The Hype and Realities of Bioplastics, or Bio-based Polymers: Bio-Based vs. Biodegradable vs. Compostable, and Other Facts About the Bioplastics Industry

    Bioplastics company CEO Vishal Vivek writes in Entrepreneur about five misleading claims by bioplastics companies. Though he still believes in the value and usefulness of bioplastics, he thinks much of the industry is overhyped.

Claim 1: “Our packaging is compostable”

     Just because a cup or packaging material is listed as compostable does not mean it will be composted, even if you try to do it at home. Most home composters won’t reach the required temperatures (55 to 58°C) to break down the polylactic acid (PLA), the most common type of compostable bioplastic in today’s market. In order to decompose PLA, an industrial composting facility with controlled heat, humidity, and microbial activity is required. 30 states have three or fewer plastic composting facilities. Ten states have none. I know of one near me that I sometimes hike past on a known trail. Most PLA ends up in landfills after it is discarded in regular trash, where it may take 100 years to decompose.

 

Claim 2: “Our product is a bioplastic.”

     Bioplastic may mean one of three things: bio-based, biodegradable, or compostable.

“Bio-PE and bio-PET are made from sugarcane instead of petroleum. But they are chemically identical to conventional polyethylene and PET. They do not biodegrade. They persist for centuries. They fragment into the same microplastics. The only thing “bio” about them is where the carbon came from.”

     He notes that even using the word “bioplastic” has been discouraged by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) since 2012. They recommend using the term bio-based polymer instead. However, that recommendation has generally not been heeded, even by the industry.

 

Claim 3: “Our material is plant-based, so it is safe.”

     This is false and has been proven to be so, as he explains below. This is mainly due to the fact that both fossil plastics and bio-based plastics use similar additives, and there are several thousand different additives used in the industry.:

“Zimmermann et al., in a 2020 study published in Environment International, tested 43 bio-based and biodegradable food-contact products against 30 conventional plastic samples.”

“Two out of three bioplastic products triggered toxic responses in at least one lab assay. The toxicity profiles were statistically indistinguishable from those of petroleum plastics. Some PLA and starch-based products contained more than 20,000 distinct chemical features.”

“The problem is not the plant, but the additives added to the plant-based polymers to create usable plastic products.”

“These additives — the plasticizers, colorants, stabilizers and processing chemicals — give bioplastics their functional properties, and are quite often the same chemicals used in conventional plastics. Nobody regulated them differently just because the base resin came from a crop, for instance, corn.”

     He notes that the toxicity of bioplastics depends on what additives are being used. Many are known to be toxic, and even more have had no toxicity testing done on them.

 

Claim 4: “The biggest plastic users are massively increasing their bioplastic use.”

     While the use of bioplastics is growing, so is the use of plastic made from fossil fuels. According to European Bioplastics’ 2025 market data, the share of bioplastics use in the plastic industry as a whole has remained steady at 0.5%,1.67 million tonnes against roughly 431 million tonnes. He says that if a company announces that they will increase its use of bioplastics, one should ask by how much in weight rather than in percentage since increasing a tiny amount by, say, 200% is still a tiny amount.

 

Claim 5: “Our product meets all applicable standards.”

     He notes that many rules and standards are out-of-date and need to be updated. He says the EU has been at the forefront and now treats bioplastics the same as fossil plastics. Its single-use plastic ban applies to all plastics regardless of feedstocks. The real issue is what happens after it is used. Personally, I do not like single-use plastic bag bans, having endured one for a while. I ended up collecting a lot of paper bags I did not need. Thus, I may disagree with his statement below, although I do agree that all plastics should be treated the same since they all have toxic components and a lot of compostable plastics are not being composted.

“I believe the bioplastics industry needs mandatory regulation. Not because I want more rules. But because voluntary self-policing has let too many actors hide behind good branding while the infrastructure, the chemistry and the accountability remain absent.”

    

Three Guidelines for Bioplastics Producers

     Finally, the author gives three guidelines for bioplastics producers, particularly in India and other Southeast Asian countries.

