Resource Efficiency | Pollution Prevention | GreenBiz.com

The Next Generation of Fireworks May All Be Green

GreenBiz Staff — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:36:00 -0700

Despite being a centerpiece of celebrations the world over, fireworks displays often release toxic chemicals into the environment; researchers are developing a new generation of fireworks that shine as bright but leave less of an impact.

EPA Proposes Tough Emissions Rules for Ships

GreenBiz Staff — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:46:00 -0700

The EPA announced plans to create tougher rules to reduce air pollution from U.S.-flagged ships Wednesday, the same day new fuel regulations for ocean-going vessels went into effect in California. A day earlier, the state finally received a long sought-after waiver that allows it to regulate vehicle tailpipe emissions in its efforts to address climate change.

Why the Adage 'the Dose Makes the Poison' Can Be Toxic to Corporate Chemicals Policy

Richard Liroff — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 06:31:00 -0700

There probably are lots of senior execs who've been comforted when their chief scientist has told them that since "the dose makes the poison," they shouldn't sweat some new study about a chemical found in small amounts in their products. This maxim is somewhat misleading; taking it at face value may be toxic to your company's reputation.

Maine Requires CFL Producers to Pay for CFL Recycling

GreenBiz Staff — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:16:00 -0700

Under a new Maine law, producers of compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) will be required to provide or fund free CFL collection and recycling programs for household CFLs.

P&G, Eastman Chemical Among Winners of Green Chemistry Awards

GreenerDesign Staff — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:42:00 -0700

Among the innovations recognized in the 14th annual Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards were a new type of vegetable oil-based paints from Procter & Gamble, a method to make gasoline or jet fuel from sugars, and other environmentally friendly processes.

Target Sued for Allegedly Dumping Hazardous Waste in Calif. Landfills

GreenBiz Staff — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:05:00 -0700

California’s attorney general and 20 district attorneys filed a lawsuit against Target Corp. today that accuses the retailer of dumping pesticides, propane canisters and other hazardous waste in local landfills.

Digital TV Transition May Create Tons of E-Waste

GreenBiz Staff — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:59:00 -0700

The long-awaited digital TV transition began today, leaving millions of Americans without a signal unless they secured a set-top converter box. That could leave behind heaps of unwanted analog TVs that some manufacturers are ill equipped to recycle.

Pesticides, Teflon, and What's Wrong with Our Chemical Policies

Matthew Wheeland — Wed, 13 May 2009 05:57:00 -0700

A new EPA ruling, and a nearly unrelated court ruling, highlight the challenges the country faces in trying to weed out the use of harmful chemicals in food, products, and manufacturing.

Dell Spells Out E-Waste Policy: If It's Broken, Don't Export It

Matthew Wheeland — Tue, 12 May 2009 05:18:00 -0700

Casting a broad net to keep as much potentially toxic electronic waste out of developing countries, Dell today laid out its company-wide policy and challenged other IT firms and legislators to take the same stance.

EPA Reverses Bush-Era Ruling, Reinstates Toxics Reporting Rules

GreenBiz Staff — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 03:44:00 -0700

The new rules apply to all Toxics Release Inventory reports due July 1, and will increase the amount of information that companies must disclose about their releases of toxic chemicals across the country.

Shades of Green: Quantifying the Benefits of Organic Dairy Production

GreenBiz Staff — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 21:15:00 -0700

This report describes the methodology behind the Organic Center's new calculator, which estimates the environmental impacts avoided by shifting dairy cows from conventional to organic management practices.

Organic Dairy Farming Avoided 40M Pounds of Fertilizer in 2008: Report

GreenBiz Staff — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 21:01:00 -0700

A Colorado-based nonprofit has created a calculator that estimates the amount of chemicals avoided through organic dairy farming in the U.S.

USGS Finds Sources for New Jersey-Sized Dead Zone in Gulf

Matthew Wheeland — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 05:09:00 -0700

Every year, excess fertilizers and animal manure flows down the Mississippi River and empties and increasingly large swath of the Gulf of Mexico completely lifeless. Now, the U.S. Geological Survey has pinpointed the top 150 culprits.

DOE to Spend $6B in Stimulus Funds Cleaning Former Nuclear Weapons Sites

GreenBiz Staff — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 07:15:00 -0700

The Department of Energy will spend $6 billion in stimulus funds cleaning up Cold War era nuclear weapons sites in a dozen states. The lion's share, some $1.96 billion, will go to Washington state for what's being billed as the world's largest environmental cleanup project.

Obama Offers $2.4B for Plug-In Cars, $535M Lifeline to Solar Firm, $211M for Clean Air

GreenBiz Staff — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 17:15:00 -0700

The Obama administration has announced that almost $3 billion can be tapped for development of plug-in hybrid vehicles, clean energy and air projects and reclamation of contaminated sites known as brownfields.