Env01
 

S/N	Title		Synopsis
I. Subject Area : Public Health
1	New York Sprays Entire City to Control Encephalitis Outbreak		An outbreak of the St Louis encephalitis in New York has set off a campaign to eradicate mosquitoes by aerial spraying and fogging with insecticides.
2	WHO Gives Southeast Asia a Health Warning		WHO's 52nd Regional Committee Meeting highlights increasing trends for HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis in Southeast Asia
II. Subject Area : Environmental Pollution
3	BP Launches a Clean Fuels Programme in the Paris Region	BP France has launched a "Clean Fuels" Programme for the Paris region, with the introduction of a new ultra low sulphur diesel fuel (ULSD).
III. Subject Area : Environmental Technology
4	Asbestos-Digesting Foam	The US' Brookhaven National Laboratory and W.R. Grace & Co. have developed a foam that could convert asbestos fibres in asbestos-containing materials into harmless minerals.
5	DNA Chip Technology Being Developed to Test Drinking Water Quality	Lyonaise des Eaux in France and United Water Resources in US are jointly developing a DNA chip technology for rapid identification of disease-causing microbes in drinking water.
III. Subject Area : Global Environmental Matters
6	Fire's Role in Global Warming Studied		Scientists from 12 countries are involved in a project to monitor the contribution of fires to greenhouse gas emissions as well as how they impact on forests as carbon sinks.
IV. Subject Area: Waste Minimisation and Recycling
7	German Recycling Efforts 'Too Successful'		The recycling industry in Germany is overwhelmed by public response to a recycling programme designed as a game. The huge response caused the price of recycled paper to dip sharply.

Env02
 

S/No		Title		Synopsis
I. Subject Area : Environmental Technology
1	Researchers work to develop cleaner fuel		A novel chemical-biological process being developed by researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Petro Star in Alaska, could result in ultra-clean fuels with sulphur contents of less than 30 parts per million (ppm) compared to the 300 ppm of today's fuels.
2	Solar power: future bright for new system		An energy system that uses the visible portion of the solar spectrum to light buildings and the non-visible portion to generate electricity has the potential to make solar power a dominant player in the energy marketplace, according to a US study.
3	2000 Nissan Sentra deemed cleanest gasoline-fuelled car in California		The 2000 Nissan Sentra sedan was certified recently by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) as the only gasoline-fuelled car in California to meet its Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (SULEV) tailpipe standards.
4	Tiny sensors can sniff out toxic gases		Researchers from the Stanford University have developed tiny carbon nanotube sensors which could be used to detect toxic nitrogen dioxide and ammonia gases.
5	New chemical-free quarantine treatment for citrus fruit		Scientists from the Kika de la Garza Subtropical Agricultural Research Centre in the United States had developed a new chemical-free, insect quarantine treatment for imported citrus fruit.
6	Zebrafish may be used as toxin detectors		Researchers from the University of Cincinnati in the United States are experimenting with the use of zebrafish to detect toxic pollutants like polychlorinated biphenyls in drinking water.

Env03
 

S/No			Title		Synopsis
I. Subject Area : Environmental Technology
1		Modified zeolite minerals remove arsenic from water		A University of South Florida researcher has developed a process using modified zeolites to reduce the concentration of arsenic in water to a level lower than the level specified by USEPA.
2		Air monitor that can identify elements in dust particulates		Researchers in the Los Alamos National Laboratory have developed a portable, ultra-sensitive, air-particulate monitor that instantly and continuously identifies virtually all known constituent elements in the periodic table and their relative concentrations.
3		Plant-based plastic to replace petroleum plastics?		Cargill Dow Polymers announced the production of a family of durable plastics derived entirely from annually renewable agricultural crops that can compete with hydrocarbon-based fibres and packing materials in cost and performance.
II. Subject Area : Environmental Policies
4	Law formation to tackle problems linked to food waste disposal			Japan is drafting a new Food Waste Recycling Law aimed at discouraging the throwing away of leftover food that eventually ends up at the waste incinerators.
5	Pennsylvania adopts new paint regulations for auto refinishers			The Department of Environmental Protection in Pennsylvania has required automobile refinishers to use new painting equipment to combat air pollution.

