A graphic that shows the water cycle.
Credit: designua/BigStock Photo ID: 104061326

The rain is cleaner, but now it’s full of plastic and forever chemicals

A generation after acid rain was largely eliminated, scientists say rainfall is now carrying something even more insidious — microplastics and forever chemicals that are nearly impossible to remove.

Benji Jones reports for Vox.


In short:

  • Decades of environmental policy cleaned up acid rain, but modern pollutants like microplastics and PFAS (forever chemicals) have taken its place, contaminating rainfall worldwide.
  • Microplastics from roads, clothing, and oceans get swept into the atmosphere and fall with the rain, while PFAS, used in nonstick cookware and water-resistant fabrics, persist in the environment for centuries.
  • These pollutants seep into drinking water sources, and while treatment plants can remove some, a significant amount remains, exposing people and wildlife to chemicals linked to cancer, kidney disease, and immune disorders.

Key quote:

"It’s much worse than the acid rain problem. With acid rain, we could stop emitting acid precursors and then acid rain would stop falling. But we can’t stop the microplastic cycle anymore. It’s there and it’s not going away."

— Janice Brahney, biogeochemist at Utah State University

Why this matters:
Even if you don’t drink untreated rainwater, these pollutants are making their way into tap water, food, and even human brains. Water treatment plants can catch some of it, but not enough. And with microplastics now found in human lungs, blood, and even placentas, the long-term health consequences are still unfolding.

Read more: Toxic PFAS pollution is likely at more than 57,000 US locations.

Trump administration war on science.
Credit: mikeledray/BigStock Photo ID: 131542325

The Trump administration’s meddling in science agencies has sparked a staff revolt

National Science Foundation (NSF) workers are blowing the whistle on political interference that’s threatening the agency’s integrity and mission.

Alexa Robles-Gil reports for The New York Times.

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Hawai’i cattle ranches are shrinking as drought worsens and rainfall patterns shift

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Outdoor jobs help teens connect with nature and community

Teens in western Massachusetts are joining Greenagers, a local nonprofit, to work outdoors building trails and protecting ecosystems — gaining both job experience and a deeper bond with the natural world.

Jacob Posner reports for The Christian Science Monitor.

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FEMA delays disaster aid to multiple states while Texas receives rapid approval

President Donald Trump approved disaster aid for Texas within days of deadly flooding, but several other states and Native American tribes waited months for similar relief due to new federal review policies.

Brianna Sacks reports for The Washington Post.

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Texas flood response faces scrutiny as FEMA defends actions to Congress

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s acting chief told lawmakers Wednesday that the federal response to catastrophic Texas floods was effective, rejecting claims of delayed rescues and unstaffed call centers.

Gabriela Aoun Angueira reports for The Associated Press.

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US gas exporters face EU methane rules as trade talks reach deadline

Lobbyists for American natural gas companies are pressing European officials to loosen new methane pollution rules as trade negotiations with the Trump administration near an August 1 deadline.

Sharon Kelly reports for DeSmog.

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Internal records show more than a quarter of U.S. Forest Service firefighting positions are unfilled as wildfires surge nationwide, contradicting agency assurances to lawmakers that staffing is at full strength.

Gabrielle Canon reports for The Guardian.

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