With the messaging to reduce our plastic use so loud and clear, it seems odd that so many are choosing to carpet their gardens with the stuff. Artificial grass, faux lawn, plastic grass – whatever you call it, it has never been so widely used. And homeowners, or renters, who choose to install it, often cite low maintenance as their number one reason. More:

• 6 reasons why artificial grass is NOT low maintenance  –  Real Homes
• New Studies Show PFAS in Artificial Grass Blades and Backing  –  EWG

A court in Paris found the French government guilty of wrongful negligence involving the former use of a banned pesticide in the French Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique but denied compensation to those affected More:

• Court finds France negligent in Caribbean pesticide case  –  ABC News
• Chlordécone aux Antilles : le tribunal administratif de Paris reconnaît des «négligences fautives» de l’Etat  –  Le Parisien
• Entre les Antilles et le chlordécone, une ultratoxicité sous l'œil du microscope  –  France 24
• Chlordecone poisoning by the banana industry in the French West Indies, Martinique and Guadeloupe  –  EJAtlas

Cette carte adopte une précision à l’échelle communale de l’utilisation des pesticides, par type de cultures et par type de traitements (herbicides, insecticides, fongicides, traitements de semences). Basée sur le référentiel de l’Indicateur de Fréquence de Traitements phytosanitaires (IFT), elle est disponible gratuitement sur Adonis, la plateforme de Solagro. More:

• Pesticides : une carte de France des IFT publiée par Solagro  –  REUSSIR
• Carte Adonis d'utilisation des pesticides en France  –  Solagro

• Le calcul de l'IFT  –  REUSSIR

• Réduction des pesticides : que propose la Commission européenne ?  –  REUSSIR

Air pollution doesn't just impact the health of your lungs and heart. Recent research has found fine particulate matter can also cause damage to the brain, and scientists think they've finally figured out how. More:

• Toxic Particles Once Inhaled May Travel Directly to The Brain, Study Suggests  –  Science alert
• Passage of exogeneous fine particles from the lung into the brain in humans and animals (Research article)

EU countries and MEPs reached a deal on the proposal that sets limits for harmful chemicals in waste — in a bid to prevent them from being recycled into new materials as part of 'circular economy' efforts. More:

• EU states reject stricter chemical rules in waste, says lead MEP  –  EU Observer

• MEPs call to speed up curbs on toxic 'forever chemicals'  –  EU Observer
• Europe readies to restrict use of toxic 'forever chemicals'  –  EU Observer

• Understanding POPs  –  European Chemicals Agency

Gouldstone wasn't satisfied with just telling her customers everything she did was "natural" and "sustainable". Those words seem to be used everywhere – and without evidence to back them up, she felt they could be misused. More:

• Are 'natural' products better than synthetic ones?  –  BBC Future

• The chemicals that linger for decades in your blood  –  BBC Future

• Start with pure ingredients  –  Amyris

At the conclusion of the United Nations Triple Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions (BRS COPs), Parties made critical progress by banning a very dangerous “forever chemical” and limiting exports of e-waste, however, they once again failed to take meaningful action to regulate the trade of multiple toxic substances that threaten people and ecosystems and have been on the COP’s agenda for decades. More:

• A UN Chemicals Negotiations Dance one step forward, one step back  –  Center for International Environmental Law

As a part of the European Commission’s Chemical Strategy, it has promised to revise the Cosmetics Regulation. It has been evident for a long time that the current legislation is insufficient as it allows for cosmetic products with harmful substances to the environment and humans, such as PFAS and hormone disruptors. More:

• Time to break up with toxic makeup  –  ChemSec
• Cosmetic Products Regulation Consultation  –  European Commission

Environmental scientists, ecologists, and policy experts argue in a letter that the proposed Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework—a new international agreement to protect biodiversity—fails to account for the totality of chemical pollutants that threaten the health of ecosystems worldwide. More:

• New global biodiversity framework falls short on inclusion of chemical pollutants, say environmental experts  –  Phys.org

The Environmental Protection Agency warned that a group of human-made chemicals found in the drinking water, cosmetics and food packaging used by millions of U.S. citizens poses a greater danger to human health than regulators previously thought. More:

