3 To Know: Yellowbird construction expected to finish early, more
1. Yellowbird construction expected to finish early
Construction of Yellowbird Street on Marco Island is expected to end sooner than scheduled, according to a press release from the city of Marco Island.
Construction started on July 27, with an expected end date of July 5. However, the release says the project is ahead of schedule at this time and is now expected to be completed by May 1.
As a reminder, during construction Yellowbird Street is closed to vehicle traffic, bikes, and pedestrians. It is not safe to walk on the street. Drainage and concrete installation are currently underway making the area hazardous for walkers, bikers and vehicles. Sixth Avenue is also closed to through traffic.
2. Water quality news, alerts
“The City of Marco Island recognizes that environmental and water quality issues are important to the residents of Marco Island,” a press release read.
“As a result, we have set up an email subscription for residents who would like to receive updates on topics including red tide, waterways committee updates, beach clean-up opportunities, boating safety, water quality reports and more.
To subscribe to this email distribution, go to https://www.cityofmarcoisland.com/newsletter/subscriptions.
3. McDonald’s to take PFAs out of packaging
In a victory for health and environmental advocates, the world’s largest fast-food chain has promised to stop using potentially harmful chemicals in its packaging.
McDonald’s on Wednesday announced it will remove all PFAS (perand polyfluoroalkyl substances) from wrappers, containers, and any other packaging served to guests by 2025.
PFAS are a category of man-made chemicals that can be found in a variety of manufactured items, from cookware to clothing and more. They are often used in food packaging to create grease and water-resistant containers.
Sometimes called “forever chemicals,” certain PFAS take a long time to break down and can accumulate in the environment and in the human body.
Some may cause cancer, result in low infant birth weights, and increase cholesterol levels, among a host of other health problems, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
The McDonald’s announcement comes a few months after an August report found packaging used by several popular fast-food restaurant chains contained dangerous fluorine levels, McClatchy News previously reported. Besides McDonald’s, researchers found the chemicals in products served by Burger King, Wendy’s, Cava, Freshii, and Sweetgreen. – Mitchell Willetts/The State Tribune News Service