Columbia Revokes Sugar Mill's License in Favor of Small-Scale Production
In a decision favoring local small-scale sugar production, the Colombian Ministry of Environment announced November 8th, 2002 the revocation of an environmental license for a high-tech sugar mill. The Ministry cited the mill's contamination of air and water as well as social factors affecting the local self-sufficient peasant economy.

On May 3rd, 2002, the Autonomous Regional Environmental Corporation for the state of Cauca, granted a license to Desarrolos Empresariales del Cauca to build a mill to produce panela, a traditional block of unrefined sugar normally processed in small rural mills. After widespread protests from traditional peasant producers, the federal Environment Ministry revoked the license.

In making its decision, the Ministry noted that the traditional peasant mills produce panela on a smaller scale using only organic fuel and no chemicals preservatives. In addition, since these mills are scattered across the countryside, they do not concentrate smoke or waste products in a single area and do not contaminate streams. The Ministry cited Colombia's commitment to sustainable agriculture, made at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 and enshrined in Law 99 of 1993.

While shutting down the high-tech competition, the Ministry also called on traditional producers to improve their production process, including strict quality control and environmental and phytosanitary requirements. A longer version of this article first appeared in the International Environment Reporter (Jimmy Weiskopf, Colombian Environment Ministry Revokes High-Tech Sugar Mill's Environmental License, INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT REPORTER, Vol. 25, p. 1131 (Bureau of National Affairs, 2002)).

Honeywell Fined for Chemical Reporting Violations
Honeywell International agreed in September to pay a $36,000 fine to settle charges that fires at one of its tar plants released coal tar to the atmosphere. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had filed an administrative complaint against Honeywell for violation of federal laws on the reporting of hazardous chemical releases. The complaint, filed March 29, 2002, was based on two separate incidents that resulted in the release of coal tar. A fire at Honeywell's tar plant in Detroit, Michigan on February 5, 1998 released between 7,000 and 8,000 gallons of coal tar. On December 17, 1999, a second fire at the same plant released about 4,500 pounds of coal tar. After the incidents, the company failed to immediately notify the National Response Center, the Michigan State Emergency Response Commission and the local emergency planning committee - in this case, the Detroit Fire Department. Honeywell also failed to provide written follow up reports to the Michigan State Emergency Response Commission and the city of Detroit's local emergency planning committee after the second fire. These reports are required as soon as practicable after such incidents. Coal tar contains the hazardous chemicals benzo (a) pyrene and dibenz (a, h) anthracene, which when heated can evaporate into clouds. Both chemicals are suspected carcinogens. Prolonged exposure to coal tar fumes, vapors or dust can cause irritation or burning to the eyes or respiratory tract. Ingestion of coal tar may cause irritation to the gastrointestinal tract, nausea and vomiting. This story first appeared on the Environmental News Service at http://ens-news.com/.

Cambodians Arrest Plastic Smugglers
Three men have been arrested for illegally shipping plastic bags and other garbage into Cambodia in the latest crackdown on the importation of banned waste, officials said this week. Police discovered more than 64 tons of plastic waste stashed in five shipping containers during a raid on a Phnom Penh dock on Tuesday. The men face a maximum penalty of one year in jail and/or a $12,650 (50 million riel) fine. The latest waste products were shipped from Shanghai, China, and arrived last week at Cambodia's main seaport of Sihanoukville. Authorities are unsure how the shipment cleared customs and are unsure whether the shipment originated in China. Authorities will conduct tests to determine if the waste contained toxic substances said Chea Sina, a pollution control official at Cambodia's Environment Ministry. A shipment of 3,000 tons of toxic waste from Taiwan in 1998 first highlighted the problem and caused an international scandal when it was discovered dumped near Sihanoukville. Nearby residents rioted and fled in panic, and four people were killed in traffic accidents in the exodus. Another two mysteriously died after handling the waste. The waste was re-exported and one Cambodian businessman fined and jailed for seven months. A Cambodian-Chinese translator and two Taiwanese were convicted in absentia. A longer version of this article originally appeared on the Environmental News Network at http://www.enn.com/news/wire-stories/2002/09/09202002/ap_48477.asp.