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 |
US To RReducetion in Off-Road Diesel Emission Limitss |
USEPA is drafting new rules to reduce dangerous emissions from off-road diesel-powered vehicles and machinery. |
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12 |
Canada Issues NNew Power Plant Emission LimitsEnergy reform could boost Australia GDP |
Australia's economy would become more productive if the government were to adopt key energy reforms.The government of Canada has issued tighter emission guidelines to reduce smog and acid rain pollutants from new coal, oil and gas fired power plants. |
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3 |
Bangladesh Government Takes Action To Ban Two-Stroke Engines In The City |
Following a High Court order, the Bangladesh government launched the first phase of banning two-stroke vehicles from city roads. |
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II. Subject Area: Environmental Technology |
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4 2 |
Air Ionisers Wipe Out Hospital Infections GE unveils loco to meet emissions standards |
Repeated airborne infections of the bacteria, acinetobacter in an intensive care ward have been eliminated by the installation of a negative air ioniser according to researchers from the Leeds University in the UK.General Electric Co. is introducing new railroad-locomotive technology that meet more-stringent federal emissions standards. |
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5 |
Sensor Snaps Polluting Vehicles As They Pass By |
The UK government is testing a remote sensing device that detects excessive emissions from passing vehicles and photographs offender's licence plate. |
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III. Subject Area: Waste Management and Recycling |
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356 |
Pledge To Curb Cell Phone WasteAustralia takes on 6.9 billion plastic bags mess |
Several US companies have pledged to reduce the number of old wireless phones that wind up in landfills.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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IV. Subject Area: General Environmental News |
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787 |
Temperatures Likely To Set Record High In 2003US global warming emissions in biggest decade drop |
A UKThe Meteorological Office has forecasted that 2003 could be the warmest year ever recorded.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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8 |
American Lung Association Files Intent To Sue USEPA |
The American Lung Association and eight other environmental groups have alerted the USEPA of theirour intent to file a lawsuit against the agency for failure to comply with the Clean Air Act. |
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9 |
'Green' purchasing by US States, Local Governments |
A report from the USEPA shows how more than forty state and local governments are currently implementing environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP) programmes. |
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10 |
Germany Switches To 10ppm Sulphur Mogas |
Germany hasmoves to switched to implement 10 parts per million (ppm) sulphur content in gasoline and diesel on 1 January 1 2003, helped by a 1.5 euro cents-a-litre tax break. |
SUMMARY REPORT
Period Covered: 30 Dec 2002 to 6 Jan 2003
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Item 1 |
US To Reduce Off-Road Diesel Emission LimitsReduction In Off-Road Diesel Emissions 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.The USEPA is drafting new rules to drastically reduce noxious emissions from off-road diesel equipment like tractors and bulldozers starting 2008. 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 proposed rules are expected to be released in the coming spring. The rules and also will also require oil refineries to produce low-sulfur diesel fuel and engine makers to build more sophisticated engines to burn the fuel. 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.Studies show that the new rules could prevent about 8,500 premature deaths a year and reduce asthma and other respiratory ailments linked with human exposure to air particles. The rules could affect one million off-road vehicles and conveyances sincluding bulldozers, tractors, portable generators, forklifts and airport service equipment. |
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Reference |
http://www.planetark.org/avantgo/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=19251 http://www.planetark.org/avantgo/dailynewsstory.cfm?/newsid=19251/newsDate/2-Jan-2003/story.htm 19193 |
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Item 2 |
New PPower PPlant EEmission LLimitsGE 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 New Source Emission Guidelines for Thermal Electricity Generation under the Canadian Environment Protection Act will come be into force on 1 April 1, 2003. The guidelines include new emission limits for the smog pollutants nitrogen oxides (pollutant responsible for smog) that are 60 percent lower than the limits in the previous guidelines and particulate matter limits that are 80 percent lower. for particulate matter. The revised sulfphur dioxide (acid rain precursor) emissions will vary with the sulfphur content of the coal, but will arebe up to 75 percent lower than the previous allowable limits. The revisions bring the guidelines current with the best available technologies that are economically feasible. Environment Canada expects provinces to reduce emissions from the existing power plants as part of their actions to achieve Canada-Wide Standards for particulate matter and ozone by 2010.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://ens-news.com/ens/jan2003/2003-01-03-19.asp#anchor3 http://www.planetark.org/avantgo/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=19205 |
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Item 3 |
Bangladesh Government Takes Action To Ban Two-Stroke Engines In The CityAuto Show Rolls Out A Few Leaner, Cleaner Cars |
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Summary |
Thousands of two-stroke vehicles, believed to be one of the main sources of air pollution, operate in the cities of Bangladesh, exposing city dwellers to dangerous air pollution. To make the city air clean, the High Court passed an order, including eight directives, to different ministries and departments. Following the High Court order, the Government launched the first phase of banning two-stroke vehicles from city roads. A total of 12,500 two-stroke auto-rickshaws were made to go off the roads. To replace the aging and polluting fleets of three-wheelers, the government has so far given permissions to 5,000 four-stroke, CNG-run auto-rickshaws to ply the roads. The Los Angeles Auto Show gives the automakers brightly lit stages to display their latest models. Power, performance and styling are still front and center, yet some new models do offer environmental benefits. The Ford Focus PZEV meets California's stringent partial zero emissions standard without a single compromise for its owners. The Honda Civic Hybrid was the first established mainstream vehicle equipped with a gasoline-electric hybrid power system. The Toyota Prius is defined as a "full" hybrid because it takes the additional step of using its electric motor and battery pack to drive the vehicle at low speeds with the conventional engine turned off, providing added fuel economy benefits. |
