TABLE OF CONTENTS
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S/N |
Title |
Synopsis |
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I. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulation |
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1 |
Energy reform could boost Australia GDP |
Australia's economy would become more productive if the government were to adopt key energy reforms. |
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II. Subject Area: Environmental Technology |
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2 |
GE unveils loco to meet emissions standards |
General Electric Co. is introducing new railroad-locomotive technology that meet more-stringent federal emissions standards. |
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III. Subject Area: Waste Management and Recycling |
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3 |
Australia takes on 6.9 billion plastic bags mess |
Australia will implement measures to reduce plastic bag litter from the current 50 to 80 millions a year by 38 million bags by the end of 2004. |
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4 |
German retailers agree to implement deposit system |
Top German retailers will set up and operate a nationwide clearing system for returned non-refillable cans and bottles from 1 Oct 03. |
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IV. Subject Area: Environmental Research |
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5 |
Danger of toxic metals in soils underestimated |
French soil biologists have shown that soils tainted with heavy metals from industrial pollution and sewage sludge may poison organisms that live in the soil far more readily than previously thought. |
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6 |
Study shows microbes cleaning up Boston Harbor |
US researchers discovered that microbes in the mud are able to clean up spills and leaks into the harbor. |
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7 |
Latex : the new world in eco-friendly food packaging |
Swedish researchers have developed an eco-friendly food packaging from latex. |
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IV. Subject Area: General Environmental News |
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8 |
US global warming emissions in biggest decade drop |
US greenhouse gas emissions fell by 1.2 percent in 2001, the largest decrease in a decade, due in part to slow economic growth and a milder winter. |
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9 |
Report strengthens energy efficiency in North America |
The release of the "North American Energy Efficiency Standards And Labeling" report has strengthened the market for high-efficiency products in North America. |
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10 |
Children gets grant to make a new hospital "green" |
The Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, US will receive US$5 million funding to use environmentally green technology and design for its building. |
SUMMARY REPORT
Period Covered: 23 Dec 2002 to 29 Dec 2002
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Item 1 |
Energy reform could boost Australia GDP |
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Summary |
Australia's economy would become more productive if the government were to adopt key reforms, such as streamlining regulation of the energy industry. Australia's gross domestic product would grow by an additional A$7 billion between 2005-2010 if the Council of Australian Governments' energy market recommendations are implemented. The recommendations included the plan for a single national industry regulator, competitive market for companies in the energy sector and withdrawal of the state's Electricity Tariff Equalisation Fund. The A$660 billion economy would get a further A$1.3 billion boost in that time period if an array of greenhouse gas emission abatement measures were abolished and replaced with a single, national emissions trading regime. |
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Reference |
http://www.planetark.org/avantgo/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=19193 |
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Item 2 |
GE unveils loco to meet emissions standards |
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Summary |
General Electric (GE) Co., in a major revamp of its railroad-locomotive technology, is launching a high-horsepower locomotive design that will meet more-stringent federal emissions standards scheduled to go into effect in two years. The locomotive, called the "Evolution Series", incorporates a new diesel engine and will provide the basic technology for GE locomotives for the next 20 years. The locomotive produces the same horsepower as current GE 4,400-horsepower (3,300 kilowatt) locomotives while cutting polluting gases and particulate matter by more than 40 percent and saving about 3 percent of fuel. |
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Reference |
http://www.planetark.org/avantgo/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=19205 |
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Item 3 |
Australia takes on 6.9 billion plastic bags mess |
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Summary |
Australia has announced a crackdown on plastic bags, aiming to get supermarket chains and retailers to slash litter by 38 million bags by the end of 2004. Australia's 20 million people use 6.9 billion plastic bags a year, of which 50 to 80 millions end up as litter. The government aims to cut plastic bag litter by a minimum of 38 million bags or at least 75 %. The federal government and state governments would draw up relevant legislation over the next six months. Possible measures include a charge on plastic bags and setting "ambitious" recycling targets for supermarkets. |
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Reference |
http://www.planetark.org/avantgo/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=19199 |
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Item 4 |
German retailers agree to implement deposit system |
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Summary |
