Electronic labelling in recycling of manufactured articles

The concept of a recycling system aiming at the recovery of resources from manufactured articles is proposed. The system integrates electronic labels for product identification and internet for global data exchange. A prototype for the recycling of electric motors has been developed, which implements a condition-based recycling decision system to automatically select the environmentally and economically appropriate recycling strategy, thereby opening a potential market for second-hand motors and creating a profitable recycling process itself. The project has been designed to evaluate the feasibility of electronic identification applied on a large number of motors and to validate the system in real field conditions.     

Environmental fate of triasulfuron in soils amended with municipal waste compost

The amendment of soil with compost may significantly influence the mobility and persistence of pesticides and thus affect their environmental fate. Factors like adsorption, kinetics, and rate of degradation of pesticides could be altered in amended soils. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of the addition of compost made from source-separated municipal waste and green waste, on the fate of triasulfuron [(2-(2-chloroethoxy)-N-[[4-methoxy-6-methyl-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)amino]carbonyl]benzenesulfonamide], a sulfonylurea herbicide used in postemergence treatment of cereals. Two native soils with low organic matter content were used. A series of analyses was performed to evaluate the adsorption and degradation of the herbicide in soil and in solution after the addition of compost and compost-extracted organic fractions, namely humic acids (HA), fulvic acids (FA), and hydrophobic dissolved organic matter (HoDOM). Results have shown that the adsorption of triasulfuron to soil increases in the presence of compost, and that the HA and HoDOM fractions are mainly responsible for this increase. Hydrophobic dissolved organic matter applied to the soils underwent sorption reactions with the soils, and in the sorbed state, served to increase the adsorption capacity of the soil for triasulfuron. The rate of hydrolysis of triasulfuron in solution was significantly higher at acidic pH and the presence of organic matter fractions extracted from compost also slightly increased the rate of hydrolysis. The rate of degradation in amended and nonamended soils is explained by a two-stage degradation kinetics. During the initial phase, although triasulfuron degradation was rapid with a half-life of approximately 30 d, the presence of compost and HoDOM was found to slightly reduce the rate of degradation with respect to that in nonamended soil.     

Testing soils and cornstalks to evaluate nitrogen management on the watershed scale

High nitrate (NO3-N) concentrations in Iowa rivers have been linked to areas of intensive row crop production, but they have not been experimentally linked to specific management practices used during row crop production. This study demonstrates how the late-spring test for soil NO3-N and the end-of-season test for cornstalk NO3-N can be used to measure N sufficiency levels across many fields and how the results can be used to evaluate management practices within a watershed. More than 3200 soil and cornstalk samples were collected over a 12-yr period from fields planted to corn (Zea mays L.) and already fertilized by farmers using their normal practices. Results showed that early-season rainfall and associated N losses were major factors affecting N concentrations in soils and cornstalks. Evidence for NO3-N movement from fields to rivers was provided by an inverse relationship between annual means for NO3-N concentrations in soils and rivers. Because these losses can be avoided by delaying N applications, the practice of applying N several weeks or months before plants grow was linked to inefficient use of fertilizer and manure N by crops. Results of the study demonstrate how aggregate analyses of soil and cornstalk samples collected across many farms and years make it possible to identify the major factors affecting N management outcomes and, therefore, N management practices that are likely to produce the best outcomes within a watershed or region. This approach seems to have unique potential to interrelate the management practices of farmers, the efficiency of N fertilization, and NO3-N concentrations in rivers.     

Managing soil remediation problems

Soil remediation has only a short history but the problem addressed is a significant one. Cost estimates for the clean-up of contaminated sites in the European Union and the United States are in the order of magnitude of 1,400 billion ECU. Such an enormous operation deserves the best management it can get. Reliable cost estimations per contaminated site are an important prerequisite. This paper addresses the problems related to site-wise estimations. When solving soil remediation problems, we have to deal with a large number of scientific disciplines. Too often solutions are presented from the viewpoint of only one discipline. In order to benefit from the combined disciplinary knowledge and experience, we think that it is necessary to describe the interrelations between these disciplines. This can be realized by developing an adequate model of the desired process which enables to consider and evaluate the essential factors as interdependent components of the total system. The resulting model provides a binding paradigm to the contributing disciplines which will result in improved efficiency and effectivity of the decision and the cost estimation process. In the near future, we will release the “Biosparging and Bioventing Expert Support System”, an expert support system for problem owners, consultants and authorities dealing with the design and operation of a biosparging and/or a bioventing system.     

Objective and subjective measurements of slipperiness in fast-food restaurants in the USA and their comparison with the previous results obtained in Taiwan

Floor slipperiness is a critical issue in slip and fall incidents which are a major source of occupational injuries. The objectives of the current study were to investigate if the protocols used in a field study conducted in Taiwan could be used in similar environments in the USA and whether consistent results could be obtained. Protocols used in the field study to investigate floor slipperiness in western-style fast-food restaurants in Taiwan included both objective and subjective measurements. Using the same methods as in Taiwan, friction was measured on tiles in six major working areas of 10 fast-food kitchens in the USA as an objective measurement of slipperiness, while the subjective measurement was employees’ ratings of floor slipperiness over the same areas. The Pearson’s and Spearman’s correlation coefficients in the USA between the averaged friction coefficients and subjective ratings for all 60 evaluated areas across 10 restaurants were 0.33 (p = 0.01) and 0.36 (p = 0.005), respectively, which were lower than the correlations of 0.49 and 0.45, respectively, obtained in Taiwan. Cultural differences, the amount of water on the floors in the sink areas and the existence of a slip resistant shoe program in one country might be contributors to the lower correlation coefficients in the USA. However, the current study confirmed the results obtained in Taiwan that average friction coefficient and perception values are in fair agreement, suggesting that both might be reasonably good indicators of slipperiness.     

