NGO Chemical Workshop on

Mercury Pollution and Its Prevention and Treatment

On March 15th, Global Village of Beijing organized a chemical workshop on “Mercury Pollution and Its Prevention and Treatment” at GVB’s office. This workshop attracted 18 representatives from 16 grassroots NGOs. Mercury pollution is not only an environmental problem, but also one related to many other issues, such as food safety, medical care, and occupational health. The sponsor also invited some non-environmental NGOs. Participants listened to lectures about chemical and mercury problems given by two experts, and held a constructive discussion about chemical problems, especially that of mercury.

Chemical pollution is a long term and obvious problem in China. In terms of dealing with chemical pollution, grassroots NGOs have few functions. It is necessary for NGOs to reinforce concern about this pollution by providing relevant information. By doing this, NGOs have the opportunity to engage in appropriate activities that are in accordance with their mandate and that are effective. Additionally, in support of the implementation of the “Zero Mercury Campaign”, GVB has sponsored some advanced and practical publicity and education in the chemical field. In the process, GVB deeply realized the necessity of network construction and the importance of joining forces with other grassroots NGOs. Thus, GVB plans to organize a series of “NGO Chemical Workshops” starting with the mercury problem, and build a platform of communication and cooperation for grassroots NGOs.

“Day of Mother River Protection”

Planting Trees for Mother River—Hanjiang River

March 9th, 2006 is the “Day of Mother River Protection”. More than 70 people including representatives of Green Hanjiang, City Beauty, and Xiaobaixiang Electronic Appliances Co. Ltd., along with environmental protection volunteers, policemen and soldiers from Xiangfan, planted over 1,000 trees at Yuliangzhou, a sandbar in Hanjiang River. Officials of Yuliangzhou Management Committee and journalists of Chutian City News were also present. The trees not only make the Yuliangzhou Ecological Tourism Zone green, but also protect the Mother River—Hanjiang River.

Source: Green Hanjiang

No.2 Elementary School of Yiqiao Town, Xiaoshan District Launches Environmental Protection for Mother River

In order to further protect Mother River and educate people about environmental protection, members of the Zhejiang branch of Green Environmental Protection Volunteer Association and the Zhejiang branch of Roots and Shoots, along with students from No.2 Elementary School of Yiqiao Town, Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou City, and with the support of related senior departments, invested over 10,000 RMB to build a Water Resources Investigation Laboratory for three rivers (Qiantangjiang River, Fuchunjiang River and Puyangjiang River). The concerned groups also invited experts to give a laboratory testing training on water resources for those students with an interest in environmental protection. This water resources investigation laboratory can perform four physical tests and eight chemical tests, such as assessing turbid degree, PH value, rest chlorine component, oxygen consumption, general alkaline, general hardness and chloride component. The students established seven water-taking spots at Sanjiangkou, Yiqiao Bridge, Fuchun water intake station of the Water Disposal Factory of Nanpian, Xiaoshan District. They will test water twice per month and report the data to the public and related senior environmental protection department by news in brief on “Mother River Protection”.

Additionally, since many units, including the Committee of Youth League, Xiaoshan District, launched the environmental protection of “Living by Hanjiang and Protecting Mother River” in September, 2004, the No.2 Elementary School of Yiqiao Town has actively participated into various practices. They established two outdoor practical bases on environmental protection, and planted 66666.7 square meters of environmental forest. Thirty-four children vocational groups are active in various villages and communities). They have done a lot of practices on cleaning up home, research on local water resources pollution, distribution of environmental protection advocatory statements and signatures to support environmental protection by various fields in the society.

Source: Environmental Protection Administration of Zhejiang

GREENPEACE Appeals to Label GMO Products

On March 13th, at the conference on International Biological Safety Treaty, GREENPEACE appealed to 132 member countries to as soon as possible establish a fair and credible GMO standard and clearly label food and feed for international transport. Earlier that day, GREENPEACE referred to the Agreement and presented the Secretariat of the United Nations with an exploitation report, listing 113 cases of genetically modified crops’ pollution, unlawful distribution and affairs with a negative impact on agriculture.

