The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released two new reports in October 2015. The first is a synopsis of EPA Office of Research and Development (ORD) findings, lessons learned, and guidance related to green infrastructure. The report, titled Green Infrastructure for Stormwater Control: Gauging Its Effectiveness with Community Partners, is the most comprehensive summary of […]
Plastic microbeads are designed to be washed down the drain but are too small to be reliably captured by wastewater treatment facilities. According to a press release from the Center for Biological Diversity, one tube of exfoliating facewash can contain more than 350,000 microbeads, and it is estimated that 2.9 trillion microbeads enter U.S. waterways […]
On Nov. 12, Anne Arundel’s County Executive Steve Schuh signed legislation banning the use and sale of coal tar pavement products. Coal tar sealcoats are applied to maintain and protect paved surfaces, such as residential driveways and parking lots. They generally are sprayed on the pavement as a thick black or brown liquid. Coal tar […]
In 2014, major supermarkets in England provided customers with 7.64 billion single-use plastic bags. On Oct. 5, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) announced a 5p charge for single-use plastic bags. The charge is expected to significantly reduce the number of plastic bags taken from shops. The new law applies to all […]
In 2013, the City of Seattle agreed to reduce sewer overflows to comply with state and federal law. Seattle City Council Resolution 31459 created a city policy to adopt green infrastructure, such as bioretention swales, street trees, rain gardens, cisterns, green roofs, and permeable pavement, to manage stormwater. The resolution set a target for the […]
On June 8, World Oceans Day, the conservation group Fauna & Flora International announced commitments by nearly all of Britain’s major retailers to phase out microbeads from their cosmetic and beauty products. This is the first comprehensive and accurate list of all the commitments made by UK manufacturers and retailers, and shows that industry is […]
November marks the 25th anniversary of EPA’s Phase I MS4 program. Geoff Brosseau discusses lessons learned from the past 25 years and shares his insights for the future.
By 2020, China plans to make 70% of its water resources in seven river basins clean enough to drink, according to a long-awaited water pollution action plan released by the State Council in April. While effective immediately, local and provincial governments will craft their own strategies in the coming months. To reduce some of the […]
The use of road salt and other deicers for highway maintenance became widespread during the 1960s. And while salting allows for safer winter travel, sustained economic productivity, continued emergency services, and other benefits, salt has been silently accumulating in the environment ever since, threatening drinking water supplies and aquatic ecosystems. According to a U.S. Geological […]
On Jan. 21, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, automotive industry representatives, and the Environmental Council of the States signed an agreement to reduce the use of copper and other materials in motor vehicle brake pads. The Copper-Free Brake Initiative calls for cutting copper in brake pads to less than 5% by 2021 and to 0.5% […]
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