1)        Make bioplastic from waste – he recommends using crop residues, of which there are quite a lot in places like India, where an estimated 500 million tonnes are produced each year. In the fall, these are often burned, producing smoke and smog that is so bad it closes down schools.

2)        If you sell compostable, invest in composting – he says if you sell compostable plastics, then investing in composting infrastructure makes sense and helps to secure an end-place for the product to go, preferably near the point of production and the point of use.

3)        Be an advocate for “no plastic, less plastic, better plastic” – he says that reducing plastic use should matter more than replacement of fossil plastic with bioplastic. Less plastic, especially less single-use plastic, is better than different plastic. I guess I can brag that I reuse my so-called single-use plastic bags many times over, for shopping in places where you need to bring your own bag, for things I need to carry, and for cleaning my cats’ litter pans. When they are used for the latter or if they get holes in them, I discard them.

 

     He closes with the following:

“…belief without accountability is just marketing. And marketing without infrastructure, without chemical transparency and without binding standards is just greenwashing. The first step for every entrepreneur in this industry is to accept the flaws in our models and our language so we can start correcting them one step at a time.”

 

  

 

References:

 

I sell a sustainable product I believe in, but my industry is misleading consumers. Here’s the truth. Vishal Vivek. Entrepreneur. August 12, 2026. I sell a sustainable product I believe in, but my industry is misleading consumers. Here’s the truth.

Petrobras Discovers Oil in Brazil’s Environmentally Sensitive Equatorial Margin: Lula Supports Development

    Brazilian state-owned oil company Petrobras announced that it has discovered oil in its Morpho well, in the Foz do Amazonas Basin, which is in the environmentally sensitive equatorial margin offshore area. The announcement was made via press conference and included the company's president, Magda Chambriard, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and other government officials. Lula hailed the discovery.

     Lula appears to have become more pragmatic in recent years. I read that he said that socialism is not where the world is at now, suggesting that he is focusing more on traditional democracy. He is also thought to be doing the same with carbon emissions, promoting Brazil’s huge oil potential while deferring some energy transition efforts.

     The find is in Block FZA-M-59, about 175 kilometers (about 109 miles) off the coast of Amapá, in a water depth of 2,886 meters (about 9468 feet).

     According to Globo.com:

“To continue exploring more regions, Petrobras filed an application for an environmental license with the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) to drill three new wells in the Equatorial Margin. The state-owned company also plans other drilling in the region.”

     Lula compared the excitement of the discovery to Brazil’s 2007 discovery of the huge Pre-Salt play.

"I told Magda that when she told me that she had found oil, I felt the same sensation and the same emotion that I felt the day that Sérgio Gabrielli, in 2007, and my dear friend [Guilherme] Estrella entered my office to announce that Petrobras had discovered the pre-salt," said Lula.

     It should be pointed out that the discovery is early and needs more validation and estimation of reserves through further exploratory drilling. The first well is actually still drilling, and as of a couple of days ago, there were still 1000 meters left to drill.

     Petrobras has also been busy protecting its environmental reputation. Just 75 days after receiving the environmental licenses to drill in the equatorial margin region, Petrobras spilled non-aqueous drilling fluid into the ocean as a result of leaks from two auxiliary lines. The leaks were contained quickly and created what was termed a medium risk to the local ecosystem. The company also explained and demonstrated to Lula the use of the blow-out preventer (BOP), which is tested regularly and can contain any “blowout” of the well.

     Lula’s decision to allow drilling in the Brazilian Equatorial Margin was heavily criticized by environmentalists, who are mainly worried about oil spills. This area is very biodiverse, they argue, with the presence of nearby reefs where an oil spill could potentially reach. Lula announced that the drilling would take place just before Brazil hosted the COP30 climate conference. He noted then:

"Many people didn't want me to announce that Petrobras had won the licence because they said that the Europeans would be annoyed," he said.

"I took the decision to announce that people wanted to do exploratory drilling there before COP because the interests of our country and our company were at stake."

     He says he is still committed to the phase-out of fossil fuels but pragmatically noted that more oil production would actually help fund that effort in the short term. He also touted Brazil’s continued commitment to biofuels and renewable energy.