Benedikt Haerlin, an international genetic engineering expert with GREENPEACE, said that the key point of this conference is safety for the environment and for consumers. “It is time for international society to act. We must pledge that genetically modified food and feed are not distributed in or imported to countries where genetic products are unknown by many manufacturers and consumers. At present, most developing countries have no legislation on GMOs. These countries mostly rely on the International Biological Safety Treaty to protect themselves.” he said. GREENPEACE is an independent civilian organization which exposes global environmental problems and searches for solutions by creative and non-violent means. In doing so, GREENPEACE aspires to realize a green and peaceful future.

Source: People’s Daily

On March 26th, CCTV Broadcasted

“Senior Interview—Special Report on Dr. Schaller”

The program “Senior Interview—Special Report on Dr. Schaller”, designed and planned by Wild China, was broadcasted by China Central TV-1 (CCTV-1) on March 26th.

Dr. George Schaller is one of the most internationally famous zoologists of the 20th century. In his nearly half a century, he has been dedicated to the research and protection of wildlife, from lions and gorillas in Africa to pandas and Tibetan antelopes in China. He is the initiator of many long-term research projects and a reporter on problems in terms of protection. He was recognized as one of the three most prominent wildlife research scientists in the world by US “Times Weekly”. He also won the gold medal from World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in 1980; the International Cosmos Prize (Japan) in 1996; and the United States Taylor Environmental Achievement Award in 1997. Dr. Schaller has published 15 books, including “Lion in the Serengeti, Africa”, which was given the US National Book Award in 1972, and “The Last Panda”, which became a best-selling book worldwide.

Dr. Schaller is the first western scientist doing zoological research in China since its reformation and opening up to the international community. He began his panda research project in China in 1980 and then has travelled to research and protect wildlife in many wide-spread areas in China, from Kekexili (in the Tibet Plateau) via Qiangtang (in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau) to the Pamir Plateau.

Source: Wildlife China

Case Studies on Mercury Pollution—Sad Stories

A tragic and now infamous event which occurred in Minamata Bay - Japan in the 1953, highlighted the dangers of inorganic mercury as a water pollutant when organic mercury by-products of industrial-scale acetaldehyde production were directly discharged in the local bay and methylated by microorganisms in anaerobic sludge lying at the bottom of the bay. In 1960, organic methylmercury was finally detected in seafood eaten by the local population. The poisoning affected 397 villagers resulting in 68 people deaths and 22 severe birth defects. Mercury poisoning is still sometimes referred to as Minamata disease.
Mass poisonings have also occurred in various parts of the world where organomercury (short-chain alkyl mercury) compounds have been used as fungicides to treat seed grain (especially for cereal crops). The treated grain should not be used as food but if it is used to feed livestock, the meat becomes contaminated. One such large-scale poisoning incident occurred in rural Iraq in the winter of 1971-1972 when these mercuric fungicides were used to treat cereal grain. This involved 6000 people and resulted 500 deaths. An epidemiologic follow-up suggested that as many as 40,000 individuals may have been poisoned.
In 1998, (Dickman et. al. 1999) studied the relationship between Hong Kong male fertility and mercury in seafood. Hair mercury concentrations in fertile males were shown to increase with age (ages 25-72). Men with higher levels were found to be twice as likely to be subfertile. Individuals that ate fish or shellfish more than four times per week had significantly higher mercury concentrations in their hair than those who ate fish and shellfish less frequently. Hong Kong vegetarians who had consumed no seafood for the previous five years had the lowest hair mercury levels (1.21 versus 3.33 mg/kg for Hong Kong non-vegetarians - equivalent to 0.12 versus 0.33 mg%).