Env04
 

S/No	Title	Synopsis
I. Subject Area : Environmental Management
1	Ecological profits - Japan Inc. is making "Green" investments<		Asiaweek reported that many Japanese companies are setting up "environmental accounts", a balance sheet that records the costs and benefits of ecological investments.
2	Sewage sludge co-incinerated with household waste		German firm claims co-incineration of de-watered sewage sludge with household waste has cost advantages over a dedicated sludge incinerator and does not lead to higher emissions.
II. Subject Area : Waste Management & Recycling
3	MITI aims to amend law to require labelling of materials to promote recycling		Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry plans to amend the Recycling Law to require paper and plastic container manufacturers to labels the materials used in their products.
III. Subject Area : Environmental Technology
4	Fuel additive from CDT registered by the USEPA		Clean Diesel Technologies (CDT), a company specialising in diesel fuel additives and NOx reduction systems, announced that its EPA- registered Platinum Plus(r) bimetallic diesel fuel additive can reduce particulate emissions by up to 25% while improving fuel economy by 6%.
IV. Subject Area : General Environmental News
5	New US Air Pollution Research Centre created		Some large US companies and the US government have created a new, cutting-edge air pollution research programme called the National Environmental Respiratory Center (NERC) to study the synergistic effects of air pollutants on public health.
6	Dioxin from backyard burning of trash		Research by USEPA showed that burning a barrel of trash in one's backyard could release the as much dioxins and furans into the atmosphere as a well-controlled municipal incinerator serving thousands of residents.
7	The Dutch assault on greenhouse gases		The Dutch government has recently devised three packages of domestic measures to achieve the reduction target for greenhouse gases laid down in the Kyoto Protocol.

Env05
 

S/N	Title			Synopsis
I. Subject Area: Environmental Technology
1		Raising chickens without antibiotics	A researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has developed a method of raising chickens without the use of antibiotics as a growth promoter. The method uses antibodies to peptide neurotransmitters cultivated in the yolks of chicken eggs instead.
2		Turning waste tyres into activated carbon	Research at the Illinois State Geological Survey and the University of Illinois has shown that it is feasible to produce tyre-derived activated carbon for removing pollutants from air and water.
3		Monitoring system for motor vehicular emissions	Researchers at the Imperial College are developing a system capable of real-time measurements of pollutants like ammonia, toluene, benzene, NOx and SOx in vehicular exhausts.
4		Sound waves can reduce particle pollution	Madrid researchers have discovered that sonic energy directed at an aerosol causes the fine particles of less than 2.5 mm in size to agglomerate into larger particles, making them easier to remove from the flue gas.
II. Subject Area : Global Environmental Issues
5		France unveils plan to fight global warming	The French government adopted proposals aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent by 2010 to meet France's obligations under the 1997 Kyoto Protocol on climate change. The measures include an energy consumption tax on industries and emission credit trading of greenhouse gases.
III. Subject Area: Environmental Pollution
6		Two programmes improve Mexico City's air quality	Pollution data disclosed by Mexico City authorities show that 1999 was the least-dirty year of the decade, due mainly to two programmes to improve air quality.
IV. Subject Area: General Environmental News
7		US - EU row over aircraft noise	US has requested international regulators like the Montreal-based International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to oppose a new European Union (EU) regulation on aircraft noise that would bar many older U.S planes from using European airports.
8		Italian car bans result in sharp drops in particulate levels	Sharp drops in levels of particulate as a result of traffic bans in Milan and other Italian cities, have shown that traffic is a major source of particulate pollution in Italy.

