Environment, Pollution | featured news

Beijing schools kept children indoors and hospitals saw a spike in respiratory cases Monday following a weekend of off-the charts pollution in China's smoggy capital, the worst since the government began being more open about air-quality data....

Who knew? Much has been written about the Great Garbage Patch in the Pacific Ocean, where a Texas-size swill of plastic bags, bottles, wrappers and other debris floats. Now, scientists are finding that home washing machines seem to be a major source of "microplastic" ocean pollution.

Hundreds of villagers in eastern China have been demonstrating in recent days against pollution they say is caused by a solar panel factory, with some protesters storming the compound and overturning vehicles, local authorities and residents said Sunday.