PFOA

High levels of PFAS forever chemicals found flowing into River Mersey – new study

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Huge volumes of toxic and cancer-causing forever chemicals are flowing into the River Mersey in north-west England.

Key Points: 
  • Huge volumes of toxic and cancer-causing forever chemicals are flowing into the River Mersey in north-west England.
  • The recent State of Our Rivers 2024 report from The Rivers Trust found that one of the most concerning groups of synthetic chemicals, per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS), contaminates almost every river in England.
  • Known as forever chemicals because they can take thousands of years to break down, PFAS persist in the environment and accumulate in living things.
  • They threaten ecosystems and human health, not just in the Mersey, but in every industrialised river around the world.

Dilute, disperse and detect

  • Most cities, including Liverpool and Manchester, have been built close to rivers and seas, partly to dilute pollution and transport it away.
  • Today, enormous volumes of toxic waste are discharged into rivers and seas because dilution reduces chemical concentrations to extremely low or undetectable levels.
  • These forever chemicals have been detected almost everywhere we look, including in Antarctica, in whales and polar bears and in rainwater.

A state of flux

  • To prevent further PFAS entering our rivers, more needs to be known about how they move into and through river systems.
  • As part of our study, we measured this flux.
  • Instead of measuring a chemical’s concentration, flux is a measure of how much PFAS, for example in kilograms per year, flows off the land and out to sea.


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Patrick Byrne receives funding from the UKRI Natural Environment Research Council.

Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Publishes 2023 Sustainability Report

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 22, 2024

Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation (NYSE: ZWS) today published its 2023 Sustainability Report , which outlines how the pure-play water company continues to advance its sustainability initiatives.

Key Points: 
  • Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation (NYSE: ZWS) today published its 2023 Sustainability Report , which outlines how the pure-play water company continues to advance its sustainability initiatives.
  • The Zurn Elkay 2023 Sustainability Report highlights progress against nearly two dozen existing timebound targets focused on improving supplier diversity, air emissions, waste reduction, plastic bottle elimination, greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, employee engagement and much more.
  • “Sustainability is inherently linked to our business, and no discussion of sustainability is complete without addressing how we will protect, conserve and manage clean water,” said Todd A. Adams, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Chairman and CEO.
  • To learn more about Zurn Elkay’s 2023 ESG efforts and ongoing strategy, review the Zurn Elkay Water Solutions 2023 Sustainability Report , as well as the company’s Sustainability website .

Essential Utilities Reports Financial Results for Full-Year 2023 and Announces Guidance

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 22, 2024

Essential Utilities Inc. (NYSE: WTRG) today reported results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2023.

Key Points: 
  • Essential Utilities Inc. (NYSE: WTRG) today reported results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2023.
  • “Despite the winter weather that was significantly warmer than normal in 2023, we successfully delivered earnings per share that met our 2023 guidance expectations,” said Essential Utilities Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Christopher Franklin.
  • “Also, for the third consecutive year, Essential has been named to Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Responsible Companies.
  • Essential reported net income of $135.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2023, compared to $114.9 million for the same quarter in 2022.

Amway Launches Powerful Redesigned Water Treatment System Aimed at Strengthening Consumer Health, Boosting Sustainability

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Leading U.S. health and wellbeing company Amway today launched its new eSpring Water Purifier with powerful, innovative UV-C LED technology, aimed at strengthening consumer health and boosting sustainability.

Key Points: 
  • Leading U.S. health and wellbeing company Amway today launched its new eSpring Water Purifier with powerful, innovative UV-C LED technology, aimed at strengthening consumer health and boosting sustainability.
  • As the world’s number-one selling home water treatment system, the eSpring Water Purifier’s latest technology includes UV-C LEDs that use multiple laser beams to eliminate harmful microorganisms and contaminants by up to 99.99%.
  • This groundbreaking redesign is the latest testament to more than 40 years of water treatment innovation at Amway.
  • In 2018, the company also earned a Water Quality Association Gold Seal for its superb consumer water treatment products.

Jason Markk attains B Corp Certification

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 27, 2024

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Jason Markk, the pioneering footwear, apparel and accessories care brand, has obtained B Corp Certification, joining the ranks of more than 8,000 purpose-driven companies in 95 countries who commit to using their businesses to positively impact all stakeholders and the environment.

Key Points: 
  • To become B Corp certified, companies must attain a minimum score of 80 on the B Impact Assessment — a rigorous evaluation by the non-profit B Lab to verify the organization's positive impact on its workers, customers, community, and the environment.
  • "Since our inception in 2007, we have fostered a culture of care through our products and services," states Jason Markk Founder and Chief Mission Officer, Jason Angsuvarn.
  • Jason Markk's B Corp Certification creates business transparency and legal accountability, assuring the brand's distributors and customers it is living up to the highest social and environmental standards.
  • "Everyone at Jason Markk is amped about achieving B Corp Certification," states Angsuvarn.

The HOW Agency Chosen as Digital Agency of Record for OrGreenic Cookware

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 15, 2024

NEW YORK, Feb. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The HOW Agency, a full-service digital agency and subsidiary of 5WPR, is pleased to announce it has been selected as the Digital Agency of Record for cookware brand OrGreenic.

