Environment Report 28 May 2001 to 3 Jun 2001

TABLE OF CONTENTS

S/N	Title			Synopsis
I. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulation
1		US signs toxic chemical ban	The US signed a global treaty that banned the production and use of 12 persistent organic pollutants or POPs on 25 May 2001US joined 127 other countries in Stockholm for a two-day conference to adopt and sign a pact on persistent organic pollutants or POPs.
2		EU proposes 10 ppm sulfur limit in diesel, petrol fuels	The European Commission (EC) adopted a proposal to will introduce sulfur-free diesel and petrol (gasoline) fuels in all every Member State from 1 January 1, 2005. The use of zero sulfur gasoline will be mandatory effective 2011. A date for zero sulfur diesel fuel becoming mandatory will be established as part of a later review.
II. Subject Area: Environmental Technology
43		Techniques makes plastics stronger, more environmentally friendly	A professor has discovered that by vibrating the feed containing up to 50% of recycled plastics in the manufacturing process, stronger plastic productss containing up to 50% of recyclable content can be produced.
54		Lithium silicate devices could be used as cCarbon dioxide absorption devices in future combat global warming	Toshiba Corp and Toshiba Ceramics Co Ltd say that they have jointly developed a lithium silicate that surpasses other ceramics in the speed at which it absorbs carbon dioxide (CO₂)
75		Scientists monitor global air pollution from space	A new earth orbitingearth-orbiting monitor is providing the most complete view assembled to date of the world's air pollution as it churns through the atmosphere, crossing continents and oceansto date.
86		Company has bioremedy Bioremedy for MTBE contamination	A US company has developed a technology called BioRemedy that uses microbes to break down MTBE. A company in Houston (USA), has developed a technology which uses microbes to break MTBE in subsurface.
III. Subject Area: Environmental Pollution and Health
107		EPA adopts rule to cut haze in national parks	The Bush administration will not challenge a proposal approved in the last days of the Clinton presidency to clean up hazy skies over national parks and wilderness areasThe USEPA is requiring old industrial facilities to be retrofitted with new pollution-control technology.

IV. Subject Area: General Environmental News
8	US food firms agree to list allergens on labels	A coalition of US food industry and consumer groups have developed voluntary guidelines calling for manufacturers to label prominently foods containing 8 common food allergens.
9	UK industries start recycling company for lamps	The trade organizations of lighting companies and waste management firms in the UK have set up a non-profit company to boost recycling and reuse of lamps.

SUMMARY REPORT

Period Covered : 28 May 2001 to 3 Jun 2001

Item 1	US signs toxic chemical ban
Summary	The US environmental chief, Christie Whitman, joined 90 countries in signinged a global treaty that banned the production and use ofing 12 persistent organic pollutants or POPs highly toxic chemicals at Stockholm on 25 May 2001. Whitman joined 500 delegates from 127 countries in Stockholm for a two-day conference to adopt and sign a pact on persistant organic pollutants or POPs. Production and use of the set of toxins would be banned under the deal. Among them are PCBs and dioxins, DDT and other pesticides kshnown to contribute to birth defects, cancer and other problems in humans and animals. The rest of 90 of the 127 countries that attended the conference signed the treaty while the others hadve up to a year to sign on. The treaty goes into effect after 50 nations have ratified it. About 25 countries would be allowed to use DDT to combat malaria in accordance with World Health Organization guidelines until they can develop safer solutions.
Reference	http://www.enn.com/news/wire-stories/2001/05/05282001/ap_toxicban_43726.asp

Item 2	EU proposes 10 ppm sulfur limit in diesel, gasoline fuels
Summary	The European Commission (EC) adopted a proposal to introduce sulfur-free diesel and petrol (gasoline) fuels in all every Member States from 1 January 1, 2005. "Sulfur-free" means containing less than 10 ppm (by weight) of sulfur. The use of zero sulfur-free petrol gasoline will be mandatory effective from 2011. A date for zero sulfur-free diesel fuel becoming mandatory will be established as part of a later review. The terms "zero sulfur" and "sulfur-free" fuels refer to gasoline and diesel which contains less than 10 ppm (by weight) of sulfur. Sulfur-free (i.e. <10 ppm S) fuel has been used in Sweden for more than a decade. More recently, it has been introduced in the UK. Both countries supported sulfur-free fuels by tax incentive programs. Germany is expected to introduce similar tax incentives for sulfur-free fuels in the near future.
Reference	http://www.dieselnet.com/news/0105eu2.html

Item 43	Techniques makes plastics stronger, more environmentally friendly
Summary	A Lehigh University professor, Coulter, has discovered that strongerthat stronger plastic products containingproducts could be produced up to 50% of recyclable content can be produced by adding vibrationg to the mixfeed as it was fed into the mould. He found that the end product made from According to the professor, even with half of the polystyrene starting materials comprising of up to 50% of recycled waste plastic ed of what would once have been waste, when vibrated, the end productwould be is stronger than products made from if 100% new polystyrene was usedwithout vibration. The is process enables manufacturers to recycle what are considered as this once useless and environmentally unfriendly waste plastic. UFurthermore unlike other vibration techniques that require costly machine and/or mould changes, Coulter's process vibrates the feed screw device used to deliver the liquefied plastic material into the mould. Only This requires a rather cheap modification to the hydraulics is neededonly. According to Coulter, plastics are strengthened through vibration because the motion changes their molecular orientation or alignment, mixing them more uniformly and allowing them to stretch out to take advantage of their entire length.
Reference	http://gnet.org/news/newsdetail.cfm?NewsID=16503&image1=2