Incentives to diffuse advanced abatement technology under environmental liability law

Polluting firms with advanced abatement technology at their disposal have incentives or disincentives to share this technology with other polluting firms. The ‘direction’ and extent of those incentives depends on the liability rule applicable and the way technical change impacts marginal abatement costs. We establish that incentives for diffusion are socially optimal under strict liability and socially suboptimal under negligence if technical change lowers marginal abatement costs for all levels of abatement. Negligence may, however, induce better diffusion incentives than strict liability if technical change decreases (increases) marginal abatement costs for low (high) levels of abatement.     

Stochastic landslide vulnerability modeling in space and time in a part of the northern Himalayas, India

Little is known about the quantitative vulnerability analysis to landslides as not many attempts have been made to assess it comprehensively. This study assesses the spatio-temporal vulnerability of elements at risk to landslides in a stochastic framework. The study includes buildings, persons inside buildings, and traffic as elements at risk to landslides. Building vulnerability is the expected damage and depends on the position of a building with respect to the landslide hazard at a given time. Population and vehicle vulnerability are the expected death toll in a building and vehicle damage in space and time respectively. The study was carried out in a road corridor in the Indian Himalayas that is highly susceptible to landslides. Results showed that 26% of the buildings fall in the high and very high vulnerability categories. Population vulnerability inside buildings showed a value >0.75 during 0800 to 1000 hours and 1600 to 1800 hours in more buildings that other times of the day. It was also observed in the study region that the vulnerability of vehicle is above 0.6 in half of the road stretches during 0800 hours to 1000 hours and 1600 to 1800 hours due to high traffic density on the road section. From this study, we conclude that the vulnerability of an element at risk to landslide is a space and time event, and can be quantified using stochastic modeling. Therefore, the stochastic vulnerability modeling forms the basis for a quantitative landslide risk analysis and assessment.     

Impacts of bioethanol on gasoline prices in the Philippines: an econometric analysis

The rising prices of crude oil in the world market and the continuing global trend to mainstream renewable energy use have prompted the Philippines to consider alternative fuels. Since 2006 when a new law was implemented requiring a 10 % blend to unleaded gasoline, the use of ethanol has increased significantly. Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.), cassava (Manihot esculenta ) and sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) have been the major feedstock in ethanol production. This analysis focused on the impacts of E10 (10 % ethanol content) on the retail price of gasoline and how this might affect gasoline prices. Recognizing the direct dependence of the price of E10 on gasoline prices, the analysis focused on analyzing the price of ethanol. The hypothesis is that since ethanol is what makes E10 cheaper than gas given the lower cost of its production i.e., domestically grown raw materials, then cheaper ethanol should depress the price of E10 and therefore gas, ceteris paribus. The price of E10 is endogenous since it is a function of the price of gasoline, being a major input to its production, 90 % in fact. Using fixed-effects, 2007–2009 provincial panel data, from second stage least squares econometric estimation, the impact of ethanol use on retail regular gasoline prices is quantified. The partial effect analysis indicates that a 1-peso (rate: 1USD - PhP 41.96) increase in the price of feedstock prices as inputs to the production of E10 increases the price of gasoline by 37 centavos per liter. The analysis shows the positive relationship between the prices of E10 and gasoline.     

北京夏季高温高湿和降水过程对大气颗粒物谱分布的影响

2004-07-13～2004-08-23使用TDMPS-APS系统在线测量颗粒物的数浓度谱分布,并于07-16～07-18选取了高温闷热夜晚、日间高温高湿和雨后晴朗干洁3种天气条件,使用多级串联撞击式采样器(MOUDI)测量颗粒物的质量浓度谱分布,结果表明,高温高湿天气条件下颗粒物的污染、尤其细粒子污染严重,导致很低的能见度(2.5km);PM_1.8和PM₁₀的质量浓度分别为170.68μg/m³和249.35μg/m³,细粒子质量浓度占PM10的68%;粒径为50～100nm颗粒物的数浓度最高,为2×10⁴～3×10⁴个/cm³;降雨过程对粗粒子和细粒子均有去除作用,对细粒子的去除作用尤为明显;降雨后PM₁₀和PM_1.8浓度分别比降雨前降低3倍和6倍;降雨过后的晴朗干洁天气有利于新粒子(3～20nm)的生成,生成的新粒子快速长大到50～100nm;随着污染物的累积,以后几天内又变为污染天气.     

Reinvestigating the pollution haven hypothesis: the nexus between foreign direct investments and environmental quality in G-20 countries

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - One of the most commonly debated concerns regarding foreign direct investment inflows is the associated environmental adversities that accompany the...