Determining advanced recycling fees and subsidies in "E-scrap" reverse supply chains

Primarily due to environmental concerns and legislative mandates, the disposition of end-of-life (EOL) electronics products has attracted much attention. Advanced recycling fees (ARFs) and government subsidies may play important roles in encouraging or curtailing the flows of recycled items. We present a Stackelberg-type model to determine ARFs and socially optimal subsidy fees in decentralized reverse supply chains where each entity independently acts according to its own interests. The model consists of one leader (the government) and two followers (a group of manufacturers, importers, and sellers (MISs) and a group of recyclers). To maximize social welfare, the government determines the ARFs paid by MIS and the subsidy fees for recyclers when MIS sells new products and recyclers process EOL products. We find that MIS and recyclers behave at the equilibrium status by choosing optimal selling quantity in the market and optimal reward money for customers bringing EOL products to recyclers. Under this approach the two fees achieve the maximum of social welfare at the equilibrium status, while both MIS and recyclers gain the maximum of profits. For comparative purposes, we also develop a conceptual model describing the current practice by which ARFs and the subsidy fees are determined on the basis of fund balance between revenues and costs along with recycling operations. We conclude that our results outperform current practice.     

An investigation of the relationship between raw coal characteristics and effluent quality of Kedla and Rajrappa Washeries, Jharkhand, India

An attempt was made to investigate the relationship between raw coal characteristics and effluent quality in two coking coal washeries of Central Coalfields Limited, Kedla and Rajrappa in Jharkhand State, India. Coal samples-raw coal feed, washed fine clean coal, washed coarse clean coal, middlings and rejects were collected. Similarly, raw water (intake to washery) and effluent samples generated in the washeries, namely, fine coal jig under water, coarse coal jig under water and slurry pond water were also collected over a period of 6 months. Parameters outlined in Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) Schedule VI Indian standards were determined, both in coal samples and water/washery effluent samples. Apart from the parameters listed in the standard, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulphate and chloride found to be present in coal were also determined in coal and water samples. The processing results essentially in production of huge quantities of suspended material, which is beyond the stipulated limit of 100mg/l as specified in the Standard. Lowering of pH was observed in both the washeries. The trace/heavy elements were found to be concentrated in the heavier fractions in rejects produced from the washery. The concentrations of major elements in coal-Na, K, Ca, Mg, and minor elements in coal-Mn; F, SO4 and Cl were found to be higher in process water than in raw water indicating that these elements are transferred from coal to the water in washeries. However, only in the case of Mn, the stipulated limit of the effluent standard was exceeded. Trace elements like As, Se, Hg, Cd, though found to be present in coal, were absent in the process water indicating that these elements are not released by coal during washing.     

Wildlife conservation in India

Indian wildlife has been neglected and if India is to save its vanishing heritage, active endeavours are essential for conserving the Indian forests. Laws exist to protect the wildlife from slaughter and to regulate hunting, but unfortunately, the legal measures do not fully serve the desired purpose. The destruction deplorably continues, at times, at an alarming rate. The depletion of the wildlife can be attributed largely to deforestation and inroads of human civilization into the forest areas and, the destruction of the forest automatically leads to the decline of the wildlife. Illicit axing of India's magnificent forests continues unchecked. A number of important and immediate actions are recommended.     

Conservation of biodiversity in western India

Director of environmental studies at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Human Ecology, Environmental and Population Studies at the University of Rajasthan. This paper describes the biodiversity in the north-western Indian State of Rajasthan, its relationship with the environment and the existing human and livestock populations. As the biodiversity is depleting in this area due to zoogenic and anthropogenic reasons, certain pragmatic conservation strategies are advocated. The north-western part of India is occupied by a desert ecosystem, the Thar Desert. Animal husbandry is the major livelihood in the region, followed by agriculture. The vegetation, which is predominantly xerophytic and quite sparse, occurs in great variety. Six hundred and eighty-two plant species and 390 animal species have been identified from the Thar Desert. Many plant and animal species have become endangered due to zoogenic and anthropogenic activities. Plants such as Calligonum polygonoides, Tecomella undulata and Prosopis cineraria urgently require conservation.     

