Table of Contents

Env171

 

S/N

Title

Synopsis

  
I. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulation
1 OECD Nations Question Effectiveness of Voluntary Environmental Initiatives The OECD released a new report questioning the effectiveness of voluntary environmental initiatives on both economic and environmental grounds  
2 Japan To Propose Carbon Tax On Fossil Fuels The Environment Ministry of Japan will propose to introduce a carbon tax on petroleum, natural gas, and coal in fiscal year 2005.  
II. Subject Area: Environmental Technology
3 Joint US-EU Efforts To Advance Hydrogen Economy The US and the EU agreed to accelerate collaboration on establishing a hydrogen economy that cuts air pollution significantly.  
4 Toyota's Environment-Friendly Automobiles Toyota will start using, from 2004, a new environmental impact assessment system that calculates the environmental burden a vehicle poses during its entire life cycle.  
5 Fuel Efficiency Trumps Fuel Cells Two US energy experts cast more doubt on a push to develop hydrogen-powered cars as a means to cut air pollution and reduce oil imports.  
III. Subject Area: Environmental Health
6 UK Food Watchdog Says Public Wary Of Biotechnology Britain's consumers are wary about genetically modified (GM) food and need clear information about the technology, according to the country's government-backed food watchdog, the Food Standards Agency.  
IV Subject Area: Waste Recycling
7 Columbia Launched "Solid Waste Exchange" Columbia's Bogata Department of Environment launched a "Solid Waste Exchange" with the aim of maximizing the recycling of such rubbish in the city.  

Env172

 

S/N Title Synopsis  
I. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulation
1 Europe Adopts Climate Emissions Trading Law The European Council of Ministers adopted the new emissions trading law that sets limits on carbon dioxide emissions from energy sectors and gives carbon dioxide a market value across Europe from January 2005.  
II. Subject Area: Environmental Technology
2 Teijin Fibers Develops Epochal Soil Cleaning Technology A Japanese company has developed an epochal soil-cleaning technology to extract heavy metals from contaminated soil.  
3 Researchers Developing Pesticide Substitute US researchers have developed a liquid formula of sodium azide as a substitute pesticide for methyl bromide.  
III. Subject Area: Environmental Pollution and Health
4 School districts focus on indoor air quality A US district has methods and procedures on maintaining healthy indoor air quality in its schools.  
IV Subject Area: Waste Recycling
5 Taiwan has programme for recycling fast food The Taiwan government has launched a six-month, nationwide programme for recycling garbage and leftovers at fast-food restaurants.  
6 Company Seeks Fortune Turning Garbage into Oil A New York-based company has successfully converted garbage into oil in its pilot plant by a process called thermal depolymerization.  
V Subject Area: Renewable Energy
7 Shell enters Europe wind power market with Spain buy Royal Dutch Shell has entered the European wind energy market by buying 40% of a wind park in northeast Spain.  
VI Subject Area : Climate Change
8 EU Urges Russia to Swiftly Ratify Kyoto Protocol The European Union put more pressure on Russia and urged it to quickly ratify the Kyoto Protocol at a recent EU ministerial meeting.  
9 Greenhouse Gas Controls Pushed by Climate Alarmists Offer Economic Pain, No Gain A report released by the Fraser Institute, an independent Canadian think-tank, warned that the link between human activities and climate change has been overemphasized, together with the push for economically costly and ineffective environmental policies.  
10 Utilities not responding to financial risks of climate change, warns report An Investor Responsibility Research Center report suggested that large carbon-emitting companies are not disclosing the financial risks posed by climate change adequately and warned that the world will soon have to look at fuels like hydrogen and renewals.  

