Everyday toxinsTens of thousands of chemicals used in everyday life have not been adequately tested, according to a recent report from the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution in Britain (RCEP).
It predicted that chemical scares and disasters would occur unless radical changes were made. The report's concern is primarily over the 30,000 chemicals used in the EU but never subjected to any comprehensive testing for risk to humans and ecosystems. These include chemicals used in the manufacture of clothes, computers, pharmaceuticals, glues, cleaning products, paints, flame retardants, cars and veterinary products. If chemicals were assessed according to their toxicity, how long they last in the environment and their tendency to accumulate, hundreds of chemicals currently in use may be banned, according to the report. The European Commission has recommended that all 30,000 chemicals be exhaustively tested. But so far, fewer than 50 have been tested. The RCEP suggested that more monitoring is needed and observations reported by amateurs should be taken seriously. See www.rcep.org.uk/chreport.html for the report in full.
Fairtrade towns
The west Cork town of Clonakilty is set to become Ireland's first Fairtrade town. First in Ireland to submit a report listing the cafés, businesses and retail shops supplying fairtrade products to Fairtrade Mark Ireland, the town must now wait until the end of a three-month confirmation period before it receives the official status. "They have been working hard on this for a year and have carried out the requirements set out by us," says Peter Gaynor from Fairtrade Mark Ireland. These include a resolution passed by the town council to support fairtrade and the use of fairtrade products in at least 10 local businesses and organisations. Other towns currently working towards Fairtrade status include Leixlip, Co Kildare, Skibbereen, Co Cork and Ennis, Co Clare. More details from Fairtrade Mark Ireland, Carmichael House, North Brunswick Street, Dublin 7. Tel: 01-4753515; e-mail: info@fairtrade.ie. The Fair Trade website is at www.fairtrade.ie.
County council style
The striking timber-clad county council offices in Tullamore, Co Offaly and the Letterkenny regional office in Co Donegal were among the winners at this year's Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) awards. Wexford Borough Council's restoration of the town's historic quayfront won an urban design award and the Derek Tynan Architects won the Best Accessible Project award for a housing scheme in Ballymun. Best Practice in a Conservation Project was won by the Office of Public Works for the restoration of a shepherd's cottage in the Wicklow Mountains for the National Parks and Wildlife Service. An exhibition of winning entries is currently on show at the RIAI Architecture Centre, 8 Merrion Square, Dublin, until July 31st. From there, it will travel to Tralee, Co Kerry, Sligo town, Castlebar, Co Mayo, Kilkenny City, Dundalk, Co Louth and Cork City. Full details of venues and dates from the RIAI on tel: 01-6691463.
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