  

References:

 

Petrobras confirms oil discovery at Foz do Amazonas, off the coast of Amapá. Isabela Ortiz. Globo.com. August 17, 2026. Petrobras confirms oil discovery in Foz do Amazonas | G1

Brazil's President Lula hails oil discovery near Amazon River. Vanessa Buschschlüter.BBC. August 18, 2026. Brazil's President Lula hails oil discovery near Amazon River

Hertha Metals Becomes First U.S. Company to Achieve 99.95% Pure Iron for Neodymium Magnets: Magnet-Grade Iron Can Now Be Produced Domestically

    Texas-based Hertha Metals has produced high-purity iron at 99.95 percent (3N5) using fully domestic US inputs. That is a first for the U.S. High-purity iron makes up 70% by weight of neodymium magnets used in EVs, wind turbines, and defense systems. This comes just in time as the U.S. is set to ban Chinese-origin magnets from use in the U.S. defense industry, beginning at the start of 2027. The U.S. imports 90% of its high-purity iron, most of it from China.  

     According to Interesting Engineering:

“High-purity iron is one of the least visible materials behind the magnets that power everything from electric vehicles to defense systems, and today almost none of it is made in America,” said Laureen Meroueh, CEO and founder of Hertha Metals. “We’ve now demonstrated that we can produce magnet-grade iron domestically, creating a new pathway to build a domestic supply chain.”

     The process does not use coal or coke to make the high-purity iron in multiple steps. Hertha Metals’ process involves a single pyrometallurgical step.

“Typical ultra-pure iron production requires multi-step electrolytic refining, but Hertha achieves 99.95 percent (3N5) purity in a single continuous pyrometallurgical step with minimal post-processing.”

“The pyrometallurgical process removes oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and metallic impurities in a single continuous step at a lower cost.”

     The company proved its process in a one-ton-per-day demonstration pilot project. It is groundbreaking for a new commercial-scale facility later this year.

     As noted below, the process runs on natural gas, which makes it much cleaner than coal-based iron processing. It can also run on hydrogen, further reducing emissions.

“The upcoming Chalyx facility will be able to scale initial commercial capacity to approximately 9,000–10,000 metric tons per year, with long-term goals targeting 500,000 tons annually.”

“As per the company, it’s flexible-fuel furnace can process low-purity ores (<60%), iron ore fines, and millscale waste, unlocking vast domestic reserves while slashing raw material costs.”

“Operating on abundant natural gas, the system is 30 percent more energy-efficient than standard steelmaking and cuts emissions by at least 50 percent. It can also transition to clean hydrogen with zero hardware modifications, enabling up to a 98 percent reduction in total emissions.”

     The company also plans to expand its basic steelmaking process that can potentially produce steel of many grades from a wider variety of inputs, utilizing natural gas or hydrogen rather than coal, and can do it cheaper and with fewer emissions. It can produce high-performance low-carbon steel alloys as well as high-purity iron.

  

 

References:

 

Hertha Metals reaches 99.95% iron purity for US-based rare-earth magnet production. Mrigakshi Dixit. Interesting Engineering. August 18, 2026. Hertha Metals reaches 99.95% iron purity for US-based rare-earth magnet production

Forging the Future of Steel. Hertha Metals. Hertha Metals | Forging the Future of Steel

Hertha Metals Unveils Breakthrough Process to Accelerate American-Made Steel and High-Purity Iron Production. Hertha Metals. July 22, 2025. Hertha Metals Unveils Breakthrough Process to Accelerate American-Made Steel and High-Purity Iron Production - Hertha Metals

Undersea Geothermal: Endurance Energy is Tapping Hydrothermal Fluids Around Underwater Volcanoes

    Seattle startup Endurance Energy is ready to send a 100-kW geothermal energy generator, called Adelie, to an undersea volcano off the Oregon Coast. The deployment is planned for next month. The goal is to tap hydrothermal fluids with temperatures as high as 750 degrees Fahrenheit (399 degrees Celsius). This will be the company’s fifth undersea deployment, but the first inside the Axial Seamount caldera. The company is currently expanding into a 25,000-square-foot concrete facility which has ample space for research and component manufacturing. The company’s CEO, Andrew Redd, a former SpaceX engineer, noted:

“Everyone is incredibly multidisciplinary. The challenge is incredibly multidisciplinary. That’s what makes it so fun and exciting,” said Redd, watching his team at work. He pointed to the company’s thermal fluids analyst, for example, who at that moment was assembling electronics enclosures.

