TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

S/N

Title

Synopsis

I. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulations

1

Finland beefs up disposal laws to meet EU environmental standards

Finland's government is developing several new legislative measures to enhance its waste laws and comply with recently enacted EU legislation.

2

USEPA recognizes energy saving homes under its energy efficiency program

US Energy Star program recognizes energy efficient homes that are over saves more than 30 percent energymore energy efficient than homes built according to a for heating, cooling and water heating. compared to a home based on a model eEnergy cCode.

II. Subject Area: Environmental Pollution and Health

3

Spain reports 575 pneumonia cases linked to a in Legionnaire's disease outbreak

575 cases of pneumonia linked to an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease haved been reporteds Health officials in southeast Spain have reported 575 cases of pneumonia, many of which have been linked to an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease.

III. Subject Area: Environmental Technology

54

New technology electrostatic precipitator developed to reduces industrialy emissions

Engineers from Ohio University have engineers have developed a new new electrostatic precipitator technology that cleans pollutants from the exhaust of coal-fired power plants and other industrial smokestacks more effectivelyis more effective and cheaper than current technology.

57

NGVs achieves Euro IV exhaust emission standards

Mercedes-Benz natural gas engines have achieved Euro IV standards, tested by the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Material Testing and Research (EMPA) in Zurich Switzerland..

IV. Subject Area: Waste Management

86

Increased interest infocus on bioreactor landfills which yield tremendous benefits

US government and industry are showing increased interest in developing bioreactor landfills that canould potentially reduce landfill space and generate other benefits.

97

Turning waste into gas and gas into electricity

A new state-of-the-art recycling plant in UK that is able to turns waste into gas for and gas into electricity generation.may hold a bright future for solid waste management.

V. Subject Area: General Environmental News

108

Canada proposes to an aaddition of four substances to its list of toxic substancess

Canada proposed to adddesignate ammonia, nonylphenol, ethoxylates and chloramines to its existing list of four more substances as toxic substances in addition to its existing list.

 

 

SUMMARY REPORT

 Period Covered : 9 Ju1 2001 to 15 Jul 2001

 

Item 1

Finland beefs up disposal laws to meet EU environmental standards

Summary

Finland's government is developing several new legislative measures to enhance its waste laws and comply with recently enacted European Union environmental legislation. They are:

  1. For Firstly, the government tackles the laws pertaining to management of hazardous substances, Tt. The categories of hazardous wastes are being expanded and re-classified and the characteristics of the hazardous substances being redefined.

  2. The government is also looking s into creating a legislative framework that mandateswill createrequires a more stringent treatment of hazardous substances.

  3. The government is also looking into recycling schemes for scrapend-of-life vehicles and the recovery of certain wastes used as construction materials.

In addition to waste management laws associated with hazardous wastes, the government is also looking into recycling schemes for end-of-life vehicles and the recovery of certain wastes used as construction materials.

Reference

International Environment Reporter, Vol. 24, No. 14, pg. 554 - 555

 

Item 2

USEPA recognizes energy saving homes under its pollution cutting, energy savings efficiency program

Summary

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has commendedannounced that it recognised Cambridge Homes of Libertyville, for the company's commitment to EPA's Energy Star Homes program. EPA's Energy Star programme allows consumers to identify an energy efficient home by looking for the Energy Star label.

An Energy Star Home uses 30 percent less energy for heating, cooling and water heating than a home based on the Model Energy Code developed by the Council of American Building Officials. It must feature improved insulation, advanced windows, tightly sealed ducts, high-efficiency heating and cooling, and reduced air infiltration.

USEPA expects the annual pollution avoidanceprevention from Energy Star-labeled homes built over the next 20 years to be equal to the elimination of emissions from half a million cars. The Energy Star program is a joint effort between EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy to provide consumers with a simple way to identify cost-effective, energy-efficient products.

Reference

http://www.lexis-nexis - PR Newswire

 

Item 3

Spain reports 575 pneumonia cases linkedin to Legionnaire's disease outbreak

Summary

Health officials in southeast Spain have reported 575 cases of pneumonia, many of which have been linked to an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease. Twelve of the 575 - many of whom weare men over the age of 50 -- hadve been placed in intensive care units, officials said.

The outbreak had been traced to 14 air conditioning units in central Murcia and i.

Some of the units affected includeIncluded those units in a large department store, one in the regional government headquarters, and another in the regional health ministry. Legionnaires' disease, spread by the inhalation of bacteria-infected water vapour, is characterised by a flu-like fever and coughing. It is spread by a water-borne bacteria which thrives best in water at 37 degrees Celsius (99 degrees Fahrenheit) and spreads quickly in hot water and air conditioning systems.

