News Briefs tionary principle need not be bad, but from the way it's been used in practice on a national level, it's not clear that most regulatory bodies are willing to accurately measure and consider risks." He added that the communication should have included a "tacit recognition that political institutions will behave politically," as well as some kind of an incentive to keep regulatory agencies from moving too slowly in approving new technologies such as
biotechnology European environmental organizations expressed outright dismay over the guidelines, saying they will render the precautionary principle less effective because of all the conditions and procedures that should be followed before the principle is used. "We think this is a bureaucratic exercise completely in contradiction to the precautionary principle," said Christian Hey, policy director of die European Environmental Bureau, an umbrella network of European environmental organizations. He noted the ongoing risk assessments of various chemicals currently being conducted by the European Union (EU) as an example of how the process is likely to be dragged out. "At die extreme, we have the cadmium case where an 800-page report [containing] 25 pages of references concludes that more research [needs to be] done on a h e a w metal whose properties are well known " For now, the guidelines are not binding and merely give member states an indication of how the EC will treat national measures based on the precautionary principle. However, member states are bound to follow EU law, and the European Court of Justice will monitor member states' compliance, said Per Haugaard, a spokesperson for Enterprise and the Information Society Commissioner Erkki Liikanen. Liikanen coauthored the communication together with Environment Commissioner Margot Wallstrom and Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner David Byrne KRIS CHRISTEN
The state of Russia's environment is grim, concludes a study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The first comprehensive survey of environmental conditions in Russia finds that air pollution levels in large cities exceed international standards; deteriorating drinking water infrastructures are leading to increased water-borne disease outbreaks; and a reduced capacity to handle hazardous waste stocks presents an imminent health risk in some areas Russia has not had an environmental minister in its government since 1996 For a coDV of Envimnmpntnl Performnncp PPvipu> of the Russian Epdpration call O F f D at f?n?l $Kr)r) 3ftfifi
Although sulfur dioxide emissions have fallen sharply over the past 20 years, greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise in countries belonging to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), according to the latest OECD Environmental Data 1999 Compendium. The compendium, which provides an overview of the state of the environment and environment-economy relationships in OECD countries and Russia, also shows that the volume of municipal solid waste has increased by 40% since 1980 and that 41% of the population in OECD countries is not connected to a sewage treatment plant For a copy call the OECD at (202) 822-3866 Many developing countries could "leapfrog" from polluting, unsustainable energy sources to renewable technologies, according to a report from the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Energy Council, a nonprofit organization whose members represent companies and governments. Up to 67% of the world's rural people rely on inefficient forms of biomass combustion, mainly for cooking according to the report. Renewable projects often fail be-
for local people to repair," the groups write. Governments should actively promote renewable technologies like biomass gasifiers and digesters. For a copy of The Challenge of Rural Energy Poverty in Developing Countries, go to www. worldenergy.org/wec-geis/. Common indoor substances—dust mites, mold, secondhand smoke, and fragrances in personal hygiene products—can trigger or worsen asthma in susceptible people, a panel of doctors and scientists directed by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) concluded after reviewing the latest scientific studies. Although asthma and asthma-related deaths have jumped 75% over the past 20 years researchers are still unsure about what causes the disease Funded by EPA Clearing the Air: Asthma and Indoor Air Exposures identifies priorities for public education intervention and further research For a cODV call IOIVT at f?fl91 334-3313
This year's ACS Environmental Chemistry Graduate Student Award winners are Joel Bandstra (Oregon Graduate Institute), Raja Chakraborti (State University of New York-Buffalo), Jeffrey Chen (Yale University), Brian Desharnais (Northwestern University), Paul Hartmann (University of Rhode Island), Sarunya Hengpraprom (Clemson University), Meh met Kitis (Clemson University), Jens-Uwe Kuhn (Northern Arizona University) Tie Li (University of Arizona) Katrice Lippa (Johns Hopkins University) Shaun Mendonsa (University of Wyoming) C Andrew Ramsburg (Georgia Institute of Technology) Alexa Rihana (IJniversifv of Mich igan) Darrvl Roberts (University of Delaware! Julia Rneers (Colorado State Ilnivprsirvl Rereie SpanlHinp (TTnivprsitv nf Talifor n i a - D a H«l Ya Htha S n h r a m a n i a n fCpn ia Inst't lte of Tprhnnlnsxvl
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