Influence of distance on the motivation and frequency of household recycling

People choose to participate in recycling for a variety of reasons. This study analyzes the relationship between the frequency of selective separation and general refuse disposal, and the influence on the recycling habit of the walking distance to drop off the materials. The methodology employed was one of personal interviews in the street, the study population being a region in the north of Spain (Principality of Asturias). More than one thousand people participated in this survey carried out in 2002. Five hypotheses related to three variables (the frequency for depositing recycling materials and general refuse, the distance to recycling and general bins, and the recycling habit) were tested using different statistical tests. Results show that the people who frequently go to the bins to dispose of general refuse are more likely to recycle some product at home, and in most cases, as the distance to the recycling bins decreases, the number of fractions that citizens separate and collect at home increases. Most of the results obtained have been compared with other previous in literature.     

Estimating the impact of the "digital switchover" on disposal of WEEE at household waste recycling centres in England

Using Hampshire County Council (HCC) as a case study, this paper evaluates and discusses the estimated impacts of the so-called digital switchover (DSO) (scheduled for 2012 in Hampshire) on Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) in England and the UK. Two public surveys of Hampshire residents were used to collect data on their preparedness for and awareness of the switchover and its implications. The survey also sought to establish the quantities of televisions (TVs) and TV related devices that are ready for the DSO. The quantities of TV and related devices that are likely to be disposed via HCC’s collection network have been established and compared to the County’s current handling capacities for waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE). Best and worst case potential net disposal scenarios have been established and the latter compared to Government projections. In addition, the potential environmental, logistical, financial and legal impacts of the WEEE arising as a consequence of the switchover have been identified and discussed. The results indicate that the majority of TVs both in Hampshire and the UK are digital ready and that awareness of the switchover is high. In contrast, most recording devices in Hampshire are not ready for the DSO. Awareness of the timeframe of the event remains modest however and about half of Hampshire households were not aware that TV recording devices will be affected by the switchover. A significant proportion of waste TVs and related equipment would be taken to HWRCs in contrast to smaller items such as remote controls that would more likely be disposed with normal household waste. Projected figures for the DSO year show that if Hampshire maintained its current collection capacity for WEEE it would experience a handling shortfall of around ∼100 K for TVs and recording devices, respectively. The most important finding of the study is that the UK Government may have substantially underestimated the quantities of TV and related devices that will be disposed during the switchover. The potential impacts for local and national WEEE management have been discussed. The paper concludes by making recommendations to address identified issues.     

Building recycling rates through the informal sector

Many developing country cities aspire to modern waste management systems, which are associated with relatively high recycling rates of clean, source separated materials. Most already have informal sector recycling systems, which are driven solely by the revenues derived from selling recovered materials, even though they are saving the formal sector money by reducing waste quantities. There is clear potential for 'win-win' co-operation between the formal and informal sectors, as providing support to the informal sector, to build recycling rates and to address some of the social issues could reduce the overall costs of waste management for the formal sector. This paper shows that recycling rates already achieved by the informal sector can be quite high, typically in the range from 20% to 50%; often up to half of this is in the form of clean, source separated materials collected directly from households and businesses by itinerant waste buyers. Four country case studies provide a number of lessons on how this solid foundation could be used to build high recycling rates of clean materials.     

完善我国废旧家电回收体系——兼评家电“以旧换新”政策的回收策略

家电"以旧换新"政策出台的重要目标之一,就是构建我国规范性的废旧家电回收系统,以配合《废弃电器电子产品回收处理管理条例》的实施。我国现有废旧家电的回收体系是以民间回收系统为主导,虽然存在环境污染严重等问题,但契合了我国废旧家电回收的特性和国情,具有极强的生命力与竞争性。构建一套可行的废旧家电规范化回收体系,必须立足我国国情,以现有回收体系为基础,进行相应的规范化改造和完善。     

Occupational exposure in the fluorescent lamp recycling sector in France

The fluorescent lamp recycling sector is growing considerably in Europe due to increasingly strict regulations aimed at inciting the consumption of low energy light bulbs and their end-of-life management. Chemical risks were assessed in fluorescent lamp recycling facilities by field measurement surveys in France, highlighting that occupational exposure and pollutant levels in the working environment were correlated with the main recycling steps and processes.The mean levels of worker exposure are 4.4 mg/m³, 15.4 μg/m³, 14.0 μg/m³, 247.6 μg/m³, respectively, for total inhalable dust, mercury, lead and yttrium. The mean levels of airborne pollutants are 3.1 mg/m³, 9.0 μg/m³, 9.0 μg/m³, 219.2 μg/m³, respectively, for total inhalable dust, mercury, lead and yttrium. The ranges are very wide. Surface samples from employees’ skin and granulometric analysis were also carried out. The overview shows that all the stages and processes involved in lamp recycling are concerned by the risk of hazardous substances penetrating into the bodies of employees, although exposure of the latter varies depending on the processes and tasks they perform. The conclusion of this study strongly recommends the development of a new generation of processes in parallel with more information sharing and regulatory measures.     

