Horizons

Distaste for hazardous waste:The Environmental Protection Agency has invited public submissions on its proposed national hazardous waste management plan 2008-2012. The primary objective of the plan is to prevent and minimise hazardous waste, and to manage any such waste that cannot be prevented.

The bulk of hazardous waste (industrial solvents, waste oils, industrial sludges and chemical wastes) is generated by industry. However, households, small businesses, farms and the healthcare and construction industries also generate large quantities of hazardous waste, from batteries, electrical equipment, healthcare waste, solvent-based paint, varnish waste, sheep dip, fluorescent lamps and other sources. The new plan recommends more drop-off facilities for householders and small businesses, a reduction in the proportion of hazardous waste and contaminated soil that is exported, and the development of an all-island market for waste disposal. Written submissions on the plan will be accepted until January 31st. See www.epa.ie/whatwedo/resource/ hazardous.

Heroes of heritage

A gasworks museum and a document on the history of Dublin's waste and drainage were among the winners of this year's Industrial Heritage Awards. Flame, the Gasworks Museum of Ireland in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, won the best museum award. The gasworks, which supplied Carrickfergus with gas until 1965, was fully restored and opened to the public in 2002. Michael Corcoran won the publications award for Our Good Health: a History of Dublin's Water and Drainage (Dublin City Council, 2005). And Norman Campion, founder member of the Industrial Heritage Association was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for his personal dedication to conserving industrial heritage. The annual awards are given out by the Industrial Heritage Association of Ireland.

A landmark for Eco-Unesco

A showcase of the work of Eco-Unesco, the environmental education and youth organisation, opened in Filmbase, Temple Bar, Dublin this week. The exhibition chronicles the development of Eco-Unesco over the past 21 years in Ireland. A 21st anniversary report is also available on their website, www.ecounesco.ie. More details on 01-6625491.

An astronomical exhibition

Finally, Astronomy Ireland's 17th annual free exhibition takes place tomorrow in the Artane and Beaumont Recreation Centre, Kilmore Road, Artane, Dublin 5. Exhibitors will include Armagh Planetarium, Brownstown Observatory, the Irish Light Pollution Awareness Campaign and the UFO Society. There will also be a series of talks, starting with one by Dr Miruna Popescu from Armagh Planetarium at 1pm on Sunday, followed at 3pm by a talk on photographing the planets by Carl O'Beirnes, and finally a talk on light pollution by Albert White at 4.30pm. A portable planetarium show will be held every half-hour. Open from noon until 6pm. See also www.astronomy.ie

EcoWeb

www.divefilm.com

This website has some amazing underwater films, including Vincent Hyland's Trapped, about the death struggle of a salmon caught in a net, which has been chosen as an entry into the North Sea Film Festival in the Hague in the Netherlands