Curiosidades

Living near incinerator may increased birth defect risk – scientists trawl data from 1956 to 1993

Pregnant women living near incinerators or crematoriums may have had a higher risk of having a child with birth defects, according to the recently published (Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health) findings of a British research team. Reuters reports that scientists at the University of Newcastle said they uncovered a …

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Web-based recycling “map” aims to boost wood waste recycling in the UK

Interactive resource allows wood waste producers access to details of over 400 collection and recycling facilities The UK’s rapidly growing wood recycling industry now has an important new resource literally at its fingertips – an interactive web-based map to help producers of wood waste to identify collection and recycling services …

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Mountain of garbage cleaned from Everest

For years, the slopes of the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest, were littered with heaps of oxygen bottles, food packets, tents, batteries, and other climbing paraphernalia left behind by mountaineers. “An estimated minimum of 290 tons and a maximum of 1,115 tons of garbage have been left in the area,” …

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Bacteria speed recovery of precious metals from automotive catalysts

Clean, cheap way to recover valuable metals from industrial wastes is a world first for Birmingham, UK research team Bacteria could soon have a major role to play in recycling precious metals from spent automotive catalysts and other industrial wastes. Scientists at the University of Birmingham have made a patent …

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Naples, Italy ready to send rubbish mountain north

The streets of Naples and the surrounding towns were piled high with rubbish after waste disposal centres announced that they had reached maximum capacity. The UK Guardian reports that officials were preparing to transport rubbish to the north amid fears that the Naples mafia was planning to cash in on …

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South Africa plastic bag tax arrives to mixed reaction

There has been a deal of media interest in the new plastic bag tax, introduced by the South African Government early in May. Here are some extracts (some before the tax was introduced, some after) from articles by the SA Broadcasting Corporation: South Africans not happy to pay for plastic …

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Europe”s environmental progress at risk from unsustainable economic activities

The state of the environment across Europe has improved in several respects over the past decade, but much of the progress is likely to be wiped out by economic growth because governments have yet to make significant strides towards decoupling environmental pressures from economic activity. This is one of the …

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US EPA gears up for mercury lamp recycling programme

The US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) is seeking applications for the development and implementation of a mercury lamp recycling outreach programme. In FY 2002 Congress appropriated funds to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the development and implementation of a lamp (light bulb) recycling outreach programme to increase awareness …

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More recycling due to furniture wood combustion research

A project to encourage more sustainable waste management practices in the UK furniture manufacturing industry is underway, thanks to a £93,254 grant from Biffaward, a multi-million pound environment fund managed by RSNC, which utilises landfill tax credits donated by Biffa Waste Services. BFM Ltd aim to look at more sustainable …

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Germany – heat for greenhouses from gardening waste-powered biogas plant

A biomass team in the Berlin district of Pankow is developing plans to heat two greenhouses with biogas plants fired by local green waste. Although planning permission has not yet been granted, the demonstration project has received lottery funding due to its potential contribution to Local Agenda 21 in the …

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