Around the world, people dump about 20 million tons of plastic into the ocean every year, much of it in the form of flyaway plastic bags. This waste doesn’t get magically swallowed by the ocean–it lingers indefinitely, posing a threat to marine life and to human health. Picking up garbage in the ocean is an
Wisconsin Company’ Products Contribute to Clean Water and Post-flood Food Delivery in Africa The U.S. Commercial Service recently presented an Export Achievement Award to one of its longtime clients, Aquarius Systems of North Prairie, Wisconsin. The company was lauded for its contributions to water purification in Malawi and for expanding into the South Sudan. Using
Conservation officials hope that a new herbicide treatment being considered for use in Cocasset Lake in Massachusetts this season may prove an antidote to a mushrooming vegetation problem afflicting local lakes and ponds. ProcellaCOR was recommended for use in Cocasset Lake by Joseph Onorato, an aquatic specialist with Water & Wetland LLC of Upton, which
A toxic chemical commonly used in plastic products could soon be banned under international law following landmark UN recommendations that pave the way for stricter rules on microplastic and other plastic pollution. Tight new regulations are being proposed for UV-328, a chemical added to plastic food packaging, sunscreen, and other plastic products to prevent it
Heidi Bunk, a water resources management specialist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, said while the long-term effectiveness of hand pulling the invasive species starry stonewort is still being evaluated, it can be advantageous because it allows for the removal of starry stonewort without harming native species in the way chemical treatments might. She
On any given day, helicopters and an armada of airboats fan out across Florida’s fresh waters to spray tank after tank of poison. Pouring millions of gallons of herbicide into rivers and lakes to kill the weeds. What started as sensible navigation and flood control has turned into a million-dollar-a-month chemical addiction that is killing
On April 20, 2010 the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig, located about 41 miles southeast of the Louisiana coast exploded. The explosion and subsequent fire resulted in the sinking of the drilling rig and the deaths of 11 workers. The same blowout that caused the explosion also caused an oil well fire and a massive offshore
More than 85% of the world’s oyster reefs have been lost since the 1900s, through over-harvesting of the species, increased coastal development, destruction of wetlands and increased water pollution. Oysters could one day be the answer to the complex question of how to protect California’s disappearing coastline. While a project to restore oyster populations is
Environment and Water Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Zaini Ujang said that the cleaner rivers in the Klang Valley was due to less human interference such as industrial waste and construction works, which contributes to murkey grey waters and general pollution. Globally, countries have seen their waterways clear up and native animals return as human activity
Invasive aquatic plants represent a serious problem in many lakes and waterways. To combat the aquatic weed infestation, herbicides are often applied directly to the water to kill the plants. Many of these herbicides are quite toxic and while permits are required prior to the application there may be flaws with the permit process. Aquatic