Day: 15 October 1999

SRI LANKA: Clean-up begins on Columbo’s man-made lake system

A pilot project by the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation Development Corporation has begun on the clean-up of Beira Lake in Columbo.

Survey shows transport statistics continue to rise

Total passenger transport has increased by 58 per cent since 1976, while the proportion of households with at least one car has increased from 54 per cent to 72 per cent, according to the 25th edition of the UK Government's 'Transport Statistics Great Britain' for 1998. The first edition of the survey, covering the period 1964 to 1974, appeared in March 1976.

French Greens dream of winning the Paris mayoral seat

The Green party's annual general meeting on 9 and 10 October focused on a strategy for strengthening its power base at the municipal level.

EU: Environmental criteria to be relaxed as Prodi plans accelerated accession

Romano Prodi has proposed the relaxation of environmental criteria in an ambitious accession plan to increase the number of countries involved in accession negotiations and to speed up the process.

UK water watchdog asks Government to hold off on water charging proposals for vulnerable customers

The UK water watchdog has asked the UK Government to allow time for consultation and implementation before going ahead with plans to implement major changes to the water charging system by next April.

Tougher criteria agreed for EU Ecolabel

More stringent criteria for washing machines and refrigerators that sport the EU Ecolabel are on their way. Energy efficiency requirements have been increased and brominated flame retardants have been banned.

Think tank urges UK Government to go green

The UK Government needs to make the environment a higher political priority, a pamphlet published by the Labour-affiliated think tank, the Fabian Society, has said.

NORWAY: Metallurgy industry targeted for heavy metal reductions

Norway's Pollution Control Authority (SFT) is planning further reductions in mercury and other heavy metal discharges by conducting an investigation into current emissions at 33 metallurgy plants.

Greenpeace takes UK Government to court over protection of north Atlantic marine life

Greenpeace began a High Court attempt on Monday to sue the UK Government for its alleged failure to protect marine life in the north east Atlantic from the effects of oil and gas exploration.

SWEDEN: EPA proposes regulations on pretreatment for electric and electronic waste

The Swedish EPA has released its proposals for pretreatment of electric and electronic waste as part of Sweden's co-ordinated effort to introduce compulsory recycling and producer responsibility

Royal Society criticises Lancet publication of GM research

The Royal Society has criticised the Lancet medical journal's decision to publish the results of studies by Professor Stanley Ewen and Dr Arpad Pusztai that claimed to show that genetically modified foods may affect the intestines of rats.

European electricity industry resists renewables quota

Europe's electricity suppliers continue to resist the possibility of binding targets for renewable energy growth and are against the use of fixed tariff schemes.

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