5@5: US water is filled with carcinogens | Google eyes healthcare opportunity

US water is full of carcinogens and the EPA is moving too slowly

There are currently no legal limits on PFAS chemical compounds in US water supplies thanks to the EPA, so several states are taking matters into their own hands and setting their own standards. Water systems can then use processes such as reverse osmosis or charcoal and carbon filtration to rid the water of PFAS. Read more at Vice…

Google CEO eyes major opportunity in healthcare, says will protect privacy

Google has spent years creating artificial intelligence that can analyze MRI scans and other patient data "to identify diseases and make predictions aimed at improving outcomes and reducing cost." But U.S. lawmakers are concerned about the company's access to tens of millions of Americans' health records, and it would appear that its foray into healthcare is only just beginning. Read more at Reuters…

Burger King cuts Impossible Whopper price as sales slow

Sales of Burger King's plant-based Impossible Whopper are slipping, so the company has added it to the two-for-$6 discount menu temporarily. There is still no evidence that plant-based options are driving down sales of real meat, in spite of the rising popularity of alternative meat. Read more at The L.A. Times…

Why California is banning chlorpyrifos, a widely used pesticide

California is barring its growers from using the insecticide chlorpyrifos starting February 6, 2020. Researchers have found evidence linking chlorpyrifos to developmental harm in children since 2003. Read more at The Conversation…

The problem with China's single-use plastic ban: What will replace the plastic?

If China's ban on single-use plastics immediately results in compostable plastic replacements, not much is going to chance. This is because massive investments in composting technology and infrastracture is needed in tandem for the switch to effectively deal with the country's plastic pollution crisis. Read more at Fast Company…