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SOLID/HAZARDOUS
WASTE |
Asbestos
Handling |
Though asbestos is banned in UK from 2000, it still
presents a real and relevant risk to workers involved
in refurbishment and minor construction as it may
be present in any building constructed or refurbished
before the year 2000. It is estimated that around
500,000 non-domestic buildings could contain asbestos
and all these buildings need repair and maintenance
work from time to time but when the asbestos fibres
are disturbed, for example by drilling or cutting,
they are likely to be inhaled as a deadly dust.
The number of asbestos-related workplace deaths exceeds
the figure of deaths in road accidents but many workers,
particularly tradesmen, think that they are not personally
at risk of exposure to asbestos or the diseases it
can cause.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned firms
to properly assess risks when working with asbestos
and ensure, if necessary, only licensed contractors
are used. The call follows the prosecution on 4 February
2009 of Westpoint Schoolcare Ltd for breaching Asbestos
Control Regulations 2006.
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(HSE, Feb 9, 2009) |
International
Agreement on Mercury |
Since it launched the mercury strategy in 2005 EU
has made considerable progress in addressing the global
challenges of mercury. This has resulted in restrictions
on the sale of measuring devices containing mercury,
a ban on exports of mercury from the EU that will
come into force in 2011, and new rules on safe storage.
The European Union is now calling upon the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Governing Council
for starting negotiation process on an international
legal agreement on mercury, beginning 16-20 February
meeting in Nairobi, Kenya. It has strongly favoured
legally binding measures to regulate the toxic metal.
The agreement would address the whole life cycle
of mercury and could be designed to allow other
substances to be covered in the future, once they
have been recognised as being of global concern.
Since the UNEP Governing Council called for a reduction
of mercury releases in 2003, many measures have
been undertaken worldwide, mainly on a voluntary
basis. European environment ministers, however,
believe that voluntary initiatives alone will not
be enough.
The EU is also seeking a decision from the Governing
Council on the process to strengthen the science-base
for policy making on biodiversity and ecosystem
services. This includes the consideration of an
Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity
and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). The Global Ministerial
Environment Forum, associated with the Governing
Council meeting, will discuss these issues, as well
as the environmental implications of the current
global crises and ways forward in the debate on
international environmental governance.
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(European Commission, Feb 16, 2009) |
Toxic
Metal Pollutants |
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'Heavy metals are toxic to human health and can damage
the environment. A study partly conducted under the
EU-funded DROPS project1, found that there has been
a reduction in levels of heavy metal detected in air
and rain. These reductions correspond with cuts in
emissions since the 1960s and 1970s, when the highest
levels were observed. This is due to improvements
in technology which produce cleaner emissions, and
from the closure of heavily polluting industrial plants
in Eastern and Central Europe. Over the last 20 years,
cadmium emissions have been cut by about 60 percent.
Lead emissions have been cut by about 85 percent over
the last 20 years. Mercury emissions in Europe declined
overall between 1980 and 2005 due to cleaner technologies.
However, between 2003 and 2005, the atmospheric concentration
of mercury increased slightly. The researchers suggest
that this could be due to drifting emissions from
other regions, such as Asia.
Using information, particularly from the UN ECE LRTAP
EMEP2 programme, the researchers predict that between
2005 and 2010, further reductions of up to 37 percent
for cadmium, 51 percent for lead and 49 percent for
mercury could be achieved if cleaner technologies
continue to be implemented. |
(environmental-expert.com, Feb 9, 2009)
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