Paper waste – Recycling,incineration or landfilling? A review of existing life cycle assessments

A review of existing life cycle assessments (LCAs) on paper and cardboard waste has been undertaken. The objectives of the review were threefold. Firstly, to see whether a consistent message comes out of published LCA literature on optimum disposal or recycling solutions for this waste type. Such message has implications for current policy formulation on material recycling and disposal in the EU. Secondly, to identify key methodological issues of paper waste management LCAs, and enlighten the influence of such issues on the conclusions of the LCA studies. Thirdly, in light of the analysis made, to discuss whether it is at all valid to use the LCA methodology in its current development state to guide policy decisions on paper waste. A total of nine LCA studies containing altogether 73 scenarios were selected from a thorough, international literature search. The selected studies are LCAs including comparisons of different management options for waste paper. Despite claims of inconsistency, the LCAs reviewed illustrate the environmental benefits in recycling over incineration or landfill options, for paper and cardboard waste. This broad consensus was found despite differences in geographic location and definitions of the paper recycling/disposal systems studied. A systematic exploration of the LCA studies showed, however, important methodological pitfalls and sources of error, mainly concerning differences in the definition of the system boundaries. Fifteen key assumptions were identified that cover the three paper cycle system areas: raw materials and forestry, paper production, and disposal/recovery. It was found that the outcome of the individual LCA studies largely depended on the choices made in some of these assumptions, most specifically the ones concerning energy use and generation, and forestry.     

‘Natural’ disaster? A retrospect into the causes of the late-2004 typhoon disaster in Eastern Luzon, Philippines

Between 14 November and 4 December 2004, four successive tropical depressions and typhoons lashed the Eastern coast of Luzon in the Philippines. Heavy rainfall triggered massive landslides and devastating flash floods, which brought tremendous damage and killed more than 1600 people. Immediately after the disaster, there was a media and political consensus to incrimate ‘extraordinary’ natural phenomena and widespread deforestation as responsible for the catastrophe. We argue that the tragedy that befell the municipalities of General Nakar, Infanta and Real, among other devastated areas, is enmeshed in a deeper tangle of causal factors that are political, socio-economic and demographic in nature. These factors include unmanaged population growth, difficult access to land and resources, corruption within the government, and power of the elite.     

Effect of temperature on statolith growth of the European squid Loligo vulgaris during early life

Over the past decade, statolith interpretation has resulted in a major advance in our knowledge of squid population-dynamics, but the way in which environmental conditions affect the statolith increment-deposition ratio remains virtually unknown. The object of the present study was to determine the effect of temperature on this process, using tetracycline marks to validate statolith growth in Loligo vulgaris Lamarck, 1798 under rearing conditions equivalent to severe winter (11 °C) and summer (19 °C) temperature regimes. Tetracycline marking was performed every 10 d (at 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 d of age). The newly hatched squid paralarvae were slightly smaller in summer than those hatched in winter. Survival rates were similar in both cultures, but growth rates (wet mass) of summer squids were double those in winter. At hatching, statoliths were already longer in the summer squids, and growth rates were 2% d⁻¹ as opposed to 0.9% d⁻¹ for winter statoliths. For the dorsal dome area of the statolith, where more increment counts were made, statolith growth was of 3.25 μm d⁻¹ in summer, and daily increment deposition was confirmed in 87% of the statoliths. The slow growth of statoliths at winter temperatures yielded a mean growth of 1.1 μm d⁻¹– insufficient to discern the increments using light microscopy. Subsequent SEM observation enabled only 21% of the winter statoliths to be read; these also indicated a deposition rate of one increment d⁻¹. Since the life span of L. vulgaris is ≃1 yr, squids will experience at least one winter during their life cycle, and this might be visible on the statolith. Received: 28 June 1999 / Accepted: 20 December 1999     

Locomotion modes of deep-sea cirrate octopods (Cephalopoda) based on observations from video recordings on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

The behaviour of cirrate octopods of the genera Cirroteuthis and Grimpoteuthis in their natural habitat was studied using video recordings. Sequences were filmed during the French cruise “Faranaut”, from the manned submersible “Nautile” at depths between 2702 and 4527 m, in two zones in the Fifteen-Twenty Fracture Zone on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Four different modes of active locomotion, namely crawling, take-off, fin-swimming, and pumping, and one apparently passive mode of locomotion, umbrella-style drifting, were observed. Jet-propulsion, a characteristic mode of locomotion typically employed by cephalopods, was not observed in the cirrate octopods filmed, although breathing movements of the mantle to aerate the gills were assumed to generate some slight propulsion through the funnel. Fin-swimming was the mode of active locomotion most frequently observed. Neutral buoyancy was confirmed in one individual after capture. This buoyancy enables passive drifting in the umbrella-style attitude observed in Cirroteuthis spp., possibly using near-bottom ocean currents. Pumping, a mode of slow locomotion generated by peristaltic waves in the primary and intermediate webs, also observed in Cirroteuthis sp., is described here for the first time. The take-off mode of locomotion, a sudden, single contraction of the brachial crown and web, is also described; it was always followed by fin-swimming. No medusoid swimming of the type previously described for opisthoteuthid cirrates was observed. A flight response to the approach of or contact with a strange object, i.e. the submersible, using the crawling, take-off, or fin-swimming modes was observed. A ballooning response was observed in a high-stress situation when a C.magna individual was captured. Received: 27 November 1996 / Accepted: 9 December 1996     

