Environmental accounting and statistics

The views expressed here are the author's and do not necessarily reflect an expression of opinion on the part of the United Nations. The objective of sustainable development is to integrate environmental concerns with mainstream socio-economic policies. Integrated policies need to be supported by integrated data. Environmental accounting achieves this integration by incorporating environmental costs and benefits into conventional national accounts. Modified accounting aggregates can thus be used in defining and measuring environmentally sound and sustainable economic growth. Further development objectives need to be assessed by more comprehensive, though necessarily less integrative, systems of environment statistics and indicators. Integrative frameworks for the different statistical systems in the fields of economy, environment and population would facilitate the provision of comparable data for the analysis of integrated development.     

Constraints to improved energy efficiency in agricultural pumpsets: the case of India

Supply to electrical pumpsets for irrigation purposes accounts for about 25% of the total electricity sold in India. The number of electrical pumpsets is expected to increase from 8.5 million in 1989–90 to 10.5 million in 1994–95. Low load factors (10–12%) and low densities (1–4 pumpsets/km²) mean large investments for the electric utility in order to supply electricity for irrigation. It is reported that there exists a potential to save at least 10% of the electricity supplied to this sector by means of simple retrofit measures. However, conditions in the field pose constraints to such retrofits. Some of those constraints are highlighted in this paper. It is also suggested that immediate attempts be made to ensure that all new connections are energy efficient. This paper suggests that the additional cost incurred to ensure new energy efficient connections and to maintain retrofit energy efficient pumpsets must be looked on as a necessary cost for energy efficiency.     

Human factors and safety in the design of intelligent vehicle-highway systems (IVHS)

Intelligent Vehicle-Highway Systems (IVHS) have been proposed in the wake of rapid worldwide growth in traffic volume and density. These systems involve the application of advanced sensor, communications, computational, and control technologies to the design of highways and vehicles to improve traffic flow and safety. Similar technologies have been applied in other transportation systems such as aviation and air-traffic control, and it is suggested that the human factors insights derived from these systems can be usefully applied, proactively rather than retroactively, in IVHS design. Several safety and human factors issues relevant to the design of IVHS technologies, both near-term and long-term, are discussed, including: (a) the optimization of driver mental workload in highly-automated “hybrid” systems; (b) the design of in-vehicle navigation aids and the resolution of display conflicts; (c) individual and group differences in driver behavior and their implications for training and licensure; (d) the evolution and integration of IVHS technologies; and (e) traffic management and the regulation of driver trust in IVHS. Successful resolution of these issues and their incorporation in IVHS design will provide for fully functional systems that will serve the twin needs of reducing traffic congestion and improving highway safety.     

Drivers' opinions of enforcement and incentive strategies to promote safety belt use

During a nationwide campaign to promote safety belt use among military personnel, a field study was conducted at 12 military bases in the Netherlands. Enforcement and incentive programs were varied among military bases. A written survey was administered to personnel of these bases. The survey contained items concerning reported belt use, motivation to use a safety belt, attitudes toward legislation, public information, enforcement and incentive strategies, and awareness of the campaign. The results showed that enforcement was clearly a better accepted countermeasure than rewarding drivers for the use of safety belts. Respondents from bases exposed to the incentive treatment tend to have relatively more positive opinions of incentives than those exposed to the enforcement treatment. Two independent dimensions were present in the response patterns: one representing opinions of enforcement and the other of incentives/rewards.     

Correlation of indoor radon concentration to commonly available geologic data

Over the last several years, the inhalation of decay products coming from radon-222 has become a national health concern. It is estimated that somewhere between 16,000 and 20,000 people die annually in the United States from lung cancer due to exposure to these decay products. Nationwide, 95% of all homes have not been tested for radon, and so it would seem that any methodology that could give a general idea of indoor radon concentrations (without actually testing the house itself) might be useful. While not intended to replace a radon test, which is both simple and inexpensive, our project attempts to predict indoor radon concentrations based on easily obtainable information from Soil Conservation Service county soil surveys and US Geological Survey surficial geology maps. We have chosen four parameters: soil permeability, surficial geology, soil shrink-swell potential, and distance to the nearest geologic fault. Of these four variables, surficial geology and distance to fault correlated well to winter indoor radon concentrations as measured by short-term (48-h) tests. While it is understood that there are limits to this methodology, primarily because of map scale problems, the correlations mentioned above were very strong and suggest further study would be useful.     

Environmental legislation, economic growth and risk in minerals development The Bolivian case

This paper examines the General Environmental Law of Bolivia which was recently passed by its Congress. It is a multi-purpose law with two primary objectives: (i) the protection and conservation of the environment; and (ii) the promotion of sustainable development. In this law, environmental benefits are emphasized by stating general principles, not by attempting to define the means. Regulations setting forth the means are left to the writing of subsequent complementary codes. This paper shows that much of the controversy surrounding the legislation disappears when it is seen as a guideline rather than an operational part of Bolivia's industrial policy. In essence, the law addresses environmental awareness in a region that is more anxious than ever to speed economic growth.     

Evaluation of synthetic adsorbents for cleanup of herbicide-laden wastewater

Small-and large-scale farm operators and applicators urgently need user-friendly and cost-effective on-site methods to treat dilute-formulated herbicide-laden wastewater (i.e., rinsate). In this study, we investigated solvent-regenerable synthetic adsorbents, Ambersorb® 563 adsorbent, Ambersorb 572 adsorbent, and Ambersorb 575 adsorbent, as alternatives to activated carbon (Filtrasorb ® 400) for cleanup of water containing Dual 8E (a.i., metolachlor [2-chloro-N-(2-ethyl-6-methylphenyl)-N-(2-methoxy-1-methylethyl)acetamide]) or Banvel 4L (a.i., dicamba [3,6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid]). Batch-type adsorption experiments were conducted to compare adsorptive capacities of the various adsorbents. Adsorption maxima, obtained from adsorption isotherms, indicated that of the Ambersorb adsorbents tested, Ambersorb 572 adsorbent generally exhibited the highest adsorptive capacities for the herbicides tested and was comparable to Filtrasorb 400. Solvent (methanol) regenerability studies demonstrated that herbicide was readily recovered from Ambersorb 572 adsorbent and Filtrasorb 400. In general, metolachlor was more readily recoverable than dicamba. In fixed-bed column studies, Ambersorb 572 adsorbent exhibited twice the adsorptive capacity of Filtrasorb 400. Fixed-bed columns were more effective in removing metolachlor from herbicide containing water regardless of the adsorbent used. Multicycling of Ambersorb 572 adsorbent resulted in 30% loss of adsorptive capacity for dicamba as Banvel 4L and no loss of adsorptive capacity for metolachlor as Dual 8E. Working capacity was reached after three adsorption-regeneration cycles. Fixed-bed columns packed with solvent-regenerable adsorbents may prove useful as part of an on-site wastewater disposal system.     

Critical considerations for project sites containing unexploded ordnance

To date, most of the development of unexploded ordnance (UXO)-related requirements and procedures have been accomplished by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Army Toxic and Hazardous Materials Agency. The U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force also have a significant requirement for environmentally related UXO expertise. This article traces the evolution of the UXO field, as developed by small businesses and the various branches of the U.S. Army, and describes the implications of conducting an environmental investigation or remediation in an area contaminated, or suspected to be contaminated, with UXO. Lastly, the basic procedures and the tools and equipment used to accomplish UXO decontamination are described to inform field managers of the impact that UXO hazards can have on their overall project.