Greenlist(tm) Bulletin 06/15/2007
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:
- Big asbestos prosecution in jeopardy, U.S. argues
- Understanding international crime trends: the legacy of preschool lead exposure
- Spin-off to market green technology using waste paint
- Fact Sheet: Securing Our Nation's Chemical Facilities
- Climate change: a guide to the information and disinformation
- Method to improve the strength of rubber, plastic products
- Case studies in sustainability: from the fields through the supply chain to the shelf
- Picnic perfect plastics
- ISO 14001 certification and environmental performance in Quebec's pulp and paper industry
- Hazardous chemicals crop up in unlikely people
1. Big asbestos prosecution in jeopardy, U.S. argues
Author: Schneider, Andrew
Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer, June 5, 2007
Abstract: Government lawyers told an appellate court panel in Seattle on Monday that unless several lower-court decisions are overturned, it will be impossible to properly prosecute W.R. Grace & Co. on charges of concealing for years the dangers of asbestos from a vermiculite mine near Libby, Mont. The decisions last year by U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy to ban the government's use of scores of documents, studies and testimony of expert witnesses stymied government efforts to bring Grace and seven of its current and former senior executives and managers to trial last September.
For 30 years, Grace mined vermiculite in the hills above the northwestern Montana town. The ore, which expands like popcorn when heated, is contaminated with asbestos. The disease-causing fibers in vermiculite from Libby have been identified by the government as the cause of hundreds of deaths and for sickening thousands more. The vermiculite was shipped to more than 200 processing and packaging plants throughout North America, where it was made into lawn and garden products and attic and wall insulation that the government has estimated is in between 15 million and 35 million homes and businesses.
The government told the panel that since at least the mid-1970s Grace and its officials "knew, yet deliberately concealed, the devastating health effect that would result from exposure to asbestos."
As a result, the government said, "many Libby residents are dying, or have died already, from mesothelioma, asbestosis and other asbestos-related disease."
Link: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/318479_grace05.html
2. Understanding international crime trends: the legacy of preschool lead exposure
Author: Nevin, Rick
Source: Environmental Research, July 2007, pp315-336
Abstract: This study shows a very strong association between preschool blood lead and subsequent crime rate trends over several decades in the USA, Britain, Canada, France, Australia, Finland, Italy, West Germany, and New Zealand. The relationship is characterized by best-fit lags (highest R2 and t-value for blood lead) consistent with neurobehavioral damage in the first year of life and the peak age of offending
for index crime, burglary, and violent crime. The impact of blood lead is also evident in age-specific arrest and incarceration trends. Regression analysis of average 1985–1994 murder rates across USA cities suggests that murder could be especially associated with more severe cases of childhood lead poisoning.
3. Spin-off to market green technology using waste paint
Source: PCI Paint & Coatings Industry, May 2007, p10
Abstract: A new venture, formed by a special licensing agreement signed with Rutgers University, has been launched to commercialize and market a green technology being developed by Rutgers’ Center for Advanced Materials via Immiscible Polymer Processing (AMIPP). The technology uses waste latex paint and recycled plastics as raw materials to:
* create new blended polymers used in manufacturing,
* increase the volume of available plastics to meet demand and
* reduce the burden of leftover paint dumped in landfills.
The new green company, Re-Manufacturing Technologies, Inc. (RMT), is a spin-off of the National Council on Paint Disposition, Inc. (NCPD), a New Jersey-based national environmental organization, founded in 2002, with the mission to develop and implement a comprehensive approach to reducing the cost and environmental impact of waste paint products.
Link: http://www.pcimag.com/CDA/Articles/Industry_News/
BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000111355
4. Fact Sheet: Securing Our Nation's Chemical Facilities
Source: Department of Homeland Security (DHS), June 12, 2007
Abstract: Chemical security is not solely a federal responsibility; it is a shared responsibility among federal, state and local governments, and also with the private sector. Government and industry have to work together to implement the best possible measures to strengthen the security of America's chemical facilities, while not undercutting an important part of the nation's economy. In April 2007, DHS released an interim final rule establishing comprehensive federal security regulations for high-risk chemical facilities. As of June 8th the Department now has the ability to enforce that regulation, which, for the first time, sets national standards for chemical facility security.
* DHS will determine which plants and facilities pose the greatest risk across the sector. Risk is defined by evaluating a combination of threat, vulnerability, and consequence.
