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The Environmental Professionals work mostly for their clients and employers. Many a times, they have to compromise for getting their salaries/ payments. Environment is taking its own course. It needs tough decisions. There is a crying need for environmental professionals to get united and work for the ENVIRONMENT in a pro-active manner.

World Ozone Day is back !!!

This year the theme is "Ozone Layer Protection: The Mission Goes On". According to UNEP The Montreal protocol has been successful in meeting out the set targets to phase out ODS. Eventually the ozone layer is reviving and is about to recover by the middle of the next century. All this is possible by the sound contributions from all the stakeholders including the policy makers, planners, scientists, environmentalists and of course informed citizens. Hope to see positive news coming from other crucial environmental issues as well.

We are looking for few environmental engineers experienced in Chemical, Oil refining, petrochemical  and other  industries with 5-20 yrs experience for immediate appointment at corporate and at sites. pl mail your CV to udayabhaskar.gullapalli@ril.com.

Position is vacant for 01 JRF at  Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology (GUIDE), Bhuj, Gujarat. The fellowship will be Rs. 12,000/- consolidated per month and the project duration is around 03 - 04 years. The project involves phytoremediation and analysis of several matrices (soil, plant and water). The study also involves field based experiments (near Bangalore, Karnataka) in the later phase of the study.

Student should be well versed with laboratory basic techniques and calculations involved in Environmental Sciences. A good command over English will be an added advantage. Further, fellow should be keen to learn advance analytical techniques ad would be sincere at work. Suitable candidate will be encouraged to register for Ph.D. 

Suitable candidate may immediately contact me at rachnaeia@gmail.com or 09428248622

Dear All,

The new volume (vol-2) of IJENAS is published on the website. Please go through it (http://www.ijenas.com/vol_2.html).

Any kind of suggestions are always welcome.

You can submit your research work for Volume-4 now.

Thanks and regards

Dr. Pulak Das

Editor-in-Chief

IJENAS (www.ijenas.com)

We all talk about global warming, marine pollution, climate issues & biological pollutants from time to time. But, rarely do we see electronic waste issues among the top atmospheric troubles being discussed worldwide. Though the issues we talk or hear about have also not been solved yet. But, the question is, ‘how e-waste affects human life and poses great threat to future generations?’  Are we all aware of this truth?   

While going through an article online (referring to United Nations Environmental Program) I came across the horrendous figure of 40 million metric tons i.e. the supposed amount of e-waste being produced globally every year. 60-80 percent of it is handled by China, India, Pakistan, Vietnam, and the Philippines, while Guiyu (a town in China) is the largest site for e waste recycling in world.

The electronic waste is dismantled in Guiyu to extract metals that are hazardous to human health. A study has found that 80% of its children are affected with the presence of lead in their blood. There are various damages that can lead to a human body like brain hurt, numbness, fertility problems and low growth in children etc.

This is just a small preview of how dangerous e-waste can prove to our environment. The changes that it makes to our surroundings by adding devastating matter to atmosphere tend to damage soil, air, water, animals, humans and everything around us.

My purpose of sharing the hazardous impacts of electronic waste is not to glorify the figures but to spread the word that we need to be equally considerate about its aftereffects like we are doing about other environmental issues.

Technology has become an inseparable part of us, so tossing it away once and for all is not the solution. But, what else? If not this then how the environmental problem can be brought to light and solved at grass-roots level.

Share your views and possible solutions on this issue, so that it can contribute in spreading awareness about current scenario of e-waste in the world. 

Dear Friends,

I need to know whether there re any specific guidelines to dispose rockwool (insulation waste)? If not, what are the best practices followed throughout the industry?

Similarly, what about refractory waste from furnaces? How to dispose it?

Thanks,

Krishna

Dear All,

Can anyone focus and help me for Environment Clearance.....

We are mfg. speciality catalyst and have all relevant permission from pollution control board.
Now we are planning for expansion by introducing 2-3 new reactor within existing premises with new products which is not mentioned in EC,NOC as well CC&A. There is no any additional pollution load due to proposed expansion.

Can anyone help me applicability of EC in this kind of scenario??? also share if have any circular related to exemption in EC criteria...

Dear All

We are going to set up a multi product SEZ. Therefore, need your guidance regarding the environment clearance of the same.

Is their certain specific guidelines for the EC of SEZ area ?? Do we need to take separate EC for each industry or we need to consider the highest impact a red industry to make a consolidated EIA.

Any other details from your side shall be appreciated.

Thanks

Regards

Amit

Dear All,

Kindly guide.

We have an existing crude oil pipeline passing through two diffrent states having consent for some "X" qty per anum.  However, we want to increase the pumping capacity to "Y" per anum.

