blog posts

• He crossed 26 miles in a kayak made from mushrooms – and lived to tell the tale

  Sep 19, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: The Guardian, 9/7/25

  Sam Shoemaker’s record-setting voyage shows the promise – and limits – of fungi as a plastic alternative. 

• Slow burn: The vital need for benign flame retardants

  Sep 18, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: Chemical & Engineering News, 9/3/25

  Flame retardants slow the spread of fires but they can have serious, unintended human health and environmental impacts. Inadequate toxicity testing and inconsistent regulations make it difficult to keep potentially harmful fire-resisting chemicals out of products. Researchers in industry and academia are trying to develop safer chemistries and working on next-generation biobased flame retardants.

• Sites contaminated by toxic ‘forever chemicals’ are much more widespread than previously thought, researchers find

  Sep 17, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: Northeastern University, 9/10/25

  Toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS or “forever chemicals,” are in everything from Band-Aids and clothing to water and floss. However, new research reveals they are potentially even more widespread in the U.S. than previously thought. The research done by Northeastern University’s PFAS Project Lab reveals that while there are about 2,200 known sites of PFAS contamination in the U.S., there are close to another 80,000 likely contaminated sites. It presents what the researchers say is a much more complete — and stark — picture of PFAS contamination while also presenting legislators, communities and environmental activists with a roadmap of where to focus their efforts. 

• Banned pesticides found in clouds, sparking new health concerns

  Sep 16, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: U.S. Right to Know, 9/11/25

  Pesticides banned years ago in the European Union are drifting through the skies and turning up in clouds above France, raising concerns about how long these toxins persist and how far they can travel, with potentially harmful global health impacts, according to a pathbreaking new study.  The research, published in Environmental Science & Technology, is the first to detect dozens of agricultural chemicals—including insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and other substances—suspended in cloud water droplets. That means pesticides not only linger in the environment but also move through the atmosphere and fall back to Earth in rain or snow, sometimes at levels exceeding European safe drinking water limits, the research suggests. 

• USC study shows how PFAS disrupt healthy function in human liver cells

  Sep 15, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: USC Keck School of Medicine, 9/10/25

  Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), manmade chemicals that accumulate in the body over time, have been linked to liver disease and cancer, but it is not yet clear how they cause damage. Researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of USC used a lab model of the human liver to analyze changes at the cellular level, finding that some PFAS triggered fat accumulation and others caused cell damage linked to cancer. The study was just published in the journal Environment International. 

• Allbirds debuts waste-based shoes

  Sep 12, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: Trellis, 8/21/25

  In a footwear first, a new Allbirds’ sneaker features material that has been recycled from polycotton waste. The Remix runners, which retail for $140, are made with lyocell recycled by startup Circ from used polycotton T-shirts and other textiles. The midsoles are recycled from manufacturing-scrap foam by partner Blumaka, and the laces are made of recycled polyester.

• Using pollen to make paper, sponges, and more

  Sep 11, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: Knowable Magazine, 8/8/25

  At first glance, Nam-Joon Cho’s lab at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University looks like your typical research facility — scientists toiling away, crowded workbenches, a hum of machinery in the background. But the orange-yellow stains on the lab coats slung on hooks hint at a less-usual subject matter under study. The powdery stain is pollen: microscopic grains containing male reproductive cells that trees, weeds and grasses release seasonally. But Cho isn’t studying irksome effects like hay fever, or what pollen means for the plants that make it. Instead, the material scientist has spent a decade pioneering and refining techniques to remodel pollen’s rigid outer shell — made of a polymer so tough it’s sometimes called “the diamond of the plant world” — transforming the grains to a jam-like consistency.

• Recycling lithium from old electric vehicle batteries could be done cheaply with new electrochemical process

  Sep 10, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: University of Wisconsin, 8/26/25

  With ever more electric vehicles on the road, regulators and automakers are considering what can be done with the millions of batteries that power EVs after they’re spent. Even when their useful life is over, EV batteries contain valuable lithium that could theoretically be recycled and used in new batteries, but coming up with a cost-effective way to do so is critical. A group of University of Wisconsin–Madison chemists are hopeful they’ve found a solution and they’re already filing patents and courting global carmakers.