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Reference |
http://ens-news.com/ens/jan2003/2003-01-03-02.aspThe Daily Star, 31 Dec 2002 |
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Item 4 |
Air IIonisers WWipe OOut HHospital IInfections |
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Summary |
Repeated airborne infections of the bacteria, acinetobacter in an intensive care ward have been eliminated by the installation of a negative air ioniser according to researchers from the Leeds University in the UK. Acinetobacter infections are often very difficult to treat as the bacterium is resistant to many antibiotics. It poses no real threat to healthy humans but can cause serious infections in people with weakened immune systems. In the first such epidemiological study, researchers have found that the use of air ionisers causes infection rates to fall to zero. The ionisers produce negative air ions that collide with suspended particles and give them a charge. The researchers believe that the charged particles aggregate together and fall out of the air, thereby disinfecting the atmosphere and stopping the transmission of infection. They do not fully understand how the ioniser is working, but they suspect it is damaging or killing the bacteria. |
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Reference |
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Item 5 |
Sensor Snaps Polluting Vehicles As They Pass By |
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Summary |
A remote sensing device that detects excessive emissions from passing vehicles and photographs the offender's licence plate is being tested by the UK government. The device projects infrared and ultra-violet rays across the passing traffic at exhaust-pipe height. A mirror on the opposite side of the road then reflects the light back to a sensor. Chemicals and airborne particles present in a vehicle's exhaust fumes are detected because they absorb particular wavelengths of the light. The data received is analysed by a roadside computer and, if the emissions exceed limits, a camera is triggered to record the offender's number plate. A vehicle can be recorded every 0.7 seconds. The new device will operate on roads with a slight incline, in order to test vehicles while their engines are not cruising. The pollutants identified include carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen. |
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Reference |
http://www.newscientist.com/hottopics/cars/article.jsp?id=99991607&sub=Green%20machines |
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Item 653 |
Pledge TTo CCurb CCell PPhone WWasteAustralia 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.US consumers discard more than 100 million cell phones a year. The phones are small, but usually contain toxic chemicals like lead and cadmium that can leak in landfills. Illinois-based Motorola and nine other cell phone manufacturers have pledged to the United Nations to address the environmental issues linked to cell phone disposal. The cell phone makers are pledging to work on more options for cell phone disposal. They say they will also try to design phones that are more eco-friendly. 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.glrc.org/transcript.php3?story_id=1765 http://www.planetark.org/avantgo/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=19199 |
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Item 77 |
Temperatures LLikely TTo SSet RRecord High IIn 2003Latex: the new world in eco-friendly food packaging |
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Summary |
Global temperatures in 2003 have been forecasted to exceed those in 1998, the hottest year to date, when thermometers rose partly because of the El Niño effect, a weather phenomenon caused by the Pacific Ocean warming up. 2001 was the second- warmest year on record. TA 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 he UK Met Office's Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research has forecasted that the global surface temperature in 2003 will be 0.55oC above the average temperature for 1961-90. A Met Office spokesman said this prediction was the same for the warmest year, 1998, and there was a 50 per cent chance that 2003 would be warmer than four years ago. 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 |
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/environment/story.jsp?story=365196 http://www.foodnavigator.com/news/news.asp?id=6655 |
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Item 8 |
American Lung Association Files Intent To Sue USEPA |
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Summary |
The American Lung Association and eight other environmental groups intend to file a lawsuit against the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) for failure to comply with the Clean Air Act. The step taken on 24 Dec 2002 gives 60 days notice of the group's intention to sue the agency. The Clean Air Act requires USEPA to complete reviews of scientific information on air quality and the US national ambient air standards every five years. USEPA last completed such a review of the science in 1996 and issued new standards in 1997, when the ozone and fine particle standards were strengthened. Since 1996, numerous studies have provided additional ample evidence of the health hazards posed by these pollutants. According to the American Lung Association, the Clean Air Act clearly intended that the science and the standards be reviewed on a regular, five-year basis to ensure the protection of public health and it was time for the USEPA to review its standards and update them to match the science. |
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Reference |
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Item 9 |
'Green' Purchasing By US States, Local Governments |
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Summary |
A report from the US Environmental Protection Agency showed how more than forty state and local governments are currently implementing environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP) programmes. EPP is a programme that encourages and assists agencies in the purchasing of products or services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose. In the report, the study shows that such "green purchasing" has been broaden to include a diverse array of other environmental attributes such as chlorine-free products, reduced volatile organic compounds (VOC) content, use of alternative fuels and reduced product packaging. |
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Reference |
http://www.gnet.org/news/newsdetail.cfm?NewsID=23508&image1=2 |
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Item 10 |
Germany Switches To 10 ppm Mogas |
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Summary |
Germany is well ahead of schedule to meet European Union regulations on environmentally cleaner oil products that require all member states to be on 50 parts per million (ppm) motor fuels by 2005 and 10 ppm gasoline and diesel by 2011. Germany, Europe's largest consumer of motor fuels, moved to 10 ppm gasoline and diesel on 1 Jan 2003, helped by a 1.5 euro cents-a-litre tax break. The new petrol contains only 10 ppm of sulphur and is commonly known as "sulphur free". It is much cleaner than 50 ppm sulphur fuel or unleaded petrol currently used in northwest Europe. |
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Reference |
http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/19262/newsDate/2-Jan-2003/story.htm |