Application of a comparative multidimensional life cycle analysis in solid waste management policy: the case of soft drink containers

The paper describes the application of a multidimensional life cycle analysis (LCA) for packaging soft drinks in Israel. The suggested approach combines the conventional product LCA, vertical summation of all environmental burdens along the chain of production, use and disposal activities, and horizontal comparison of different products and disposal options, such as recycling, incineration or landfilling. The paper attempts to show that the most effective, as well as transparent, means of comparing packaging alternatives, is to place them on a commensurate basis, the most appropriate one being a monetary basis. Taking into account limitations and drawbacks of monetary valuation of non-market assets (namely, environmental assets), the study derived estimates of environmental benefits and damages associated with each alternative. The production of soft drinks containers in Israel, used here as an example for the above mentioned considerations, is based mainly on imported materials, since natural resources such as oil or bauxite do not exist in Israel. Locally, only direct production and pollution abatement costs are incorporated in the final bill, while global environmental burdens are excluded. Countries extracting and producing raw material for the packaging industry, in effect, grant an environmental subsidy to the final users, in this case — the Israeli user. The paper suggests that only by globalization of externalities and fully internalizing environmental costs into the price of the final product (the packaging material or the packaged product), an equitable full environmental accounting can be designed. This mechanism can be even accompanied by global trading in the relevant environmental credits. Decisions will, consequently, follow a sustainable path, in both importing and exporting countries.     

我国包装废物产生及回收现状分析

针对我国包装废物产生、回收、最终处置的各阶段现状进行调查和分析,主要对于我国现阶段塑料、纸制品和金属制品的包装产生消费量进行综合分析,并实地对居民生活小区零散个体回收者的包装废物回收量和包装废物再生企业包装废物原料回收渠道以及最终流入生活垃圾填埋场的包装废物含量进行了调研. 将包装废物产生量、回收量与最终处置量相比较的结果可以看出,现有回收体系对于部分包装废物回收效果较好,例如包装废物中PET聚酯瓶和金属罐的回收效果最好;而没有经济利益的塑料袋几乎完全没有得到回收再生,是回收工作的难点. 再进一步通过对复合包装再生企业和PET聚酯瓶再生企业的回收体系的实例分析,提出我国现存包装废物回收体系中存在的问题.      

Cap and trade policy for managing water competition from potential future carbon plantations

Carbon sequestration from reforestation can play a large role in mitigating global climate change. However, resulting interception of rainfall runoff may impose high irrigation, water supply and/or environmental flow costs. This article presents an assessment of water trade policy to manage fresh water supply, carbon sequestration trade-offs for the Murray-Darling Basin. A linked Australian high spatial resolution land use and global integrated assessment framework evaluated plausible and internally-consistent global scenarios to 2050 involving significant carbon planting incentive. Substantial flow loss from increased interception was estimated absent policy to balance carbon water trade-offs. Absent policy to address the trade-off, irrigation opportunity costs was estimated to substantially exceed carbon sequestration economic value in futures with significant carbon sequestration incentive. The value of integrating interception from new carbon plantings into the existing water trade system was estimated at $3.3 billion and $2.0 billion (2050 annual value) for our strong and moderately strong global climate action outlooks with our reference case assumptions. The conclusion that trade provision in policy to cap interception impacts can produce significant benefits in scenarios with significant carbon sequestration incentive remained robust over a very broad set of sensitivities tested with benefit estimated at over $1 billion annually at 2050 even for very conservative assumptions.     

Income effect or policy result: a test of the environmental Kuznets Curve

Taipei Municipal City (TMC) began implementing a policy of a plastic-bag-based disposal fee for household solid waste treatment in July 2000, while other counties kept their same charge of a disposal fee based on potable water consumption. Taiwan's EPA has highly valued the outcome of TMC's new policy and has thus required all counties to follow TMC in employing a policy of a plastic-bag-based disposal fee accompanied by a compulsory sorting system. We attempt to verify whether the new policy implemented by TMC is successful in the reduction of general waste collected and then we seek to identify what other factors contribute to such a successful result.This paper provides a general overview of household waste management practices employed in Taiwan and the changes of household waste collected over time through simple statistical analysis and management practices, including evaluating waste recovery and recycling initiatives. The authors employ statistical analysis to verify TMC's new policy and to examine the factors that affect its success in addition to the policy changes through a test on the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC). We separate the data into three groups: TMC, non-TMC regions, and the pooled data (combination of TMC and non-TMC). The results show that: (1) the policy of a plastic-bag-based disposal fee is significantly effective in the reduction of general waste collected; and (2) the per capita household solid waste collected in both regions (TMC and non-TMC) is significantly related with household incomes in an EKC relationship. However, the test of EKC relationships on the pooled data is not significant.     