Mercury’s Effects on Health

The nervous system is very sensitive to all forms of mercury. Exposure to high levels of any types of mercury can permanently damage the brain, kidneys, and developing foetus. Effects on brain functions may result in irritability, shyness, tremors, changes in vision or hearing and memory problems. High exposures of mercury vapour may cause chest pain, shortness of breath, and a build up of fluids in the lungs (pulmonary oedema) that can be fatal. Methyl mercury and mercury metal vapours are especially harmful, because more mercury reaches the brain. Long term exposures may cloud the eye. Contact with mercuric chloride can cause burns to the skin and permanent damage to the eyes. Mercury also accumulates in the body.

Mercury affects the human brain, spinal cord, kidneys and liver. It affects the ability to feel, see, taste and move. It can cause tingling sensations in the fingers and toes, a numb sensation around the mouth and tunnel vision. Long-term exposure to mercury can result in symptoms that get progressively worse and lead to personality changes, stupor and coma.

Methylmercury is highly toxic, and the nervous system is its principal target tissue. In adults, the earliest effects are non-specific symptoms such as paresthesia, a numbness or a "pins and needles" sensation, is the first symptom to appear at the lowest dose. With increasing exposure the person may experience malaise, and blurred vision increasing exposure, signs appear such as concentric constriction of the visual field, deafness, dysarthria (= Speech that is characteristically slurred, slow, and difficult to produce (and understand). The person with dysarthria may also have problems controlling the pitch, loudness, rhythm and voice qualities of their speech), ataxia (=Wobbliness. Incoordination and unsteadiness due to the brain’s failure to regulate the body’s posture and regulate the strength and direction of limb movements), and ultimately coma and death.
The developing central nervous system is more sensitive to methylmercury than the adult. In infants exposed to high levels of methylmercury during pregnancy, the clinical picture may be indistinguishable from cerebral palsy caused by other factors, the main pattern being microcephaly, hyperreflexia, and gross motor and mental impairment, sometimes associated with blindness or deafness. In milder cases, the effects may only become apparent later during the development as psychomotor and mental impairment and persistent pathological reflexes.
In pregnant women, mercury can pass through the placenta, where it affects fetal development by preventing the brain and nervous system from developing normally. Levels in the fetal brain are about 5 to 7 times that in maternal blood. Affected children show lowered intelligence, impaired hearing and poor coordination. Their verbal and motor skills may be delayed. Because of these threats to the developing fetus, in countries like the U.S. the federal government recommends that women who are pregnant or who may become pregnant not eat mercury-contaminated fish.

Mercury in the Life—Potential Threat

1. Batteries
A main source of mercury is disposable dry batteries as it is one of the components of electrodes in the batteries. Chinese regulations forbid the production and sale of mercury oxide batteries. Both domestic and international battery products, such as electronic apparatus complementary batteries, meant for sale in China, must clearly state the mercury content, such as “low mercury” or “mercury-free”. Batteries without this label are not approved to enter the Chinese market. Furthermore, production and sale of alkaline zinc-manganese batteries, in which mercury accounts for over 0.0001%, have been forbidden in China.

2. Fish
Fish are an extremely important component of the human diet in many parts of the world and provide nutrients (such as protein, omega-3 fatty acids and others) that are not easily replaced. Mercury is a major threat to this food supply. Certainly, fish with low methylmercury levels are intrinsically more healthful for consumers than fish with higher levels of methylmercury, if all other factors are equal.
Certain bacteria play an important early role in the mechanism by which mercury enters the food chain including fish. Bacteria that process sulfate (SO4=) in the environment take up mercury in its inorganic form and convert it to methylmercury through metabolic processes. The conversion of inorganic mercury to methylmercury is important because its toxicity is greater and because organisms require considerably longer to eliminate methylmercury. This is the first step in the aquatic food chain. These methylmercury-containing bacteria may be consumed by the next higher level in the food chain, or the bacteria may excrete the methylmercury to the water where it can quickly adsorb to plankton, which are also consumed by the next level in the food chain. Because animals accumulate methylmercury faster than they eliminate it, animals consume higher concentrations of mercury at each successive level of the food chain. Small environmental concentrations of methylmercury can thus readily accumulate to potentially harmful concentrations in fish (e.g. pike, bass), fish-eating wildlife (e.g. otters) and people. Even at very low atmospheric deposition rates in locations remote from point sources, mercury biomagnification can result in toxic effects in consumers at the top of these aquatic food chains.