Env06
 

S/N	Title	Synopsis
I. Subject Area : Environmental Technology
1	New air monitor could protect workers against hazards	Researchers from the Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory have developed a portable, ultra-sensitive air particulate monitor that can identify hazardous elements and their relative concentrations.
2	Production of a clean burning fuel	Researchers from the Southern Illinois University in Carbondale have developed an efficient way of producing methanol, a clean burning fuel using carbon dioxide and bacterial enzymes.
3	GM debuts fuel-cell car	General Motors Corp. announced a step forward in the race to replace the gasoline engine with environment-friendly fuel-cell car, the 'Precept'.
II. Subject Area : Public Health
4	Indoor air pollutant exposures too high	A survey by British researchers found that indoor pollutant exposures can be many thousand times higher than outdoor exposures.
5	European Commission to set up European Food Authority	EU policy makers proposed to set up an advisory European Food Authority to rebuild consumer confidence amidst an embarrassing series of food scandals in recent years.
6	Countries agree on Bio-Safety Protocol	International negotiators have reached agreement on a protocol to regulate trade in genetically modified organisms used in food production.
III. Subject Area : Environmental Pollution
7	States in US to pressure congress on MTBE's use in gasoline	Environmental representatives from eight states plan to pressure the U.S. Congress to give their states greater authority to regulate MTBE in gasoline.
IV. Subject Area : Global Environmental Issues
8	EU probes thinning of ozone layer over Europe and Arctic	European Union Research Commissioner has launched a scientific campaign to ascertain the extent of the thinning of the ozone layer over the region.

Env07
 

S/No			Title		Synopsis
I. Subject Area : Environmental Technology
1		Steel maker improves its wastewater treatment		Bethlehem Steel Corporation has developed a more efficient method of separating metallic waste from mill wastewater
II. Subject Area : Environmental Policies
2	California to phase out MTBE by 2002			The California Air Resources Board had announced a plan to ban methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) in petrol.
III. Subject Area : General Environmental News
3	US EPA releases information on chemicals for public information			The US EPA has published health and environmental data on 2011 chemicals under the High Production Volume Chemical Challenge Program for public information.
4	Mexico City chokes on record air pollution levels			Mexico City schoolchildren were kept indoors while factories were forced to cut output or shut down after air pollution hit record levels.
5	Australia sells Halon 1301 to US Defence Department			Australians are questioning their Government on the sale of the most Halon 1301, an aggressive ozone depleting chemical to the US Defence Department.
6	Shell's emission trading scheme			Royal Dutch/Shell has introduced an emission trading scheme for carbon dioxide among its companies around the world.
7		U.S. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention allows toxic-exposure test		The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has decided to allow federal health agencies to test the blood of people exposed to potentially toxic substances in an accident.

Env08
 

S/No	Title	Synopsis
I. Subject Area : Public Health
1	Study Links El Nino to Diarrhoea		A study led by the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health links El Nino to outbreaks of diarrhoea in children.
2	New Study Shows Candles May Cause More Harm Than Good		Scented candles and candles designed to burn for a long period of time, have been found to release lead, mercury and other toxics into the air.
II. Subject Area : Waste Management & Recycling
3	Steel Manufacturers in Japan to Increase Use of Plastic Wastes		Major Japanese steel manufacturers are gearing up to process up to one million tonnes of plastic wastes by 2010.
4	US Recycling Market Boost by the Federal Government		The US Environmental Protection Agency has added 18 new items to the list of recycled products that the US federal agencies are required to buy.
III. Subject Area : Environmental Technology
5	Silver-Impregnated Carbons Inhibit Growth of Bacteria		A new technology uses silver-impregnated activated carbon in water purification to immobilise the respiratory activity of bacterial cells and causes the cells to die.
6	New Industrial Wastewater Treatment Technology		Samsung Heavy Industry has succeeded in developing and commercialising a new industrial wastewater treatment method that uses electron accelerator technology.
IV. Subject Area : Environmental Policies
7	New Cars Sold in EU to Carry Label on Fuel Economy and CO2.		New passenger cars sold in the EU will be required to carry a label on fuel economy and carbon dioxide emissions, starting 2001.
IV. Subject Area : Environmental Pollution
8	Brazil Races to Avoid Oil Spill in Amazon River		Brazilian authorities scrambled to advert an environmental disaster after a barge holding nearly 500,000 gallons of oil sunk to the bottom of the Amazon River.

