Environment Report 7 Apr to 13 Apr 2003

TABLE OF CONTENTS

S/N	Title	Synopsis
I. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulation
1	US Government Bans Lead In Candle Wicks	The US Consumer Product Safety Commission has banned lead wicks in candles due to health risks.
2	EU To Adopt Energy Tax Scheme To Help Meet Kyoto Goals	EU Finance Ministers approved a harmonized energy tax scheme that is designed to help meet its obligations for cutting greenhouse gas emissions under the Kyoto Protocol.
3	China to Create Nationwide Program for Trading of SO₂ Emissions	China will implement a nationwide SO₂ emissions trading program after successful pilot testing in several provinces and cities.
II. Subject Area: Environmental Technology
4	GM And BMW To Jointly Support Hydrogen Cars	GM and BMW have agreed to work jointly to develop refueling devices for liquid hydrogen vehicles.
5	Fish Waste Finds A New Use	A UK company is testing a new method of binding heavy metals in groundwater and soil that could be used for soil and water remediation.
III. Subject Area: Renewable and Green Energy
6	Packaging In Transit - Greening The Way	A UK Consultancy found that companies could make savings and help the environment by redesigning their transport packaging.
7	Spain Amends Law to Allow Deductions For Firms Investing in Renewable Energy	The Spanish government gives a 10% tax deduction for investments in renewable energy sources.
8	FDA Seeks Action On Mercury-Laden Fish	Federal health officials from the Food and Drug Administration are studying which fish and how much of them are eaten by women of childbearing age to reduce the number of fetuses harmed by mercury.
9	Indian Villagers Crippled By Fluoride	Excess fluoride has turned the ground water into a slow poison crippling at least 10,000 people and leaving hundreds of thousand of others in constant misery in southern India.
10	FedEx, Environmental Group Form Alliance To Design, Develop Cleaner Delivery Truck	FedEx and an environmental group have entered into a partnership to develop hybrid delivery trucks with lower emissions and greater fuel efficiency.

SUMMARY REPORT

Period Covered: 7 Apr to 13 Apr 2003

Item 1

US Government Bans Lead In Candle Wicks

Summary

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has banned lead wicks in candles because of health risks, but consumer groups say the agency should have acted sooner.

Putting lead in candlewicks makes them stand up straighter but it vaporizes when set alight and can be inhaled. Some of the candles tested by CPSC emitted lead levels in excess of 3,000 micrograms per hour - about seven times the rate that could lead to elevated levels of lead in a child. CPSC estimates that an indoor air lead level of 430 micrograms per hour from burning candles could result in hazardous exposure to children.
Lead poisoning in children is associated with behavioral problems, learning disabilities, hearing problems and growth retardation. Although the primary source of lead poisoning in the United States is lead from paint in older homes, lead accumulates in the body, and even exposure to small amounts of lead can contribute to the overall level of lead in the blood. (TOC)

Reference

http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/20427/story.htm

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml03/03105.html

Item 2	EU To Adopt Energy Tax Scheme To Help Meet Kyoto Goals
Summary	EU Finance Ministers approved a harmonized energy tax scheme that is designed to help meet its obligations for cutting greenhouse gas emissions under the Kyoto Protocol. The scheme imposes duties on electricity and natural gas and coal used for heating. It also raises minimum taxes on various motor fuels and fuels used for industrial or commercial purposes. The rates are effective from 1 Jan 2004. The scheme is meant to help the EU reduce dependency on imported energy and meet its obligations to reduce greenhouse gases by 8% from 1990 levels by 2012. (TOC)
Reference	International Environment Reporter Vol26, No 7. Page 314

Item 3	China to Create Nationwide Program for Trading of SO₂ Emissions
Summary	China will be implementing a nationwide SO₂emission-trading program following successful pilot programs in several provinces and cities. It plans to implement the program in two phases starting with a total emissions control regime followed by a pollution discharge permit system. In order to effectively implement the program, the Government is setting up a comprehensive inspection and monitoring system needed to enforce the control regime. Local governments support the program because it they see it as cost effective way to solve existing environmental problems. (TOC)
Reference	International Environment Reporter Vol26, No 7. Page 320

Item 4

GM And BMW To Jointly Support Hydrogen Cars

Summary

General Motors Corp. (GM) and BMW AG will work to establish global standards for hydrogen refueling devices such as the coupler which connects liquid hydrogen fueling pumps to future cars. Both GM and BMW are stretching to have hydrogen-based vehicles on the road by 2010.