• Data centers consume massive amounts of water – companies rarely tell the public exactly how much

  Sep 9, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: The Conversation, 8/19/25

  University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee researchers analyzed public records, government documents, and sustainability reports compiled by top data center companies and found that technology companies don’t always reveal how much water their data centers use.

• UMaine unveils app to gauge AI’s environmental cost

  Sep 8, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: University of Maine, 8/5/25

  A new app, “What Uses More,” aims to reveal the environmental footprint of tasks completed with artificial intelligence, encouraging users to examine critically the energy and water consumption of their digital activities. 

• Heat-styling hair care products release billions of nanoparticles that can accumulate in lungs, engineers find

  Sep 5, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: Purdue University, 8/20/25

  A typical morning hair-care routine can expose you to as much immediate nanoparticle pollution as standing in dense highway traffic, report Purdue University engineers. A Purdue research team led by Nusrat Jung, an assistant professor in the Lyles School of Civil and Construction Engineering, and her Ph.D. student Jianghui Liu, found that a 10–20-minute heat-based hair care routine exposes a person to upward of 10 billion nanoparticles that are directly deposited into their lungs. These particles can lead to serious health risks such as respiratory stress, lung inflammation, and cognitive decline. The team's findings are published in Environmental Science & Technology.
  
  
  

• New wastewater tech tackles fatbergs at the source

  Sep 4, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: RMIT University via Phys.org, 8/20/25

  A new wastewater treatment system developed by RMIT University researchers could help prevent fatbergs—solid masses of fat, oil and grease (FOG) that clog sewers and cost water utilities globally billions to remove each year. A team from RMIT's Effective Technologies and Tools (WETT) Research Center has developed a solution that combines a redesigned grease interceptor with a smart chemical treatment—more than doubling fat removal rates in commercial kitchen wastewater. The new design features a series of physical barriers, or baffles, inside a grease interceptor to slow wastewater flow and separate larger fat particles. A small dose of alum, a common water treatment chemical, is then added to clump smaller, suspended fats for easy removal.
  
  The research article, "Performance optimization for the removal of fat, oil, and grease from food service establishment wastewater using a novel grease interceptor," is published in ACS ES&T Water.

• Long-term biochar can sustainably boost crop yields and cut greenhouse gas emissions

  Sep 3, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: Chinese Academy of Sciences (via Phys.org), 8/19/25

  A research team led by Profs. Yan Xiaoyuan and Xia Longlong from the Institute of Soil Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences showed that biochar can deliver lasting benefits for food security and climate mitigation when applied to farmland over the long term. In particular, the study showed that repeated annual applications not only sustain but also amplify biochar's positive effects on crop yield, soil health, and GHG reduction. 

  In this study, the researchers analyzed high-quality field experiment records from 438 studies, including consecutive annual data from 29 long-term field experiments. The results, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, demonstrate that annual biochar application over four years or more increased global crop yields by an average of 10.8%, cut CH₄ emissions by 13.5% and N₂O emissions by 21.4%, and raised soil organic carbon (SOC) content by 52.5%.

• A potential ‘green’ alternative to formaldehyde and PFAS in fabric finishing

  Sep 2, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: American Chemical Society, 8/18/25

  More than half of the 7.5 million bales of cotton produced annually in the U.S. will be used in clothing manufacturing. The finishing techniques used to make cotton fabric smooth, water-repellant and resistant to wrinkling can be detrimental to the environment and the wearer. Now, researchers propose a method for using cottonseed oil as a “greener” and safer alternative to formaldehyde and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often called forever chemicals, when finishing cotton fabrics.

  Taylor Kanipe, a graduate student at North Carolina State University (NC State), presented her results at the fall meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS), held Aug. 17-21.

