India a mercury hotspot
At a time when most countries are phasing out mercury, India has donned the dubious mantle of the world's toxic capital. Its import of elemental …
UCIL's end-game
With the dismantling of the Union Carbide factory responsible for the Bhopal gas leak, vital evidence in the case, which reveals the company's …
Bare facts
Alang, Gujarat. This is where ships from across the world are sent to be wrecked. A shipbreaking industry has emerged as a consequence, which is …
Blind to danger
The government turns a Nelson's eye while the construction sector makes hay on phosphogypsum, a carcinogenic byproduct of the fertiliser industry
Dealing with waste
On the 10th anniversary of the Basel Convention, member states reiterate the need to minimise the generation of hazardous waste
Developing countries are dumpyards for e-waste
A recent study in the US shows that by 2004, over 315 million computers will become obsolete. By 2005, for every single computer an American buys,…
Self-control for EU chemical industry
The regulations governing the European Union's chemical industry are set to undergo a drastic change, with special emphasis being laid on self-…
Conflicts are bad for the environment, says UNEP report
At a time when the threat of war looms large over Iraq, here's more ammunition for peaceniks to confront warmongers with. The United Nations …
Simple salmon
Scottish environmentalists oppose use of chemicals to control sea lice and favour organic salmon
Cleaning trees
Phytoremediation gets another shot in the arm as Japanese researchers transform conifer leaves to fantastic cleaning agents
Metal maniacs
Genetically-modified trees could be soaking up poisonous metals from the ground in the near future or even mine for precious ones
Talking in riddles
A recent protocol on compensation to victims of hazardous waste permits the generators to go scot-free
Landfills scrapped in UK
Come 2004, 90 per cent of landfills will be shut down in the UK. The step is being taken in the wake of a recent EU directive that has clamped …
No laughing matter
Nitrous oxide is steadily accumulating in the upper atmosphere, eating into the ozone layer and contributing to global warming
The crippling effects of TCE
tce is a nonflammable, colourless liquid. It is mainly used to remove grease from metal parts. Worldwide almost 80-90 per cent of this chemical …
Toxicitea tangle
Safeguards have been erected to weed out the supplies of tea laden with high pesticide residue levels. But when governments use these benchmarks …
Driven for and by the people
GRP has emerged as a truly democratic indicator of the direction in which corporate environmental governance is headed
Printers' devil
The Jaipur bench of the Rajasthan High Court has ordered the relocation of Sanganer's polluting dyeing and printing units within a year. Failure …
Punjab wants farmers to stay away from 9 pesticides. Will it help?
Europe tightened import norms since 2018, has shown reluctance to import basmati rice with pesticide residues earlier
The Green Revolution and a dark Punjab
Punjab has paid a price for food security. The use of pesticides and fertilisers has resulted in a number of health issues for the state’s …
Affected people can even approach the criminal court
JUSTICE N VENKATACHALA former judge of the Supreme Court, is currently chairperson of the National Environment Appellate Authority (NEAA). Set …
Just dump it
Acids of arsenic. Organo-mercury compounds. Batteries. Bristles of boars or hogs. More potent stuff: asbestos; slag dross; ash and residues of …
No concrete plans
The Centre for Science and Environment's Green Rating Project team has rated the cement industry. Its findings uncovered some surprises. The …