• EPA warns toxic ‘forever chemicals’ more dangerous than once thought  –  The Washington Post

• EPA Announces New Drinking Water Health Advisories for PFAS Chemicals, $1 Billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding to Strengthen Health Protections  –  US EPA
• DEQ orders additional PFAS reductions by Chemours  –  North Carolina Environmental Quality

• Mapping the PFAS contamination crisis: New data show 2,858 sites in 50 states and two territories  –  EWG
• ‘Forever chemicals’ upended a Maine farm — and point to larger problem  –  The Washington Post

Monitoring pollution in rivers involves taking water samples which are then sent to a lab for analysis, only to obtain a spot check of the river's health taken a week ago. Researches have designed a pollution detector that monitors water quality in real time. More:

• Pollution detector that does not need a lab  –  BBC News

Chemicals such as bisphenols and dioxins are thought to interfere with hormones and damage sperm quality, and the study found combinations of these compounds are present at “astonishing” levels, up to 100 times those considered safe. More:

• Cocktail of chemical pollutants linked to falling sperm quality in research  –  The Guardian

• Combined exposures to bisphenols, polychlorinated dioxins, paracetamol, and phthalates as drivers of deteriorating semen quality (Research article)
• Paracetamol use during pregnancy — a call for precautionary action (Research article)

All plastics are made of chemicals, including polymers, additives to make products stronger, softer, colourful or fire resistant, or unintentionally added substances such as solvents, cleaning agents, or impurities from manufacturing or recycling. More:

• “Chemicals in Plastics” by UNEP Chemicals and Health Branch, Geneva (YouTube)  –  UNEP

While there has been widespread outcry about PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in consumer goods — such as stain- and water-resistant clothing, nonstick pots and pans, firefighting foam, carpets and furniture — the oil and gas industry could be a major and under-appreciated source of soil and groundwater contamination. More:

• Colorado is the first state to ban PFAS in oil and gas extraction  –  EHN
• Colorado bans PFAS in oil- and gas-extraction products  –  C&EN

• New report: Fracking with “Forever Chemicals"  –  Physician For Social Responsibility
• Opinion: We agree PFAS should not be used in fracking, and it is not  –  The Denver Post

• Mapping the PFAS contamination crisis: New data show 2,858 sites in 50 states and two territories  –  Environmental working group
• Pennsylvania vows to regulate PFAS in drinking water–again–but regulations are at least two years away  –  Environmental Health News

• How toxic PFAS chemicals could be making their way into food from Pennsylvania farms  –  Environmental Health News

• Unintentional PFAS in products: A “jungle” of contamination  –  Environmental Health News

Are you looking for the best peanut butter & other nut butter without toxic PFAS “forever chemicals”? Indications of Per & polyfluoroalkyl substances known as PFAS, a class of man-made chemicals linked to adverse health effects, were found in peanut butter & other nut butters as part of a consumer study. More:

• Nut Butters & Peanut Butter Sans Toxic PFAS "Forever Chemicals" - Purchasing Guide 2022  –  Mamavation

• PFAS Found in Organic Tomato Pasta Sauce — Purchasing Guide 2022  –  Mamavation
• Is PFAS Found in Cooking Oils? — Non-Toxic Purchasing Guide 2022  –  Mamavation
• Ketchup Ranked: Indications of PFAS “Forever Chemicals” Industry Wide  –  Mamavation

• Toxic Packaging: Are Fast Food Wrappers Hurting Your Family?  –  Mamavation
• Dangerous Chemicals in Food Packaging: Grocery Stores & PFAS  –  Mamavation
• 22 Surprising Fast Food Items That Won’t Poison You With Toxic PFAS “Forever Chemicals”  –  Mamavation
• Safest Non-Toxic Parchment Paper Without PFAS “Forever Chemicals”–Lab Reports  –  Mamavation

