French Lawmakers Pass PFAS Bill
In February, French lawmakers passed a bill to ban per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The law, which would go into effect in 2026 once it is signed by President Emmanuel Macron, will ban the manufacture, trade and marketing of cosmetics, footwear, certain textiles and ski wax that contain PFAS. From 2030, it will ban all textiles containing the chemicals except for protective clothing worn by firefighters and other professionals. The law currently exempts nonstick pans and any other cookware that may contain PFAS. It will also add PFAS to the list of substances monitored in drinking water and will fine companies for every 100 kilograms of PFAS emitted into the environment. The country becomes the second in the European Union, after Denmark, to ban PFAS in a range of consumer products.
University of Florida Stormwater Sewer System Study
A recently published study from researchers at the University of Florida reveals how wildlife uses stormwater sewer systems to traverse urban environments. The team set up 39 cameras in 33 stormwater sewers in Gainesville to document the use of the tunnels over a 60-day period. They recorded 3,798 sightings of 35 animal species. Expected suspects like rats, opossums and raccoons were seen, but there were some surprises including tree frogs and 12 different bird species. The team also recorded 50 alligator sightings, mostly showing the animals using the sewers to travel between ponds, but occasionally observing them using the infrastructure to help with foraging. Read the full research study.
A World Without Pumps
In a world without pumps, gas is hard to handle. Centrifugal pumps, reciprocating plunger pumps, progressive cavity pumps, gear pumps, diaphragm pumps and metering pumps are all used in the extraction, processing and distribution of petroleum and its derivatives. Learn more about how pumps fuel our lives.
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