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Great Lakes Echo - Environmental news of the Great Lakes region

Great Lakes Echo (https://greatlakesecho.org/tag/contaminants/page/2/)

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Contaminants

Contaminants

New flame retardant threat documented in Great Lakes

By Lucy Schroeder | March 21, 2017

The persistent contaminant is a problem, even though it has replaced a different flame retardant that is more troublesome.

Areas of Concern

U.S., Canada battle St. Clair River’s polluted legacy

By Megan McDonnell | November 21, 2016

Bacteria, industrial pollutants, mercury among the challenges.

Areas of Concern

St. Lawrence River targeted for mussel rescue, garbage cleanup, habitat restoration

By Becky Wildt | November 17, 2016

The river that drains the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean is designated an Area of Concern by the U.S. and Canadian governments.

Contaminants

Flint lead crisis triggers federal funds for abatement across Michigan

By Alexander Smith | November 2, 2016

But a shortage of certified contractors make it difficult to get underway mitigation of the hazardous element found in old homes.

Water

Current events in the Straits of Mackinac

By Kate Habrel | November 1, 2016

Ever wonder what happens deep below the Mackinac Bridge? Now you can see thanks to some data-driven animations that can predict an oil spill’s location or help a freighter captain navigate.

Contaminants

Illinois contractor charged with illegally removing asbestos.

By Eric Freedman | June 20, 2016

Indictment says he hired untrained worker to illegally strip asbestos pipe insulation from vacant buildings and demolished one building with asbestos still in it.

Wildlife

Health of minnows improving on industrial river

By Josh Bender | June 10, 2016

But gender ratio, deformities and reproduction remain a concern on Indiana’s Grand Calumet.

Contaminants

Banned PCBs still haunt Great Lakes

By Ethan Merrill | April 27, 2016

Study raises questions about whether enough is being done to eliminate emissions that can cause cancer and damage human immune and endocrine systems.

Contaminants

It’s not just water: aging Michigan cities are challenged to get lead out of demolition debris

By Joshua Bender | April 22, 2016

Structures built before 1978 likely contain lead dust that once released can blow through urban neighborhoods and homes.

Waste

Asbestos probe leads to jail term in Ohio

By Eric Freedman | July 30, 2015

Company president gets 30 days in jail, 240 days community service and must pay restitution.

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About Great Lakes Echo

Environmental news of the Great Lakes region from the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism at Michigan State University.

  • Michigan’s water infrastructure sees improvements, work still needs to be done

    By Clara Lincolnhol The U.S. would need to invest nearly $3.4 trillion over the next 20 years to fix and update drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, says researchers from The Value of Water Campaign. Much of that infrastructure was built 40 to 50 years ago and shows its age. Michigan’s is no exception. The American Society of Civil Engineers gave the state a D+ for its drinking water infrastructure, a D in storm water management and a C for its wastewater infrastructure. Funding is a major problem. Proposed data centers would put more stress on the infrastructure.

  • Mussels in a green net.
    Endangered spectaclecase mussels reintroduced into the Chippewa River

    By Ada Tussing To combat the population loss of spectaclecase mussels, researchers with both the Minnesota and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources released over 177 mussels into the Chippewa River in Northwest Wisconsin.

  • Michigan allocates $77 million to clean thousands of contaminated sites

    By Clara Lincolnhol Michigan is pouring $77 million into clean-up of contaminated abandoned real estate such as former factories. The director of the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy says the goal is to make the cleaned-up sites safe for housing, commercial developments and other uses.

  • Winter makes curved roads dangerous; researchers seek solutions

    By Eric Freedman Flashing light on warning signs near curves can slow drivers and reduce the odds of a crash during winter weather conditions, says a new study by Michigan State University engineers.

  • The cover of “Dead Moose on Isle Royale: Off Trail with the Citizen Scientists of the Wolf-Moose Project." The cover is moose antlers on the ground.
    Great Lakes books for your holiday gift list 

    By Eric Freedman   Looking for a holiday gift for a reader who loves the Great Lakes? Here are five prospects to consider – and what our reporters learned from interviewing their authors this year.

  • A side-by-side of the historic Portage Canal and modern Portage Canal from an aerial view.
    Restoration of historical site improves quality of life for Portage, Wisconsin residents

    By Joshua Kim Following the completion of segments 1 and 2 of the Portage Canal, local residents and visitors can use the historic site and its amenities following years of disrepair.

  • What herring gulls tell us about plastic pollution

    By Victoria Witke Christina Petalas, a doctoral student McGill University, studies herring gulls to learn about plastic pollution near the St. Lawrence River. Across two studies, she found plastic additives in every bird sampled, which could have human health consequences.

  • Scientists update geological map of northern Wisconsin, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula 

    By Kyrmyzy Turebayeva The U.S. Geological Survey has began large-scale low-level airplane flights over Michigan's Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin to obtain high-resolution data on subsurface mineral structures and bedrock composition. The data will be used to create two- and three-dimensional maps to better understand the geological structure at depths of about 10,000 feet.

  • ‘Refusal is insisting on your own terms’: Indigenous activism in the Midwest

    By Isabella Figueroa Nogueira “Indigenous Activism in the Midwest: Refusal, Resurgence and Resisting Settler Colonialism” explores how Dakota and Anishinaabe communities in Minnesota continue their relationships to the land and challenge dominant settler narratives about ownership, belonging and identity.

  • Cannabis workers are developing job-related asthma and some have died, study says

    By Clara Lincolnhol New research says workers picking, grinding and packaging cannabis are developing workplace-related asthma, and two deaths have occurred so far.

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