
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

☆ 'Concerning' map reveals where fish caught in the US are full of hazardous 'forever chemicals'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Fish in lakes and streams across the US are contaminated with hazardous "forever chemicals." Since their invention in the 1930s, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have multiplied and spread. They found PFOS — one of the most notorious substances — was the largest contributor to PFAS contamination in fish. Last year, the EPA lowered the level of PFOS in drinking water it considers safe to 0.02 parts per trillion. He said he's also seen PFAS contamination advisories for fishing spots in Sweden, where he lives.

☆ State Bans on Products With ‘Forever Chemicals’ Increase
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Kris Maher | Bob Tita | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

New state laws banning products with “forever chemicals”—from carpets and fast-food wrappers to ski wax—are taking effect as momentum grows nationally to get rid of substances that accumulate in human bodies and are linked to serious health problems. As of this month, Maine has banned the sale of residential carpets with long-lasting chemicals known as PFAS and became the first state to require companies to report products that contain the chemicals. In Washington and Vermont, companies can no longer sell or use food packaging, such as wrappers and pizza boxes, that contain them. Vermont’s ban on ski waxes with the chemicals begins in July.

☆ The year of the restaurant robot: Why chains are investing in automation and what it means for workers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Amelia Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

This year brought a flurry of automation announcements in the restaurant industry as operators scrambled to find solutions to a shrinking workforce and climbing wages. Three-quarters of restaurant operators are facing staffing shortages that keep them from operating at full capacity, according to the National Restaurant Association. Many restaurant operators hiked wages to attract workers, but that pressured profits at a time when food costs were also climbing. "Automation is one word, and a lot of people go right to robotics and a robot flipping burgers or making fries. The labor questionAutomation often faces pushback from workers and labor advocates, who see it as a way for employers to eliminate jobs.

☆ 3M will stop making hazardous ‘forever chemicals’ starting in 2025
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —3M, the conglomerate behind Post-It notes and Scotch tape, will stop making controversial per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by the end of 2025. The chemicals, commonly known as “forever chemicals,” are found in hundreds of household items and used to make coatings and products that can repel water, grease, heat and oil. Over the past decade, chemical manufacturers have voluntarily stopped producing two of the most commonly used forever chemicals, including PFOS and PFOA. At the federal level, the US Food and Drug Administration phased out the use of certain PFAS chemicals in 2016. The FDA and manufacturers agreed in 2020 to phase out some PFAS chemicals from food packaging and other items that came into contact with food.

☆ Covid-19 can live on these 5 grocery items for days—here's how to consume them safely
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Renée Onque | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

At the height of the pandemic, Americans across the country were wiping down their groceries with antibacterial wipes for protection from Covid-19. Actually, Covid-19 can live on the surfaces of certain groceries for an entire week, according to a new study conducted by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in the U.K. Researchers purposely deposited the virus on produce and packaging like vegetables, baked goods and canned drinks, to observe how long Covid could live on their surfaces. FSA concluded that the proportion of foods or food packaging with Covid-19 contamination on their surfaces "is extremely low, but not negligible." Here are the foods that Covid lived on the longest and how you can be the most protected from the virus as you consume your groceries.

☆ Americans are eating more whole grains, but are still confused by the food labels
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Linda Carroll | Linda Carroll Is A Regular Health Contributor To Nbc News | Reuters Health. She Is Coauthor Of | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

At least half of the grains consumed daily should be whole grains, according to the USDA's recommendations. “Consumers need to be careful when they go shopping for whole grain foods,” said Zhang. What’s important is the percentage of the total grain in the food that is actually whole grain, Zhang said. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans identifies whole grain foods as those containing 50% or more by weight of the grain- or flour-containing component as whole grain ingredients. For example, when a product is described as being made with whole grains, that doesn’t mean it’s 100% whole grains, Cholewka said.