Renewable energy programmes in India

Efforts towards the development and deployment of technologies based on renewable energy sources in India are described. A brief review of renewable energy programmes with an emphasis on the specific strengths of the different programmes in the context of India's renewable energy programme is presented. Renewable energy systems which appear to have a significant role to play in the sustainable energy programme of India are identified and their implementation discussed .     

Renewable energy programmes in India

There is increasing optimism regarding the possible role that renewable energy technologies can play in the coming decade in the energy sector in India. Some recent developments and trends within the renewable energy sector that are responsible for this optimism, and the likely investments of the order of US$1210 million in the next four to five years, are discussed. The paper includes discussion of the recent changes in the implementing institutions, innovation in financing renewable technology investments, and a shift from financial to fiscal incentives. In addition, wind power generation, small hydro, photovoltaic and gasifier programmes are analysed in some detail.     

Environmental management problems in India

Environmental problems are becoming serious in India because of the interacting effects of increasing population density, industrialization and urbanization, and poor environmental management practices. Unless stringent regulatory measures are taken, environmental systems will be irreversibly degraded. Lack of political commitment, lack of a comprehensive environmental policy, poor environmental awareness, functional fragmentation of the public administration system, poor mass media concern, and prevalence of poverty are some of the major factors responsible for increasing the severity of the problems. Environmental problems in India are highly complex, and management procedures have to be developed to achieve coordination between various functional departments, and for this, political leaders have to be convinced of the need to initiate environmental protection measures.     

Impact of informal regulation of pollution on water quality in rivers in India

In this paper an attempt is made to assess the impact of informal regulation of water pollution on water quality in Indian rivers. For this purpose, an econometric analysis of determinants of water quality in Indian rivers is carried out using water quality (water class) data for 106 monitoring points on 10 important rivers for five years, 1995-1999. To explain variations in water quality, an Ordered Probit model is estimated, in which poll percentage in parliamentary elections, a proxy for the intensity of informal regulation, is taken as one of the main explanatory variables. Rainfall, industrialization, irrigation intensity and fertilizer use are some of the other explanatory variables used in the model to control for the influence of these factors. As expected, river water quality is found to be positively related with rainfall, and negatively related with industrialization, irrigation intensity and fertilizer use. A significant positive relationship is found between poll percentage and water quality, and also between the rate of increase in literacy level in a district and the water quality in rivers flowing through the district. These results point to a significant favorable effect of informal regulation of pollution on water quality in rivers in India.     

土地集约利用潜力测算方法初探

土地集约利用潜力测算研究是充分挖掘城市土地利用潜力的基础。概述了现有土地集约利用潜力测算方法并进行了分析,针对现有测算方法存在的不足提出了改进的正多边形法,运用改进的正多边形法能动态地反映土地集约利用程度、各指标的均衡性与协调性,以及挖潜潜力的方向。土地集约利用潜力测算研究能使土地集约利用评价的成果更好运用于实践。     

Water management in the highlands of India

Conclusions In addition to this natural water-holding capacity of completely forested mountains, development for conservation of water should insure man-made mountain water storage systems, consisting of tanks, ponds, small dams and reservoirs, and artificial lakes at varying altitudes in the Himalayas. An elaborate system of canals would be needed to carry clean water for drinking and cultivation. Alternatively, adjacent highland lakes may be linked up by canals provided with wiers and sluice gates, to carry water to all levels.     

