International Environment Reporter: Current Reports Index-Summary

MALAYSIA

– REACH implementation, attorneys discuss during webinar, 990

MARKETING

– Chemicals, REACH system

See REGISTRATION, EVALUATION, AND AUTHORIZATION OF CHEMICALS (REACH) SYSTEM

– Environmental claims, UK should take tougher action against greenwashing, committee says, 264

MASS TRANSIT

– Electric rail, U.K. investment, In Brief, 694
– LPG-fueled vehicles, China city on track for taxi, bus conversion, In Brief, 244
– Rail expansion, Canada, Ontario conditions, In Brief, 974

MEDITERRANEAN SEA

– Management, EU measures, In Brief, 870
– Wastewater discharges, Spain receives final warning of infringement, 911

MERCURY

– Air pollution, French environmental group reports elevated levels around industrial sites, government questions relevance of data, 130
– Automobile switches, Canada, Ontario seeks comments on expansion of hazardous waste program, 735
– Bans, Sweden confirms with limited number of exemptions, 91
– Batteries

– – Germany, waste management law limits content, 727
– – Poland, lower house approves bill limiting content, 226

– Dental amalgam, Canada publishes draft notice requiring pollution prevention plans, 362
– International agreements

– – Environment ministers agree to work toward binding accord, 200
– – Negotiation of binding treaty likely to result in inclusion of nonbinding provisions, UNEP official tells conference, 475
– – U.S. changes stance on binding treaty, official tells UNEP forum, 150

– Light bulbs, Norway disposal rules, In Brief, 826
– Thermometers, Argentina, Uruguay move to reduce pollution, In Brief, 190

METALS INDUSTRY

See also IRON AND STEEL INDUSTRY
– Alumina refinery, Brazil issues fine for waste spill into Amazon River, In Brief, 411; second fine, In Brief, 510
– Galvinization plants, Norway inspects facilities to ensure safe use of hazardous substances, 356
– Hydrometallurgy processing, Canada extends fish protections, In Brief, 561
– Smelters

See SMELTERS

METHANE

– Capture and use

See CLIMATE CHANGE

– Livestock emissions, Danish panel recommends tax, 126

MEXICO

– Biotechnology, government awards contracts for experimental planting of modified corn, 969
– Border with United States

See MEXICO-U.S. BORDER ENVIRONMENT

– Chemical inventory, government plans launch by 2012, 317
– Climate change

– – Adaptation, plan raises funds to help developing countries, 522; officials outline details of proposal, 574
– – Border tax adjustments, OECD official warns against use at conference, 782
– – GHG emission reductions cheaper now than adaptation later, minister says, 739
– – World Bank announces $1.5B loan to support GHG emissions reductions, 970

– Emissions trading, accord with U.S., global climate agreement could yield benefits, speakers tell conference, 783
– Energy

– – Interntational cooperation, speakers stress need for joint U.S. effort, 739
– – Subsidies, OECD official urges removal at conference, 782

– Energy efficiency

– – Certification plan for businesses, government publishes regulations, 872
– – Hotel sector, World Bank announces $10M loan, 970
– – Information technology, firms resistant to invest, survey finds, 272
– – Reporting requirements, government publishes regulations for high consumption companies, 872

– Forests, government investigates reforestation program corruption allegations, 99
– Outlook 2009, SplRpt (1/7/09) S–38
– Plastic bags

– – Ban proposal, In Brief, 190
– – Mexico City ban gives stores one year to phase out use, 784

– Water supply, Mexico City reservoirs low, stoppages planned, 317

MEXICO-U.S. BORDER ENVIRONMENT

– Bajagua project

– – Compliance with U.S. water standards, commission says court-ordered deadline will be met, 605
– – New treatment plants, upgrades expected to help mitigate Tijuana sewage discharges, 24

– Hazardous waste, remediation complete at Metales y Derivados site, copper mine next, 138

MILITARY FACILITIES

– Environmental protection responsibilities, Russia regulation, In Brief, 133
– Hazardous waste, Denmark, Greenland agree on plan to clean up waste from U.S. air base, 775
– Remediation, Japan proposal requires U.S. to clean up environmental contamination, 885

MINES AND MINING

– Coal

– – Canada-U.S. Clean Energy Dialogue to address environmental issues, 182
– – India, elections bring promises of faster permitting, 615
– – Spain, EU moves forward in case regarding mining in conservation area, 590

– Concession limits, Indonesia law limits size, duration of operations, requires domestic processing, 31
– Enforcement, Canada-Quebec agreement, In Brief, 562
– Environmental impact assessments, Ecuador bill increases environmental controls, 57
– Exploration, New Zealand minister urges greater access to conservation land, 799
– Financial guarantees, Chile bill requires closure plans, funds set aside for cleanup, 276
– Financial transparency, Peru pursues project, 323
– Glacier protection, Chile adopts preservation policy, 367
– Gold mining

See GOLD MINING

– Metal mines, Canada code of practice, In Brief, 609
– Mine-slurry pipeline-port complex, Brazil prosecutors request injunction to suspend construction, 788
– National parks, Colombia prohibits licensing, 187
– Natural areas, Colombia considers ban, In Brief, 610
– Oil sands

See OIL AND GAS

– Phosphate mine/fertilizer complex, Brazil court suspends license, 924
– Relocation of residents, Chile announces plans after high levels of metals found near dump site, 874
– Smelter cleanup, Peru firm seeks to postpone as part of financial restructuring, 743; Peru grants extra time for to complete cleanup, 873
– Waste management, Spain approves rules, 544
– Water consumption, Brazil signs agreement with industry to reduce use in dry northern areas, 366
– Water pollution, South Africa considers harsher punishments, 987

