Env51
 

S/N	Title		Synopsis
I. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulations
1		Tightening of insulation noise standards	The Department of the Environment, Transport and Region (DETR), UK, has proposed to tighten existing noise insulation standards and to require builders to prove their compliance with the stipulated standards.
2		New packaging, shipping requirements proposed for infectious, biological materials	The US Research and Special Programmes Administration (RSPA) has proposed new classification, shipping and labeling requirements for the transport of biological products, diagnostic specimens and regulated medical waste.
3		EU to publish environmental index in the spring	The European Union (EU) would be publishing an environmental index based on energy consumption this spring, to allow the comparison of environmental performance of the 15 EU countries.
II. Subject Area: Environmental Pollution and Health
4		Polluting gases released from thawing permafrost may speed up global warming	A U.N. official said that the rate of global warming could be accelerated by air-polluting gases released in the Arctic as rising temperatures thaw the permafrost where they have been trapped for thousands of years.
5		Idling engines have major impact on climate change	As cars are a significant contributor to climate change and gas fumes account for 70 percent of the smog in the United States, letting your car engine idle contributes significantly to greenhouse gases according to US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
III. Subject Area: General Environmental News
6		Germany ratifies treaty covering hazardous chemicals, pesticides	Germany is the 13th nation to ratify the 1998 Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, also known as the Rotterdam Convention.
7		VOC trades approved	USEPA has approved Illinois's proposed plan for VOC trading which would require the companies to reduce VOC emission by 12% from the 1996 levels or buy VOC credits from companies that have installed pollution prevention equipment.

Env52
 

S/N	Title		Synopsis
I. Subject Area: Environmental Pollution and Health
1		US study found high levels of particulates inside diesel school buses	A study carried out in Los Angeles on diesel school buses showed high levels of fine particulates inside the buses that can lodge deep in the lungs and exacerbate asthma in children.
2		New study shows ordinary soot as a major cause of global warming	A new study carried out by Stanford University said that soot might be responsible for 15-30% of global warming.
3		Widely used antiseptic inhibits parasites that cause malaria and toxoplasmosis	A team of researchers from the United States and the United Kingdom had reported that a common antiseptic, triclosan, used in household products kills the parasites responsible for malaria and toxoplasmosis.
4		Microbes can play key roles in slowing down effects of global warming	A new report from the American Society for Microbiology states that managing microbial activity can help in slowing the adverse effects of global warming.
II. Subject Area: Environmental Technology
5	Water pollution traced with bacterial DNA		Researchers from the University of Missouri-Columbia have developed a "fingerprinting" test to identify the sources of water pollution.
III. Subject Area: General Environmental News
6		Bio-based cleaner is more effective and safer than traditional cleaners	According to a test report from U.S. Navy, two bio-based cleaners that they had tested, could remove more grease and oil residues than traditional cleaners.
7		Home owners can play important role to improve energy efficiency	The Alliance to Save Energy, a non-profit coalition of business, government, environmental, and consumer leaders based in Washington, is urging homeowners to improve energy efficiency in their homes.
8		Two new web sites launched to help consumers pick green cars	The Environmental Defense, a non-profit organization based in New York, has created two websites, which allow consumers to compare the environmental performance of automobiles.

Env53
 

S/N		Title	Synopsis
I. Subject Area: Environmental Technology
1		Picky molecular traps capture problem chemicals from process streams and effluents		A team of US researchers has created a new class of molecular cages, known as the Sandia Octahedral Molecular Sieves (SOMS) that can capture radioactive chemicals and a variety of valuable metals from industrial effluents.
2		E-diesel could help with new regulations		A demonstration at the 6th Annual National Ethanol Conference held in Las Vegas showed that the ethanol-blended diesel, or e-diesel, is cleaner than traditional diesel fuel.
3		European technology cuts emissions and fuel consumption		A project, supported by the European Commission, has succeeded in developing a combustion engine with very low nitrogen oxide emissions and high fuel economy potential.
II. Subject Area: Environmental Pollution and Health
4		Italy's major cities link increased leukaemia rates to vehicle pollution		Major cities in Italy suffer from air pollution caused by motor vehicle traffic and are reporting higher-than-average rates of leukaemia.
III. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulations
5	New Zealand to set stricter guidelines on air quality		New Zealand's Environment Minister has announced that the government would set more stringent ambient air quality guidelines.
IV. Subject Area: General Environmental News
6		American Lung Association of Connecticut releases report that supports the vehicle emissions testing programme	The American Lung Association of Connecticut has released a comprehensive report on the impacts of the state's vehicle emissions testing program and said that the program has improved air quality and public health in Connecticut.
7		Canada will spend C$120 million to fight pollution	Canada has pledged to spend C$120 million over the next 10 years to improve its air quality. The smog-fighting plan will include tougher standards to cut emissions from automobiles and industrial plants.