包装废物减量及回收体系构建研究

对上海的实证研究表明,市场上过度包装倾向较明显,生活垃圾中以塑料为代表的包装废物产生量呈明显上升趋势;现有的废旧物资回收市场管理混乱,对包装废物的回收处置未体现源头生产者的责任.应充分运用生产者责任制度、经济激励机制以及包装废物回收利用的代偿机制等调控手段,建立区域性的包装废物循环利用网络进行较高层次的经营规模,才能保证畅通的包装废物减量及其资源化利用的物质循环.     

Mitigation,adaptation, and climate change: results from recent research on US timber markets

This paper reviews recent studies that have addressed how US timber markets may adapt to climate change, and how US forests could be used to mitigate potential climate change. The studies are discussed in light of the ecological and economic assumptions used to estimate adaptation. Estimates of both economic impacts and carbon sequestration costs depend heavily on the assumptions and methods used, although some general conclusions can be drawn. Studies of economic impacts suggest that average market effects in the United States may range from +$1.3 to +7.4 billion per year by the middle of the next century. Estimates of the cost of sequestering carbon have generally increased over the last 10 years, with a current range of <1–73 million metric t per year of additional sequestration from afforestation projects costing $5–66 per metric t. Estimates of the potential for alternative methods for carbon sequestration, such as product markets and recycling, are as large as afforestation estimates, with up to 50 million metric tons per year of additional storage considered possible. Cost estimates have not been developed for these alternative methods, however.     

中国电子废物循环利用空间优化

基于2014年和2015年环保部发布的省级回收数据,分析了现有传统回收体系下,各省的电子废物回收率变化,发现省级尺度电子废物的回收率呈现较大波动,这与电子废物的跨省流动有密切关系.为此,本文基于现有回收渠道的省际流动网络格局,采用网络分析中的层次聚类方法,揭示全国电子废物流动的区域化特征.结果显示根据区域化特征重新划分市场区,可以使主要市场区的整体回收率波动明显降低,从而为制定合理的回收目标提供参考.针对这一研究结果,提出基于市场区域化特征,建立全国一体化的回收利用市场和差异化的区域性回收目标,有助于充分利用市场机制优化中国电子废物循环利用的空间格局.最后,讨论了生产者主导和处理企业主导两种治理机制对空间优化的潜在影响.     

流域横向生态补偿政策的水环境效益评估

基于2000~2019年浙江和安徽26个地级市的面板数据,使用合成控制法定量分析新安江3轮横向生态补偿试点政策对其水环境效益的总体性和结构性影响结果表明:政策效果在时间上存在异质性。第1、2轮政策试点显著的提升了新安江流域整体的水环境,但第3轮试点对上游水环境的影响是负的。政策效果在空间上存在异质性。流域横向生态补偿政策使下游的生物多样性价值平均提高了0.068亿元,但使上游生物多样性价值平均降低了0.015亿元。政策效果在结构上存在异质性。通过对水环境效益的结构性分解,发现横向生态补偿政策使新安江流域的水质净化能力价值平均提高了31.874亿元,但使其产品供给价值平均下降了13.402亿元。政策效果存在预期效益。流域横向生态补偿的政策效果在政策正式实施前2年已经出现。     

Emergy as a tool for Ecodesign: evaluating materials selection for beverage packages in Brazil

The life of a product begins with the initial product design concepts; the costs and potential impacts of a product are heavily influenced by the final design, the production processes, the economic and environmental costs of all raw materials. Additionally, both of these factors are very much affected by how the products are managed during and after consumer usage. Thus, there is an urgent need for a tool to facilitate the integration and assessment of environmental and economic demands into the product planning and development processes. The introduction of environmental accounting based on emergy as a tool to assist in product design is proposed. This complementary tool may be inserted into the conventional design methodology to facilitate in the selection of materials and processes as well as in the actual design of the products. To illustrate the application of the proposed method for material selection, PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles and aluminum cans for beverage packaging are compared. Despite the exceptional condition of aluminum recycling in Brazil, results show that the best option for beverage packages is the PET bottles.     