     The company’s team includes several former SpaceX employees, along with former employees of fusion startup Helion Energy, and former Blue Origin employees.

     As summarized below, the system will tap into hydrothermal fluids but avoid areas with active hydrothermal vents. It will also take advantage of the colder seawater for heat exchange in order to cool the refrigerant back into a liquid form. They will also observe the system’s performance and utilize subsea-durable switchboxes to control parameters remotely.

     There are some disadvantages to undersea geothermal projects, including the need for power cables to carry the power ashore, where costs increase with distance. There are also the usual issues with tapping hydrothermal systems, including high pressure and corrosive conditions, mineral scaling inside devices, and the risk of costly repairs to seafloor machinery.

     According to Geekwire:

“Endurance has done four prototype deployments, reaching a depth of about 2 miles and temperatures up to 726 degrees Fahrenheit. The company has previously visited the Pacific Northwest’s Juan de Fuca Ridge, the Mariana Trough, the East Pacific Rise off Mexico, and the Kingdom of Tonga in the South Pacific Ocean.”

     Thus far, the company has managed to raise $63 million in investments. The company’s next project, scheduled for next year, is a megawatt-scale commercial pilot, offshore the island of Tonga. The company’s website points out the potential for subsea geothermal systems for powering island countries that often rely on expensive, polluting, and carbon-emitting oil, diesel, and LNG imports for power. Reading about the company made me wonder how they are drilling the wells and how deep they are. I did not find drilling depths, but since they are near active vent areas, they are probably not very deep. I found the following quote captioning a video on the company’s LinkedIn page. I was not able to copy the video, but the link for the company’s LinkedIn page is below. The video shows a ship, the Ocean Guardian, used for deployments.

“Meet Ocean Guardian, our ride to the Juan de Fuca Ridge. At 260 feet with dynamic positioning and 60 berths, the vessel will host and deploy our drill, ROV, and generator to the seafloor while serving as home for three weeks at sea. Mission prep is underway.”

(27) Endurance Energy: Posts | LinkedIn

     Apparently, for a deployment earlier this year off the west coast of Tonga, the team successfully deployed a wellhead prototype directly on a hydrothermal vent which naturally vents hot water into the sea.

“Off the west coast of Tonga, in the Lau Basin, hydrothermal fluid exits the seafloor via hydrothermal vents at over 300ºC/572ºF. Our first wellhead prototype has mated to one of these vents and is actively pumping hydrothermal fluid. All of the power needed to pump, sense, and communicate is generated onboard via solid state thermo-electric generators. In the future these systems will be used to cap drilled wells, sensing temperature and flow rate while amplifying and stabilizing the hydrothermal fluid being sent to our full-scale multi-MW generators.”

     Of the three pics below that went with this LinkedIn post, the first one seems to be the drilling assembly, the second the deployment of the wellhead unit, and the third might be an active hydrothermal vent.

     Interestingly, the company has also tested its equipment on-site with scuba divers in shallower waters, which also match the buoyancy and handling requirements of the deeper water that most deployments will be in. The company sponsors advanced scuba certification for all employees.

 

References:

 

Go inside Endurance Energy, the Seattle startup tapping underwater volcanoes for geothermal power. Lisa Stiffler. Geekwire. August 17, 2026. Go inside Endurance Energy, the Seattle startup tapping underwater volcanoes for geothermal power

Subsea geothermal for energy abundance. Endurance Energy. Endurance Energy

 

Nevada Organic Phosphate Reports Strong Assay Drilling Results at Its Murdock Mountain Property in Elko County, Nevada: Organic Sedimentary Phosphate (P₂O₅) Exploration

       Company Nevada Organic Phosphate Inc. (NOP), based in British Columbia, Canada, explores for organic sedimentary phosphate. In June, it released continued strong drilling assay results on its Murdock Mountain Property in Elko County, Nevada. The company noted a weighted average of 11.82% P2O5 over an apparent thickness of 6.0 meters from drill hole MM26-7.

