Urban Waste Pollution in the Korle Lagoon, Accra, Ghana

The Korle Lagoon in Accra, Ghana, has become one of the most polluted water bodies on earth. It is the principal outlet through which all major drainage channels in the city empty their wastes into the sea. Large amounts of untreated industrial waste emptied into surface drains has led to severe pollution in the lagoon and disrupted its natural ecology. The increased levels of industrial activity and consumption by the urban population lead to the generation of copious quantities of waste. Managing the volume of wastes poses a major challenge for the city authorities, particularly, ensuring that all the waste generated is collected for disposal. In Accra, the Waste Management Department is currently capable of collecting only 60 percent of the waste generated daily. The rest is dumped in open spaces, in surface drains, and into water bodies which end up in the Korle Lagoon. High eutrophication levels have developed in the shallow water body. The net effect is that, at the slightest downpour, the lagoon overflows its banks causing regular flooding in parts of the city.The Government of Ghana, having realized the adverse impacts of pollution in the lagoon on the physical and economic environment of Accra, with the support of donor agencies, is implementing measures to restore the lagoon to its natural ecology. Attempts are also being made to get the communities in the catchment area to become involved in managing their environment through environmental education and awareness programes.     

浅谈生态墙在乌鲁木齐生态城市建设中的作用

根据乌鲁木齐市的经济社会和城市规划建设现状,研究与构建乌鲁木齐城市生态框架,整治城市环境污染,提高环境质量,健全气流通道,协调水利,并通过绿色通道及“绿楔”、“绿脉”形成通畅的气流,恢复城市外部范围生物的正常输入和市中心区生物基因的自然调节使城市动植物群落之间相适宜,把乌鲁木齐市建成空气清新、景观秀丽、环境宜人的生态城市。     

Guinea worm control: Assessing the effectiveness of drum-lined water holes

Summary The purpose of the paper is to examine the feasibility of used oil drums as a lining material for shallow rural wells. The discussion focuses upon the comparison of the water quality in the oil drum-lined holes with other local water sources. The response to the innovation, from a range of guinea worm prone rural environments in Ibarapa district, Oyo State, Nigeria, was encouraging. The study noted substantial reductions in cyclop population (potential for guinea worm infection) and improved water quality in the sanitary wells as compared to rural ponds. Investigations also reveal substantial saving in costs in using oil drum-lining as opposed to concrete. Findings point to the need for this kind of water scheme as opposed to sophisticated boreholes, and deep well programmes, especially in situations of limited funds and technical skills necessary to install and maintain water supply systems.Dr Abimbola Y. Sangodoyin obtained his first degree in Agricultural Engineering at the University of Ibadan. He subsequently obtained a MSc in Water Resources Technology and a PhD in Civil Engineering at the University of Birmingham, UK. He is currently a lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Engineering, University of Ibadan where his research has focused on rural water systems and urban solid waste disposal and pollution problems.Mr Miebaka J. Ayotamuno has trained to Master's level as an Agricultural Engineer at the University of Ibadan. He is currently a member of staff at the Department of Agricultural Engineering, River State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.     

城市发展与水环境污染的研究

本文研究了城市发展与水环境污染的关系。运用灰色关联分析表明,对水污染排放的影响程度大小依次为:人口密度(γ1=0.4456)工业发展(γ3=0.3498)环保投入(γ2=0.2656)。通过弹性系数预测法分析了上海废水排放与人均GDP的发展趋势。     

秦皇岛市“十一五”期间环境质量变化趋势及成因分析

"十一五"期间,秦皇岛市环境质量总体趋于好转。环境空气质量Ⅱ级以上天数始终保持在350天以上,综合污染指数明显下降;城市集中式饮用水源地水质达标率100%;地表水河流Ⅲ类断面比例提高了43.8%;劣Ⅴ类断面比例降低了35.7%。近岸海域海水水质达标率100%,海水浴场水质良好。但存在局部空气污染严重、部分河段水质恶化等主要环境问题,针对上述问题提出了总量减排、污染物联控等对策建议。     