As per the EIA notification, if the new pipeline is passing through sensitive areas then we require Environmental Clearance.

Please note that we have existing pipeline, and we want to increase the capacity of pipeline without doing any modification in pipeline.

My question is by doing amendment with state pollution control board will suffice our requirment or do we need to amend our environmnetal clearance also.

Please guide the same.

Thanks

Delhi – July 23, 2014 – The Confederation of Indian Industry’s Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development (CESD) today celebrated the Indian debut of the EPEAT® environmental-rating system for electronics with an event in Delhi co-hosted with the Green Electronics Council. CII convened representatives from the electronics industry, enterprise purchasers, government and Indian civil society in a discussion of how EPEAT can support and reinforce Indian efforts to reduce the environmental impacts of electronics. The Green Electronics Council, the U.S-based non-profit organization that manages the EPEAT system encouraged attendees from all stakeholder groups to continue thinking creatively

For eight years, EPEAT ratings have helped companies, governments and consumers around the world compare and purchase greener devices, resulting in significant environmental benefits. India is the 43rd country in which EPEAT registration and verification services are now available to help purchasers select products that reduce their environmental impact.

“Indian purchasers now have a way to easily and reliably identify greener electronics, joining with others around the world to reward the development of more environmentally sound devices,” said Robert Frisbee, CEO of the Green Electronics Council. “Considering the size and scope of the Indian electronics market, we are excited about the environmental benefits that will flow from today’s opening of EPEAT for India.”

EPEAT, which stands for “Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool,” rates products on a lifecycle basis. The system addresses the elimination of toxic substances, the use of recycled and recyclable materials, product design for recycling, product longevity, energy efficiency, corporate performance and packaging attributes, as well as requiring manufacturer responsibility for collection and responsible recycling of all registered devices. Manufacturers must register their products in EPEAT on a country-by-country basis to ensure all product and service criteria are supported and verified for local markets. (More at www.epeat.net )

“Indian industry and enterprise use ICT products to create new efficiencies and sustainability benefits,” said Seema Arora, Executive Director of CII-CESD. “The availability of EPEAT registration will enable bulk-consumers of ICT products to increase the net benefit of these activities by easily identifying and selecting environmentally responsible products.”

Dell and HP have already registered 146 PC and Display products in India, VXL Instruments of Bangalore has joined the EPEAT system as a Participating Manufacturer and other manufacturers are preparing to register. The EPEAT system currently rates PCs and Displays, Televisions and Imaging Equipment (printers, copiers, scanners etc.), with standards for Servers and Mobile Phones in development. At present, India registrations include Desktops, Notebooks, Workstations, Thin Clients and Displays. Devices will be continually added to the Registry as they are deemed compliant with EPEAT’s environmental requirements.

“The ICT sector in India is very concerned with the environmental impacts of product design, manufacturing and end of life recovery” said Anwar Shirpurwala, Executive Director of MAIT (formerly known as the Manufacturers Association for Information Technology). “Participation in programmes such as EPEAT will support Indian manufacturers’ ability to reap market rewards in both internal and external markets based on their products’ environmental performance. It shall enable provision of globally accepted, transparent and effective methods to ensure greener electronics.”

To qualify for the EPEAT Registry, electronic devices must meet at between 23- 33 required environmental performance criteria based on product category. Products achieve higher ratings by meeting up to 29 additional optional criteria. The ratings criteria were developed during multi-year stakeholder consensus processes that have involved hundreds of representatives from the environmental, research, governmental and manufacturing sectors, as well as public and private bulk consumers.

“Customers are looking for simple ways to make comparisons between products and their environmental qualities. Dell helps its customers make those assessments easily through our commitment to a wide range of EPEAT product registrations,” says Michael Murphy, Executive Director Worldwide Regulatory Compliance & Environmental Affairs at Dell. “EPEAT-registered products are a global solution reflecting our own environmental sustainability principles and we are proud to expand our EPEAT product registrations to the Indian market.”

EPEAT’s environmental rating system is used as a purchasing requirement by eight national governments, including the United States Federal government, and thousands of other purchasers worldwide to obtain products that meet strict environmental criteria that support more effective recycling, reduced energy consumption, longer product life and reduced toxicity. Purchase contracts that require EPEAT registration exceed $65 billion in purchasing value. More than 50 manufacturers participate across more than 40 countries. More than 600 million EPEAT-registered products have been purchased since the Registry debuted in July 2006.