• PFAS exposure linked to teen weight regain after bariatric surgery

  Sep 1, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: HealthDay, 8/19/25

  For adolescents, exposure to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is associated with weight regain after bariatric surgery, according to a study published online Aug. 14 in Obesity. 

• Data centers use massive energy and water. Here’s how to build them better

  Aug 29, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: Fast Company, 8/11/25

  The race to build AI infrastructure is draining power grids and water supplies. But with the right innovation, tomorrow’s data centers could clean the air, grow food, and power entire communities.

• Scientists turn grapevine waste into clear, strong films that vanish in days

  Aug 28, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: South Dakota State University, 8/13/25

  Amid growing concerns over plastic waste and microplastics, researchers are turning agricultural leftovers into biodegradable packaging. Using cellulose extracted from unlikely sources, including grapevine canes, they have created strong, transparent films that break down in just 17 days without leaving harmful residue.

• Inside Rothy’s quest to create recycled velvet shoes

  Aug 27, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: Fast Company, 8/12/25

  The brand’s recycled plastic shoes have a distinct look and texture. Now Rothy’s is bringing a new material to its roster.

• Bioreactors reduce phosphorus from agricultural drainage water, Illinois study shows

  Aug 26, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: University of Illinois College of ACES, 8/11/25

  Tile drainage is a common practice used in agricultural fields to remove excess water, but it also transports harmful nutrients into water bodies, contributing to algal blooms that deprive aquatic life of oxygen. Woodchip bioreactors are an efficient way to reduce nitrogen pollution by treating the water as it exits the field. However, these denitrifying bioreactors may leach phosphorus from the woodchips into the environment. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign evaluates data from 10 bioreactors in Illinois to determine whether they are a source of phosphorus pollution.

• These industrial chic benches are made out of an unexpected material

  Aug 25, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: Fast Company, 8/11/25

  Concert barriers are built to be baked in the hot sun, transported through busy venues, battered by excited concertgoers, and, ultimately, disposed of. A company in Paris is giving them a second life. 

• A dram good idea – turning whisky waste into sustainable packaging

  Aug 22, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: University of Dundee, 8/11/25

  Arbikie Distillery has partnered with Dr Dongyang Sun, Edinburgh Napier University, and Dr. Wenbin Zhou, University of Dundee, to use mycelium, the root structure of fungi, and distillery by-products like spent grain to create durable, lightweight packaging. The material created is impact-resistant, fire-retardant, and fully compostable, offering an eco-friendly alternative to plastic. Over the next 10 months, the project team will focus on proof of concept, testing the material, and the design. Funded by Scotland Beyond Net Zero – a coalition of leading climate and sustainability experts from Scotland's universities – this project is one of 11 new research collaborations aimed at accelerating Scotland's transition to net zero. Each project involves cross-sector collaborations to address sustainability challenges in energy, finance, food, the built environment, natural systems, and transport.

• Researchers advance effort to turn spent coffee grounds into food packaging

  Aug 21, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: Oregon State University, 3/21/25

  Researchers from Oregon State and the Rural Development Administration in South Korea have made a key advance in turning spent coffee grounds into food packaging materials that can extend the shelf life of products. Their findings were published in the Journal of Food Science.
  
  An estimated 60 million tons of spent coffee grounds are generated worldwide annually. Most end up in landfills and release methane, a potent greenhouse gas. That has led researchers to study other uses for coffee grounds, such as incorporating them into biofuels, cosmetics, catalysts and composite materials, including concrete, and now food packaging materials. The researchers believe coffee grounds could be used to make different food packages, including sheets between sliced cheese, pads underneath fresh meat and pads in clamshell containers used to package strawberries.

