News and Press Releases from European Commission, Environment ...

New online oil spill risk tool provides local, specific information for coastal managers

A new oil-spill risk-management system has been developed by researchers, which shows the likely effects of a coastal spill on the environment and economic activities for specific locations. It provides maps of oil-spill risk through a web portal ...

Jun. 15, 2017

Chemicals risk assessment: Baltic study recommends more monitoring of emerging pollutants

Chemicals are everywhere and new substances are regularly being introduced to the market. However, only some pose a risk to the environment. How do we decide which of them to monitor? A new study using a database of chemicals found in fish in the ...

Sep. 2, 2016

Sustainable phosphorus use — evaluating past patterns to inform future management

Recycling waste from farming and mining could help improve the sustainable use of phosphorus, a recent study suggests. The study traced the stocks and flows of phosphorus over a 50 year period to reveal changing patterns of global phosphorus use. ...

Sep. 2, 2016

Bioremediation of antibiotic pollution by a salt-marsh plant

The effects of antibiotic contamination may be attenuated by the common reed, new research shows. The study found that the common reed (Phragmites australis), sourced from a temperate estuary with brackish water, had capacity for the bioremediation ...

Aug. 19, 2016

Using microwaves to clean polluted soil could lead to energy savings

Researchers have experimented with microwave heating as a way of cleaning soils polluted with fuels, such as diesel and petrol. Soil type and moisture levels, as well as the strength of microwaves used, had a strong bearing on the overall ...

Aug. 11, 2016

Asbestos products and waste: new classification system developed

Researchers have presented a comprehensive new classification manual of asbestos-containing products (ACP), materials (ACM) and waste (ACW) in a recent study. They also mapped suitable landfill sites for the proper disposal of ACW in Italy and ...

Jul. 28, 2016

Chemicals risk assessment: evidence-evaluation methods analysed for nine EU regulations

The use of two methods to systematise evidence-evaluation methods is reviewed in nine EU regulations dealing with chemicals risk assessment. The majority of frameworks were found to promote the use of ‘weight of evidence’ or ...

Jun. 24, 2016

Water management: five policy conditions to help overcome the challenges of an uncertain future

‘Adaptive co-management’ could help water managers cope with future shocks and unpredictability brought by climate change, according to a recent study. They identify five conditions for policies that would create an enabling environment ...

Jun. 10, 2016

Harmful polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons removed from soil using wastewater sludge and polyacrylamide

Wastewater sludge is widely used to remove toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from soil, and yet the mechanisms underlying this process remain unclear. A new study reveals the extent of PAH removal following different treatments, and ...

Apr. 22, 2016

Management of rice paddy fields affects greenhouse gas emissions

How rice paddy fields are managed significantly influences the release of greenhouse gases (GHGs), a recent study concludes. Permanently flooded soils release more methane than soils that are flooded and then dried between production periods, for ...

Apr. 22, 2016

Wastewater treatment plant discharges can promote the development of antibiotic resistance in streams

Widespread use of antibiotics has led to pollution of waterways, potentially creating resistance among freshwater bacterial communities. A new study looked for antibiotic resistance genes in a river basin in Spain, revealing that wastewater ...

Apr. 6, 2016

Subway stations with platform sliding doors and good ventilation reduce passengers’ exposure to PM2.5

Underground trains are among the most widely used public transport systems in cities worldwide. A study investigating the chemical composition and source of particles in Barcelona subway stations found that a new station design, with sliding doors ...

Mar. 17, 2016

Soil management in China and the EU

Following rapid urbanisation, management of contaminated soil has become a political priority in China. In this study, researchers reviewed the current system in China as compared to Europe and provide recommendations for the sustainable management ...

Feb. 18, 2016

Health impacts of climate change in the indoor environment: a UK review

The health risks associated with climate-induced changes to indoor environments are explored in a new study. UK-based researchers synthesised findings of how climate change — and mitigation and adaptation measures — might affect the ...

Feb. 18, 2016

Air quality health impact assessments should use combination of metrics

Health impact assessments (HIAs) provide information on the potential health impacts of policies, and are important for developing regulation on air pollution. In this study, researchers evaluated the metrics currently used in air quality HIAs to ...

Feb. 11, 2016

German soil monitoring programme could assess impacts of GM crops

Effective regulation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) calls for monitoring of the potential environmental risks. This study explored whether the German permanent soil monitoring programme could be a useful tool for this purpose. The ...

Feb. 4, 2016

Commission invests € 63.8 million in new environmental projects across Member States

The European Commission today announced an investment of € 63.8 million for the first-ever "Integrated Projects" to be funded under the LIFE programme for the environment. "Integrated Projects" were introduced to implement environmental ...

Jan. 26, 2016

Mercury-resistant bacteria useful for studying toxic metal cycling

Mercury-resistant bacteria could help scientists to understand more about mercury cycling in the environment. In a new study, researchers identified one particular strain of soil bacterium that could serve as a model for the conversion of the toxic ...

Jan. 14, 2016

Air quality impact of diesel ‘severely underestimated’

Hydrocarbons are precursors to hazardous air pollutants including ozone and particulate matter. Hydrocarbons from diesel make up over 50% of all hydrocarbons in the air in London, a new study has found. The authors also estimate that they contribute ...

Jan. 14, 2016

New map of soil loss by water erosion across Europe

Soil erosion is an important issue in Europe, with consequences for water quality, ecosystem services supply and crop production. In this study, researchers enhanced an existing model to estimate soil loss and create an updated map of soil erosion ...

Dec. 10, 2015

European Commission, Environment DG News