At the top levels of the aquatic food web are fish-eating species, such as humans, seabirds, seals and otters. The larger wildlife species (such as eagles, seals) prey on fish that are also predators, such as trout and salmon, whereas smaller fish-eating wildlife (such as kingfishers) tend to feed on the smaller forage fish, which have been found in a study to have higher tissue levels of mercury.
The biomagnification of methylmercury has a most significant influence on the impact on animals and humans. Fish appear to bind methylmercury strongly, nearly 100 percent of mercury that bioaccumulates in predator fish is methylmercury. Most of the methylmercury in fish tissue is covalently bound to protein sulfhydryl groups. This binding results in a long half-life for elimination (about two years). As a consequence, there is a selective enrichment of methylmercury (relative to inorganic mercury) as one moves from one trophic level to the next higher trophic level. Methyl mercury is soon detected in all species of fish and in fish-consuming animals. The source appears to be inorganic mercury biomethylated by microorganisms in sediments of both fresh and ocean water.
3. Medicinal and Dental
For examples, "Water melon extract"- a traditional Chinese drug for mouth ulcers and gum inflammation. Other Chinese herbal medicines with measurable amounts of mercury include: Chinese herbal ball preparations containing both mercury and arsenic include: An Gong Niu Huang Wan, Niu Huang Chiang Ya Wan, Da Huo Luo Wan, Niu Huang Chiang Hsin Wan, Dendrobium Moniliforme (Night Sight pills), Tsai Tsao Wan and Ta Huo Lo Tan.

Additionally, dental amalgam fillings contain elemental mercury in concentrations up to 50%. Elemental mercury from dental fillings doesn't generally pose a health risk. There are, however, a fairly small number of people who are hypersensitive to mercury. While Health Canada does not recommend that you replace existing mercury dental fillings, it does suggest that when the fillings need to be repaired, you may want to consider using a product that does not contain mercury.

Pregnant women, people allergic to mercury and those with impaired kidney function should avoid mercury fillings. Do not have mercury fillings removed when you are pregnant because the removal may expose you to mercury vapour. When appropriate, the primary teeth of children should be filled with non-mercury materials.

4. Electrical
Many common household products and appliances contain mercury switches. Products that you might not suspect, such as your steam iron, contain mercury tilt switches. Mercury switches are widely used because of the conductive and liquid-like properties of the metal. Tilt and float switches operate exactly as you might expect. In a tilt switch as the switch is “tilted” the mercury rolls with the switch to complete the circuit. Float switches are usually used in situations where water levels are of concern like sump pumps and bilge pumps in boats. As the water levels rise the mercury inside the switch moves to complete a circuit which then turns the pump on or off.

A small electrical switch could contain 3.5 grams of mercury and industrial switches can have as much as eight pounds of mercury. The options for purchasing products without mercury switches are limited, in part because of lack of awareness of the use of mercury in some applications, as well as the benefits of alternatives. However for most applications, there are alternatives to mercury switches that manufacturers can use. For example, electric, mechanical and copper ball switches are available.

5. Lamps
Use of fluorescent lamps is an excellent way to conserve energy and reduce the amount of mercury that is emitted from power plants. The problem is that each bulb contains mercury that eventually makes its way into the environment when improperly disposed of in a landfill or burned in an incinerator.