* DHS will consider the types and quantities of chemicals at a particular facility, the vulnerabilities that could be exploited to do harm to the facility or the surrounding community, and the potential consequences to human life and the nation's economy.
* Plants and facilities across the country can now register online and complete a Chemical Security Assessment or "Top Screen," which is an on-line assessment that indicates whether the facility should be covered by the regulation.
* In April, DHS released a proposed list of chemicals as part of the interim final rule. The Department expects to release Appendix A in its final format in the near future.
* From the date that the finalized list of chemicals of concern and related threshold quantities is published in the Federal Register, affected facilities will have 60 days to provide information for the Department's risk-assessment process.
* Once the final list of chemicals and threshold quantities is published, chemical facilities will have to review the list and determine if they meet the requirements for submitting information to the Top Screen.
* Top Screen is now available for on-line access. Any facility may begin the process at any time.
* Upon completion of the Top Screen, if the facility is deemed "high risk," they must prepare and submit vulnerability assessments and site security plans. DHS will evaluate those plans for quality and compliance with the established performance standards.
* DHS strives to create flexibility so that the individual plant or facility can determine the most appropriate solution provided it meets the Department's performance standards.
* Performance standards being considered include: how long and how effectively the facility secures the perimeter and the facility itself; how they control access; how they deter and prevent theft of potentially dangerous chemicals; and how they prevent internal sabotage.
* DHS will provide technical assistance to help plants submit an acceptable plan.
* The Department will use site inspections and audits to ensure that security measures will, in fact, be implemented. Facilities that fail to meet the Department's performance standards could face penalties of up to $25,000 for each day a violation occurs, or they could be ordered to halt operations until security is brought up to a level DHS deems appropriate.
Link: http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/pr_1181745031563.shtm
5. Climate change: a guide to the information and disinformation
Source: Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ), 2007
Abstract: SEJ unveiled this year a special reporters' online resource section devoted to climate — Climate Change: A Guide to the Information and Disinformation. It is drawn from the Rolodexes, notebooks, and background files of some of the top reporters in the business. The guide is, and will remain, a work in progress. Sections include:
* Simple Introductions
* Basic Science
* Federal Government Programs and Labs
* International Agencies
* Research and Academic Institutions
* Environmental Groups
* Deniers, Dissenters, and "Skeptics"
* "Creation Care" and Evangelical Views
* Some Help for Sifting Disinformation from Information
* Expert Rolodex: Who Ya Gonna Call?
* Outstanding Coverage
* Further Information
Link: http://www.sej.org/resource/index18.htm
6. Method to improve the strength of rubber, plastic products
Source: FLC NewsLink, March 2007, p3
Abstract: Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientist Lei Jong has discovered a method using defatted soy products to improve the strength of rubber products.
Defatted soy products do not contain soybean oil. All of the steps and the equipment for ARS's method are the same as current commercial practices. However, ARS's method uses defatted soy flour (DSF) in place of carbon black, which is used in automobile tires and other products to increase their mechanical strength.
This invention can be used in various industries such as rubber, plastic, and coatings to significantly improve the strength and biodegradability of a variety of polymer products. Polymer products include components that are made of rubber and plastic.
Various organic and inorganic fillers, such as carbon black, have been used to reinforce polymer materials. The advantage of using this technology versus other conventional fillers is that defatted soy products give a higher reinforcement effect in rubbers at a comparative or lower cost.
The advantage is a cost saving by partial replacement of carbon black. The technology provides a high- performance and low-cost alternative to petroleum-based carbon black and other inorganic fillers. It also improves the biodegradability of cross-linked rubbers that are known to be difficult to recycle or dispose.
Link: http://www.federallabs.org/news/classifieds/
articles/?pt=classifieds/articles/0307-10.jsp
7. Case studies in sustainability: from the fields through the supply chain to the shelf
Source: Grocery Manufacturers Association/Food Products Association, 2007
Abstract: Case Studies in Sustainability showcases successful initiatives undertaken in an area that has been identified as a strategic priority for the association for 2007 and beyond. Through these examples, you will see how three organizations are making a difference in their sustainability efforts in the store, in the supply chain and in the fields. A case study from KPMG, working with Heineken, provides insight into how one CPG company has successfully integrated sustainability into its overall business processes. Another example from CHEP Inc. demonstrates how a shipping method that has been used for years to maximize operational efficiencies also offers significant environmental benefits. Finally, Monsanto Company reports how the company’s technologies have helped encourage adoption of conservation tillage, a practice with less environmental impact than traditional plowing methods.