Env173

 

S/N Title Synopsis  
I. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulation
1 Prior Written Consent Required For Waste Shipments Under New EU Proposal The European Commission has on 1 July 2003 tightened the control of trans-boundary movement of hazardous wastes. The new legislation would require documentation verifying that waste shipments have been delivered, disposed or reprocessed before the shipment can be considered completed.  
2 European Parliament Votes for Legislation To Boost Recycling Rate To 55 Percent The European Parliament intends to implement a new legislation to increase the rate of recovery and recycling of packaging waste from 25% to 55%. The new legislation would also set recovery targets for individual materials such as glass, metal, plastics and wood.  
3 California Regulates Waste Tire Disposal The California Integrated Waste Management Board has on 1 July 2003, introduced a new regulation to curb illegal tire storage and disposal. Haulers are required to carry with them copies of manifests and trip logs during transportation of 10 or more used tires.  
II. Subject Area: Environmental Technology
4 Solar Panels To Be Assessed For Noise Abatement BP Solar has carried out a project to incorporate solar panels on a church to assess the sound insulation benefits of the panels.  
III. Subject Area: Environmental Health
A Topic: Vector
5 West Nile Virus Found in Birds Scientists revealed that the deadly West Nile virus has been found in a high proportion of British birds. The birds were found to have antibodies to the virus.  
B Topic: Food
6 Think You Have Food Poisoning? A website developed by the Michigan State University National Food Safety and Toxicology Center (NFSTC) aims to help victims of food poisoning to determine if they are part of a food-borne outbreak cluster.  
7 Feds Bite Into Food Safety The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that it will increase inspections of imported food this year and implement new regulations to keep food safe from terrorists.  
C Topic: Smoking
8 Row Over Smoke- Free Hospitals Executives at one NHS trust came under fire for creating smoking rooms in the new Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. However, there were also others who suggested that banning smoking completely in hospitals is unethical and unfair for patients.  
D Topic: Legislative Issues
9 EPA Proposes New Drinking Water Rules but No New Regulations for Contaminants The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed new rules to safeguard drinking water from byproducts formed during chemical disinfection and from a parasite spread by human and animal waste. EPA would require water treatment systems to monitor and document where the highest concentrations are in their pipelines.  
IV Subject Area: Waste Recycling
10 UK Recycles Household Batteries All local authorities in the UK will be required to set up a scheme for recycling of household batteries under a new European directive. The deposited batteries will be exported to a recycling plant in France, as there are no such facilities in the UK.  
11 New York Reactivates Recycling Scheme Targeted At State Fairgoers The New York State Fair reactivates its recycling scheme targeted at visitors to this year event. To attract fairgoers' attention, 40 giant plastic soda bottles will be placed in strategic locations throughout the fair grounds for use as collection bins for recycle of glass, plastic or aluminium beverage bottles and cans.  
V Subject Area: Environmental News
12 UK's Environmental Audit Committee Says Expansion In Aviation Is Unsustainable And Unacceptable The Environmental Audit Committee reported the forecast growth in UK aviation, along with the increase of emissions from aircrafts, would accentuate global warming and defeat the government's commitment to cut carbon dioxide emission.  
13 Nations Seek To Integrate Climate Change Tracking Mechanism Government officials and scientists attending the "Earth Observation Summit" have called for speedy development of an integrated method to observe climate change so as to greatly improve weather forecasting.  

Env174

 

S/N Title Synopsis  
I. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulation
1 EU Proposes Measure to Require Monitoring of Arsenic and Other Heavy Metals The EU has proposed legislation to start monitoring heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).  
2 US EPA Bans Trade in Methyl Bromide with Countries Not Party to Protocol To meet its obligations, the US is banning trade in methyl bromide with non-parties to the Copenhagen Amendment to the Protocol.  
3 US EPA Amends Recycling Standards for CFCs and Other Ozone-Depleting Refrigerants The US EPA has made several changes to its regulations that govern the recycling of ozone-depleting refrigerants such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).  
II. Subject Area: Environmental Technology
4 Rocket Science - A New Green Power Plant A US company is making a greener power plant using rocket technology.  
III. Subject Area: Environmental Pollution and Health
5 United Kingdom to Reconsider Safe Levels for Nonylphenols The UK's Environment Agency is reconsidering the environmental standards for nonylphenol as evidence indicated that the substance poses greater risks to aquatic life than previously thought.  
IV Subject Area: Waste Recycling
6 UK to Revise Packaging Waste Recovery and Recycling Targets UK is looking into new targets for the recovery and recycling of packaging waste for businesses, to help meet EU's targets for 2008.  
7 New Recommendations Set to Encourage More Plastics Recycling Waste Watch, UK organization promoting reduce, reuse and recycling, has recommended that plastics recycling in the UK be increased and the amount of waste produced, which is growing at 4% p.a., be curbed.  
8 New Recycling Facility to be Set Up in London London is setting up its first Materials Recycling Facility (MRF), which can also handle glass.  
V Subject Area: Renewable Energy and Climate Change
9 Los Angeles to Install Solar PV Systems in Libraries Los Angeles will install solar power systems at five libraries that will generate 148,000 kWh of 'clean' electricity a year.  