Env54
 

S/N	Title		Synopsis
I. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulations
1		Hong Kong wants labels for genetically-modified food	The Hong Kong government wants to label food containing five percent or more of genetically-modified (GM) material.
2		US High Court upholds EPA clean air rule setting method	The US Supreme Court upheld the federal government's procedure of setting air pollution standards and rejected industry arguments that costs, instead of just health benefits should be considered.
II. Subject Area: Environmental Technology
3		Scania cuts costs of switching from diesel to natural gas	Transport companies will be able to convert the Scania trucks engine to dedicated (spark- ignited, lean burn) compressed natural gas operation by end of the year at the estimated cost of £12,000 per vehicle.
III. Subject Area: Environmental Pollution and Health
4		Heavy metal: Arsenic is an endocrine disruptor	Scientists have recently discovered that low-dose exposure to arsenic may increase the risk of certain types of cancer, diabetes and vascular disease.
5		Maine Hospitals will reduce PVC plastic	Hospitals throughout the state of Maine made history by entering into a pollution prevention agreement that is the first in the nation to call for a reduction in the use of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic medical supplies.
IV. Subject Area: General Environmental News
6		EU calls for annual "green" report card	The European Union environment chief wants an annual report on the progress of EU member states implementing their environmental laws to be presented to EU leaders at their annual spring meeting.
7		International water web site being planned	The Water Environment Federation (WEF), together with a number of international water organizations and companies, is creating a comprehensive water web site to be launched in the summer of 2001 for the sharing of expertise and information.

Env55
 

S/N		Title	Synopsis
I. Subject Area: Environmental Technology
1		Joint venture to develop fuel cell powered vacuum cleaner prototype			Manhattan Scientifics Inc announced a joint agreement with Electrolux LLC and Lunar Design Inc to develop a prototype of a fuel cell powered vacuum cleaner for the home.
II. Subject Area: Environmental Pollution and Health
2	Mercury poses risk to one in 10 US pregnancies			One in 10 women of childbearing age in the United States are at risk of having newborns with neurological problems due to in-utero mercury exposure, according to a recently released government study in the US.
III. Subject Area: Environmental Research
3		Comparison of alternative fuels			Philadelphia researchers have compared the trade-offs between the efficient but relatively polluting diesel engines and alternative fuels, and found that natural gas gave the best performance.
4		Citizen pressure has created a clean and green Taipei	Once one of the most chaotic cities in Asia, Taipei is now ranked at the top of regional livability surveys, thanks to its citizens.
5		UK renewable plans a step in the right direction	British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced a 100 million pound fund to boost investment in wind, wave and solar power to help the country meet its target of producing 10% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2010.

Env56
 

S/N		Title		Synopsis
I. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulations
1	California sets legislation to combat health danger from toxic moulds			California recently introduced the first comprehensive legislation to address the significant public health danger posed by toxic moulds in residential and commercial buildings.
II. Subject Area: Environmental Pollution and Health
2	Toxic effects of biodiesel compared with conventional diesel			German researchers found that neither diesel nor biodiesel fuels showed a clear advantage in terms of vehicular emissions.
3	Arsenic leaks out from pressure-treated wood			A US report cites findings that a type of pressure-treated wood used to build playgrounds, decks and picnic tables leaks arsenic at levels higher than the level state environmental officials consider safe.
4	Low standards heighten risk posed by pesticides			Two UN agencies are warning of the dangers posed by pesticides developed below internationally accepted quality standards.
5	Particulate pollution increases hospital admissions in the US.			Particulate pollution has been found to increase hospital admissions for chronic pulmonary disease in Nevada, USA.
III. Subject Area: Environmental Technology
6			Packaged scrubber system reduces odours and operating costs	The City of Los Angeles's Environmental Engineering Division and the consulting firm of Montgomery Watson have equipped the Hyperion Wastewater Treatment Plant in Los Angeles with a "new generation" odour-control system.

Env57
 

S/N	Title	Synopsis
I. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulations
1	EPA retreats from strict arsenic limit in drinking water standard	The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a proposal to withdraw the standard for arsenic in drinking water which was introduced in Jan 2001 because of high cost for compliance.
2	Use of renewable energy set to increase in Europe	The European Commission's Energy Council has announced a directive to increase the promotion and use of electricity derived from renewable sources to help member countries meet their commitments.
II. Subject Area: Environmental Management
3	UK puts its faith in Carbon Trust	The United Kingdom has launched a multi-million dollar Carbon Trust to promote research and development in low carbon technologies.
III. Subject Area: Environmental Technology
4	New device detects food-borne diseases within minutes	A professor at the University of South Florida has developed a new device using biosensors which can detect food-borne pathogens in minutes.

