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Greenlist(tm) Bulletin 09/08/2006

This is the weekly bulletin of the TURI Library, reporting a selection of recently published titles we have acquired. Our pledge is to keep the bulletin relevant to your work and brief -- no more than 10 titles. You are welcome to send a message to jan@turi.org if you would like more information on any of the articles listed here.

Titles here, abstracts below them:

Residential Green Building Guide: A Web Source Book for New England
Particulate Soiling Properties of Cellulosic Fabrics DP-Finished with Polycarboxylic Acids
Boutique Biofuels
U.S. National Report on Population and the Environment
Distribution and transportability of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) in the Asia-Pacific region using skipjack tuna as a bioindicator
Nanotube Ink: Desktop Printing of Carbon Nanotube Patterns
Waste Opportunities
Environmental Innovation: A Dialogue on the Role of Government, Law and Regulatory Approaches
Study Shows Solvents Damaged Workers' Brains
Healthy Business Strategies for Transforming the Toxic Chemical Economy

1. Residential Green Building Guide: A Web Source Book for New England

DATE 2006

SOURCE United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) New England

ABSTRACT The purpose of the Residential Green Building Guide for New England is to provide a resource to homeowners and contractors in the New England area who are interested in constructing and/or renovating their homes to be more environmentally friendly. It is intended as a primer and cannot answer all questions, but describes the resources that we are aware of to find more information. The Guide contains listings for information on green construction and renovation, where and how to find green products, and serves those in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. This Guide features organizations that are governmental or not-for-profit corporations. The Guide focuses solely on construction and renovation products and does not discuss maintenance or operation of products and references described herein.

WEB LINK http://www.epa.gov/NE/greenbuildings/residential/pdfs/gbguidecomplete.pdf

2. Particulate Soiling Properties of Cellulosic Fabrics DP-Finished with Polycarboxylic Acids

AUTHOR Yatagai, Mamiko; Takahashi, Yui

SOURCE AATCC Review, v6 n6, June 2006, pp44-48

ABSTRACT Cotton, linen and lyocell fabrics were durable press (DP) finished, with citric acid (CA) or 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA), in the presence of sodium hypophosphite (SHP) catalyst. The DP-finished fabrics were tested for soiling using iron oxide or carbon black particulate soil, as well as for their wrinkle recovery angle (WRA) and yellowness. The degree of fabric soiling was evaluated by reflectance measurements and K/S calculations before and after soiling. The CA-finished cotton fabric picked up significantly more iron oxide (less so for BTCA-finished cotton fabric) compared to the untreated control. Both finished cotton fabrics showed excellent resistance to soiling with carbon black compared to the control. Improved soil resistance was also observed in certain finished linen and lyocell fabrics toward iron oxide or carbon black.

3. Boutique Biofuels

AUTHOR Streeter, April

SOURCE Sustainable Industries, www.sijournal.com, August 30, 2006

ABSTRACT Just as mainstream markets begin to embrace corn-based ethanol and soybean-based biodiesel, a new crop of entrepreneurs is hot on the hunt of better “boutique” feedstocks and better methods to make and sell biofuel. Candidates for new fuel feedstocks include biomass waste products such as sawdust and sludge, a variety of oil-producing algae, oil-rich seeds such as canola and mustard, and wild grasses such as switchgrass and miscanthus. Entrepreneurs are attempting to extrapolate energy in everything from sea plankton to rejected Little Debbie snack cakes. In each case, the key is finding a boutique feedstock that offers a high yield without being a critical food source. As the search for economically attractive feedstocks continues, researchers are also improving the process by which biofuels are produced. Prescient biofuel advocates admit that no single source can be a silver bullet feedstock. Efficiency and conservation are considered equally if not more important weapons in battling climate change and building a renewable energy economy. In the biofuels business, many winners and losers are still to come.

WEB LINK http://www.sijournal.com/transportation/3764782.html

4. U.S. National Report on Population and the Environment

AUTHOR Markham, Victoria D.

