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P2 News Digest
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Focusing on issues in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. Search for Archived Stories
Chemical Exchange Offers Free Recycling Solution 02/03/2010
Source: Environmental Protection, 2/3/10. Chemical Recycling Solutions is a Web site-based free chemical exchange that allows industry and manufacturers an opportunity to recycle unused, discarded chemicals and save money on disposal and purchasing costs.
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NY: Panel Suggests 100 Ways Buildings Can Be Greener 02/03/2010
Source: New York Times, 2/1/10. A panel of experts convened by the mayor and City Council issued more than 100 recommendations Monday on how to make New York City's building codes more environmentally sound by imposing energy-saving requirements on construction and renovation work.
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Mercury in Old Fillings Probably Not as Toxic, Study Reports 02/03/2010
Source: Environmental Protection, 1/28/10. * Jan 28, 2010
A new study on the surface chemistry of silver-colored, mercury-based dental fillings suggests that the surface forms of mercury may be less toxic than previously thought. A report on the study appears online in American Chemical Society's journal Chemical Research in Toxicology.
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Researchers Use Fungus to Decompose Plastic Containing BPA 02/03/2010
Source: Environmental Protection, 1/28/10. Pretreating polycarbonate plastic may be the key to disposing of bisphenol A (BPA) in an eco-friendly way, scientists have found. Their new study is in the American Chemical Society's Biomacromolecules, a monthly journal.
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Global e-Waste Recovery/Reclamation Revenues to Reach $14.7 Billion by 2015 02/02/2010
Source: ABI Research, 1/29/10. A new market study by ABI Research, "e-Waste Recovery and Recycling," forecasts that the worldwide market for e-waste recovery will grow from $5.7 billion in 2009 to nearly $14.7 billion by the end of 2014, representing a CAGR of 20.8% over the forecast period. This figure represents money generated through reclamation of valuable materials from e-scrap.
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EPA to Hold Public Hearings on Air Quality Standards for Smog 02/02/2010
Source: U.S. EPA, 1/29/10. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hold three public hearings on the proposal to strengthen the nation's air quality standards for ground-level ozone, also called smog. Exposure to smog is linked to a number of serious health problems, ranging from aggravation of asthma to increased risk of premature death in people with heart or lung disease.
The agency is proposing to set the "primary" standard, to protect public health, at a level between 0.060 and 0.070 parts per million measured over eight hours. EPA is also proposing to set a separate, seasonal "secondary" standard to protect the environment, especially plants and trees.
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More states require 'green' cleaning products 02/02/2010
Source: Wisconson State Journal, 1/27/10. More states are requiring schools and government buildings to use environmentally friendly cleaning products, raising debate about their costs and benefits. After a burst of legislation last year, 10 states including Connecticut, Illinois and New York require or encourage "green" floor waxes, window cleaners and other products in schools, according to Green Seal Inc., a nonprofit that certifies the products. Similar bills are expected to be debated this year in at least five states.
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Intel, Kohl's, PepsiCo Lead EPA's List of Green Power Purchasers 01/28/2010
Source: GreenBiz, 1/25/10. For a third year, Intel Corporation heads the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's list of top green power purchasers in the U.S. with Kohl's Department Stores and PepsiCo holding second and third place, respectively.
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Majority of Americans Still in the Dark About Federal Phaseout of Traditional Bulbs 01/28/2010
Source: Greener Buildings, 1/28/10. More Americans are buying energy efficient lighting and are aware of the energy-saving benefits -- but most are clueless about the phaseout of incandescent bulbs that starts in two years.
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The Green Guide for Health Care Operations Pilot Program is accepting Expressions of Interest by February 15, 2010 01/27/2010
Source: Environmental News Bits, 1/26/10. The Green Guide for Health Care, in collaboration with Practice Greenhealth, is launching a one-year Green Guide for Health Care Operations Pilot Program for healthcare organizations engaged in any or all aspects of green operations initiatives, based on Green Guide v2.2 Operations section. The intent of the Operations Pilot is to create a learning community of peers to share best practices across the different areas that comprise sustainable health care operations using web-based tools and resources, and to facilitate market transformation as the Green Guide evolves to meet the sustainability guidance needs of the healthcare community.