• Exposure to PFAS, ‘forever chemicals’, linked to increased type 2 diabetes risk

  Aug 20, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: Medical News Today, 7/24/25

  Vishal Midya is the corresponding author of a new study recently published in the journal eBioMedicine that found exposure to a class of synthetic chemicals called perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)Trusted Source — also known as "forever chemicals" — may increase a person's risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

• New research uncovers gene impacts of PFAS exposure in firefighters

  Aug 19, 2025 9:00 am

  Medical Express, 7/25/25

  Researchers at the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health found that certain kinds of long-lasting chemicals firefighters are exposed to may affect the activity of genes linked to cancer and other diseases. The findings appear in the journal Environmental Research. The study is among the first to connect common industrial chemicals called PFAS—per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances—to changes in microRNAs, or miRNAs, which are molecules that act as guardrails to help control gene expression.

• Researchers at Notre Dame detect ‘forever chemicals’ in reusable feminine hygiene products

  Aug 18, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: University of Notre Dame, 7/22/25

  The results of a study conducted by researchers from Notre Dame and Indiana University focusing on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in reusable feminine hygiene products have been published in Environmental Science & Technology.  Most of the samples contained PFAS concentrations low enough to be characterized by study authors as "non-intentionally fluorinated." But period underwear (33 percent) and reusable pads (25 percent) had the greatest rates of "intentional fluorination." 

• The insulation that melts in your walls — and could reduce your energy costs

  Aug 15, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: NIST, 2/26/25

  Hidden in the walls of our homes, in the sides of our coffee cups, and even in the International Space Station, wherever humans go, we take some form of insulation with us to keep us at just the right temperature. But just because the idea is old doesn’t mean that there haven’t been innovations. Over the past few years, an entirely new category of insulation has made its way to the market. It’s called “phase change materials” (PCMs), and they control the temperature inside a room by melting and freezing over the course of a day.

• One of the biggest microplastic pollution sources isn’t straws or grocery bags – it’s your tires

  Aug 14, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: The Conversation, 7/22/25

  Every few years, the tires on your car wear thin and need to be replaced. But where does that lost tire material go? The answer, unfortunately, is often waterways, where the tiny microplastic particles from the tires’ synthetic rubber carry several chemicals that can transfer into fish, crabs and perhaps even the people who eat them.

• The unexpected beauty and deep meaning of plastic-waste art

  Aug 13, 2025 12:00 pm

  Source: Inside Climate News, 7/5/25

  Amid a global plastic-pollution crisis, artist Erik Jon Olson turns his own plastic waste into quilted works of art in which the medium is the message.

• From masterpieces to makeup: eco-friendly art conservation gentle enough for human skin

  Aug 11, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: Horizon Magazine, 7/1/25

  Green art conservation methods developed by EU-funded researchers are setting new standards and proving useful far beyond museums, from cosmetics to agriculture. 

• Solarcycle produces recycled glass test module with ‘peak performance’

  Aug 8, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: PV Tech, 8/4/25

  US solar PV recycling firm, Solarcycle, has produced a pilot module using 50% recycled glass from other decommissioned panels, which it says matches the performance of entirely new products. The company said that the "mini module", developed in partnership with Arizona State University's (ASU) Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, marks "a critical step toward a closed-loop solar manufacturing process."

• Pollution solution with a pinch of clay

  Aug 7, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: University of Cambridge, 7/28/25

  A low-cost material made from clay and vitamin B2 could one day help clean up pollution using only sunlight. Developed by researchers in the University of Cambridge Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CEB), the new material – Flaponite – combines a clay base with compounds derived from vitamin B2, also known as riboflavin, to create a sustainable photocatalyst. It’s affordable, recyclable, and designed to work in water under visible light – offering a promising new approach to breaking down environmental pollutants without harsh chemicals or high energy use. The study demonstrates how the material can break down model pollutants in lab conditions – a crucial first step in developing real-world water purification or green chemical processing technologies. 