Link: http://www.gmabrands.com/publications/docs/2007/cs_sustainability.pdf
8. Picnic perfect plastics
Author: Masterson, Danielle
Source: The Green Guide 114, May/June 2006
Abstract: Spring afternoons are perfect for family picnics. But preparation is key--from blocking insects and sun with hats, long sleeves and least-toxic repellents to toting food and water in reusable containers. Plastics are convenient and, though made from petrochemicals, less polluting if you don't toss them and if you choose those that are better for the environment and your health. This article provides information on choosing and using better plastics, alternatives to plastic picnic products, and "food friendly" containers, wraps, and drink containers.
Link: http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/114/picnic
9. ISO 14001 certification and environmental performance in Quebec's pulp and paper industry
Author: Barla, Philippe
Source: Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, May 2007, pp291-306
Abstract: This paper tests whether adopting the international norm ISO 14001 significantly impacts environmental performance in Quebec’s pulp and paper industry. Using monthly data collected from 37 plants between 1997 and 2003, we show that: (i) ISO certification does not lead to a reduction in total suspended solid emissions or in quantity of rejected process water; (ii) discharge of biological oxygen demand decreases by about 9% following certification; (iii) contrary to the group of plants that did not adopt the ISO norm, the adopting plants did not experience a significant negative trend in emissions over our sample period. Moreover, our results show that the impact of ISO is very variable across adopting plants. If some plants considerably reduce emissions following certification, we find that most adopters either maintain or even increase emissions after being ISO accredited.
10. Hazardous chemicals crop up in unlikely people
Author: Davis, Jay
Source: Village Soup/Waldo County Citizen
Abstract: Russell Libby, the longtime director of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, has been choosing his food carefully for nearly 25 years. Yet in a recent study, his body showed high levels of arsenic and more industrial chemicals than the other participants in a revealing scientific analysis. Rep. Hannah Pingree, D-North Haven, the House Majority Leader in Augusta, has such a high level of mercury in her system that it could affect the mental development of the child she hopes to have someday. Pingree, who has been a leader on toxics issues in the Legislature, said the study results have prodded her to change her own habits, including eliminating the sushi tuna she suspects has caused the spike in her mercury level. Libby, 50, and Pingree, 30, were among 13 Mainers who volunteered for the first-ever study of 71 industrial chemicals conducted by the Alliance for a Clean and Healthy Maine.
The alliance, which unveiled the results of the study Tuesday, June 12 at an Augusta press conference, said the chemicals "are found in products we use every day: plastic containers, toys, furniture, fabric, automobiles, TVs and stereos, water bottles, medical supplies and personal products like shampoo, hairspray and perfume." An example is a flame retardant that was shown to accumulate in breast milk. Pingree led a successful campaign in 2004 to ban child clothing sold in Maine that contained the chemical.
Heather Spaulding of MOFGA, a member of the alliance that conducted the tests, said, "You can't lifestyle your way out of problems with these chemicals. They're everywhere."
The 71 chemicals chosen for the test — phthalates, which are added to perfume and plastic; polybrominated diphenyl ethers, used as flame retardants in televisions and textiles; perfluorinated chemicals, like Teflon; bisphenol A, used in reusable water bottles and to line metal cans; and lead, mercury and arsenic, which can occur naturally — mirror those in previous studies conducted in California and Washington. The study found 46 of the chemicals in the Maine participants, who ranged in age from 18 to 60 and had diverse lifestyles.
Libby was tied for the most chemicals, with 41, and had the greatest number of PBDEs. Pingree, who said she leads a healthy lifestyle, had the second highest level of phthalates and of mercury among the participants. Libby explained the above-average presence of arsenic in his system by saying his well in Mount Vernon, where he lives on an old farm, is drilled through granite, which may contain arsenic naturally. But he is unsure how the industrial chemicals found their way into his hair, urine and blood, as his home has few items that might contain them.
Link: http://waldo.villagesoup.com/government/story.cfm?storyID=94511
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://slk060.liberty3.net/turi/ for greater topic coverage.
This page updated Friday June 15 2007