9-Jan-2018: UK bans plastic microbead
A UK-wide prohibition on the use of plastic microbeads in the manufacture of some cosmetic and personal care products has come into effect. These tiny pieces of plastic are added to rinse-off products such as face scrubs, toothpastes and shower gels.
Growing concern over the impact of these tiny plastic beads on marine life has convinced the government to act. A full ban on the sale of products containing microbeads will come into force in July.
The small spherical beads, designed to help with exfoliation and then be washed down the drain, often slip through waste-water treatment plants and end up in the seas. They do not degrade over time and can transport toxic chemicals into marine organisms.
Between 0.01% and 4.1% of marine microplastic pollution comes from cosmetic product sources. In the UK it's estimated that some 680 tonnes of microbeads are used in cosmetic products every year.
UK cosmetic manufacturers have been working since 2015 on a voluntary plan to remove the beads. Boots phased out microbeads in their products in 2015, as did Unilever, while Colgate-Palmolive removed them in 2014.
A range of natural alternatives are already being used in cosmetics particularly for exfoliation. Beads made from the oil that comes from the jojoba plant are fully biodegradable. Other natural products such as salt, coffee and whole oats, and more exotic ones such as rosehip seeds are all suitable and don't damage the marine environment in the same way as plastic. Last year, researchers have developed biodegradable beads made from cellulose.
12-Jan-2017: NGT orders test of cosmetics containing microbeads
The National Green Tribunal has directed the Centre to test cosmetic products containing microbeads after a plea sought a ban on their use on the ground they are extremely dangerous for aquatic life and environment.
Microbeads are tiny plastic substances measuring less than five millimetres that act as exfoliators (agents which remove dead cells) on skin and teeth when used in soap, toothpaste and other products. Many brands manufacturing beauty products use microbeads.
A Bench headed by Justice Jawad Rahim said it is the duty of the government to ensure that no “dangerous” product is allowed to be manufactured or sold to public and directed the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation to analyse the products in laboratory and submit a report in four weeks.
The unregulated production and usage of plastic in microbeads in various cosmetic products and their excessive usage by the end user is leading to water pollution across the globe.
Every winter, the whole of north India is covered by dense fog. But a phenomenon called urban heat island is burning holes in this grey shroud over New Delhi and other cities on the Indo-Gangetic Plain.
The urban heat island effect is so strong in Delhi, the largest city in the region, that it saw 50 per cent less fog than surrounding areas, according to an analysis of satellite data between 2000 and 2016.
Urban heat island refers to the higher temperature seen in a city compared with adjacent rural areas because of intense concrete development and reduced green cover.
Fog is a low lying cloud formed from condensation of moisture. The availability of significant moisture from agricultural land, water bodies, supported by calm winds in North India leads to dense fog formation. Though at times a nuisance, it plays a vital role in the ecology of the region and favours the growth of some fruit trees.
The researchers used NASA’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite data of over a period of 17 years (2000-2016). They observed ‘fog holes’ occurring over urban areas of the Indo Gangetic plains, the most prominent one over Delhi. A fog hole is a variable sized open patch in an extensive fog cover.
Warmer temperatures help fog dissipate. In Delhi, the heat island effect also appears to be suppressing the very formation of fog. Scientists found that while areas outside Delhi have seen a 20 per cent increase in fog in the period 2012-2016 compared with 2000-2004, Delhi itself did not see an increase. Another surprise was to find less fog in Delhi even at night though temperatures are cooler. There were also differences in fog duration—in one event, fog in Delhi dissipated three hours before surrounding rural areas.
Globally, Delhi saw larger and more frequent fog holes in this period than fog-prone cities in the Po valley in Italy, the North China Plain (including Beijing), and California’s central valley. The analysis found a correlation between the size of the urban population and that of the fog hole.
So, how does heat exactly affect the formation of fog? In rural areas, temperatures remain cooler along with sufficient moisture availability from higher green cover. Due to intense urbanisation, cities are generally warmer than rural areas, especially during winter months. There is also a relative lack of vegetation cover (for example trees, croplands, grass cover) within city premises, which lead to low relative humidity inside cities compared to rural areas, that can lead to sharp differences in fog formation across urban- rural landscapes. “The fog hole phenomenon, especially over Delhi, is so strong that it causes nearly 50% reduction in fog frequency compared to Delhi’s surroundings, seen over the 17-year period (2000-2016)”
Population size has been shown to be related to the intensity of urban heat islands since they are an indicator of urban growth.
Fog holes also appear frequently over Lahore, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Patiala in the Indo-Gangetic Plain, where fog was found to be 17-36 per cent less than their surrounding areas.
Interestingly, long-term declines in fog in Europe and the US had long thought to be related to declines in air pollution since pollution particles known as aerosols amplify fog. However, recent studies have begun to point to urban expansion as a factor too.
The study highlights this paradox of fog formation. High levels of air pollution may help amplify fog over north India-but urban development may suppress or dissipate it. The degree to which one cancels the effect of another is hard to say.
20-Dec-2017: India unveils anti-smog cannon in fight against Delhi pollution
India has unveiled a new weapon against air pollution – an “anti-smog gun”. With pollution levels soaring in Delhi, the state government has introduced its latest weapon to combat the deadly smog.
Anti-smog gun is a device that sprays atomised water into the atmosphere to reduce air pollution. Connected to a water tank and mounted on a vehicle, the device could be taken across the city to spray water to settle dust and other suspended particles.
The device – shaped like a hair dryer and mounted on a flatbed truck – was tested in Anand Vihar, an area of Delhi’s east bordering an industrial zone that often boasts the dirtiest air.
The US embassy website showed concentrations of the smallest and most harmful particles, known as PM2.5, registered 380 at Anand Vihar – more than 15 times the World Health Organisation’s safe maximum.
The cannon – designed to combat dust on mining and construction sites – costs roughly $31,000. It can blast up to 100 litres of water per minute into the skies and clear 95% of airborne pollutants.
Delhi chokes every winter as cool air traps a toxic blend of pollutants from crop burning, car exhausts, open fires, construction dust and industrial emissions close to the ground.
This move is inspired by the Chinese water cannons that were used by the authorities there with some success. The idea is that it reduces air pollution by binding dust and other particulate matter, and bring them down to the ground level. This could be of use in an arid place like Delhi. The plan has been made by looking at the three major sources of pollution–transport, industry, and road dust and fugitive emissions.