TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Title |
Synopsis |
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I. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulation |
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1 |
Environment management systems officially backed by EPA |
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a formal position in regard to the use of Environmental Management System (EMS), saying that the broader use of these tools would help companies and agencies meet their environmental goals and responsibilities. |
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2 |
Deposits a possible solution for container problem |
The NSW government is considering introducing container deposit legislation (CDL) which would require manufacturers of drink bottles and cans to take more responsibility for the recovery of their products for recycling. |
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3 |
Possible introduction of tax on plastic bags |
Friends of the Earth welcomed reports that the UK Government is considering a tax on plastic bags to reduce litter and pollution. |
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4 |
Britain in 2.3 million pounds boost for wave energy |
Britain this week pledged up to 2.3 million pounds to help develop plants to generate electricity by harnessing the power of waves off the coast of Scotland. |
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5 |
US tax credit to help Japanese hybrid vehicles |
The U.S. Internal Revenue Service said yesterday it would extend a tax credit of up to $2,000 to buyers of gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles, but only Japanese automakers are likely to benefit in the near future. |
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II. Subject Area: Environmental Technology |
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6 |
Ansul, DuPont fluoroproducts produced first non-ozone-depleting fire extinguisher for aircraft |
Ansul Cleanguard portable fire extinguishers, which contain non-ozone-depleting agent, received U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval for use on board civilian aircraft. |
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III. Subject Area: Environmental Pollution and Health |
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7 |
British Study finds a possible carcinogen in everyday food. |
Britain's food watchdog said it had confirmed a Swedish study which found a substance (Acrylamide) that may cause human cancer in everyday food. |
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8 |
Biotech foods no riskier than other foods |
Genetically modified foods pose no greater health risk than conventional foods, but the U.S. government should scrutinize more closely the safety of new biotech products, the investigating arm of Congress said. |
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IV. Subject Area: General Environmental News |
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9 |
Shell invests in bioethanol production |
The Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies has announced that it had invested $29 million in the bioethanol company Iogen Energy Corporation for the development of a commercial-scale plant that will produce ethanol from biomass. |
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10 |
Scientists find new use for agricultural byproducts |
Scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) developed a process that can create high value food, consumer and fuel products from the 14 billion pounds of fiber byproduct produced each year by the U.S. corn milling industry. |
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11 |
Sound cleans up water purification filter |
Sound waves could provide a greener way to make water cleaner. |
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12 |
Vehicles, runoff cause most oil pollution in U.S. ocean waters |
A new report says consumers of oil, rather than the ships that transport it, are responsible for the vast majority of man-made oil pollution in U.S. ocean waters. |
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SUMMARY REPORT
Period Covered : 20 May 2002 to 26 May 2002
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Item 1 |
Environmental management systems officially backed by EPA |
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Summary |
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a formal position in regard to the use of Environmental Management System (EMS), saying that the broader use of these tools would help companies and agencies meet their environmental goals and responsibilities. EPA said the use of EMS complements needed regulatory controls and enables a facility to comprehensively manage areas of their operation that falls under regulatory requirements and also important areas that may not be regulated, such as energy, water use, and climate change. In addition, pollution prevention advocacy is built into such systems through source reduction and continuous improvement of the facility's environmental performance. |
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Reference |
http://www.earthvision.net/ColdFusion/News_Page1.cfm?NewsID=20719 |
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Item 2 |
Deposits a possible solution for container problems |
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Summary |
The NSW government is considering introducing container deposit legislation (CDL) which would require manufacturers of drink bottles and cans to take more responsibility for the recovery of their products for recycling. A commissioned report by the institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology on the subject concluded that a national deposit and refund system on used drink containers, similar to the system South Australia has used since 1978, would be the most effective and economical solution. The report recommends manufacturers establish a deposit and refund system for the containers they create. This could include a licensed depot within 5km of every town or city dweller (as in South Australia) or a requirement of retailers in which outlets that turn over more than $1 million annually have to provide a depot closeby (as in California). Other options include returning containers to the point of sale. |
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Reference |
http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/enviro/EnviroRepublish_559529.htm |
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Item 3 |
Introduction of tax on plastic bags |
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Summary |
Friends of the Earth (FOE) welcomed reports that the UK Government is considering a tax on plastic bags to reduce litter and pollution. The move would mirror a similar scheme introduced in Ireland which has seen a dramatic fall in the number of plastic bags being wasted. However, FOE warned that tackling the problem of plastic bags would only be a drop in the ocean. The Government must deal with the waste crisis with doorstep recycling collection schemes for every household. |
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Reference |
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Item 4 |
Britain in 2.3 million pounds boost for wave energy |
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Summary |
Britain this week pledged up to 2.3 million pounds to help develop plants to generate electricity by harnessing the power of waves off the coast of Scotland. The government money will go to Inverness-based firm Wavegen to help fund three wave energy plants in shallow water off the Western Isles. Wavegen's plants are based on its oscillating water column technology which has already been demonstrated in onshore projects. The technology works by capturing water in a partially submerged shell and using it to compress air and power a pneumatic turbine. |
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Reference |
