TABLE OF CONTENTS
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S/N |
Title |
Synopsis |
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I. Subject Area: Environmental Technology |
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1 |
Toyota to sell fuel cell-powered cars in 2003 |
Toyota Motor Corp. will begin selling fuel cell motor vehicles in June next year. |
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2 |
"Buried dams" help clean recycled water |
CSIRO researchers found that disease-causing microbes can be effectively eliminated from recycled water by storing it in aquifers. |
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II. Subject Area: Environmental Pollution and Health |
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3 |
US study indicts particulate air pollution |
According to an on-going U.S. study, long-term exposure to fine particulate air pollution common in many metropolitan areas increases the risk of death from lung cancer and other cardiopulmonary diseases. |
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III. Subject Area: Waste Management and Green Energy |
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4 |
UK pushes wind, solar power for local communities |
In a move to cut greenhouse gas emissions, the UK government will spend £1.6 million to advise local communities on the use of 'green' energy from renewable sources. |
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5 |
Massachusetts enacts energy efficiency law |
Massachusetts enacted a new bill, "An Act Promoting Energy Efficiency and Conservation" on 28 Feb 2002. |
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6 |
Biodiesel - A solution to pollution |
Advocates in the UK say that biodiesel is the solution to fuel shortages, pollution, global warming and farming problems. |
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7 |
Scientists aiming to turn scrap tyres into environmentally friendly products |
Researchers from the University of Massachusetts are working on projects to recycle used tyres to reduce the number of used tyres piled in U.S. landfills. |
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IV. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulations |
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8 |
Japan to tighten PM, NOx emission rules |
Japan will impose stricter regulations on automobile emissions of particulate matter and nitrogen oxides from 2005. |
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9 |
Netherlands bans flame retardant chemical |
The Netherlands has announced that it is banning TetrabromobisphenolA, Bis, a type of brominated flame retardant. |
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10 |
Experts group urges adding pesticides, asbestos to Rotterdam Convention's PIC list |
Government-appointed experts have agreed to propose the addition of three pesticides and five forms of asbestos to the Rotterdam Convention's list of chemicals subject to prior informed consent (PIC) procedures. |
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11 |
Britain sets cash incentive for emissions trading |
Britain has announced an indicative budget of 150-200 million pounds over five years as incentives for its pollution trading scheme to be launched in April. |
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V. Subject Area: General Environmental News |
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12 |
Rules needed to spur development of emissions trading system |
The Executive Director of the International Emissions Trading Association said that the rules of an international trading system for greenhouse gas emissions need to be defined soon for industry to be convinced to participate in such a scheme. |
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SUMMARY REPORT
Period Covered: 4 Mar to 10 Mar 2001
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Item 1 |
Toyota to Sell Fuel Cell-Powered Cars in 2003 |
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Summary |
Manufacturers are pursuing fuel cell (FC) technology as the next-generation power source for motor vehicles because FC-powered vehicles do not emit carbon dioxide, a leading source of global warming. Toyota Motor Corp will become the first world automaker to start FC-powered vehicles around June 2003. Honda Motor Co. is also gearing to launch its own FC model for limited commercial sales next year, while DaimlerChrysler Corp. and Ford Motor Co. are preparing to launch theirs in 2004. |
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Reference |
International Environment Reporter, Vol.25, No. 5 |
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Item 2 |
"Buried Dams" Help Clean Recycled Water |
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Summary |
Researchers from Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) has found that disease-causing microbes can be effectively eliminated from recycled water by storing it in "underground dams". The researchers were studying the feasibility of diverting urban stormwater and treated effluent into underground aquifers that are protected from evaporation or pollution and bringing it to the surface again for irrigation purposes during the dry season. Microbes such as enteric viruses, the protozoan Cryptosporidium and disease-causing bacteria such as Salmonella and Aeromonas were found to last less than a month in the hostile underground conditions due to temperature changes, lack of oxygen and nutrients and the presence of indigenous groundwater microorganisms that kill or inactivate them. |
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Reference |
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/03/020307074711.htm |
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Item 3 |
US Study Indicts Particulate Air Pollution |
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Summary |
According to an on-going U.S. study with 16 years of data, long-term exposure to fine particulate air pollution common in many metropolitan areas increases the risk of death from lung cancer and other cardiopulmonary diseases such as stroke, pneumonia, emphysema and chronic bronchitis. The study assessed the impact of exposure to fine particulates from automobile exhaust and industry and was based on data collected by the American Cancer Society on approximately 1.2 million U.S. adults from 1982 onwards. In comparison, previous studies were less conclusive about the long-term impact of fine particulate air pollution. |
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Reference |
http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/14890/newsDate/7-Mar-2002/story.htm |
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Item 4 |
UK Pushes Wind, Solar Power for Local Communities |
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Summary |
In the latest move to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 23 percent from 1990 levels by 2010, the UK government is set to launch a £1.6-million initiative on the use of 'green' energy from renewable sources. Under the scheme, expert groups will provide advice on areas such as feasibility studies, funding, technology issues and planning. It will cover projects such as turning farm and food waste into natural gas to generate electricity, powering schools by small scale wind turbines, hospitals with solar rooftops and houses with wood chip-fired boilers, etc. |
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Reference |
http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/14823/story.htm |
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Item 5 |
Massachusetts Enacts Energy Efficiency Law |
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Summary |
