News and Articles


Authorities Worldwide Target Wildlife, Timber Smugglers

"Operation Thunderstorm has seen significant seizures at global level, showing how coordinated global operations can maximize impact," said INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock. "Operation Thunderstorm sends a clear message to wildlife criminals that the world's law enforcement community is homing in on them."

Maryland Trust Fund Awards Water Quality Grants

The grants will provide funding to stream and wetland restoration, innovative stormwater management practices, riparian tree buffer plantings, and more in multiple counties in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

ATSDR Publishes Toxicological Profile for Perfluoroalkyls

People can be exposed to PFAs in the air; in indoor dust, food, and water; and in some home products. The main sources of exposure to PFAs, such as PFOA and PFOS, are usually from eating food and drinking water that has these chemicals.

Second EPA Great Lakes Meeting Set for June 21

The second of six informal public engagement sessions on the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III is taking place in Rochester, N.Y.

New Underground Ventilation System Under Construction at WIPP

The system will provide approximately 540,000 cubic feet per minute of air to the WIPP underground, significantly more than the current ventilation system. At an estimated cost of $288 million, the new ventilation system is expected to be completed by early 2021.

NYC Department of Buildings Seeks 2019 Energy Code Advisory Committee Members

Applications from those seeking to be considered for 2019 Energy Code Advisory Committee membership must submit a completed application no later than June 21. Residential applications are especially needed, according to the department's posted announcement.

Casella Devices Monitoring Shanghai's Air

"Clean Air Day awareness initiatives like those in the U.K. and Canada this June act as a fantastic platform that highlights the real threat of air pollution. We hope that as local awareness increases, such a campaign can soon be run in China," said Sean Gao, Business Unit manager at Casella.

New Superintendent Appointed for Yellowstone

According to the NPS announcement, as associate director, Sholly guided the development and implementation of a national employee safety strategy which has helped dramatically reduce employee fatalities across the bureau.

Anguil Environmental Systems to Celebrate 40th Anniversary

Anguil Environmental Systems will be celebrating its 40th anniversary on Aug. 12, 2018, with a party in downtown Milwaukee.

Volkswagen Accepts $1.2 Billion Penalty in Diesel Scandal

Volkswagen AG accepted the fine and, by doing so, admitted its responsibility.

Oil Spill Task Force Meeting June 19

The June 19 event in Portland, Ore., will feature a series of panel discussions with guests who are actively involved in federal, state, or provincial efforts to manage abandoned and derelict vessels, along with information on funding, prevention, cleanup and removal, and other challenges associated with managing these vessels across the task force's jurisdictions.

American Chemistry Council's CEO Staying On

CEO Cal Dooley has agreed to stay through 2019 after the council's board of directors agreed that the chemicals and plastics industry must take a global leadership role to reduce and ultimately eliminate plastic waste.

DEQ reported that its water quality crews responded on June 6, 2018, to a report of an algal bloom in Provo Bay and collected five samples at various locations at and around the Swede Sportsman Access. (Utah DEQ photo)

Warning Posted for Harmful Algal Bloom on Provo Bay, Utah

"Utah Lake is a huge lake with many areas not currently affected," said Eric Edwards, the health department's deputy director. "We want those recreating to safely enjoy the lake and also make sure they are properly cautioned about the presence [of] potential harmful algal blooms in certain areas of the lake that can pose health risks."

Hearing Concerns Proposed California Regulations for Metal Shredders

Currently there are six metal shredding facilities in the state. The California Department of Toxic Substances Control plans to set enforceable operating requirements for metal shredding facilities through a hazardous waste permit.

DOE Funding Projects to Support Advanced Nuclear Plant Designs

The MEITNER projects will leverage design, new manufacturing processes, and technologies to lower costs and increase the competitiveness of nuclear power; these funded projects will support advanced reactor designs that achieve lower construction cost and autonomous operations while improving safety.

New Orleans Holds 8th Annual Household Hazardous Materials Cleanup

Orleans Parish residents were able to bring paint, pesticides, antifreeze, garden chemicals, flammable liquids, muriatic acid, small mercury devices, aerosols, pool shock, household cleaners, motor oil, automobile batteries, and motorcycle batteries for disposal or recycling.

EPA Publishes TSCA Formulation Documents, Asbestos Rule

"These actions provide the American people with transparency and an opportunity to comment on how EPA plans to evaluate the ten chemicals undergoing risk evaluation, select studies, and use the best available science to ensure chemicals in the marketplace are safe," EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt said. "At the same time, we are moving forward to take important, unprecedented action on asbestos."

California Gov. Brown Signs Water Efficiency Bills

The two bills will establish an indoor per person water use goal of 55 gallons per day until 2025, 52.5 gallons from 2025 to 2030, and 50 gallons beginning in 2030, and they will create incentives for water suppliers to recycle water.

Drought Dominoes: The Psychological Impact of Droughts

We are always going to have droughts. The only way we can address droughts and help prevent this drought domino and effect reduce mental stress is to use water much more efficiently.

Slice Cutting Tools: Safer Safety Knives

Slice Cutting Tools: Safer Safety Knives

Lacerations are one of the most common injuries sustained in the workplace. The good news is that they are largely preventable, given the right training and the right equipment. As concerns the latter, safety managers the world over continually hunt for the safest safety knifeā€”and we believe that search ends with Slice.