Health

"Pandemic prompted states to temporarily ban reusable grocery bags and stalled legislation aimed at reducing plastic packaging".

"More than 350 facilities nationwide have taken advantage of a temporary Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that lets companies forgo monitoring their water pollution during the pandemic."

"With COVID-19 lockdowns, Brazil’s capacity to monitor for illegal fishing has plummeted. Many on the ground say people have been quick to take advantage of the situation."

"The country recorded its sixth single-day record in 10 days." "States that were among the earliest to reopen have driven the surge in cases in the U.S."

"Fifty-seven former government scientists and public health officials of both parties called on Monday for a science-based approach to the coronavirus pandemic and criticized the Trump administration for marginalizing science and expertise in its response."

"More than 5,600 companies in the fossil fuel industry have taken a minimum of $3bn in coronavirus aid from the US federal government, according to an analysis by Documented and the Guardian of newly released data."

"The EPA’s biggest union will enter into bargaining with the agency July 13 for a week of talks about rapidly developing plans to reopen offices, according to the American Federation of Government Employees."

Racial disparities in who contracts the virus have played out in big cities like Milwaukee and New York, but also in smaller metropolitan areas like Grand Rapids, Mich., where the Bradleys live."

"A sewage-based coronavirus test could be an 'easy win' that would pick up infection spikes up to 10 days earlier than with existing medical-based tests."