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water health

05/19/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Northern Australia mining town demands the Health Department blood test its residents after water supply found contaminated with lead

The population of Borroloola, a remote mining town in central northern Australia, got the shock of their lives when they heard that their drinking water had higher amounts of lead than normal. In an ABC News report, the indigenous Garawa community is demanding blood testing for affected families from Australia’s Department of Health. Earlier in April […]

05/16/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Plastic pollution in Bandung, Indonesia has reached critical levels; government officials say they are in a “battle” they cannot win

The Indonesian city of Bandung is facing a foe that local government officials fear they cannot overcome: Plastic trash. In a BBC report, army units have been sent to the city to clean up a veritable berg of garbage that clogged an important waterway. Armed with nets, the soldiers scooped up all kinds of plastics […]

05/15/2018 / By Jessica Dolores

With plastic pollution in the oceans at 16xs more than previously thought, is it even possible to clean it up?

There was a time when the sea was the go-to place for keeping the body clean and catching fresh fish free from harmful chemicals. Beach lovers didn’t think twice about swimming there because they knew it was perfectly safe, and good for their health besides. But recent figures show that those who hesitate to swim […]

05/13/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Tap water in Fayetteville, North Carolina tainted with carcinogen, new analysis reveals

The good news for Fayetteville, North Carolina is that there is no GenX in their public drinking water supply despite the nearby presence of the Chemours chemical plant. The bad news is that their tap water showed high levels of another cancer-causing chemical called 1,4-dioxane, an article in The Fayetteville Observer stated. The Public Works […]

04/19/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Is the Grand Canyon being put in danger by nearby uranium mining?

The mining industry is lobbying the Supreme Court to end the moratorium on mining uranium near the Grand Canyon. If they succeed, they could freely pillage a national landmark that provides potable water for millions of Americans, according to an article by the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Before the moratorium was established in 2012, there were […]

04/19/2018 / By Jessica Dolores

Reduced oxygen levels in ocean water impact marine species’ development, could threaten our food supply

A recent study made by scientists from the University of Plymouth revealed that young marine creatures who grow in areas with a low oxygen supply do not develop as fully as they should. They can hardly control their oxygen uptake and are far smaller than other creatures who grew up in areas with adequate oxygen supply. Dr. Manuela […]

04/07/2018 / By Frances Bloomfield

Focus on microfibers: Microscopic pollution has been found to make up a majority of shoreline debris

Microfibers may be tiny, but their impact is nothing short of massive. A number of studies over the years have produced a wide array of facts and figures that demonstrate the extent of their impact. For instance, the researchers behind a 2011 study found that microfibers account for a considerable portion of man-made debris polluting […]

03/25/2018 / By Jessica Dolores

Swimming in the ocean off the coast of first-world countries found to increase risk of illness

You’ve finally saved enough to enjoy that long-planned vacation by the deep blue sea. You dream of long days and nights feeling the soft sand on your bare feet, the gentle wind blowing on your face. Your snorkeling gear is ready. So, too, are your swimming paraphernalia, including those goggles that make you admire the […]

03/12/2018 / By Frances Bloomfield

Microplastics are leaking directly from an industry manufacturing site, spreading across a large coastal region

Microplastics have been leaking out into the environment by the millions from a manufacturing site in Stenungsund. But, far from just affecting the immediate area, these tiny plastic pellets have spread all over the coastal region. This was what a team of researchers from Gothenburg University uncovered over the course of several studies. As Martin […]

02/12/2018 / By Frances Bloomfield

Wild rice is the “canary in the coal mine” for lakes and streams – Researchers use it to track water quality

Determining the health of a lake or a stream could be done by looking for the presence of wild rice. According to a team of researchers from the University of Minnesota, wild rice is to these bodies of water as a canary is to a coal mine. Their sensitivity to their surroundings is an indicator of […]

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