TABLE OF CONTENTS
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S/N |
Title |
Synopsis |
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I. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulations |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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II. Subject Area: Environmental Pollution and Health |
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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. |
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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). |
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III. Subject Area: General Environmental News |
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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. |
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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. |
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SUMMARY REPORT
Period Covered : 5 Feb 2001 to 11 Feb 2001
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Item 1 |
Tightening of insulation noise standards |
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Summary |
The Department of the Environment, Transport and Region (DETR), UK, is consulting with Building Research Establishment (BRE) on a proposal to tighten noise insulation standards. Under the new proposal, builders would also be required to prove that they are meeting the stipulated noise standards. Currently, there is no testing requirement and there is evidence that there is a widespread failure to meet the current standards. |
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Reference |
Environment Business News Briefing, 2 February 2001, Page 2 |
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Item 2 |
New packaging, shipping requirements proposed for infectious, biological materials |
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Summary |
Under a US Research and Special Programmes Administration (RSPA) proposed rule, hospitals, universities and other institutions transporting infectious substances would have to comply with new classification, shipping and labeling requirements. For the first time, some genetically modified micro-organisms would be subject to hazardous materials transport regulations. The proposed rule would also cover biological products, diagnostic specimens and regulated medical waste. According to RSPA, the proposed rule is intended to improve the safety of workers handling such materials. |
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Reference |
International Environment Reporter, Vol.24, No. 3, Page 94 |
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Item 3 |
EU to publish environmental index in the spring |
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Summary |
The European Union (EU) Environment Commissioner Margot Wallstorm has reported in Stockholm that the EU would be publishing an environmental index this spring. There has until now been no formal ranking system to assess the countries' environmental performance objectively. This move is part of an EU's scheme to attain a sustainable environment. The environmental index would measure energy consumption and move to tackle climate change, allowing people to compare the environmental performance of the 15 EU countries. According to Margot Wallstorm, the introduction of the index would add pressure on countries to comply with the rules they agree to at EU level. |
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Reference |
http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=9695&newsDate=4-Feb-2001 |
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Item 4 |
Polluting gases released from thawing permafrost may speed up global warming |
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Summary |
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. Almost 20 percent of the world's land surface is made up of permanently frozen soil, known as permafrost, the majority of which is in the Arctic, and it is estimated that 14 percent of the world's carbon is stored under the frozen soil, said Svein Tveitdal, head of the U.N. Environment Programme's centre monitoring the melting of permafrost. As temperatures rise, the permafrost melts and harmful greenhouse gases are being released into the atmosphere. Permafrost has acted as a carbon sink, locking away carbon and other greenhouse gases like methane, for thousands of years. But there is now evidence that this is no longer the case, and the permafrost in some areas is now beginning to give back its carbon. It is very alarming and this could accelerate the greenhouse effect. |
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Reference |
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Item 5 |
Idling engines have major impact on climate change |
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Summary |
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). Since engines burn more fuel at colder temperatures and a car stays colder longer when it is idling, warming up your car for more than a couple of minutes is a great waste. Cars do not burn gasoline until it has been vaporised. A large portion of the gasoline used by a cold engine remains in liquid form and is emitted from the exhaust pipe without being burned. This unused fuel combines with nitrogen to create ozone, one of the major contributors to smog and global warming. |
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Reference |
http://www.enn.com/news/enn-stories/2001/02/02082001/caridle_41796.asp |
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Item 6 |
Germany ratifies treaty covering hazardous chemicals, pesticides |
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Summary |
Germany has ratified the 1998 Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, also known as the Rotterdam Convention. The treaty was finalised in 1998 and has 73 signatory nations. Germany is the 13th nation to ratify the convention. The treaty will come into force after being ratified by 50 nations. Under the procedure, a country seeking to export a chemical must inform the recipient country of the potentially harmful side effects prior to the shipment and the recipient has to give its consent. If it refuses the import of the chemical, the country also has to stop domestic production of the substance, in accordance with the Convention. |
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Reference |
International Environment Reporter, Vol.24, No.3, Page 73 |
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Item 7 |
VOC trades approved |
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Summary |
USEPA has approved Illinois's proposed plan for trading emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The plan would require companies to reduce their VOC emissions by 12% from 1996 levels or buy VOC credits from companies that have installed pollution prevention technology that results in further emission reduction. New Jersey and Michigan are another two US states that are proposing the VOC trading as a means of meeting federal air quality standards for ground-level ozone. However most environmental groups oppose the VOC trading as it is impossible to tell if the VOCs eliminated by the seller are being replaced by more harmful ones. |
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Reference |
Chemical Week, 17 January 2001, Page 32 |