DATE 2006

SOURCE Center for Environment & Population (CEP)

ABSTRACT The United States is the only industrialized nation in the world experiencing significant population growth. The combination of America’s relatively high rates of population growth and associated natural resource consumption and pollution result in the largest environmental impact, or ecological footprint, in the world. Over the past five decades people have altered natural ecosystems more rapidly and extensively than in any comparable period of time in human history, largely to meet the rapidly growing population’s demands for food, freshwater, timber, fiber, and fuel. U.S. population trends over the past century helped shape the country today, and are inextricably linked to its current environmental state. For example: * Over the past 100 years the U.S. experienced the largest population increase ever in its history, and its population density doubled. * Population distribution shifted South and West, and those regions dominated the century’s growth. * The U.S. went from being primarily rural to urban and suburban, with the proportion of urban residents doubling from 40% to 80%. * “Metropolitanization” (growth in cities and surrounding suburbs) most characterizes the nation’s demographic change. By 2000, half of all Americans lived in suburban areas, and 4 out of 5 lived in broader metropolitan areas. * Today, America is the third most populous country in the world after China and India, yet represents only 5% of the global total. The U.S. population, at about 300 million, doubled since 1950. * The South and West are the country’s most heavily populated and fastest growing regions, and now contain over half of the entire U.S. population. The Northeast is the most densely populated region. * Over half of all Americans live within 50 miles of the coast, in just one fifth (17%) of its land area. Population density on the coasts is five times that of other parts of the country. Of the nation’s ten fastest growing states, half are in the coastal South and another four are in the driest Western areas, making them among the nation’s most vulnerable “population-environment” hotspots. All these population trends have significant effects on ecosystems, natural resources and plant and animal species.

WEB LINK http://www.cepnet.org/documents/USNatlReptFinal.pdf

5. Distribution and transportability of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) in the Asia-Pacific region using skipjack tuna as a bioindicator

AUTHOR Ueno, Daisuke; Alaee, Mehran; Marvin, Chris; Muir, Derek C.G.; Macinnis, Gordia; et al.

SOURCE Environmental Pollution, v144 n1, November 2006, pp238-247

ABSTRACT The geographical distribution of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) was investigated through analysis of muscle tissue of skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) collected from offshore waters of Asia-Pacific region (Japan, Taiwan, Philippines, Indonesia, Seychelles, Brazil, Japan Sea, East China Sea, South China Sea, Indian Ocean and North Pacific Ocean). HBCD was detected in almost all samples analyzed (<0.1 to 45 ng/g lipid weight basis), indicating widespread presence of this compound in the marine environment. Elevated concentrations of HBCD were found in skipjack tuna from areas around Japan, which have the larger modern industrial/urban societies, and implicated these areas as primary regional sources. All three individual HBCD isomers (a-, g- and b-HBCD) were detected in almost all samples; the percentage contribution of the aisomer to total HBCD increased with increasing latitude. The estimated empirical 1/2 distance for a-HBCD was 8500 km, which is one of the highest atmospheric transportability among various halogenated persistent organic pollutants (POPs).

6. Nanotube Ink: Desktop Printing of Carbon Nanotube Patterns

SOURCE Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, August 30, 2006

ABSTRACT Using an off-the-shelf inkjet printer, a team of scientists has developed a simple technique for printing patterns of carbon nanotubes on paper and plastic surfaces. The method could lead to a new process for manufacturing a wide range of nanotube-based devices, from flexible electronics and conducting fabrics to sensors for detecting chemical agents. Carbon nanotubes have enticed researchers since their discovery in 1991, offering an impressive combination of high strength, low weight, and excellent conductivity. But most current techniques to make nanotube-based devices require complex and expensive equipment. “Our results suggest new alternatives for fabricating nanotube patterns by simply printing the dissolved particles on paper or plastic surfaces,” said Robert Vajtai, a researcher with the Rensselaer Nanotechnology Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Vajtai and his colleagues at Rensselaer — along with a group of researchers led by Krisztián Kordás and Géza Tóth at the University of Oulu in Finland — have developed an approach that uses a commercial inkjet printer to deposit nanotubes onto various surfaces. They simply fill a conventional ink cartridge with a solution of carbon nanotubes dissolved in water, and then the printer produces a pattern just as if it was printing with normal ink. Because nanotubes are good conductors, the resulting images also are able to conduct electricity. The technique could be used to print optical tags on money and other paper items that need to be tracked, and it could even lead to an electronic newspaper where the text can be switched without changing the paper, he said. The researchers printed different samples, some of which show sensitivity to the vapors of several chemicals, which also could make them useful as gas sensors. Because the process uses off-the-shelf printers, cartridges, and paper or plastic surfaces, the only real expense is the cost of the nanotubes. For this experiment, the researchers made their own multi-walled carbon nanotubes, which were then chemically modified to allow them to dissolve in water. But similar nanotubes can be purchased for as little as a tenth of the price of the more expensive single-walled variety of carbon nanotubes, Vajtai said. And the cost of nanotubes should continue to drop as commercial demand for higher volumes grows.