CEO Robin Dow stated: “MM26‑7 has returned another solid P₂O₅ assay, adding to the growing body of evidence that our exploration target is both laterally consistent and technically compelling. Each new data point contributes to the de‑risking of the project and strengthens our foundation for the next phase of work.”

Garry Smith, P.Geo and director added: “The assays from MM26‑7 provides another consistent data point within the phosphate‑bearing horizon and supports the continuity we are observing across our drill program. Each result contributes to refining our geological model and helps guide the next steps of the program in a measured, technically defensible manner.”

     The company is targeting the Upper Phosphatic Zone, a 3.4 to 7.6 meter (11 to 25 feet) interval within the Meade Peak Member, which comprises 28 to 40 meters (92 to 131 feet) of phosphatic siltstone and phosphorite.

     The company used ALS Laboratories to analyze its samples with X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) technology.

“Phosphate P2O5 assaying was by ME-XRF24 whole-rock analysis: Samples were fused with lithium borate and analyzed by X-ray fluorescence (XRF). This method provides high-precision determinations of major rock-forming oxides, including phosphorus, calcium, and silica, ensuring accurate characterization of phosphate mineralization.”

     The company explained its lab analysis evaluation and is satisfied that its reported results are accurate.

“NOP is a junior exploration company with an organic sedimentary raw rock phosphate bed, 6.6 kilometres long, in northeast Nevada. Additional applications extend the potential strike of rock phosphate to over 30 kilometres. This is believed to be the only known large-scale organic sedimentary phosphate project in North America. It is situated close to the main highway to Montello/Elko, Nevada, and near the rail head to California or the East Coast.”

 

   

 

References:

 

Nevada Organic Phosphate Reports Assays from Drill Hole MM26-7 at Murdock Mountain. Nevada Organic Phosphate. June 11, 2026. Nevada Organic Phosphate Reports Assays from Drill Hole MM26-7 at Murdock Mountain – NEVADA ORGANIC PHOSPHATE

India’s Exclusive Use of E20 Ethanol Blends for Gasoline is Sparking Outrage Over Lower Engine Performance: Chief Economic Advisor Says E10 Should Also Be Sold Instead

       Modi’s government in India rolled out E20, petrol with 20% ethanol blended in it, last year, and since April 1, it has been the only fuel available for sale at gas stations across the country. Modi cited dependence on oil imports, since India imports about 90% of its oil, and pollution as the reasons for the rule. The war in Iran may also be a factor since oil availability is down and prices are up. However, the plan has not been popular, with many people concerned about engine performance and damage to engine parts. In the U.S., most cars can and do run on up to 10% ethanol, with some able to run on 15% ethanol. India produces its ethanol domestically. Ethanol contains oxygen and introduces it into the engine system, which can increase corrosion. E10 is thought to decrease fuel economy by about 3%, so E20 will exceed that, perhaps doubling it to 6%.

"Restoring a lower blend at the pumps, say, E10, alongside the option to buy E20, would calm most public concern," India's Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran said in an opinion piece in the Indian Express newspaper on Monday.

     Nageswaran co-authored an opinion piece with Akash Poojari, a consultant in India's Department of Economic Affairs. They did not stress the possibility of damage to engine parts but did note that E20 can cause problems with older vehicles with rubber seals and gaskets not rated for such a blend.

"India has roughly 75 to 80 million older two-wheelers ... older rubber seals that are not rated for ethanol are a separate problem ... retrofitting those seals... that way will take years," the opinion piece said.

“New Delhi should "protect the existing fleet while the retrofit programme catches up," it said.

 

 

References:

 

India should bring back fuel with lower blend of ethanol, chief economic adviser says. Reuters. August 17, 2026. India should bring back fuel with lower blend of ethanol, chief economic adviser says

NIOSH Data Confirms That Black Lung Disease Has Grown in Recent Years Due to Silica Dust

     Mining coal kills. It does so slowly, through black lung disease, or Pneumoconiosis. Data for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), accepted for publication in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, indicates that Black Lung is on the rise again.

