TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Title |
Synopsis |
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I. Subject Area: Environmental Technology |
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1 |
Experts seek burial grounds for CO2 |
Scientists from 100 nations will meet in Montreal to complete study on various sequestration strategies. |
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2 |
New technology answers growing indoor air pollution hazard |
A new patented technology which reduces the presence of contaminants of 0.3microns and smaller may offer the first affordable, practical and complete answer to indoor air pollution. |
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II. Subject Area: Public Health |
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3 |
Mercury fillings may be affecting dentists |
Researchers have found that dentists had up to four times the normal level of mercury in their urine and nails and suffered more kidney disorders and memory lapses than the general public. |
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III. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulations |
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4 |
EPA proposes to reduce pollution from new large marine diesel engine |
EPA has proposed new regulations to reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matters (PM) from new US-flagged large marine diesel engines. |
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5 |
Hong Kong and Guangdong to clean up bad air |
Hong Kong and Guangdong have unveiled aggressive targets to cut growing air pollution. |
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6 |
EU halfway to Kyoto target, but emissions are up |
The European Union is almost halfway to achieving reductions in greenhouse gas emissions it signed under the Kyoto agreement, but emissions are trending upward. |
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7 |
NZ government favours carbon tax to meet Kyoto target |
New Zealand government's proposal to tax up to NZ$25 a tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent to meet the Kyoto protocol targets would raise retail petrol, diesel, electricity, gas and coal prices. |
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8 |
California Senate committee approves new emission bill |
A California state Senate committee approved a bill which require the state's Air Resources Board to adopt regulations that would achieve the maximum feasible reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases from cars and light-duty trucks. |
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IV. Subject Area: General Environmental News |
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9 |
BP to end MTBE use in California |
BP announced the switch from using MTBE to ethanol as a clean-air additive for its fuels and intends to phase out MTBE by the end of the year. |
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10 |
US aluminum can recycling declined in 2001 |
Recycling of aluminum cans fell by 11.2% in 2001 resulting in its lowest ever recycling rate in more than a decade. |
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SUMMARY REPORT
Period Covered: 29 Apr to 5 May 2002
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Item 1 |
Experts seek burial grounds for CO2 |
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Summary |
The US Energy Department is studying various technologies for carbon sequestration to reach greenhouse gas goals. Among the strategies being studied are:-
Environmentalists raised concerns on the risks associated with large-scale ocean disposal and how reliance on carbon sequestration will provide an excuse to allow industry to continue emitting high levels of CO2. |
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Reference |
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Item 2 |
New technology answers growing indoor air pollution hazard |
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Summary |
A new patented technology, developed by Broan-NuTone™, may offer the first affordable, practical and complete answer to indoor air pollution. The compact and retrofitting system cleans indoor air making it free from allergen materials down to 0.3microns. A step-up model can dramatically reduce the presence of contaminants smaller than 0.3microns, like noxious gases, bacteria, germs and other threats that would otherwise escape the filtration chamber. The Broan-NuTone GuardianPlus™ Whole House HEPA Air Systems are small enough to fit in cramped furnace rooms and even closets, for less than half the cost of older, bulkier systems. According to clinical professor at UCLA's School of Medicine, Dr Katz, the GuardianPlus Air System with fresh ventilation can trap 99.97% of tiny particles, as well as expelling gaseous pollutants like CO2 and NO2. |
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Reference |
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Item 3 |
Mercury fillings may be affecting dentists |
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Summary |
Researchers from Glasgow, Scotland, have found that dentists had up to four times the normal level of mercury in their urine and nails and suffered more kidney disorders and memory lapses than the general public. The study found differences in the health and cognitive functioning between the dentists and control group. Although it cannot be established that the differences were directly caused by exposure to mercury, similar health effects have been associated to mercury exposure at high levels. The researchers believed the fillings could give off harmful vapors that could be dangerous to dentists and patients. A comparison of the metal levels in the nail, hair and urine samples as well as from the results of psychomotor skills, response times, word recall and health problems, showed that the dentists had higher levels of metal in their bodies, reported more health problems and performed worse on the tests than the volunteers. |
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Reference |
http://www.planetark.org/dailymewsstory.cfm/newsid/15721/newsDate/30-Apr-2002/story.htm |
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Item 4 |
EPA proposes to reduce pollution from new large marine diesel engine |
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Summary |