WEB LINK http://news.rpi.edu/update.do

7. Waste Opportunities

AUTHOR Grundy, Peter

SOURCE Circuits Assembly, September 2006, pp34-35

ABSTRACT Many eminent scholars and authors have written detailed analyses about the RoHS and WEEE legislation encircling the globe. The theme is the same, even if the content varies slightly from place to place. We have all become environmentally aware. For more than four years the Japanese have been operating under a form of RoHS and have had to adopt WEEE by necessity. They have far less room than most to dig holes in the ground and bury unwanted electronics - let alone any other waste. However, rather than treat this as a problem, they adopted the sensible approach of looking for opportunities. Marketing came to the fore and overall factory efficiency won back the perceived losses due to the need to restrict various substances - notably lead in solders. Products are sold under the environmentally friendly banner, at a slight premium in some cases, but the public was won over and the Japanese are still in business - possibly stronger than ever. As populations increase, and we disassociate ourselves with the amount of waste we create, we forget just how much of a problem it has become. Thirty years ago mobile phones were a novelty development, expected to be a business tool. Thirty years ago few of us had the electronic gadgets in our homes that we now take for granted. Thirty years ago, the few electronic things that ended up in the waste stream were not seen as detrimental. We now have a consumer society that is electronically minded and enormous quantities of products will end up sooner, rather than later, as waste. We have no choice but to adopt RoHS/WEEE styles of legislation.

WEB LINK http://circuitsassembly.com/cms/content/view/3864/95/

8. Environmental Innovation: A Dialogue on the Role of Government, Law and Regulatory Approaches

DATE 2006

SOURCE Multi-State Working Group on Environmental Performance; University of Massachusetts Lowell; John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

ABSTRACT After three decades of environmental policy dominated by laws and regulations with a compliance focus, many in the public and private sectors are looking to new, innovative tools to complement regulatory efforts and move beyond compliance. Environmental Innovation, A Dialogue on the Role of Government, Law and Regulatory Innovation, engaged practitioners and policy makers in discussing what was working and why, what opportunities and obstacles existed, and how government could support environmental innovations. The Dialogue examined three types of innovations: (1) federal or state incentive programs that recognize and provide other incentives to top performers; (2) enforcement and permitting that incorporate innovative approaches; and (3) regulatory approaches such as the Massachusetts Environmental Results Program that replaces facility-specific environmental permits with sector-wide performance standards. A significant barrier to broader adoption of innovative approaches is existing environmental law. The major environmental statutes enacted in the 1970s and revised in the 1980s were written essentially to force the EPA to implement the law as written. These statutes are extraordinarily detailed and constrain EPA’s authority to exercise discretion. They establish a rigid hierarchy, in which the federal government must review and approve a state program, essentially tying the hands of states wishing to innovate in their own ways. Furthermore, most environmental laws give the public and environmental groups the right to bring lawsuits against a government agency that fails to uphold the letter of the law. EPA and states have often been reluctant to try new approaches out of concern that they end up being sued. The Dialogue provided the following insights and themes: Incentive programs can improve environmental performance when they are designed to solve a problem, involve the environmental and regulated communities, include low transaction costs and provide adequate incentives. Opportunities exist in enforcement and permitting to innovate on a case-by-case basis. While such innovations are notable, many at the Dialogue expressed the view that changing environmental regulation one facility at a time was slow and frustrating. Innovating is possible in existing programs but single media focus is an obstacle. Even with the best of leadership, commitment, and stakeholder involvement, innovations are often constrained by regulations, programs and organizational cultures that focus on individual environmental media rather than on cross-media and facility-wide operations. Key factors in successful innovations are leadership; trust and relationships between government and the regulated and environmental communities; shared environmental goals; a flexible process with sufficient support and resources; and early stakeholder involvement. Government can promote, constrain or obstruct innovations depending on its receptivity to new ideas, willingness to take risks, and long term commitment to change. The most effective catalyst for innovation is the need to solve a pressing environmental problem. Organizational culture makes or breaks innovations. Tapping into shared values and common interests can overcome resistance to change. ‘Next-generation’ frameworks and existing programs can promote innovation and results if they include environmental goals, use a cross-media approach rather than program ‘stovepipes’, and use information to regularly evaluate and communicate progress. All sectors have a role in environmental innovations: federal, state, local governments, environmental interest community, regulated community, and academia. Recommendations from the Dialogue to either optimize existing environmental innovations or develop new innovations and ‘next generation’ frameworks are:; Focus on environmental problems and goals; Measure, evaluate, and communicate progress; Give innovations the time and support they deserve and need; Involve internal and external stakeholders early; Build value for participation; Use cross-media, full-system or facility-wide approaches Existing statutes and programs have been very effective. While much innovation can be accomplished within existing frameworks, efforts should continue to rethink how policies, regulations, and statutes can and need to be changed to achieve environmental protection and sustainability for the next 35 years.

