#sewage-contamination

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Europe news
fromwww.dw.com
20 hours ago

The world ditched wasteful toilets, the US stayed behind

Toilet flushing methods in the US and Europe differ significantly, impacting water conservation efforts amid increasing water scarcity concerns.
Environment
fromFuturism
11 hours ago

Trump Moves to Let Coal Companies Pollute Waterways With Their Toxic Slag

The Trump administration proposes rollbacks to coal ash regulations, threatening health protections and allowing states to exempt energy companies from federal standards.
#public-health
fromArchDaily
1 day ago

Mapping the Technosphere: Architecture as an Interface Between Systems and Territories

Architecture can no longer be conceived as an isolated object, detached from the technical networks that sustain contemporary life. This condition calls for new readings and approaches.
Design
#new-york-city
New York City
fromStreetsblog New York City
2 days ago

FIRST ON STREETSBLOG: Mamdani To Fully Fund Trash Containerization - Streetsblog New York City

Mayor Mamdani will implement citywide containerization of residential trash by 2031 to improve New York's sidewalks.
fromStreetsblog New York City
1 week ago
New York City

Trash Containerization Program Remains Unfunded in Mamdani's City Budget - Streetsblog New York City

Funding for New York City's trash containerization program is uncertain, risking the continuation of efforts to improve waste management.
New York City
fromStreetsblog New York City
2 days ago

FIRST ON STREETSBLOG: Mamdani To Fully Fund Trash Containerization - Streetsblog New York City

Mayor Mamdani will implement citywide containerization of residential trash by 2031 to improve New York's sidewalks.
New York City
fromStreetsblog New York City
1 week ago

Trash Containerization Program Remains Unfunded in Mamdani's City Budget - Streetsblog New York City

Funding for New York City's trash containerization program is uncertain, risking the continuation of efforts to improve waste management.
NYC politics
fromHell Gate
1 day ago

Sewer Socialism, Meet Pothole Politics

Zohran Mamdani emphasizes democratic socialism to serve working people in New York City during his first 100 days as mayor.
fromTasting Table
4 days ago

Banish Garden Slugs With A Cheap And Easy Beer Trap - Tasting Table

Plump, wiggly slugs may look innocuous, but they can wreak serious havoc on a carefully-curated garden, even causing total crop failure.
Beer
OMG science
fromNature
1 day ago

The air is full of DNA - here's what scientists are using it for

Airborne DNA is a new frontier for studying ecosystems, monitoring species, and assessing conservation efforts.
London
fromwww.theguardian.com
6 days ago

Say no to pesticides, mix up your lawn and six more ways to help bees to thrive

Solitary bees are crucial pollinators, with over 240 species in the UK, but they are facing significant population declines.
fromWIRED
1 day ago

Half of US Homes Have PFAS in the Water. A Filtered Pitcher Can Help

The ZeroWater Pitcher from Culligan is likely the best choice for removing PFAS, but it also removes helpful minerals like calcium and magnesium.
Environment
#gowanus-canal
Brooklyn
fromBrownstoner
1 week ago

Gowanus Sanitation Facility Clears Way for Superfund Tanks

A new $24 million facility in Gowanus enhances sanitation operations and supports Gowanus Canal cleanup by storing road salt and processing compost.
Brooklyn
fromThe Cool Down
2 weeks ago

City residents worry about hidden threat lurking underground in trendy neighborhood

The Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn poses health risks due to pollution and toxic waste, impacting residents' quality of life.
Brooklyn
fromBrownstoner
1 week ago

Gowanus Sanitation Facility Clears Way for Superfund Tanks

A new $24 million facility in Gowanus enhances sanitation operations and supports Gowanus Canal cleanup by storing road salt and processing compost.
Brooklyn
fromThe Cool Down
2 weeks ago

City residents worry about hidden threat lurking underground in trendy neighborhood

The Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn poses health risks due to pollution and toxic waste, impacting residents' quality of life.
New York Islanders
fromCurbed
1 week ago

This Electric-Green Stream Is Actually a Good Thing

Clove Lakes Park in Staten Island faces odor issues linked to wastewater management, prompting investigations by environmental authorities.
US news
fromThe Washington Post
1 week ago