Thus far their research has been non complementary. GM has invested heavily in developing fuels cells to power electric motors in vehicles to replace the current internal combustion engines. BMW is studying burning hydrogen in internal combustion engines as a more practical alternative to developing electric motors and fuel cells. (TOC)

Reference

http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/20422/newsDate/10-Apr-2003/story.htm

Item 5

Fish Waste Finds A New Use

Summary

A UK company is testing a new method of binding heavy metals in groundwater and soil, using a byproduct of the fish food industry. Slater UK Limited has now introduced the Phosphate-Induced Metal Stabilization (PIMS) derived from fish waste, to the UK market where they hope to reduce the leaching of bioavailable metals in soil. The PIMS technology is ideal for remediating soil and water contaminated with heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, nickel and zinc. It can also be used to remove radionuclides such as uranium and plutonium from contaminated groundwater.(TOC)

Reference

http://www.edie.net/gf.cfm?L=left_frame.html&R=http://www.edie.net/news/Archive/6866.cfm

http://www.slateruklimited.co.uk/soil_stabilisation.htm

Item 6	Packaging In Transit -Greening The Way
Summary	Studies and audit exercise in the UK revealed that companies could potentially save and help the environment by redesigning their packaging for transport purposes. Businesses that tend to focus on the design of their products tend to ignore environmental impact of packaging. According to a survey, UK companies are now more aware of their product's storage, transport and delivery needs vis-à-vis environmental impact. As a result, businesses in the UK are now spending more on packaging that could significantly reduce transport costs. This is accomplished by developing more efficient ways of ordering, designing and using cardboard packaging to distribute their goods. (TOC)
Reference	http://www.edie.net/news/Archive/6877.cfm

Item 7	Spain Amends Law to Allow Deductions For Firms Investing in Renewable Energy
Summary	In a move to reduce industrial air and water pollution, the Spanish government enacted a modified tax code giving a 10% deduction for companies investing in renewable energy sources. The new code incorporates three additions meant to elaborate on environmental protection provisions in the Spanish Corporate Tax Law that deals exclusively with environmental protection. The tax deductions are meant for installations aimed at reducing industrial air and water pollution and at treating industrial waste in ways that are correct from an environmental point of view. Also deductible are investments in solar energy, biomass fuel from forest or agricultural waste, natural gas created from solid waste or water treatment waste, and ethanol and biodiesel created from treated oils or plant matter. (TOC)
Reference	International Environment Reporter Vol26, No 7. Page 338

Item 8	FDA Seeks Action On Mercury-Laden Fish
Summary	To reduce the number of fetuses harmed by mercury, federal officials are studying which fish and how much of them are eaten by women of childbearing age. Certain fish have more mercury from the others which has led the government to warn women against eating too much of them. In 2001, FDA advised women who were pregnant or could become pregnant not to eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish. These are the species containing the most mercury. Consumer activists attacked the warning of omitting tuna. The FDA will decide what to say about canned tuna by year's end. FDA only regulates commercial fish and the Environmental Protection Agency and states oversee recreational fishing. They hope to come up with clearer consumer advice about the two types. (TOC)
Reference	http://www.enn.com/news/2003-04-10/s_3778.asp

Item 9	Indian Villagers Crippled By Fluoride
Summary	Nagonda, in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh is one of the poorest and most drought-prone in the state. 600 villagers and 300,000 people have been affected by excess fluoride in their ground water and at least 10,000 people are totally crippled. The seriousness of the problem can be measured by the fact that the groundwater has 10 to 12 parts per million (ppm) of fluoride in contrast to a maximum permitted level of just 1.5 ppm. Local people have been demanding that the government bring clean water from other areas through a pipeline for the past 30 years but it had previously shown little seriousness towards solving the problem Current plans to bring clean water from the river Krishna will cost 12 billion rupees and will only be available to the villagers in June 2004. If it comes, it will still be too late for thousands who are already crippled by fluorosis. (TOC)
Reference	http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2926049.stm

Item 10	FedEx, Environmental Group Form Alliance To Design, Develop Cleaner Delivery Truck
Summary	The world's largest express transportation company and an environmental group, the Alliance for Environmental Initiatives, have entered into a partnership that will develop a hybrid diesel-electric powered delivery truck with lower emissions and greater fuel efficiency than the company's existing truck fleet. The new design will be ultimately used by FedEx to replace its existing fleet of 45,000 medium weight trucks. The hybrid trucks will have 90% fewer emissions and 50% better fuel efficiency. The alliance and FedEx entered into the project for different reasons. The alliance goal was to push development of cleaner trucks, improve air quality, and convince other owners of fleets to move to the technology; FedEx's goals were built around maintaining an innovative edge, achieving environmental goals, and saving money and fuel. (TOC)
Reference	International Environment Reporter Vol26, No 7. Page 355

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