pollution

Industries and cities used to pollute rivers so heavily that at least one caught fire a dozen times. But like the Spring River in Kansas, some waterways are now bouncing back. Plus: Residents in a small Kansas town are upset about a smelly landfill.

Some rivers are success stories where wildlife is bouncing back from heavy pollution. But environmental groups say progress hasn’t happened across the board and backsliding remains possible.

Kansas City’s Blue River Biosolids Facility is using an innovative wastewater treatment process to convert sewage into energy and fertilizer while cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

New EPA data show contamination across Missouri. But removing the forever chemicals could cost millions and take years.

Kansas City is exploring ways to manage stormwater naturally, using parks, gardens, and special pavement to soak up rains. The effort could reshape neighborhoods, improve water quality, and create more green space across the city.

Places such as Minnesota and Austin, Texas, already use green infrastructure like rain gardens to absorb stormwater and keep pollution out of streams and lakes. Now communities across the Kansas City area could get on board.

Tiny shards of plastic called microplastics are all over the environment and even inside human bodies. Researchers have found a type of bioengineered algae that can clean up these pesky particles.

Urban rivers are struggling with water pollution, as the Blue River in Kansas City shows. Restoring riverside woodlands and other natural areas could lead to a healthier river.

Restoring woodlands and protecting undeveloped areas near the Blue River and its creeks are a few of the steps that could mitigate pollution and flooding.

The fish and rare mussels hiding in the Spring River that flows through Kansas and Missouri are signs that environmental cleanups are helping river wildlife recover from a century of mining pollution.

State officials say Missouri's current standards, last revised a quarter century ago, are based on outdated science. For small rural communities, it could require major upgrades for water treatment facilities.

Forever chemicals, or PFAS, are found in substances from cosmetics to nonstick pans — and end up in our bloodstreams, unable to break down. UMKC engineering professor Dr. Megan Hart studies how to get rid of these substances, and shares the everyday changes she has made for her health.