Env175

 

S/N Title Synopsis  
I. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulation
1 EU rules target global-warming gases The European Union has proposed new rules to reduce emissions of other potent greenhouse gases other than carbon dioxide.  
2 Thailand will ban smoky diesel vehicles from Bangkok streets Thailand's Environment Ministry will start to ban smoky diesel vehicles from Bangkok streets next month. Owners will get 30 days to fix engines.  
II. Subject Area: Environmental Technology
3 Fighting fire with fire The US Forest Service is increasingly relying on the use of potassium permanganate filled ping-pong balls as a safe and cost-effective way to help them put out forest and bush fires.
4 US and UK companies join forces to invest in natural gas vehicle venture in the UK U.S.-based Clean Air Partners Inc. and UK based T. Baden Hardstaff, announced a joint developmentjoint development of low emission trucks powered by natural gas with diesel as pilot fuel.  
III. Subject Area: Public Health
5 Food safety regulations apply to mobile stands Mobile food vehicles in Seattle and King County must apply for health permit, undergo regular inspections and follow food safety regulations in order to operate.  
6 Canadian study found health impact of air quality costing US$700 million A recent study conducted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development, is the first to quantify the health impacts of air quality and climate change from power generators in North America.  
V Subject Area: Renewable Resources and Climate Change
7 Toyota will use renewable resources in new bio-plastic plant Toyota Motor Corporation has announced plans to construct a pilot plant to produce bio-plastics made from renewable resources like sugarcane.  
8 Japan's Asahi to cut carbon dioxide emissions Asahi Breweries Ltd in Japan has set new carbon dioxide emission targets in its efforts to become more environmentally friendly by launching projects to reduce fuel and electricity consumption.  
9 Heatwave: Records sound red alert over climate The UK meteorological office has recorded evidence that Britain was heating up because of global warming.  
IV Subject Area: Waste Recycling
10 Ireland introduces stricter tax to reduce waste Irish Minister for the Environment proposed the implementation of new tax charges on packets of chewing gum, ATM receipts and polystyrene packing, to tackle littering problem.  
11 Canada welcomes country's first electronics recycling facility Noranda Inc has recently opened the first state-of-the art recycling facility for electronics waste in Canada.  
12 UK steps up recycling effort with new law A new law calls for all councils in England and Wales to provide every home with doorstep recycling. However, it does not demand that this is done until 2010 and only two different materials must be collected.  

Env176

 

