this post was submitted on 19 Apr 2024
29 points (64.6% liked)

World News

39380 readers
1928 users here now

A community for discussing events around the World

Rules:

Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.


Lemmy World Partners

News [email protected]

Politics [email protected]

World Politics [email protected]


Recommendations

For Firefox users, there is media bias / propaganda / fact check plugin.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/media-bias-fact-check/

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Research into release of ‘forever chemicals’ raises concerns about contamination and human exposure along world’s coastlines

Ocean waves crashing on the world’s shores emit more PFAS into the air than the world’s industrial polluters, new research has found, raising concerns about environmental contamination and human exposure along coastlines.

The study measured levels of PFAS released from the bubbles that burst when waves crash, spraying aerosols into the air. It found sea spray levels were hundreds of thousands times higher than levels in the water.

The contaminated spray likely affects groundwater, surface water, vegetation, and agricultural products near coastlines that are far from industrial sources of PFAS, said Ian Cousins, a Stockholm University researcher and the study’s lead author.

“There is evidence that the ocean can be an important source [of PFAS air emissions],” Cousins said. “It is definitely impacting the coastline.”

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] GrymEdm 21 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

I really disagree with the narrative of "we all did this" - I consider it corporate reputation-saving propaganda. I refuse to take responsibility for choices I never had a say in (before I was born or when I was young), often no knowledge of, and opposed when I learned of them. It's even worse for modern kids.

The truth is a small # of companies are responsible for most of the world's pollution problems - for instance 100 companies produce 71% of global emissions. Just 20 companies are responsible for over half of single-use plastic. Here's a 2023 article from Boston University about deliberate corporate climate lies and their scientists' attempts to combat it online. A small # of political and business leaders made the choices that allowed all of this, they often kept attention off it, and often did it over the objections of their citizens.

It may be argued that executives and politicians across so many countries = more than a handful, but it's a tiny # compared to all the people dealing with the results of decisions they had no influence over. Handful can be used as shorthand for "a small quantity or number". I'm not saying you are making that argument, just heading it off preemptively.

[–] piecat 8 points 8 months ago

The companies absolutely knew about the danger without telling anyone else.

It's like the radium girls. Or agent Orange. Or asbestos. Or lead. Or CFCs. Or PCBs.