Month: June 1999

Experts agree to criteria, procedure for adding to global POPs treaty

Scientific criteria and a procedural process for adding other persistent organic pollutants, or POPs, to the initial list of 12 identified for global action were agreed to by an expert group meeting in Vienna last week.

EU: Environment Ministers Freeze GMO authorisations

Environment Ministers from five EU states have signed a written declaration that they will not allow any new authorisations for the release of genetically modified organisms, until new regulations are adopted to ensure labelling and traceability of GMOs and their derivatives.

Bosses face up to 17 years prison on charges of false environmental reporting

A Pennsylvania-based company, Hydro-Analysis Associates Inc (HAA), has been charged with providing false environmental test results. The charges include making false statements to the EPA and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP), mail fraud and violating the US's Clean Water Act.

Denmark gets tough on PVC and phthalates

The Danish Environment Ministry has presented a new strategy to clear the national environment of PVC, together with a new action plan aiming at reducing and phasing out the use of phthalates. The strategy annuls an existing voluntary agreement with industry.

Australia needs large-scale action to beat growing salinity problems

Australia is facing massive economic, environmental and social challenges due to the widespread and growing phenomenon of dryland salinity, a National Science Briefing was told in Parliament House, Canberra this week.

Germany vetoes End-of-Life Vehicles Directive

The German Government has again blocked any progress on the Directive on End-of-Life vehicles, having promised to approve the proposals without amendment this week.

EU: Environment Council approves single waste incineration directive proposals

EU Environment Ministers have agreed to Parliament proposals for a single directive covering the incineration of all categories of waste across the Community.

BRAZIL: court stops GM soya release

Following legal action by Greenpeace, the 6th Federal Court in Brazil ruled this week that Monsanto must conduct a full environmental impact assessment before it can commercially plant its 'Roundup Ready' genetically modified soya in Brazil, the world's second largest soya producer.

Environment Council agrees compromise on Eco-Label revision

European Environment Ministers have agreed to a compromise proposed by the German Presidency for the revision of the Community eco-label award scheme.

EEA forecasts continued pressure on Europe’s environment

Despite more than 25 years of Community environmental policy - successful, on its own terms -, general environmental quality in the European Union (EU) is not recovering significantly, says a report released yesterday by the European Environment Agency (EEA).

Jet contrails to be significant climate factor by 2050

By the year 2050, increased flights by jet planes will impact global climate through the greater number of contrails they will produce, according to a new study in the July 1 issue of the journal, Geophysical Research Letters.

Cities hold key to planetary health

Cities hold the key to sustainable development, and can prove more effective than national governments when it comes to making environmental improvements, according to the new report, Reinventing Cities for People and the Planet, from the Worldwatch Institute in Washington D.C.

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