Stay up to date with WRAL’s Environment news and reporting coverage
Despite recent social media claims, balloon releases are still legal in North Carolina. A bill to ban them has stalled, even as balloon debris turns up in waterways and advocates push for change.
A North Carolina startup found a way to grow real leather from cow cells in a lab, a sustainable breakthrough that could cut emissions and eliminate slaughter in the $400 billion leather industry.
Some landscaping experts say now might be the perfect time to start re-thinking your lawn goals.
PFAS detected in a Chapel Hill family's well are prompting Orange Water and Sewer Authority to launch private well testing near historic sludge fields as state regulators study potential contamination sources.
On Monday, the brains behind the Wake County landfill and the board of commissioners discussed what options they have and how those options may impact people in the area.
Energy costs are rising across the nation and environmental advocates say there are ways to reduce your bill. One of those ways is by being cautious about using "phantom energy."
Reports of a worsening smell at the South Wake Landfill, located on the border of Apex and Holly Springs, have gone up in the last three months.
Duke Energy says offshore wind isn't cost-competitive, halting plans for new projects. Advocates warn the move delays clean energy progress in North Carolina.
Invicta Water's Jordan Lake pilot has treated 11 million gallons, claiming to erase PFAS with no toxic waste. Cary will judge fall test data to see if it's a cheaper fix than carbon filters.
A Duke study says axing North Carolina's 70% climate goal could add $23 billion to fuel bills by 2050. Other analyses predict 50,700 lost jobs. Lawmakers are expected to vote this week on SB 266 override.
A Holly Springs teen's startup turns recycled bottles into swimwear and removes a pound of ocean plastic for every sale.
Five NC warehouses, including one 1,100 ft from homes in Four Oaks, store devices that off-gas cancer-linked ethylene oxide. The state doesn't track it and neighbors demand answers.
Warehouses in North Carolina may be releasing a toxic gas linked to cancer, just steps away from neighborhoods. WRAL environmental reporter Liz McLaughlin looked into a facility in Johnston County.
A new product launched in Texas sells disposable diapers paired with fungi intended to break down the plastic.
Activists gathered in Mebane on Tuesday to speak out against an incoming Buc-ee's that would be the gas station's first location in North Carolina.
North Carolina senators on Wednesday considered two bills that would waive regulations for Helene victims hoping to rebuild their homes or reopen their businesses.
Paul Specht, WRAL state government reporter
A study found high PFAS levels in household dust near a Chemours plant, raising concerns about another exposure route for residents. Researchers detected PFAS in every sampled home.
They're a tree you won't see in many nurseries anymore. The Bradford pear and its variations are all over the country, with ongoing efforts by environmental organizations to remove them.
State breaks ground on wetland project in Goldsboro to reduce frequent flooding and protect hospital access, part of NC's push for nature-based flood solutions.
Sound Rivers, the city of Raleigh, and the Great Raleigh Cleanup installed two new trash traps in Marsh Creek to reduce litter ahead of World Water Day, part of a growing effort to protect local waterways.
A deeper look into the laws around great white sharks in North Carolina.WRAL News talks to these men about the planning, organizing and care that went into this big catch.