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 |
UK gives go-ahead to greenhouse gas trading system |
The Environment Ministry launched a greenhouse gas trading programme that provides tax breaks to industry to encourage it to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. |
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2 |
Canada issues tougher laws to control tetrachloroethylene |
With effect from 1 Jan 2002, regulatory measures will be implemented in Canada to curb environmental releases of the solvent. |
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3 |
Japan to adopt tough laws on off-road vehicles |
Japan Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport approved strict regulation limiting emissions from construction and other off-road vehicles. |
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4 |
EU developing new limits for industrial air pollution |
Four heavy metals and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) would soon be regulated under new air quality directive. |
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5 |
EU governments approve renewable energy law |
EU government has approved the new directive which requires member states to use renewable energy sources to supply 12% of gross internal energy consumption and 22.1% electricity consumption by 2010. |
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II. Subject Area: Environmental Pollution and Health |
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6 |
UK pressured to step up compliance to EU laws on landfill due to associated birth defects |
Environmental groups are concerned following a study that found babies born to mothers living near landfill sites are more likely to suffer from minor birth defects. |
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III. Subject Area: Environmental Technology |
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7 |
Solar roofing tiles generate integrated energy in California |
The California South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) is supporting a programme for homeowners to install solar roofing that are saving about one third of their electricity costs. |
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8 |
Biological permeable barrier for in-situ remediation |
An innovative biotechnology process has been developed which creates a safe, reliable and cost-effective biological process to remove contaminants from water. |
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IV. Subject Area: Waste Management |
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9 |
Municipal solid waste as alternative fuel |
A US company has filed a patent for a process that converts organic municipal solid waste into alternative fuels such as gasoline and diesel fuel. |
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SUMMARY REPORT
Period Covered : 3 Sep 2001 to 9 Sep 2001
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Item 1 |
UK gives go-ahead to greenhouse gas trading system |
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Summary |
The UK launched a green-house gas emissions trading programme to pay industry incentives in the form of corporate tax breaks to encourage it to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A Framework Document for the UK Emissions Trading Scheme describes the programme, eligibility and the bidding process. The Environment Ministry announced that the programme could enable the UK to make 10 percent of the greenhouse cuts it is required to make under the Kyoto Protocol. The government has set aside up to $550 million a year to fund the programme. Under the programme, participants will sign up to deliver emission reductions that may either be made by cuts in-house or by buying and selling emission "allowances" on the market to meet reduction targets. If companies can reduce emissions cheaply and beat their targets, they can sell the surplus allowances or bank them for future use. |
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Reference |
International Environment Reporter. Pg 732-733 |
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Item 2 |
Canada issues tougher laws to control tetrachloroethylene |
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Summary |
Canada has gazetted tougher Tetrachloroethylene Regulations intended to achieve a 60 percent to 90 percent reduction in environmental releases of the solvent, commonly known as PERC. The regulatory measures, combined with proper maintenance and operation of dry cleaning equipment, are projected to reduce PERC usage by 71 percent from 1994 levels to about 1,600 tons per year. Preliminary scientific analysis has determined that reductions in that range would provide a margin of safety in ambient air concentrations sufficient to avoid environmental harm. |
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Reference |
International Environment Reporter. Pg 738 |
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Item 3 |
Japan to adopt tough new laws on off-road vehicles |
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Summary |
Japan's Ministry of land, Infrastructure, and Transport approved a new regulation limiting emissions from construction and other special purpose vehicles. The new rules set maximum emission levels for carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM) and soot. The rule requires NOx and PM emissions to be 36% and 15% lower than the current average emission level, respectively. Japan currently registers approximately 6.72 million off-road vehicles such as forklifts, hydraulic shovels, bulldozers, wheel loaders, tractors, cranes etc. In addition to the registered off-road vehicles, the Ministry is preparing to establish emission regulations for non-registered, special-purpose vehicles and equipment in a few years time. |
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Reference |
International Environment Reporter. Pg 739 |
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Item 4 |
EU developing new limits for industrial air pollution |
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Summary |
