The first state ban on styrofoam food containers makes this a good time to see how things stand with styrofoam in your area, as the controversial plastic draws negative attention for overflowing landfills, causing litter and polluting waters. More, plus story ideas and reporting resources, in this week’s TipSheet.
"Sniped at for decades by health advocates, Russia’s doggedly defiant producer of asbestos — a substance banned as a killer by more than 60 countries — thinks it has perhaps finally found the perfect figure for a campaign to rehabilitate the product’s deeply stained image: President Trump."
"Michigan’s response to PFAS contamination now includes screening levels for five forms of the chemicals, a move that sets a significantly lower base-line for considering potential health effects for people exposed to them."
"Mexican and American officials met in Mexico City this week to talk about fixing a costly set of problems that have sprung up along the border: failing sewer systems that send raw sewage spilling into rivers."
"The presence of large sturgeon is just one indicator that the waterway is recovering from serious industrial pollution."
"Major cities across the United States are facing increasingly clogged roads and have had frustratingly little success in dealing with them. But now that New York has adopted congestion pricing in Manhattan, the rest of the country is far more likely to seriously consider embracing such a policy — even though it was once considered politically toxic, according to municipal officials and transportation analysts."
"President Donald Trump attempted to position himself as a hero to Michigan voters as he vowed to allocate funds for a Great Lakes restoration program — just days after he called for a 90% cut to the project in his federal budget proposal."
"North Carolina’s environment department ordered Duke Energy on Monday to excavate millions of tons of coal ash from six power plants, including two near Charlotte on lakes Norman and Wylie."
"A fractured EPA advisory panel is asking for help as its ability to handle a high-stakes review of particulate matter standards is under harsh scrutiny."
"New York State lawmakers have agreed to impose a statewide ban on most types of single-use plastic bags from retail sales, changing a way of life for millions of New Yorkers as legislators seek to curb an unsightly and omnipresent source of litter."
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