India – landfill mining could cut waste

Retrieving material for composting from open dumps across the developing world could reduce the environmental impact of the growing mountains of waste, according to researchers in India. Environmentalresearchweb newswire reports that open dumps are prevalent in the developing world and have a poor environmental record, according to environmental engineer Kurian …

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Scotland – nation meets its landfill target

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has released its latest figures on municipal waste for 2006/07 reporting that Scotland has met its domestic target for landfill of biodegradeable municipal waste and the recycling rate continues to increase. Scottish local authorities have reduced the amount of biodegradable municipal waste sent to …

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Netherlands – officials announce packaging tax

Netherlands officials recently announced the government will be introducing a carbon-based packaging tax aimed at reducing carbon emissions related to the use of packaging, the first such levy in the European Union. Resource Recycling reports that the tax will be based on estimated carbon dioxide emissions produced in making various …

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Italy – turning olive pits into energy

After you‘‘ve enjoyed a tangy olive, don‘‘t throw away the pit – it could soon be providing a clean, green answer to heat and electricity production, thanks to technology developed by Israeli start-up Genova, now setting up its first pilot plant. Israel21C reports that the company, which was founded in …

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USA – bacteria transform by-product into biofuel

With US biodiesel production at an all-time high and a record number of new biodiesel plants under construction, the industry is facing an impending crisis over waste glycerine, the major by-product of biodiesel production. Environmentalresearchweb.org reports that researchers from Rice University, US, believe they have found an answer to this …

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UK – Londoners canvassed on plastic bags

Londoners are being invited to help shape the capital‘‘s future environmental policies by deciding whether or not to introduce a London-wide levy – or even an outright ban – on throw away shopping bags. London Councils has launched a public consultation to give Londoners the opportunity to tell them what …

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