Lamps that Contain Hg

6. Computers
Mercury is used throughout the entire computer: in the circuit boards, electrical switches, and batteries. There are a few alternatives currently available. IBM has developed a flat screen monitor that utilizes a software-controlled pivoting device to replace mercury switches used on the backs of monitors that initiate the tilt and complete the circuit. In addition, flat panel displays for desktop computers along with flat screen Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screens used in laptop computers rely on fluorescent lamps to provide the backlighting. OSRAM-Sylvania has developed a mercury-free backlight for LCD screens, which uses xenon gas instead of mercury to create the light.

7. Thermometers
Mercury thermometers are made of glass and are about the size of a straw, with a silvery-white liquid inside. Mercury fever thermometers have been used for decades as a first step in caring for someone who feels sick. But, ironically, the mercury thermometer can be a risk to the health of families and communities.
Many families have had a mercury thermometer in their medicine cabinet for years without breaking it. But mercury thermometers are very easy to break and very difficult to clean up. To function properly, mercury thermometers must be “shaken down” before use, creating a constant high potential for breakage.
Sometimes mercury from the broken thermometer spills into a crack in the floor or soaks into a carpet. If mercury spills from a thermometer and is not cleaned up, it will all evaporate, potentially reaching dangerous levels in indoor air. A single broken fever thermometer, containing 0.5 to 1.5 grams of mercury, is enough to create a health risk if it evaporates into a small, poorly ventilated room. For example, if a mercury thermometer breaks in a room of 45m3 in size, the level of mercury can exceed 20 times the safe level.
8. Cosmetics
Mercury effectively bleaches skin. Thus, many cosmetic products meant to whiten and clarify skin contain mercury. According to some Chinese regulations, mercury content in cosmetics cannot exceed 1mg/kg, but the mercury content in many cosmetic products exceeds this criterion. Some of them are 100,000 times more than the criterion.

More Examples of Uses of Mercury and Their Alternatives/Substitutes

Prevention Measures—Necessary Knowledge

In order to prevent mercury poisoning, staff working with mercury should increase their intake of particular nutrients as follows:
1. Vitamin E. Vitamin E can prevent methyl mercury poisoning. As for staff working with mercury, their daily vitamin E intake should be no less than 15 mg. Peanut oil and sesame seed oil contain rich vitamin E.
2. Selenium. Selenium can protect victims suffering from methyl mercury poisoning and reduce their neuro-symptoms. Selenium can also counteract growth restriction induced by mercury chloride and has an obvious preventative and protective effects on mercury-induced kidney damage. As for staff working with mercury, their daily selenium intake should be about 100-200 mmg.
3. Fruit glue. Fruit glue can bind to mercury so as to accelerate the release of mercury and dilute mercury’s concentration in blood. Fruit glue widely exists in vegetables, fruits, and nuts, such as potatoes, arrowheads, carrots, radishes, peas, sword beans, beets, Chinese cabbages, green peppers, oranges, kumquats, shaddocks, strawberries, apples, pears, walnuts, peanuts, and chestnuts.
4. Protein. Sulphur-containing amino acids found in protein can combine with mercury to form a stable compound. They will, thus, prevent mercury damage. Such sulphur-containing amino acids exist in wheat gluten protein, rice protein, and are especially rich in egg white protein.
In our daily life, we should rid the environment of this toxin and choose mercury-free products instead of those containing mercury. When using mercury-containing products, we must follow the use instructions strictly and use these products reasonably. In the case of an emergency mercury leak, we should implement proper effective measures immediately in order to prevent further mercury damage.