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Waste Management R2 standards for e-waste 01/26/2010
Source: Hazmat Management, 1/18/10. Waste Management, Inc., the largest waste services and recycling company in North America, has announced that its subsidiary WM Recycle America is implementing the Responsible Recycling (R2) Program for electronics recyclers. The R2 Program establishes a set of accepted practices that helps protect the environment and workers' health and safety during the handling of e-waste, provides the ability for third parties to monitor activity and offers greater transparency in the fast-growing electronics recycling sector.
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Coal-Burning Campuses Face Increased Pressure to Find Alternative Fuels 01/26/2010
Source: Chronicle of Higher Education, 1/10/10. Under scrutiny from environmental groups and students, colleges seek alternatives to the popular fuel...
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New NREL Web Site Helps Campuses Go Green 01/26/2010
Source: Environmental News Bits, 1/21/10. The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Cornell University have launched a Web site to help campus-based institutions develop clean energy and carbon-reduction strategies.
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Study links nonstick chemicals to thyroid disease 01/21/2010
Source: Greenwire, 1/21/10. A chemical used in nonstick cookware and stain-resistant fabrics has been linked by British researchers to thyroid disease.
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Electricity sector could reduce emissions 18% by 2030 -- study 01/21/2010
Source: Greenwire, 1/21/10. The electricity sector could shave up to 18 percent off its energy use and carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 by aggressively embracing smart-grid technologies, according to a new analysis.
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Seeking Training Opportunities to Demonstrate EMFACT 01/21/2010
Source: NEWMOA, 1/19/10. NEWMOA would like to enlist the P2Rx Centers' help in getting the word out about EMFACT and training people on its use. Please see the announcement...
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With Money on the Table, What's the Best Move for Green Trucking? 01/20/2010
Source: GreenBiz,1/19/10. Last week, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced that the Department of Energy is taking aim at the long-overlooked trucking industry, awarding $115 million toward "super truck" efficiency projects. The majority of the financing is directed toward improving Class 8 fuel efficiency, and grants were awarded to companies such as Cummins Inc., Navistar, and Daimler Trucks North America to develop technologies to halve fuel use in heavy trucks, shrink the size of the engine, and develop a cleaner diesel engine.
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Making Manufacturers Take It Back (E-Waste) 01/20/2010
Source: The Environment Report, 1/19/10. It used to be that when a company sold you a widget, they got your money, you got the widget, and that was the end of it. Now, that way of doing business is changing. Liam Moriarty reports that in Europe, and in the US, businesses are being required to take responsibility for their products in new ways. [audio, 3:39 min.; transcript available]
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FDA Says Bisphenol A (BPA) Exposure Is of 'Some Concern' for Infants and Children 01/20/2010
Source: Science Daily,1/20/10. The FDA has shifted its stance on bisphenol A (BPA) and said that exposure to the chemical is of "some concern" for infants and children. Previously, the agency's stance was the chemical posed no risk to humans; this stance was consistent with the chemical industry's stance.
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FDA might seek new authority to regulate plastics additive 01/19/2010
Source: Greenwire, 1/18/10. The Food and Drug Administration needs additional authority to regulate a controversial plastics additive, bisphenol A (BPA), according to top agency officials.
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ISO committee to tackle bioenergy 01/19/2010
Source: Ethanol Producer Magazine, 1/12/10. The International Organization for Standardization has announced it will develop ISO 13065, a standard for bioenergy. A new ISO committee, Sustainability for Bioenergy, will meet for the first time in April 2010, according to an ISO press release. The ISO standard is expected, when complete, to help governments meet alternative fuel targets.
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"Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them."
--Albert Einstein
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