In this issue

	ECOS Issue 130

Landmark forestry conflict playing out in court There are potential ramifications for the national Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act from an important court case which is currently under way. Download Article

Ozmotech's plastic-to-fuel solution in demand New private Australian company, Ozmotech Pty Ltd, has developed ThermoFuel technology to recycle plastic waste into commercial grade diesel fuel that complies with international fuel and EPA standards. Download Article

Formaldehyde levels high in wood panel products The Australian Environmental Labelling Association (AELA) claims the results of independently commissioned tests show that many imported wood panel products sold every day in Australia contain dangerous levels of the suspected carcinogen formaldehyde. Download Article

Research value highlighted at innovation awards
Passion, dedication and the rich return to Australia from investment in scientific research were the major themes at the recent 2006 Academy of Technology, Science and Engineering (ATSE) Clunies Ross Awards, where six noted scientists were honoured with prestigious national recognition of their outstanding achievements in the application of science and technology for social and economic benefit.
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Trialing a 90% capture of coal power's CO₂ The trial of new technology that could collect up to 90 percent of the CO₂ emitted from a conventional coal-fired power station should see Australia leading the way on carbon capture technology. Download Article

BP's big biofuels commitment Announcing an emphatic commitment to clean fuel and local industry, BP Australia is to supply over 200 million litres of biofuel a year to the consumer by 2008. Download Article

He's closed the loop A single environmental commitment turned Steve Morris into an entrepreneur with a company that's about to go global. Download Article

On the vanguard of cleantech Prematurely misunderstood in Australia, 'cleantech' is a rapidly maturing international paradigm changing the way we see green and clean technologies, investment, business and politics. Download Article

Rain gardens buffer Melbourne's waterways Joint venture work by Monash University and company Ecological Engineering has developed ingeniously simple 'rain gardens' that filter stormwater before it is collected for re-use, thereby preventing chemically tainted urban run-off from polluting Melbourne's Port Phillip Bay and local streams. Download Article

Rivers reborn Greening Australia's spirit is leading a rousing community buy-in to its ambition to revive Australia’s struggling rivers. Download Article

Learning to change It's early days in the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, but change is already underway to have sustainability high on the agenda across a wide range of industry, business and educational endeavours by the decade's end in 2014. Download Article

Plant detectives struggle against time In a crumbling Armenian institute, priceless botanical records of crop lineages and unique floral biodiversity are being lost to the blanket of time. Australian agricultural scientists, who know the archives hold vital information about the world’s food plants and their adaptability, are pitching in to safeguard what they can. Download Article

A view of dangerous climate change Earlier this year,prominent international climate advisor, Professor John Schellnhuber, spoke in Canberra on the topic: Avoiding Dangerous Climate Change. Download Article

Roof tiles go solar A short-listed entry in this year's Australian Design Award®-Dyson Student Award has the potential to revolutionise adoption of solar power in Australian suburbs, transforming the humble concrete roof tile into a technical package delivering both solar power and solar hot water to grid-connected homes. Download Article

Cooperation on capturing China's mine methane emissions A new technology called VAMCAT (Ventilation Air Methane Catalytic Turbine) is poised to take a sizable bite out of global methane emissions by collecting and using waste gas from coal mines in China. Download Article

New geopolymers have multiple benefits Geopolymers are new ceramic-like, inorganic composite building materials produced at low temperatures with dramatically lower emissions compared to concrete. Add in that they are fully recyclable, as well as fire, blast, and acid-resistant, and it’s obvious why they have the potential to transform the building products industry. Download Article