chemical regulation
Credit: Leslie McLauthlin/Bigstock Photo ID: 47493265
British Columbia’s war on aspen is fueling wildfires
For decades, B.C.’s forestry industry has used glyphosate herbicides to kill aspen and other deciduous trees, prioritizing conifers for profit—a practice critics say intensifies wildfire risks and depletes ecosystems.
In short:
- Glyphosate spraying in B.C. forests targets aspen and other plants to prioritize conifer plantations, but this practice undermines biodiversity and wildlife habitats.
- Aspen, with its moisture-retaining properties, serves as a natural firebreak, reducing wildfire intensity, while conifers contribute to drier, more flammable landscapes.
- Critics, including ecologists, argue glyphosate spraying exacerbates fire risks, disrupts forest ecosystems, and harms species that rely on aspen for food and shelter.
Key quote:
“We’ve got to stop cutting down aspen, we’ve got to stop spraying aspen. Nature can heal itself, but we’ve got to get out of the way.”
— James Steidle, founder of Stop the Spray B.C.
Why this matters:
With wildfires becoming more severe due to climate change, preserving aspen forests could mitigate fire risks and promote healthier ecosystems. The B.C. NDP government pledged to phase out herbicide use in forestry, but critics say progress has been sluggish. Meanwhile, communities bear the brunt of bigger, hotter wildfires while biodiversity takes a backseat to profit. Read more: Glyphosate, explained.
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Credit: Marcia O'Connor/Flickr
NY communities clash over controversial biochar plant
In Moreau, New York, a proposed biochar facility promised to turn sewage sludge into climate-friendly carbon storage, but local residents, haunted by industrial pollution, pushed back hard.
Abby Rabinowitz and Amanda Simson report for Grist and the Times-Union.
In short:
- A proposed biochar plant in Moreau aimed to process 75,000 tons of sewage sludge annually, addressing waste disposal and carbon sequestration.
- Residents, citing concerns over toxic PFAS chemicals, air pollution and the area's history of industrial contamination, rallied against the project.
- Following fierce community activism and over 500 public comments, New York state denied the plant’s permits, citing untested technology and environmental risks.
Key quote:
“Residents were told, ‘This is a done deal.’ We responded, ‘This is not done until we say it’s done.’”
— Gina LeClair, founder of Not Moreau
Why this matters:
The biochar plan sounded noble on paper: process 75,000 tons of sludge a year and sequester carbon in the fight against climate change. But residents worried about the devil in the details, especially untested technology and the potential release of PFAS. As more than 500 public comments poured in, community activism ultimately turned the tide. Read more: “Organic” fertilizers have an inorganic problem.
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Credit: Mark Thomas/Pixabay
Billionaire-backed efforts reshape federal regulation landscape
A decades-long campaign led by Charles Koch's network culminated in a Supreme Court decision that dismantled a key legal precedent, curbing the regulatory power of federal agencies.
Justin Jouvenal, Jon Swaine, and Ann E. Marimow report for The Washington Post.
In short:
- The Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling ended the 40-year-old Chevron deference, limiting agencies' ability to interpret ambiguous regulations.
- Charles Koch’s network invested millions in legal groups like the New Civil Liberties Alliance to strategically challenge federal regulations.
- The ruling is expected to weaken regulations on environmental protection, workplace safety and financial oversight.
Key quote:
“Chevron is an example of one way constitutional government was breaking down. What Chevron was saying, it’s not really the courts that interpret the laws, it’s the executive branch.”
— Casey Mattox, vice president of legal strategy at Stand Together
Why this matters:
Without Chevron deference, judges will interpret regulations instead of relying on agency experts, potentially jeopardizing safeguards for public health, safety and the environment. Deregulation could lead to more pollution, weakened worker protections and compromised consumer safety.
Related: Peter Dykstra: Clearing up some myths about the seven—yes, seven—Koch Brothers
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Credit: UNEP
Environmental justice advocates criticize lack of inclusion in plastic treaty negotiations
“We had to fight for every second we had on the floor.”