The Environmental Protection Agency proposed the first federal limits to reduce nitrogen oxides and particulate matter from large ocean-going vessels. Large marine diesel engines account for about 3% of US' mobile source PM emissions. The standard would apply only to new engines in vessels that operate under the US flag and does not require engine manufacturers to retrofit existing engines on ships. |
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Reference |
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Item 5 |
Hong Kong and Guangdong to clean up bad air |
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Summary |
Hong Kong and Guangdong have agreed to cut, by 2010, emissions of sulphur dioxide by 40%, nitrogen oxides by 20%, respirable suspended particulates by 55% and volatile organic compounds by 55%. Among the recommendations being studied are switching to less-polluting fuels in power plans and cutting down on emissions from factory smokestacks. Both sides will also set up a joint body to monitor regional air quality and effectiveness of the measures. |
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Reference |
http://www.reuters.com/printerfriendly.jhtml?type=healthnews&StoryID=894839 |
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Item 6 |
EU halfway to Kyoto target, but emissions are up |
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Summary |
European Environment Agency (EEA) said that the European Union's emissions of greenhouse gases covered by the Kyoto pact were 3.5% lower than in 1990 but slightly higher than in 1999. The Kyoto pact stipulated that the EU must reduce its greenhouse gas output by 8% of 1990 levels by the five-year period 2008-2012. The bloc's emissions were 3.8% below 1990 levels in 1999 due mainly to big cuts in Germany and Britain. The reversal in the downward trend was partly due to increase in coal burning for electricity generation in Britain, and increased emissions in Spain. Environmental group World Wide Fund for Nature indicated that the upward trend in emissions showed the bloc needed to make more effort on saving energy and developing renewable sources. |
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Reference |
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Item 7 |
NZ government favours carbon tax to meet Kyoto target |
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Summary |
New Zealand government recently proposed a tax of up to NZ$25 a tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent to meet the Kyoto protocol targets. According to the government, the tax would not be levied before 2007 and only if the Kyoto protocol comes into force in 2008. Under the protocol, New Zealand and other developed countries are required to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 5.2% of the 1990 levels, between the first commitment period of 2008 to 2012. Energy Minister, Pete Hodgson, said that cash raised would be re-injected into the economy via the tax system, i.e. cutting of other taxes. Official paper indicated that a NZ$25 a tonne tax would raise retail petrol prices by 6%, diesel by 12%, electricity by 9%, gas by 8% and coal by 19%. Hodgson added that for at least the first commitment period, the carbon sink credits would be retained and managed by the government, with a portion used to provide incentives for establishment and enhancement of sinks. |
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Reference |
http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/15739/newsDate/1-May-2002/story.htm |
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Item 8 |
California Senate committee approves new emission bill |
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Summary |
A California state Senate committee approved a bill to limit greenhouse gas emissions. The bill would require the state's Air Resources Board to adopt regulations that would achieve the maximum feasible reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases including CO2, emitted by cars and light-duty trucks, including sports-utility vehicles. The regulations which is estimated to be completed in 2005 would not take effect until at least 1 Jan 2006. Under an amendment to the bill, automakers would have until 2009 to come up with technological changes or modifications to comply with the new standard. |
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Reference |
http://www.planetark.org/dailymewstory.cfm/newsid/15745/newsDate/1-May-2002/story.htm |
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Item 9 |
BP to end MTBE use in California |
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Summary |
BP, the largest retailer of gasoline in California announced the switch from using MTBE to ethanol as a clean-air additive for its fuels. The company intends to phase out MTBE by the end of the year. BP is the first refiner to eliminate the use MTBE as originally scheduled. Governor Gray Davis had earlier this year postponed a state-ordered phase-out of MTBE till the end of 2004. MTBE, methyl tertiary-butyl ether, forms part of a group termed 'oxygenates' which when mixed with gasoline, causes more efficient burning of the fuel in engines and hence resulting in less air pollution. However, MTBE is a suspected carcinogen and was found to have contaminated drinking water across California after leaking from gasoline storage tanks. With the limited supply of ethanol, Oxygenated Fuels Association has predicted a 50 - 100% price increase for drivers. |
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Reference |
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Item 10 |
US aluminum can recycling declined in 2001 |
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Summary |
Recycling of aluminum cans in the US fell below 60% in 2001, the first time in more than a decade. The 55.6 billion cans recycled were 11.2% lower than in 2000. There was also a drop of 6.7% in the rate of cans collected. A spokesperson from the Aluminum Association cited the following as being the possible reasons for the drop in recycling rate:
Various initiatives to turn cans into cash for community causes have been led by the aluminum and can manufacturing industries as a way to encourage recycling. |
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Reference |
http://www.planetark.org/dailynewstory.cfm/newsid/15730/newsDate/30-Apr-2002/story.htm |