“NIOSH researchers found that working veteran underground coal miners in central Appalachia are suffering from the incurable and fatal lung disease at the highest rates in nearly 50 years.”

     Coal miners in Central Appalachia, in the states of Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia, have been most affected by the disease’s reprisal. About one third of the miners in those states with 25 years of mining experience have the disease. More miners with 15 years of mining experience are getting the disease.

     According to NPR, which has covered black lung disease for a long time, including with in-depth reporting from relevant state affiliates:

"I'm disgusted," said Scott Laney, a NIOSH research epidemiologist who is the lead author of the research letter.

"This is not going to get better because of all the disease that's already in the pipeline. These guys are being treated like disposable widgets, not human beings. … We're watching them die right before our eyes."

“More than 1,700 coal miners died from black lung from 2020 through 2023, according to an earlier NIOSH study.”

“The new findings "should stagger and shock anyone who has compassion for … hardworking people," said Celeste Monforton, a former federal mine-safety regulator and a workplace-safety academic and advocate.”

"This is the consequence of their work and the consequence of us wanting cheap electricity," Monforton added. "We're back where we were [nearly 50 years ago]. … Coal miners are no better off than they were [then]."

     Apparently, modern dust control methods and regulations have not slowed the disease as hoped.

“The new estimated rate for the veteran central Appalachian underground miners is more than a fourfold increase since the prevalence of the disease hit a low point: just 7%, in 1999. That was 30 years after Congress imposed strict limits on exposure to the coal mine dust that causes black lung.”

“Since then, the dramatic plunge has reversed, especially in Appalachia, where thousands of miners are suffering from early, advanced and fatal stages of disease, according to data gathered from clinics testing and treating miners. Unlike NIOSH, which focuses on working miners, the clinics tend to see retired and laid-off miners who seek lung exams while trying to obtain state or federal black lung benefits.”

     NIOSH emphasizes that silica dust is a factor in these new disease cases as well. The practice of “cutting rock,” or cutting through sandstone and siltstone with high silica content with mining machines in order to reach thinner coal seams, is very likely increasing disease rates.

 "Excessive inhalation of coal mine dust is the sole cause of [black lung] in coal miners," the new NIOSH research letter says. "Substantial evidence shows that exposure to the respirable crystalline silica component of coal mine dust plays an important role in contemporary disease patterns."

“Laney, the NIOSH epidemiologist, said the link between silica dust and black lung disease is strong, based on exposure data and radiographic data, which shows abnormalities "suggestive of silica exposure." And he said researchers have inspected lungs removed in autopsies and after transplantation and "we can see the silica in these lungs."

     However, the National Mining Association (NMA) noted:

“…the rates of disease reported by NIOSH in miners tested in the last five years — along with the new cases diagnosed at clinics — do not stem from current silica dust exposures in coal mines because it can take years for disease to develop and for disease to be diagnosed.”

"This means that the incidences discussed in these studies cover miners whose initial exposure dates back years and, in many cases, decades," Ashley Burke, a spokeswoman for NMA, wrote in an emailed statement. "These incidences do not reflect the conditions, practices, protections or regulations that are in place today."

     While silica dust has long been a part of coal mine dust, its level relative to coal dust has been increasing as more rock is cut through to reach thinner coal seams.

“Silica dust is 20 times more toxic than coal dust alone and contains fine particles that are easily inhaled. Silica particles cause lungs to fight back with fibrotic tissue that builds and builds, severely inhibiting the ability to breathe.”

     While it is good news that compliance rates for mine dust have grown, reaching 97% compliance recently, that may not be enough.

     In 2024, the Biden administration adopted new rules for silica dust in coal mines, cutting the exposure limit by half. The mining industry sued. They were ok with the limits but not the enforcement mechanisms, such as fines and higher dust restrictions for those out of compliance. The lawsuits put enforcement on hold, and the Trump administration endorsed keeping it on hold.