Reference

http://www.lexis-nexis - Agence France Presse

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item 54

New technology electrostatic precipitator developed to reduces industrialy emissions

Summary

Engineers from A group of Ohio University engineers have developed a new technology, the membrane electrostatic precipitator that cleans pollutants from the exhaust of coal-fired power plants and other industrial smokestacks more effectively and cheaply than using the current electrostatic precipitator technology.

According to Hajrudin Pasic, the professor who headed the research project, this new technology is an improvement over the electrostatic precipitator that is currently in use.

Theis new technology uses one-to-three millimeter thick membranes woven from carbon, silicon, and similar fiber-based materials to capture the fine air pollutants and toxic heavy metals. The new membranes are more efficient and less expensive than the steel plates used in current electrostatic precipitators for dust and particle removal. The membranes are also better suited for meeting the newest EPA environmental regulations, which are aimed at small particles. Electrostatic precipitators that use steel plates would not have efficiently treated these small particles.

The Ohio engineers are further exploring ways to widen the application of the device.

Reference

http://www.pollutiononline.com/content/news/article.asp? DocID={B801B9BD-6A24-1}

 

 

 

 

Item 57

NGVsS aAchieves Euro IV eExhaust eEmission sStandards

Summary

DaimlerChrysler revealed that its natural gas Mercedes-Benz engine has achieved Euro IV Exhaust Emission Standards
after it hads successfully completed Phase 2 of the four Phase engine development and multi- point fuel- injection technology supply contract on 25 Mercedes-Benz natural gas buses belonging to for the Australia's Department of Transport WA (DOT) natural gas bus fleet in Australia.


The natural gas buses was independently tested and certified to Euro IV standards by the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Material Testing and Research (EMPA) in Zurich Switzerland. The Euro IV standard is 30 percent lower thant Euro III whichIII, which becomes applicable in Australia in 2003.

Reference

http://www.lexis-nexis - Australian Associated Press

 

 

Item 86

Increased interestfocus ion bioreactor landfills which yield tremendous benefits

Summary

According to Tthe US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said that, the US government and the solid waste industry weare showing increased interest in developing bioreactor landfills because of the tremendous benefits associated with this method of solid waste management.

The bioreactor landfill process keeps the solid waste in landfills moistened by water and thus speeds up the decomposition of wastee. Much Ssolid waste , which consistings of organic materials such as paper and food,food decomposes at a higher rate in bioreactor landfills.

According to EPA's Office of Solid Waste,B besides faster heightening the rate of waste decomposition, the use of bioreactor landfills saves landfill space. The is method of waste management also captures more methane gas that is produced during the decomposition process and cuts down on methane gas emissions. The increased methane gas could in turn be sold as power-producing energy to generate revenue that helps to offset the operation costs of the landfills.

However, it is also reported that althoughThe major drawback of the bioreactor landfills technology yields many benefits, it still has a major drawback that has to be overcome. Theis that it could technology could oonly be effectively applied when lots of water is available. Thus, some landfills may not have this luxury to enjoy the technology.

Reference

International Environment Reporter, Vol. 24, No. 14, pg. 571

 

 

Item 79

Turning waste into gas and gas into electricity

Summary

A new state-of-the-art recycling plant, - the first of its kind in Europe -using the SWERF (Solid Waste to Energy and Recycling Facility) process, is being built in Sinfin, UK. The plant makes use of SWERF (Solid Waste to Energy and Recycling Facility) - a process that Australian-based Brightstar has been developing for 12 years.

Under the process, solid waste will be tipped from the trucks into a pit within a covered single-storey building. The waste will then be sterilised with steam. Steel, aluminiumaluminum and some rigid plastics will be mechanically removed for recycling, leaving an organic pulp. The pulp is washed to remove sand and glass - which can also be processed. The pulp is then fed into a high temperature gasifier, which uses heat and pressure to convert it to a gas.
The gas is used to drive internal combustion engines whichengines, which produce electricity that can be supplied to the n National gGrid.

Reference

http://www.lexis-nexis - Derby Evening Telegraph

 

Item 108

Canada proposes to an addition of four substances to its list of toxic substances

Summary

Environment Canada had proposed to designate ammonia, nonylphenol and its ethoxylates, textile mill effluents and inorganic chloramines as toxic substances to be added to the List of Toxic Substances in Schedule 1 to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). The inclusion will allow the government authority to regulate the substances and enact preventive or control measuresactions.

Scientific assessments of the substances ammonia, nonylphenol and its ethoxylates, textile mill effluents and inorganic chloramines have indicated that each of the four substancesthey are entering the environment in quantities or concentrations that have an immediate or long-term harmful impact on the environment or biological diversity. The scientific assessments found that these four substances have significant adversediverse impacts on the living organisms tested.

Based on these assessments, Environment Canada proposed to designate the four substances as toxic substances to be added to the List of Toxic Substances in Schedule 1 to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). This inclusion will allow the government the authority to regulate the substances and enact preventive or control actions.

Reference

International Environment Reporter, Vol. 24, No. 14, pg. 559

 
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