Legislation EU to establish pollution register Plans to create a harmonised EU-wide register of pollution from major industrial plants have been formally approved by the European Commission. Entitled the European Pollutant Emission Register (EPER) the system will be operational by late in 2003 and will contain plant-by-plant data on emissions to air and water of 50 key pollutants from around 20 000 industrial facilities. Under the decision EU countries must report a Ærst batch of data to the Commission by June 2003 covering releases for 2001 or more recent data if available. Further reports will be made in 2006 and 2008 after which annual reporting of the previous year's emissions is envisaged. EPER is being introduced under the 1996 directive on Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) and is modelled on the highly successful Toxic Release Inventory in the US.Pressures for national registers elsewhere in Europe is also building following moves under the pan- European Aarhus Convention. At a recent meeting in Dubrovnik signatories to the Convention asked for governments to be able to create national registers of industrial pollution which are even broader than EPER. Legal requirements for pollutant release and transfer registers expected around 2002 would increase dramatically the availability of public information on industrial pollution in non-EU countries. Citizens' access to environmental information would also be strengthened under a new EU directive announced in July.The proposals will create for the Ærst time in EU law a right to environmental information rather than a mere ``freedom'' of information as at present. In addition the number of public bodies liable to provide 76N J. Environ. Monit. 2000 2 This journal is # The Royal Society of Chemistry 2000 information will be increased and the scope for refusing requests narrowed. Environment Commissioner Margo Wallstro»m said the proposal addressed many shortcomings of the 1990 directive on access to environmental information [JEM 1999 1 83±86N]. If adopted it will allow the EU itself to ratify the UN Aarhus Convention. European Commission www.europa.eu.int/comm; Aarhus Convention www.unece.org/env/pp EPA moves forward on clean water plan The Clinton Administration is pressing ahead with its Clean Water Plan despite objections from Congress which have delayed its implementation.EPA has introduced a number of changes in the program in response to comments received after its initial proposal including from Congress. The changes provide the states with signiÆcant new Øexibility in implementing the program which is intended to clean-up America's rivers lakes and beaches. Provisions that could have required new permits for forestry livestock and acquculture operations have now been dropped from the legislation. States are to be given four years rather than two to update inventories of polluted waters and will be allowed to establish their own schedules for polluted waters to achieve health standards up to a maximum of 15 years.EPA hopes that these concessions will end the dispute with Congress which blocked the budget for the program earlier this year [JEM 2000 2 57N]. EPA is gambling that the current impasse will be overcome in time for the program to start on 1st October 2001 which coincides with the end of the delay period enforced by Congress. EPA www.epa.gov News UN leads global vehicle emissions agreement International co-operation in developing environmental regulations for motor vehicles has been given a boost by a new agreement brokered by the United Nations. The agreement will help to provide more uniform approaches to environmental protection energy efÆciency vehicle safety and pollution reduction for cars within UN countries.It ensures that regulatory activities will be carried out in an open manner and will consider the best available technology the cost effectiveness of these technologies as well as the beneÆts to public health. Under the agreement participating countries may submit candidate regulations that will be included in a compendium of regulations that other countries can adopt. These countries may also collaborate in the development of new global regulations which they could adopt within national legislation. Countries that have already signed up to the agreement include the EU US Canada UK France Germany Russia and Japan.United Nations Economic Commission for Europe ``Agreement Concerning Global Technical Regulations'' www.unece.org/env EU maps noise Noise maps showing the level and location of noise pollution for major facilities and infrastructure are to be required under new EU measures to reduce noise pollution. The proposals are part of a new EU directive on noise assessment and management aimed at harmonising approaches across the EU. As well as drawing up noise maps the directive will introduce a harmonised noise measurement unit and require member states to adopt noise action plans in large cities and towns. Noise maps for cities with populations over 250 000 as well as for major roads railways and airports will be required by the beginning of 2005.The maps will subsequently be revised and their scope extended to smaller cities. By 2010 around 50% of the EU population will be covered. The Commission plans to publish the maps together with the relevant national noise limits expressed in terms of new EU units to allow comparisons. Environmental