☆ California Sues 3M and DuPont Over PFAS Chemicals
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Christine Mai-Duc | Kris Maher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

California Attorney General Rob Bonta wants 3M and DuPont to establish an abatement fund to reduce the toxins’ effects. California is suing 3M Co. and DuPont de Nemours Inc. along with other manufacturers of PFAS, a collection of chemicals that have been linked to health issues including cancer and are commonly found in consumer products such as fabrics, food packaging and cookware. The complaint, filed in Alameda County Superior Court Thursday, alleges that a total of 18 defendant manufacturers made products containing PFAS, commonly known as “forever chemicals,” for decades even though they knew they were toxic and harmful to humans and the environment.

☆ Plastic pollution may have met its match: The saliva of wax worms
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-05 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Two substances in the saliva of wax worms — moth larvae that eat wax made by bees to build honeycombs — readily break down a common type of plastic, researchers said on Tuesday, in a potential advance in the global fight against plastic pollution. For plastic to degrade, oxygen must penetrate the polymer — or plastic molecule — in an important initial step called oxidation. Wax worms are the larvae of wax moths, a species called Galleria mellonella. The idea would be to produce the worms’ saliva enzymes synthetically, which the researchers succeeded in doing, to break down plastic waste. Bertocchini said the use of billions of wax worms to do the job has drawbacks including generating carbon dioxide as they metabolize the polyethylene.

☆ Biden administration to propose nutrition labels on front of food packaging in push to improve health
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Zoë Richards | Zoë Richards Is The Evening Politics Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

The Food and Drug Administration will research and propose a standardized front-of-package labeling system to help consumers more readily understand nutrition information, the White House said Tuesday. The administration also said it would propose an update to the nutrition criteria for the “healthy” claim on food packages. Several congressional Democrats have been particularly focused on food labeling. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey called for greater transparency in food packaging labels in a letter to the Domestic Policy Council’s director, Susan Rice, last month. The Biden administration is also taking steps to improve food access and affordability, senior administration officials told reporters.

☆ Duke Energy is one of the top leakers of a gas that is 25,000 times more polluting than carbon dioxide, EPA records show
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Phil Mckenna | Inside Climate News | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +22 min

The emissions were equal to the annual greenhouse gas emissions of more than 59,000 automobiles, according to the EPA’s greenhouse gas equivalency calculator. Under such a scenario Duke Energy would likely have years of low emissions punctuated by a single year of high emissions. While other utilities have participated for decades in a voluntary program with the EPA to reduce SF6 emissions to next to nothing, Duke Energy has not. Brooks said Duke Energy is also targeting its most leaky equipment for faster replacement. The figure is roughly half of 1% of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, far smaller than yearly emissions of carbon dioxide, the primary driver of climate change.

☆ Hazardous 'forever chemicals' are in our water, food, and air. Here are 6 simple ways to reduce exposure at home.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-17 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Hazardous "forever chemicals" called PFAS are contaminating drinking water, food, and air. It may be impossible to completely avoid PFAS, but there are a few simple ways to reduce your exposure. Even if you can't completely dodge PFAS, there are a few easy ways to reduce exposure in your daily life. A 2019 study found that people had lower PFAS levels in their blood after eating at home, and higher levels after eating fast food or at restaurants. A few types of water filters can diminish PFAS levels, though they may not completely remove the chemicals from the water.

☆ Rainwater is no longer safe to drink anywhere on Earth due to 'forever chemicals' linked to cancer, study suggests
▼ + stars: | 2022-08-13 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Rainwater around the world contains levels of "forever chemicals" unsafe to drink, a study suggests. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are linked to cancer and pervade homes and environments. That's because rainwater across the planet now contains hazardous chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. Both substances' levels in rainwater "often greatly exceed" EPA limits, the study authors concluded. "Although in the industrial world we don't often drink rainwater [directly], many people around the world expect it to be safe to drink, and it supplies many of our drinking water sources," Cousins added.

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