The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990: A Policy Whose Time Has Come or Symbolic Legislation?

/ In 1990, the United States officially entered the era of pollution prevention with passage of the Pollution Prevention Act. This paper analyzes EPA's implementation of the Pollution Prevention Act from its passage in 1990 to the present. It examines the barriers EPA must overcome if it is to effectively integrate pollution prevention into its existing regulatory structure, including impediments created by statutory and organizational structure, the existing relationship between EPA and the groups it regulates, the fragmented implementation scheme of national environmental regulation, the balancing of conflicting demands advanced by powerful interests, industry's economic and technical concerns, and institutional inertia. It also examines issues such as industry commitment, the limits of prevention, and measurement concerns. The findings suggest that EPA's efforts at shifting to a pollution prevention regulatory ethic that holds primacy over pollution control are mixed. Its organizational structure, statutory authority, and incentives system still reflect a single-medium pollution control focus, appropriations for pollution prevention programs and activities are paltry compared to traditional pollution control programs, and participation in the program is voluntary. Yet, the findings also point to some promising programs that are working to institutionalize a pollution prevention regulatory ethic, and many states appear very committed to the concept.KEY WORDS: Pollution prevention; Source reduction; Pollution control; Alternative regulatory design; Barriers to implementation     

Introducing design for the environment at boeing defense and space group through the application of abridged life-cycle analysis

The streamlined, matrix approach to environmental Life-Cycle Analysis (LCA) developed originally at AT&T by Graedel and Allenby can be adapted to manufacturing processes to produce a useful tool for Design for the Environment (DFE). Pollution prevention in manufacturing has typically focused on the environmental impact of processes at a manufacturer's site. However, it is important to recognize that a process has a “life cycle,” albeit not precisely like the life cycle associated with a product. Modification of processes can also have upstream and downstream effects. In this article, the authors show how, by using a streamlined LCA matrix, it is possible to evaluate the environmental impact associated with a process over the process's life cycle. This approach also allows managers to allocate resources to improve processes that have greater environmental impact and to assess process improvements.     

新时代我国土壤环境规划思路初探

在我国生态文明建设大背景下,土壤环境污染问题正受到广泛关注。如何通过规划手段加强土壤污染防控和管治,已成为学术界和管理部门的共同关注点。本文结合《土壤污染防治行动计划》和《土壤污染防治法》,对新时代土壤环境规划的基本概念和编制框架进行了探索,通过对土壤环境规划思路、基本内容、编制步骤等问题的讨论,为新时代土壤环境规划的深入开展提出建议,包括:加快健全土壤环境规划的规范和标准,为规划提供技术支撑;加强土壤环境规划的作用和地位,促进土壤环境规划与水、大气环境规划的融合;进一步完善土壤环境法律法规,构建土壤环境规划保障体系等。     

Corporate strategy and viable future land use: planning for closure from the outset of mining

This paper provides an overview of the environmental impact of mining on viable future land use and underlines the imperative of improved environmental management and closure planning. It argues that pollution prevention, through planning for closure, can lead to cost-effective strategies for sustainable minerals development and viable future land use. This seems to be most true for greenfield sites since, generally, the earlier closure planning and pollution prevention is built into a project, the more cost-effective and environmentally benign closure will be. Further, for greenfield sites, pollution prevention techniques can be employed from the outset, at the stages of exploration and mine development, and then monitored and improved through the operation stage to closure, and can be kept in place to manage future land use.
The paper discusses how global changes in the industry, following the liberalisation of investment regimes, and mergers and strategic alliances between key firms, has, by virtue of the diffusion of new technology, led to further opportunities to prevent pollution and optimise future land use through planning for closure from the outset. The objectives and components of closure plans are also reviewed as the paper draws on case studies to highlight some of the possible constraints and challenges to pollution prevention that may be faced at the level of both public policy and corporate strategy. The article concludes by suggesting a forward-looking approach to integrated environmental management and viable future land-use planning based on a dynamic model for environmental management.     

