Plastic bags are the things people love to hate. Many shoppers think nothing of walking out of the grocery or drug store with handfuls of the bags, sometimes with only a few items in them. And often, the option to buy reusable bags is staring them right in the face. Eventually, some of the plastic […]
water pollution
Posted inNews & Opinion
Lawmakers call for triclosan ban in personal care products
The next time you’re in a grocery or drug store, pick up a bottle of anti-bacterial hand soap and take a look at the ingredients. Chances are, the soap has triclosan in it. Triclosan is a common antimicrobial chemical used in antibacterial soaps, toothpastes, body washes, cosmetics, and other personal care items. Some health and […]
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County Republicans punt on microbead ban
A Democratic proposal to ban the sale of personal care products containing plastic microbeads may not doomed after all. Republicans on the Monroe County Legislature’s Agenda/Charter committee last night referred the measure to the county administration for further study. Members of the GOP caucus have said that the issue should be handled at the federal […]
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AG wants to ban the beads
Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is once again pushing for legislation that would ban the use of tiny plastic particles in cosmetics, facial scrubs, and other personal care items. Schneiderman announced this morning that he’s resubmitted the Microbead-Free Waters Act to state Assembly and Senate leadership. He first proposed legislation last year, and the Assembly passed […]
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Plastics found in Great Lakes fish
When researchers discovered that the Great Lakes are polluted with tiny plastic fragments, likely from consumer personal care products, they also suspected that birds and fish are ingesting the fragments. But they didn’t have hard evidence. Until now. Sam Mason, the SUNY Fredonia chemistry professor who has led the study of plastics pollution in the […]
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Kodak environmental settlement finalized
A federal bankruptcy court judge has given final approval to the Eastman Business Park clean-up settlement between Kodak, the State Department of Environmental Conservation, and federal agencies. Under the settlement, Kodak will put $49 million into an environmental trust fund to pay for ongoing and future clean up and monitoring work at the business park […]
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Legislation tackles microbeads
New legislation headed for the state Assembly could ban personal care and hygiene products that contain tiny plastic beads, commonly known as microbeads. Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s office announced the legislation in a press release today, though Assembly member Robert Sweeney is introducing and sponsoring it. Sweeney is chair of the Assembly’s Environmental Conservation Committee. […]
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Waste management
Where there’s water, there’s life. If the water is threatened, however, so is the life. That’s the message environmentalists have been trying to get across for years concerning the Great Lakes basin, which, in the later half of the 20th century, has taken a huge hit from development and misuse. Finally, the message may […]