• Best & Worst Cookware & Bakeware 2022–Safest Non Toxic Brands  –  Mamavation
• Safest Air Fryers & Air Fryer Ovens Sans Toxic PFAS Coatings 2021  –  Mamavation
• Best & Worst Small Kitchen Appliances–Toxic Food Contact Materials  –  Mamavation

• Safest Non-Toxic Bamboo Flooring Without PFAS “Forever Chemicals”–Lab Reports  –  Mamavation
• Mohawk SmartStrand Carpet & Smart Cushion PFAS “Forever Chemical” Laboratory Results  –  Mamavation
• Best Home Water Filters for Toxic PFAS “Forever Chemical” Filtration  –  Mamavation
• Car Seat Purchasing Guide 2022 — Safest Non-Toxic Infant & Convertible Car Seats & Boosters  –  Mamavation
• 2022 Best HEPA & HEPA-Like Air Purifiers–Viruses, Ultrafine Particles & Allergens  –  Mamavation

• Safest Children’s Clothing Sans PFAS “Forever Chemicals”  –  Mamavation
• Safest Non-Toxic Jackets & Raincoats without PFAS “Forever Chemicals”  –  Mamavation
• Non-Toxic Activewear Guide: PFAS “Forever Chemicals” in Workout Leggings & Yoga Pants  –  Mamavation
• Sports Bras & PFAS “Forever Chemicals” Purchasing Guide 2022  –  Mamavation
• Best Non-Toxic Bedding–Mattress Covers, Sheets, & Comforters 2022  –  Mamavation

• Report: 65% of Period Underwear Tested Likely Contaminated with PFAS Chemicals  –  Mamavation
• Green Beauty Cosmetic Guide — PFAS “Forever Chemicals” & Makeup  –  Mamavation

• What are the health effects of PFAS?  –  US ATSDR
• Health effects of PFAS exposure  –  Food Packaging Forum
• PFAS and cancer, a scoping review of the epidemiologic evidence (Research article)
• Talking to your Doctor about exposure to PFAS (Factsheet)  –  US ATSDR
• CDC and ATSDR Award $7 Million to Begin Multi-Site PFAS Study  –  US CDC

• Endocrine-disrupting activity of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances: Exploring combined approaches of ligand and structure based modeling (Research abstract)
• Thyroid Disrupting Effects of Old and New Generation PFAS (Research article)
• Nonstick Pan Chemicals Linked to Low Sperm Count and Small Penis Size Study Finds  –  Mamavation

• Maternal levels of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) during pregnancy and childhood allergy and asthma related outcomes and infections in the Norwegian Mother and Child (MoBa) cohort (Research article)
• Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and Their Effects on the Placenta, Pregnancy, and Child Development: a Potential Mechanistic Role for Placental Peroxisome Proliferator–Activated Receptors (PPARs) (Research abstract)
• PFAS exposure in infancy linked to reduced vaccine response (Research article)

• You'd do anything to keep her safe. Why won't the FDA?  –  ToxicFreeFoodFDA
• What Does “Safe” Mean? Well, It Depends on Your Perspective  –  Mamavation

Working on the farm is a job that Pluecker juggles with his position as a state lawmaker, and the combination of roles gives Pluecker particular insight into a devastatingly broad environmental contamination problem farmers are facing throughout Maine, and around the United States. More:

• As farmers struggle with PFAS ‘forever chemicals,’ Maine races for solutions  –  The New Lede

• History and Use of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)  –  ITRC
• Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)  –  US NIOSH

• Top 10 Reasons Why Biosolids are Dangerous  –  Mamavation
• PFAS Statement  –  Songbird Farm
• PFAS Treatment in Biosolids – State of the Science  –  US EPA

• Toxic PFAS chemicals found in Maine farms fertilized with sewage sludge  –  The Intercept
• Maine DEP identifies 34 towns with high-priority sites PFAS chemicals testing  –  Maine Public
• Sludge By Any Name Will Never Be “Organic”  –  The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association
• Basic Information about Biosolids  –  US EPA

• EPA Unable to Assess the Impact of Hundreds of Unregulated Pollutants in Land-Applied Biosolids on Human Health and the Environment  –  US EPA

