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Belgium will ban the sale of disposable e-cigarettes starting January 1, 2024, a first for the EU, citing health and environmental concerns. The ban aims to curb teenage nicotine addiction and reduce hazardous waste from discarded devices. Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke highlighted the devices’ contribution to environmental pollution and promoted reusable alternatives as smoking cessation tools. This action precedes a call for the European Commission to strengthen tobacco legislation across the EU.
The EPA’s recent approval of a Florida plan to utilize phosphogypsum, a radioactive byproduct of fertilizer production, in road construction has sparked significant controversy. This isn’t a widespread rollout of radioactive roads across the Sunshine State, but rather a small-scale pilot program. The plan focuses on testing the viability of using this material, currently stored at considerable cost, as a road-building component on a limited private road. The EPA’s decision is framed as a way to explore a potentially cost-effective solution for managing vast quantities of phosphogypsum, while also evaluating its environmental impact.
This pilot project aims to determine the efficacy of phosphogypsum in road construction, specifically addressing concerns about radon containment.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood