soil contamination

(Newser) - Those fleece sweaters in your washing machine may be doing more than clogging the lint trap—they could be slowing down your tomatoes. A new study from Cornell University and the University of Toronto finds that polyester microfibers in soil can hinder the growth of cherry tomato plants, raising questions...

(Newser) - Neighbors of property where for years Dartmouth College disposed of mice and other small animals used in science experiments say they fear pollution has contaminated their groundwater. The site has contaminated the water of at least one family, Richard and Debbie Higgins, who blame a variety of health problems on...

(Newser) - Residents of the West Calumet Housing Complex in East Chicago, Ind., remember having "mud fights" as kids, per the Guardian . Today, the once-happy memory haunts them. The EPA recently revealed that the top six inches of soil surrounding the complex—built atop a former smelting operation—contains 30 times...

(Newser) - The ground your home is sitting on could very well be harming you. A 14-month USA Today investigation revealed that the health of thousands of families could be in jeopardy due to potentially hazardous levels of lead in the soil—a possibility government regulators were told of more than a...