Using envirodaemon to search the internet for environmental information and building custom search engines

The Internet holds vast stores of information pertaining to pollution prevention and environmental issues, and with each day more is added. Yet, as this storehouse grows, the difficulty of finding specific information increases. This article details how EnviroDaemon was built to ease the task of finding this information and knowledge base. It automatically builds and updates a catalog of objects at pre-selected Internet sites that are related to pollution prevention. Users search for information by submitting keywords. Searches can be restricted to small subsets of the indexed sites by choosing one of five search criteria, or the entire catalog can be searched. The results are returned rapidly and are embedded in several lines of text to provide context. If the text looks promising, the user can click on a hyperlink to access the full article. Since its release in March, EnviroDaemon has seen increasing use, especially following its demonstration at the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable Conference. The authors also discuss the process of building this search engine to show interested readers how to create other environmental custom search engines.     

Applying tqem practices to pollution prevention at AT&T's columbus works plant

In recent years AT&T changed its focus on environmental policies from compliance to pollution prevention. Pollution prevention is an integrated program that includes design for the environment, “green” manufacturing, and a comprehensive program to reduce existing waste in production. The principles of Total Quality Management can be applied to pollution prevention as well as the more traditional manufacturing concepts. The project described in this article is one of several concurrent programs being conducted at AT&T'S Columbus Works to reduce overall waste produced by the facility by applying TQM practices.     

钻井生产过程中的环境污染及治理

随着石油钻井的快速增长,如何对污染进行有效的防治,成为一个亟待解决的课题。依据胜利油田坨767井实际情况,深入分析了钻井生产过程中产生环境污染的原因和类型,着重对废弃钻井液、废水、噪声等环境污染问题进行分析,并对防治措施进行了探讨。将污染控制变末端处理为包括源头控制、过程控制、末端治理、综合管理的全过程控制。     

Processes in Pollution Management: An Australian Model

/ This paper describes a model of the social and institutional processes involved in the solution of major pollution problems from the time they are first identified until they are resolved. The model is empirically demonstrated using four case studies of water and air pollution problems from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Each process of the model is quantified by the use of an indicator, e.g., number of articles in newspapers to measure the process "publicconcern," number of pages of text devoted to parliamentary debates to measure the process "political action." The case study data are presented on a time-line graph that shows the duration and magnitude of each process. The paper illustrates three aspects of the solution of major pollution problems: the long time frames involved, the importance of public opinion in initiating the solution process, and the partial nature of solutions-problems may be politically resolved but often a complete solution is not achieved. An understanding of social and institutional processes and time frames will enable planners and policy makers to communicate to the public and politicians the consequences of delay in acting to solve pollution and to direct attention to critical areas to expedite solutions.KEY WORDS: Pollution problems; Management process model; Performance indicators; Air pollution; Water pollution     

污染防治攻坚战实施阶段性成效评估研究

污染防治攻坚战是党的十九大提出的我国全面建成小康社会决胜时期的“三大攻坚战”之一,以解决人民群众反映强烈的大气、水、土壤污染等突出问题为重点,全面加强环境污染防治。为客观评估污染防治攻坚战实施成效,本研究构建了污染防治攻坚战评估指标体系与方法,基于环境监测数据、生态环境综合业务调度平台等数据,采用比较法、耦合协调指数等方法,从目标指标、重点任务、政策制度和经济绩效4个维度,对2018—2020年的污染防治攻坚战实施阶段性成效开展评估。结果显示：攻坚战实施成效显著,全面完成规定的13项目标指标,重点任务完成情况总体较好,有效地促进了环境经济协调发展,推动生态环境治理体制机制更加完善。然而,我国生态环境质量改善成效仍不稳固,结构性、根源性、趋势性压力尚未根本缓解,本文建议“十四五”时期应从绿色低碳转型、减污降碳协同增效、关键领域突破、环境治理体系和治理能力等方面深入打好污染防治攻坚战,持续改善生态环境质量。     