• Long-term exposure to outdoor air pollution linked to increased risk of dementia

  Aug 6, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: University of Cambridge, 7/27/25

  An analysis of studies incorporating data from almost 30 million people has highlighted the role that air pollution – including that coming from car exhaust emissions – plays in increased risk of dementia...In a paper published in The Lancet Planetary Health, a team led by researchers at the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing scientific literature to examine this link further. This approach allowed them to bring together studies that on their own may not provide sufficient evidence, and which sometimes disagree with each other, to provide more robust overarching conclusions. In total, the researchers included 51 studies, including data from more than 29 million participants who had been exposed to air pollutants for at least one year, mostly from high-income countries. Of these, 34 papers were included in the meta-analysis: 15 originated in North America, 10 in Europe, seven in Asia, and two in Australia. The researchers found a positive and statistically-significant association between 3 types of air pollutant and dementia.

• How Ben & Jerry’s is recycling food waste into energy

  Aug 5, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: PBS News Hour, 7/28/25

  It may sound like the stuff of sci-fi movies, but diverting food waste from the landfill and converting it into electricity has become a real thing. William Brangham visited Ben & Jerry's Vermont ice cream factory and the operations next door to find out how it works.

• Indoor air contains thousands of microplastics small enough to penetrate deep into our lungs, study finds

  Aug 4, 2025 9:00 am

  CNN, 7/30/25

  Thousands of microplastics so small they can penetrate deep into the lungs are in the air you breathe in your home and car, a new study has found.
  
  The particles are likely the result of the degradation of plastic-filled objects such as carpet, curtains, furniture and textiles and the plastic parts of car interiors, according to the study published Wednesday in the journal PLOS One.

• Industry eyes carbon credit gold in mining waste

  Aug 1, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: Trellis, 6/13/25

  The billions of tons of mining waste stored worldwide contains minerals that react with and lock away CO2. A successful trial using waste heaps at a BHP mine in Australia is in the process of wrapping up. If the approach scales, it could lead to the creation of a new and relatively low-cost credit for durable carbon removal.

• Canadian researchers harness genetic mushroom variations to create packaging material

  Jul 31, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: Packaging Insights, 6/11/25

  Researchers at McMaster University in Canada have cultivated a mushroom species that can be used to produce a biodegradable material suitable for use in packaging.

• Tons of invisible plastic pieces lurk in ocean water

  Jul 30, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: New York Times, 7/9/25 (gift article)

  A study published Wednesday in the journal Nature estimates the volume of nanoplastics, which are even smaller than microplastics and invisible to the naked eye, to be at least 27 million metric tons in North Atlantic seas — more than the weight of all wild land mammals.

• Synthetic hair contains toxic chemicals. Black women are looking to ‘ditch the itch.’

  Jul 29, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: The 19th, 6/9/25

  Black women have long relied on braids for beauty and care. Research on toxic chemicals in synthetic hair is prompting a movement toward alternative plant-based hair options.

• This Illinois startup turns steel and aluminum waste into usable metals

  Jul 28, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: Canary Media, 6/9/25

  Chicago-area Sun Metalon removes gunk and grime from metal slivers normally thrown away, helping to reduce emissions from aluminum and steel production.

• Microplastic contamination detected in milk and cheese raises food safety concerns

  Jul 25, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: AZO Cleantech, 7/18/25

  A recent study, published in npj Science of Food, investigated microplastic contamination in milk, fresh cheese, and ripened cheese, providing one of the most detailed assessments yet of plastics in dairy products. The research team used advanced spectroscopic techniques to analyze the size, shape, colour, and concentration of microplastics in these widely consumed foods. 

• Microplastics can cause malignant changes in lung cells

  Jul 24, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: Medical University of Vienna, 7/15/25

  Although the respiratory system is one of the main entry points for microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) from the air into the body, little is known about the effects of these tiny particles on the lungs. Researchers at MedUni Vienna have now demonstrated for the first time that MNPs can trigger malignant changes in lung cells that are associated with the development of cancer. The findings were published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials and once again underline the urgent need for action to reduce plastic waste.