我国废旧家电及电子产品回收处理现状及对策

如何对废旧家电及电子产品进行高效收集并合理、安全处置,已成为世界各国普遍关注的问题。分析发达国家在该领域实施的措施,结合我国现状及存在的主要问题,提出建立规范的废旧家电及电子产品回收处理体系相关对策。     

循环冷却水系统中物质的转化规律及提高浓缩倍率的措施

介绍了城市污水处理厂二级出水回用于循环冷却水系统时,系统中几种物质的转换以及不同浓缩倍率对铜试片的腐蚀速率。采用混凝＋超滤＋反渗透的旁路系统工艺,降低循环水系统中物质的浓度,可以使系统的浓缩倍率达到4。     

再生资源增值税带给再生有色金属行业的影响及建议

再生资源增值税政策的实施,对再生资源行业影响很大。归纳了目前再生资源增值税政策带给再生有色金属行业的影响和问题,并针对这些问题,提出改进措施。     

停止再生资源增值税退税政策对回收行业的影响及政策建议

再生资源回收企业增值税退税政策的停止执行,使企业税负提高,企业生存面临考验。分析了停止退税政策给再生资源行业及国民经济带来的影响,并对如何促进回收行业健康有序发展提出具体政策建议。     

发达国家废塑料再生利用现状及对我国的影响

工业发达国家在废塑料再生利用方面起步较早,积累了丰富的经验,拥有较高的技术和先进的设备,政府和民众都具有较强的节能和环保意识.从立法、系统工程、技术创新、节能环保意识等诸多方面探讨了世界上主要工业发达国家在废塑料再生利用方面的发展现状;根据各国统计数据对其做出定量分析;指出,我国与工业发达国家在循环经济方面有较大的差距和很强的互补性.     

Household food waste separation behavior and the importance of convenience

Two different strategies aiming at increasing household source-separation of food waste were assessed through a case-study in a Swedish residential area (a) use of written information, distributed as leaflets amongst households and (b) installation of equipment for source-segregation of waste with the aim of increasing convenience food waste sorting in kitchens. Weightings of separately collected food waste before and after distribution of written information suggest that this resulted in neither a significant increased amount of separately collected food waste, nor an increased source-separation ratio. After installation of sorting equipment in households, both the amount of separately collected food waste as well as the source-separation ratio increased vastly. Long-term monitoring shows that results where longstanding. Results emphasize the importance of convenience and existence of infrastructure necessary for source-segregation of waste as important factors for household waste recycling, but also highlight the need of addressing these aspects where waste is generated, i.e. already inside the household.     

China’s ban of imported recyclable waste and its impact on the waste plastic recycling industry in China and Taiwan

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - In 2017 the Chinese government announced to a ban on the importation of several kinds of recyclable waste that could be replaced by domestic...     

日本再生资源综合利用技术简介

应日本NPO法人世界等机构和企事业邀请,由中国再生资源回收利用协会常务副会长何方明为团长的中国再生资源技术合作访日团组于2010年9月对日本进行了技术合作考察与洽谈,就中日两国在电子废弃物、报废汽车和废塑料等综合利用方面的国际合作与交流进行研讨,拜访相关机构并参观考察有关企业。就此次考察,对日本再生资源回收利用技术作一简要介绍,供我国回收利用相关企业借鉴。     

再生资源产业可持续发展需要注意的几个问题

再生资源产业的可持续发展关系到经济和社会的进步,应当给予重视和关注。就寻找再生资源与环境保护契合点,系统开展综合利用事业,注重高科技和人才战略,以及积极开展国际合作等方面,提出一些观点和建议。     

浅谈我国餐厨垃圾的回收与利用

随着我国经济发展及城镇化进程的加速,餐厨垃圾产生量近些年迅猛增长,餐厨垃圾的回收与资源化利用已成为解决城市环境问题的重要环节.对我国餐厨垃圾的回收与利用现状进行综述性分析,在此基础上提出了相应的对策和建议.     

再生资源产业的界定与结构分析

通过综述国内外再生资源产业的实践情况与理论研究,对再生资源产业的相关概念进行了界定。并根据2003年至2009年统计年鉴中关于"废弃资源和废旧材料回收加工业"的相关数据,对再生资源企业数量、性质、规模、工业总产值、增长率等进行了分析。针对现有的再生资源产业结构,提出发挥国有、私营和外资企业的优势和作用,推动我国再生资源产业发展的建议。     

浅谈我国旧衣服回收及再利用

随着人们生活水平的提高,服装更新速度越来越快,废旧衣服既污染环境,其再利用价值也没有发挥出来.把循环经济中的“3R原则”应用到废旧衣服回收中,以发挥废旧衣服的最大价值.