quality No change for US water quality A crop of recent reports show that water quality in North America is at best stable and in many cases deteriorating. According to data from EPA over a quarter of 1900 beaches monitored in 1999 were affected by at least one advisory or closure most due to elevated bacteria levels from sewage overØows or stormwater runoff. Over the last three years the number of beaches monitored by the states has tripled but the proportion affected by closures and advisories has remained consistent a factor which EPA interprets as indicating continuing impairment of water quality.The results are the latest in the EPA's Beach Watch Program under which state and local governments voluntarily monitor beaches (including around the Great Lakes). EPA will be helping states to improve their monitoring procedures to eliminate major inconsistencies highlighted by the current survey. A similar position of stagnation rather than improvement is painted by the latest report on water quality in the Great Lakes. The International Joint Commission the body charged with evaluating progress in water quality objectives in the Great Lakes Basin says that further concerted action is needed to restore and maintain the integrity of this fragile ecosystem.The IJC makes direct recommendations regarding contaminated sediment airborne toxics urbanisation alien invasive species consumption of Æsh stocks and monitoring and information management. These latest Ændings follow reports from EPA earlier this year which European Environmental Bureau www.eeb.org/press/NOISE26.7.00.doc Austria to regulate mobile masts In the wake of increasing concern about the health impacts of mobile communications [JEM 2000 2 23± 26N] Austria is to limit radiation from mobile phone base stations. The rules mirror standards developed by the International Commission on Non- Ionising Radiation which are supported indicated that 40% of America's waters are still polluted and that 20 000 water courses across the US fail to meet health criteria [JEM 2000 2 58N].EPA's Clean Water Plan aims to address this through widespread clean-up (see separate item this issue). EPA Beach Watch www.epa.gov/ost/ beaches; International Joint Commission ``Tenth Biennial Report on Great Lakes Water Quality'' www.ijc.org US±Canada report air quality improvements US air quality continues to improve according to the annual air quality trends report released by EPA. Even so in 1999 62 million Americans lived in areas that had unhealthy air for at least one of six major pollutants. The report notes that national air quality levels have improved signiÆcantly since the 1970 Clean Air Act.Improvements for the most recent 10 year period (1990±1999) are reductions of carbon monoxide concentrations by 36%; lead by 60%; nitrogen dioxide by 10%; smog by 4%; particulate matter by 18%; and sulfur dioxide by 36%. However the report points out that air pollution remains a problem in many areas including rural areas and some national parks which have experienced high smog levels resulting from pollution emitted many miles away. EPA has also released a revised version of its air quality criteria for carbon monoxide. North of the border the Canadian Government has indicated that it is to declare as toxic the principal substances News by the World Health Organisation.Under the proposals radiation levels would be limited to 4500 mW m22. Austrian NGOs and doctors have criticised the regulations as being too lax citing a recent study from Germany which reported animals on farms close to transmitting stations as displaying abnormal behaviour. Austrian Ministry for Infrastructure www.bmv.gv.at that form Æne particulate matter as part of efforts to cut smog pollution. The notiÆcation under the new Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) covers precursors such as sulfur dioxide nitrogen oxides ammonia and VOCs which can lead to particulate matter less than or equal to 10 mm (PM10). Under CEPA once a substance is added to the List of Toxic Substances the government must take appropriate measures to protect human health and the environment.In a related move Canada has said it is prepared to tighten pollution controls on domestic power plants to reduce domestic and transboundary air pollution. The proposal was made at the latest round of talks with the US on negotiations for an Ozone Annex to the 1991 Canada±US Air Quality Agreement. EPA ``Air Quality Trends 1999'' www.epa.gov/airtrends; ``Air Quality Criteria for Carbon Monoxide'' available at www.epa.gov/ncea; Environmental Canada www.ec.gc.ca UNEP probes regional dimension The United Nations Environment Programme is funding a $5 million research programme to reach a better understanding of the environmental and health risks posed by persistent toxic substances and the measures needed to deal with them.The results of the two year project which started in September will contribute to future priority-setting by the UN's Global Environmental Facility. 77N J. Environ. Monit. 