火电厂清洁生产的可持续性分析与评估

从企业生态角度分析了火电厂清洁生产的可持续性;运用能值理论对火电厂清洁生产的可持续性进行了评估;以某发电厂采用清洁生产为实例进行了可持续性分析,结果表明:火电厂清洁生产的可持续性明显提高。     

The benefits of a Brazilian agro-industrial symbiosis system and the strategies to make it happen

Alcohol fuel is generally presented as a sustainable fuel in comparison with other fossil fuel due to lower emissions during production and combustion steps as well as due to its (assumed) closed carbon cycle. However, assessing the Brazilian traditional alcohol production cycle, many social and environmental impacts may still be indicated: burning, pesticides, biodiversity, labor exploration, high water consumption, erosion and others. Based on the strategy of an agro-industrial networking and symbiosis, a project was designed to optimize the system by means of polygeneration and total integration of production steps. The case presented in this paper is the project for a social and ecological agro-industry model, named GERIPA (Geração de Energia Renovável Integrada à Produção de Alimentos), which produces renewable fuel, electricity and organic food. Besides the technical project, an economic evaluation is also presented, resulting into a five year pay back time. In addition, environmental and social aspects were evaluated by means the Emergy Synthesis methodology (Odum, 1996), which assesses the value of all inputs through an estimate of the environmental work directly and indirectly required for their production and sustainable supply. The emergy-based comparison of GERIPA system and a traditional system in Brazil indicates better performance of GERIPA, with an eMergy Sustainability Index of 1.26, much higher than for a traditional system, 0.22. The project is presently under discussion with investors and Government and, if approved, will be carried out in marginal and presently unused land. In addition to providing an environmentally friendly process for food and energy production, the project would generate new jobs opportunities for Brazilian rural workers presently unemployed.     

Tradeoffs,synergies and traps among ecosystem services in the Lake Victoria basin of East Africa

Lake Victoria is a crucial ecosystem for over 25 million people in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi who live in the basin, and for the greater Nile river system downstream of the lake. Ecosystem management in the Lake Victoria basin has been highly extractive for most of the last 60 years, with the 1990s a period of marked decline in food production, economic contraction, rising poverty, increased burden of human disease, and more frequent floods. Lake Victoria itself is becoming eutrophic, with related problems of species extinctions and invasive species. There is evidence of poverty–environment traps: some households and areas appear to be caught in vicious cycles of low income, low investment in soil management, declines in soil fertility, and soil loss, while other households and areas are able to achieve higher incomes and investments, maintain soil fertility, and conserve soil on their farms.Concepts and approaches from the Millenium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) were applied in a study of ecosystem service tradeoffs, synergies and traps in two of the river basins that flow into Lake Victoria from Kenya (Yala and Nyando). Hydrologic units are the main geographic unit used in the analysis, with predictions of sediment yield serving as the main measure of regulating services. Provisioning services are evaluated through a spatially disaggregated analysis of agricultural production, yield and area that combines spatial data from aerial photographs with division-level price and yield estimates.The results illustrate considerable year-to-year variation in land use, agricultural production and sediment yield in the two basins. While overall production appears to be relatively stable at the basin level, there have been shifts in the geographic locus of production toward the upper parts of both basins. A spatial overlay of production and sediment yield indicates that different parts of the basins exhibit tradeoffs, synergies and traps. Results from this study have multiple uses in rural planning, agricultural investment, and watershed management. The results also suggest that the poverty traps conceptual framework may help to enrich the interpretative content of the MA approach.     

Awareness and adoption of cleaner production in small to medium-sized businesses in the Geelong region,Victoria, Australia

A survey was undertaken (August through November, 1998) to determine the extent of the awareness and implementation of cleaner production practices within small to medium-sized businesses in the Geelong region of Victoria, Australia. Information was also gleaned on improvements/benefits gained from the adoption of such practices, reasons for adopting or not adopting cleaner production methods and utilization of educational and assistance schemes. We conclude that the adoption of cleaner production by such businesses is still at a very early stage with much work to be done to raise levels of awareness and to convince these businesses of the potential benefits of cleaner production.     

Improving agricultural sustainability: the case of Swedish greenhouse tomatoes

Of major concern to agriculturists and society are issues of sustainability and land and resource requirements for food and fiber. Sustainability of Swedish domestic agriculture is explored using the production of tomatoes in greenhouses as a case study. Issues of sustainability are related to net yields, environmental loading, greenhouse gases, employment and land use. A model for evaluation of sustainability is developed and illustrated using the concepts and theories of analysis. The intensive tomato production system investigated was shown to be highly dependent on non-renewable resources and human service fed back from society. Substituting wood powder from logging residues for the oil used for heating reduced the environmental load and improved the sustainability of the system significantly.     