• New cooling tech could curb data centers’ rising energy demands

  Jul 23, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: University of California San Diego, 6/13/25

  As artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing continue to expand, the demand for data processing—and the heat it generates—is skyrocketing. Currently, cooling accounts for up to 40% of a data center’s total energy use. If trends continue, global energy use for cooling could more than double by 2030. Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a new cooling technology that could significantly improve the energy efficiency of data centers and high-powered electronics. The technology features a specially engineered fiber membrane that passively removes heat through evaporation. It offers a promising alternative to traditional cooling systems like fans, heat sinks and liquid pumps. It could also reduce the water use associated with many current cooling systems.

  The advance is detailed in a paper published on June 13 in the journal Joule.

• Research: Products Labeled as Sustainable Sell Better

  Jul 22, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: Harvard Business Review, 6/23/25

  A comprehensive analysis of Amazon sales data reveals that sustainability labels like “Climate Pledge Friendly” increase consumer demand by 13–14% for up to eight weeks after adoption. This sales boost is not driven by pricing or advertising, nor by improved search rankings or filter usage. Instead, consumers engage in passive search—opting for labeled products when given the choice, even if they’re not actively looking for sustainable options. Labels that highlight specific features, such as carbon neutrality or reduced harmful ingredients, are especially effective. For brands and platforms, this underscores the commercial value of clear, credible sustainability messaging. 

• Solving the mystery of an ancient enzyme could lead to new carbon capture strategies

  Jul 21, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 6/27/25

  Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have discovered important new clues in the mystery of how an ancient enzyme can turn atmospheric carbon into biomolecules, a natural process that could be helpful in developing new methods for converting greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide into useful chemicals.

• The unrealized promise of circular diapers

  Jul 18, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: Trellis, 6/23/25

  From big brands to startups, efforts to create circular diapers are crawling forward — but landfills are full of unrealized promises.

• Gen Z and the sustainability paradox: Why ideals and shopping habits don’t always align

  Jul 17, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: The Conversation, 6/4/25

  As the summer shopping season kicks off, all eyes are on Gen Z — those born between 1997 and 2012 and whose purchasing power wields significant influence over market trends. Often lauded as the “sustainability generation,” a closer look reveals a complex internal struggle: despite their strong desire for eco-conscious living, many Gen Z consumers find themselves drawn to the allure of fast, affordable, trend-driven consumption. 

• The power of storytelling to boost resale and reuse

  Jul 16, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: Trellis, 6/23/25

  Stories can help build emotion and meaning and brands have used them for decades, but not as successfully with resale or circular products. Too often, circularity stories end on cold, emotionless or even patronizing tone. By following a three-act narrative structure that’s time-tested, brands can add value and meaning to their circular efforts.

• Firefighting foams contain toxic PFAS. Could soybeans be the answer?

  Jul 15, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: Grist, 6/23/25

  The search to find a PFAS-free firefighting foam is relatively new, as a growing body of research illuminates the harmful impact that these chemicals have on humans and the environment. Soybean farmers have presented their crop as a surprising solution to this problem. Although more research and development are needed to ensure soy-based firefighting foam holds up under the toughest circumstances, the product is catching the attention of local fire departments. 

• Scientists use bacteria to turn plastic waste into acetaminophen

  Jul 14, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: University of Edinburgh, 6/23/25

  Chemists have discovered that genetically reprogrammed E coli can be used to transform a molecule from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into the active ingredient in paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen. Researchers used a fermentation process, similar to the one used in brewing beer, to accelerate the conversion from industrial PET waste into paracetamol in less than 24 hours. 

• Wildfires threaten water quality for years after they burn

  Jul 11, 2025 9:00 am

  Source: University of Colorado at Boulder, 6/23/25

  Years after wildfires burn forests and watersheds, the contaminants left behind continue to poison rivers and streams across the Western U.S. — much longer than scientists estimated. 

  A new study published in Nature Communications Earth & Environment, analyzed water quality in more than 500 watersheds across the Western U.S., and is the first large-scale assessment of post-wildfire water quality. The results showed contaminants like organic carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen, and sediment can degrade water quality for up to eight years after a fire. Water managers can use this data to help them plan for the future and respond appropriately when wildfires strike.