我国煤炭环境外部成本的经济核算

基于产品生命周期理论,构建煤炭环境外部成本核算框架,采用环境价值评估方法,对煤炭生产、运输及利用环节环境成本实物量及价值量进行核算,最后得到煤炭的环境外部成本,以2010年为核算基准年,得到煤炭在生产、运输和使用环节中产生的环境外部成本分别为2185.95亿元、631.18亿元及2655.37亿元,吨煤成本为67.78,44.68,85.04,总环境外部成本为5472.50亿元,吨煤成本为197.40元.     

Commercial development of energy—environmentally sound technologies for the auto-industry: the case of fuel cells

The economic importance of energy and environmental issues is continuously increasing, affecting both process and product design in business. The energy crisis in California in 2001 made this basic issue universal. New technologies are expected to reduce pollution derived both from production processes and products, with costs that are still unknown and in competition with more mature technologies high. Nevertheless, until now there is still little, but growing knowledge concerning the process of technological innovation in the fields of energy and environment.In this paper we analyze the development of zinc air fuel cell (ZAFC) and its transfer from a research laboratory to potential mass production. ZAFC are a new ‘environmentally sound technology’, proven to have commercial value, that can be used for substituting internal combustion engines (ICEs) and meeting zero emission vehicles (ZEV) regulations. Although ZAFC performances are higher than traditional electric batteries ones, commercial costs are still high. Hence the pathway to mass production may come from stationary application of fuel cells for power.In contrast to the conventional ‘paradigmatic’ approach, we argue that the existing economic and organizational literature concerning technological innovation is not able to fully explain steps followed in commercializing energy—environmentally sound technologies. Existing models mainly consider adopting problems, which are due to market uncertainty, weak application, lack of a dominant design, and problems in reconfiguring existing organizational routines. Above all ‘market power’ exists in terms of control over technological innovation and its commercial application. Barriers are erected that prevent new technologies such as fuel cells from becoming adapted. Through pro-active government intervention, such as the case in California, new advanced technologies can move rapidly into the marketplace.From this discussion we draw some conclusions and issues for further research concerning policy making for sustaining the process of technological transfer and firms’ strategies in technological innovation.     

我国包装废物的分类收集模式

针对塑料类、纸类和金属类等典型包装废物,采用3种包装废物分类收集模式,并在3个居民小区进行示范. 3种分类收集模式为:①自然状态;②在小区进行分类收集的宣传教育;③在宣传教育的同时由专业人员对小区生活垃圾进行分类. 采用物质流分析的跟踪观察法,通过问卷调查、现场采样和入户采访,对不同模式下各类包装废物的产生量、回收量与回收率等废物流数据进行统计,得到包装废物从产生、回收到再利用和最终处置的物流分析图. 结果表明:自然状态下包装废物也有一定的回收率,即我国现有的回收体系对包装废物的分类收集有一定的效果;不同类型包装废物的主要回收环节不同,纸类和金属类包装废物在家庭的回收率较高,而塑料类包装废物的回收主要依赖社会人员分拣;辅以宣传教育等方式,回收价值低、分类收集难度大的包装废物也能得到有效回收.      

基于成本核算的废旧动力电池回收模式分析与趋势研究

概述了动力电池流向、回收管理体系和回收模式等管理现状,总结提出了以新能源汽车生产企业、动力电池生产企业、第三方综合利用企业和产业联盟为回收主体的四种动力电池回收模式;考虑建设成本、运行维护成本、收集成本、贮存成本、运输成本、人工成本、税收成本、管理成本等8个构成要素,构建了废旧动力电池回收成本模型;核算了四种回收模式的废旧动力电池回收成本和利润情况.核算数据显示,回收1万t/a的废旧动力电池项目,在年总收益均为8500万元的条件下,四种回收模式的利润区间为-461~401万元.结果与趋势分析表明,我国可优先推广新能源汽车生产企业为回收主体的回收模式,便于迅速布局;市场成熟后以动力电池生产企业和综合利用企业为回收主体的模式将进入市场,专业性和技术性将大幅提升;当市场更加成熟,以产业联盟为主体的回收模式将更具优势,回收成本降到最低.综上,建议从避免重复建设,缩短资金周转周期,探索创新模式,构建绿色供应链以及完善回收法律体系等方面入手,进一步完善我国废旧动力电池回收体系.     