Symptoms of Mercury Poisoning

1. Acute Mercury Poisoning
Very high exposures to mercury vapor in the air can cause acute poisoning. Symptoms usually begin with cough, chest tightness, trouble breathing and upset stomach. This may go on to pneumonia, which can be fatal. If the inorganic mercury compounds are swallowed, nausea, vomiting diarrhea and severe kidney damage can occur.
2. Chronic Mercury Poisoning
Exposure to any form of mercury on a repeated basis, or even from a single, very high exposure can lead to the disease of chronic mercury poisoning. There are three main symptoms: 2.1. Gum problems. The gums become soft and spongy, the teeth get loose, sores may develop, and there may be increased saliva. 2.2. Mood and mental changes. People with chronic mercury poisoning often have wide swings of mood, becoming irritable, frightened, depressed or excited very quickly for no apparent reason. Such people may become extremely upset at any criticism, lose all self-confidence, and become apathetic. Hallucinations, memory loss and inability to concentrate can occur. 2.3. Nervous system. The earliest and most frequent symptom is a fine tremor (shaking) of the hand. A tremor may also occur in the tongue and eyelids. Eventually this can progress to trouble balancing and walking.

Treatment of Mercury Poisoning

The ultimate goal of treatment is to remove the mercury from patient’s body through a process known as chelation (key - LAY - shun) or other detoxification procedure. Chelation/detoxification requires that the people suffering from mercury poisoning are healthy and nutritionally supported. For more affected patients, removing the mercury can take upwards of two years or more. For more mildly affected patients, it may require less time. Reading about biomedical treatments for autism and other mercury-induced neurological disorders can be overwhelming, and it is helpful to keep the "Big Picture" in mind. The five most important parts of treatment are as follows: 1. Bring the toxin load down; 2. Help the gut heal; 3. Get the nutrients up; 4. Donate methyl groups; 5. Get the metals out.

Additionally, there is no effective specific treatment for mercury vapor pneumonitis. There is also acute ingestion of mercuric salts. Moreover, people can remove ingestion by gastric lavage, and administer activated charcoal 60–100 g in aqueous slurry PO or via gastric tube, administer chelation therapy with BAL (British Anti-Lewisite) or DMSA (succimer), and contact a poison control center or medical toxicologist for assistance.

Conclusion

The figure below shows mercury release categories with main types of possible control mechanisms.


For more information about mercury pollution and its prevention and treatment, please visit “Mercury Pollution” Prevention and Treatment Website at http://www.mercury.ngo.cn or GVB’s homepage with a link to the mercury website.

Source: Australian Coal Association, UNEP, Clarkson TW, CPCS, DEH, DHS, Mineralysis, Global Mercury Assessment, FDA, FSANZ, HCWH, Health Canada, IITC, Immunise Australia Program, INFORM, Ingham County, National Wildlife Federation, Mercury Products Guide, USGS, USEPA, WCI and WHO

All Welcome to Participate in the

“Sustainable Energy Consumption—Public Commitment”

March 15th marks the International Day for Protecting Consumers’ Rights. The theme this year is “Everyone Is Enabled to Use Sustainable Energy”. The annual theme of China Consumers’ Association in 2006 is “Consumption and the Environment”. In response to this theme, Global Village of Beijing, China Energy Conservation Association, China Consumers’ Association, and SOHU Website together launched the “Sustainable Energy Consumption—Public Commitment” to further increase public awareness of sustainable consumption, encourage specific acts of sustainable consumption, and incorporate sustainable consumption principles into our daily life. We should deal with challenges through a healthy, civilized, rational and fashionable sustainable consumption model.

You are welcome to join us at http://business.sohu.com/s2006/chengnuo/

“Friends of Nature” Plants Trees in Spring, 2006

“Friends of Nature” will gather to plant trees at Lingxi Hi-Tech Garden in Mentougou District, Beijing. All the trees are economical, including trees of pear, chestnut, and cypress. They can not only make Mentougou District green but also help local rural residents.

Lingxi Hi-Tech Garden is not only a scientific and educational base in Mentougou District, but also a natural scenic spot that has just been developed. Friends of Nature has a challenge as transportation and tools are limited and the staff of Hi-Tech Garden will need to organize participants to water the trees. In order to ensure the survival rate of the young trees, tree-planting has been arranged over two days to avoid too many people congregating and potentially damaging the trees. You can choose either of the two days to participate into planting trees.

