Day: 7 September 2001

Brazil tries to stamp out its continuing energy ills

In an attempt to avoid prolonging its energy crisis, the Brazilian government is offering credits to those who curb their electricity use.

Ireland’s first ever biodiversity report highlights concerns both old and new

The report by the governmental Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identifies modern agricultural practices, pollution of rivers and lakes, mechanised peat extraction, urban development and road building, as well as the potential effects of climate change, such as the drying out of peatlands, as the main threats to biodiversity in Ireland.

Governmental programme to clean up the US’ Formerly Utilized Defense Sites (FUDS) is more than 50 years behind

A governmental investigation of more than 9,000 FUDS, many of which pose a threat to human health and the environment, has revealed that the programme is more than 50 years behind schedule and that a Pentagon review gave “a misleading picture” by stating that more than 50% of the cleanup work had been completed when the true figure is less than one third.

Rainmaking experiments blamed for landslide which killed 30

An investigation by a radio programme alleges that rainmaking experiments by the RAF were to blame for landslides and floods which killed thirty people in the Devon village of Lynmouth in 1952.

New public-private-partnership to cut use of landfill in Argyll and Bute

A new partnership between the local council in Argyll and Bute and Shanks Waste Solutions Ltd is aiming to increase recycling, reduce the amount of waste being landfilled, and improve existing facilities.

Chemicals industry expected to increase spending on water treatment equipment by nearly 30% in seven years

The chemicals industry, the water and wastewater treatment equipment sector’s largest industrial client base, accounting for 24% of customers, is expected to increase its spending within the sector in Europe from US$319 million (£221 million) in 2000 to nearly US$410 million (£284 million) in 2007.

New guidance will help local authorities implement contaminated land legislation

The Environment Agency has published a guide to assist local authorities with their responsibilities under contaminated land legislation.

‘The environment’ – a foreign term in deprived areas

New research in some of Britain’s most deprived neighbourhoods has found that the term ‘local environment’ is foreign to most participants and that people living with some of the worst environmental problems often express more concern about dirty, unswept streets than the issues noticed by outsiders, like pollution from industry or traffic.

Environment Agency offers householders new flood warning scheme, and farmers experiment with runoff prevention

Whilst the Environment Agency starts work on a number of flood alleviation schemes, the organisation is calling on householders and businesses in Sussex, Kent, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to sign up for individual direct flood warnings.

Discharges of nutrients are still cause for concern in Baltic Sea

The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM) is raising concerns over the level of nitrogen and phosphorus being discharged into the Baltic Sea, causing eutrophication, although the good news is that, on the whole, nutrient discharges have decreased since the end of the 1980s.

Scottish Executive to introduce two water bills to parliament

First Minister for Scotland Henry McLeish has announced the Scottish Executive’s legislative programme for this coming year, which includes two new water bills designed to improve the protection of water and reform the water industry.

Scottish agricultural pollution incidents increase by 30%

New figures show that there were 379 agricultural pollution incidents in 2000, an increase of 30% on 1999’s total.

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