模糊数学在成都市水资源评价中的应用

水资源价值是一个复杂的体系,主要由三方面要素构成,即:自然因素、经济因素、社会因素。以成都市为例,选取水质、水资源量、人口密度、国民收入作为评价要素,采用模糊综合评价方法对该市水资源价值进行了评价,结果表明:成都市水资源价格为2.93元/m3,明显高于目前的成都市平均水价。因此,应通过优化产业结构、扩大生产规模、提高用水效率和技术水平、加强环境保护与文化教育、合理控制人口等措施来提高水资源价值。     

From socioeconomic disparity to environmental injustice: the relationship between housing unit density and community green space in a medium city in Pakistan

Rapid urbanisation, lack of proactive planning and improper allocation of resources may result in socio-economic disparity among and within cities, causing social unrest and environmental injustice in the neighbourhoods. This study aims to examine whether the planning standards for housing schemes in Pakistan are able to maintain equitable access to green spaces within the cities. Ten residential sites in Sheikhupura city with different housing unit sizes and densities were selected for the study. The supply of urban green infrastructure in housing scheme has been assessed: (i) by comparing the percentage of green spaces, including community parks and open spaces and street landscape; and (ii) by calculating per dwelling unit and per capita share of green spaces. These indicators have been studied against the housing density and population density of the schemes by applying correlation and linear regression models. The results show that all the housing schemes plans provide for similar amounts of green space as a percentage of total area. The per capita share of green spaces is very low in high-density areas, but interestingly, the street landscape has a higher potential to contribute to the overall landscape in high-density neighbourhoods, compensating for low per capita green space. Housing unit density and population density must be incorporated in planning standards so planners can effectively devise a mix of community parks, street landscape and private green spaces to help maintain per capita green spaces, and hence environmental resource equality in different parts of the city.     

Evaluating the Environmental Performance of Urban Parks in Mediterranean Cities: An Example from the Barcelona Metropolitan Region

In a context of increasing urban sprawl and water scarcity common to other Mediterranean cities, this article focuses on the urban parks in the Region of Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain) to examine how these parks are distributed in this region and to assess whether their design and management follow criteria adapted to Mediterranean environmental conditions, especially in what concerns water use. In order to evaluate the environmental performance of these parks, we selected four factors possibly influencing the adoption of park management practices at the local scale: urban density, population size of the municipality, municipal income per capita, and political orientation of the city council. After determining the location and area of urban parks in the region, we correlated these four explanatory factors with several management tasks extracted from two different samples of parks (one of 315 parks and another of 125 parks) and a survey of 86 city councils. Results show that, in general, urban parks were more frequent in large, dense, and left/green municipalities but that environmentally sound practices were more common in small and low-density municipalities. We conclude that changes in certain practices (especially the substitution of high water demanding species) could improve significantly the environmental performance of public spaces in large urban areas with Mediterranean climates. Our observations may be pertinent for other cities interested in the provision of environmental public goods such as parks that necessitate water for irrigation.     

汶川地震极重灾区震后10年环境承载力评估

采用大气污染物超标指数、水污染物浓度超标指数、污染物浓度综合超标指数等3个指标,针对汶川地震极重灾区10个县市,评价了区域环境系统对社会经济系统的支撑能力.结果 表明:10个县市中,环境承载力超载的县市有7个,接近超载的县市有3个.其中,9个县市的大气存在环境质量问题,4个县市的水环境质量存在问题,整个区域大气环境质量...     

城市环境安全模糊综合评价方法研究

北京作为我国的首都、环境保护的首善之区,在环境问题上应该,也必须是安全的。但实际上,北京大气污染、水体污染日益加剧,水资源紧张,环境安全形势严峻。本文根据2005—2014年十年环境污染统计数据,运用层次分析法、灰色聚类分析法对北京市城市环境安全进行了评价分析,结果表明,北京市城市环境安全度为6.3~6.89,属于较安全级别。十年来北京市环境安全状况呈好转趋势,环境安全度最低值出现在2006年,最高值出现在2011年,增幅9%。地表水的氨氮、BOD、高锰酸盐指数及大气污染中的PM10污染相对严重。PM10安全度指数2005—2007年偏低,由于奥运减排措施的持续作用及沙尘影响减弱,2006—2013年安全度逐年增高,2014年安全度略有下降,但整体呈好转趋势。北京市地表水污染仍为有机污染型,2005—2014年的十年间,通过结构减排、工程减排、监管减排等措施,地表水有机污染得到很大改善,各项污染物浓度总体呈下降趋势。总体而言,环境空气质量仍未达标,水环境污染仍较突出,应针对评价结果加大相应的环境治理措施,确保首都环境安全。     

Environmental regionalization for the management of township and village enterprises in China.