Towards phosphorus sustainability in North America: A model for transformational change

Global food production and security rely heavily on finite reserves of newly mined phosphate for fertilizers. However, systemic inefficiencies result in the deposition in aquatic ecosystems of much of the phosphorus mined for food production causing costly eutrophication problems that damage aquatic ecosystems and human health. The Sustainable Phosphorus Alliance (SPA, formerly named North American Partnership for Phosphorus Sustainability) was created to implement sustainable phosphorus solutions through active engagement of stakeholders in both the private and public sectors. This paper describes a conceptual model of transformative change to a sustainable phosphorus system for the North American region. The model emerged from discussions at a series of formal and informal meetings held in conjunction with a ‘Future of Phosphorus’ event (National Science Foundation’s Phosphorus Sustainability Research Coordination Network) and an inaugural SPA Board meeting. Model development drew on the multi-level perspective of socio-technical transitions to develop a series of pathways to a transformed phosphorus system. The uses of the model and transition pathways are discussed in terms of their potential to form an important first step towards the development of a regional vision for improved phosphorus sustainability. The process provides an example of how research in sustainability science can contribute to action on environmental improvement.     

Making resources work more efficiently – the importance of supply chain partnerships

State and federal governments in Australia have implemented a range of assistance programs for manufacturing industries to become more resource efficient and reduce waste. While many of these programs focus on Cleaner Production at single sites, an increasing number of assistance programs are offered across supply chains. Sustainability Victoria, a Victorian government authority, supports projects that focus on resource efficiencies across supply chains in key industry sectors.In this study, tools were adapted and utilised to identify efficiency potentials and losses across supply chains in the timber furniture manufacturing and the food industry sector. In this respect, waste generation and value loss due to inefficient use of critical materials within the processes were estimated from purchase and waste handling data. Primary companies were chosen to undertake efficiency trials that could demonstrate value gain across the supply chain.This study describes the realisation of greater efficiencies in material usage when engaging proactively with supply chain partners immediately adjacent to the primary company. Demonstration trials confirmed that through a more integrated approach among supply chain partners the potential in using materials more efficiently and design processes can lead to enhanced productivity without compromising environmental burden. Hence, the study describes targeted resource efficiency, recycling and process optimisation opportunities as identified in the supply chain trials on timber furniture manufacturing and food industries.     

Developing collaborative and sustainable organisations

One of the defining characteristics of humankind is that we are, by nature, a social species. This makes the individualistic behaviours that increasingly characterise our society and culture both “unnatural” and it tends to create imbalances and conflicts between individuals, groups and organisations.This paper presents two approaches to build stronger and more Sustainability oriented organisations through collaboration. The first one is the Japanese concept of Kyosei, or “spirit of cooperation”, which invokes collaboration among labour, companies, customers, governments, and others.Kyosei is complemented with a Multi-dimensional Sustainability Influence Change (MuSIC) memework as a means of understanding and promoting integrated progress towards Sustainability. The MuSIC memework explores the complexity and interconnectedness of the three types of attitudes: (1) informational, (2) emotional, and (3) behavioural, within three organisational levels: (a) individuals, (b) groups, and (c) the organisation.     

Sustainable recovery of nickel from spent hydrogenation catalyst: economics, emissions and wastes assessment

Economic viability, carbon emission profile and waste management associated with nickel recovery from spent hydrogenation catalysts are studied from sustainability perspectives. The purpose is to determine and compare the economic, environmental and social implications of different nickel reclamation techniques towards clean, safe and sustainable recovery of nickel from spent catalysts. Sustainability evaluation models are formulated to understand and improve the cost, carbon footprint and resource efficiency of a closed-loop nickel recovery process. The economic viability of the process highly depends on market values of recovered nickel and the production batch size. At a selling price higher than $12.60/kg, an operation with a batch size as small as 50 kg/batch would be profitable. The current rising nickel market, at ∼$18-24/kg, favors recovery operations although it also casts a dual effect on production costs. About 73-82% of carbon emission of the process is from the use of energy in the recovery operation. Energy efficiency is therefore identified as the most critical factor to improve the carbon footprint. The closed-loop process also improves resource use efficiency and minimizes toxic waste generation.     

Environmental improvements in the metal finishing industry in Australasia

Metal finishing, as an industry, has had a vexed history with the environment and regulatory authorities over many decades throughout the world. Over the past 20 years, this situation has been vastly improved in some developed countries. This paper will examine the industry's recent progress in Australasia and highlight specific issues including new technologies adopted, research projects undertaken, responses to Government legislation and education. Many toxic chemicals have been replaced, recycled in closed loop scenarios and prevented from entering the environment via the atmosphere, water ways or landfilling. This paper is written as a qualitative industry summary rather than an academic study. It is meant to highlight the major changes that have occurred and the reasons why, rather than present documented and detailed evidence. The author has drawn on his 35 years experience in the industry as well as many experienced colleagues from around the world. Although the geographic scope is Australasia, many comments emanate from the state of Victoria because it is still the manufacturing base, especially in relation to the auto industry that has affected the changes to a large degree.     