     Dust masks and respirators are an important way to mitigate exposure, but there are issues with them.

“Dust masks and respirators have also been problematic. Many miners interviewed by NPR complained that masks impair communication in a dangerous and noisy environment, become clogged with dust, are too hot to work in, and fail to screen out finer particles. Lawsuits against dust-mask companies have resulted in multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements.”

     According to the NIOSH report:

“Excessive inhalation of coal mine dust is the sole cause of CWP in coal miners. Substantial evidence indicates that exposure to the respirable crystalline silica component of coal mine dust plays an important role in contemporary disease patterns, particularly in central Appalachia. These observations contributed to 2024 rulemaking by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) to reduce occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica. A recent MSHA Program Information Bulletin notes that in accordance with a federal court order issued April 11, 2025, MSHA has delayed enforcement of the 2024 Silica Rule and instead is enforcing standards that were in place before its changes were to take effect. Pending the outcome of litigation, it is uncertain whether or when the 2024 Silica Rule will be implemented. What is certain is that the prevalence of pneumoconiosis among coal workers participating in CWHSP has reached its highest level in the past 35 years.”

     Below, the article addresses funding for black lung treatment.

“The growing rate of disease has resulted in a steady stream of miners seeking state and federal benefits for living and medical expenses. More than 26,000 miners or their surviving dependents drew $175 million from a federal black lung trust fund in 2024, according to a Labor Department report to Congress.”

“Mining companies contributed more than $23 billion to the fund, according to NMA, but bankruptcies and underinsurance shift some of the burden to taxpayers. The fund owes more than $6.5 billion to the U.S. Treasury.”

“Public funds pay for most of a growing number of lung transplants, which cost as much as $2 million each, and are mostly for miners in central Appalachia, according to a NIOSH study.”

 

 

References:

 

Black lung rates in Appalachia are high as the 1970s, with thousands of miners sick. Howard Berkes and Justin Hicks. Morning Edition. NPR. August 5, 2026. Appalachia's black lung rates are highest in nearly 50 years : NPR

Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis in the United States 1974—2025: Prevalence in Central Appalachia Continues to Increase. A Scott Laney, PhD , Nirmala T Myers, PhD , Laura E Reynolds, RN , David J Blackley, DrPH , and Noemi B Hall, PhD. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. August 4, 2026. Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis in the United States 1974—2025: Prevalence in Central Appalachia Continues to Increase | American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine | Oxford Academic

Textile Dyeing: Its Huge Energy and Carbon Footprints and How to Make it Sustainable: EverDye’s Non-Petroleum, Non-Toxic Alternative

      Textile dyeing is one of fashion’s biggest sustainability challenges. Conventional dyeing relies on chemical processes that require large amounts of energy and water. Most dyes are derived from petrochemicals. According to company EverDye, which is working on sustainable textile dyeing, textile dyeing is responsible for about half of the fashion industry’s emissions, which in total make up 8-10% of global carbon emissions, and dyeing makes up half of those emissions, or 4-5% of global emissions. I found that to be surprising. They also note that the textile industry is the world’s second-biggest polluter of water and generates 20% of global wastewater. Thus, if one could make textile dyeing more sustainable, less energy-intensive, and mitigate wastewater better, it could be hugely impactful.

     EverDye’s CEO Philippe Berlan noted that the company does not use petrochemical-based dyes. Instead, it uses biopolymers and iron oxide to create what he describes as a hybrid molecule. According to Interesting Engineering:

“The resulting dye is designed to bond with fibres through a physical attraction rather than the conventional chemical-intensive process used today. As Berlan explained, the process takes advantage of charges already present on prepared textile fibres.”

“There is a kind of magnet effect, and this magnetic effect creates a great affinity of our dye stuff to jump on the fibre,” he said.

     The process happens at room temperature. No heat is required, as in petrochemical dyeing. With no need for heat and additional chemical processing, he says the process can eliminate up to 90% of carbon emissions. He also says the process can reduce water consumption by 30% and it produces wastewater that is non-toxic. This is important since wastewater from textile plants has been implicated in environmental degradation with impacts on water quality, habitats, and possibly on human health.

