The use of commercial and industrial waste in energy recovery systems - A UK preliminary study

With 2020 energy targets set out by the EU fast approaching, the UK is trying to source a higher proportion of its energy from renewable resources. Coupled with this, a growing population and increasing trends in consumer demand have resulted in national waste loads increasing. A possible solution to both issues is energy-from-waste (EfW) technologies. Many studies have focused on municipal solid waste (MSW) as a potential feedstock, but appear to overlook the potential benefits of commercial and industrial waste (C&IW). In this study, samples of C&IW were collected from three North West waste management companies and Lancaster University campus. The samples were tested for their gross and net calorific value, moisture content, ash content, volatile matter, and also elemental composition to determine their suitability in EfW systems. Intra-sample analysis showed there to be little variation between samples with the exception two samples, from waste management site 3, which showed extensive variation with regards to net calorific value, ash content, and elemental analysis. Comparisons with known fuel types revealed similarities between the sampled C&IW, MSW, and refuse derived fuel (RDF) thereby justifying its potential for use in EfW systems. Mean net calorific value (NCV) was calculated as 9.47 MJ/kg and concentrations of sulphur, nitrogen, and chlorine were found to be below 2%. Potential electrical output was calculated using the NCV of the sampled C&IW coupled with four differing energy generation technologies. Using a conventional incinerator with steam cycle, total electrical output was calculated as 24.9 GWh, based on a plant operating at 100,000 tpa. This value rose to 27.0 GWh when using an integrated gasification combined cycle. A final aspect of this study was to deduce the potential total national electrical output if all suitable C&IW were to be used in EfW systems. Using incineration coupled with a steam turbine, this was determined to be 6 TWh, 1.9% of the national demand thereby contributing 6.5% towards the UK’s 2020 renewable electricity target.     

Planning, designing, operating, and regulating a geologic sequestration repository as an underground landfill--a review

Geologic sequestration appears to be a technically feasible method of storing carbon dioxide in underground aquifers in order to lower greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. The overall feasibility of geologic sequestration is still in question and as such, has been the focus of intense research over the past decade. Researchers have looked to the oil/gas industry and water well industry for lessons learned and technical knowledge, however, a better industry to emulate may well be the waste industry. Viewing geologic sequestration repositories as underground landfills has a great many benefits. First, there is a plethora of existing research and investigations that are directly analogous to geologic sequestration projects. Second, the regulatory framework is rather mature and can be easily adapted to serve geologic sequestration. This paper conducts an extensive literature search of the environmental, waste, and geologic sequestration literature to ascertain planning, design, and operational methodologies, lessons learned, and concepts that are directly useful for geologic sequestration to improve the technical and regulatory framework. Lastly, the paper uses a hypothetical underground landfill geologic sequestration site (ULGSS) in Florida, USA to discuss some of the findings and implications from the literature. It is concluded that there are a number of literature findings from the waste and environmental arena that should be adapted for geologic sequestration.     

Architecture and engineering students' evaluations of house façades: Preference,complexity and impressiveness

In this study, five different sets of single-family house façades from private suburban cooperative housing developments in Ankara, Turkey, were analyzed; with each set comprising one example each of minimum, intermediate and maximum complexity. Although the houses in each set had the same appearance when they were first built, their façades have since been altered by their owners. The main hypothesis of the study was that preference rates would be high for intermediately altered houses by showing the existence of a U-shaped relationship. On the other hand, it was hypothesized that perceived complexity and perceived impressiveness would have a linear relationship, with perceived complexity increasing and perceived impressiveness decreasing as the complexity level changed. In terms of these two basic hypotheses, it was also assumed that there would be a difference in the ratings of particular respondent groups with different backgrounds. Thus, a questionnaire was given to 100 undergraduate students of the Architecture and Engineering Departments of Gazi University, Ankara (41 from architecture and 59 from engineering). These students were asked to rate a total of 15 photographs from five housing sites with the help of five-point semantic differential scales under three headings; namely: Preference: beautiful – ugly, warm – cold, pleasant – unpleasant; Complexity: unimposing – imposing, simple – complex; and Impressiveness: impressive – unimpressive. The results proved the existence of a U-shaped relationship between complexity and preference criteria. That is, façades representing an intermediate level of complexity were favored over less and more complex ones. The façades that seemed the most impressive were the most complex ones, but these, however, were not the most preferred. Amongst these results, it was also noted that the architecture students replied in a more critical way than the engineering students as they criticized what they saw as negative design decisions.     

Utility assessment of a map-based online geo-collaboration tool

Spatial group decision-making processes often include both informal and analytical components. Discussions among stakeholders or planning experts are an example of an informal component. When participants discuss spatial planning projects they typically express concerns and comments by pointing to places on a map. The Argumentation Map model provides a conceptual basis for collaborative tools that enable explicit linkages of arguments to the places to which they refer. These tools allow for the input of explicitly geo-referenced arguments as well as the visual access to arguments through a map interface. In this paper, we will review previous utility studies in geo-collaboration and evaluate a case study of a Web-based Argumentation Map application. The case study was conducted in the summer of 2005 when student participants discussed planning issues on the University of Toronto St. George campus. During a one-week unmoderated discussion phase, 11 participants wrote 60 comments on issues such as safety, facilities, parking, and building aesthetics. By measuring the participants' use of geographic references, we draw conclusions on how well the software tool supported the potential of the underlying concept. This research aims to contribute to a scientific approach to geo-collaboration in which the engineering of novel spatial decision support methods is complemented by a critical assessment of their utility in controlled, realistic experiments.     

