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Posts on ‘June 14th, 2012’

Trouble ahead over proposal to end small-house policy

SCMP Villagers and academics say Carrie Lam’s ideas on indigenous rights and welfare will cause controversy Joyce Ng Jun 14, 2012 New Territories villagers and social science academics say the woman tipped to be the next chief secretary will spark huge controversy with her ideas to end the small-house policy and reform the city’s welfare [...]

A tip of her hard hat

SCMP After five years at the helm of the city’s development, Carrie Lam says she has done her best. But she’d like to see thorny land policies and a welfare revamp resolved Olga Wong and Joyce Ng Jun 14, 2012 Sitting in her office at government headquarters in Admiralty, overlooking the newly reclaimed waterfront, Secretary [...]

Finding raises diesel cancer fears

HK Standard Diesel fumes cause cancer, the World Health Organization declared yesterday. Mary Ann Benitez and Choya Choi Thursday, June 14, 2012 Diesel fumes cause cancer, the World Health Organization declared yesterday. The conclusion, announced after a week-long meeting of a panel organized by the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France, may make vehicle [...]

Officials urged to heed WHO diesel warning

SCMP News that fumes raises cancer risk means officials should clean up and reduce diesel fleet, groups say Dennis Chong Jun 14, 2012 The government should cut the number of diesel-powered vehicles on the streets, and make the remainder less polluting, to protect pedestrians now the World Health Organisation has classified diesel fumes as a [...]

Waste Management

Milestone: By 2020, waste is managed as a resource. Waste generated per capita is in absolute decline. Recycling and re-use of waste are economically attractive options for public and private actors due to widespread separate collection and the development of functional markets for secondary raw materials. More materials, including materials having a significant impact on [...]

European Council adopts WEEE Recast

http://www.letsrecycle.com/news/latest-news/weee/european-council-adopts-weee-recast 8 June 2012 The Recast of the WEEE Directive has been formally adopted by the European Council of Ministers, its final step before entering EU law. European Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik confirmed that the Council had formally adopted the Recast yesterday, commenting on social networking site Twitter: “Council finally adopted the WEEE recast today – should see [...]

Call to revise EU incineration rules

http://www.packagingnews.co.uk/news/eu-incineration-rules/ The European Commission should revise 2020 recycling targets set in the Waste Framework Directive to ensure that there is no incineration of waste that could be recycled, according to MEPs. A resolution stating that the EU should maximise resources to kick start the economy was adopted by the European Parliament yesterday [24 May]. Valuable materials [...]

BAA’s third Heathrow runway plans back on the agenda

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/jun/10/baa-third-heathrow-runway-plans?newsfeed=true A government policy change will allow proposals for a third runway at London’s Heathrow airport to be submitted by BAA. Photograph: Ben Cawthra/Rex Features The government will not block BAA from submitting proposals for a third Heathrow runway in a forthcoming revamp of policy on aviation hubs, in a move that heads off the threat of [...]

SCMP letter

Incinerator plan is a disgrace I refer to James Middleton’s letter (“Ash from incinerator is hazardous”, June 7), citing hazards associated with incinerators, and wish to point out that the use of such facilities to get rid of waste is basically the same as dumping this waste into our oceans. Burnt waste is turned into [...]

Tony Blair avoids attempted citizen’s arrest in Hong Kong

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/jun/14/tony-blair-avoids-citizens-arrest/print : Tony Blair avoids attempted citizen’s arrest in Hong Kong British activist interrupts former prime minister’s speech with accusations of war crimes Share29 Peter Walker guardian.co.uk, Thursday 14 June 2012 13.19 BST Tony Blair was delivering a speech at the University of Hong Kong in his role as founder of the Tony Blair Faith [...]