Novel opioids pose dangers to the first responders and lab technicians who deal with the aftermath of overdose deaths and drug-related arrests.

As more people die of overdoses — sometimes after unknowingly using highly potent opioids — public health officials are also struggling for clarity.

Over the course of 2016, Richland County in southwestern Wisconsin had five drug overdose deaths, one of which involved a synthetic opioid. This latter case startled the county coroner's office.

Each year, about 40 percent of food supplies in the U.S. are uneaten, wasting at least 160 billion pounds. One source of food waste results from consumers or retailers throwing away wholesome, healthy food because of confusion about the meaning of dates displayed on the label.