Day: 7 January 2000

Record demand for organic farm conversion in 1999

A record number of farmers applied to the UK Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) to convert to organic farming in 1999.

VIETNAM: Formaldehyde in rice noodles prompts wide-scale food scare

The discovery that many rice noodle producers have been adding formaldehyde to their products in order to lengthen shelf life has prompted government officials to hold an emergency meeting.

CHINA: Domestic production of wind turbines on the horizon

Two years of research by the Xinjiang Wind Energy Company has led to the successful domestic manufacture of 600kW wind power generators. Thus far, China has had to import such units.

MEXICO: First survey published on pollution from industry and services

Mexico's environmental protection agency (Proepa) has released data of pollution levels from more than 6,000 industrial or service sites.

Burning domestic waste can rival emissions from municipal waste incinerators

A study claims that a family of four burning typical domestic waste in their backyard can put as much dioxin and furan into the air as a well-controlled municipal waste incinerator serving tens of thousands of households.

1999 was best year ever for global wind energy industry

The global wind energy industry experienced the largest-ever worldwide increase in generating capacity in 1999, according to a new report by the American Wind Energy Association.

Agroforestry offers real potential for carbon sinks and poor farmers

Agroforestry would be a more profitable land-use system for many of the world's poor farmers than traditional methods such as slash-and-burn, and could make a greater contribution to offsetting the developing world's carbon emission reductions than conventional large-scale plantations, according to new research.

Presidential candidate Bradley proposes to cut subsidies for polluting industries

US Democratic Presidential candidate Bill Bradley has promised to work to reduce government subsidies to companies that pollute the environment.

IRELAND: Court case with EU looms as sheep overgrazing threatens birds

Ireland faces court action from the European Commission over its failure to curb sheep overgrazing at a key conservation site in County Mayo. Some Irish environmentalists are welcoming the news, in the hope that it will wake government officials up to the importance environmental laws.