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The report details how the Northern Indiana Public Service Corporation (NIPSCO) contaminated the drinking water of Town of Pines, Indiana, by disposing of coal combustion waste in an unlined landfill and using it for road construction. It highlights the failure of state and federal agencies to protect residents, the resulting health threats—particularly to children—and the legal actions taken by the community. The authors call on the EPA to reclassify coal combustion waste as hazardous and implement rigorous federal disposal standards.

The report examines the public health and environmental impacts of delaying compliance with the Air Toxics Rule for coal- and oil-fired power plants. It proposes a 'Reliability-Only Dispatch' mechanism, which would restrict units granted compliance extensions to operate only when absolutely necessary for grid reliability, rather than allowing 'business as usual' operations. Using modeling and case studies like the Cromby-Eddystone agreement, the author argues this approach can significantly reduce premature deaths and health damages compared to unrestricted extensions.

The report recommends that the EPA strengthen PM2.5 standards to an annual limit of 11 µg/m3 and a daily limit of 25 µg/m3. According to the analysis, this standard would prevent up to 35,700 premature deaths annually and generate $281 billion in yearly economic benefits. The document highlights that current standards are insufficient and that vulnerable populations, including children and low-income individuals, are at higher risk from soot pollution.

The report finds that Native American communities are more likely to live within a half-mile of oil and gas facilities than the general population of their encompassing states, leading to disproportionate exposure to methane, volatile organic compounds, and toxic air pollutants. This impact is exacerbated by high poverty rates and lack of health insurance, which limit housing options and access to medical care for conditions like asthma. Specifically, the analysis highlights the Navajo Nation, the Northern Ute (Uintah-Ouray), and the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation as areas of significant risk.

This discussion document, compiled by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT), outlines the process for establishing national ambient air quality standards in South Africa under the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act 2004 (AQA). It analyzes the transition from source-based controls to an objectives-based approach, evaluates the limitations of previous SABS standards (SANS 1929 and SANS 69), and summarizes public and stakeholder responses to proposed standards. The document concludes by presenting a revised set of standards and a governance framework that uses tiered zones (Green, Blue, Purple, Orange, and Red) to trigger air quality management interventions.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitted comments on the revised draft Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) for the Nkangala District Municipality (NDM). The CER argues that the plan is overly ambitious given the NDM's lack of capacity and resources, fails to align with the Highveld Priority Area (HPA) AQMP, and contains significant technical errors in its air quality modelling and data.

The report finds that Eskom's current retrofit plan is insufficient to address sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions, leading to significant projected mortality and economic losses. Full compliance with the MES by 2025 would avoid approximately 2,300 deaths and R42 billion in economic costs annually. The most stringent scenario, applying Best Available Technology (BAT), would reduce health impacts by over 90% by 2031 compared to the current plan.

The Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) for eThekwini Municipality, produced in April 2007 by eThekwini Health and the Norwegian Institute for Air Research, establishes a scientific framework to address urban air pollution. The plan focuses on priority pollutants—including sulphur dioxide, particulate matter, benzene, and odours—particularly within the industrialised South Durban Basin. It integrates a monitoring network, emission inventories, and dispersion modelling via the AirQUIS software system to inform abatement strategies and ensure compliance with the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act of 2005.

This document consists of a final project report (2006) and a related academic paper (2013) regarding the South Durban Health Study. The research, funded by the eThekwini Municipality as part of the Multipoint Plan, assessed the impact of industrial pollution on the respiratory health of schoolchildren and adults in south Durban compared to a non-industrial northern control area. The study found that children in the industrial south had a significantly higher risk of persistent asthma and marked airway hyperreactivity, with evidence that ambient pollutants like SO2, NO2, and particulate matter contributed to decrements in lung function, particularly in sensitive subpopulations.

This 2019 Phase 1 Initial Impact Assessment, produced by the Department of Environment Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF) for the South African Presidency's Socio-Economic Impact Assessment System (SEIAS), evaluates the need for regulations to enforce Air Quality Management Plans (AQMPs) in three priority areas. The document identifies a failure to meet National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) due to ineffective AQMP implementation and a lack of accountability for non-industrial stakeholders.

This report reviews risk factors to quantify the potential health impacts of particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5), sulphur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emissions from various Eskom operations. It synthesizes global epidemiological data from organizations like the WHO and USEPA to establish risk estimates for mortality and morbidity, while incorporating South African provincial population and health data to support a health risk assessment.

The document asserts that natural gas is not a clean energy source, detailing how its production, transport, and combustion cause significant environmental degradation and health issues. It highlights the potency of methane leaks and the high carbon emissions from LNG and gas-to-power plants, particularly in the South African context. The author recommends a holistic lifecycle impact assessment to counter the misconception that gas is a viable strategy for reducing emissions.

The policy brief critiques the European Commission's proposed approach to reducing acrylamide—a probable carcinogen—in food, arguing that voluntary industry measures have failed. It advocates for the transition from 'indicative values' to legally binding maximum levels and a shift from industry self-monitoring to rigorous oversight by national Food Safety Agencies.

The report analyzes EFSA data from 2007-2014, finding that acrylamide levels in many European foods remain unchanged or are increasing despite voluntary industry 'toolboxes'. It highlights significant benchmark exceedances in baby foods and specific products in Belgium and Denmark, concluding that the European Commission's proposal to mandate codes of practice without setting enforceable legal limits is insufficient to protect consumers.

The document argues that the TRIPS Agreement is imbalanced, favoring producers and Northern countries over consumers and Southern countries, which undermines sustainable development. It analyzes the Doha Ministerial Declaration's role in addressing public health, the need for technology transfer to least-developed countries, and the conflicts between TRIPS and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The author advocates for the protection of traditional knowledge through sui generis systems and the requirement of prior informed consent for the use of genetic resources in patent applications.

The report contends that CETA threatens the regulatory sovereignty of EU Member States regarding pesticides by promoting regulatory harmonization, requiring 'sufficient scientific evidence' over the precautionary principle, and introducing procedural burdens and financial risks through dispute resolution mechanisms.

The report details how lead pollution causes irreversible health damage, particularly in children, and links these outcomes to violations of international human rights treaties. It highlights specific crises in Nigeria, Kazakhstan, and China, while noting that lead battery manufacturing and recycling are primary global exposure sources.

The report details the severe health risks of lead exposure, particularly for children, and links these impacts to violations of international human rights treaties. It highlights specific cases of lead poisoning in Nigeria, Kazakhstan, and China, and identifies leaded fuel, lead-based paint, and battery recycling as primary sources of contamination.

The document examines how the draft FTAA IPR Chapter imposes standards exceeding the WTO's TRIPS Agreement, potentially hindering public health, food security, and technological development in the Americas by restricting compulsory licensing and expanding patent scopes.

The research paper examines the impact of international intellectual property rights (IPR) standards on sustainable development, specifically focusing on the Draft Chapter on IPR within the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). It contends that while the WTO's TRIPS Agreement provides some flexibility, newer bilateral and regional agreements—including the FTAA—often implement 'TRIPS-plus' standards that exceed multilateral requirements. The author argues these stricter rules threaten public health, food security, and technological development in developing nations by restricting the use of compulsory licenses, extending patent terms, and limiting the ability of countries to define patentability for biological materials. Ultimately, the document asserts that the FTAA draft prioritizes the rights of knowledge producers over the public interest and sustainable development goals of the Americas.