S/N

Title

Synopsis

I. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulation

1

Thailand Ratifies Kyoto Emission Reduction Pact

Thailand ratified the Kyoto protocol on global warming. Under the protocol, industrialised nations must cut the emissions of greenhouse gases by an average of five percent over the period 2008 to 2012, compared with 1990 levels.

2

Senate Panel Votes To Restrict Trade Of Methyl Bromide And Other Substances

The United States Foreign Relations Committee approved two amendments to the Montreal Protocol that would tighten trade restrictions on methyl bromide and other substances that deplete the ozone layer.

3

Korean Environment Ministry Seeks To Raise Air Quality By Reducing Automotive Emissions

The South Korea Ministry of Environment announced a new ten-year plan to improve the air quality in and around Seoul by focusing on reducing automotive sources of air pollution.

4

Britain Unveils New Targets for Reducing Air Pollutants

The United Kingdom Government set new targets for air pollutants such as particulate matter, benzene, carbon monoxide and polycyclic hydrocarbons to reduce air pollution.

5

Finland Outlaws POPs Ahead Of EU Schedule

Finland introduced a new legislation to ban the production, import and export of persistent organic pollutants or any goods treated with them, except if used under laboratory conditions for research purposes.

II. Subject Area: Environmental Technology

6

New Power Source To Help Cut Global Warming

III. Subject Area: Environmental Pollution and Health

7

Household Chemicals May Damage Health

A study conducted by the United Kingdom's Consumers' Association showed that many chemicals found in household products are a threat to human health.

IV. Subject Area: General Environmental News

8

Remote Sensing Technology To Measure Tailpipe Emissions In Great Smoky Mountains

The American Lung Association funded a study to measure the tailpipe emissions from vehicles cruising through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

9

Ships Plying EU Waters Contribute 20-30 Percent of SO₂, NO_x Emissions

A study conducted by the European Commission showed that ships travelling in European Union waters contribute 20 to 30 percent of all airborne sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides in the western European coastal areas.

10

Vehicles Entering Poland to Be Stopped For Emissions Tests

The Polish Environment Minister announced that vehicles transiting Poland would be stopped at the border for emission tests.

Item 1

Thailand Ratifies Kyoto Emission Reduction Pact

Summary

Thailand had ratified the Kyoto protocol on global warming. Under the protocol, industrialised nations must cut the emissions of greenhouse gases by an average of five percent over the period 2008 to 2012, compared with 1990 levels. The ratification was perfectly timed as it coincided with the Earth Summit in Johannesburg where government leaders and environment advocates were meeting. Fifty-five nations producing 55 percent of the world's carbon dioxide emissions must ratify the pact before it would become binding.

Reference

http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/17493/newsDate/29-Aug-2002/story.htm

Item 2

Senate Panel Votes To Restrict Trade Of Methyl Bromide And Other Substances

Summary

The United States Foreign Relations Committee approved the Montreal Amendment and the Beijing Amendment. These two amendments to the Montreal Protocol were signed by the United States and other nations in 1997 and 1999. The Montreal Amendment would add methyl bromide to the list of substances that are subjected to trade controls with countries that are not party to the Montreal Protocol. The amendment would also add a licensing requirement for the export and import of all substances controlled under the protocol. The Beijing Amendment would establish trade and production controls on hydrochlorofluorocarbons and would also add bromochloromethane to the list of controlled substance, institute a phase out of production and consumption of the substance and establish a ban on trade with non-parties. The amendments are now ready for consideration by the full Senate, where they must receive a two-thirds vote to be approved for ratification.

Reference

International Environment Reporter Vol. 25 No. 17, 14 Aug 2002, Page 791

Item 3

Korean Environment Ministry Seeks To Raise Air Quality By Reducing Automotive Emissions

Summary

Under the new plan, the Ministry aimed to achieve a 40 percent reduction in airborne particulate matter, a 50 percent reduction in nitrogen oxides, a 60 percent reduction in sulphur oxides, and a 70 percent reduction in volatile organic compounds from 2000 emission levels over a ten-year period through 2012. The numerical targets would apply collectively to Seoul, 20 other cities around the capital, and four power plant complexes and one large industrial park located close enough to the capital region that migration of air pollutants occurs. The Ministry would also strengthen the emission standards for new gasoline-powered vehicles to California's Ultra Low Emission Vehicle standard, and those for new diesel-powered vehicles would be strengthened to the Euro IV standard in 2006. The emission standards for bulldozers, forklifts, excavators, and other off-road, diesel-powered equipment would be set at levels equivalent to the United States Tier 1 federal standard from 2003 and the Tier 2 federal standard from 2005. More stringent sulphur content standards would apply to gasoline and diesel fuel, and pollution reduction devices would become mandatory for trucks. The ten-year plan also envisioned 150,000 gasoline-electric hybrid cars and 100,000 electric cars on the road, and most fleets of city buses running on natural gas engines in 2012. In addition, the Ministry would expand its current biennial surcharge on diesel-powered vehicles to all motor vehicles.

