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In a trailblazing new study, researchers have discovered bottled water sold in stores can contain 10 to 100 times more bits of plastic than previously estimated — nanoparticles so infinitesimally tiny they cannot be seen under a microscope. At 1,000th the average width of a human hair, nanoplastics are so teeny they can migrate through the tissues of the digestive tract or lungs into the bloodstream, distributing potentially harmful synthetic chemicals throughout the body and into cells, experts say. (LaMotte, 1/8)

Scientists have known for years that there's plastic in water. A 2018 study detected an average of around 300 particles of plastic per liter of water. At the time, they were measuring microplastics — small plastic pieces less than five millimeters long. In the latest study, researchers examined nanoplastics, which are particles less than 1 micrometer. For reference, the diameter of a human hair is about 70 micrometers.  (Chasan, 1/8)

The new study found pieces of PET (polyethylene terephthalate), which is what most plastic water bottles are made of, and polyamide, a type of plastic that is present in water filters. The researchers hypothesized that this means plastic is getting into the water both from the bottle and from the filtration process. (Osaka, 1/8)

For just over two years, Craftsbury Academy, which educates roughly 140 students on its Craftsbury Common campus, has had no potable running water. Instead of using fountains, students and staff drink from bottled water that is trucked in — at the state’s expense. But it’s not only drinking water that’s affected. “They’re having to pour water out of bottles to cook with and all of that, which makes it a little more challenging,” said Joe Houston, the Orleans Southwest Supervisory Union’s facilities director. (D'Auria, 1/7)

For years, concerns have surfaced over lead in water pipes and fixtures in public schools across the country. In New York, the East Ramapo Central School District shut off many drinking water fountains in 2016 after lead was detected. The students are being provided with bottled water on a daily basis. (Christie, Kofsky, Park, Roberts and Simpson, 11/18)

Paper straws are not quite the eco solution many had hoped for. Not only do these liquid slurping alternatives tend to wilt in a frustratingly fast manner, they contain low levels of forever chemicals, according to new research. When researchers tested 39 different straw brands made from plastic, paper, glass, bamboo, or stainless steel, they found PFAS in almost all the materials. Stainless steel was the only consistent exception. (Cassella, 1/6)

PFAS are sometimes referred to as “forever chemicals” due to their persistence in the environment and human body, where they can accumulate over time and cause issues linked to reproduction, allergies and cancer. Starting on January 1, 2025, California will prohibit the manufacturing, selling and distributing of textiles containing PFAS levels exceeding 100 parts per million (ppm), which is now considered the unsafe limit. Therefore, brands that want to get ahead of the chemical ban should act now. Outdoor wear, gorp core and even athleisure brands are set to be particularly affected by the PFAS regulation because many of their items typically feature waterproofing or other chemically-created qualities. (Zwieglinska, 1/8)

Companies seeking to make any of hundreds of PFAS that haven’t been produced for years must first seek an EPA review of the proposed new use of the chemical, under a rule the agency finalized Monday. (Sherwood, 1/8)