A new report of mesomelic camptomelia,polydactyly and Dandy–Walker complex in siblings

Two male siblings with several malformations are reported. The anomalies detected in both fetuses were mesomelic camptomelia, postaxial hexadactyly and Dandy–Walker complex. There was only one similar previous report in the literature. This combination could represent a specific pattern of malformation or a new syndrome, with different variants. The parents' consanguinity and the recurrence in a subsequent pregnancy suggest an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Greening of arid cities by residual water reuse: a multidisciplinary project in northern Chile

This paper describes a project in northern Chile aimed to promote the development of appropriate green areas and gardens for arid regions under prevalent conditions of shortage of water and high salt content in soil and water. Field studies were conducted to test the suitability of selected salt-tolerant native and introduced plants for ornamental use. Plant growth, water and soil quality, marine spray, climate, wastewater treatment and irrigation operating problems were the subject of specific studies and discussion.     

Trophic relationships in the recently impounded Bagré reservoir in Burkina Faso

The trophic dynamics of Bagré reservoir which has been recently impounded in Burkina Faso was based on the data collected during 1997–1998 period using the Ecopath model and software. Total fish biomass is 22.63 t km⁻² and mainly represents trophic levels (TLs) 2 and 3. The trophic food chain is relatively long and the overall transfer efficiency is quite low. Grazing foodweb based on primary producers is prominent in the reservoir ecosystem and detritus plays a less significant role. Seasonal and long-term variations in water quality have significant influences on the lower TLs clearly showing a bottom-up functioning of the ecosystem. Environmental degradations, such as siltation occurring in the lake, suggest possible risks in limiting ecosystem productivity.     

Exploring management strategies for community-based forests using multi-agent systems: A case study in Palawan, Philippines

This paper describes the experiences and lessons learned in applying a multi-agent systems (MAS) model to study the dynamics and complex interactions among stakeholders in the management of community-based forests. The MAS model is developed using the companion modelling (ComMod) approach, which allows for a collaborative development of the model between the stakeholders and researchers. This approach involves the development and application of role-playing games (RPGs) and computer simulation as learning tools and to validate the model. Inferences are drawn from the learning and negotiation processes that the stakeholders and researchers underwent in the collaborative development of the MAS model. These processes ultimately led to the development of a collaborative resource management plan. The approach and the MAS model were applied to a case study involving a community-based forest managed by three villages in the island of Palawan, Philippines.     

Eye development in southern calamary, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sepioteuthis australis</Emphasis>, embryos and hatchlings

Eye development, optical properties and photomechanical responses were examined in embryos and hatchlings of the southern calamary, Sepioteuthis australis. This species occurs in shallow coastal waters in Australia and New Zealand, and the egg masses were collected in October and December 2004 from Great Oyster Bay, Tasmania. At the earliest developmental stage the eye of the squid was comprised of a hemispherical cup of undifferentiated neural retina, while presumptive iris cell layers and lentigenic precursor cells enclosed a posterior eye chamber. Differentiation of the proximal and distal processes was observed in correspondence with the cornea development and lens crystallization, and occurred before differentiation of the neural retina, which was complete prior to hatching. Longer photoreceptor distal processes were first observed just prior to hatching in the dorsal-posterior retina. After hatching, this difference was much more evident and higher photoreceptor density was found in the central retina. This indicates that the eye of S. australis at this age uses different retina areas for different visual tasks. Optical sensitivity and resolution suggest that juvenile S. australis are diurnal. This study also found functional photomechanical responses of visual screening pigment migration and pupil constriction in S. australis embryos, although complete functionality of the pupil at this stage was uncertain. However, the pupils of squid aged 2 days closed almost completely under bright conditions, showing that photomechanical responses were highly developed in the juvenile squid. These findings indicate that squid embryos are able to perceive visual stimulation, suggesting an early reliance on vision for survival after hatching.     

‘Natural’ disaster? A retrospect into the causes of the late-2004 typhoon disaster in Eastern Luzon,Philippines

Between 14 November and 4 December 2004, four successive tropical depressions and typhoons lashed the Eastern coast of Luzon in the Philippines. Heavy rainfall triggered massive landslides and devastating flash floods, which brought tremendous damage and killed more than 1600 people. Immediately after the disaster, there was a media and political consensus to incrimate ‘extraordinary’ natural phenomena and widespread deforestation as responsible for the catastrophe. We argue that the tragedy that befell the municipalities of General Nakar, Infanta and Real, among other devastated areas, is enmeshed in a deeper tangle of causal factors that are political, socio-economic and demographic in nature. These factors include unmanaged population growth, difficult access to land and resources, corruption within the government, and power of the elite.