Inter-linking issues and dimensions in sustainability reporting

During the last decade, Sustainability Reporting (SR) has been increasingly adopted by corporations worldwide. This is evidenced by the adoption of several guidelines, such as the ISO 14000 series, the Social Accountability 8000 standard, and the GRI Sustainability Guidelines. SR shows promise to help corporate leaders and their employees to contribute towards achieving sustainable societies. However, most of the guidelines and standards address sustainability issues through comparmentalisation, thereby, leading to the separation of the economic, environmental, and social dimensions. Due to these divisive approaches, holistic assessments of the effects of their efforts are seldom properly integrated into coporate decisions and procedures to make improvements for example through Cleaner Production, Worker Health and Safety, Consumer Safety, and reductions in the negative short and long-term Social and Environmental Impacts.This paper analyses SR reports from three companies with the help of Grounded Theory's constant comparative analysis. This analytical framework helped the authors to systematically assess the degree to which the companies addressed economic, ecological and social issues separately or in an integrated and inter-linked manner. From the inter-linkages found, a new category is proposed to be added to future SR. This new category can help corporate SR planners and researchers on sustainability reports to better understand how the company leaders understand their responsibilities with regard to SD. These inter-connectednesses are highly relevant in many short and long-term dimensions of supply chain management, global warming, ecological disruption and societal equity issues, especially with regard to the local, national and global energy issues of fuels and oils, the central themes of the conference at which this paper was originally presented. It also plays a key role in real, long-term changes towards Sustainability, where the time dimension plays a key role in human survival on Planet Earth.     

Sustainability of seafood production and consumption: an introduction to the special issue

This paper provides an introduction to the special issue of the Journal of Cleaner Production on “The Sustainability of Seafood Production and Consumption”. The purpose of the special issue is to bring together a series of papers that will form a nucleus for the growth of an emerging area of scholarship. Overfishing and marine habitat damage have generated a global crisis in the production of seafood. In order to respond to this crisis we need systems for the management of seafood production and consumption that will comprehensively reduce and eventually eliminate wastefulness in both capture fisheries and aquaculture systems. Thirteen papers address these issues, with focuses on: seafood harvesting practices, fish processing, life cycle assessment, eco-efficiency, management of wastes, seafood distribution and consumption, total energy costs, eco-labeling, and the conservation of resources and biodiversity. We conclude that major changes are required in our approaches to the management of both the marine environment and our seafood capture and production systems. We also conclude that steps have been taken in this direction, but there is still far to go.     

A tool for a Graphical Assessment of Sustainability in Universities (GASU)

This paper presents: (1) a comparison between different tools that have been developed to assess and report upon academic institutions' sustainability efforts; (2) a modification of one of these tools, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Sustainability Guidelines, for use in universities; and (3) a tool developed by the author, the Graphical Assessment of Sustainability in Universities (GASU), that offers a condensed graphical overview of the myriad of indicators from the GRI modification. The GASU was designed to facilitate the analysis, longitudinal comparison and benchmarking of universities' sustainability efforts and achievement.     

燃煤电厂清洁生产审核应用探讨

作为国家明确要求开展清洁生产审核行业之一,某燃煤电厂依据清洁生产审核思路,从原辅料和能源、技术工艺、过程控制、设备、管理、员工、产品、废物生产过程的八个方面,按照审核准备、预审核、审核、方案产生和筛选、方案确定、方案实施、持续清洁生产七个实施阶段在企业内部开展清洁生产审核工作,实现了本轮清洁生产目标,并取得了显著的环境效益和经济效益。     

Standardized and simplified life-cycle assessment (LCA) as a driver for more sustainable biofuels

The assessment of environmental impacts along the life cycle of biofuels is a complex and resource-demanding task that cannot be afforded by small producers in developing countries. Therefore, certification schemes bear the risk that small and independent producers will be locked out and the market for sustainable biofuels will be dominated by international investors and large-scale plantations. However, many environmental impacts of various production chains of biofuels and feedstocks are already known. This knowledge has been used to create a web-based questionnaire for a “Sustainability Quick Check for Biofuels” (SQCB, http://www.sqcb.org). SQCB reduces the need for user entries to the most relevant and best-known parameters of the biofuel production chain. Based on this user input, a specific inventory is automatically modelled and linked to background data. SQCB then calculates the environmental impact assessment and checks the results against sustainability criteria. Since the results are calculated immediately, key environmental factors can be interactively analyzed. One major goal of the SQCB is to support the market entrance for local biofuel producers, given that strengthening local stakeholders is a key driver for empowering rural communities in development countries.     

