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 |
EU slashes sulphur content in automototive fuels from 2005 |
The European Union has passed a law that will reduce sulphur content in automotive petrol and diesel by 2005 and phase out sulphur in fuel by 2009. |
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2 |
Africa accelerates switch to unleaded petrol |
A United Nations Environment Programme report showed that African countries would phase out lead from petrol within five years. |
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II. Subject Area: Environmental Technology |
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3 |
Innovative Biotechnology used to decontaminate land in the U.S. |
A US company has come up with waste eating 'bugs' to recover lost real estate equity due to contamination in a fraction of the time it takes conventional methods. |
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4 |
New patent improves diesel performance and reduces greenhouse gases |
A US company claims to have developed a fuel atomizer that reduce fuels consumption per mile on diesel-powered vehicles, as well as improve the performance of stationary generators. |
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5 |
US company develops promising Solar/Fuel Cell Power System |
A US company will be developing a 'stand-alone' regenerative solar-fuel cell system. |
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III. Subject Area: Waste Management and Recycling |
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6 |
Micro-turbines turns sewage gas into electricity |
A US sewage plant is using micro turbines to produce electricity from bio-gas efficiently to supplement its power requirement. |
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IV. Subject Area: General Environmental News |
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7 |
Ministry says dioxins found in German animal feed |
Animal feed produced by a East German firm was found to contain excessive dioxins in January 2003 and 300 pigs given the feed has to be slaughtered. |
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8 |
Man-made activities worsen mercury pollution |
The United Nations has released its first report on the global impact of mercury. |
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9 |
USEPA to test safety of silicofluorides in US water supplies |
The USEPA intends to test the silicofluorides, which have been introduced into U.S water supplies more than 50 years ago, amidst public health concerns. |
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10 |
EU aims to improve greenhouse gas monitoring system |
The European Commission launched a proposal to improve the monitoring of European Union's greenhouse gas emissions. |
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SUMMARY REPORT
Period Covered: 4 Feb 2003 to 9 Feb 2003
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Item 1 |
EU slashes sulphur content in automotive fuels from 2005 |
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Summary |
The European Union (EU) has passed a law that will reduce sulphur content in automotive petrol and diesel by 2005 and phase out sulphur in fuel by 2009.The law sets the cap on sulphur content to 50 ppm by 1 Jan 2005. The current sulphur limits in EU are 150 ppm for petrol and 350 ppm in diesel. The EU government has to ensure the availability of fuel with 10 ppm sulphur content by 2005 and sulphur-free fuel by 2009. The refinery industry body, Europia, estimated that a reduction of sulphur from 50 ppm to 10 ppm would cost about Euros $11 billion. EU will review the sulphur limits for non-road machinery in 2005. |
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Reference |
http://www.planet.ark.com.au/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/19675/newsDate/3-Feb-2003/story.htm |
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Item 2 |
Africa accelerates switch to unleaded petrol |
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Summary |
A United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report showed that African countries would phase out lead from petrol within five years. Leaded gasoline is still widely being used in Africa. UNEP warned that lead emissions released with exhaust fumes would lead to many ailments including respiratory problems. About 90 percent of the world's petrol supplies are unleaded, and the remaining 10 percent made up of leaded fuel are found mainly in Africa and some countries in Asia and Latin America. UNEP blamed Africa's slow response to switch to unleaded fuel mainly due to outdated technology, a lack of awareness of the health risks and misconceptions about the impact of unleaded fuels on the engines. |
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Reference |
http://www.planet.ark.com.au/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/19700/newsDate/5-Feb-2003/story.htm |
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Item 3 |
Innovative biotechnology used to decontaminate land in the U.S. |
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Summary |
Sub-Surface Waste Management Inc. (SSWM) has patented a proprietary technology that can quickly recover lost real estate equity in a matter of months, rather than the years or decades remediation takes with conventional technology. Using specially designed treatment processes, SSWM deploys its special bacteria blends, known as "bugs" to contaminated soil and groundwater zones. The bugs are engineered to penetrate the impacted areas and "eat" the contamination, turning it into harmless carbon dioxide and water. Once the bugs have eaten all contamination sources, they die off and decompose harmlessly in the soil. |
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Reference |
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Item 4 |
New patent improves diesel performance and reduces greenhouse gases |
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Summary |
KleenAir, a US company, announced that it has developed a low-cost fuel atomizer that reduces fuel consumption per mile on diesel-powered vehicles such as buses, trucks and off-road construction equipment as well as improves the performance of stationary generators. The device reduces CO2 emissions, particulates, hydrocarbons and NOx due to reduced fuel usage and better burning characteristics. The Diesel Fuel Atomizer uses KleenAir's patented Sonic Flow technology to atomize as much as 90% of diesel fuel, the balance being used for ignition. This results in significantly improved operating performance by permitting the complete burn of the fuel. |
