United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Information Resources
Management
(3404)
EPA/22CVN-94-024
Mar./Apr. 1994 ~t
&EPA
INTERNATIONAL
UPDATE
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From the Office of International Activities
THE GREEN PAGES
The second edition of The Green Pages: A Directory of
U.S. Suppliers of Environmental Products and
Services is now available. A directory of over 1500 U.S.
companies, The Green Pages is produced in cooperation
with the U.S. Department of Commerce and supports
EPA's Environmental Technology Initiative. Companies
interested in exporting environmental technologies, prod-
ucts, or services overseas are listed free of charge in the
directory when they have registered with the Department of
Commerce, Office of Export Trading Company Affairs'
Contact Facilitation Database. While the EPA does not
endorse the products or services listed, Carol Browner
states in her introductory letter to the directory that the
Agency believes The Green Pages will "advance EPA's
objectivesand help other nations achievetheir environmen-
tal goals more cheaply and efficiently" by assisting interna-
tional buyers in locating sources of environmental products
and services.
Copies of The Green Pages are available from EPA's
Public Information Center, TEL: (202) 260-2080 or from
INFOTERRA in the EPA Headquarters Library, TEL:
(202)260-5927.
For further information about The Green Pages contact
Scott Bidner in EPA's Office of International Activities,
TEL: (202) 260-2087.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATE VIA E-MAIL
You can now access this newsletter through Videotext
on All-in-One. Simply type vtx at the main menu, then
select newsletters.
Or, if you prefer, the newsletter can be sent directly to
your All-in-One e-mail box. Please send yourrequest for
future copies via e-mail to library-infoterra or call
(202)260-5927.
Earthlink - Subscribe Todayl
INFOTERRA now produces EarthLink, anelectronicnews
service distributed via All-in-One. EarthLinkisa monthly
update providing international environmental news of inter-
est to EPA staff, with particular attention given to the
activities of international organizations. EarthLink in-
cludes information from current news sources including
journals, newsletters, and other publications. For more
information, or to subscribe to EarthLink send an e-mail
message to library-infoterra or call 202-260-5927.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
INFO EXPO '94 IS ALMOST HERE!
INFOTERRA/USA will be hosting an exposition of organiza-
tions involved in the field of international environmental
information. The Expo is scheduled for Wednesday,
June 8 from 10 a.m. -2 p.m. and will be held in the corridor
in front of the Washington Information Center (WIC) in the
EPA Headquarters Building. Booths will be set up foreach
participating organization. The organizations will be provid-
ing information about their services, documents, and activi-
ties. Watch for furtherdetails about participating organiza-
tions and scheduled activities.
AGRICOLA CD-ROM ORIENTATION
AGRICOLA is the database of the National Agricultural
Library (NAL) now available on CD-ROM at the EPA
Headquarters Library. The database provides biblio-
graphic information and abstractsforjoumal literatureand
monographs on agriculture and related subjects (includ-
ing environmental topics ranging from pesticide use to
groundwater pollution) from around the world.
Learn how to use AGRICOLA at a CD-ROM demonstra-
tion on Tuesday, May 10,1994 from 10-11 a.m. in the
Headquarters Library. Call (202) 260-5921 to sign up.
INFOTERRA/USA National Focal Point
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JOURNAL ARTICLES OF INTEREST
"European Packaging Laws: Take-Back Schemes,
Product Standards, and Eco-Taxes,"Bergkamp, Lucas
and Gail Martini. International Environment Reporter,
17:4 (February 23,1994), pp. 192-196.
Environmental packaging and labeling has become a
complex issue in Europe. The current directions indicate
that both European Union (EU) and national laws may be
developed, and they may have the potential to create trade
barriers. An outline of the current policy of the EU, EU
member states, and wider Europe is presented.
"EU Parliament Debates Incineration Proposal," Ward,
Mike. ChemicalWeek. 154:9 (March 9,1994), p. 17
The European Parliament is currently debating a directive
on incineration of hazardous waste. Many members are
concerned that a variety of wastes ordinarily considered
hazardous have been excluded from the incineration guide-
lines.
"EU Eco-Management and Auditing Regulation,"
Hunter, Roszell. International Environment Reporter.
(February 9,1994). pp. 142,143.
The European Union has established a regulation, becom-
ing effective in April 1995, for'Allowing Voluntary Participa-
tion in an Eco-Management and Audit Scheme." The EU,
inspired by the success of U .S. corporate experi ences with
environmental management systems, hopes that compa-
nieswill participate voluntarily as customers demand proof
of environmental responsibility.
"EC To Simplify Directives on Water Pollution." JPRS
Report: Environmental Issues Report No. JPRS-Ten-94-
002-L (January 25,1994), p.7.
The European Commission Directive on water is one of
several that the EC has proposed simplifying. The main
idea isto set essential quality and health parameters at the
EC level, leaving the MemberStates free to add secondary
parameters at their discretion. The Commission has
dividedthefutureDirectivesintotwogroups: 1. Framework
Directives on the quality of drinking water, surface water,
bathing water and on freshwater management and ground-
waterprotection. 2. Directivesdesignedto control pollution
at the source, including urban wastewater treatment and
prevention of agricultural nitrate pollution.
"Air Pollution Control In the Czech Republic,"
Jancarova, llona. International Environment Reporter.
17:5 (March 9,1994), pp. 239-242.
The latest revisionstothe AirProtection Act are helpingto
address the continuing airpollution problems in the Czech
Republic. The Republic's commitment is also demon-
strated by the factthatthey are party to many international
conventions concerning airpollution.
"Trade, Environment Face Off," Behr, Peter. Washing-
ton Post (Wednesday, March 23,1994), pp. F1, F10.
Negotiations will be launched to discuss the conflicts
between trade and the environment according to trade
officials from the U.S. and two dozen other countries.
According to Trade Representative Mickey Kantor, There
has been concrete commitment to addressing the environ-
mental issues in connection with trade." The plan awaits
approval by senior GATT officials.
"Building a Case for Sustainable Agriculture: Policy
Lessons from India, Chile, and the Philippines."
Environment. 36:1 (January/February 1994). pp.16-20+.
Much of the world's farming activities are unsustainable
due to erosion, waterlogging, freshwater pollution, and
desertification, and need to become sustainable while
minimizing environmental impact. A brief discussion on
U.S. Farm Policy states that agricultural legislation does
not offer incentivesto farmers to move toward sustainable
farming because it is not profitable. The article suggests
looking at recent developments in the three countries in the
title.
"International Green Cross Outlines First Series of
Environmental Programs." International Environment
Reporter. (February 23,1994), pp. 190-191.
The International Green Cross, founded in 1993 and pre-
sided over by Mikhail Gorbachev, has begun work on a
preliminary set of programs including a world conference to
discuss the effects on the environment since the end of the
Cold War, organization of a "North-South" exchange pro-
gram forschool children to allowthem to study environmen-
tal problems and solutions in different countries, and the
development of an "International Code on the Environment"
modeled after the Geneva conventions on human rights
protection.
All materials listed above are available at INFOTERRA in
the Headquarters Library.
UNEP
(202) 260-5917
Reference Desk
Head Librarian
Carol Stiles
Reference Librarians
Elizabeth Behrendt
Robert Hulshof
INFOTERRA EP3 Librarian
Lara Wiggert (202) 260-9357
(202) 260-5638
(202) 260-5927
(202) 260-363&
INFOTERRA is contractor
operated and managed by
the Office of Information
Resources Management (OtRM),
Information Management and
Services Division (1MSD),
Information Sharing Branch.
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