Plan to reinforce sewer pipe was delayed for years before Potomac disaster

Delays in environmental reviews led to a catastrophic sewer line failure, resulting in a massive release of untreated wastewater into the Potomac River.
Environment
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 day ago

Troubled Lake Erie is being transformed into a vast water research facility

Lake Erie still faces significant pollution challenges despite improvements, with increasing demand for clean water driving technological innovations in monitoring water quality.
London politics
fromwww.bbc.com
2 weeks ago

New bin rules begin in England but not all councils are ready

New rules mandate weekly food waste collections in England, but many councils are unprepared to meet the deadline.
UK politics
fromwww.independent.co.uk
2 weeks ago

Water companies accused of more than 3,000 environmental rule breaches

The Environment Agency identified over 3,000 environmental breaches by water companies after conducting more than 10,000 inspections in the past year.
New York City
fromGothamist
1 week ago

Reforms to 'wild west' private trash industry come to Manhattan's Chinatown

Manhattan's Chinatown will implement new trash reforms requiring businesses to use authorized waste companies by May 2024.
Public health
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 week ago

EPA moves to designate microplastics and pharmaceuticals as contaminants in drinking water

EPA proposes to include microplastics and pharmaceuticals in drinking water contaminants list, responding to public health concerns.
NYC politics
fromGothamist
1 week ago

New Yorkers stopped composting after city stopped giving them fines, report shows

Enforcement of composting fines in New York City has decreased, leading to a significant drop in compost collection since 2025.
UK news
fromwww.independent.co.uk
2 weeks ago

Sewage spilled into English rivers, seas and lakes once every two minutes in 2025

The Independent provides critical journalism on various issues, emphasizing the importance of accessible reporting without paywalls.
#fatberg
Environment
fromwww.theguardian.com
5 days ago

Behind this door is the huge fatberg that can't stop depositing poo balls on Sydney's beaches

A massive fatberg at the Malabar wastewater treatment plant has caused beach closures in Sydney due to dislodged waste being carried back to shore.
Environment
fromwww.theguardian.com
5 days ago

Behind this door is the huge fatberg that can't stop depositing poo balls on Sydney's beaches

A massive fatberg at the Malabar wastewater treatment plant has caused beach closures in Sydney due to dislodged waste being carried back to shore.
#air-pollution
Public health
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 week ago

Why reducing air pollution deaths isn't just about reducing air pollution

Reductions in vulnerability to air pollution since 1990 saved approximately 1.7 million lives in 2019, with significant improvements in Europe and North America.
Public health
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 week ago

Why reducing air pollution deaths isn't just about reducing air pollution

Reductions in vulnerability to air pollution since 1990 saved approximately 1.7 million lives in 2019, with significant improvements in Europe and North America.
fromMail Online
5 days ago

Decades of radioactive water releases into Hudson River revealed

Records show the plant discharged an average of two to three million gallons of processed wastewater each year between 1962 and 2021, including treated radioactive effluents.
Environment
Public health
fromwww.npr.org
1 week ago

EPA flags microplastics, pharmaceuticals as chemicals of concern in drinking water

The Trump administration has included microplastics and pharmaceuticals in a draft list of drinking water contaminants for the first time.
Washington DC
fromThe Atlantic
3 weeks ago

What Caused the D.C. Sewer Disaster

A major sewer pipe collapse in Washington, D.C. caused one of the worst raw-sewage spills in U.S. history, potentially linked to a design flaw from the 1960s involving boulder fill that may affect other sections of the pipeline.
Alternative transportation
fromStreetsblog
4 weeks ago

Why Some Congresspeople Want to Go Big on Greenways - Streetsblog USA

The Parks to People Act proposes $300 million in federal funding for walking and biking infrastructure as essential transportation tools, despite political opposition dismissing them as distractions.
Agriculture
fromEarth911
3 weeks ago

Convenience Comes at the Environment's Expense

Fast delivery convenience carries significant environmental costs through packaging waste, carbon emissions, and resource consumption, but individual yard management choices can meaningfully reduce environmental impact at a local scale.
#waste-management
UK politics
fromwww.bbc.com
3 weeks ago

Taxpayers to fund clear-up of huge illegal waste dumps

Three major illegal rubbish dumps in England will be cleaned up at taxpayer expense as part of a national waste crime action plan.
Environment
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 weeks ago

