Curiosidades

Several months ago, residents of the Burundian capital, Bujumbura, were struggling with disposal of household waste. IPS Inter Press reports that the Municipal Technical Services (Services techniques municipaux, SETEMU) weren‘‘t able to deal with all the refuse — and health conditions in the city were deteriorating. Fast forward to June …

Close to 90 per cent of Nova Scotians now have access to kerbside collection of organic waste. A new kerbside organic waste programme started by Cape Breton Regional Municipality complements similar programs in other municipalities throughout the province. Also, all Nova Scotians have access to kerbside collection of recyclable materials …

A US$1 million pa research agreement to develop and evaluate promising alternatives for the production of ethanol, aviation and other fuels using waste and natural resources has been reached between Auburn University‘‘s Alabama Center for Paper and Bioresource Engineering (AC-PABE) and the Masada Resource Group LLC. One of the most …

Tourism, as one of the world‘‘s largest economic sectors, places direct and indirect pressures on species and habitats and thereby threatens their conservation. In addition, it may disturb wildlife and increase pollution caused by transportation. These potential impacts on nature and biodiversity are reinforced by the fact that tourists tend …

Sanitation officials in Naples are desperately opening temporary rubbish dumps this weekend as short-term relief from a refuse-collection crisis that has closed schools and sent angry Italian residents on to streets at night to set fire to hundreds of mounds of uncollected waste. The UK Observer reports that Neapolitans took …

New research suggests bricks made out of the ashes from coal fires are both structurally and environmentally solid. UPI reports that the alternatives to clay bricks, which take more energy to produce, are also cheaper, LiveScience reported. Traditional clay bricks need extreme heat for production, while coal ash bricks can …

In 2005 Rome residents produced an average of 693 kg of rubbish per person, according to national environment agency APAT (agenzia per la protezione dell‘‘ambiente e per i servizi tecnici). In the same year Italy as a whole generated 31.7 million tonnes of waste, 1.6 million more than in 2003. …

Scientists at East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST) have worked out a waste-recycle technology to turn plastic waste such as coke bottles into corrosion-proof substances for chemical-industry use. China.org cites the Shanghai Daily and reports that the technology, which has been awarded a national patent and won one …

The Environmental Protection Department has proposal on an environmental levy on plastic shopping bags, with a view to seeking comments and support from the stakeholders and the public. “The territory is facing an imminent and serious waste problem. Among these wastes, more than 23 million plastic shopping bags are disposed …

The government should strengthen public education instead of implementing a plastic bag tax – criticized as “punitive” and “short-sighted” – to cut usage of bags. The Hong Kong Standard reports that a lawmaker, the industry and an environmentalist made the call at City Forum Sunday in response to the government‘‘s …