Item 54	Lithium silicate devices could be used as carbon dioxide absorption devices in futureCarbon dioxide absorption devices combat global warming
Summary	Toshiba Corp and Toshiba Ceramics Co Ltd say they have jointly developed a lithium silicate that surpasses other ceramics in the speed at which it absorbs carbon dioxide (CO₂). Toshiba sees the development of the lithium silicate as an important step towards the development of lighter and, cheaper ceramics offering faster CO₂absorption rates, while its room temperature absorption capabilities offers the potential for practical devices for reducing CO₂ emissions, such as consumer air cleaners. Commercial versions of the new ceramic could play a central role in reducing CO₂ emissions. For example, automobile drivers could exchange full CO₂ absorbing ceramic cartridges for new ones at fuel stations. A similar service could be introduced at power plants and industrial facilities. Toshiba plans to launch small-scale prototype CO₂ collection devices by the end of 2001, followed by large-size devices used to combat global warming in 2003.
Reference	Lexis-Nexis, May 31, 2001

Item 75	Scientists monitor global air pollution from space
Summary	An new Earth- orbiting monitor mounted on a satellite is providing the most complete view assembled to date of the world's air pollution to date as its churns through the atmosphere, crossing continents and oceans. Launched in December 1999, MOPITT (Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere) tracks the air pollutant carbon monoxide from aboard the Terra satellite as it circles the Earth from pole to pole 16 times a day. Scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder are blending the new data with output from a computer model of Earth's atmosphere to develop the world's first global maps of long termlong-term lower atmosphere pollution. MOPITT demonstrates a new capability to make global observations of carbon monoxide, which is both a toxin and a representative tracer of other types of pollution.
Reference	http://www.ens-news.com/ens/may2001/2001L-05-31-09.html

Item 86	Company has Bbioremedy for MTBE contamination
Summary	A US company in Houston (USA), Equilon Enterprise LLC, has developed a technology called BioRemedy whichBioRemedy that uses microbes to break down MTBE in subsurface. With the addition of sufficient oxygen, the proprietary microorganisms naturally biodegrade MTBE to harmless compounds. The specialized microbes are effective in controlling the full range of gasoline oxygenates, including TBA (tertiary butyl alcohol). One application of theThe new technology involves the placement of their proprietary micro-organisms in the ground to form a barrier against MTBE migration in the groundwater. With the addition of sufficient oxygen, these microorganisms naturally biodegrade the MTBE to harmless compounds. The specialized microbes are effective in controlling the full range of gasoline oxygenates, including TBA (tertiary butyl alcohol).
Reference	http://www.gnet.org/news/newsdetail.cfm?NewsID=16450

Item 107	EPA adopts rule to cut haze in national parks
Summary	According to EPA administrator, the Bush administration will not challenge a proposal approved in the last days of the Clinton presidency to clean up hazy skies over national parks and wilderness areas. Haze is caused when light hits tiny particles, such as soot, sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxide emitted by power plants, refineries or natural pollution sources like forest fires. The USEPA has adopted aproposal rule to clean up hazy skies over national parks and wilderness areas. Haze is caused when light hits tiny particles, such as soot, sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxide emitted by power plants, refineries or natural pollution sources like forest fires. The rule would requires coal-fired utilities, industrial boilers, refineries and iron and steel plants built between 1962 and 1977 to be retrofitted with new pollution-control technology by 2013. This would cut sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and particulate matter and directly improve the air in 156 national parks and wilderness areas. The proposed rule identifies the older industrial facilities which require the installation of "best available retrofit technology". However it also gives the flexibility to consider economic factors, energy impacts and the remaining useful life of the facility. In addition, states affecting the air quality of the Grand Canyon would be given a different time frame to work with.
Reference	http://www.enn.com/news/wire-stories/2001/05/05302001/ap_hazerule_43779.asp

Item 118	US food firms agree to list allergens on labels
Summary	A coalition of US food industry and consumer groups have developed voluntary guidelines calling for manufacturers to label prominently foods containing food allergens. The labels aim to tell consumers in "clear, simple language" whether a product contains one of the eight common food allergens: peanuts, eggs, soy, wheat, milk, shellfish, finother fish and tree nuts. The eight foods can trigger allergic reactions in sensitive people ranging from skin rashes or diarrhea to life-threatening breathing problems and anaphylactic shock.
Reference	http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/reuters20010531_16.html

Item 129	UK industries start recycling company for lamps
Summary	Lighting companies and waste management firms in the UK have launched a new initiative to dramatically boost the recycling and reuse of lamps. The industries claim it will lead to a fivefold increase in recycling, to 10% by the end of 2002. The industries' two trade organizations, the Environmental Services Association (ESA) and the Lighting Industry Federation (LIF) have set up a non-profit company called SustainaLite to manage the new program. The scheme will cover gas discharge lightbulbs such as fluorescent tubes and compact fluorescents, high-pressure mercury, high-pressure sodium, metal halide and low-pressure sodium lamps. At present about 80 million gas discharge lamps are sold in the UK annually and 12,000 metric tons go into the waste stream annually. The current recycling rate is 2%. SustainaLite expects this to rise to 10% by end of 2002. Under the proposed EU directive on waste electrical and electronic equipment member states will require to recycle lamps and other equipment.
Reference	Business and the Environment, May 2001, p 14.

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