Australian scientists have issued a warning about climate change. Leading Australian scientists stated that the impacts of climate change and the appropriate attitude towards it, if reflected in politics, are akin to a democratic competition where the ultimate goal is to gain public support. Therefore, they are calling on nationally leading or controlling energy institutions and industries related to carbon to address this issue as soon as possible to reduce environmental pollution. Scientists say that if the temperature rise limit is kept below 2°C, carbon emissions will have peaked by 2020 and will inevitably decline; this is a global and unavoidable task. McIndoe, CEO of an Australian energy company, stated that since we have relied on coal for nearly 60 years, by 2020, Australia's dependence on coal will be an unchangeable fact. - Reference: PLANET

California plans to establish the world's largest carbon trading market; however, San Francisco Judge Ernest Goldsmith ruled that the plan should be suspended and ordered the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to refrain from taking any action until a research report on alternative mechanisms is completed, making California law binding and ensuring that the carbon emission cap-trading scheme achieves its reduction targets. This plan would use legal binding force to impose a carbon tax on large corporations, hoping to return California's carbon emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. – Reference: Business Green

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) states that Norway will control its carbon dioxide emissions through carbon emission permits. The OECD indicates that by 2020, Norway will be able to purchase carbon emission permits on the European market to fulfill its commitment to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Norway's total greenhouse gas emissions increased from 49.8 million tons in 1990 to 51.3 million tons in 2009. A 20% reduction from 1990 emissions would mean a decrease to approximately 39.8 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. Norwegian officials stated that most of the greenhouse gas reductions will be achieved through domestic actions. The OECD points out that a Norwegian government study assessed that by 2020, emitting 1 ton of carbon dioxide would be equivalent to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 120,000 tons, based on a global exchange rate of €200. - Reference: PLANET

A survey released on the 13th by a US consumer protection group indicated that, according to a test report from the US Department of Agriculture, a staggering 98% of 700 apple samples contained pesticide residues. Among vegetables, celery had the highest pesticide residue levels, making it no exaggeration to call apples and celery the "dirtiest fruits and vegetables." Taiwan's Council of Agriculture statistics show that last year, Taiwan imported approximately 40,000 metric tons of apples from the US, ranking second in import volume. However, from January to May this year, Taiwan imported nearly 29,000 metric tons from the US, jumping to first place. Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration stated that in 2009, US apples were repeatedly found to contain the pesticide "amphetamine" at customs. Taiwan revised its pesticide residue safety limits to 0.5 ppm, and in the past two years, cases of US apples failing pesticide residue standards have become rare. Conversely, South Korean apples have repeatedly violated Taiwan's pesticide residue regulations in the past two years, leading to a 100% customs border inspection rate. The Environmental Task Force (ETF), a U.S. nonprofit consumer protection organization, published its "2011 Pesticide Residue Guidelines" based on inspections by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The guidelines listed the "12 Dirtiest Fruits and Vegetables," with strawberries, peaches, spinach, imported nectarines, imported grapes, bell peppers, potatoes, local blueberries, lettuce, and cabbage following in that order after apples and celery. Vegetables with the fewest pesticide residues included onions, corn, pineapples, avocados, and asparagus. The ETF stated that consuming five servings from the "12 Dirtiest Fruits and Vegetables" daily would result in an average daily intake of 14 different pesticides; conversely, consuming five servings from a list of 15 clean fruits and vegetables would likely result in an average daily intake of less than two different pesticides.