生态环境部体制下农业面源监管的难点与应对建议

农业面源污染治理对完成好"水污染防治行动计划"、"大气污染防治行动计划"具有举足轻重的作用。从农业废水面源污染现状来看,畜禽养殖业排污在农业源中占绝对优势,且全国仍有90%以上的分散养殖畜禽未得到综合整治,整治力度亟需进一步加强;农业废气面源污染主要来源于秸秆焚烧,已成为重污染天气的帮凶之一,近年来秸秆综合利用率有所提升但仍存在秸秆焚烧现象。"监督指导农业面源污染治理"是生态环境部的新职能,新职能带来新挑战:由于农业源具有分布分散、受地域等因素影响较大、治理的责任主体不明确等特点,以工业污染治理为核心的环境管理体系"难以作为";另一方面,基层监管工作缺少数据、缺少人员,现有基层环保队伍承接新职能的能力明显不足。为此,提出应对建议:一是建立适应农业面源特点的环境管理体系,二是采取多种手段强化农业面源的环境监管,三是推动各级政府加大农业面源治理力度,通过规范农业生产的清洁化水平,从源头控制农业面源污染产生量和排放量。     

芳烃石油树脂生产的环境保护

乙烯装置的副产品在综合利用中存在着严重的环境污染问题。中原油田采取了一些措施。用催化剂对生产尾气进行吸收,将有毒的氟化物转化为钙盐用于磷肥生产;将石油树脂聚合液中BF3脱除,防止对大气、水进行污染;用冷却回收工艺对减压蒸馏放空的芳烃气体进行处理。通过上述治理大大改善了企业的环境,有效地防止了环境污染。     

我国土壤环境修复咨询服务业发展研究

2019年是《中华人民共和国土壤污染防治法》实施的第一年,2020年我国迎来了《土壤污染防治行动计划》的大考,“十三五”期间我国土壤环境修复产业市场规模接近6900亿元,下达中央土壤污染防治专项资金259.13亿元,主要用于示范性农田和工业场地修复、全国土壤环境调查以及土壤污染防治先行区建设等,资金整体落实情况较好。土壤环境修复产业是支撑我国土壤污染防治目标指标和各项任务完成的重要支撑和物质保障,产业发展状况和水平直接决定了目标和任务的完成水平。本文基于土壤环境修复政策指南和招投标数据库,从政策、市场、队伍、项目、模式、问题、展望等方面系统分析了2019年我国土壤环境修复咨询服务业发展状况、水平与特点,提出了修复咨询服务业发展中存在的主要问题,对未来发展趋势进行了预测分析,以期为全面了解我国土壤环境修复咨询服务市场、开展土壤环境管理和社会投资提供参考。     

What Is Source Reduction? A Critique and Comparative Analysis of Polish and American Students

/ Source reduction is recognized as the preferred form of waste management, but its definition is ambiguous. This study proposes four underlying dimensions of the source reduction concept. Source reduction is foremost a preventive activity that reduces the number or extent of environmental impacts. Second, source reduction can prevent both resource consumption and pollution generation impacts. Third, source reduction may be viewed as both a producer and consumer activity. Lastly, it may include frugal and more efficient activities. In surveys exploring these fourdimensions, Polish and American university students evaluated whether 20 activities were examples of source reduction. The American students gave higher ratings to preventive activities over adaptive activities. The Polish students most prominently rated efficient over frugal activities. Factor analysis indicated that both samples identified a group of consumer-based resource conservation activities, with the American students recognizing a cluster of recycling activities. In a separate ranking of environmental protection priorities, the Polish students endorsed pollution prevention, whereas the American students favored both efficient and frugal resource conservation. These findings suggest that the conceptualization of source reduction varies according to contextual factors and that prevention is still an obscure environmental management theme. KEY WORDS: Source reduction; Pollution prevention; Resource conservation; Frugality; Poland     

我国区域大气污染防治协作历程与展望

建立横向跨区域大气治理的联防联控协调机制是解决区域性大气污染的重要手段。我国自20世纪90年代开始探索通过区域协作解决区域性大气污染问题，经过30多年的发展，区域大气协作取得阶段性成效，但是区域协作的内在动力和持续性不足，难以满足未来区域大气环境管理需求。本文从理念形成、实践探索、机制完善等层面系统回顾了我国区域大气污染防治协作发展历程，结合“大气十条”以来重点区域联防联控工作重点和机制创新，总结了空气质量改善、统一标准体系建设、重污染天气应急体系建设、环境监管模式创新、科技支撑等方面取得的主要成效。基于未来我国区域大气环境管理需求，从综合管理体系、立法保障、规划统筹、信息共享等方面提出进一步完善的对策建议。     

