The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office is to investigate serious infringements of data collection laws, affecting up to 65 percent of UK companies (according to a report by KPMG). The companies in question are accused of failing to notify visitors to their websites tracking online behaviour. Companies found guilty of such behaviour could be liable for fines of up to £500,000. According to checks by the Financial Times, companies such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s and the Daily Mail are among those who have not changed their websites since new laws came into force four months ago. (Financial Times*)
Human Rights
Protests in Malaysia at proposed Petronas petrochemical project
Plans by Petronas to build a major refinery and petrochemical development project in Johor, in Southern, Peninsula Malaysia were met by protests from thousands of locals yesterday. The protest is part of a recent wave of environmental opposition against projects such as a rare earths plant and gold mine planned by, Australian mining company, Lynas last year. The Johor protest comes after months of complaints from villagers that the RM60bn ($24bn) petrochemical project in south-east Johor would cause them severe losses, and would force 2,000 to relocate. (Eco-Business)
Environment
EU reaches 100GW wind power milestone
The European Union has reached 100 gigawatt (GW) of installed wind power capacity, according to the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA). The EWEA said it took the European wind energy sector 20 years to get the first 10GW grid connected but it has taken just 13 years to increase it by an additional 90GW. Half of the total European wind power capacity has been installed over the past six years. 100GW of wind power can generate enough electricity to meet the total consumption of 57m households per year, equivalent to the power production of 52 gas plants or 62 coal power plants. (Edie)
Coca Cola and JBF to create the ‘World’s Largest’ Bi-Glycol production facility
Coca-Cola today announced a partnership with JBF Industries Ltd., an Indian diversified manufacturing company, to expand production of the plant-based material used in its ‘PlantBottle’ packaging. JBF will build the world’s largest facility for the production of bi-glycol, the key ingredient used in the manufacture of Coca-Cola’s low-carbon bottle. The facility will be located in Sao Paulo state, Brazil, and will use locally sourced organic matter and waste, matching Coca-Cola’s sustainability criteria. By using plant-based materials instead of non-renewables, the equivalent of 690,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide will be removed from the supply chain. (Environmental Leader; Business Green)
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