The implementation of a carbon tax is imperative, and the Australian government hopes to pass legislation for its implementation by July next year. This symposium, hosted by the Business Council of Australia (BCA), initially proposed a carbon tax of US$10 per tonne, lower than the US$20-30 price range. A major Australian business summit indicated that US$10 per tonne is reasonable and they are willing to cooperate with this government measure. Implementing a carbon tax would help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote investment in clean energy. — Reference: ABC News

Plasticizers have raised serious concerns about plastic, and the public is also worried about the safety of reusable cups. The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) announced today that it has drafted a standard for environmental labeling of reusable cups and held a public hearing. It hopes to announce the standard in August for manufacturers to apply for, allowing consumers to choose safe reusable cups based on the label. The plasticizer scandal has caused widespread fear of plastics, and in addition to reducing the use of plastic containers in daily life, people have also raised safety concerns about their own reusable beverage containers (i.e., reusable cups). The EPA stated today that it has drafted a standard for the environmental labeling of reusable cups and held its second public hearing on June 13th. A review meeting is expected at the end of June, and if the administrative process goes smoothly, the "Standard for Environmental Labeling of Reusable Cups" is expected to be announced in August for manufacturers to apply for. In the future, consumers can choose reusable cups with the environmental label to ensure they are free of toxic substances such as plasticizers, PVC, and bisphenol A. According to the draft standards for the eco-label of reusable cups currently being developed by the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA), chlorine-containing plastics cannot be used in reusable cups. Applicants must submit a report on the plastic material. For metal reusable cup lids made of plastic, the parts in contact with the beverage must not exceed the following standards: heavy metals (less than 1 ppm), DEHP (less than 1.5 ppm), DBP (less than 0.3 ppm), and bisphenol A (less than 0.03 micrograms per milliliter). In addition to meeting the above standards, plastic beverage cups must also meet certain heat resistance standards. The EPA stated that some domestic manufacturers have already expressed their intention to apply for the eco-label. -Source: Central News Agency (2011-06-16)

More than 80 countries, including the 27 member states of the European Union, Australia, Canada, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Korea, and Sri Lanka, have banned or are phasing out the use of amprolium. In June 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it would end all use of amprolium because it "poses unacceptable harm to farmers and wildlife and remains permanently in the environment." However, amprolium remains widely used in many countries, including India and China. On the 11th, more than 135 non-profit organizations called on the Philippine government to impose a permanent ban on the use of amprolium within its borders. These groups urged the government to actively endorse a global ban on amprolium to protect public health and the environment through a petition. With a crucial international conference on the fate of amprolium approaching, the petition, led by groups such as the EcoWaste Coalition, the Pesticide Action Network, and GAIA (Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives), calls for strong measures regarding pesticide use. The Stockholm Convention review meeting on the regulation of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) will be held in Geneva, Switzerland, from April 25 to 29. The meeting will primarily discuss issues related to the implementation of the Convention, including recommendations from a panel of scientific experts regarding the ban on amprolium. The UN Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee, in its review meeting last year, recommended...

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that approximately 90,000 girls' dresses and tops produced by the My Michelle brand were found to have excessive lead content in their chain ornaments, necessitating a recall. My Michelle children's clothing was sold in department stores and retail outlets across the United States, including JCPenney, Kohl's, and Burlington Coat Factory. The batch of dresses and tops found to have excessive lead in their chain ornaments totaled approximately 90,000 pieces, ranging in size 7 to 16. These were available in the U.S. market from January to March of this year, with an average retail price of about $38 per piece. The CPSC stated that while no cases of children becoming ill due to these garments have been reported so far, the significantly excessive lead content in the chain ornaments warrants that parents immediately stop their children from wearing these clothes and contact My Michelle for a refund. According to media reports, lead exposure in young children can cause kidney damage, anemia, and other problems. — Source: Central News Agency

