In Court

over plastic ban: A group of plastic bag manufacturers and recyclers in the US state of
California has filed a lawsuit against the Oakland city authorities over a ban on plastic shopping bags. The Coalition to
Support Plastic Bag Recycling has filed the lawsuit at the Superior Court in Oakland saying that the city's ban on plastic
shopping bags will hurt the environment more than it will help. If plastic bags are banned, people will use paper bags, which
is as harmful to the environment as plastic bags, if not more so, says the coalition. The ordinance, which was to take effect
in January 2008, has now been put on hold, pending the outcome of the lawsuit.

over GMO
ban: European Union regulators lodged a lawsuit against Poland at Europe's highest court on January 31 for the
country's move to ban the trade in and planting of genetically modified seeds, the European Commission said. In April 2006,
Poland adopted a law on seeds and plant protection and introduced a total ban of trade in GMO seeds within the Polish
territory. Poland's GMO ban breaks the EU law, which has harmonized the use and trade of GMO seeds across the union. The
Commission had asked Poland to revoke the ban.