Environment Agency too weak to tackle illegal waste dumping, MPs say

The Environment Agency lacks the necessary powers and intelligence to effectively combat the rising issue of illegal waste dumping in the UK.
UK politics
fromwww.bbc.com
3 weeks ago

Taxpayers to fund clear-up of huge illegal waste dumps

Three major illegal rubbish dumps in England will be cleaned up at taxpayer expense as part of a national waste crime action plan.
Environment
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 weeks ago

Environment Agency too weak to tackle illegal waste dumping, MPs say

The Environment Agency lacks the necessary powers and intelligence to effectively combat the rising issue of illegal waste dumping in the UK.
fromWIRED
3 weeks ago

A New Generation of Big Water Filters-Without the Plastic

Most water filter pitchers are made of BPA-free plastic. But as new research shows that bottled-water drinkers ingest tens of thousands of excess microplastic particles, wellness lovers have begun to look askance at water filters that are themselves made of plastic.
Beer
fromWashingtonian - The website that Washington lives by.
4 weeks ago

The Broken Sewer Line That Filled The Potomac River With Poop Has Been Repaired. What Happens Next? - Washingtonian

After 55 days of construction, which involved enough gravel to cover four football fields and enough fuel to power a dozen homes for a whole year, the pipe is once again funneling sewage from Fairfax and Loudoun Counties to the Blue Plains Advanced Water Treatment Plant in Southwest DC.
Washington DC
#fly-tipping-enforcement
fromwww.bbc.com
3 weeks ago
London politics

Fly tippers face clearing up own rubbish as punishment

English local authorities will gain powers to enforce fly-tipping penalties including 20 hours community service and fines up to £300 without court proceedings.
fromwww.independent.co.uk
3 weeks ago
UK politics

Fly-tippers could be forced to clear their own rubbish under new crackdown

The UK government proposes forcing fly-tippers to clean up illegally dumped waste and allowing councils to seize offender funds for cleanup operations as fly-tipping increases 9% annually.
London politics
fromwww.bbc.com
3 weeks ago

Fly tippers face clearing up own rubbish as punishment

English local authorities will gain powers to enforce fly-tipping penalties including 20 hours community service and fines up to £300 without court proceedings.
UK politics
fromwww.independent.co.uk
3 weeks ago

Fly-tippers could be forced to clear their own rubbish under new crackdown

The UK government proposes forcing fly-tippers to clean up illegally dumped waste and allowing councils to seize offender funds for cleanup operations as fly-tipping increases 9% annually.
Environment
fromSan Jose Spotlight
1 week ago

Mountain View fined $1.2M for sewage pollution in creek - San Jose Spotlight

Mountain View faces $1.2 million in penalties for violating federal law by allowing sewage to pollute Stevens Creek.
Healthcare
fromSocial Media Explorer
1 month ago

Medical Waste Disposal: A Breakdown - Social Media Explorer

U.S. healthcare facilities generate 3.5 million tons of medical waste annually, requiring specific disposal methods and regulatory compliance with potential fines up to $13,653 per violation.
Everyday cooking
fromTasting Table
1 month ago

Don't Put This Type Of Seafood Down Your Sink Drain - Tasting Table

Garbage disposals cannot process shellfish shells because their chitin composition is too hard for the machine's blending mechanism to break down.
UK news
fromwww.independent.co.uk
1 month ago

UK water giant to pay 44.7m over unacceptable' sewage spills

Welsh Water faces a £44.7 million penalty from Ofwat for serious breaches in sewage network operation, maintenance, and environmental protection.
Environment
fromEarth911
3 weeks ago

Guest Idea: What Really Happens After You Drop Off Recycling?