 On March 31, 2011, the Official Journal of the European Union published European Commission Directive 2011/37/EU. According to this directive, certain categories of automotive parts may still contain heavy metals such as lead and cadmium. Although Directive 2000/53/EC concerning end-of-life vehicles prohibits the presence of lead, mercury, cadmium, or hexavalent chromium in materials and parts of vehicles placed on the market after July 1, 2003, certain exemptions are permitted, details of which are listed in Annex II of the Directive. Some exemptions have expiration dates. Vehicles placed on the market before the expiration date may contain heavy metals prohibited in materials or parts. Annex II specifies that replacement parts placed on the market after July 1, 2003, are exempt from this restriction if they are used in vehicles already placed on the market before that date. This exemption allows vehicles already placed on the market before the ban came into effect to be repaired using parts that comply with the safety and quality requirements for original equipment parts. However, parts used in newer vehicles (i.e., vehicles put on the market after July 1, 2003, but before the exemption expires) are not exempt. In other words, these parts must be free of heavy metals, even if they are used to replace parts that originally contained prohibited heavy metals; otherwise, they will not be exempt. The new Commission directive acknowledges that, in certain circumstances, it is technically impossible...

A calculation released by Australian officials on April 1st shows that if Australia implements the proposed carbon tax, each Australian household will spend an additional AU$863 (approximately US$894.5) annually. According to a model submitted by the Australian Treasurer to Treasurer Wayne Swan, if a carbon tax is implemented, the price of carbon emissions will be AU$30 (approximately US$31.1) per tonne before any subsidies are provided. This would increase the average Australian household's weekly expenses by AU$16.6 (approximately US$17.2). The calculation also indicates that without government measures such as tax cuts, the carbon tax would raise the consumer price index by 1.48 percentage points. The Treasurer warned that due to the lack of benchmarks, frequent tax rate adjustments are likely in the initial years of the carbon tax, creating uncertainty for businesses. Currently, the Australian Labor government is working to introduce a carbon emissions pricing mechanism to the Australian economy to achieve energy conservation and carbon reduction goals. However, this move has faced fierce resistance from the opposition. Some opposition figures have pointed out that Australia's unilateral implementation of a carbon tax system will sacrifice its competitiveness, given the lack of global consensus on the matter.

Disagreements remain among nations regarding the extension of the Kyoto Protocol after its expiration, and Japan may re-examine its greenhouse gas emission commitments following the nuclear disaster. UN Climate Change Director Christiana Figueres stated that these political challenges need to be addressed, but Japan has not yet indicated any intention to change its commitments. The UN Climate Change Conference in Bangkok officially opens tomorrow. In the two days of pre-conference working meetings, negotiators from various countries have engaged in heated discussions about their positions and various technical mechanisms. Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), today called on countries to finalize the concrete work of the Kanken Agreement at this conference. The Kyoto Protocol, which contains specific commitments to reduce gas emissions, will expire its first commitment period next year. Figueres stated that if countries can make a decision as soon as possible this year, the transition period after the Kyoto Protocol expires next year can be more easily determined. However, Figueres believes that the problem still involves political challenges that countries must further address. Under the Kyoto Protocol, most industrialized nations, except the United States, pledged to reduce their emissions to a certain level by 2020. Japan pledged to reduce its emissions by 25% compared to 1990 levels by 2020. Following the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Japan may reconsider its emissions reduction commitments. Feguerrez pointed out that there is currently no indication that Japan will change its commitment targets. She stated that...

To celebrate World Water Day, Kevin Freedam from Canada used only 25 liters of water on March 22nd, unlike the average North American who uses 330 liters in a single day. He also recruited 31 people to participate in his water-saving campaign, which involved using only 25 liters of water per day for cooking, drinking, cleaning, and personal hygiene throughout March. Freedam stated, "People in Canada and the United States don't realize how much water they use and how much they waste every day." He added, "Even for those who don't use much water, using only 25 liters a day is difficult; you can't go without showering or using a dishwasher." He pointed out, "I hope to raise awareness that water is a finite resource." Nearly one billion people lack access to safe and clean water. Recent research indicates that because water demand will exceed sustainable water supply by 40 percentage points, the number of people lacking water resources could multiply exponentially within a single generation. Abundant water resources are no longer available. Humans are using more water than sustainably can sustainably, extracting and utilizing non-renewable water resources that have been stored in underground aquifers for millennia. "Water cannot be created, it can only be managed and used," says Margaret Catley Carlson, manager of the Canadian Water Network and a world-renowned expert on water resources, as well as a former senior official with the United Nations and the Canadian government. "In many countries and regions, water scarcity is..."

