The National Weather Service has issued air quality alerts across a wide swath of the Midwest and Northeast as smoke from Canadian wildfires drifts across the U.S. border. The alerts, active as of Saturday morning, cover Minnesota, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New … Read more
Wildfire Smoke from Canada Spreads Across U.S., Triggering Health Alerts Heavy smoke from Canadian wildfires has caused hazardous air quality across the U.S. Midwest and East Coast, with Detroit recording the worst global air quality on Thursday. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classified the pollution as “hazardous,” prompting officials to urge residents to limit outdoor … Read more
Los Angeles County health officials have issued bacteria warnings for several popular beaches as rising temperatures draw crowds to the Southern California coast. The advisories, triggered by elevated levels of bacteria associated with fecal contamination, caution that swimming near specific storm drains and runoff areas may increase the risk of gastrointestinal issues, skin irritation, and … Read more
The global plastic waste trade is fueling a surge in toxic air pollution in lower- and middle-income countries, where a significant portion of imported waste is openly burned. According to United Nations data, 9.34 million metric tons of plastic waste were traded globally in 2024, with researchers linking the practice to increased mortality risks from … Read more
Firefighters continued to battle a stubborn blaze at a 500,000-square-foot cold-storage warehouse in Boyle Heights for a fifth consecutive day on Sunday, as residents face ongoing air quality concerns. Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Jaime Moore reported significant progress, noting that if current efforts hold, the fire should be extinguished by the end of the … Read more
The Rising Challenge of Dust Storms: Why Air Quality Is Becoming a Permanent Public Health Priority In arid regions across the American Southwest, the sight of a massive wall of dust—often called a haboob—is becoming more than just a dramatic weather event. As climate patterns shift and soil moisture levels drop, communities in places like … Read more
Air quality across Indonesia has deteriorated significantly, with air monitoring data from the US AQI website indicating that five major cities have been in a “worrying condition” throughout May 2026. According to the monitoring data, Jakarta and Bandung have consistently fallen into the “unhealthy” category. Jakarta’s AQI has ranged from 134 to 189, reaching a … Read more
Jakarta’s air quality plummeted to an “unhealthy” level on Wednesday morning, May 13, 2026, ranking the city as the third worst in the world for air pollution. Data from the monitoring website IQAir indicated that at 5:00 a.m. Western Indonesian Time (WIB), Jakarta recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 158. This measurement included a … Read more
Trump EPA Rolls Back Environmental Protections: A Return to Haze and Pollution? A shift in policy by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Trump administration is raising concerns about air quality in and around national parks and wilderness areas. Recent actions indicate a weakening of the “regional haze rule,” a federal regulation designed to … Read more
WASHINGTON (AP) — A coalition of health and environmental groups filed a lawsuit on Wednesday challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recent decision to rescind a key scientific finding. This finding, established in 2009, has been the foundation for U.S. Regulations aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing climate change. Legal Challenge to EPA’s … Read more