• EWG: ‘Forever chemicals’ may taint nearly 20 million cropland acres  –  EWG
• New Mexico assists Clovis family dairy farm with PFAS contamination  –  State of New Mexico Environment Department
• Dairy Farmer Sues Burlington Over Airport PFAS Contamination  –  Seven Days

• ‘Forever chemicals’ upended a Maine farm — and point to larger problem  –  The Washington Post
• ‘I don’t know how we’ll survive’: the farmers facing ruin in Maine’s ‘forever chemicals’ crisis  –  The Guardian
• Maine Farmers Face a Crisis Over Forever Chemicals  –  Modern Farmer
• ‘Complete crisis’ as PFAS discovery upends life and livelihood of young Maine farming family  –  Maine Public
• The curious case of tainted milk from a Maine dairy farm  –  Reuters
• Pingree to USDA Sec. Vilsack Meet with Maine Farmers Affected by PFAS Contamination  –  Pingree House

• Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS) Factsheet  –  US Centers for disease control and prevention
• Suppressed Study: The EPA Underestimated Dangers of Widespread Chemicals  –  Pro Publica
• Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA), Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS), and Related Chemicals  –  American Cancer Society
• PFOS and Groundwater  –  Minnesota Department of Health
• What are the health effects of PFAS  –  US ATSDR

• Despite A $50M Cleanup, Residents Still Bear The Costs Of Peterson AFB’s Water Contamination  –  CPR News
• Learn About the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule  –  US EPA

• An Act To Prohibit the Contamination of Clean Soils with So-called Forever Chemicals  –  State of Maine Legislature
• An Act To Investigate Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Contamination of Land and Groundwater  –  State of Maine
• An Act To Stop Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Pollution  –  State of Maine Legislature
• FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Launches Plan to Combat PFAS Pollution  –  The White House

Over the past decade, pregnant women’s chemical exposure increased considerably, research finds. The study also shows that Hispanic women and other women of color and those of lower socioeconomic status and education had higher concentrations of multiple pesticides and parabens “consistent with prior evidence that chemical exposures are frequently higher among women of color,” says study coauthor John Meeker. More:

• Chemical exposure in pregnancy has gotten worse  –  Futurity

• 24% of chemicals in plastic may be worth worrying about  –  Futurity

• Exposure to Contemporary and Emerging Chemicals in Commerce among Pregnant Women in the United States: The Environmental influences on Child Health Outcome (ECHO) Program (Research article)
• Celiac diagnosis more likely with higher blood levels of pesticides  –  Futurity

Hazardous levels of so-called forever chemicals permeate drinking water near U.S. military bases across multiple states, according to new test results, heightening concern among advocates that the contamination crisis has spiraled beyond the Department of Defense’s control.. More:

• High levels of ‘forever chemicals’ found near military bases  –  E&E News
• Senators pepper Pentagon officials with PFAS concerns  –  E&E Daily
• EPA eyes health advisory revamp for key 'forever chemicals'  –  E&E News

In 2018, the headquarters began to home beehives on their rooftop, but not for honey. One of the main duties of the police force is to monitor the environment, and now they’re using bees as biodiversity indicators to help with this, according to Lieutenant Col. Giancarlo Papitto, from the Carabinieri’s Forestry and Environment Unit Command. More:

• How Italy is Using Bees to Help Fight Air Pollution  –  One Green Planet
• The fuzz with the buzz: How bees are helping Italy's Carabinieri police fight pollution  –  euronews.green

• The Disappearing Bees And What You Can Do To Help  –  One Green Planet

• Dairy Farm Forced to Euthanize 3,665 Cows After Years of Pollution from Local Air Force Base  –  One Green Planet

The environmental pollutants we consume are probably the reason why some people develop type 1 diabetes. Even low concentrations of such pollutants can result in cells producing less insulin, reveals a new study from the University of Oslo (UiO). More:

• Environmental pollutants play a role in the development of type 1 diabetes  –  MedicalXpress
• Associations between persistent organic pollutants and type 1 diabetes in youth (Research article)
• Fatty fish without environmental pollutants protect against type 2 diabetes  –  MedicalXpress