Environmental Health

"Almost 90% of the 180 recognized RNA viruses that can harm humans are zoonotic in origin. But disease biosurveillance of the world’s wildlife markets and legal trade is largely absent, putting humanity at significant risk."

"EPA is set to ramp up scrutiny of facilities that do not currently report releases of a toxic gas as the Biden administration beefs up its environmental justice agenda."

"Toxic chemicals known as PFAS exist in almost 42,000 sites around the U.S., according to research released on Tuesday by the Environmental Working Group."

"The state of Michigan has told a majority-Black city not to use tap water for drinking, bathing, or cooking “out of an abundance of caution” because of lead contamination. Residents of Benton Harbor, three hours west of Detroit, have been dealing with poisoned water for at least three years, and experts say that state and local officials have not done enough to help...."

"They are flavoured, colourful and popular with teenagers, but new Australian research is discovering mounting evidence that vapes are also unsafe to use."

"The World Health Organization and about three-quarters of global health care workers on Monday called on governments to step up climate action at the COP26 global climate conference, saying it could save millions of lives a year."

"This is the fourth year that drought has devastated Aly's home in southern Madagascar. Now more than one million people, or two out of five residents, of his Grand Sud region require emergency food aid in what the United Nations is calling a 'climate change famine."'

"The EPA will begin crafting rules to transition certain sectors way from using hydrofluorocarbons, a move authorized by legislation to phasedown the use of the potent greenhouse gas."

"No nation in the Mediterranean region has been hit harder by climate change than Turkey. But as heat and drought increase, Turkey is doubling down on water-intensive agriculture and development and spurring a water-supply crisis that is expected to get much worse."

"Two dozen federal agencies flagged the biggest dangers posed by a warming planet. The list spreads across American society."