Legislation to stop the production of toxic waste is the way to solve the dangerously high levels of pollutants, according to Dr Vyvyan Howard, toxicopathologist and senior lecturer in the medical school at Liverpool University.
"The smallest particles are the most toxic and these are the most difficult ones to suppress when gases coming out of incinerators are cleaned. The only way to keep toxics out of the waste stream is legislation to prevent their production in the first place," says Dr Howard who will speak on the toxicology of waste at 2 p.m on Saturday next in University College Cork. Sandra Steinbraber, ecologist, author and visiting professor at Cornell University, New York, will speak about carcinogens in the environment. The public lecture is organised by the Irish Doctors Environmental Association. Tel:023-41132; e-mail: idea@eircom.net
Encouraging gardeners to kick the peat habit is the aim of the Irish Peatland Conservation Council's peat-free garden campaign. According to the IPCC, large scale moss peat extraction has made bog regeneration unlikely because the land is drained and the bog surface is completely removed before extraction starts. The campaign co-ordinator, Noreen McLoughlin, said that to save the eight per cent of raised bogs that remain intact, gardeners must use alternatives to moss peat. The IPCC suggests using compost made from recycled organic household and garden waste. The council is also encouraing garden centres to stock environmentally friendly peat-free composts, mulches and soil improvers. See also www.ipcc.ie
"Dublin is the only capital city in Europe to have Brent Geese in its suburbs [on Bull Island] and we have half of the world's population of Greenland White Fronted Geese two hours from Dublin in the North Slobs, Co Wexford," says Eric Dempsey who has recently taken the bold step to leave his permanent pensionable job in eircom to become a professional bird guide. With ambitions to cater for international bird-watching enthusiasts, Dempsey plans to design tours according to the needs of his clients. For starters, he is leading a birdwatching weekend in Co Cork from April 5th-7th. "I'll be looking at bird identification, note-taking, spring migration and birdsong and on the Saturday afternoon we will take a trip to Cape Clear Island," said Dempsey. Cost, including accomodation and meals is €200. Contact the Celtic Ross Hotel, Rosscarberry, Co Cork, on 1850-272737; e-mail: reservations@celticross.com; Eric Dempsey's e-mail address is ericdempsey@eircom.net
Europe's Threatened Birds is the theme of the 35th All-Ireland Conference on Bird Conservation next weekend. Speakers will address Irish bird species at risk, changes in conservaton practices and the potential cost for birdlife from housing developments. The conference takes place in the Great Southern Hotel, Rosslare, Co Wexford, with birdwatching trips to the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve and Tacumshin Lake. Booking information from BirdWatch Ireland, Ruttledge House, 8 Longford Place, Monkstown, Co Dublin. Tel: 01-2804322; e-mail: bird@indigo.ie; see also www.birdwatchireland.ie