Spain Environment Ministry issued a new rule for determining the basis for awarding subsidies to companies responsible for treatment and recycling of used oil. The Environment Ministry had earlier approved a subsidy plan for the treatment and recycling of waste oil. Under the subsidy plan, companies, both primary contractors and subcontractors, that carried out activities related to the regeneration and treatment of used oil in 2002 were eligible for subsidies. The subsidies varied between 18.04 euro per ton of waste oil for recycling activities different from regeneration and 90.16 euro per ton of oil for oil earmarked for regeneration.

The new rule specified that companies must comply with the emissions legislation and environmental and human health standards in order to be eligible for subsidies. The new rule also acknowledged the jurisdiction of 17 regional governments, making the subsidies subjected to greater control. The regional governments are required under the new rule to provide the Environmental Quality and Evaluation Directorate with verifiable receipts from subsidy recipients before funds could be transferred to them for the disbursement of subsidies. The new rule is intended to increase coordination between the regional and central governments in order to enable officials to keep track of the subsidies and to avoid any jurisdictional overlap that might result in companies being awarded subsidies twice.

Thailand's Pollution Control Department (PCD), under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment had prepared a national waste management plan and hoped that the government would adopt it within the next year. The plan emphasized on the minimisation and separation of waste at the household and business levels, and the recycling of electronic products to deal with the growing problem of electronic waste in Thailand. PCD would be hosting a workshop in June this year and academics, private sector representatives, environmental groups, and officials from other government agencies would be invited to comment on PCD's proposals before the plan is presented to the government for adoption.

Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology in United States developed a new system which can be used to produce hydrogen needed to power small-scale fuel cells in homes or vehicles. The new system uses oxides of rare earth elements as catalyst to produce hydrogen from water vapour and hydrocarbon. Unlike traditional processes which required temperatures of above 800 degrees Celsius to produce hydrogen from hydrocarbon, the new system could be operated at a much lower temperature. The low operating temperature could allow the use of solar energy, a renewable energy source, to supply the heat required for the production of hydrogen for fuel cells. By relying on the use of renewable energy source could make the system more attractive to home users and remote locations.

Researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in United States found that cadmium could inhibit the repair of DNA and cause genetic defects and cancer. Cadmium is a naturally occurring metal, found in all soils and rocks, including coal and fertilizers. It is used in the production of metal coatings, plastics and batteries. The general population can be exposed to cadmium from breathing cigarette smoke, drinking contaminated water or eating food that contains it. The researchers also found that the amount of cadmium needed to inhibit repair and increase the mutations of the DNA was remarkably small and cadmium disappears from organisms very slowly. Its half-life in human body can be as long as 20 years.

Researchers at the St Mary's Hospital in Southern England found that children who were exposed to nitrogen dioxide from vehicle exhausts had more serious asthma attacks. They measured the personal exposures of 114 asthmatic children between the ages of 8 - 11 from non-smoking families over almost a year and found a strong relationship between higher levels of nitrogen dioxide and the severity of an asthma attack. The researchers also found that the effects of nitrogen dioxide on asthmatic children are occurring at levels that are currently considered to be safe by international quality standards. With up to 150 million people worldwide suffering from asthma and cases expected to rise by 50 per cent every 10 years, the findings would have important health implications.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) launched a set of policy guidelines for Asian countries to combat worsening air pollution and urged that governments, private companies, and nongovernmental groups should work together to improve the quality of air. The policy guidelines focused on reducing pollution from vehicles, including motorcycles and three-wheel taxis, which are very common in the region. The guidelines covered emission standards, traffic planning and management, use of clean fuels, and inspection and maintenance.

ADB found that motor vehicles are the main source of air pollution in Asia. A study conducted by the World Health Organisation showed that about 800,000 people died prematurely each year from urban outdoor air pollution, with about 500,000 of the total believed to be in Asia. A separate World Bank study showed that Bangkok and Manila are the most polluted capitals in Asia.

The chief of ADB's regional and sustainable development department said that governments and the private sector need to make investments to improve air quality monitoring, vehicle inspections, refinery modifications, and new emission-reduction technologies. He suggested that governments should offer financial rewards for companies that help to improve air quality.

General Motors Corporation announced that they are expecting to sign new agreements for testing stationary fuel cells. The company had earlier signed an agreement with Dow Chemical Company Limited to supply and test a fuel cell system to help power a Dow plant in Texas. If the initial testing is successful, the cells could eventually produce up to 35 megawatts of electricity per year for the plant, enough for 25,000 homes.

The company viewed its testing of fuel cells as part of a broader effort to develop cells for cars that would be competitive with gasoline-powered engines and aimed to have fuel cell-powered vehicles on the road by 2010. Fuel cells are seen as an environmentally friendly alternative to standard gasoline engines because they generate electricity with little or no toxic emissions.

Chevron Energy Solutions developed and installed a solar photovoltaic system to power an oil field in California. It was used to provide electricity to the oil pumping units and processing plants. The new solar facility was made up of 4,800 flexible solar panels mounted on metal frames and the solar panels could withstand direct impact and puncture without compromising their ability to generate power. The solar panels could also be used for commercial roofing and other large industrial applications that required flexibility and resilience. The solar photovoltaic system is a good example of how solar technology has quickly matured and became a viable solution for commercial and industrial applications, including oil field operations.

Spire Solar Chicago, a U.S. solar company, and Commonwealth Edison, the electric utility company in Chicago would offer rebates to promote the installation of locally-manufactured solar electric systems in the city. A rebate of US$1,250 per kilowatt for the balance of this year and US$1,000 per kilowatt in 2004 would be given to individuals and organisations who purchased solar photovoltaic systems or panels from Spire Solar Chicago with a direct nameplate capacity of up to 50 kilowatt. To be eligible for the rebates, buildings must be located within the city of Chicago and have an active electricity account with Commonwealth Edison. The installations can be residential, commercial or industrial applications, and can be located on new construction or renovations. Funding for the rebates is provided by Commonwealth Edison.

Under the Climate Leaders Programme, a key component of the Bush Administration's climate change policy launched last year, three Climate Leaders pledged to lower their greenhouse emissions by setting new reduction goals and 11 new companies had joined the programme. Climate Leaders is a voluntary industry - government partnership that encourages companies to develop long-term comprehensive climate change strategies and set greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals. The three new reductions goals set by the Climate Leaders were as follows:

• Pfizer Inc., New York, N.Y., pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 35 percent per dollar of revenue from 2000 to 2007;
• St. Lawrence Cement, Montreal, Ontario, pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 15 percent per ton of cementitious (having characteristics of cement) product from 2000 to 2010; and
• Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick, N.J., pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by a total of 14 percent from 2001 to 2010.