Reckless denudation of forest wealth in India

Summary It has been shown in recent surveys, that in India there is an upward trend in the area of open forest, which has grown from 10.06 million ha to 26.32 million ha in a few years. But the closed forests of India have registered a fall from 36.02 million ha to around 33 million ha. The latter fact is both significant and disturbing. It proves that in spite of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, the process of degeneration of forests, in India, constantly continues. It is obvious that a part of the open forests must have come from closed forests due to the reckless denudation of forests, carried out in the name of development. A massive afforestation/reforestation programme is desired to achieve the target of one third of the geographical area of the country to be under forest cover for proper ecological balance. India has to develop a sound National Forest Policy to meet the requirements of the country, to produce industrial wood, for forest based industries, defence, communication and other public purposes, and small timbers fuel wood and fodder for the rural community. In this context the decision taken by the Control Board of Forestry in December, 1987, is quite encouraging. It was resolved that the extraction of wood from the forests would be stopped and the country's need for timber and fuelwood would be met by importing wood and by means of farm forestry. The reconstitution of the National Wasteland Development Board and the planting target of 5 million ha p.a. are other positive steps in this direction. Extensive research is needed for a better and new approach to social and commercial forestry.Dr Om Prasad, the senior author, is a biologist in the Department of Zoology, University of Allahabad. He is responsible for developing a number of Environmental Biology Courses at graduate and post-graduate level. Besides being actively engaged in research on the adverse toxilogical effects of a number of commonly used food additives, he supports environmental protection activities including the provision of guidance to the Students Nature Club which is affiliated to WWF-India.Dr Pawan Kumar, after teaching for seven years in the Department of Forestry at Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi, Bihar, recently joined the Department of Environment of the Government of India where he is in charge of a number of environmental projects. Dr O.N. Pandey is a specialist in Forestry teaching at Birsa Agricultural University, India.     

Studies on the primary production in a river basin in eastern India

Measurement of the primary production has been estimated over a study area of approximately 25 km² of the North Koel River, in the Palamau District, in Bihar, India. A caustic chemical factory which is discharging effluent into the river is situated at Rehala, Palamau, on the bank of the North Koel. Huge amounts of mercury are released into the river. The physical and chemical characters of the caustic chemicals in the effluent have a significant influence on the primary production on the North Koel river. The gross production is compared with other fresh water habitats (riverine and other) in India. It is observed that the gross production value is the lowest (at 1.14 gc/m²/day) of any recorded riverine ecosystem in India.     

Health-care waste management in India.

Health-care waste management in India is receiving greater attention due to recent regulations (the Biomedical Wastes (Management & Handling) Rules, 1998). The prevailing situation is analysed covering various issues like quantities and proportion of different constituents of wastes, handling, treatment and disposal methods in various health-care units (HCUs). The waste generation rate ranges between 0.5 and 2.0 kg bed-1 day-1. It is estimated that annually about 0.33 million tonnes of waste are generated in India. The solid waste from the hospitals consists of bandages, linen and other infectious waste (30-35%), plastics (7-10%), disposable syringes (0.3-0.5%), glass (3-5%) and other general wastes including food (40-45%). In general, the wastes are collected in a mixed form, transported and disposed of along with municipal solid wastes. At many places, authorities are failing to install appropriate systems for a variety of reasons, such as non-availability of appropriate technologies, inadequate financial resources and absence of professional training on waste management. Hazards associated with health-care waste management and shortcomings in the existing system are identified. The rules for management and handling of biomedical wastes are summarised, giving the categories of different wastes, suggested storage containers including colour-coding and treatment options. Existing and proposed systems of health-care waste management are described. A waste-management plan for health-care establishments is also proposed, which includes institutional arrangements, appropriate technologies, operational plans, financial management and the drawing up of appropriate staff training programmes.     

中国与印度CDM开发现状比较研究

中国与印度同为发展中的人口大国,且都是主要的CDM开发国,在CDM发展方面有诸多相似性和相互借鉴之处。本文对中国与印度CDM开发项目的数量、规模、开发时间等进行了比较,通过比较可发现我国CDM存在进展相对较慢、资源优势没有充分发挥以及小型企业参与不足等问题,并在此基础上提出了促进我国CDM快速健康发展的建议。