Summary

A study conducted by the California Environmental Protection Agency showed that flame-retardant chemicals like pentabrominated diphenyl ethers and octabrominated diphenyl ethers used in upholstery, electronics, and other foam and plastic products can accumulate in the blood of mothers and their newborn children. These chemicals can disrupt the thyroid and hurt children's brain development.

The State lawmakers are now considering adopting restrictions similar to those recently adopted by the European Union, which will ban the use of these flame-retardants by mid-2004.

Summary

The Government of Canada has added the key pollutants that make smog to Schedule 1 of the Canadian Environmental Pollution Act 1999 (CEPA). These key pollutants of concern are PM10 precursors (like sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, gaseous ammonia and certain volatile organic compounds) and ozone and its precursors (like nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds).

Summary

The Australian government has introduced a new fuel consumption label for new car models that lists both fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.

Greenhouse gas emission from the transport sector in Australia is increasing and 90% of the sector's emission comes from road transport. The inclusion of carbon dioxide figures on the label would increase the consumers' interest and awareness in the environmental performance of their vehicles.

The new fuel consumption label will be introduced in stages. New car models introduced in Australia between 1 Jul and 31 Dec 03, will be required to display the new label. However from 1 Jan 04 onwards, all new vehicles, including models that are already on the market and imported models, will be required to carry the label.

Summary

A research team at Georgia Institute of Technology has discovered a microbe called BAV1 that eats organic pollutant loaded with chlorine such as trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE). These chlorinated solvents are carcinogenic in nature and their application as solvents have posed a pollution problem.

There are other microbes that can break down TCE and PCE but unlike BAV1, they produce byproducts such as dichloroethanes and vinyl chlorides which also are potent carcinogens. BAV1 also can be grown fairly cheaply in a laboratory and has a fast reactive time compared to the other microbes.

Summary

High levels of dioxins have been linked to endocrine-related conditions, developmental problems, and susceptibility to cancer, among other health hazards. They persist in the environment and build up in fatty tissues. Meat and full-fat milk carry the highest levels of dioxins.

A new report from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, US has made several recommendations to reduce the health impact posed by dioxins as follows:

• a federal interagency group should develop and implement an integrated risk-management strategy and action plan to reduce human exposure to dioxins in foods.
• government officials should collaborate with the private sector to identify and pursue voluntary interventions to further minimize levels of these toxic compounds in human foods and animal feeds
• authorities should test for dioxins in farm animals, feed and crops, and try to find acceptable levels of the compounds

Summary

The Sierra Club of Canada has recently released a report called "The Public Health Impact of Diesel Particulate Matter (DPM)" which warns that Canadians faced high cancer and non-cancer health risks from exposure to diesel exhaust particles, with some children and those in highly exposed occupations especially vulnerable. DPM is the most harmful component of diesel exhaust. The tiny particles are inhaled deep into the lungs and can cause many negative health impacts in addition to cancer.

The report indicated that as many as 13,600 Canadians will develop cancer over their lifetimes because of exposure to DPM. It also recommends municipal government to prohibit diesel vehicles from idling when parked and to restrict access by heavy-duty diesel vehicles into city centers.

Summary

A partnership between DEFRA (Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), local authorities, retailer Comet, a community waste organization and a logistics firm, has launched a new free take-back scheme for fridges in Eastleigh, Hampshire,UK. The pilot scheme will initially run for three months.

This pilot scheme complements the European Regulation on Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) that came into force in 2002. The regulation required the ODS in old fridges to be removed prior to being destroyed or recycled. The UK government was criticised for its poor preparation for the regulation that resulted in a large accumulation of unwanted fridges.

Summary

Cargill Dow in the US, has recently launched its bio-plastic container which is made from corn and biodegrades after disposal. The company has been researching polyactide (PLA) as a plausible material to replace traditional petroleum manufactured plastic. PLA is produced by fermenting the sugar in corn syrup into lactic acid that is refined into spin fibers.

Wild Oats Market, Inc is the first grocery chain in the US to use the green packaging as food containers for its stores in the NorthWest Pacific area and it has plans to introduce the product in its stores across the nation.

In addition to the positive responses in the US, Cargill Dow has found a plethora of interested buyers in Japan and Europe which see it as a solution to their waste disposal problems due to limited land area. In addition to food containers, Cargill Dow's joint venture with Dow Chemical has also successfully marketed the bio-plastic's applicability in a broad array of bedding products such as mattresses, pillows, comforters and rugs.

Summary

A research team from the Cornell University and the Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, New York discovered that trees planted near New York City's congested main streets actually grow twice as large as their rural counterparts. The results clash with assumptions that cities filled with concrete, asphalt and polluted skies are inhospitable to plants.