Applying 3DCE to environmentally responsible manufacturing practices

A review of recent literature in the fields of operations, supply chain, and management indicates there is on-going interest in improving new product development (NPD) performance. Three-dimensional concurrent engineering (3DCE), the simultaneous design of product, process and supply chain have been proposed as a way to improve traditional NPD outcomes, such as reduced time to market, lower costs, and improved customer acceptance. There appears to be a lesser concern associated with the environmental impacts of new products. Environmentally responsible manufacturing (ERM) on new product development focuses on reduced emissions, hazardous materials elimination, and lower product weight without sacrificing functionality. This paper explores the following issue: will employing 3DCE to integrate NPD and ERM yield better benefits than the separate and uncoordinated application of environmental goals and NPD initiatives?     

Processing of discarded household refrigerators: lessons from the Dutch example

This paper deals with policies on recycling of discarded complex products, elaborated from an environmental point of view. Two principal factors cause incoherence, inconsistency and ineffectiveness in such a policy, viz. lack of knowledge of the system, and deficiency in feedback. This is reinforced by ad hoc decision making and conflicting interests. To illustrate this mechanism, a case study on refrigerator recycling policy in the Netherlands is discussed. It is demonstrated that, to increase effectiveness of policy making, a clear view of sacrifices and benefits should be available. Decision tools based on systems modelling are proposed to improve policy making.     

自主实体共生模式下企业共生的博弈分析

生态工业因是循环经济的一种重要载体,园区企业通过互相利用副产物和废物形成一种共生关系,这种共生关系形成的基础在于企业可以通过合作获得更大的经济利益。但企业共生关系的形成并不是完全的自发市场行为,而是受到各种技术、政策、园区管理等因素的影响。本文据此建立混合策略博弈模型,将以上影响,因素纳入模型分析框架,研究企业共生关系的形成过程,分析这些因素如何对企业共生关系产生的影响。     

中国长江三角洲地区电力行业SO2排放控制的经济分析

总结了中国SO2排放总量控制与排放权交易政策研究与实施3个阶段的主要内容与成果。使用YRDEGS线性规划优化模型对在长江三角洲地区电力行业实施SO2排放权交易所能产生的SO2控制费用的节省、安装FGD装机容量的变化、可引起的脱硫变动成本的节约、SO2排放许可的市场需求、不同交易方式所引起的脱硫费用变化进行分析,得到以下主要结论：若发电量保持在2000年的水平,实现SO2减排20％的目标,采用排污交易脱硫费用将会节省38％,可以少安装FGD的机组装机容量达6．3GW;随着发电量的增加,对SO2排放许可指标的市场需求呈增长趋势,发电量的改变比逐步严格的SO2减排要求更会增加区域SO2减排的负担;当SO2排放削减率为20％时,在不实施排污交易时脱硫费用约为30亿～45亿元;实施跨省排污交易以电厂为交易单位时费用最低,约为6亿～28．5亿元,脱硫费用可以节省16．5亿～24亿元。     

构建中国快递行业包装废弃物产业链对环境影响重要性研究

互联网和电子商务的快速发展带动了快递行业的飞速发展,使社会对快递包装物的需求增加.庞大的快递废弃物给环境造成了严重的破坏.然而由于相关法律不健全、回收体系不完整、企业不积极以及回收渠道少等原因导致了中国的快递包装废弃物回收率非常低.构建快递包装废弃物回收产业链,并降低快递包装废弃物对环境造成的影响就成了社会经济发展的一个迫切需要.为此推广环保材料和环保产品以及提高消费者环保意识入手,构建快递包装废弃物回收产业链势在必行.