The investigation into the environmental violations of Huntsman Textiles & Chemicals (China) Co., Ltd., Huntsman Textiles & Chemicals (Qingdao) Co., Ltd., Huntsman (Thailand) Limited, Huntsman (Singapore) Pte Ltd., Huntsman Chemicals Trading (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., and Huntsman Advanced Materials (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as the "six companies") has now been completed. I. Environmental Violations and Evidence An investigation confirmed that these six companies provided false ecotoxicological test reports (report numbers S-066-2010 and S-067-2010) during the joint application for the new chemical substance "the reaction product of diazotized sodium naphthalene disulfonate with 4-amino-5-hydroxy-2,7-naphthalenedisulfon-2-[(3-aminophenyl)sulfonyl]ethyl hydrogen sulfate and 2,4,6,-trichloro-1,3,5-triazine sodium salt" (trade code: FAT40840, RECTIVE RED ROE 358, CAS number: 958872-41-8). The aforementioned actions of these six companies violated Article 8 of the "Regulations on the Environmental Management of New Chemical Substances" (Order No. 17 of the former State Environmental Protection Administration of China) regarding the management system for the application of new chemical substances. The Ministry of Environmental Protection of China issued a notice in December 2010...

Food packaging comes into direct contact with food and is directly related to people's health. Food packaging materials include paper, plastic, metal, and ceramics, with paper and plastic being the most widely used; their safety should be given high priority. The basic raw material for papermaking is natural fiber, which undergoes a series of processing steps to produce paper. To improve the whiteness and sensory properties of paper, most papers are treated with fluorescent whitening agents. Fluorescent whitening agents are highly carcinogenic chemicals. The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has confirmed their carcinogenicity through animal experiments and has strictly prohibited their use in food packaging paper. Relevant departments in China have also made similar requirements, but due to a lack of effective supervision, the use of whitening agents in paper for food packaging remains common. Ink pollution in packaging paper is also serious, posing a threat to consumer health. Furthermore, many high-end food packages use tin foil. It is understood that 60% of tin foil contains lead exceeding the established standards. Lead is a recognized culprit in acute and chronic heavy metal poisoning; therefore, the lead content in aluminum foil must be strictly controlled, and direct contact between food and aluminum foil should be avoided. Plastics, as a modern food packaging material, have developed rapidly and are remarkable. Theoretically, monomers, after polymerization, are generally stable and should be non-toxic. However, some plastics contain plasticizers and anti-aging agents to improve performance; these additives are often toxic and should be subject to strict hygiene control.
—Source: Internet

German power company RWE will invest €500 million in Denizli, Turkey, to build a thermal power plant. The project's partner is Turkish company Turcas Petrol. The plant is expected to be completed and operational by the end of 2012, with a generating capacity of 775 megawatts. RWE will hold a 70% stake in the joint venture, while Turcas will hold 30%. RWE is currently one of the top five electricity and gas companies in Europe, employing 70,000 people and serving 16 million electricity and 8 million gas customers. The company currently dominates the Western European electricity market, is the largest electricity supplier in Germany, the second largest in the Netherlands, and the third largest in the UK, and is gradually expanding its influence in Central and Eastern Europe. Furthermore, it has recently been actively developing the renewable energy market. Turcas Petrol is a leader in the Turkish market in oil transportation, refining, petrochemicals, natural gas import and transportation, and power generation. RWE stated that the main reason for choosing to invest in Turkey is that Turkey not only serves as a bridge between neighboring energy-producing countries and European consumers, but is also a rapidly growing energy market itself.
 –Source: Bureau of Foreign Trade