Recycling involves a complex journey from collection to sorting, influenced by local policies, technology, and consumer demand.
London politics
fromwww.bbc.com
1 month ago

'Two hours after clearing flytip, rubbish is dumped again'

Croydon experiences over one thousand flytips weekly, the highest in the country, costing the council £1 million annually to address through enforcement and cleanup operations.
Online marketing
fromSocial Media Explorer
1 month ago

Why Chemical Balance is the Key to Crystal Clear Water - Social Media Explorer

Proper pool maintenance requires chemical balance of pH, alkalinity, and sanitizer levels to prevent bacteria and algae growth while protecting equipment.
Environment
fromArs Technica
3 weeks ago

A bit of good news: It's possible to turn around a groundwater crisis

Groundwater recovery can mitigate subsidence but may also lead to flooding, structural issues, and chemical problems in various regions.
Startup companies
fromFast Company
2 months ago

This 'chemical sponge' sucks up the valuable minerals in polluted water

A supramolecular receptor-based, 3D-printed cartridge system selectively and cleanly extracts critical minerals from waste and wastewater with low energy and no toxic chemicals.
Environment
fromwww.npr.org
1 month ago

Making wastewater drinkable is a growing trend as water resources become more strained

Treated wastewater recycling for drinking water is becoming a viable solution in water-scarce regions, with Florida, Arizona, California, and Colorado now allowing direct potable reuse through regulated pilot programs.
fromTheregister
2 months ago

S Twatter: When text-to-speech goes down the drain

A Reg reader received an automated call warning of potential water discoloration during planned works from January 19-25. The message advised running taps for twenty minutes if the water appeared discolored - standard stuff, if a bit robotic. In the recording forwarded to us, a female voice told our reader what to expect. All good, if a little robotic. However, things went off the rails a bit when the robot attempted to read out the URL for Severn Trent: http://www.stwater.co.uk/discolouration.
Artificial intelligence
US politics
fromwww.independent.co.uk
2 months ago

Troubled waters: How the UK's water companies became a national disgrace

Donations fund on-the-ground, paywall-free journalism covering issues from reproductive rights and Big Tech to failing water infrastructure and public-health crises.
fromwww.npr.org
2 months ago

What we know about the massive sewage leak in the Potomac River

Approximately 243 million gallons of wastewater has overflowed from the pipe that collapsed on January 19 in Montgomery County, Md., according to a release from DC Water. That translates into 368 Olympic-sized swimming pools worth of sewage. The brunt of this surge happened in the first five days, before interim bypass pumping was activated a system that reroutes sewage around the damaged section.
US news
#sewage-spill
London
fromwww.bbc.com
1 month ago

Repairs carried out on water main after flooding

A large split in a 30-inch water main in north London flooded a road and cut water supply to properties, requiring 40 firefighters and overnight repair efforts by Thames Water.
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

Dirty water, death and decline: the inside story of a privatisation scandal

Sarah Lambert took her usual morning swim for 40 minutes off Exmouth town beach before her volunteer shift helping disabled people get access to the water. A wheelchair user herself, Lambert's regular sea swims twice a week between the lifeboat station and HeyDays restaurant were the perfect form of exercise for her disability.
Public health
New York City
fromHell Gate
1 month ago

New York City Is Drowning in Dog Poop

Widespread frozen dog feces across NYC after heavy snow has caused a surge in 311 complaints and exposed weakened neighborhood social cohesion.
#water-pollution
Environment
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

Thousands of pollution incidents in England downgraded without site visit, data suggests

Environment Agency staff downgraded 98% of 2,778 serious water pollution incidents reported in 2024 without site visits, representing a 1,500% increase in downgrades since 2021.
Environment
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

Thousands of pollution incidents in England downgraded without site visit, data suggests

Environment Agency staff downgraded 98% of 2,778 serious water pollution incidents reported in 2024 without site visits, representing a 1,500% increase in downgrades since 2021.
Public health
fromwww.bbc.com
2 months ago

Council told to plan for rubbish fire health risks

Havering Council must monitor long-term health impacts from repeated fires at contaminated Arnolds Field, where residents report eye irritation and coughing.
Environment
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

The 16-month battle to reveal the truth about Sydney Water's poo balls

Sewage-containing debris washed onto Malabar and other Sydney beaches while authorities delayed broader public warnings and contested the source.
Environment
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

Why does Sydney pump sewage into the ocean and put its famous beaches at risk of poo balls?