For more information, please contact Yu Jin and Liu Chunlei by dial 86 10 6526 1382/6559 7283－812/802

Source: Friends of Nature

International Forum on Environment and Development

Will Launch in Beijing

The Second China (International) Forum on the Environment and Development will be held in Beijing in June, 2006. All-China Environment Federation (ACEF), China Daily, and a famous United States enterprise—Honeywell China Co. Ltd.—will jointly hold this forum.

The Forum, whose theme for this year is "Building An Environmentally Friendly Society", will explore 1) the implications of building an environmentally-friendly society and domestic and international practices; 2) the responsibilities of government, enterprises, and the public in building an environmentally-friendly society; and 3) environmentally-friendly ways of producing, living and consuming. The forum will also include a sub-forum to be held on the environmental assessment of dieselization and corresponding development strategies.  

All-China Environment Federation, China Daily, and Honeywell China Co. Ltd. signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on March 22nd in Beijing. The three parties will collaborate to help educate the public on the importance of building a resource-saving and environmentally-friendly society in China. Meanwhile, they will also actively promote the Green Diesel Promotion Initiative. By introducing the benefits of advanced diesel technology and high-quality diesel fuel, the Initiative informs the public that as a cleaner and more efficient alternative to gasoline, diesel technology and fuel will further stimulate the harmonious development of the economy and environmental protection.

"Government, institutions, enterprises, and individuals all have the obligation to advocate resource saving and environmental protection. Establishing stricter industry energy-efficiency standards, improving energy utilization efficiency, and actively promoting advanced energy-efficient products and technologies are the keys to drive sustainable economic development in China," said Zeng Xiaodong, the Vice Chairman and Secretary General of ACEF.

Source: Xinhua News Agency

Persistent Organic Pollutants’ Forum 2006—the 1st National Academic Symposium on Persistent Organic Pollutants

The POPs Research Center of Tsinghua University, the Implementation Office of Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants of the State Environmental Protection Administration of China, the Environmental Chemical Expert Committee of Chinese Chemical Society, and the Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences will host the “Persistent Organic Pollutants’ Forum 2006—the 1st National Academic Symposium on Persistent Organic Pollutants” (POPs Forum 2006) on May 17th-18th, 2006, in Beijing. At that time, government officials, researchers, and businesspeople will explore and discuss the implementation of Stockholm Convention in China, elimination and reduction of POPs in all levels, and protection of human health and environmental safety.

For more information, you can download the forum notice from the following website:
http://www.china-pops.net/popsforum/intro/hyyl.asp

Source: GVB’s BBS Website

“Wide Desert” and “Friends of Grassland” Jointly Ask for Help

Since 2005, some areas in Inner-Mongolia have been suffering from severe drought. Local herdsmen are living with difficulty. “Wide Desert” and its partner “Friends of Grassland” have started a project in the disaster area where most of the local herdsmen have become utterly destitute and the prospect of attending school seems to be an extravagant hope for children because their parents cannot afford tuition fees and other costs. Thus, we are asking you for support. Please help these children to overcome their troubles. More details as follows:
http://www.enviroinfo.ied.cn/FORUM/Articles/iaa060227-1.htm
http://www.enviroinfo.ied.cn/FORUM/Articles/iaa060227-2.htm
http://www.enviroinfo.ied.cn/FORUM/Articles/iaa060227-3.htm

For more information, please contact “Wide Desert” at office@desert.org.cn

One Position of Project Officer Is Available at Habitat for Humanity (Urgent!)

Available position: Full-time Project Officer

Job location: Kunming in Yunnan Province, with frequent business trips

1. Direct Report: Yunnan Project Manager

Job description:

1. Project management and community support
2. Engineering management
3. External communications and internal/office management
4. Other related duties under the manager of Yunnan project

Please send your resume and cover letter to admin@habitatchina.org

For more information, please visit
http://www.ngocn.org/Article/ShowArticle.asp?ArticleID=1442

Source: NGO Communication Network