Day: 12 March 1999

EPA issues re-registration eligibility decision for chlorine gas

The US EPA has issued a Re-registration Eligibility Decision (RED) and associated fact sheet for chlorine gas.

EU pushes for emissions agreement with external car manufacturers

EU negotiations for voluntary CO₂ emissions agreements with car manufacturers in Japan and Korea are not proving fruitful, and the EU is considering legal measures to enforce the same standards agreed with the European car industry.

Tax measures promote green commuter schemes

A package of seven tax measures introduced in UK Chancellor Gordon Brown's annual budget are intended to promote green commuter schemes and increase funding for rural buses from £100 million to £120 million.

Major changes to the taxation of company cars

UK Chancellor Gordon Brown has announced the end of tax breaks for unnecessary company car business mileage by 2002, and will vary the tax to encourage smaller, greener company cars.

Rome declares waste management ‘State of Emergency’

Italy’s Official Journal has published a ‘Declaration of the State of Emergency’ in the Greater Rome area due to a social-environmental crisis.

VOC directive adopted

Europe’s Environment Ministers yesterday adopted the Directive on the limitation of the emissions of volatile organic compounds due to the use of organic solvents in certain activities and installations.

Reform of vehicle excise duty

A package of measures reforming Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) was announced in the UK's Budget on 9 March 1999.

Calculate your own CO2 emissions

The Global Environment Information Centre in Japan has launched an application on the web that enables you to calculate your own CO2 emissions, by assessing your lifestyle and the number and types of domestic appliances you use.

Arctic council launches initiative to phase-out Russian PCBs

Arctic Council countries have commenced an initiative to expedite the phase-out of the use of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the Russian Federation and to further develop environmentally sound disposal practices in Russia, and especially in the Russian Arctic.

Nuclear power no longer competitive

Nuclear power production has reached its peak and is now likely to fall as it can no longer compete with newer forms of power generation, says Worldwatch Institute.

‘Climate change levy’ to encourage energy efficiency

The British Government will introduce a levy on the business use of energy, with offsetting cuts in employers' National Insurance contributions (NICs) and additional support for energy efficiency schemes and renewable sources of energy from April 2001.

Wide-ranging package of environmental tax reforms announced in UK Budget

UK Chancellor Gordon Brown announced a substantial package of tax reforms to help protect the environment in his annual Budget speech to the House of Commons on 9 March 1999.

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