Pollution – The Watchers

Petroecuador declares force majeure after worst oil spill in 8 years, Ecuador

Rishav Kothari — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 15:24:42 +0000

Ecuador's state oil company, Petroecuador, declared force majeure on its Trans-Ecuadorian Pipeline System (SOTE) on March 18, 2025, following a catastrophic oil spill that began on March 13. The spill, caused by a landslide that ruptured the pipeline, has contaminated the Esmeraldas River, affecting over 500 000 residents who are now experiencing a severe water crisis. The landslide was triggered by heavy rains and severe weather conditions across the country that have claimed 20 lives as of March 19.

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State of emergency in Ecuador after major oil spill

Rishav Kothari — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 16:59:52 +0000

Ecuador declared a state of emergency on March 16, 2025, following a major oil spill in the Esmeraldas River, which has severely impacted the region’s water supply. Authorities have urged residents to ration water as efforts to contain the spill and mitigate its effects are underway.

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Toxic waste delays California wildfire cleanup efforts

Rishav Kothari — Thu, 30 Jan 2025 10:16:52 +0000

Toxic waste from burned lithium batteries, asbestos, and synthetic materials poses a significant risk in California’s wildfire-affected areas. Cleanup efforts are being delayed as hazardous substances require specialized removal before residents can safely return.

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Cloud seeding proposed as a solution for the world’s most polluted city, New Delhi, India

Rishika Yadav — Fri, 22 Nov 2024 19:20:00 +0000

New Delhi reached an air quality index (AQI) of 495 at 10:54 LT (05:24 UTC) on Friday, November 22, 2024, the highest recorded so far this season. Earlier this week, Delhi's AQI reached 493, placing it among the most polluted cities globally on November 18, 2024. PM 2.5 levels hit 401.1 µg/m3 exceeding the safe limits of the World Health Organisation (WHO) over 27 times.

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Severe air pollution grips Delhi with AQI at 373, second worst worldwide

Rishika Yadav — Sat, 16 Nov 2024 20:51:18 +0000

The Air Quality Index (AQI) of 373 in R.K. Puram, Delhi, shows high pollution levels as of 14:35 LT (09:05 UTC) on Saturday, November 16, 2024. The levels of PM2.5 and PM10 are 318 and 258 indicating serious health risks placing Delhi as the second most polluted city in the world, following Lahore, Pakistan. Other pollutants like ozone (AQI 51), nitrogen dioxide (AQI 13), sulfur dioxide (AQI 1), and carbon monoxide (AQI 8) were also measured but are at lower levels.

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EPCCD directs cloud seeding for pollution control to address extreme AQI levels in Multan, Pakistan

Rishika Yadav — Sun, 10 Nov 2024 17:01:17 +0000

Marriyum Aurangzeb, the Senior Minister of Punjab, instructed an investigation into cloud seeding options in Multan after the air quality index (AQI) reached an extreme 2 175 on November 8, 2024. The rise in air pollution is a year-round epidemic that requires frequent interventions, EPCCD noted.

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Fire at BioLab chemical plant releases massive amounts of toxic smoke, triggers evacuations and road closures near Atlanta, Georgia

Rishav Kothari — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 11:03:03 +0000

A fire broke out at the BioLab chemical plant in Conyers, east of Atlanta, Georgia on Sunday, September 29, 2024, releasing massive amounts of toxic smoke and prompting road closures, evacuations, and shelter-in-place orders.

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NOAA reports 2024 ‘dead zone’ in Gulf of Mexico larger than average

Rishav Kothari — Sat, 03 Aug 2024 17:12:49 +0000

The Gulf of Mexico's "dead zone," an area with dangerously low oxygen levels, spans approximately 17 365 km2 (6 705 miles2) this year, making it the 12th largest recorded in 38 years, according to NOAA-supported scientists. This expanse threatens over 1.6 million ha (4 million acres) of marine habitat, an area comparable to the size of New Jersey.

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Unstable uranium tailings dams in Mailuu-Suu, Kyrgyzstan pose nuclear threat to millions

Teo Blašković — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 16:10:06 +0000

Recent studies have exposed a critical risk in Kyrgyzstan, where unstable dams holding approximately 700 000 cubic meters (918 000 cubic yards) of uranium mine tailings threaten to unleash a large-scale nuclear disaster on the Fergana Valley, potentially displacing millions and rendering the region uninhabitable.

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Oil spill from Tobago spreads over 160 km towards Grenada’s marine area

Teo Blašković — Sat, 17 Feb 2024 19:24:00 +0000

Satellite images from the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission have revealed the scale of an oil spill off Trinidad and Tobago's coast, following The Gulfstream shipwreck. The spill has extended over 160 km (100 miles) westwards, threatening neighboring marine areas.

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