Tagpollution(77)
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2026-02-12 13:44Trump’s EPA revokes scientific finding that underpinned US fight against climate change
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration on Thursday revoked a scientific finding that long has been the central basis for U.S. action to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change, the most aggressive move by the Republican president to roll back climate regulations. The rule finalized by the Environmental Protection Agency rescinds a 2009 government -
2025-12-17 00:00Washington’s biggest polluter ordered to keep burning coal by Trump administration
News & Stories Environment John Ryan TransAlta’s Centralia power plant emits steam and carbon dioxide on March 6, 2024. Courtesy Jeremy Long/WITF Two weeks before Washington State’s biggest source of climate pollution was required to end its five decades of burning coal, the Trump administration has given it a new lease on life. Energy Secretary -
2025-10-15 00:47Particles of Truth
“A compelling, real-life account of how scientists uncovered air pollution’s deadly impact on human health—and the contentious battles to use key scientific evidence in the critical fight for clean air. Particles of Truth is a riveting account of the discovery of the critical health effects of air pollution told by Arden Pope and Douglas Dockery, who -
2023-10-01 23:23Our Transition to Fluorine-Free Foam
Randy Krause October 2023 The Port of Seattle Fire Department continues on a five-year journey to find the safest, most efficient aircraft firefighting foam (AFFF) replacement and make Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) one of the first U.S. airports to complete the steps for the transition after federal approval. In 2018, it was obvious the FAA would -
2023-09-25 23:50The secret dispute behind cleaning Seattle’s only river
By Lulu Ramadan Seattle Times staff reporter This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network and The Seattle Times, with support from the Investigative Journalism Fund. Sign up for Seattle Times newsletters and alerts and ProPublica’s Dispatches to get stories like this one as soon as they are published. Times Watchdog stories dig deep to hold power accountable, right wrongs and -
2023-08-20 21:42Beautiful Sunsets vs. Particulate Matter
Limit your exposure to particulate matter. Limit your cumulative risk. The smoke from wildfires has once again blanketed the areas around Sea-Tac Airport, creating PM2.5 air quality readings often seen more in Third World countries. Unfortunately, most of us are highly biased to only perceive dangers we can see. For example, many of you will -
2023-06-28 16:20Size comparison of PM2.5 and PM10
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2023-06-24 23:51Are Legally Acceptable Levels of Pollution Harming Children’s Brain Development?
Between 1955 and 1970, the United States passed five laws to monitor and regulate the country’s air pollution. Each act built upon the last and, in 1970, Congress passed the Clean Air Act, which established guidelines for “safe” levels of ambient air pollution, some of which are still used today. But a new study suggests those standards -
2023-05-11 22:01Study shows traffic-related air pollution in Irvine weakens brain function
Anna Aldrich, University of California, Irvine The brains of wild type (WT) and Alzheimer’s (APP) mouse models were analyzed after exposure to purified air (Con) and ultrafine particulate matter (PM) for the presence of astrocyte cells. These were visualized by staining them green (left column), with potentially harmful and activated astrocytes appearing in red (middle -
2023-05-07 15:15Myths
1. Myth: If I can’t see or smell air pollution, the levels (concentrations) of the pollutants is health- acceptable. Fact: Most air pollutant gasses are nearly invisible (e.g. carbon monoxide). Some pollutants can become visible but only if seen through miles of atmosphere e.g. a smog “haze” seen hovering over a distant city. Most pollutants also reach health-hazardous concentrations well before they can be detected with our noses (if this were not the case, early miners would not have had to take canaries into the mines with them). 2. Myth: Particulate matter (PM) emissions are not a problem if the emitted amounts are reasonable. Fact: Particulates occur in the atmosphere due to both direct emissions (e.g. soot from a jet engine) and “secondary” chemical reactions. Gasses can combine with other gasses, often under solar energy driven conditions, to form new products that exist as particles. This is particularly true for reactions involving VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) and oxides of nitrogen or NOx (produced burning fuels in the presence of atmospheric nitrogen). 3. Myth: The human body has protective functions that “filter out” particulate matter, preventing it from harming us. Fact: Particulate matter is characterized by its particle diameter, amongst other aspects. Dusty conditions in nature have caused humans to evolve with protection systems such as nasal hairs and mucus (to flush away dust). But these dusts are comprised of relatively large particles, typically greater than 10 microns in diameter. Particulate matter emitted directly from combustion engines or secondarily formed are…