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Reference |
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Item 5 |
US company develops promising Solar/Fuel Cell Power System |
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Summary |
Proton Energy Systems, Inc., a US company, will be developing a regenerative solar/Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell demonstration system to support testing at the Naval Air Weapons Station at China Lake, CA. During a testing program spanning six months, Proton's system will use its solar panels to supply electricity during the day while at the same time using part of the solar power to generate hydrogen and store the hydrogen in tanks. Once night falls, the system will regenerate the sunlight-produced hydrogen and use a PEM fuel cell to create ultra clean electrical power, emitting only water which will be recycled through the system to create hydrogen via sunlight once again. The primary objective of the project is to demonstrate the feasibility of a constant, grid independent power output through the use of a renewable energy system that is capable of remote operation. |
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Reference |
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Item 6 |
Micro-turbines turns sewage gas into electricity |
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Summary |
Spurred by California's rapidly rising energy costs, a wastewater treatment facility in Cardiff, US, installed three micro turbines that produce about 15 percent of the plant's power requirements or about $600,000 worth of electricity each year. The turbines get their fuel from a pair of huge "methane digesters" standing nearby. Apart from electricity, the turbines also generate heat that is used to warm the facility's digesters, which must be kept at 98 degrees to do their jobs. The project qualified for a $100,000 state renewable energy grant. |
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Reference |
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Item 7 |
Ministry says dioxins found in German animal feed |
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Summary |
Germany's Agriculture Ministry reported that tests in January 2003 had shown animal feed produced by a firm in Eastern Germany, in the state of Thuringia, contained around 15 times more than the permitted level of dioxins. Dioxins have been linked to several cancers in humans, including lymphomas and lung cancer. Some 300 pigs that had been given the feed had to be slaughtered after tests showed high levels of the poison. Dioxins come from both natural and industrial sources, such as medical and municipal waste incineration and paper pulp production. It enters the food chain when animals eat contaminated plants, building up in the fat of mammals and fish. |
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Reference |
http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/19767/newsDate/10-Feb-2003/story.htm |
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Item 8 |
Man-made activities Worsen Mercury Pollution |
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Summary |
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), man-made activities such as gold mining and coal-powered power generation have tripled the mercury levels in the air since pre-industrial times. Mercury pollution affects the food chain, putting women and children at greater risks. Mercury poisoning could lead to brain and nerve damage, resulting in impaired coordination, blurred vision, tremors, irritability and memory loss. It was found that increase in temperature from global warming would exacerbate the mercury pollution. UNEP's first report on the global impact of mercury pollution found that more than 1,500 tonnes of mercury was released into the air by power stations each year. Asia followed by Africa are the biggest culprits. Small-scale mining, where mercury is used to extract gold and sliver from ores, is another main source of the pollution, releasing about 400-500 tonnes of mercury each year. A US study discovered that one out of twelve women had mercury levels in their bodies above limits deemed safe by national authorities. Up to 300,000 babies in US are also at risk of brain damage with possible impacts like learning difficulties and impaired nervous systems. Animals, which prey on fish, are also prone to mercury pollution. |
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Reference |
http://www.planet.ark.com.au/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/19693/newsDate/4-Feb-2003/story.htm |
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Item 9 |
Water Additive Consumed Daily Never Safety-Tested in Humans or Animals |
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Summary |
Amidst concern on public health, the USEPA intends to test the silicofluorides, some 50 years after they were first introduced into U.S water supplies. According to the USEPA, cavity-preventing water-fluoride chemicals consumed by most Americans are neither FDA approved nor tested for health effects. Although used by over 91% of US fluoridating communities, silicofluorides, were nominated for study, for the first time, in October 2001, by the National Toxicology Program. Recent research shows that children who drink silicofluoridated water have higher blood lead levels than children who live in sodium fluoridated or non-fluoridated communities. |
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Reference |
http://www.enn.com/direct/display-release.asp?objid=D1D1364E000000F342DB3F89AD3F486B |
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Item 10 |
EU Aims To Improve Greenhouse Gas Monitoring System |
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Summary |
The European Commission launched a proposal to improve the monitoring of European Union's greenhouse gas emissions in order to meet its Kyoto target and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions. Member states would have to give more information on the collection of emission data and to standardise the means to make emission forecasts across Europe. The European Commission is also looking into an emission trading system for companies to buy credits while monitoring the emissions of carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases. |
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Reference |
http://www.planet.ark.com.au/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/19741/story.htm |