Env09
 

S/N	Title	Synopsis
I. Subject Area : Environmental Management
1	L.A. Imposes Runoff Regulations	Los Angeles has introduced new regulations for surface water runoff from new development sites to improve coastal water quality.
2	New Nitrogen Oxide Proposals Have Texans Seeing Smoke	More than 500 people went to a public hearing on 31 Jan 2000 in Houston to protest against new plans to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions in the metropolitan area.
II. Subject Area: Environmental Technology
3	Diesel-electrics On Par with Gas-powered Buses	Comparison testing of gas and diesel/electric-hybrid buses showed the two models to be equally acceptable low-emissions vehicles.
III. Subject Area: Waste Management and Recycling
4	EU to Set Out Electronics Waste Plans Soon	The European Union said it was pushing ahead with a directive on recycling waste from electronics equipment despite opposition from the U.S. government and industry.
5	Car Recycling Measures "Illegal"?	The European Parliament has backed plans to place producer responsibility for recycling old vehicles on manufacturers despite their protests.
IV. Subject Area: General Environmental News
6	Refrigerant Database Receives Update	The Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Technology Institute (ARTI) Refrigerant Database underwent a significant update recently.
7	Japan power firm pays to plant trees in Australia	Tokyo Electric Power Company has signed a "carbon credit" deal with New South Wale worth about A$130 million which could result in 40,000 hectares (99,000 acres) of new forest.
8	Shell Sees Future Challenges in Renewable Energy	Royal Dutch Shell, UK said that it saw great opportunities for renewables to help reduce greenhouse emissions but that large-scale production of "green" energy remained a tough challenge.
9	Hong Kong Sewage Fees Face Six-fold Increase	Sewage charge would need to be increased more than six-fold over the next 10 years to recover the cost of treatment.

Env10
 

S/No	Title	Synopsis
I. Subject Area : Public Health
1	Air cleaning device cuts Salmonella contamination in poultry houses	Scientists of the US Agricultural Research Service have developed a new electrostatic air cleaning system which was found to reduce airborne Salmonella bacteria by 94% in a commercial hatchery.
2	Most US ground beef tainted with E.coli	According to a draft study released by US Agriculture Department scientists, most raw US meat processed into ground beef patties may be tainted with tiny amounts of the illness-causing E.coli 0157:H7 bacteria.
II. Subject Area : Environmental Management
3	US dioxin limits for sludge applied to land	US Environmental Protection Agency is set to introduce new controls on sewage sludge that will limit the total dioxin content of sludge applied to land.
III. Subject Area : Waste Management & Recycling
4	Waste treatment could benefit from addition of algae and fish	Ray Drenner, a biologist at Texas Christian University, has developed a wastewater purification system that makes use of algae and fish to remove dissolved phosphorus and nitrogen.
IV. Subject Area : Environmental Technology
5	Low-residue treatment for heavy metals	Kruger, a Danish company, has developed a new low-residue process capable of removing heavy metals from different types of water, including industrial wastewater.
6	US Coast Guard certifies bio-based oil-water separator	A US company, EnSolve Biosystems, has received the certification of US Coast Guard and International Maritime Organisation for its maritime oily water separator that combines modern biotechnology with physical separation of oil from water.
V. Subject Area : General Environmental News
7	BP Amoco starts its own global emissions trading program	An internal, company-wide greenhouse gas emissions trading system started by BP Amoco will help the company achieve a greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 30 million metric tonnes by 2010, a cut of 30% from 2000, and 90% from 1990 levels.