Environmental regionalization (ER) is the basis of environmental assessment, prediction, planning and decision-making. ER techniques were applied to the management of Township and Village Enterprises (TVEs) in China. TVEs are generally middle and small-scale enterprises widely distributed in rural areas with rapid development and high discharge rates of pollutants, which impact heavily on the environment. A set of 13 indicators was chosen to evaluate TVEs in China: (1) runoff depth (P = 75%); (2) rainfall; (3) atmospheric pollution coefficient; (4) percent of forest coverage; (5) national income per capita; (6) economic density of TVEs; (7) population density; (8) environmental management staff at county level; (9) cultivated area per capita; (10) technical advancement of TVEs; (11) environmental impact of TVE industrial structure; (12) ratio of waste water to runoff; and (13) coal consumption density. Fuzzy cluster analysis was employed to conduct quantitative classification. Four zones and seven subzones were obtained. The classification system was adapted to the requirements of environmental management for TVEs at national level.     

Modelling of light pollution in suburban areas using remotely sensed imagery and GIS

This paper describes a methodology for modelling light pollution using geographical information systems (GIS) and remote sensing (RS) technology. The proposed approach attempts to address the issue of environmental assessment in sensitive suburban areas. The modern way of life in developing countries is conductive to environmental degradation in urban and suburban areas. One specific parameter for this degradation is light pollution due to intense artificial night lighting. This paper aims to assess this parameter for the Athens metropolitan area, using modern analytical and data capturing technologies. For this purpose, night-time satellite images and analogue maps have been used in order to create the spatial database of the GIS for the study area. Using GIS advanced analytical functionality, visibility analysis was implemented. The outputs for this analysis are a series of maps reflecting direct and indirect light pollution around the city of Athens. Direct light pollution corresponds to optical contact with artificial night light sources, while indirect light pollution corresponds to optical contact with the sky glow above the city. Additionally, the assessment of light pollution in different periods allows for dynamic evaluation of the phenomenon. The case study demonstrates high levels of light pollution in Athens suburban areas and its increase over the last decade.     

佳木斯市农村环境问题研究

畜禽养殖业污染、生活垃圾随意堆放、农用化学物质、农用塑料制品污染、工业经济发展和城市化扩张对农村环境产生破坏是佳木斯市环境污染的主要表现。资金匮乏、法律制度不健全、农民环保意识不强、农业技术发展与环境保护不同步、各部门沟通较少是造成农村环境污染的主要原因。通过加强法制建设、改变农业生产模式、走生态农业发展之路、加大资金投入和宣传教育力度、部门间协调,可有效解决农村环境污染问题。     

Spatial and temporal variation in nutrient parameters in stream water in a rural-urban catchment, Shikoku, Japan: effects of land cover and human impact

Seasonal and spatial variations in major ion chemistry and isotope composition in the rural-urban catchment of the Shigenobu River were monitored to determine the influences of agricultural and urban sewage systems on water quality. Temporal patterns of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and suspended sediment (SS) were examined at four sites in the rural-urban catchment. Urban land cover, incorporating the effects of increased population, domestic water use, and industrial wastewater, was positively associated with increases in water pollution and was included as an important explanatory variable for the variations in all water quality parameters. Significant trends were found in each parameter. BOD concentrations ranged widely, and were high in urban regions, due to the presence of a waste water treatment plant. TN and SS showed various trends, but did not vary widely, unlike TP. TP concentrations varied greatly, with high concentrations in cultivated areas, due to fertilizer use. Local water quality management or geology could further explain some of the variations in water quality. Non-point-source pollution exhibited strong positive spatial autocorrelation, indicating that incorporating spatial dimensions into water quality assessment enhances our understanding of spatial patterns of water quality. Data from the Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT) and Environment Ministry (EM) were used to investigate trends in land management. Stepwise regression analysis was used to test the correlation between specific management practises and substance concentrations in surface water and sediment. MLIT and EM data for 1981-2003 showed an increase in TN, TP, and SS concentrations in surface water. High levels of fertilizer in dormant sprays and domestic water use were associated with high pesticide concentrations in water and sediment. This paper presents a novel method of studying the environmental impact of various agricultural management practises and recommends a management strategy that combines the use of reduced-risk pesticides with irrigation and non-irrigation periods in paddy fields.     

