How “forever chemicals” polluted America’s water

North Carolina’s Cape Fear River is a massive water system. It stretches across the lower half of the state, collecting runoff from 29 counties and providing water to millions of people. But in the city of Wilmington, where the river meets the Atlantic Ocean, the water has residents worried.

We produce 13 tons of hazardous waste every second

Most homes across America have a stash of chemical cleaners under the sink that becomes hazardous waste as soon as you’re done using them. And some of the household products don’t even make it out of the store, as retailers often get rid of sticky, dented, and forgotten bottles. Those become hazardous waste too. There are 400 million tons of hazardous waste produced across the globe each year. That’s like one garbage truck filled to the brim, every second of every day.