中国农业污染防控的制度约束研究

中国作为世界上最大的发展中国家,正经历着越发严重的农业污染问题;对农业污染防控的制度性约束因素进行深入分析,是实现有效污染防控的前提,具有积极的理论和现实意义。对中国农业污染防控的制度约束分析研究表明：农业污染及其防控涉及的利益主体关系及相关制度设计,对各利益主体形成了污染防控负激励,加重了农业污染;城乡＂二元＂结构及其衍生的一系列体制问题,导致＂三农＂在农业环境治理、农村公共物品提供等方面被严重边缘化,进而直接制约了农业污染防控;此外,高度分散的小规模农户经营模式也不利于农业污染防控。最后,针对中国农业污染防控的制度性约束因素,提出了有针对性的农业污染防控政策建议。     

Reducing anthropogenic environmental stresses: A review on cleaner production and industrial ecology

Cleaner production (CP) provides source control measures of minimizing the waste and emissions occurred by the production and processes. CP, which is also known by the term pollution prevention (P2), has been practiced for several years among various countries across the world. Practicing of CP in industries supports in optimization of materials utilization, lowering the energy consumption, and the reduction of emissions to air, water, and soil. CP provides a continuous and preventive environmental improvement for the organizations by focusing on the prevention rather than providing solutions, once the pollution has been occurred. Implementing CP in a business requires support from the employees from top to bottom levels in the hierarchy, to obtain a successful and long‐term outcome. Thus, CP is no longer considered as a standalone process and should be integrated in the entire business development activities, in order to improve the quality of life. CP can also be identified as a subset of industrial ecology, which focuses on designing the industrial processes, products, and services, in order to minimize the environmental concerns of the industrial activities. This article will provide an overview of the background of CP, the CP assessment methodology, and the concepts of industrial ecology.     

海洋污染应急费用的法制保障

船舶漏油事故等导致海洋环境污染的案例推动了船舶污染海洋环境应急管理和立法的发展。2011年交通运输部颁布的《船舶污染海洋环境应急防备和应急处置管理规定》及最高人民法院发布的《关于船舶油污损害赔偿纠纷案件若干问题的规定》等确立了以下机制:行政主体依民事侵权程序向责任人请求返还应急费用;应急产业经营者依强制缔约合同请求支付应急处置费用;以责任社会化的方式保障应急费用的资金来源。为应对海洋石油开发等其他类型的海洋环境污染事故,我国应借鉴船舶污染海洋应急管理中的强制清污协议制度、强制保险制度、油污基金制度等,建立环境损害赔偿制度。     

试论光污染的有关法律问题

我国有关光污染的立法几乎近于苍白，法院缺乏处理光污染侵害的法律依据，不能充分地维护受侵害人的利益。光污染侵权行为的构成要件有一定的特殊之处，亟需立法规范。防治光污染是一项社会系统工程，需要有关部门科学规划，合理布局环境建设，从源头防治光污染；采取有利于光环境保护的技术手段；加强对光污染的监督管理，有效控制光污染源；加强环境宣传教育，提高公众的环境意识。     

当前水环境污染新闻报道的潜在问题及对策研究——基于“长江水污染”议题的新闻数据分析

现今,我国水环境整体情况仍不容乐观,相较于大气污染而言,水污染形势也更为严峻紧迫。水环境关乎着人们的切身利益,与居民的健康和社会稳定紧密勾连,相关的新闻也深刻地反映着社会大众关注的焦点与痛点。拟从获取的数据入手,对以“长江水污染”为议题的新闻报道进行系统地研究分析,从而探讨当前水环境污染新闻报道的潜在问题,并对此提出一些对策与建议。厘清水环境污染新闻报道的现状,把握水环境污染报道存在的问题,对于新闻报道发挥影响力和推动水污染问题的解决具有重要意义。     

光污染的立法思考

光污染作为一种新型的环境污染,对环境的危害和人类的影响越来越明显。我国在光污染防治方面的法律法规明显滞后,制定一部符合国情的《光污染防治法》和相应的光污染环境标准势在必行。