MONITORING AND MEASUREMENT

– Climate change

See CLIMATE CHANGE

– Emissions trading, European Comm'n assigns international airlines to member nations for monitoring, 121; list finalized, 773
– Energy, Netherlands policies, In Brief, 93
– Fish habitat protection, Canada lacks system to measure program results, auditor says, 443
– Volatile organic compounds, China to begin Guangdong air monitoring in May, 329
– Water quality, Ontario improvements, 369

MONTREAL PROTOCOL

See generally OZONE-DEPLETING SUBSTANCES

MOROCCO

– Open dumps, World Bank announces loan to close and rehabilitate more than 300 sites, 460

MOTOR CARRIERS

– Emissions, Switzerland reports air pollution along major road axis fell slightly, 776
– Green driving charge, Denmark strategy proposes tracking vehicles to promote fuel efficiency, reduce CO2 emissions, 16
– Speed limits, France Senate panel requests examination of emission effects, 84

MOTOR VEHICLES

– Alternative energy vehicles, China implements new rules to improve quality, management, 614
– Automotive industry

See AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

– CAFE standards

See CORPORATE AVERAGE FUEL ECONOMY (CAFE) STANDARDS

– CO2 emissions

– – Canada seeks to mirror U.S. standards, 318
– – France program rewards purchase of low-carbon cars, leads to emissions reduction, sales increase, 303; Borloo says program exceeded expectations, will tighten thresholds and payouts, 912
– – German cabinet proposes clean car incentives, tax on emissions, 85; car tax to be based on emissions, new vehicles receive temporary exclusion, 221; cabinet expands bonus program to subsidize sales of additional vehicles, 305

– Compressed natural gas-fueled vehicles, India automakers work to expand fleets, 513
– Diesel vehicles

– – France agency calls for NOx controls, 821
– – Japan proposes tougher emission standards for off-road vehicles, 847
– – New Zealand to tighten exhaust rules for vehicles imported from Japan, 845

– Electric cars

– – China spending to encourage development includes subsidies, tax incentives, 511
– – France

– – – Decarbonized vehicle projects demonstrate experimental technologies, 543
– – – Fleet road test, Toyota, electric company announce project, 263
– – – Infrastructure, government develops strategy to build, 172

– – Germany, cabinet launches initiative to put 1 million on roads by 2020, 775
– – Japan

– – – Battery development initiative, In Brief, 379
– – – Nissan seeks U.S. loan, In Brief, 148

– – Norway economic stimulus package includes funding for 5,000 recharging stations, 90
– – Portugal

– – – Fuel-efficiency promotion, In Brief, 179
– – – Incentives, prime minister proposal to encourage sales, support infrastructure, 692

– – Spain outlines priorities for upcoming EU presidency, 915
– – Spain plan aims to encourage cleaner cars, 174; government launches subsidy program, 823
– – UK subsidies, In Brief, 360
– – U.S. officials discuss cooperation with China during visit, 942

– Emissions standards

– – Brazil working group drafts revised resolutions lowering limits, 788; issuance of resolutions, In Brief, 838; council approves emissions inspection mandate, 971
– – Denmark may impose stricter standards on commercial vehicles in urban areas, 870

– Euro VI emissions standard for trucks and buses, EU Parliament approves significantly reduced limits for NOx and PM, 6; EU adopts tougher limits, 639
– Fuel efficiency

– – Brazil sticker program, In Brief, 368
– – China plans subsidies for purchases, 511
– – European Investment Bank approves loans to manufacturers, 303
– – India

– – – Labeling requirements, In Brief, 619; government prepares guidelines, In Brief, 848
– – – Standards, In Brief, 887

– – International initiative aims to boost with existing technologies, 247
– – Italy promotes as part of economic recovery plan, In Brief, 132
– – Japan supplementary budget includes fiscal incentives for consumer purchases, 514
– – Swiss car fleet, In Brief, 316

– Gasoline-fueled vehicles, Norway ban proposal, In Brief, 268
– GHG emissions, Canada reduction efforts hindered by poor fuel quality, report says, 94
– Green driving charge, Denmark strategy proposes tracking vehicles to promote fuel efficiency, reduce CO2 emissions, 16
– Heavy metal emissions, Brazil metropolis parks contaminated, study finds, 448
– Hydrogen fuel cell fueling stations, Japan development initiative, In Brief, 759
– Low-carbon vehicles, Scotland seeks public input, 595
– Low-emission vehicles, Japan, Tokyo urges fleet owners to replace vehicles with low-emission models, 105
– LPG-fueled vehicles, China city on track for taxi, bus conversion, In Brief, 244
– Public sector vehicles

– – China to subsidize energy-efficient, clean-energy vehicles, 104
– – EU council requires public agencies to consider environment in vehicle purchases, 303
– – Hong Kong purchases, In Brief, 334
– – Portugal emissions reduction, In Brief, 228

– Scrappage programs, Canada, In Brief, 509
– Stop-start systems, French environmental group calls for at-rest shut off systems, 84
– Taxation

See TAXATION

– Trade issues, Bolivia reduces imports of used, diesel vehicles, 25
– Ultra-low-carbon vehicles, France includes development in transportation innovation program, 172
– Use restrictions, Beijing takes further steps to reduce heavily polluting vehicles, 32

MOUNTAINS

See specific geographic areas or countries

MOZAMBIQUE

– Ethanol from sugar cane, government approves policy as foreign companies plan investment, 384

MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE

– Composting, Portugal vermicomposting venture, In Brief, 228
– Dumping, Chinese citizens concerned about pollution, survey finds, 104
– Household waste, Denmark top EU producer, In Brief, 227
– Recycling

See RECYCLING