基于能值分析的小型港口可持续发展评价:以海阳港为例

运用能值分析构建小型港口发展可持续性评价模型和指标体系,以中国山东省烟台市海阳港为研究对象,利用2015年数据分析和评价了该港口生态经济系统的特征和可持续性。研究结果表明:（1）2015年海阳港生态经济系统的能值总投入为2.91×1021 sej,不可更新工业辅助能占主体地位;（2）能值自给率、集疏运稳定性、净能值产出率、单位吞吐量能值消耗、能值生态承载力和可持续发展能力指标均低于同行业或同地区平均水平,废弃物能值比率、环境负荷率、能值交换率和能值密度指标处于较高水平;（3）存在对可更新自然资源利用少、来自外部购买能值比例过高和对污水、固体废物缺乏有效的综合利用的问题;（4）有必要在节约能源、设备降耗、利用可再生能源、水资源循环利用和构筑物造价控制5个方面采取有效措施,增强港口可持续发展能力。     

论城市生态可持续发展及路径选择

可持续发展是21世纪全球最重要的研究热点之一,城市生态可持续发展是整个社会可持续发展的重要组成部分.在城市生态系统承栽能力限度内,从公众生态意识的提高、生态产业转型、城市自然环境保护、城市生态文化建设等方面实现城市经济、社会、环境的协调、持续发展,是城市生态可持续发展的内在要求.     

Cross-cultural education for sustainability: development of an introduction to sustainability course

This paper reports on Ball State University's activities in the area of education for sustainability and current activities to develop an Internet-based Introduction to Sustainability course. As the course will be Internet-based, it will mesh well with and can serve as the introductory course in the sustainability curriculum of Ball State University Land Design Institute's international network of Sustainability Consortia, and can be used in sustainability education programs within the context of other international partnerships. This course will serve as a foundation for that effort and for a broader curriculum that can be delivered across cultures. Ball State University's Clustered Minors in Environmentally Sustainable Practices utilizes three courses to address the social, environmental, and economic aspects of sustainability: environmental ethics; ecology; and environmental economics. The intention is to compose a course comprising elements from all three dimensions. The course will include Internet content and assignments and will exploit the emerging ability for Internet-based teleconferencing for real-time interactions among students and faculty at diverse international sites.     

香港维多利亚港和珠江广州河段水体中抗生素的含量特征及其季节变化

采用固相萃取、液相色谱/串联质谱法(LC-MS/MS)分析香港维多利亚港(维港)与珠江广州河段水体中9种典型抗生素药物含量.结果表明,在维港海水中,只检出较低含量的氟喹诺酮和大环内酯类抗生素;无论是在枯季(3月)还是洪季(6月),珠江广州河段河水中各种抗生素(阿莫西林除外)均可检出,而且含量较高(分别在70～489 ng·L^-1和13～69 ng·L^-1之间),其含量水平明显高于美、欧等国河流中相应污染物的含量,其中红霉素、磺胺嘧啶等与国外污水处理厂所检出的含量水平相当.数据也表明,河水中抗生素含量水平受季节和水量变化的影响很大,枯季河水中抗生素含量明显高于洪季.与枯季相比,洪季河水中药物含量具有明显的日变化.     

Ex-ante environmental assessments of novel technologies - Improved caprolactam catalysis and hydrogen storage

Utrecht University has conducted a pilot sustainability assessment for the executive board of the chemistry program ACTS (Advanced Chemical Technologies for Sustainability) of the Netherlands’ Organization for Scientific Research (NWO). These assessments represent prospective, i.e. ’ex-ante’ studies on the production of caprolactam by an improved catalyst and on different hydrogen storage options (i.e. compressed and liquefied hydrogen, storage in metal hydrides and storage in a metal organic framework). The pilot sustainability assessments followed the principles of environmental life cycle assessment (LCA), thereby focusing on non-renewable energy use (NREU) and climate change (GWP100). It was found that caprolactam with the novel catalyst has lower impacts than petrochemical caprolactam production from benzene but higher impacts than bio-based caprolactam produced via fermentation. Regarding hydrogen storage, it was found that compressed and liquid hydrogen have the highest impacts. The impacts of the metal hydrides and the metal organic frameworks show by far the lowest environmental impacts. The main reason is that these materials can be reused up to 1500 times (refilling of tank), while for compressing and liquefaction of hydrogen energy is needed each time a tank needs to be refilled. The study demonstrates the successful application of ex-ante technology assessment.