I’m proud that my district is home to this organization that is making such a difference, not just in the US but around the world, and I’m eager to see the positive impact of the expanded EPEAT registry,” said U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer. “We need to create new paths to environmental success and EPEAT’s success shows that a cooperative, reward-based approach can move markets and that diverse stakeholders working together can be true catalysts for change.”

Since 2006, purchasers choosing EPEAT-registered electronics over products that don’t meet the system’s criteria have eliminated greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 11 million U.S. vehicles’ annual impact, avoided more than 394,000 metric tons of hazardous waste and reduced solid waste by nearly 167,000 metric tons – equivalent to  nearly 86,000 U.S. households’ annual waste.

http://www2.gre.ac.uk/research/study/studentships

The eJAFE is an biannual peer-reviewed International scientific e journal exclusively devoted to disseminate research and application of ecological principles in forest ecosystems with special reference to ecological restoration, biodiversity conservation, climate change, environmental impact assessment and ethnobotanical knowledge to help support socioeconomic development in forest and fringe areas.

Papers are invited for Volume 2,issue 2 to be released in December 2014

Dr.(Mrs.) Prafulla Soni Editor-in-Chief eJournal of Applied Forest Ecology (eJAFE) http://www.ejafe.com/  Email. ejafe2013@gmail.com/ sonip1405@gmail.com

Job Opening for Environmental Sciences and related subjects PG candidates

Location: School of Earth and Environmental Sciences
Amity University Haryana

Position:    Ph.D Scholar cum Teaching Associate

Area of Research: Interdisciplinary interface of Environmental Sciences.

Eligibility: M.Sc/M.A with NET/M.Tech in relevant subjects (Environmental Science, Geology, Geography, Planning, Earth Sciences, Biological Sciences, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Water resources, Energy Studies, Remote Sensing & GIS or other relevant Engineering disciplines).

Emoluments: 20,000/- per Month (Consolidated)

Job Assignments: To carry out Ph.D research in the Interdisciplinary areas of Environmental Sciences and will also be simultaneously assigned teaching to UG level.

Research Association: It would be a collaborative Ph.D research programme with universities/Institutions, where a co-supervisor is required form institute/university last attended or chosen by candidate.

 Application Process: Interested & eligible candidates may send their application supported by self attested copies of the below mentioned documents to krajendra@ggn.amity.edu. Shortlisted candidates will be called for Interview.

1. An updated CV
2. Statement of Purpose (not more than 2 pages)
3. A reference letter from the concerned faculty from where the candidate will collaborate for research
4. Photocopies of testimonials supporting education qualification, NET certificate, Date of Birth

Note: Above positions are meant for fresh M.Sc with NET (in exceptional case, NET may be exempted)/M.Tech. The research work will be in collaboration with prospective Institutes/Universities where candidate last attended or chosen by candidate. The candidate is required to furnish the consent letter for prospective Co-supervisior at the time of Interview (if shortlisted).

It is heartening to see the increasing attention paid to e-waste impacts in India by media outlets and individuals throughout the country. I just read two articles that reflect the growth of attention to these important issues:

  http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra_pradesh/Ignorance-on-E-waste-Disposal-Puts-Public-Health-at-Risk/2014/06/27/article2302956.ece1

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/states/india-cautioned-against-mounting-ewaste/article6167384.ece ;

Centre for Environment and Development (CED) is organizing the 10^th Kerala Environment Congress (KEC 2014) on August  22^nd  and 23^rd, 2014 at  Kochi as National Seminar on "Water and Energy Security – Issues, Challenges and Potentials”.

The Congress will include invited paper presentations by experts on various sub themes as well as paper and poster presentations by research students for Young Scientist Award and will be inaugurated by Hon’ble Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam, the former President of India.

KEC%202014%20-%20brochure.pdf

More details and registration form available at: http://cedindia.org/services/outreach-programs/kerala-environment-congress/kerala-environment-congress-2014/

I am happy to share that it is a nice and learning experience to get acquaintance with an emerging technology of waste utilization for valorization and carbon sequestration at the University of Greenwich, UK. Apart from my research on waste management, I have also been privileged to visit woodland and bird observatory to experience the restoration studies. The School of Science at the University of Greenwich is having an advanced state-of-the-science facilities with excellent laboratory and instrumentation infrastructure. It helps to create enthusiasm to explore diverse areas of research (viz., restoration ecology and environmental conservation, remediation and waste management). Besides, the time-to-time sharing of knowledge through field demonstrations to post graduate students and researchers helps to inculcate the practical based approach and thorough understanding towards the scientific research. The friendly attitude of Professors and researchers is an added benefit for knowledge sharing. I, personally, encourage Indian students and researchers to explore the possibilities to join the University of Greenwich and come forward for collaborative research.