|
|
|
P2 News Items
Pesticide and Chemical Collections Scheduled for North Country Farms and Businesses (09/02/2010)
The fall 2010 CleanSweepNY collection program will take place October 19-21 in the Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) Region 6, which covers St. Lawrence, Jefferson, Lewis, Herkimer and Oneida counties. Businesses, farms and institutions can drop off unwanted or obsolete pesticides and other chemicals, including elemental mercury. CleanSweepNY will properly dispose of them. In addition to chemicals, empty, triple-rinsed HDPE-2 plastic pesticide containers and nursery pots will be collected and recycled. CleanSweepNY programs are not available to homeowners, and registration is required.
|
Petitioning local action against dental amalgam contributing to toxic mercury pollution (09/02/2010)
Dentists and consumers are uniting to take an environmental approach to banning the use of mercury in the dental amalgam filling. Dental offices have been found to be major contributors of mercury in our water and fish. Dr. James Rota will be speaking at free seminar about the dangers of the silver filling to people and the environment.
|
Amendments adding Nine Chemicals to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (08/30/2010)
The amendments to list additional persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Annexes A, B and/or C of the Stockholm Convention, adopted by the Conference of the Parties of the Convention at its fourth meeting in May 2009, enter into force on 26 August 2010 for the 152 of the 170 Parties to the Stockholm Convention that have not submitted a notification or a declaration, respectively in accordance with paragraphs 3 and 4 of Article 22 of the Convention.
No notifications of non-acceptance have been received by the Depositary to date. The other 18 Parties, in accordance with paragraph 4 of Article 25 of the Convention, have declared in their instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession to become a Party to the Convention, that they were bound to any amendment to Annexes A, B or C only upon deposit of their instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession with respect to the amendments. No such instruments have been deposited with the Depositary to date.
|
EPA Sets First National Limits to Reduce Mercury and Other Toxic Emissions from Cement Plants (08/25/2010)
WASHINGTON --The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing final rules that will protect Americans' health by cutting emissions of mercury, particle pollution and other harmful pollutants from Portland cement manufacturing, the third-largest source of mercury air emissions in the United States. The rules are expected to yield $7 to $19 in public health benefits for every dollar in costs. Mercury can damage children's developing brains, and particle pollution is linked to a wide variety of serious health effects, including aggravated asthma, irregular heartbeat, heart attacks, and premature death in people with heart and lung disease.
|
NV: $1M Available for nonpoint source water pollution prevention projects (08/23/2010)
CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) has more than $1 million dollars in federal funding available to provide grant assistance for projects that prevent or control nonpoint source water pollution, the leading cause of water quality impairment in Nevada.
Nonpoint source water pollution occurs when rain, snowmelt and irrigation water flows over developed or disturbed land, carrying with it contaminants including oil, sediment, pesticides, bacteria and nutrients. This contaminated water makes its way into Nevada's waterways either directly or through storm drains.
All proposals must follow the guidelines for application outlined in the Request for Proposals, which is available for download at: http://ndep.nv.gov/bwqp/npsgwp.htm. State, local and tribal governments, nonprofit organizations and educational institutions are eligible to apply. A non-federal match (cash and/or in-kind) of at least 50 percent of the total project cost is required.
|
DEA coordinates prescription drug takeback drive (08/20/2010)
Aug. 20 -- The Drug Enforcement Agency is coordinating a nationwide prescription drug takeback program Sept. 25.
Held in conjunction with local governments and health and law enforcement partnerships, the program will provide free, anonymous collections for expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs. It is aimed at preventing prescription drug abuse and improper disposal, the DEA said.
"With this National Prescription Drug Take-Back campaign, we are aggressively reaching out to individuals to encourage them to rid their households of unused prescription drugs that pose a safety hazard and can contribute to prescription drug abuse," said Acting Deputy Attorney General Gary G. Grindler. "The Department of Justice is committed to doing everything we can to make our communities safer, and this initiative represents a new front in our efforts."
|
Canada: Feds to designate bisphenol A as toxic by November (08/18/2010)
OTTAWA -- After a lengthy delay, the federal government on Tuesday said it is close to making good on its two-year old promise to designate bisphenol A as toxic under Canadian law.
The Conservatives made a big splash in April 2008 when two senior cabinet ministers hosted a news conference to announce Canada would become the first country in the world to ban plastic bottles after concluding the estrogen-mimicking chemical was toxic. The first step was to place BPA on the list of toxic substances under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.
The ban went ahead, but the toxic designation has yet to happen. Environment Canada now says it will be a done deal within eight to 10 weeks -- more than a year after considering a formal notice of objection filed by the American Chemistry Council.
The group, which maintains BPA is safe, filed the objection on July 15, 2009, asking the government to set up a board of review to reconsider the toxic designation.
|
EPA to Take Action on Chemicals Used in Dyes, Flame Retardants, and Industrial Detergents (08/18/2010)
WASHINGTON -- As part of Administrator Lisa P. Jackson's commitment to strengthen and reform chemical management, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released action plans today to address the potential health risks of benzidine dyes, hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and nonylphenol (NP)/nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs). The chemicals are widely used in both consumer and industrial applications, including dyes, flame retardants, and industrial laundry detergents. The plans identify a range of actions the agency is considering under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
"The action plans announced today are examples of EPA's renewed dedication to improve chemical safety to protect the health of the American people and the environment." said Steve Owens, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. "These action plans lay out concrete steps EPA intends to take to address the risks associated with chemicals commonly used in this country."
|
NYS: Pollution Prevention Institute aims to reduce dry-cleaning hazards (08/10/2010)
The New York State Pollution Prevention Institute has launched a statewide program to minimize chemical use in garment cleaning and reduce the health and environmental impacts of the industry, the institute announced Monday.
Based out of Rochester Institute of Technology, the institute will conduct a survey of garment-cleaning businesses in New York and give multiple demonstrations, training sessions and direct technical assistance to businesses in converting dry-cleaning operations to more environmentally friendly professional wet-cleaning processes.
The reduction in chemical use will reduce clean-up and regulatory costs to businesses and increase competitiveness within the sector, Pollution Prevention Institute officials said.
|
EPA requires cleanup of mercury from cement plant (08/10/2010)
WASHINGTON -- The Environmental Protection Agency on Monday announced the nation's first limits on mercury emissions from cement plants.
The decision also will require reductions of other harmful pollutants from cement plants, including soot, also known as particle pollution, which is linked to asthma, heart attacks and premature deaths for people with heart and lung diseases.
The rules are part of a broader EPA air-cleanup plan. Next year the agency will put the first nationwide controls on mercury and other hazardous air pollutants from a much larger source, coal-fired power plants. The federal government presently doesn't require power plants to control mercury and other toxics.
|
Massachusetts Cuts Disposable Bag Use at Supermarkets (08/04/2010)
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and the Massachusetts Food Associationsay that a joint initiative with the grocery and supermarket industry to reduce the number of disposable paper and plastic shopping bags distributed in Massachusetts has scored excellent results during the first two years -- a reduction of 25 percent since 2007.
As part of the voluntary initiative, 12 supermarket chains, comprised of 384 stores representing over two-thirds of the industry in Massachusetts, have been participating in the effort by tracking annual paper and plastic bag use. Participating chains reported the reduction of 25 percent in disposable bag distribution in Massachusetts. The goal of the initiative is a reduction of at least 33 percent by 2013.
|
|
|