The German government is introducing a deposit of 25-euro cents for small containers and 50 cents for cans and bottles larger than 1.5 litres from 1 January 2003. Deposits are returned when the bottles and cans are disposed of in special recycling machines. Environmental bodies say the measures support their campaign to clear three billion cans and bottles from Germany's streets. Top German retailers have agreed to set up a nationwide clearing system for returned non-refillable cans and bottles following the 1 January 2003 introduction of deposit charges and start operating it from 1 October 2003. They have also agreed to give the government a timetable of interim steps towards introducing deposit charges for non-refillable cans and bottles. Initially, retailers will only refund deposits on cans and bottles returned to the stores where they were bought. |
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Reference |
http://www.planetark.org/avantgo/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=19182 |
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Item 5 |
Danger of toxic metals in soils underestimated |
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Summary |
A team of soil biologists at the University of Franche-Comte in Besancon, France, has shown that soils tainted with heavy metals from industrial pollution and sewage sludge may poison organisms that live in the soil far more readily than thought. The finding raises fears that unexpectedly high levels of toxins are getting into the food chain. The team allowed snails to rummage around a container filled with cadmium-contaminated soil taken from near a disused lead and zinc smelter. After two weeks, they analysed tissue from the snails and found that around 16 % of the cadmium they had absorbed was from the supposedly inaccessible cadmium bound tightly to the soil. It means that more cadmium than predicted is getting into the food chain. The research team is currently investigating the readiness of other heavy metals such as zinc, copper, lead and mercury getting into the food chain and whether other organisms that feed on soil other than snails can absorb such heavy metals. |
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Reference |
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Item 6 |
Study shows microbes cleaning up Boston Harbor |
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Summary |
Researchers at the University of Massachusetts, US have discovered that microorganisms present in the mud beneath the Boston harbor are able to degrade contaminants like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which were earlier deemed to be unreactive. The microorganisms in the mud, are able to oxidize PAHs and their own food sources with the sulphate compound present in the waters. Although the discovery showed that Boston Harbor and the other harbors are capable of undergoing natural clean-up of contaminants from fuel spills, industrial waste, shipping activities and runoff, the spillage rate is too rapid for nature to keep up with. Thus active environmental protection is currently the only way to ensure clean harbors and waters. |
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Reference |
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Item 7 |
Latex: the new world in eco-friendly food packaging |
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Summary |
A research team at the University of Karlstadt, in Sweden is nearing completion to develop an eco-friendly food-packaging alternative to the more traditional use of polyethylene. This alternative can also act as a barrier against moisture and oxygen in food packaging. The research findings show that coating of paper and cardboard with latex has several advantages compared with coating of polyethylene. The latex film renders the packaging simple to recycle or compost; and it also enables the package's seams to be easily fused without having to glue the edges. |
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Reference |
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Item 8 |
Report strengthens energy efficiency in North America |
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Summary |
The market for high-efficiency products in North America has been strengthened with the release of a "North American Energy Efficiency Standards And Labeling" report on energy efficiency. The report provides an update on the North American Energy Working Group's progress on energy efficiency. It describes why standards and labeling programs are effective instruments in meeting energy-efficiency goals. It explains the different processes and institutional contexts for these programs in each country and identifies where commonalities and differences exist. The report notes that as a result of Mexico's recent adoption of new standards for energy efficiency, the three countries will have harmonized minimum efficiency requirements and test procedures for refrigerators, freezers, electric motors and window air-conditioners before the end of the first quarter of 2003. |
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Reference |
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Item 9 |
US global warming emissions in biggest decade drop |
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Summary |
US greenhouse gas emissions fell by 1.2 percent in 2001, the largest decrease in a decade, due in part to slow economic growth and a milder winter. The decline was in sharp contrast to the average 1.3 percent annual growth rate in US emissions from 1990 to 2000 and was twice the level of the only other drop since 1990 - a 0.6 percent decline in 1991. Still, US greenhouse gas emissions in 2001 were 11.9 percent higher than in 1990. The decline in emissions could be due to:
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Reference |
http://www.planetark.org/avantgo/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=19183 |
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Item 10 |
Children gets grant to make a new hospital "green" |
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Summary |
The Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh will receive US$5 million in state funding to use environmentally "green" technology and design for the new hospital's building. The benefits of green technology include a healthier environment for patients and employees, lower utility costs, less solid waste from going to landfills and an air filtration system that will lower emissions. Currently, 25 percent of the buildings in the United States that are certified as "green" under the U.S Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system, are located in Pennsylvania. The new hospital building is expected to complete in 2007 and it will be the one of the first environmentally green hospitals in the nation. |
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Reference |
http://pittburgh.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/storeies/2002/12/23/daily4.html |