S/N Title Synopsis  
I. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulation
1 Three California bills would target cruise ship air and wastewater pollution California is considering the adoption of three bills that would limit wastewater and air pollution from cruise ships that travel in or near state waters.  
2 US proposes truckers have hazmat safety permits The US Transportation Department has proposed federal safety permits and new safety and security standards for North American trucking companies hauling radioactive, toxic and hazardous materials in the US.  
3 EPA to set new rules for park air quality The USEPA agreed to set new rules for air pollution in national parks and wilderness areas by April 2005 under a court settlement with an environmental group.  
4 Japan to propose new emission standards for off-road engines Japan has agreed on the emissions limits for off-road vehicles rated between 19-560 kW to be implemented in 2006-2008.  
5 New program addresses mercury & health by reducing mercury emissions in Alberta The Clean Air Foundation of Canada brings to Alberta "Switch Out", a pollution prevention program that diverts mercury from the environment by removing mercury light switches from cars before they are scrapped and recycled.  
6 Canada adopts new toxic substances regulations Canada has adopted new regulations that will significantly reduce future contamination of air and water by trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene, two toxic substances used in manufacturing processes across Canada.  
II. Subject Area: Environmental Technology
7 World's first clean coal-fuel cell power plant nears completion The world's first clean coal-fuel cell demonstration power plant to produce pollution-free electricity is nearing completion in the US.  
III. Subject Area: Public Health
8 Find could boost malaria fight British scientists have discovered that malaria drugs called artemisinins are effective for treating drug-resistant parasites.  
IV. Subject Area: Renewable Resources and Climate Change
9 Strategic plan plots future of renewables in the US The US Department of Energy has released a draft strategic plan on developing renewable energy technology for public consultation.  
10 Canada commits $1 billion toward climate change actions Canada commits $1 billion to implement its national climate change plan, which includes development of alternative energy forms and improving energy efficiency.  
11 Industry giant commits to carbon dioxide reduction Cement manufacturer Lafarge has committed to reduce its CO2 emissions by 10% of its 1990 emission in 2010.  
V. Subject Area: Waste Recycling
12 Lexmark partners with U.S. EPA to recycle e-waste Lexmark has joined the U.S. EPA's Plug-In To eCycling campaign to increase the national recycling rate for electrical equipment.  
13 Amberol ECO-RP recycling bin Amerol of UK has launched a new ECO-RP recycling bin that can be connected together to form a bank or used as an independent standalone unit.  

Env177

 

S/N Title Synopsis  
I. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulation
1 US EPA eases pollution rule at power plants The Bush administration revised clean air regulations to make it easier for power plants and refineries to repair and upgrade their facilities, a move environmental groups said will cause more air pollution.  
2 France mandates greater recycling, publishes end-of-life vehicle decree The French Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development announced a new series of regulations that aims to substantially reduce waste produced from the 1.2 million to 1.6 million vehicles taken out of service in France each year.  
3 Japanese government approves local plans to reduce NOx, PM from motor vehicles The Japanese government has endorsed nitrogen oxide and particulate matter (PM) reduction programmes of seven large municipalities surrounding Tokyo and Osaka that had called for use of low emission vehicles.  
4 Italy mandates the use of recycled products The Italian government has issued a decree requiring government and government-linked companies to increase the use of recycled products to at least 30 percent.  
II. Subject Area: Environmental Technology
5 LG Electronics launches eco-friendly refrigerators LG Electronics Inc., a major home appliance maker, said it has launched a new line of high-powered refrigerators that are environmentally friendly and energy-efficient.
III. Subject Area: Public Health
6 Redesigning restaurants Greening Ethnic Restaurants (GER) helps Indian and other Asian restaurants in the San Francisco area with little environmental knowledge to transform into "green" enterprises, where they improve on their water conservation, energy conservation, waste reduction and pollution control.  
7 Inquiry into Salmonella outbreak Health experts from the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health (SCIEH) and the Food Standards Agency are working together to locate the source of Salmonella Bareilly, a bug that has affected 31 people throughout Britain so far. At this stage, they do not know if it is food-borne.  
IV Subject Area: Renewable Resources and Green Energy
8 Japanese agency, industry plan development of home-use fuel cells to be sold by 2005 The Japanese government and industry will start a large-scale experiment for developing home-use fuel cell units, with the hope of launching commercial sales in 2005.  
9 Honda to Mass Market NG Cars In the United States, Honda plans to become the first automaker to mass market a vehicle that runs on natural gas and expects to sell tens of thousands of them each year.  
10 Japan intends to continue using nuclear energy The Japanese government intends to adopt a national policy to continue using nuclear energy to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions  
11 Government funding to boost Scotland's renewable energy industry Over £600,000 have been awarded to four universities to run renewable energy projects in Scotland by the Government's Proof of Concept (PoC) initiative.  
V Subject Area: General Environment News
12 Green transport for London A new business venture, offering an alternative mode of transport-bicycle, could result in a healthier population of Londoners and cleaner city air. Under the pilot scheme, 130 green and yellow bikes will be placed at each of 600 locations, offering customers a pollution-free method of travelling within the city.  