     EverDye is currently working to bring its methods from the lab to commercial scale-up. Berlan notes that EverDye’s approach has an advantage over competitive sustainable dyeing approaches because it can use existing textile industry production infrastructure.

“Rather than simply recreating historical dyeing techniques, EverDye is attempting to combine modern scientific understanding with more sustainable feedstocks and manufacturing methods.”

     Berlan also acknowledges that AI and automation can be used in research and innovation for sustainable dyeing. It can help discover new molecules and can help with sorting and recycling.

“However, technology alone will not solve the industry’s sustainability challenges. Berlan believes meaningful progress will require cooperation between brands, manufacturers, technology developers, and consumers.”

     In an article back in January for Move the Needle News, Berlan talked about some of the difficulties of getting the new dyeing process going commercially:

“Dyehouses around the world are optimized for conventional wet processes, and switching to something new means retraining operators, adjusting procedures, and taking on perceived risks,” says Berlan. “Even when a solution is technically ready, aligning supply chains, quality standards, and production economics takes time.”

“Conventional dyes dissolve in water, diffuse into fibres under heat and are fixed using salts and chemical binders. EverDye’s pigments rely on electrostatic attraction instead. Instead of dissolving in water and relying on heat and chemical fixatives, their pigments carry a positive charge that allows them to attach directly to fibers that have been pre-treated to carry a negative surface charge.”

“This shift changes the conditions under which dyeing happens. “It’s like a little magnetic attraction happening at room temperature, which eliminates the need for hot baths and toxic chemicals,”  says Berlan.

Material composition is another key difference. “Our pigments also bio-based, coming from organic waste and minerals, which makes them non-toxic and far more sustainable than petrochemical alternatives,” Berlan adds. “This approach lets us shift dyeing from a high-energy chemical problem into a surface chemistry solution, which is much gentler on both people and the planet.”

     Another challenge is meeting quality standards. Berlan says that EverDye meets those quality standards, citing collaborations with brands like AdoreMe. He also notes that EverDye’s process is reproducible, providing consistent quality. He notes that the company currently offers mostly limited colors: browns, oranges, and yellows. This is due to the use of iron oxides.

“Operational change is still required, but it is incremental rather than structural. “There is a small learning curve for operators to manage dosing and quality control, but overall it’s about changing the process rather than replacing machines,” he explains. “This makes it much easier for mills to adopt our technology quickly and confidently.”

     The EverDye process is also up to five times faster since it does not require rinsing steps and application of additives, usually toxic ones. Berlan expects prices to come down in the future for the bio-based dyes.

“While EverDye expects pigment prices to fall as volumes increase, Berlan is clear about current realities. “We will gradually reduce the price of our pigments and dyes through economies of scale, but they will probably remain more expensive than conventional pigments with comparable performance.”

“Cleaner fibers also mean that recycling—whether chemical or mechanical—becomes much easier,” he explains. “In practice, this can make fiber-to-fiber circularity more achievable and efficient, which is critical for a truly sustainable textile industry.”

     Berlan also cites collaborations with the organization Fashion for Good, which is helping test the process in real-world supply chains.

He adds that the biggest lesson for them so far has been that technical innovation alone isn’t enough. “You need to demonstrate consistent quality, cost-effectiveness, and easy integration for mills to actually adopt a new process. Science can deliver a breakthrough, but real-world adoption comes from building trust, showing reproducible results, and making the technology feel like a natural extension of existing operations.”

  

 

 

References:

 

From petrochemicals to pigments: how EverDye is reinventing textile dyeing. Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering. August 7, 2026. From petrochemicals to pigments: how EverDye is reinventing textile dyeing

The most sustainable way to color fabric. Rethinking the relationship between fashion and our ecosystem for colorful, long-lasting, low-impact wardrobes. Everdye. Product - Sustainable colors for creative industries

Tackling one of fashion’s hardest climate problems — how EverDye is rethinking colour. Move the Needle News. January 28, 2026. Tackling one of fashion’s hardest climate problems — how EverDye is rethinking colour