Chinese scientists say further research on potential harm to reproduction from contamination is ‘imperative’. Microplastic pollution has been found in all human semen samples tested in a study, and researchers say further research on the potential harm to reproduction is “imperative”. Sperm counts in men have been falling for decades and 40% of low counts remain unexplained,...
Industry could be producing more cancer-causing PCB chemicals today than at any other point in history, despite their production having been banned more than 40 years ago. PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, are human-made substances that were used as coolants and lubricants in electrical equipment until they were banned due to their links to health problems and because...
Firm told it must take responsibility for toxic legacy of pollution and safe decommissioning of abandoned oil infrastructure. The oil firm Shell cannot be allowed to withdraw from the Niger delta before it takes responsibility for its toxic legacy of pollution and the safe decommissioning of abandoned oil infrastructure, a report says. Shell plc is preparing to...
Toxic pollutants released during gas flaring are endangering millions more people than previously feared, a BBC investigation suggests. Flaring – the burning of waste gas during oil drilling – is taking place across the Gulf, including by COP28 hosts the United Arab Emirates. New research suggests pollution is spreading hundreds of miles, worsening air quality...
Background The aquatic ecosystem is highly susceptible to climate change and other environmental factors, including residual toxins. Pollution of the marine environment can alter the ocean’s biological, physical, and chemical states, which in turn can severely affect the marine ecosystem and marine wildlife. The Pacific covers about 28% of the Earth’s surface and is among...
New research finds Eni continued to push oil and gas agenda despite knowing potential for climate risk since 1970. Italian oil major Eni knew of the climate impacts of fossil fuel extraction since 1970, according to a report by Greenpeace Italy and advocacy group ReCommon shared with DeSmog. The report comes four months after the...
At least 23 million people around the world live on flood-plains contaminated by potentially harmful concentrations of toxic waste from metal-mining activity, according to a study. UK scientists mapped the world’s 22,609 active and 159,735 abandoned metal mines and calculated the extent of pollution from them. Chemicals can leach from mining operations into soil and...
Climate Change Is Hurting River Water Quality, New Study Shows. Climate change and extreme weather are taking a significant toll on rivers around the world, according to a new scientific review that includes a University of Maryland geologist as a co-author. Based on nearly 1,000 case studies, the paper published today in Nature Reviews Earth &...
‘It’s like a death pit’: how Ghana became fast fashion’s dumping ground. Yvette Yaa Konadu Tetteh’s epic swim down the River Volta highlights the damage done to the country’s waterways by an out-of-control trade in secondhand clothes from the global north, and why it’s time for change. It’s mid-morning on a sunny day, and Yvette...
12 Most Polluted Countries 2023: Breathing Heavy. Environmental pollution is a pressing global issue that poses significant health risks and ecological challenges. Unfortunately, there are countries around the world that face particularly high levels of pollution. From air pollution to water contamination, these nations struggle to combat the detrimental effects of environmental degradation. In this...