Proliferation of nonconforming land uses in agricultural envelope of urban Hong Kong

Until the late 1960s rural Hong Kong had an attractive rustic landscape and a small but active farming population. The recent widespread agricultural decline provided opportunities for urban-oriented activities to invade, mainly as open storage and workshops unsuitable in city areas. Rapid container-port expansion and cross-border China trade generate demands for cheap and accessible land for non-conforming uses (NCU). Rural development control and land-use planning are inherently weak, and formal provision for such uses is lacking. An unfavorable landmark court judgement allows landowners to degrade the countryside. The activities have caused acute environmental problems, telescoped into a small territory, including visual blight, pollution, drainage blockage, loss of wetland habitats, and increased flooding hazard. The distinction between urban and rural has been blurred in the destruction of the valuable countryside heritage. An interim legislative amendment fails to stop unauthorized conversion of farmland. In the long term, an integrated and comprehensive rural planning strategy to conserve inherent elements, as well as accommodating selected urban spillover in properly located and serviced sites, is needed.     

绵竹市地表水环境质量现状及水环境容量分析

本文通过对绵竹市污染源现状调查及地表水环境现状评价,计算并分析了境内主要河流的水环境容量。绵竹市地表水环境污染较为严重,水环境容量短缺已成为绵竹市主要环境制约因素。为实现绵竹市水环境保护与经济社会的可持续发展,需及时采取污染物总量控制、工业污染防治、生活污水处理、控制农村面源污染等一系列措施。     

重庆市主要生态环境问题及对策

本文以重庆市近几年生态环境现状为基础，对重庆市水土流失、土地退化、森林质量下降、水污染问题、自然灾害频繁、农村环境质量问题、库区淹没区环境质量等一系列生态环境问题逐一进行了剖析，同时从经济保障体系、政策保障体系和技术保障体系等方面提出了：强化管理、认真执法、实施重点工程、协调人口、资源、环境、发展区域经济等对策，以维护和建设重庆市生态环境。     

GIS噪声环境监测与管理

环境噪声是评价城市环境质量的一个重要指标,但噪声污染与水污染、大气污染不同,不能通过"资源化"、"化害为利"等方式来治理,因而要解决噪声污染就必须准确地获取环境噪声信息,并对其影响进行科学评价,以及时进行噪声治理决策规划和管理。本文探讨了GIS在噪声环境监测与管理中的应用。     

SIMULATION OF URBAN NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTION1

ABSTRACT: Public Law 92–00 has mandated the need for evaluating the impact of nonpoint source pollution on receiving water quality, primarily through Section 208 Areawide Planning. The Management of Urban Non-Point Pollution (MUNP) model was developed to estimate the accumulation of eight non-point pollutants on urban streets, their removal by both rainfall and street sweeping operations. The model can simulate the following pollutants: total solids or sediment-like material, volatile solids, five-day biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, Kjeldahl nitrogen, nitrates, phosphates, and total heavy metals. The simulated results can be used for investigation of non-point pollution management alternatives. The model is capable of reflecting variation in such diverse factors as physical and chemical characteristics of accumulated pollutants, land use characteristics, rainfall characteristics, street sweeper characteristics, roadway characteristics, and traffic conditions. By using mean estimates of many input variables for large segments of a city, the MUNP model could be used to quickly assess the magnitude of pollutants annually entering receiving waterways due to nonpoint source pollution alone. If the results indicate that non-point pollution loadings are sizeable and require futher analysis, the MUNP model could be used to define the specific nonpoint source pollution areas within a city. Hypothetical locations and actual rainfall data for Washigton D.C. were used to demonstrate some capabilities of the MUNP model.     

我国环保产业“十二五”技术发展重点领域

基于我国环保产业的发展现状及政策背景,介绍了"十二五"我国环保产业发展重点技术领域及发展方向,包括水污染控制、大气污染控制、固体废弃物处理处置、噪声污染控制、土壤污染控制、重金属污染控制、农村面源污染控制等领域。