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As the West grapples with a megadrought, its driest spell in at least 1,200 years, rising levels of arsenic ā a known carcinogen ā in Coloradoās San Luis Valley offer clues to what the future may hold.
The Environmental Protection Agency recently confirmed high lead levels in an upscale Atlanta neighborhood. The location stands in contrast to many polluted sites investigated by the federal Superfund program ā often in former industrial or waste disposal areas where environmental racism has left marginalized groups at risk.
āPandoraās Gambleā describes how 2,000 to 3,000 gallons of wastewater potentially containing anthrax, Ebola, and other deadly pathogens spilled from an Army facility in Frederick, Maryland, in 2018.
A growing body of research is finding links between air quality and mental health, as therapists report seeing patients with symptoms linked to pollution.
The full health risks of wearing apparel made with PFAS, also known as āforever chemicals,ā are still unknown. But states are taking action so clothing makers will remove them.
Since 2005, central Appalachia has recorded a tenfold increase in cases of severe black lung disease among long-term coal miners. Now, federal regulators are expected to propose a new rule to protect against silica dust, which causes the most severe form of black lung, progressive massive fibrosis.
President Joe Biden said in his State of the Union address that federal funds will pay to replace lead pipes in hundreds of thousands of schools and child care centers. In the meantime, schools are dealing with high lead levels now.
After the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2020, Rodney Boblitt's job was to patrol a 14-mile stretch of coastline in the Florida Panhandle looking for signs of oil washing ashore. Today, the 54-year-old is among thousands of other cleanup workers who are experiencing health issues and suing BP. But proving their health conditions were caused by the oil has been challenging.
New research links habitat destruction with the spillover of viruses from animals to humans.
Noise pollution is a growing problem that isnāt confined to the ears: It can cause harm throughout the body. California is taking baby steps to address the increasing din from traffic and illegally modified cars, but public health experts urge lawmakers to act more boldly.
California Healthlineās Bernard J. Wolfson went on the air to explain a new California law that will allow people to have their bodies reduced to compost after death, an alternative to the traditional-but-toxic methods of cremation and burial.
The Houma, an Indigenous tribe, has seen much of its Gulf Coast community washed away by rising sea levels and dangerous storms. Its leaders say the tribeās lack of federal recognition makes it harder to keep rebuilding.
Smoke- and ash-filled air can trigger or exacerbate severe respiratory conditions. But the medical specialists who treat these illnesses are often scarce where they are most in need.
The idea of human composting ā to help restore a forest or grow flowers ā may be a little off-putting to some, but it has many advantages over traditional-but-toxic methods of burial and cremation.
Hundreds of medical centers along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts face serious risks from even relatively weak storms as climate change accelerates sea-level rise ā not to mention big ones like Category 4 Hurricane Ian.
Montana and many other states in the northern U.S. have not updated their policies to keep young athletes safe from heatstroke amid rising temperatures.
Ana Gonzalez, who leads an environmental justice group in the Inland Empire, has endorsed Proposition 30, a ballot initiative backed by the ride-hailing company Lyft that would tax millionaires to fund zero-emission vehicle subsidies and electric charging stations. She contends most state policies overlook marginalized communities that are disproportionately affected by air pollution.
Unsafe water and all that comes with it ā constant vigilance, extra expenses, and hassle ā complicate every aspect of daily life for residents of Jackson, Mississippi. Health advocates say stress exacerbates underlying health problems. That is why a free clinic in one of Jacksonās poorest neighborhoods has been organizing water giveaways for the past year and a half.
Two studies published this year provide evidence that older adultsā cognitive health may benefit if air quality is improved.
Doctors and health officials say more children in the state are growing up with wildfire, which can cause stress, depression, anxiety, and other lasting trauma. Experts say there are ways to help kids stay calm.
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