Microplastics and pharmaceutical residues are now considered to be widespread contaminants in drinking water. New research efforts are focused on creating tests that measure your personal microplastic burden to track exposure and evaluate whether reduction interventions are working. The EPA introduced a new draft of its Sixth Contaminant Candidate List, a tool used under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
The 2010 HNS Convention covers accidents involving hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) at sea. The entry-into-force threshold was reached after Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden ratified the protocol in April. The convention establishes the first global liability and compensation regime for incidents involving more than 2,000 hazardous substances carried by sea. Around 65,000 ships are expected to require HNS certificates.
Laura Manzo is a writer and author of a book on the history of food industry and its influence on public policy. She argues that the trend of changing cow's milk for almond, soy, rice or oat milk is one of those cultural contradictions that we accept without too many questions.
Beef consumption does not negatively affect markers linked to T2D or cardiovascular health in adults with prediabetes. The study was funded by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, which was not involved in the data collection or analysis. Three of the authors of the study had financial relationships with the association.
Agroecology Commons received a $2.5 million grant from the USDA to help farmers of color acquire and sustain land. The grant was cancelled within a week. The USDA is trying to eliminate initiatives it considers wasteful or misaligned with its political agenda. The nonprofit filed a lawsuit against the agency, claiming that the grants were terminated unlawfully. A judge granted the plaintiffs a preliminary injunction that restored access to some of the money.
COP11 encouraged countries to consider comprehensive regulatory options for tobacco and nicotine product components that increase environmental harms. European Respiratory Society (ERS) underlined the importance of environmental protection in the context of advancing global tobacco control policies. ERS reiterated that cigarette filters degrade the environment through waste, pollution, and emissions. Efforts to recycle or clean up cigarette filters promote the greenwashing narratives of the tobacco industry.
Marc Short is chairman of Advancing American Freedom. Donald Trump courted the farm vote every time he’s run for president. Trump's trade policies have hurt farmers. Last year, America's crop farmers lost $34.6 billion and farm bankruptcies surged to numbers not seen since 2020. 70% of farmers can't afford all the fertilizers they need this year. China slashed its imports of American crops and livestock by 63%.
It's the cyclical nature of the sake industry. Last year was a hot year for rice and this year is not looking much better. Students at Sakuhira Comprehensive Technical High School in Saku sowed seeds of sake rice that had spent approximately six months aboard the International Space Station. The rice was brought back by astronaut Kimiya Yui.
Some chocolate products marketed for "sexual enhancement" contain sildenafil and tadalafil, the active ingredients in Viagra and Cialis. The FDA advises consumers not to buy them. Some distributors are voluntarily recalling the products. There was only one prior recall on the FDA’s website for a food product containing undisclosed sildanafil.
A blast at the Liushenyu coal mine in Shanxi killed 82 people and injured more than 120 others on 22 May. It was China's worst coal mining disaster in more than 15 years. It happened as the country continues its ambitious pivot towards green energy.