The Stream, January 6: U.S. Toxic Releases Increased, Says EPA Report

United States
The release of toxic chemicals into the environment increased 16 percent in the United States during 2010, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s newest annual Toxics Release Inventory, UPI reported.

The U.S. EPA may retest water in a Pennsylvania town for contamination from nearby natural gas drilling operations, Reuters reported. The EPA stated that the water was safe nearly a month ago, but complaints from residents have made the agency reconsider.

Asia
Mongolia has renewable energy resources that, if developed, could produce seven times the amount of power created by the world’s entire nuclear sector, Bloomberg News reported, citing data from the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Mongolian National Renewable Energy Center. One potential renewable project could save the desert country 370 million gallons (1.4 cubic meters) of water.

Cambodia’s ancient Angkor city may have met its downfall due to extreme droughts broken by periods of exceptionally heavy rain, new research suggests, The Christian Science Monitor reported.

Europe
2012 is expected to see global temperatures almost half a degree Celsius above average, making it one of the 10 hottest years since 1850, AlertNet reported, citing the United Kingdom Met Office’s annual global temperature forecast.

Heavy rains and winds are causing flooding in northern Europe, threatening farms and infrastructure, according to BBC News.

The Stream is a daily digest spotting global water trends. To get more water news, follow Circle of Blue on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter.

Codi Kozacek

A news correspondent for Circle of Blue based out of Hawaii. She writes The Stream, Circle of Blue’s daily digest of international water news trends. Her interests include food security, ecology and the Great Lakes.
Contact Codi Kozacek