2000 2 News There is growing recognition that effects of persistent toxic substances are like to vary due to different use patterns and environmental factors affecting their deposition and distribution in the environment. Information on the use and effects of these substances at regional level is scarce however and the project will help Æll this critical information gap. The assessment will be based on an analysis of conditions in each region using information from a variety of sources and applying common methods and approaches.The assessment complements the work currently being undertaken in conjunction with negotiations for a global treaty on persistent organic pollutants [JEM 1999 1 113N]. Twelve POPs are covered by the initial list but many similar substances also pose threats to the environment and human health. UNEP www.unep.org Experts focus on indoor air pollution Air pollution experts in France have called for an increased emphasis on indoor air pollution within air quality policy. In a report on the public health aspects of air pollution they point out that individuals spend up to 90% of their time indoors and that indoor air quality is often poorer than outdoor air even in urban areas.The scientists call for a more integrated approach that targets both outdoor and indoor air quality. This requires a greater effort in monitoring air quality in people's homes and workplaces as well as a coordinated Chemical hazards Hormone chemicals list highlights poor data A draft list of chemicals suspected of being endocrine disrupters has been circulated by the European Commission. The list contains 66 substances which have all been identiÆed previously as potential endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and which should be targeted for further risk assessement and possible control actions. 78N J. Environ. Monit. 2000 2 research programme into the public health impacts of poor air quality. French Ministry of Health ``Atmospheric pollution and public health how to achieve risk reductions'' www.sante.gouv.fr/htm/ actu/pollution/sommaire.htm French environmental data Data on other aspects of French environmental policies have also recently been published by the French Environment Institute (IFEN).An overview of national environmental policies and indicators describes progress against national EU and international requirements. Areas of concern according to the report include nitrate levels in freshwater and the ability to comply with emission ceilings for air pollutants set under last year's Gothenburg protocol. Compliance with the Kyoto targets for greenhouse gases is also uncertain. On the positive side heavy metal and VOC emissions have been reduced.Other data published by IFEN highlights the widespread contamination of surface and groundwaters by pesticides. During 1997±98 one-third of waters used as sources for drinking water contained pesticides at levels high enough to require treatment. The most common pesticides found were atrazine a herbicide used to protect maize and lindane which is soon to be banned for agricultural use in the EU (see separate item this issue). French Environment Institute www.ifen.fr; Environmental indicators report www.ifen.fr/pages/2pub.htm Compilation of the list highlighted the absence of reliable environmental data on potential EDCs. The draft list was identiÆed from an initial 564 candidate substances derived from various sources.This was then reduced to 147 chemicals that are produced in high volumes or are very persistent in the environment. The Ænal list of 66 was selected from these on the basis of existing evidence of endocrine disruption. However of the original candidate substances 205 could not be assessed because of insufÆcient UK unveils eutrophication plan; announces cryptosporidium results The UK Environment Agency has published its strategy for tackling eutrophication of freshwaters but admits that many sources of nutrient discharges are beyond its direct control. Covering just England and Wales (Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own agencies) the strategy puts the main emphasis on controlling phosphorus.Discharge reductions are to be achieved through working jointly with speciÆc industries and by setting up catchment-based eutrophication control action plans for regions where diffuse sources are most signiÆcant. Key sectors for discussions on nutrient reductions are the water industry the phosphate soap and detergent industries food processing and agriculture. Meanwhile another UK agency the Drinking Water Inspectorate has announced results from the world's Ærst continuous monitoring of the pathogen cryptosporidium. The Inspectorate said that to date no unusually high levels of the micro-organism had been detected. However one water company has stopped using a particular water source as a result of the data.Cryptosporidium arises from animal droppings and in humans can cause digestive problems and even death. The UK introduced continuous sampling last year following two high-proÆle outbreaks in the 1990s. Environment Agency ``Managing Aquatic Eutrophication'' www.environment-agency.gov.uk/envinfo/ eutroph/index.htm; Drinking Water Inspectorate Annual Report www.dwi.detr.gov.uk/pubs/annrep99 data on whether they were persistent in the environment. The setting up of a priority list was proposed under the Commission's EDC strategy published last December [JEM 1999 1 113N]. Consultations are now underway within the Commission and with the member states to decide exactly which and how many substances end up on the Ænal list. Once the list has been adopted further testing programmes will be introduced for those chemicals not already being assessed.Experts concerned about DEHP After a major review of safety data an expert panel in the US has expressed ``serious concern'' about the use of phthalate plasticisers in medical tubing and equipment. DEHP (di(2- ethylhexyl)phthalate) is used in medical tubing and other medical devices for feeding and medicating premature and newborn babies. Panel members said they hoped their Ændings would spur the industry to seek a substitute for these applications. The panel was set up by US environmental and health agencies last year to investigate the risks of DEHP and other phthalate plasticisers leaching from products made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) [JEM 2000 2 4±7N].According to the scientists DEHP could leach from continuously used tubing in sufÆcient amounts to possibly affect the development of the male infant's reproductive system. Working over a 15 month period the panel reviewed data on seven plasticisers and generally found ``minimal'' or ``negligible'' concerns about the others. It is due to complete its work by the end of the year. US manufacturers no longer use DEHP in toys intended for mouthing. Soft PVC teething toys have also been banned by the European Union [JEM 2000 2 8N]. Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction http://ntpserver. niehs.nih.gov/htdocs/liason/ CERHRPhthalatesAnnct.html Ozone talks focus on developing countries Measures to help developing countries meet their commitments under the Montreal Protocol were discussed at a recent meeting in Geneva.Under the Protocol developing countries committed to capping their emissions of ozone-depleting CFCs by June of this year. They must now start to reduce them to achieve a 50% cut by 2005 and a complete phase-out by 2010. Developed countries stopped using these chemicals almost completely in 1996. UNEP says that many developing countries are already on-track to meet these commitments. In addition eight of the nine developing countries that are CFC producers have cut production to below baseline levels. They are being helped by the Multilateral Fund an international fund administered by UNEP.Since 1991 the Fund has disbursed more than $1 billion for phasing out the consumption of 142 000 tonnes of CFCs and halons and the production of nearly 80 000 tonnes in over 110 developing countries. The latest disbursements total $40.5 million for 135 projects and activities in 31 countries. The Geneva meeting was in preparation for the next full meeting of Montreal Protocol signatories to be held in Ouagadougou Burkina Faso in December. UNEP www.unep.org/ozone Europe's dioxin spectrum A series of recent reports from across Europe reveal wide discrepancies in national efforts to cut dioxin emissions. The data follow reports from the EU and the US earlier this year which estimate public health risks from dioxins as being higher than previously thought [JEM 2000 2 11N and 59N].In France the main sources of dioxin emissions fell in 1999 but some others may be more signiÆcant than previously realised. The Environment Ministry's latest review estimates annual emissions at 200 g for waste incinerators and 140 g for the metallurgical industry. This is an overall reduction of 65% since 1995 and stricter rules are set to cut incinerator emissions further to an estimated 10 g by 2007. However other sources such as wood burning in domestic and industrial boilers and illicit burning of PVC cables could account for up to 30% of total emissions much higher than previous estimates. In Norway estimated annual emissions have fallen by 96% over the last 15 years according to the Pollution Control Authority.Emissions in 1999 were estimated at 22 g compared to 600 g in 1985. The Agency attributes much of the fall to the introduction of pollution control equipment at a single magnesium works at Porsgrunn an industrial area south-west of Oslo. More stringent regulations the phasing out of chlorinated compounds and industrial closures also contributed. Greece has been rather less successful in curbing emissions. Greenpeace claimed recently that the uncontrolled burning of waste alone was releasing more dioxins than the whole of France. Although there are no municipal incinerators in Greece around 15% of all waste is burned either by individuals or by 5000 unregulated local landÆlls.News Greenpeace estimates these Æres are releasing up to 920 g of dioxin per year. Meanwhile another French study conÆrms previous Ændings that newborn babies fed on breast milk are exposed to levels of dioxin well above international recommended levels. However by seven months dioxin levels have fallen to nearly a quarter while infants aged between 13 and 18 months absorb amounts well below WHO limits. French Environment Ministry www.environnement.gouv.fr; Norwegian Pollution Control Authority www.sft.no; Greenpeace Greece www.compulink.gr/ greenpeace Danes to phase out MTBE Oil reÆners in Denmark are to voluntarily phase out use of the petrol additive methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) the Ærst European country to do so.Meanwhile oil multinational Shell has said it will push to extend the ban throughout the EU. MTBE has become a big political issue in Denmark which relies on groundwater for drinking water supplies more than any other European country. MTBE makes drinking water taste foul at very low concentrations and a recent television documentary which detailed instances of groundwater contamination heightened public concern. The Danish Petroleum Industry Association has