Env58
 

S/N	Title	Synopsis
I. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulations
1	Germany to toughen energy efficiency standards for buildings	The German Cabinet passed a new Energy Savings Ordinance that would reduce energy used for heating new buildings by 30 percent and require the replacement of heating systems installed before Oct 78.
2	NTP proposes new carcinogen listings	The US National Toxicology Programme (NTP) updated the list of human carcinogens in Mar 2001.
II. Subject Area: Environmental Pollution and Health
3	More SO2, NOX cuts needed to address acid rain in USA	US scientists said that despite major pollution reductions over the last five years, more cuts in sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions must take place for Northeast forests and water bodies ravaged by acid rain to recover.
III. Subject Area: Environmental Technology
4	Japan government admits dangers of nuclear power	The Japanese government admitted for the first time that there were dangers inherent in the use of nuclear power and acknowledged criticisms that industry had been complacent about safety.
5	New efficient lamp developed	Researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory developed a new high-performance, energy-efficient table lamp that saves energy and greatly increase the quality of visibility of the light.
6	Low-level mixed waste treatment system shows good performance	A US waste management company announced that its GasvitTM low-level mixed waste vitrification facility in Richland broke record by processing mixed wastes continuously for 35 hours.
7	University team creates soy/fuel oil mix	A team of Purdue University students developed a cheaper and cleaner home heating fuel oil which was a mixture of 20 percent soybean oil and 80 percent regular fuel oil.
IV. Subject Area: General Environmental News
8	Doctor's group warns of climate change's effect	The Washington-based Physicians for Social Responsibility said in its report that North Carolina residents faced severe health threats from global warming, including allergy problems and insect-borne diseases.
9	US study found toxins are in most American's blood	The first national study of environmental toxins in the US reported that levels of toxic metals, pesticides and plastics could be found in the blood and urine of most Americans.

Env59
 

S/N	Title			Synopsis
I. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulation
1		US$100 million for renewable energy programs in Massachusetts in the US	A number of innovative new programs have been launched in Massachusetts in the US to increase the use of alternative energy technologies. The goal is to shift electricity use from conventional fuels to solar, wind and other renewable resources.
II. Subject Area: Environmental Technology
2		Recovering waste from batteries	An environmental technology group in the UK is developing an environmentally friendly process for recovering valuable materials from domestic batteries.
3		New sewage treatment technology tested	HydroFlo, a wastewater treatment equipment manufacturer in North Carolina has announced the preliminary results of a new sewage treatment technology that reduces odour and increases treatment efficiency.
III. Subject Area: Environmental Pollution and Health
4		Office noise poses environmental hazard	Low-level noise in open-style offices results in higher levels of stress and lower task motivation, according to a new study by a Cornell University environmental psychologist.
IV. Subject Area: General Environmental News
5		London to take delivery of low emission buses	The UK Transport Ministry has announced that Londoners will soon be using hydrogen powered fuel cell buses.
6		Food grade plastic bottle from curbside recycled PET plastic	A partnership between Lucas County Commissioners and a plastic company in the US has produced the first commercial food grade plastic bottle in the world made of 100% curbside recycled PET plastic.
7		EU assembly warns of dangers from PVC	The European Parliament has said that polyvinyl chloride (PVC) should be collected and disposed of separately from other waste materials.

Env60
 

S/N	Title			Synopsis
I. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulation
1		New energy efficiency standards set for clothes washers and water heaters	The Bush administration has approved new energy efficiency standards, which require clothes washers and water heaters to use less energy.
II. Subject Area: Environmental Technology
2		Fingerprinting techniques to distinguish human waste from non-human variety	Scientists from the University of Missouri in the United States have developed a fingerprinting technique that could be used to differentiate human waste from non-human variety.
3		New clay can help in radioactive cleanup	Researchers from the Pennsylvania State University found that synthetic clay known as swelling mica could be used to separate radioactive radium ions from water.
III. Subject Area: General Environmental News
4		Maryland approves chicken litter-fueled power plant	The State Public Service Commission in Maryland has approved a poultry company's plan to build a chicken waste-fueled power plant. The proposed power plant can convert approximately 40,000 tons of chicken litter into electricity and steam each year.
5		Japan power plant to be fueled by plastic waste	A Japanese company Sanix Inc has announced of its plan to build the world's first power plant using recycled waste plastic as fuel. The proposed power plant will provide a means of recycling plastic waste and generating electricity for sale.