Energy efficiency is considered the cheapest 'source of energy' as it is cheaper to save a kilowatt than to generate it. Massachusetts is a national leader in utility-managed energy efficiency programmes. Since the 1980s, the utility energy efficiency programmes have saved families and businesses more than $4 billion, and avoided air pollution equivalent to taking more than 10 million cars off the road for a year. On 28 Feb 2002, Massachusetts had gone a step further to sign a new law "An Act Promoting Energy Efficiency and Conservation". The new bill is aimed to implement and fund energy efficiency programmes that help save consumers money, avoid power plant pollution and increase reliability and energy security. |
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Reference |
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Item 6 |
Biodiesel - A Solution to Pollution |
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Summary |
Biodiesel, according to the British Association of Biofuels and Oils (BABFO), is the solution to many of the world's ills and could meet up to 10 percent of Britain's motor fuel needs. BABFO claims that substitution of one tonne of biodiesel for fossil diesel reduces three tonnes of carbon dioxide emission. Besides that, biodiesel is safely biodegradable, offers scope for recycling waste oils, recycles carbon on combustion, burns cleaner than fossil diesel and has greater calorific value compared to diesel. A supermarket chain in the UK is set to transform the 138,000 litres of chicken waste and cooking fat from its rotisseries into diesel for its delivery lorries. The European Commission in 2001 had directed that biodiesel make up 3.5 percent of the diesel fuel transport market by 2007. |
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Reference |
http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/14819/story.htm |
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Item 7 |
Scientists Aiming to Turn Scrap Tyres Into Environmentally Friendly Products |
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Summary |
Researchers from the University of Massachusetts are working on two projects to recycle used tyres to reduce the number of used tyres piled in U.S. landfills:
It was found that thermal processing of the recycled powdered rubber from scrap tyres at high pressures resulted in the formation of a solid rubber object which typically retains 50-90 percent of the original strength and elasticity, depending on the chemistry of the starting materials. An asphalt-modified rubber material was produced from scrap tyres. The resulting material can withstand traditional asphalt's tendency to melt in hot weather, as well as remain flexible at very low temperatures. It could be used in roadways, construction materials and roofing shingles. |
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Reference |
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/03/020306073739.htm |
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Item 8 |
Japan to Tighten PM, NOx Emission Rules |
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Summary |
An advisory body to Japan's Environment Minister has published a series of draft proposals calling for the government to cut:
New regulations, which will be the tightest in the world, will require automakers to take steps to meet the new standards. The new regulations are expected to be adopted between 2002 and March 2003, and implemented in 2005. |
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Reference |
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Item 9 |
Netherlands Bans Flame Retardant Chemical |
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Summary |
The Netherlands has announced that it will prohibit the import, production and use of TetrabromobisphenolA, Bis, a type of brominated flame retardant, also known as FR-720, despite objections from other EU members and European Commission that said that the ban did not have any scientific basis and would damage the EU's open market. FR-720 is used in large quantities to fire-proof fans above kitchen stoves and ovens and plastic household plumbing pipes. The Netherlands government said that the ban is valid under the Netherlands national chemicals policy as there is limited data on the FR-720 and no detailed potential risks to the environment or people's health. The national policy created strict deadlines to increase and improve the quality of safety information available for all current and future substances and is designed to bring human chemical exposure risks to near zero levels in the Netherlands by the year 2020. |
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Reference |
http://www.gnet.org/news/newsdetail.cfm?NewsID=19795&image1=2 |
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Item 10 |
Experts Group Urges Adding Pesticides, Asbestos to Rotterdam Convention's PIC List |
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Summary |
Government-appointed experts have agreed to propose the addition of three pesticides and five forms of asbestos to the Rotterdam Convention's list of chemicals subject to prior informed consent (PIC) procedures. The recommendations to add the pesticides monocrotophos, DNOC and Granox TBC/Spinox T and the five remaining forms of asbestos, including chrysotile or "white asbestos", to the PIC list were made during the Interim Chemical Review Committee meeting in Geneva. With the exception of monocrotophos which would be considered for formal approval at the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) of the Rotterdam Convention meeting this year, further review processes would be initiated for the other pesticides and forms of asbestos. The INC decision for these recommendations is expected to conclude in 2003. |
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Reference |
International Environment Reporter, Vol. 25, No. 5, Page 199 |
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Item 11 |
Britain Sets Cash Incentive for Emissions Trading |
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Summary |
Britain has announced an indicative budget of £150-200 million over five years for its pollution-trading scheme to be launched in April 2002. The money would be used as incentives for businesses that pledged to cut the most pollution via a competitive auction. Participants of the voluntary pollution-trading scheme would agree to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in-house or by buying and selling carbon allowances. Companies with the lowest cost of reducing emissions would be able to sell surplus pollution permits to those with the highest cost. The aim of the scheme is to significantly cut the cost for British firms to comply with the government target of 23 percent reduction in 1990 emissions levels by 2010 under the Kyoto Protocol. |
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Reference |
http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/14911/newsDate/7-Mar-2002/story.htm |
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Item 12 |
Rules Needed to Spur Development of Emissions Trading System |
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Summary |
At an emissions trading conference in Amsterdam, the Executive Director of the International Emissions Trading Association said that the rules of an international trading system for greenhouse gas emissions need to be defined soon for industry to be convinced to participate in such a scheme and the issues that need to be resolved included whether non-protocol nations are allowed to participate, the transaction costs involved, penalties for noncompliance and commodities to be traded, among others. The European Union (EU) has proposed a Europe-wide emissions trading scheme that would also be open to other non-EU countries. The aim was to provide a larger market for trading than the current country-specific systems and lower costs. |
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Reference |
International Environment Reporter, Vol. 25, No. 5, Page 208 |