Environmental justice and Indigenous groups say they were largely excluded from key plastic treaty talks last week in Busan, South Korea, which took place over seven days and ended without a final text.
As oil and gas producing nations opposed reducing plastic production, the fifth round of talks in a series of UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee meetings ended without clear consensus on how to curb global plastic pollution. The group will reconvene next year with hopes of finalizing a treaty.
During previous plastic treaty talks, environmental justice and Indigenous delegations were permitted to listen and speak during negotiations between member states. That changed at this meeting, as the last several days of the talks consisted of private conversations.
“I was really disappointed with the process this time,” Sarah Martik, director of the Center for Coalfield Justice, an environmental justice advocacy group based in western Pennsylvania, told EHN. “There were two and a half days of informal meetings with delegates from member states held in private rooms, which completely cut out civil society. We have no notes and no records from those meetings … and we had very few opportunities to speak. We had to fight for every second we had on the floor.”
“I was really disappointed with the process this time.” Sarah Martik, Center for Coalfield Justice
Other U.S.-based environmental justice advocacy groups including the The Descendants Project in Louisiana’s Cancer Alley; the Port Arthur Community Action Network in Texas; and Breathe Free Detroit expressed similar frustrations, as did numerous Indigenous groups.
“[Holding negotiations during private meetings] is a blatant attempt to stifle dissent and pave the way for the influence of the petrochemical industry,” Frankie Orona, executive director of Society of Native Nations, said in a statement. “Despite our tireless advocacy and the support of numerous member states, the [latest treaty draft] fails to recognize our inherent rights and traditional knowledge, effectively silencing our voices in the fight against plastic pollution.”
The groups also said that oil and gas-producing countries “weaponized” the consensus-based decision-making process by intentionally stalling progress during the negotiations and effectively vetoing measures favored by a majority of other countries, like plastic production caps.
“Despite our tireless advocacy and the support of numerous member states, the [latest treaty draft] fails to recognize our inherent rights and traditional knowledge." - Frankie Orona, Society of Native Nations
China, the United States, India, South Korea and Saudi Arabia were the top five primary plastic-producing nations in 2023, according to data provider Eunomia. Some of these countries, like Saudi Arabia, Russia and India, oppose production caps. More than 100 of the approximately 170 countries attending the talks supported caps on plastic production. The U.S. and China were absent from the talks when countries pressed for production limits.
“Saudi Arabia and Russia kept taking the floor to be obstructionist, basically saying a whole lot of nothing, and we didn’t get an opportunity to speak on the floor until about two in the morning, when a lot of member states were already leaving,” Martik said.
“The elephant in the room is how the U.S. presidential election is going to impact all of this,” Martik added. “Delaying the final treaty until after Trump takes office could change how the U.S. is showing up at these negotiations.”
Disagreement over plastic production caps
Most plastic is made from fossil fuels, and as the world decarbonizes to tackle the climate crisis, oil and gas companies are increasingly turning to plastic production to stay profitable. More than 400 million tons of new plastic are created annually across the globe, and plastic production is expected to increase by an additional 70% by 2040 without policy changes.
“When I first engaged in [plastic treaty talks], I was standing in line at lunch and a delegate read my nametag and asked what I was doing there,” said Martik, who attended the talks as a member of Break Free From Plastic, a global advocacy organization. “I had to explain the connection between fracked gas being drilled in southwestern Pennsylvania and the global production of plastic.”
The plastic industry and oil-producing countries have fought against production caps, instead pushing the idea of a “circular economy.” But less than 10% of the world’s plastic is currently recycled, and attempts to improve recycling technology have so far largely proven unprofitable and inefficient.
“Delaying the final treaty until after Trump takes office could change how the U.S. is showing up at these negotiations.” - Sarah Martik, Center for Coalfield Justice
While plastic pollution chokes waterways and shorelines and microplastics turn up in every part of the human body, concerns about human health effects from every stage of plastic’s lifecycle have increased. In the U.S., health care costs attributable to chemicals in plastics are an estimated $250 billion every year.
