Pollution

Java pre-teen writes to Trump

Aeshnina Azzahra, a 12-year-old from Gresik, East Java, writes to Trump complaining about the amount of waste US exports to Indonesia and urges him to stop the practice.
Waste oil dumped into water body linked to Halda river

Untreated furnace oil has been allegedly released to a nearby water body that connects the Halda river from a power plant in Chattogram’s Hathazari upazila.
Smoking at home to soon become a punishable offence in Thailand

People in Thailand will no longer be allowed to smoke at home if their habit has a negative effect on other family members due to exposure to second-hand smoke, says the Act on Promotion of the Family Institute Development and Protection, which will go into effect from August 20.
Illegal ozone-depleting gases traced to China: study

Industries in northeastern China have spewed large quantities of an ozone-depleting gas into the atmosphere in violation of an international treaty, scientists say.
Trash found littering ocean floor in deepest-ever sub dive

On the deepest dive ever made by a human inside a submarine, a Texas investor and explorer finds something he could have found in the gutter of nearly any street in the world: trash.
Air pollution causes 8.8m deaths worldwide: Study

Air pollution causes 790,000 premature deaths every year in Europe and 8.8 million worldwide, doubling recent assessments, according to a study.
Thai govt starts planning for smog season

The government in Thailand has begun planning ahead for the next “smog season” in Bangkok, preparing a graduated system of emergency responses and possibly a major upgrade for the transport sector.
Thai govt apologises for Bangkok’s hazardous smog

Thai government apologises to Bangkok citizens about the air pollution that continues to disrupt their daily lives and is threatening their health.
Schools shut as toxic smog chokes Bangkok

Toxic smog forced hundreds of Bangkok schools to close yesterday, as authorities struggle to manage a pollution crisis that has stirred widespread health fears and taken on a political edge just weeks before elections.
Take actions against air polluters

The High Court (HC) yesterday ordered the director general (DG) of Department of Environment (DoE) to take steps to conduct mobile court twice a week against those responsible for air pollution in Dhaka.
Unhappiness linked to poor air quality in China

Eye-watering, throat-scratching air pollution is a major driver of big city blues in China, according to a study published that matched social network chatter with fine-particle pollution levels.
China to step up fight on air pollution

China’s top environmental watchdog has vowed to succeed in air pollution control this year by enhancing the management of diesel-powered trucks while further reducing industrial emissions.
Whale found dead with 6kg plastic trash in stomach

A sperm whale found dead in a national park in Indonesia had nearly six kilogrammes (13.2 lbs) of plastic waste, including 115 cups, in its stomach, park officials say.
Microplastics may enter foodchain through mosquitoes

Mosquito larvae have been observed ingesting microplastics that can be passed up the food chain, researchers say, potentially uncovering a new way that the polluting particles could damage the environment.
Air pollution linked to higher risk of dementia: Study

Urban air pollution, mostly from vehicles, is associated with an increased risk of dementia, a research says.
The Ocean Cleanup project sails out to sweep Pacific plastic

A supply ship towing a long floating boom designed to corral ocean plastic sets sail from San Francisco for a test run ahead of a trip to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
Delhi air pollution ‘severe’ for 3rd day

The air pollution in Delhi, India’s most polluted city, continue to be above the "severe" level for the third day as authorities caution people against staying outdoors for more than three to four hours.
Chinese scientists develop new material for water purification

Chinese scientists have come up with a new membrane material which can efficiently separate salt from water and has other water purification functions.
9 out of 10 people worldwide breathe polluted air: WHO

Nine out of 10 people breathe air containing high levels of pollutants, shows new data from the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO).
Ban on polythene: Punish rule violators, experts demand

Environmentalists demand exemplary punishment for the people who are violating the law banning production and use of polythene.
Exposure to air pollution during pregnancy could change children's brain structure

A new European research finds that exposure to air pollution during pregnancy could affect the cognitive function of children, by changing the structure of the brain.
Ozone layer declining over populated zones, study says

The ozone layer that protects life on Earth from deadly ultraviolet radiation is unexpectedly declining above the planet's most populated regions, a study says.
China punishes officials for tampering with smog monitoring

China has punished officials in the provinces of Jiangxi and Henan for tampering with pollution monitoring equipment in order to reduce smog readings, the environment ministry says in a notice.
Babies' brains at risk from toxic pollution: UN

As New Delhi and other major cities hit new toxic smog peaks, the United Nations sounds the alarm over the damage that pollution is doing to babies' developing brains.
Take steps to control road dust in winter: Activists

Green activists ask the authorities concerned to take monitoring initiatives to check dust pollution in Dhaka city as its air quality is set to fall with the onset of dry season.
Water: Garments’ invisible price

Bangladesh boasts as the world’s number two garment exporter. Every third European has a t-shirt made in Bangladesh on his back. Every fifth American wears jeans manufactured in Bangladesh. But this is not a story of how many million pieces we export. This is a story of the invisible price we pay every time a jeans rolls out of a factory in Bangladesh. The western buyers little know how much water, that precious resource, was used to wash and dye his shirt. The figures are mind boggling.
Govt asked to stop use of pneumatic horn in Dhaka

The High Court directs the government to take necessary steps in 48 hours to stop the use of pneumatic horns in vehicles in Dhaka city to prevent sound pollution. The court asked the government to confiscate the instruments used for hydraulic horns in next seven days.
4 Asian countries have world’s most coal plant projects

China, India, Indonesia and Vietnam have the world’s four biggest coal-fired power plants in pipeline. Together, they represent 82 percent of the 718 units globally under construction.
Lighter vessel sinks in Bagerhat

A lighter vessel carrying 800 tonnes of cement clinkers capsizes in Pashur River along the Sundarbans in Bagerhat.
Tobacco kills 7 million a year, wreaks environmental havoc: WHO

Smoking and other tobacco use kills more than seven million people each year, the World Health Organization says, also warning of the dire environmental impact of tobacco production, distribution and waste.