agreed to phase out the substance within four to Æve years and in the meantime will step up efforts to Ænd an alternative substance for motor fuels. The government has already set up an MTBE action programme [JEM 2000 2 30N] which includes a possible DKr5 (E0.67) l21 levy to discourage its use.Denmark's move is likely to renew pressure for the European Commission to reverse its decision of March this year to take no action on MTBE [JEM 2000 2 48N]. The United States the largest user of MTBE is already committed to a phase out [JEM 1999 1 94±95N]. Danish EPA www.mst.dk EU to ban lindane The EU is to ban the controversial insecticide lindane for agricultural use following a decision by a regulatory committee. Once formally approved by the European Commission member states will have 6 months to withdraw 79N J. Environ. Monit. 2000 2 News approval for plant protection products containing lindane plus a further 12 months to use up stocks of products.Use of lindane as a non-agricultural biocide will still be permitted. Two other pesticides permethrin and quintozene are also to be banned. Another three–bentazone esfenvalerate and triasulfuron–will be added to the ofÆcial list of EU-approved pesticides bringing the total so far to eight. From July 2003 only substances on this list will Public and occupational health Environment linked to cancer There is strong evidence that environmental rather than hereditary factors are the main cause of human cancers according to one of the most exhaustive ever epidemiological studies. The work was undertaken by a team from Sweden's Karolinska Institute led by Paul Lichtenstein and reported in the New England Journal of Medicine.Looking at data from nearly 45 000 pairs of identical twins from Denmark Norway and Sweden the researchers found that cancers were twice as likely to be linked to environmental factors than to hereditary genetic factors. Only in three important exceptions prostate colo-rectal and breast cancer did genes appear to play a signiÆcant role. In breast cancer for example the causation was estimated as being 73% environmental and 27% hereditary. Environmental factors include pollution radiation tobacco alcohol and exposure to occupational toxins as well as aspects such as drugs and diet. The study is notable because it is population based has complete data on outcomes and a sample size at least four times larger than any other.Its Ændings are likely to reopen the nature-versus-nurture debate and lead to calls for further reductions in environmental emissions. Karolinska Institute www.ki.se; New England Journal of Medicine www.nejm.org 80N J. Environ. Monit. 2000 2 be eligible for use within the EU but the committee has to accept or reject around 900 pesticides in all. EC Standing Committee on Plant Health europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/rc/scph/ index_en.html NAS to study sludge risks The National Academy of Sciences is to review the science and methodology North Americans get the full picture The gulf between Europe and North America in citizens' rights to environmental information has widened with both the US and Canada extending the scope of environmental data accessible to the public.In the US EPA posted information on the internet estimating outdoor concentrations of 32 air toxics nationwide. The move is the Ærst phase of EPA's National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment a detailed look at common air toxics identiÆed as posing the greatest potential risks to public health in urban areas. The Ærst phase assessment includes estimated emissions from industries and other facilities in 1996 and estimated concentrations in outdoor air. In early 2001 EPA will publish a further analysis covering human exposure and health risks. The assessment is wider in scope than EPA's Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) covering emissions from road vehicles and other sources as well as industry.EPA has also released a stateby-state analysis of the 1998 TRI showing a detailed breakdown of emission trends over an 11 year period (1988±98). Across the border the Canadian Government has released the latest version of its toxics register the 1998 National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI). The National Overview report shows that pollutant releases were down slightly compared to 1997 and that more substances are being recycled than are being released into the environment. A new online facility enables Canadians to obtain data for their neighbourhoods behind the land application of sewage sludge to ensure that current practices are fully protective of human health. The Academy's deÆnitive review is designed to ensure that health and environmental standards are responsive to the best and most current science and that sludge management practices reØect this.NAS will work jointly with EPA and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. simply by typing in the Ærst three characters of their postcode. EPA NATA www.epa.gov/ttn/uatw/nata; Toxics Release Inventory 1998 www.epa.gov/tri/tri98; Environment Canada National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) www.ec.gc.ca/npri Greater disclosure needed for chemical information One of the EU's top scientiÆc experts has criticised EU chemicals policy saying that laws on disclosure of information are not strong enough. Speaking at a conference on risk assessment in EU policy making James Bridges Head of the EU ScientiÆc Committee on Toxicology Ecotoxicology and the Environment (CSTEE) said that the assessment of chemical risks in the EU is being hampered because too little information on exposure is made public.