Environment | WPN World People News

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has finalized modifications to its plan to clean up contaminated exposed sediment in the Blackwater Branch floodplain at the Vineland Chemical Company Superfund site in Vineland, N.J. As a result of previous operations by the chemical company at the site, the groundwater, soil and sediment are contaminated with arsenic. Arsenic is known to cause cancer, as well as many other serious health problems.

Africa’s overall elephant population has seen the worst declines in 25 years, mainly due to poaching over the past ten years – according to IUCN’s African Elephant Status Report launched on 23 Sep at the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES, taking place in Johannesburg, South Africa.

A daring protest high above the Slovak capital on Friday morning concluded an intense week of mobilisation across Europe against EU trade deals with Canada (known as CETA) and the US (known as TTIP). Greenpeace called on EU trade ministers meeting in Bratislava today to oppose the deals and put the protection of people and planet ahead of trade.

In response to the updated African elephant number announced by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on the decline of African elephants, WWF issued a statement from Ginette Hemley.

Researchers in Denmark have identified a new form of the superbug known as MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) that they suspect may be spread through eating contaminated poultry.

The Nogales Wash and trash cleanup removed tons of debris and hazardous waste and averted a potentially catastrophic sewer line spill.

Large-scale solar panels installed at four government owned facilities were officially unveiled today as part of a new World Bank project designed to reduce Kiribati’s dependence on imported fuel, on September 23.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a settlement with Mid Valley Agricultural Services, Inc., over misbranded and improperly stored agricultural pesticides. The chemical and fertilizer retailer has agreed to pay $76,240 in civil penalties and is now in compliance with the law.

An EPA report finds that air pollution at the nation’s ports can be reduced significantly at all port types and sizes through a variety of strategies and cleaner technologies. Implementing these approaches, the report finds, would reduce greenhouse gas and other harmful emissions from diesel-powered ships, trucks and other port equipment.

A new OECD report, Effective Carbon Rates - Pricing CO2 through Taxes and Emissions Trading Systems.

To tackle climate change, CO2 emissions need to be cut. Pricing carbon is one of the most effective and lowest-cost ways of inducing such cuts. This report presents the first full analysis of the use of carbon pricing on energy in 41 OECD and G20 economies, covering 80% of global energy use and of CO2 emissions.