Global Scans · Pollution · Weekly Summary

• [New] As air pollution is a real, systemic risk connected to climate change, nature loss and human rights, addressing it is fundamental to protecting people and planet and building lasting value across portfolios. ShareAction
• [New] New filtration technology developed by Rice University may absorb some Pfas forever chemicals at 100 times the rate previously possible, which could dramatically improve pollution control and speed remediations. The Guardian
• [New] The Environmental Protection Agency will stop considering how many deaths are prevented and how much money is saved in health care costs when considering air pollution rules for two common pollutants, a change that advocates say will compound health risks in Detroit. BridgeDetroit
• [New] Environmental experts say the EPA's new approach could influence tailpipe emissions rules, updates to air quality standards for specific pollutants, power sources used by massive data centers - and increase pollution levels in Detroit, which already fails to meet federal standards. BridgeDetroit
• [New] The dugong, already considered vulnerable to extinction, is critically endangered in many parts of the world, threatened by habitat loss, climate breakdown, noise, boat strikes, and water and plastic pollution. The Guardian
• [New] The Environmental Protection Agency will no longer calculate the health benefits of reducing air pollution when justifying clean air rules. Planetizen
• [New] Globally, negotiations toward a UN Global Plastics Treaty will continue in 2026, advancing efforts toward achieving a legally binding international agreement to address plastic pollution. Recycling Product News
• [New] The EPA's new approach could increase pollution in Detroit, which already fails to meet federal standards. Planet Detroit
• [New] SpaceX's proposed satellites will dump millions of pounds of pollution into the atmosphere, causing significant environmental impacts both in space and on the ground, DarkSky International alleges. PCMAG
• [New] The European Union and the U.S. are both considering scoring crypto assets based on how clean or dirty they are, while the IMF has proposed a carbon tax on crypto miners that could raise $5 billion per year in revenue while cutting carbon pollution up to 110 million tons. The Cool Down
• [New] By 2027, U.S. crypto and AI use could use up to 2% of global electricity and contribute 1% of total pollution. The Cool Down
• [New] Salt Lake City, Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco show elevated risk, while pollution concerns grow in Colorado Springs and Miami. CRE Daily
• [New] Halting the monetization of health impacts from PM2.5 and ozone could facilitate further rollback of air pollution regulations. Gizmodo
• [New] To make matters worse, EPA states in the final rule that it will no longer estimate the economic value of health benefits from reducing NOx and other types of health-harming pollution for Clean Air Act rules going forward. Environmental Defense Fund
• [New] Again, the risks of inaction have become clear - decline in water availability and increase in water pollution could put up to 9% of global GDP at risk. Forbes
• [New] Rising sea levels will flood facilities handling sewage, toxic waste, oil and gas, and other industrial pollutants if heat-trapping pollution continues unchecked. UCLA
• [New] Persistent pollution and greenhouse gas emissions threaten long-term sustainability and resilience of global agriculture. Farmonaut

Last updated: 26 January 2026