News and Articles


EPA Orders Western Environmental to Stop Noxious Odors Coming From Calif. Facility

EPA has ordered Western Environmental Inc. to take immediate steps to address potentially harmful emissions coming from its Mecca, Calif., waste handling facility.

How Environmentally Friendly are Capsule Systems and Other Ways Of Making Coffee?

Empa researchers have taken a close look at the ecological balances of the various systems currently in use.

Environmental Leaders to American Electric Power: What’s Your Number?

National environmental groups are launching a new campaign that challenges American Electric Power to publicly name the number of lives it wants Congress to sacrifice to give AEP and other polluters delays and rollbacks of national limits on toxic air pollution.

Cleanup Begins at Ellenville Scrap Iron and Metal Superfund Site in N.Y.

EPA will begin to excavate contaminated soil on the Ellenville Scrap Iron and Metal Superfund site in Ellenville, N.Y., and move it to the landfill on the property.

Shed Skin Contributes to Reducing Indoor Air Pollution

Flakes of skin that people shed at the rate of 500 million cells every day are not just a nuisance — they actually can be beneficial.

Consumers Detect Odd Odors, Tastes in Water Despite Government Guidelines

People are more sensitive to metallic tastes in their water than federal guidelines about taste would suggest.

Seafood Wholesaler Sentenced for Selling Falsely Labeled Fish, Smuggling, Misbranding Products

The owners were convicted of 13 felony offenses for their roles in purchasing and selling farm-raised Asian catfish and Lake Victoria perch falsely labeled as grouper, selling foreign farm-raised shrimp falsely labeled as U.S. wild caught shrimp, selling shrimp they falsely claimed to be larger, more expensive shrimp than they actually were, and for buying fish they knew had been illegally imported into the United States.

New Jersey Employs Unique Fish To Battle Mosquitos

New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection employees are busy this spring stocking many lakes and ponds with thousands of unique species of fish.

Mass. Landlords Face Fines for Failing to Notify Tenants about Lead Paint

A property management company and four owners of rental properties in and around Holyoke, Mass., face EPA penalties of up to $16,000 per violation for violating federal lead-based paint disclosure rules.

High School Students Win Presidential Environmental Award

EPA honored the Bakersfield, Calif., Independence High School Falcon Autistic Solar Team (FAST) with this year’s President’s Environmental Youth Award in recognition for promoting environmental awareness.

Dow Water's Australian Installation Wins Desalination Plant of the Year Award

Dow Water & Process Solutions’ seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) facility in Kurnell, Australia, won the Desalination Plant of the Year award, which is given for the most technical achievement in the industry.

In the Middle of Hot Texas City, a Glimpse of Green

Despite the dry climate, the Omni hotel in Fort Worth, Texas, has installed a rooftop herb garden on one of its terraces shaded from the hot summer sun.

Tests Show Biosensor Can Guide Environmental Cleanups

Tests of a new antibody-based “biosensor” developed by researchers at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science show that it can detect marine pollutants like oil much faster and more cheaply than current technologies. The device is small and sturdy enough to be used from a boat.

Methane Levels 17 Times Higher in Water Wells Near Hydrofracking Sites

A study by Duke University researchers has found high levels of leaked methane in well water collected near shale-gas drilling and hydrofracking sites.

Simple Chemical Reaction Curbs Spreading CO2 in Aquifers: Study

The presence of even a simple chemical reaction can delay or prevent the spreading of stored carbon dioxide in underground aquifers, new research from the University of Cambridge has revealed.

Universities Join Forces to Build International Understanding of Global Food Safety

Connecting expertise across several colleges, Michigan State University is leading efforts to build international understanding of food safety in the interconnected food supply chains that stretch around the world.

Study: Relationship Between Farming, Phosphorus in Miss. River Not Clear-Cut

Overall, the findings suggest that reducing phosphorus pollution will require broad adoption of practices that limit nutrient runoff, such as cover crops, buffer strips, and incorporation of fertilizers. It will also require limits on phosphorus discharge from cities.

American Society of Landscape Architects Debuts 'Sustainable Design 101' Resource

Plants that digest toxic waste, parks built from old building materials, trees that lower utility bills and many other sustainable concepts are part of a free educational resource from the American Society of Landscape Architects.

New Online Mechanism for Electric Vehicle Charging

Researchers at the University of Southampton have designed a new pricing mechanism that could change the way in which electric vehicles are charged.

Dredging Firm to Pay $105,000 Fine for Ocean Dumping Violations

A Salem, Mass., dredging company has agreed to pay a penalty of $105,000 to settle EPA claims that it improperly disposed of dredged sediments.