Proposed hotline aimed at bottle bill fraud
Some Michigan lawmakers and environmental advocates want to create a hotline to stop retailers from fraudulently cashing in on the state’s beverage container deposit law. The post Proposed hotline...
View ArticleFirefighters, environmental advocates push for safer foam
Michigan has disposed of more than 50,000 gallons of potentially harmful firefighting foam since 2019. Firefighters and environmental advocates say that isn’t enough. The post Firefighters,...
View ArticlePackaging-free stores spread sustainable shopping
Recently, eco-friendly living has led to a surge of low-waste stores rapidly popping up across the region. The post Packaging-free stores spread sustainable shopping first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
View ArticleCOVID-19 in sewage is new gauge on state dashboard
State officials are publishing data from 19 Michigan sewage treatment plants and more than 400 wastewater collection systems to create an early warning system for COVID-19 outbreaks. The post COVID-19...
View ArticleCommunity fridges: Radical solutions to food insecurity, waste and cultural...
In the Great Lakes region there are community fridges in such major cities as Milwaukee, Madison, Chicago, Cleveland and Toronto. Community fridges are working fridges, usually connected to an...
View ArticleMichigan’s recycling rate lags U.S. average
Michigan’s estimated overall recycling rate is 18%, which lags considerably behind the national average of 32%. Efforts to update recycling procedures, policies and practices are being made across the...
View ArticleSupply chain slowdown could boost demand for recycled materials
The same supply chain disruptions that slow Michigan manufacturing could help the recycling industry bring in new business. The post Supply chain slowdown could boost demand for recycled materials...
View ArticleSupply chain slowdown could boost demand for recycled materials: TikTok edition
In our newest TikTok, Echo reporter Danielle James discusses how the pandemic's impact on supply chains could help the recycling industry bring in new business. The post Supply chain slowdown could...
View ArticleIndiana environmental services exec sentenced for mishandling hazardous wastes
A federal judge has placed the ex-president of a Fort Wayne environmental services company – described in her lawyer’s sentencing memorandum as “kind, generous, hard-working and honest” and a “huge...
View ArticleA road to sustainable fashion: up-cycling t-shirts
Fashion and the environment are linked in more ways than consumers may expect. Fashion designers are taking steps to reduce the clothing industry's impact on the environment. The post A road to...
View ArticleOntario groups fight to reduce food waste
The average London, Ontario, household wastes 2.81 kg (6 pounds) of food each week, and approximately half the food waste is avoidable. Local communities and nonprofits are looking for solutions to the...
View ArticleDon’t hide your poo — and here’s why
Universities across the globe are monitoring wastewater on their campuses for viruses like COVID-19. It is a practice that has raised some medical privacy concerns, although researchers say there is no...
View ArticleBeach cleaning robots are coming to Lake Erie
The BeBots and Pixedrones will be deployed to Olander Park near Toledo, and then Hinckley Reservation, North Coast Harbor, Fairport Harbor Beach of the Cleveland area. The post Beach cleaning robots...
View ArticleCities of tomorrow are surprisingly old
A new report by RentCafe documents the nationwide trend. So-called adaptive reuse apartments are more popular than new apartment developments from 2020-2021, the study says. The post Cities of...
View ArticleIndustry opposition, partisan politics slow polluter-pay bills
By Elinor Epperson Capital News Service It’s been one year since Michigan Democrats introduced legislation that would significantly change the state’s environmental regulations. But those bills are...
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