EU states to strengthen limits on air pollution

Bio-diesel meets US Clean Air Act requirements

Kentucky City switches to hybrid Buses

Germany became the first major economic power to officially announce that it would phase out the use of nuclear power. Under an agreement, Germany's 19 nuclear power plants would be shut down after a lifespan of 32 years - longer than the government petitioned for but less than the industry had demanded. The last plant is expected to go off-line in about 20 years.

The British government has set down its policies regarding the import and export of waste in a consultation paper. The document 'UK Management Plan for Exports and Imports of Waste' will come into force on 1 Nov 2000. Exports of waste for recovery to Basel Annex VII countries are to be permitted, as are exports of non-hazardous waste to some non-Annex VII states. All imports of waste are to be banned, with five exceptions:

• Imports for high temperature incineration from Portugal, for whom it would be uneconomic to provide its own facilities
• Imports of hazardous waste for high temperature incineration from any country in cases of emergency
• Shipment for trial runs
• Imports from non-Annex VI countries, where the waste could not otherwise be dealt with in an environmentally sound way
• Imports from Ireland

The 15 countries of the European Union agreed to tighten new limits on the amount of health-damaging air pollution their industries can emit; going further than a 1999 pan-European agreement. The draft legislation sets individual limits for each country for sulphur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen oxides (NO_x), ammonia, and volatile organic compounds, the same pollutants targeted by a United Nations protocol that European governments signed in Gothenburg, Sweden, in December 1999. In addition to the emissions limits that must be reached by 2010, the ministers approved draft legislation to clean up emissions from EU power stations and large industrial boilers, among the biggest sources of SO₂, NO_x, and dust.

Following a study on the safety of the insecticide Diazinon, the USEPA is concerned about its health effects on humans and birds. In addition, the EPA is also concerned about water contamination from the use of Diazinon. USEPA may consider banning the home use of Diazinon.

An alternative fuel made from renewable resources, such as soybean oil has become the first and only alternative fuel to have successfully completed the health effects testing requirements of the US Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990.

The tests show that bio-diesel is safe-its use results in a 90% reduction in air toxins over conventional fuels. Bio-diesel is non-toxic, biodegradable, and is used in conventional diesel engines with little or no modifications.

Plans are in place to purchase 16 hybrid electric buses to replace the older more polluting diesel models by the end of next year, according to the Transit Authority of River City (TARC). While in service, the 22-foot buses will run on electric batteries charged by a diesel turbine, and will be plugged in overnight for a full charge.

What differentiates these buses from electric-only buses is that hybrids have a turbine on board that burns diesel or some other fuel. When the batteries that run the bus discharge to a certain level, the turbine turns on and begins to recharge them. This system allows hybrids to nearly double the range of an electric-only bus that typically can travel 75 miles. In addition, the hybrid buses are equipped with regenerative braking that will convert their momentum when they slow down back to electricity to recharge the batteries.