Key Points: 
  • Agency adds cookware brand to a growing roster of home and housewares clients, partnering with OrGreenic on a full-funnel program encompassing paid media, organic social, creative and influencer work
    NEW YORK, Feb. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The HOW Agency , a full-service digital agency and subsidiary of 5WPR , is pleased to announce it has been selected as the Digital Agency of Record for cookware brand OrGreenic.
  • OrGreenic is the original diamond granite, non-stick cookware brand, offering cookware four stunning hammered texture finishes: rose gold, white pearl, sapphire blue, and the traditional emerald green.
  • "We are thrilled to work with OrGreenic as they continue to build their customer base," said Paul Miser, EVP & Group Director.
  • All OrGreenic cookware is durable, suitable for all stove types, dishwasher-safe, scratch-resistant, and usable with metal utensils.

Ovivo completes the acquisition of E2metrix to offer an integrated solution for destruction of PFAS in water and wastewater

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 15, 2024

Since December 2021, Ovivo and E2metrix have been exclusively collaborating to develop an onsite commercially viable treatment system to remove and destroy PFAS present in municipal drinking water and other wastewaters utilizing E2metrix' electrochemical oxidation technology at the heart of the integrated solution.

Key Points: 
  • Since December 2021, Ovivo and E2metrix have been exclusively collaborating to develop an onsite commercially viable treatment system to remove and destroy PFAS present in municipal drinking water and other wastewaters utilizing E2metrix' electrochemical oxidation technology at the heart of the integrated solution.
  • The objective of this solution is to permanently safeguard public health and provide a viable onsite PFAS destruction option to our customers.
  • In 2022, in conjunction with this exclusive collaboration, Ovivo made a strategic investment and took an equity participation in E2metrix to strengthen the partnership and accelerate the commercial development of the integrated solution.
  • These promising pilot results were presented by Ovivo and E2metrix at the Water Environment Federation's Technical Exhibition and Conference ("WEFTEC") on October 3rd, 2023.

Forever chemicals in ski wax are being spread on snowy slopes

Retrieved on: 
Monday, February 12, 2024

Escaping to somewhere seemingly so pristine felt like a world away from where I grew up in London.

Key Points: 
  • Escaping to somewhere seemingly so pristine felt like a world away from where I grew up in London.
  • Certain PFAS are used in ski wax applied to skis and snowboards as lubrication.
  • A new study has found high PFAS concentrations in ski waxes and in the snow and soil sampled from popular skiing areas in Austria.

The problem with persistence

  • Because PFAS don’t break down easily, they can persist inside our bodies or in the environment for many years.
  • Some PFAS can be toxic to humans and wildlife, with links to cancers, developmental and reproductive problems, hormone disruption, diabetes and obesity.

A slippery slope?

  • In 2010, a Swedish study, found high levels of various PFAS in ski wax and in the blood of ski-waxing technicians.
  • The fascinating thing about the new study is the potential for these chemicals to transfer into the environment from recreational and professional skiing equipment.
  • The researchers highlight how the PFAS profiles (the combination of different PFAS found in each sample) differed between locations and sample types.
  • This variability was attributed to differences between ski waxes that had been manufactured at different times or in different places.

A class-based approach

  • This has invariably led to the replacement of banned chemicals with structurally similar ones.
  • If accepted by member states, it could prove a significant step towards the beginning of the end for forever chemicals.
  • But a ban that only applies to professional competition won’t stop PFAS chemicals from reaching the slopes.


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Daniel Drage has previously worked on projects funded by the Natural Environment Research Council and the Environmental Protection Agency of Ireland. He is a Lecturer in Environmental Health at the University of Birmingham, and an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Queensland (Australia).

NJIT Researchers Unveil Method to Detect 'Forever Chemicals' in Under 3 Minutes

Retrieved on: 
Friday, February 9, 2024

Now, in a study featured in Elsevier’s Journal of Hazardous Materials, New Jersey Institute of Technology chemists have demonstrated a new lab-based method to detect traces of PFAS from food packaging material, water and soil samples in just three minutes or less.

Key Points: 
  • Now, in a study featured in Elsevier’s Journal of Hazardous Materials, New Jersey Institute of Technology chemists have demonstrated a new lab-based method to detect traces of PFAS from food packaging material, water and soil samples in just three minutes or less.
  • “For more complex matrices like soil, we’ve applied a related method called desalting paper spray mass spectrometry (DPS-MS) that washes away salts which normally suppress the ion signal of PFAS.
  • Together, they greatly improve our ability to detect these compounds.”
    “Our limit of detection for PFAS is roughly 1ppt.
  • “Our method may also advance the study of airborne PFAS in a similar way to what we’ve demonstrated in this study, which would further help us address this widespread environmental issue.”

PULP AND PAPERWORKERS' RESOURCE COUNCIL WORKERS VISIT CAPITOL HILL TO DISCUSS POLICIES IMPACTING MANUFACTURING JOBS, LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Retrieved on: 
Friday, February 2, 2024

Forests sequester carbon, and this is where our industry finds our renewable natural resources that support family wage jobs and local businesses.

Key Points: 
  • Forests sequester carbon, and this is where our industry finds our renewable natural resources that support family wage jobs and local businesses.
  • We support policies that encourage economic growth, an abundant and sustainable fiber supply and sensible science-based environmental policies.
  • We are people dedicated to conserving the environment while taking into account the economic stability of the workforce and surrounding community.
  • For more information and to see the PPRC Position Summary papers from 2024, please visit www.thepprc.org .