Reference

International Environment Reporter Vol. 25 No. 17, 14 Aug 2002, Page 797

Item 4

Britain Unveils New Targets For Reducing Air Pollutants

Summary

New targets had been introduced by the Government to reduce air pollution in Britain. Under the new measures, air pollution from particulate matter would be reduced by 50 percent by 2004, to an average of 20 micrograms per cubic metre over the year. Target levels of benzene and carbon monoxide would also be cut, and targets would be set for the first time for polycyclic hydrocarbons, produced by home coal and wood burning fires, aluminum manufacturers, and cars. New targets were also set to control daily pollution levels. The number of times the particulate matter could exceed 50 micrograms per cubic metre would be reduced from 35 times a year to seven. Local authorities that failed to meet the new targets would be forced to introduce measures to do so.

Reference

International Environment Reporter Vol 25 No 17, 14 Aug 2002, Page 778

Item 5

Finland Outlaws POPs Ahead Of EU Schedule

Summary

Finland introduced a new legislation to ban the production, import and export of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) or any goods treated with them, except if used under laboratory conditions for research purposes. The decree would take effect in September 2002 and it would give Finland a lead in the implementation of a global convention on POPs signed last year in Stockholm. Ratification by 50 signatories was needed before the convention could come into force. Sixteen had completed the process, including four European Union countries. The European Union's deadline for implementation was 2004.

Reference

http://www.environmentdaily.com/articles/index.cfm?action=article&ref=12727

Item 6

New Power Source To Help Cut Global Warming

Summary

The new power system could replace traditional steam condensers used at large installations such as power plants and paper mills and convert much of the wasted energy to electricity. In effect, it would increase the fuel efficiency of large power plants by 10 to 15 percent by avoiding use of additional fuel. According to the CEO of Stirling Advantage Inc., large power plants currently wasted about two-thirds of their energy input to produce electricity. If the new power systems were to replace steam condensers at all the United States power plants and increasing the fuel efficiency by 10 percent, the power industry could meet demand growth without adding generation capacity or producing any additional harmful emissions for at least five years. The company believed that economic use of wasted thermal energy is a critical component of a comprehensive environmental cleanup plan.

Reference

http://www.gnet.org/news/newsdetail.cfm?NewsID=21946&image1=2

Item 7

Household Chemicals May Damage Health

Summary

A study conducted by the United Kingdom's Consumers' Association showed that many chemicals found in household products such as cosmetics, air fresheners, shower gels, children's toys and resins used to line food cans are a threat to human health. The families of chemicals examined by the association included artificial musks phthalates, bisphenol A and organotins. The study concluded that some of these chemicals could bioaccumulate for years and short-term exposure to the potentially harmful chemicals may lead to allergies and asthma. The Consumers' Association called for tighter regulation at the European Union level of chemicals that bioaccumulate, or gather in the body tissue over time and urged lawmakers to adopt a precautionary approach to prove that chemicals are safe before they are used.

Reference

International Environment Reporter Vol. 25 No. 17, 14 Aug 2002, Page 781

Item 8

Remote Sensing Technology To Measure Tailpipe Emissions In Great Smoky Mountains

Summary

During the two-week study, remote sensing devices would be used to sample several thousand vehicles in the popular Cades Cove and Clingmans Dome areas, the Cherokee, N.C., and Gatlinburg entrances to the park, and the Gatlinburg Bypass. Pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons, precursors to ozone pollution and carbon monoxide would be measured with infrared and ultraviolet light by a laser beam projected across the road. The researchers would also look for about 50 other possible pollutants in the air.

Reference

http://www.enn.com/news/wire-stories/2002/08/08272002/s_48266.asp

Item 9

Ships Plying EU Waters Contribute 20-30 Percent of SO₂, NO_x Emissions

Summary

A study conducted by the European Commission showed that ships travelling in European Union waters contribute between 20 percent and 30 percent of all airborne sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides in the western European coastal areas. The results also indicated that ship emissions may be an important contributor to particulate matter in Europe, especially in coastal areas and areas dominated by long-range transport. Ship traffic emissions appeared to contribute between 5 to 10 percent of the calculated PM10 concentration in large parts of Great Britain, Portugal and Italy, but between 10 to 20 percent in Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden and more than 20 percent in the remote areas of these countries.

Reference

International Environment Report Vol 25 No 17, 14 Aug 2002, Page 775

Item 10

Vehicles Entering Poland To Be Stopped for Emission Tests

Summary

The Polish Environment Minister announced that cars and trucks transiting Poland would be stopped at the border for emission tests. Equipment measuring emission exhaust would be installed at the border and vehicles that do not meet the Polish emission standards would not be let into the country. The Minister commented that the 2.7 million foreign trucks transiting Poland were the chief environmental polluters because majority of them were not well maintained and the emission test would help to reduce the environmental pollution from these vehicles.

Reference

International Environment Reporter Vol. 25 No. 17, 14 Aug 2002, Page 777