WEB LINK http://www.mswg.org/documents/Academy/
FINAL_Laws_n_Regs_report.pdf#search=
%22%22a%20dialogue%20on%20the%20role%20of%20government%22%22

9. Study Shows Solvents Damaged Workers' Brains

AUTHOR Bruggers, James

SOURCE Louisville Courier-Journal, September 5, 2006

ABSTRACT Researchers studying railroad workers have documented that cleaning solvents used in their jobs caused brain damage, shrinking the vital bridge that helps one side of the brain communicate with the other. The results of the study by researchers from West Virginia University, the University of Pittsburgh and Johns Hopkins University, which was funded by the federal government, bolster evidence that powerful degreasers can damage the brain. They also lend further credence to claims by hundreds of railroad workers, many from Kentucky and some from Indiana, diagnosed with brain damage after cleaning locomotives with solvents from the 1950s through the early 1990s. The new report is the first connected with the nation's first large, independently funded study that seeks to explain how railroad workers may have been affected by solvents like 1,1,1-trichloroethane, trichloroethylene and perchlorethylene. Workers who participated in the study came from railroad shops in Cumberland, Md., and Huntington, W.Va. The findings of eight researchers were published in June in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. They are based on comparing images of the brains of 31 railroad workers who were exposed to solvents over a period of at least 10 years to 31 people who were not. With funding from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the researchers found that the size of the corpus callosum -- a bridge between the left and right hemispheres of the brain that allows communication between the sides -- was significantly smaller in the railroad workers. And the part most affected, they found, was the genu, a section of the corpus callosum that connects the frontal lobes, which are associated with decision making, problem solving and emotions. The researchers also concluded that psychiatric conditions, such as depression, could not have caused the physical changes in workers' brains.

WEB LINK http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060905/NEWS01/609050392

10. Healthy Business Strategies for Transforming the Toxic Chemical Economy

AUTHOR Greiner, Tim; Rossi, Mark; Thorpe, Beverley; Kerr, Bob

DATE 2006

SOURCE Clean Production Action

ABSTRACT Business leaders are creating value by embedding concerns for human health and the environment into their products. Healthy business strategies differentiate a company’s brand from its competitors — lowering costs, enhancing consumer and employee loyalty and increasing market share by creating healthier products for people and nature. For these leading companies, using environmentally preferred chemicals and materials is a core value, not a secondary assignment relegated to the periphery of the company. Unfortunately, the dominant approach of businesses using toxic chemicals involves no strategy other than toxics ignorance and compliance. Toxics-ignorant firms forego strategic thinking on chemicals and know little about the chemicals and materials used in their product nor the hazards they pose. Toxics-compliant firms do the minimum required by law, seeking only to conform with regulations that govern worker health, handling and storage of and pollution control of toxic chemicals. Firms operating in the toxics compliance and ignorance universe fail to anticipate market opportunities for healthy products and expend scarce resources combating chemicals restrictions and public demands for safer products. This report profiles six companies that are crafting healthy strategies for using chemicals and materials in their products. This report does not address the totality of producer responsibility for each company’s product life cycle such as end of life product management, energy use and social corporate responsibility. This report does, however, provide detailed examples of how companies are now integrating safer chemicals use into their policies and the recommendations and lessons resulting from this. This report synthesizes and presents a coherent approach any firm can adopt to move beyond outdated toxics ignorance and toxics compliance approaches and towards a fully integrated healthy business strategy.

WEB LINK http://www.cleanproduction.org/library/CPA-HealthyBusiness-
1.pdf#search=%22%22healthy%20business%20strategies%20for%20
transforming%22%22

You are welcome to send a message to jan@turi.org if you would like more information on any of these resources. Also, please tell us what topics you are particularly interested in monitoring, and who else should see GREENLIST. An online search of the TURI Library catalog can be done at http://greenlist.turi.org/ for greater topic coverage.

Compiled by the TURI Library, University of Massachusetts Lowell

This page updated Friday September 15 2006

TURI - Toxics Use Reduction Institute

Greenlist(tm) Bulletin 09/08/2006