tionary principle need not be bad, but from the way it's been used in practice on a national level, it's not clear that most regu­latory bodies are willing to accu­rately measure and consider risks." He added that the commu­nication should have included a "tacit recognition that political institutions will behave political­ly," as well as some kind of an incentive to keep regulatory agen­cies from moving too slowly in approving new technologies such a s

biotechnology European environmental orga­

nizations expressed outright dis­may over the guidelines, saying they will render the precautionary principle less effective because of all the conditions and procedures that should be followed before the principle is used.

"We think this is a bureaucratic exercise completely in contradiction to the precautionary principle," said Christian Hey, policy director of die European Environmental Bureau, an umbrella network of European environmental organiza­tions. He noted the ongoing risk assessments of various chemicals currently being conducted by the European Union (EU) as an exam­ple of how the process is likely to be dragged out. "At die extreme, we have the cadmium case where an 800-page report [containing] 25 pages of references concludes that more research [needs to be] done on a heaw metal whose properties are well known "

For now, the guidelines are not binding and merely give member states an indication of how the EC will treat national measures based on the precautionary prin­ciple. However, member states are bound to follow EU law, and the European Court of Justice will monitor member states' compli­ance, said Per Haugaard, a spokesperson for Enterprise and the Information Society Commis­sioner Erkki Liikanen. Liikanen coauthored the communication together with Environment Com­missioner Margot Wallstrom and Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner David Byrne KRIS CHRISTEN

News Briefs The state of Russia's environ­ment is grim, concludes a study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The first comprehensive survey of environmental condi­tions in Russia finds that air pol­lution levels in large cities exceed international standards; deterio­rating drinking water infrastruc­tures are leading to increased water-borne disease outbreaks; and a reduced capacity to handle hazardous waste stocks presents an imminent health risk in some areas Russia has not had an envi­ronmental minister in its govern­ment since 1996 For a coDV of Envimnmpntnl Performnncp PP-vipu> of the Russian Epdpration call O F f D at f?n?l $Kr)r) 3ftfifi

Although sulfur dioxide emis­sions have fallen sharply over the past 20 years, greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise in countries belonging to the Orga­nization for Economic Coopera­tion and Development (OECD), according to the latest OECD En­vironmental Data 1999 Compen­dium. The compendium, which provides an overview of the state of the environment and environ­ment-economy relationships in OECD countries and Russia, also shows that the volume of munici­pal solid waste has increased by 40% since 1980 and that 41% of the population in OECD coun­tries is not connected to a sewage treatment plant For a copy call the OECD at (202) 822-3866

Many developing countries could "leapfrog" from polluting, unsustainable energy sources to renewable technologies, accord­ing to a report from the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organiza­tion and the World Energy Coun­cil, a nonprofit organization whose members represent com­panies and governments. Up to 67% of the world's rural people rely on inefficient forms of bio-mass combustion, mainly for cooking according to the report. Renewable projects often fail be-f i l l 1QP

me technologies are "too cosdv prone to failure and difficult

for local people to repair," the groups write. Governments should actively promote renewable tech­nologies like biomass gasifiers and digesters. For a copy of The Chal­lenge of Rural Energy Poverty in Developing Countries, go to www. worldenergy.org/wec-geis/.

Common indoor substances—­dust mites, mold, secondhand smoke, and fragrances in per­sonal hygiene products—can trigger or worsen asthma in sus­ceptible people, a panel of doc­tors and scientists directed by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) con­cluded after reviewing the latest scientific studies. Although asthma and asthma-related deaths have jumped 75% over the past 20 years researchers are still unsure about what causes the disease Funded by EPA Clearing the Air: Asthma and Indoor Air Exposures identifies priorities for public education intervention and further research For a cODV

call IOIVT at f?fl91 334-3313

This year's ACS Environmental Chemistry Graduate Student Award winners are Joel Bandstra (Oregon Graduate Institute), Raja Chakraborti (State University of New York-Buffalo), Jeffrey Chen (Yale University), Brian Deshar-nais (Northwestern University), Paul Hartmann (University of Rhode Island), Sarunya Hengpra-prom (Clemson University), Meh met Kitis (Clemson University), Jens-Uwe Kuhn (Northern Ari­zona University) Tie Li (Universi­ty of Arizona) Katrice Lippa (Johns Hopkins University) Shaun Mendonsa (University of Wyoming) C Andrew Ramsburg (Georgia Institute of Technology) Alexa Rihana (IJniversifv of Mich igan) Darrvl Roberts (University of Delaware! Julia Rneers (Colo­rado State Ilnivprsirvl Rereie SpanlHinp (TTnivprsitv nf Talifor n ia -Da H«l Ya Htha Snhramanian fCpn ia Inst ' t lte of Tprhnnlnsxvl

Weihong Wang (University ot Cali-forma-Irvine), Ted Wu (Texas Tech University), Haouang Zhou (Perm r^ * . TT • 1 \ j T i- r,-

State-Harnsburg), and Julie Zim-, T T • • CT.,- 1 •

merman (University of Michigan). APRIL 1, 2000 / ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / NEWS • 1 6 7