Four heavy metals and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) may soon have rigid and costly limits placed on them by the European Union. The metals would be regulated under plans for a new air quality directive being developed by the European Commission's environment directorate. The plan focuses on a series of ambient air concentrations limit for arsenic, cadmium, mercury, nickel and PAHs. Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) concentrations would be used to evaluate PAH levels. The directive will tighten the limits for most of the pollutants by about one-third starting 2005 and reaching final limit values in 2010. The plan recommends that additional measures beyond best available technology be taken to attain the limit value as far as possible. The plan also includes improving EU member states' monitoring of ambient air concentrations of the targeted pollutants and making these results widely available to the public. |
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Reference |
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Item 5 |
EU governments approve renewable energy law |
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Summary |
The new law will create a legal framework that EU government gave formal approval to the new directive on renewable energy. Under the new law, member states must ensure that renewable energy sources supply 12% of gross internal energy consumption and 22.1% electricity consumption by 2010. The new law encourages the promotion and production of electricity from renewable sources while setting limit to preserve the EU's internal market. Targets to increase the proportion of renewable electricity will initially be set for every EU country. After a year from the effective date of the directive, member countries will set their own targets. Governments will also have to develop and implement methods to certify renewable energy. |
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Reference |
http://www.gnet.org/news/newsdetail.cfm?NewsID=17749&image 1=2 |
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Item 6 |
UK pressured to step up compliance to EU laws on landfill due to associated birth defects |
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Summary |
The British Medical Journal has published the findings of an a 11-year study that found babies born to mothers living near landfill sites in Great Britain are more likely to suffer minor birth defects. Looking at 21 sites and 8 million pregnancies, the study found an increased risk of women having a malformed fetus if they lived within 3 kilometres of a landfill site. Environmental groups said that the study was likely to increase pressure on Britain to reduce landfill use to meet European Union waste management regulations. Under the EU regulation on Packaging and Packaging Wastes, which deals with the use of landfills, countries are required to halve levels of biodegradable waste disposed in landfill sites by 2013 from their 1995 levels. |
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Reference |
International Environment Reporter. Pg 735 |
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Item 7 |
Solar roofing tiles generate integrated energy in California |
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Summary |
The California South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) is encouraging homeowners to install the solar roofing that function as an integral part of the design and building materials of the house. New developments in thin, strong films are revolutionizing solar roofing in California. Electricity made by the roof can be used on site, or, if not all of it is required at once, it can be fed back to the grid through the use of a sine wave inverter. The homeowner, now a power generator, is credited at the end of the month for energy fed back into the grid through a process called net metering. California and Florida, two of the most populous and sunny states, have jumped on the solar bandwagon. A two-kilowatt roof, in Sacramento, California, would produce 1400 kilowatt-hours of direct current, equaling 2800 hours of alternating current, each year. It is estimated that a three to five kilowatt roof at that location would provide a saving of 50 to 80 percent of electricity costs. Variables that affect the performance of a solar roof include geographic location, the pitch of the existing roof, and its orientation toward the sun. The roof will produce electricity all the time, allowing the owner to bank the power generated even when the home is unoccupied. |
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Reference |
http://www.enn.com/Solar%20roofing%20tiles%20generate%20integrated%20energy%20-%208-27-2001.htm |
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Item 8 |
Biological permeable barrier for in-situ remediation |
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Summary |
An innovative biotechnology process has been developed which creates a safe, reliable and cost-effective biological process to remove contaminants from water. The technology is based on the creation of a structured matrix that provides the perfect environment for microorganisms to establish biofilm with remarkable stability. Unlike traditional biological processes, microorganisms adapted to pollutant biodegradation are entrapped inside polymeric beads forming an internal biofilm that has extraordinary abilities to overcome adverse chemical and physical stresses. This technology is applicable to above ground reactors for drinking water and wastewater treatment and below ground for in-situ groundwater treatment for any pollutant that is biodegradable. |
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Reference |
http://www.gnet.org/news/newsdetail.cfm?NewsID=17741&image1=2 |
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Item 9 |
Municipal solid waste as alternative fuel |
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Summary |
Headwaters Inc., a world leader in developing and deploying alternative fuel and related technologies has filed a patent for a process that converts organic municipal solid waste into alternative fuels such as gasoline and diesel fuel. This process is based on chemical digestion and catalytic hydro-conversion of the municipal solid waste into liquid fuels as an alternative to landfill disposal or incineration. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. annual production of municipal solid waste exceeds 200 million tons. Over 85 percent of this municipal solid waste consists of organic materials which could be processed with HTI's technology into transportation fuels. |
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Reference |
Lexis Nexis : businesswire |