Sydney disposes most sewage via fast primary treatment, removing solids and discharging effluent through deepwater ocean outfalls, relying on ocean dilution reaching limits.
Environment
fromwww.standard.co.uk
2 months ago

Cleaner River Thames but effects of climate change remain, health check finds

The River Thames' water quality has improved significantly, but climate change and nutrient pollution threaten its long-term ecological recovery.
fromApartment Therapy
2 months ago

I'll Never Do Laundry When It's Raining - and Here's Why

When it's dreary outside, I usually hunker down and do household chores - running the dishwasher, catching up on laundry, maybe even taking a long shower and shaving my legs. These days, though, I take the opposite approach: I never do chores that require water use when it's raining outside. That's because I recently learned that my city, Milwaukee, has a shared sewer system - which means rainwater runoff, domestic sewage, and industrial wastewater collect in the same pipes.
Environment
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

If you're flushing the toilet with grey water, people should know': how China turned rain into an asset

A worker sweeps the track at the National Stadium during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which was disrupted by heavy rain. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images The secret weapon is a network of capillary-like tubes that weave through the Bird's Nest's outer lattice, which are specifically designed to siphon away rainfall. The pipes channel rainwater into one of three underwater storage tanks, where it is filtered and prepared for recycling within the building.
Environment
#pfas
Environment
fromGothamist
1 month ago

Environmental groups sue NYC over Willets Point wastewater plant

Environmental groups are suing New York City over plans to chlorinate wastewater entering Flushing Creek, arguing chlorine won't reduce sewage volume and may harm wildlife.
Environment
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

The death of Heather Preen: how an eight-year-old lost her life amid the UK sewage crisis

England's water companies have routinely dumped raw sewage, causing environmental degradation and health tragedies while accountability remained limited.
Environment
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

Water firms could be let off pollution fines as part of government overhaul

Government plans allow regulators to defer or reduce fines for water companies to prevent collapse while enforcing turnaround regimes and protecting investor stability.
fromArchDaily
2 months ago

Health, Habitat, and Civic Infrastructure: Designing the City as a National Park

Cities around the world share a common goal: to become healthier and greener, supported by civic infrastructure that restores ecosystems and strengthens public life. The question is how to reach this. Global climate targets, local building codes, and municipal standards increasingly guide designers and planners toward better choices. Still, many cities struggle to translate these frameworks into everyday, street-level comfort and long-term ecological protection.
Environment
Environment
fromTruthout
2 months ago

EPA Proposal Threatens Ability to Block Pipelines, Other Infrastructure Projects

Federal rule restricts states' and tribes' Clean Water Act Section 401 authority to speed permitting for large energy and infrastructure projects.
Environment
fromwww.bbc.com
1 month ago

London's rubbish problem: Can the city finally clean up its act?

Veolia's Southwark recycling facility processes 100,000 tonnes annually using automated systems and manual sorting, while contamination from inappropriate items significantly hampers recycling efficiency.
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

New poo balls on Sydney beaches after revelation of huge fatberg stuck in treatment plant

Debris balls have washed up on Sydney's beaches after a weekend of heavy rain, with the objects found on Malabar beach next to a sewage treatment works and also in Botany Bay. Sydney Water erected a sign at Malabar beach warning of the potential pollution. This area may be affected by sewage debris balls, the sign states. Please do not touch any debris. We are cleaning the area and apologise for any inconvenience.
Environment
Environment
fromMail Online
1 month ago

Would YOU swim in the Thames? Bathers will be able to from May

Ham and Kingston on the River Thames may become London's first river bathing site, with regular bacterial testing determining safety amid variable pollution.
fromwww.dw.com
2 months ago

Plastic emissions could double health damage by 2040

Plastic is everywhere. Inside the human body, in the depths of the ocean and the far reaches of the Arctic. Now a new study warns that, unless the world changes course, plastic could more than double its damage to human health within the next two decades. The culprit is not plastic litter in the environment or microplastics, but the emissions released across plastic's entire life cycle from fossil fuel extraction and manufacturing to transport, recycling and disposal.
Environment
Environment
fromwww.bbc.com
2 months ago

Plan to increase waste burning sparks backlash

Residents and Sutton Council oppose increasing waste burned at Beddington incinerator amid emission breaches, worsening smells, continuous lorry traffic, and a pending Environment Agency decision.
Environment
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

It's a catastrophe': Wellington rages as millions of litres of raw sewage pour into ocean

Raw and partially screened sewage has been pouring into Wellington's coastline for over two weeks, causing environmental damage, public-health risks, and community outrage.
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