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Item 5 |
US tax credit to help Japanese hybrid vehicles |
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Summary |
The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said it would extend a tax credit of up to $2,000 to buyers of gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles, but the only vehicles that would likely qualify today are all Japanese models. The IRS said the credit would apply to original owners of vehicles certified by the government as hybrids. The credit, which would be deducted from the buyer's gross income on a tax statement, would apply in full only to hybrids bought by the end of 2003. In 2004, it would begin to be phased out, with no credit after 2006. Energy bills that passed the U.S. House and Senate this year include provisions for a variety of credits on hybrid vehicles, based on a vehicle's size, emissions and its fuel efficiency. President George W. Bush has proposed spending $3 billion on credits for hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles. |
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Reference |
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Item 6 |
Ansul, DuPont fluoroproducts produced first non-ozone-depleting fire extinguisher for aircraft |
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Summary |
Ansul Cleanguard portable fire extinguishers, which contain non-ozone-depleting agent, received U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval for use on board civilian aircraft. The new Cleanguard portable fire extinguishers contain DuPontTM FE-36TM clean agent, a non-ozone-depleting product, which offers all of the performance characteristics of Halon 1211. When final approval is published by the FAA, the aviation industry can begin to transition from ozone-depleting Halon to environmentally preferred Cleanguard products. |
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Reference |
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Item 7 |
British study finds likely carcinogen in foods |
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Summary |
In Brussels, the European Commission said it would not act until it had more information on acrylamide which the British Food Standards Agency (FSA) found in high carbohydrate foods such as chips, crispbreads and cooked potatoes. Acrylamide has been shown to cause tumours in rats and although it may be present across cooked or prepared foods. There is little knowledge of what effect eating it might have on human health. The FSA study was the first to confirm the Swedish findings which sparked a global food scare last month on evidence that acrylamide is formed in very high concentrations when carbohydrate-rich foods are fried or baked. Any risks would arise only from long-term exposure, but the FSA is eager to stamp it out of food or lower its presence as far as possible to minimise exposure to DNA damaging carcinogens. |
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Reference |
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Item 8 |
Biotech foods no riskier than other foods |
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Summary |
A new report by the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) found consumers who ate bioengineered foods were not at a higher risk of allergies or toxic reactions. The study prepared for Congress said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had adequately tested the safety of new biotech foods before allowing them to be sold. The GAO also said that the FDA should validate more frequently the accuracy of food safety data provided by companies. The FDA agreed with the study's recommendations, but said it should not be forced to do so on a regular basis. The agency said the risk of criminal penalties for submitting false data was a significant deterrent for biotech companies. An FDA risk assessment for a new biotech product averages between 18 months and three years. |
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Reference |
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Item 9 |
Shell invests in bioethanol production |
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Summary |
The Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies has announced that it had invested $29 million in the bioethanol company Iogen Energy Corporation for the development of a commercial-scale plant that will produce ethanol from biomass. Bioethanol is made from fermenting sugars derived from plant fibers, such as wood and straw. According to Shell, when compared with gasoline, ethanol made from plant fiber releases over 90 percent fewer carbon dioxide emissions. And although ethanol is already blended with gasoline in many countries, bioethanol is a potentially more economic and sustainable blending component the company says. |
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Reference |
http://www.earthvision.net/ColdFusion/News_Page1.cfm?NewsID=20802&start=1 |
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Item 10 |
Scientists find new use for agricultural byproducts |
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Summary |
Scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) developed a process that separates the fiber byproduct into lipids, carbohydrates and proteins. When lipids are separated from the fiber byproduct they result in trace amounts of extractable sterols, which have high-value in cosmetics, shampoo and other personal care products applications. Through this new process, the carbohydrates can be used to produce a number of sugars that can be converted into propylene glycol and ethylene glycol. These chemicals can be used in plastic, polyesters and antifreeze. The sugars that are not used for these products can be used for fuel ethanol production. |
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Reference |
http://www.earthvision.net/ColdFusion/News_Page1.cfm?NewsID=20793&start=1 |
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Item 11 |
Sound cleans up water purification filter |
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Summary |
Ultrasound can make bubbles in water that could clean ceramic filters quickly and cheaply, say Linda Weavers and colleagues of Ohio State University, Columbus. When the bubbles burst, they release energy that makes tiny, but fiercely powerful, jets of water that scour the filter's surface and flush away debris. Most municipal water treatment relies on slow, environmentally risky, chemical purification. A greener, more efficient alternative is to use membrane filters but the filters get clogged easily. Ultrasound cleaning could make membrane filtration feasible by keeping the filter clean and prevent it from getting clogged. More tests have been planned to determined how well bubbles remove different contaminants and how different types of filter withstand the sound-induced scouring. |
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Reference |
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Item 12 |
Vehicles, runoff cause most oil pollution in U.S. ocean waters |
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Summary |
The National Research Council reported that nearly 85 percent of the 29 million gallons of petroleum that enter North American ocean waters is the result of urban runoff, small watercraft, polluted rivers and airplanes. Only a small portion, 3.6 millions of oil comes from tanker or pipeline spills. The surprise in the report was the extent to which oil in urban runoff - which comes mainly from cars and trucks, and low-tech, two-stroke engines in small watercraft, mostly pleasure boats and jet skis - is responsible for ocean pollution. Together, they account for nearly three-quarters of petroleum released annually into the sea through oil consumption, as opposed to production and transportation. |
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Reference |
http://www.nandotimes.com/healthscience/story/412906-3285859c.html |