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Sen. Cassidy faces another challenger; how emissions exemptions will impact Louisianans; using recycled glass to restore the coast

Glass Half Full facility in St. Bernard Parish
Courtesy of Franziska Trautmann
Glass Half Full facility in St. Bernard Parish

It’s Thursday, and that means it’s time to catch up on politics with Stephanie Grace, editorial director and columnist for The Times Picayune/New Orleans Advocate. We hear about the latest candidate to challenge Sen. Cassidy’s (R-La.) seat in Congress, and whether or not President Trump will weigh in on the election.

Earlier this month, the Trump administration issued a two-year exemption to an EPA rule that aims to curb pollution and cancer risks for those who live near industrial plants.

The move affects a dozen Louisiana petrochemical companies and the communities that surround them. Some say the proclamation will endanger the health of people who live in the Mississippi River Industrial Corridor and the Lake Charles area.

Coastal Desk reporter Eva Tesfaye joins us to discuss the potential impacts.

The Glass Recycling Foundation’s 2024 report says only about a third of the glass in the U.S. is recycled annually . About 9 million tons of glass ends up in landfills each year. And this is despite the fact that glass is endlessly recyclable.

A group in New Orleans is trying to change that. Glass Half Full began their efforts in the backyard of a fraternity house, and over the last five years, they’ve become a force in glass recycling in the Gulf South.

Franziska Trautmann, co-founder of Glass Half Full, tells us more about how recycled glass can help restore the coast.

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Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Bob Pavlovich. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber. We get production support from Garrett Pittman and our assistant producer Aubry Procell.

You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at noon and 7 p.m. It’s available on Spotify, the NPR App and wherever you get your podcasts.

Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you! Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show.

And while you’re at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you’d like to listen to.

Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you!

A longtime fill-in host for New Orleans Public Radio, Bob Pavlovich joined the station full-time in 2023. He hosts "All Things Considered" and "Louisiana Considered" on Thursdays.
Alana Schreiber is the managing producer for the live daily news program, Louisiana Considered. She comes to WWNO from KUNC in Northern Colorado, where she worked as a radio producer for the daily news magazine, Colorado Edition. She has previously interned for Minnesota Public Radio in St. Paul.