Evidence Supporting Cap and Trade as a Groundwater Policy Option for Reducing Irrigation Consumptive Use1

Thompson, Christopher L., Raymond J. Supalla, Derrel L. Martin, and Brian P. McMullen, 2009. Evidence Supporting Cap and Trade as a Groundwater Policy Option for Reducing Irrigation Consumptive Use. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 45(6):1508‐1518. Abstract: In the American West water is becoming an increasingly scarce resource. Obligations to bordering states, endangered species protection, and long‐term resource sustainability objectives have created a need for most western states to reduce the consumption of irrigation water. In Nebraska specifically, the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (NDNR) and local Natural Resource Districts (NRDs) are meeting a large part of this need by using a regulatory approach, commonly called groundwater allocation. The cost of allocation, which occurs in the form of reduced economic returns to irrigation, could be greatly reduced by using an integrated cap and trade approach. Much like environmental cap and trade programs which are used to reduce the cost of limiting environmental pollution, the trading of capped groundwater allocations can reduce the cost of limiting water use. In an analysis of a typical case in the Nebraska Republican Basin, we found that the impact of a water market to trade groundwater allocations depended on the size of the allocation and on the characteristics of the land and irrigation systems involved in the trade. Potential economic benefits from trade ranged from US$0 to US$120 per 1,000 cubic meters traded, from US$25 to US$250 per 1,000 cubic meters of reduction in consumptive use, and from US$16 to US$50 per hectare of irrigated land in the region. The highest benefits occurred at relatively high allocations, which capped withdrawals at 65‐75% of the expected unrestricted pumping level. These gains from trade would be split between buyers and sellers based on the negotiated selling price.     

Persistence of organochlorine chemical residues in fish from the Tombigbee River (Alabama, USA): Continuing risk to wildlife from a former DDT manufacturing facility

Organochlorine pesticide and total polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations were measured in largemouth bass from the Tombigbee River near a former DDT manufacturing facility at McIntosh, Alabama. Evaluation of mean p,p′- and o,p′-DDT isomer concentrations and o,p′- versus p,p′-isomer proportions in McIntosh bass indicated that DDT is moving off site from the facility and into the Tombigbee River. Concentrations of p,p′-DDT isomers in McIntosh bass remained unchanged from 1974 to 2004 and were four times greater than contemporary concentrations from a national program. Total DDT in McIntosh bass exceeded dietary effect concentrations developed for bald eagle and osprey. Hexachlorobenzene, PCBs, and toxaphene concentrations in bass from McIntosh also exceeded thresholds to protect fish and piscivorous wildlife. Whereas concentrations of DDT and most other organochlorine chemicals in fish have generally declined in the U.S. since their ban, concentrations of DDT in fish from McIntosh remain elevated and represent a threat to wildlife.     

An integrated tool to assess the role of new planting in PM10 capture and the human health benefits: A case study in London

The role of vegetation in mitigating the effects of PM₁₀ pollution has been highlighted as one potential benefit of urban greenspace. An integrated modelling approach is presented which utilises air dispersion (ADMS-Urban) and particulate interception (UFORE) to predict the PM₁₀ concentrations both before and after greenspace establishment, using a 10 × 10 km area of East London Green Grid (ELGG) as a case study. The corresponding health benefits, in terms of premature mortality and respiratory hospital admissions, as a result of the reduced exposure of the local population are also modelled. PM₁₀ capture from the scenario comprising 75% grassland, 20% sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus L.) and 5% Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) was estimated to be 90.41 t yr⁻¹, equating to 0.009 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ over the whole study area. The human health modelling estimated that 2 deaths and 2 hospital admissions would be averted per year.     

Environmental SLAPPs in the UK: threat or opportunity?

Strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) brought against the environmental movement in the UK since the 1990s are examined. SLAPPs, a form of Green backlash, have been mobilised across a wide range of policy areas that have seen vigorous campaigning and protest by the movement, including roads, GMOs and, more recently, climate change. SLAPPs are typically regarded as a threat, designed to close down democratic free speech and protest. However, in the UK, there are some notable cases where the environmental movement has been able to use agency to convert what may appear as a legal threat into a positive legal or media opportunity.     

Regional carbon footprints of households: a German case study

Households are either directly or indirectly responsible for the highest share of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Hence, programs helping to improve human consumption habits have been identified as a comparatively cost-effective way to reduce household emissions significantly. Recently, various studies have determined strong regional differences in household carbon footprints, yet a case study for Germany has not been conducted. Local information and policies directed at household consumption in Germany thus devoid of any foundation. In this paper, we analyze the impact of different criteria such as location, income and size on household carbon footprints in Germany and demonstrate how the impact of GHG mitigation opportunities varies for different population segments. We use a multi-region input output hybrid LCA approach to developing a regionalized household carbon footprint calculator for Germany that considers 16 sub-national regions, 15 different household sizes, and eight different income and age categories. The model reveals substantial regional differences in magnitude and composition of household carbon footprints, essentially influenced by two criteria: income and size. The highest income household is found to emit 4.25 times as much CO₂e than the lowest. We identify indirect emissions from consumption as the largest share of household carbon footprints, although this is subject to fluctuation based on household type. Due primarily to local differences in vehicle availability, income and nutrition, an average household in Baden-Wuerttemberg is found to have 25 % higher carbon footprint than its Mecklenburg-West Pomeranian counterpart. Based on the results of this study, we discuss policy options for household carbon mitigation in Germany.