``We have to move on from a situation where 90% of toxicological information is marked `conÆdential' '' Professor Bridges said. ``We need more information on how chemicals may or may not be affecting humans in practice. We can't move forward as we ought to unless access to data is much more effective than currently.'' Professor Bridges also criticised current laws which prevent authorities from accessing data from one product to use in assessment of others. ``We're unable to draw on data for other substances'' because there are ``legal constraints on product comparison,'' he said.A major review of EU chemicals policy is currently underway which is likely to shift responsibilities towards industry. In anticipation of the changes the chemicals sector has launched voluntary research programmes to assess the intrinsic hazards of high production chemicals and the long-term health and environmental effects of their products. CSTEE europa.eu.int/comm./food/fs/sc/ sct/index_en.html Research activities New perspectives on climate change Two recent research studies could provide important new insights into our understanding of climate change. In a study published in August NASA scientists presented evidence which suggests that carbon dioxide may not be the leading culprit in global warming.Researchers from the Goddard Institute for Space Studies lead by Dr James Hansen say that climate change in recent decades has been mainly caused by air pollution containing other greenhouse gases particularly tropospheric ozone methane chloroØuorocarbons and black carbon particles. Looking at the generation of various greenhouse gases over an extended period the team found the growth of CO2 in the atomosphere doubled between 1950 and 1970 but levelled off from the late 1970s to the late 1990s. By contrast the heat content of the oceans (a proxy measure of climate change) increased between the mid-1950s and the mid-1990s even after CO2 concentrations levelled off.``Our estimates of global climate forcings ºindicate that it is the processes producing non-CO2 greenhouse gases that have been more signiÆcant in climate change'' Hansen said. ``If sources of methane and tropospheric ozone were reduced in the future further changes in climate due to these gases in the next 50 years could be near zero.'' The NASA study followed reports from an international team of environmental researchers led by the University of East Anglia UK of a chemical compound with previously unrecognised greenhouse warming potential. Studying stratospheric air Air quality data veriÆed The US Health Effects Institute (HEI) has published the results of its intensive reanalysis of two studies of air pollution and mortality that played an important part in the 1997 debate over the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter.These studies have been the basis for nearly every worldwide assessment of the beneÆts of reducing particulate matter air pollution by samples using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) the team noticed a mysterious peak in the readout. The compound turned out to be triØuoromethyl sulfur pentaØuoride (SF5CF3). Although only present in traces within the atmosphere–about 0.1 ppt–its greenhouse warming potential is the highest of any gas–some 17 500 times greater than CO2 on a per molecule basis. The source of the gas is unknown but it is thought to be a breakdown product of sulfur hexaØuoride SF6 a gas used in electrical switches and metal reÆning which is already controlled under the Kyoto Protocol.Goddard Space Centre http:// gsfc.nasa.gov Lab-on-a-chip The prospect of a handheld chemistry laboratory has been brought a stage nearer with the announcement of a tiny sampling device for detecting and analysing trace chemicals. Developed by the US Department of Energy's Sandia National Laboratory the device is a miniaturised version of a preconcentrator traditionally used to collect sample gases for analysis. It has an active area of just 2 mm2 and could potentially be integrated with other microchemical detectors within small handheld instruments that would avoid the need to send samples to a laboratory.As in a traditional preconcentrator the air sample is pulled over an adsorbent material to concentrate the chemical. The adsorbent material is then heated to release the gas so it can be analysed. In the microdevice the heating element consumes just 100 mW and takes 6 ms to News WHO EPA and others. The results are being published in time to inform the current EPA review of the US air quality standards and the upcoming review of the EU's PM limits. Health Effects Institute www.healtheffects.org (Note The results are explained in detail in the Focus article in this issue) reach 200 �C around 1000 times faster than the conventional method. Special adsorbent materials have also been developed.