Race runners collapse in Hong Kong smog. Environmentalists called Monday for a rethink on how Hong Kong monitors air pollution after five more athletes collapsed while racing in thick smog and scorching temperatures. [News Source]

China links rise in pollution to fraud. China's environmental chief has blamed fraudulent environmental approvals and patchy installation of control equipment for rise in pollution. [News Source]

Bulgaria’s state of environment favourable. A total of 655.2 million leva (1.7 per cent of GDP) were spent on environmental protection and rehabilitation at the national level in Bulgaria in 2004. [News Source]

Smoggy milan plans vehicle entry toll. Milan plans an entry toll on vehicles to reduce congestion and air pollution. [News Source]

Green news. Unless told, you’d likely never know that the wood-like wall panels at PNC Bank's new office were actually made with wheat, and the marble-like floor tiles made from recycled glass. [News Source]

Suntech Power plans US$60 million Shanghai R&D plant. Chinese solar cell maker Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. plans to spend around US$60 million to build a research and development plant outside Shanghai, a senior company executive said on Friday. [News Source]

Growing ethanol industry seeks to soften gas dependency. Facing high gasoline prices and calls for sustainable energy sources, the U.S. ethanol industry is alive and kicking. [News Source]

Researchers hope ‘bugs’ can speed up coalbed production. What if the microbes that break down organic materials in the Powder River Basin could be encouraged to make the natural gas faster and for an extended period of time? [News Source]

PGE wants credits for mercury controls. Portland General Electric has surprised environmentalists by backing tighter -- and probably pricier -- controls on toxic mercury emissions from its coal-burning power plant near Boardman. But there's a catch. [News Source]

Carbon Composites Inc. fined by DEP (Sentinel & Enterprise) LEOMINSTER -- The state Department of Environmental Protection announced Friday it has fined Carbon Composites Inc., located at 12 Jytek Park, nearly $10,800 for not properly managing its air pollution and hazardous waste. [News Source]

Encourage R&D on bio-diesel plantation. The bio-diesel policy recently announced by the government is attractive to the bio-diesel industry for several reasons, now that bio-diesel has got government acceptance and approval. [News Source]