Philippines: Envi-health Group Pushes for Stronger Mercury Policy
Health Care Without Harm SE-Asia – As the world's government gathers to negotiate on a mercury treaty, Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia calls on the Philippine government to put teeth into the Health Department's Administrative Order 21 by ordering immediate importation ban on mercury. more

Philippines: Mercury Falling
Health Care Without Harm SE-Asia – Faye Ferrer talks about the day she went to an outlet of the largest and most popular drug store in the country to find out whether the staff would sell her a mercury-based thermometer. Administrative Order 21 of the Department of Health, issued in July 2008, calls for the phaseout of all mercury-containing devices by September this year. more

China: Live Baby Treated as Medical Waste
The Poch Times – Crematorium workers in Guangdong Province found an infant crying in a medical waste receptacle on its way to being cremated. The crematorium workers immediately sent the infant back to the hospital. Later that day, the hospital sent the infant back to the crematorium, dead. The hospital offered no explanation of the cause of death.  more

Turks and Caicos Is.: Medwaste Incinerator to be Installed. No Concern about Env. Health Consequences
FPCI – Providenciales will have a new medical waste incinerator, according to the Ministry of Health and Human Services. The government granted approval for Johnson International Limited to be awarded the contract for the supply, installation and commissioning of the incinerator. Health and environmental risks are not taken into account.  more

India: Delhi Government Unable to Dispose Stored Mercury
Deccan Chronicle – Even as majority of hospitals here have been taking various steps to phase out mercury-based equipment from their day-to-day operations, the Delhi government is yet to find ways to safely dispose of over five kg of the toxic material that are with the respective health care centres. With growing awareness about its ill-effects, the government launched a drive to make hospitals toxic-free by asking them to replace the mercury-based equipments. more

Pacific Islands : WHO Called on to Survey Pacific Islanders Mercury Levels
New Zeland International – Pacific Island delegates to UN talks on mercury control are calling on the World Health Organisation to survey the mercury levels of Pacific Islanders. more

US: Plastics Chemical BPA Tied to Ovarian Cysts
Businessweek – Women with the problem had higher levels of BPA, but study can't confirm cause-and-effect, experts say. There may be more troubling news about the ubiquitous plastics chemical bisphenol A: women with polycystic ovary syndrome have higher levels of the chemical in their bloodstream, a study finds. more

Philippines: Greenpeace Urges for Renewable Energy to Avoid Humand and Environmental Damages
MB – Greenpeace called on Southeast Asian nations to invest in renewable energy such as wind and solar energy to avert the worst impacts of climate change and avoid the dangers brought about by the use of fossil fuels and nuclear energy. Doing so will eliminate unpredictable fossil fuel costs, and the external costs of coal and nuclear energy use, such as health or environmental damages.  more

US: AMA Meeting: More Docs Willing to Take on Climate Change
Public News Service – America's doctors are more ready to take on one of the toughest ailments facing the entire planet. Physicians at a major annual meeting of the American Medical Association (AMA) in Chicago discussed the effects of climate change on public health that can be felt in Illinois and every other region of the country.  more

India: Delhi to Get a Waste-to-power Plant. Facility will Emit Harmful Pollutants
India Times – Delhi is set to get the country's first commercial waste-to-power plant of 16 MW capacity that will convert one third of Capital's garbage into electricity. The article showns no concern about the environmental impact of this technology. more

Argentina: Hospitals Across the Country are Taking Green Steps to Protect the Environment
Salud Sin Daño – Besides the elimination of mercury-based medical devices, hospitals accross the country are also promoting proper medical waste management, low energy consumption lighting among other measures. more (in spanish)

Saudi Arabia: Air Quality Monitoring Discussed
Saudi Gazette – Prince Sattam Bin Abdul Aziz, Acting Emir of Riyadh and Chairman of the Supreme Committee for Environment Protection, chaired discussions Sunday on a range of environmental issues of concern to the capital. The meeting discussed the capital’s air quality monitoring program and the construction of 10 monitoring stations, along with the city’s executive plan for environment protection and its 48 environmental programs covering pollution and waste, natural resources, open areas, wildlife and environmental management. more

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