Env178

 

S/N Title Synopsis  
I. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulation
1 State studies lower truck speed limit The Tennessee Air Pollution Board is recommending the lowering of speed limit for tractor-trailer to help meet federal air quality standards.  
II. Subject Area: Environmental Technology
2 Illawara homes to be cooled the green way this summer An energy efficient and environmentally friendly refrigerant will be used in most household air conditioners this summer.  
3 FuelCell Energy , PPL Corporation completes fuel cell installation for Zoot Enterprises FuelCell Energy Inc and its partner, a PPL Corporation subsidiary, have completed the installation of two Direct FuellCell® 250kW power plants for a building for Zoot Enterprises.  
4 Nanoscale iron could help cleanse the environment An ultrafine, "nanoscale" powder made from iron is effective for cleaning up contaminated soil and groundwater.  
III Subject Area : Waste Recycling
5 Campaign launched to increase recycling in London A new initiative, Recycle for London, was launched to encourage Londoners to recycle more waste.  
IV Subject Area : Environmental Pollution
6 Pollution cited as factor in French heat deaths A recent study suggests that pollution may have been a key cause of death for thousands of French people who died in the heat wave that struck Europe.  
V Subject Area: Climate Change
7 $35-M World Bank environment fund can fall under Kyoto Protocol Poor communities in developing countries will benefit from the groundbreaking Community Development Carbon Fund (CDCF), which became operational in July this year. The fund will provide financial support to small-scale greenhouse gas reduction projects in the least developed countries and poor communities in developing countries.  
VI Subject Area: General Environment News
8 Industry leader wary about ethanol fuel New Zealand's leading car brand, Toyota, is taking a cautious approach to ethanol blend fuel. Ethanol, the most commonly available biofuel, has some proven effects in reducing greenhouse emissions.  
VII Subject Area: Environmental Health News
9 Mosquito coils help control certain diseases but release high levels of carcinogen A recent study suggests that mosquito coils releases heavy concentrations of known and suspected carcinogens.  

Env179

 

S/N Title Synopsis  
I. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulation
1 US EPA has asked new stationary combustion turbines to reduce toxic air emissions The US EPA has required new stationary combustion turbines to reduce carbon monoxide emissions and toxic emissions such as formaldehyde, toluene, acetaldehyde, and benzene.  
2 US EPA issued new rule to reduce hazardous air emissions from organic chemical manufacturers The US EPA has issued a final rule to reduce hazardous air emissions from organic chemical manufacturing facilities. The rule will reduce air toxics emissions by 16,800 tons per year at a cost of US$75 million to the industries.  
II. Subject Area: Environmental Technology
3 University of Georgia uses transgenic trees to clean up toxic waste site University of Georgia is studying the use of transgenic trees to clean up a toxic waste site contaminated with mercury.  
4 New cleanup technique for destruction of organohalides The US has developed a new approach that uses an extremely thin film of titanium dioxide and hemin to destroy organohalides.  
  1. Subject Area: Public Health
5 Vector control finds Asian Tiger mosquito US specialists fumigated an entire warehouse in Mountain View, California where Asian Tiger mosquitoes from Taiwan were found.  
IV Subject Area: Resources Conservation
6 Lexmark announced its equipment collection program for used printers Lexmark has set up a equipment collection program to collect used printers from its customers for resource recovery and reuse.  
7 US has allotted fund for biomass research, development and demonstration projects The US government is funding 19 projects to develop new bio-refineries for producing cost-competitive bio-based industrial products and transportation fuels such as ethanol and bio-diesel.  
8 Urban development in Australia uses building-integrated photovoltaics Australia is funding the installation of photovoltaics in an urban development that also include energy and water efficient design.  
V Subject Area: General Environment News
9 A new study found diesel cars promote more global warming than gasoline cars A US study found that particulate emission from diesel cars encourages more global warming than the higher carbon dioxide emission from petrol cars.  
10 Fuel emission tax on UK airlines urged to curb CO2 emission, global warming A UK Environmental Audit Committee recommended replacing the current air passenger duty with an emissions charge levied on flights to limit carbon dioxide emissions.  
11 How to dispose of old medicine? In response to increasing concern of potential health and environmental effects of the practice of flushing expired medicines down the sewer, the US EPA is studying whether to develop formal recommendations for disposal of expired medicines.  

Env180

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1