“I think a worst-case scenario would have been that we walked away with a treaty that was ineffective and catered to the lowest-common denominator,” Martik said. “But we saw clearly that there are far more countries wanting to step up to the plate and be really ambitious about this than there are countries fighting a meaningful treaty.”
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Credit: Sang Hyun Cho/Pixabay
Trump administration puts environmental justice funding in jeopardy
President-elect Donald Trump’s transition plans suggest potential cuts to environmental justice programs, threatening gains made under the Biden administration’s Justice40 initiative to combat pollution in vulnerable communities.
Amudalat Ajasa and Anna Phillips report for The Washington Post.
In short:
- Biden directed 40% of pollution-reduction funding to disadvantaged areas through the Justice40 initiative, boosting projects like solar installations and clean buses.
- Trump’s allies propose eliminating EPA’s environmental justice programs, questioning their necessity and focusing on deregulation.
- Advocates fear reduced pollution enforcement and halted community grants, particularly in areas like Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley.”
Key quote:
“Environmental justice and civil rights is not something [Trump’s] administration wants to support or further or advance. They want to obliterate it.”
— Matthew Tejada, former EPA official
Why this matters:
Pollution disproportionately harms low-income and non-white communities, increasing health risks like premature death from air pollution. Rolling back environmental justice efforts could worsen inequities, leaving vulnerable populations with less protection against industrial pollution.
Related: California's environmental justice protections may weaken under Trump
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Credit: I Am birdsaspoetry.com /Flickr
Greenland’s peregrine falcons are a story of resilience in a changing Arctic
A population of peregrine falcons in Greenland has inspired decades of conservation efforts, showcasing their adaptability and the global need for environmental action.
In short:
- Greenland's peregrine falcons recovered from near-extinction thanks to pesticide bans, reintroduction efforts and long-term studies revealing their resilience and adaptability.
- These falcons serve as environmental sentinels, helping scientists track the impact of contaminants like PFAS and mercury, as well as Arctic warming.
- While the species has rebounded, threats like climate change, avian diseases and extreme weather continue to challenge their survival.
Key quote:
“We’re not just studying [the peregrine] because it is a fantastic species, and ecologically a top predator, but because it helps us protect the environment for our kids.”
— Knud Falk, Greenlandic peregrine researcher
Why this matters:
Perched high on cliffs in the Far North, these birds play an unexpected role as environmental sentinels. Though their populations are stable for now, peregrine falcons remind us that resilience has its limits. From avian diseases to shrinking habitats, their survival is a living barometer of humanity’s stewardship—or lack thereof—over the planet we share. Read more: Long-banned toxics are still accumulating in Great Lakes birds—as new chemical threats emerge.
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Credit: Mark Dixon/Flickr
Leaked documents expose plastic industry’s covert PR campaign
The plastics industry has deployed influencers, misleading messaging and covert tactics to push back against environmental criticism while nations negotiate a global treaty to address plastic pollution.
In short:
- A leaked trove of documents reveals that the National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR) has funded a covert campaign using influencers and social media to counter environmental concerns about plastics.
- Despite claims of PET plastics being a "zero-waste system," less than 30% of PET bottles are recycled in the U.S., with the remainder contributing to microplastic pollution and environmental harm.
- The campaign’s lack of transparency, including undisclosed sponsorships and misleading messaging, has drawn scrutiny, particularly as global leaders meet to negotiate a treaty aimed at curbing plastic production.
Key quote:
“The campaign’s goal is for this content to be authentic and from the creators’ viewpoints.”
— Lindsay J.K. Nichols, NAPCOR Communications Director
Why this matters:
While international negotiators look for solutions, the industry is doubling down on spin. The playbook is clear — shift the blame onto consumers and push rosy recycling myths — all while sidestepping accountability for the millions of tons of plastic pollution spiraling out of control.
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