``This device is receiving a lot of attention because it can work with different types of microanalytical systems'' says researcher Ron Manginell. ``It's small uses minute amounts of power is extremely portable and is inexpensive to produce''. The device is seen as an important step towards Sandia's aim of a chem-lab-on-a-chip. Agency consults on research strategy The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has published a research strategy setting out its priorities for the period 2002±2010. The Strategy identiÆes six key focus areas which contribute to the Agency's mission. These are exposure assessment; chemical mixtures; susceptible populations; communities and native American tribes; evaluation and surveillance of health effects; and health promotion and intervention.The focus areas will help guide research in areas that have critical data and information gaps and offer many opportunities for collaborative research. ATSDR was established in 1980 under the Superfund legislation as a separate agency of the US Public Health Service. Its mission has been amended and broadened over the years and is now to prevent or reduce the harmful effects of exposure to hazardous substances on human health and quality of life. ATSDR www.atsdr.cdc.gov 81N J. Environ. Monit. 2000 2 News Canadian research funding New funding for several areas of environmental monitoring and health research have been announced by the Canadian authorities.As part of a major expansion of the Toxic Substances Research Initiative (TSRI) a total of CAN$ 13.5 million has been associated for 97 research projects for the Æscal year 2000±2001. These include 77 renewals and 20 new projects within Æve priority research areas urban air quality and human exposure to airborne pollutants cumulative effects of toxic substances endocrine disrupting chemicals; persistent organcis pollutants; and speciÆc forms of metals in the environment. TSRI is a joint initiative of Environment Canada and Health Canada to support policy-making on toxic substances. In an attempt to understand the Web bytes Environmental fate databases Researchers at the Environmental Science Center at Syracuse Research Corporation have made available a series of environmental fate databases on the Internet free of charge.These online databases identify or provide all of the information necessary for assessing human or environmental exposure to chemicals from occupational and consumer use environmental contamination and food consumption. They cover physical properties (water solubility log P pKa Henry's law constants etc.) degradation or transport information and ambient and efØuent monitoring data. Publication of the databases has been supported by the EPA Procter & Gamble and Du Pont. Environmental Science Center http:// esc.syrres.com 82N J. Environ. Monit. 2000 2 implications of climatic change for northern regions Natural Resources Canada is Ænding seven projects looking at how global warming will affect issues such as permafrost ice and sea levels and community developments and safety.With a total budget of CAN$ 480 000 these are part of a series of 25 climate change impact and adaptation projects being supported under Canada's Climate Change Action Fund (CCAF). In the area of environmental health the Federal and British Columbia governments have announced CAN$ 16.6 million for research into links between environmental contaminants and children's health. Natural Resources Canada www.nrcan.gc.ca; Environment Canada www.ec.gc.ca; Toxic Substances Research Initiative www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ehp/ehd/tsri/ index.htm Chemical patents The IFI Claims Database is now available free on Chemweb.The database covers all chemical and chemically-related US patents issued by the US Patent and Trademark OfÆce from 1950 to the present. It is the largest collection of US patent references available online and is updated weekly. Full-text records include the patent number expanded titles standardised inventor and assignee names USPTO and IPC classiÆcations. The Æle contains the broad claim abstract for all chemical patents from 1950 to the present. Chemweb http://chemweb.com/databases US regs on CD-ROM The US EPA's updated Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) Chemical Inventory of 64,000z chemicals is now cross- Association sponsors science award Former NIEHS Director David P. Rall is to be remembered through an annual award sponsored by the American Public Health Association. The Rall Award commemorates his ``enormous contributions to environmental health and lead poisoning prevention'' and will recognise people who like Dr Rall himself have made outstanding contributions to public health through science-based advocacy''. A $50,000 endowment is being raised to fund the award in perpetuity. Dr Rall who was director of the NIEHS for nearly 20 years and of the National Toxicology Programme for 12 years before retiring in 1990 died last September after a road accident in France. American Public Health Association www.apha.org referenced with SARA Title III RCRA reporting requirements on CD-ROM. It features Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format instant search/retrieval US Code Chapters CORR PMN DSL/NDSL ELINCS EPA Chemical ProÆles and First Aid Guides. Details from www.env-sol.com/Solutions/ TSCASARA.html Fluoride note The RSC's Environment Health & Safety Committee has produced a note on the Øuoridation of water supplies providing an unbiased overview of the scientiÆc and ethical issues. The note is the latest of a series of occasional papers on environmental issues produced by the Committee and is available free of charge from the RSC website at www.rsc.org/lap/rsccom/ehsc/ ehscnotes.h