Conflict poisons both land and sea, and lost natural resources lead to more violence. Ecology is an unlikely objective during wartime, but one that can help to secure peace. (Editorial)

Leaking underground storage tanks (USTs) containing gasoline represent a significant public health hazard. Virtually undetectable to the UST owner, gasoline leaks can contaminate groundwater supplies. In order to develop remediation plans one must know the extent of gasoline contamination. Centrifugal simulations showed that in silty and sandy soils gasoline moved due to the physical process of advection and was retained as a pool of free products above the water table.

Thermal power plant industries produce million tonne flyash (after burning of coal) each year which consists of fine particles of unburnt raw materials and some trace elements. Generally, most common practice regarding management of this ash is making slurry of it with water and disposing in ash dyke. Although it is a temporary process, due to leaching of metals, surrounding ground water and soil may get contaminated. So, proper maintenance and regular examination of the ground water and soil quality is necessary.

India's coal demand is expected to increase with the setting up of more and more coal based power projects and to meet the demand from metallurgical and other industries. Indian coals being of drift origin contain as high as 40% ash in some cases. The coal is, therefore, required to be washed in coal washing plants so that the ash content is brought to an acceptable level, before being utilised by the industries.

After the Fukushima nuclear disaster spewed radiation across northern Japan in March, some feared that farming there would be shut down for years. But early studies of how the radiation has accumulated in plants and the soil now suggest that farmers in much of the region can go back to work.

http://www.nature.com/news/2011/110713/full/475154a.html

The impact of thermal power plant emissions on foliar elemental concentration was assessed in this study. In addition to direct effects of deposition of air pollutants, soil mediated processes can also bring deterioration in plant growth due to altered soil characteristics.

Easy access to agro-chemicals in Sri Lanka blamed for public health scare.

Kerala passes law on tribunal to secure compensation for victims of bottling plant. Just before the Kerala Assembly was dissolved for elections, the state’s Left Democratic Front government passed a law to secure compensation for people affected by Coca-Cola’s bottling operations at Plachimada in Palakkad district.

Twenty-five years after the nuclear disaster, the clean-up grinds on and health studies are faltering. Are there lessons for Japan?

http://www.nature.com/news/2011/110330/full/471562a.html