Implementing environmental with other standardized management systems: Scope,sequence, time and integration

The aim of this article is to analyze how the implementation of the environmental management system (EMS) in accordance with the ISO 14001: 2004 standard has been carried out in organizations having more than one standardized Management System (MSs). In particular, four implementation aspects will be discussed, namely the different management system standards (MSSs) used for registration, for example ISO 14001, ISO 9001, OHSAS 18001, ISO 27001 and SA 8000, the order in which they were implemented, the time required for each implementation, as well as the scope of integration of these MSSs into a single Integrated Management System (IMS).In order to do so, some of the results of a survey carried out in 176 organizations registered to, at a minimum, both ISO 14001: 2004 and ISO 9001: 2000 standards for environmental and quality management, respectively, are presented. As one of the few existing empirical studies regarding the integration of multiple MSs, this research reveals the importance of the different possibilities which organizations can opt for when considering EMS implementation. For example, while most respondents implemented ISO 9001 before ISO 14001, others did so simultaneously or even applied ISO 14001 first. Furthermore, although a large majority of organizations integrated their EMS with additional standardized MSs, a small percentage did not. Apart from illustrating the survey outcomes, the article contains a detailed case analysis of four specific organizations with high environmental awareness that have implemented quality and other standardized MSs.     

Time-Consistent Equilibria in Common Access Resource Games with Asymmetric Players Under Partial Cooperation

Given a differential game, if agents have different time preference rates, cooperative (Pareto optimum) solutions obtained by applying Pontryagin’s maximum principle become time inconsistent. We derive a set of dynamic programming equations in continuous time whose solutions are time-consistent equilibria for problems in which agents differ in their utility functions and also in their time preference rates. The solution assumes cooperation between agents at every time. Since coalitions at different times have different time preferences, equilibrium policies are calculated by looking for Markov (subgame perfect) equilibria in a (noncooperative) sequential game. The results are applied to the study of a cake-eating problem describing the management of a common property exhaustible natural resource. The extension of the results to a simple common property renewable natural resource model in infinite horizon is also discussed.     

Toxic risk associated with sporadic occurrences of Microcystis aeruginosa blooms from tidal rivers in marine and estuarine ecosystems and its impact on Artemia franciscana nauplii populations

Microcystis aeruginosa is a species of freshwater cyanobacteria which can form harmful algal blooms in freshwater water bodies worldwide. However, in spite its sporadic occurrences for short periods of time in estuarine waters, their influence on zooplankton populations present in these ecosystems has not been extensively studied. In this work, Artemia franciscana was used as test organism model, studying mortality against several strains of M. aeruginosa with different degrees of toxigenicity, measuring whole-live cells and homogenate extracts. Results were compared with microcystin-LR equivalent content, measured by immunoassay. The results show that there were no significant differences between both exposure models (whole cells and extracts), and there are significant differences respect to the toxigenicity of cyanobacterial blooms depending of the M. aerugionosa strain involved in the process. Analysis of microcystin-LR equivalent concentration test immediately below the lowest significant concentration in all M. aerugionosa strains was used to determine the potential risk associated with the cell densities during a bloom. Comparison among the selected M. aerugionsa strains show that these factors have influence in the results obtained, and thus, several differences have been evidenced depending of the microcystin-LR equivalent production and the strain type involved.     

An optimized approach for estimating benzene in ambient air within an air quality monitoring network

Benzene is a carcinogenic air pollutant for which European legislation has set an annual limit and criteria for the number of fixed monitoring sites within air quality networks（AQMN）. However, due to the limited number of fixed sites for benzene measurement, exposure data are lacking. Considering the relationship between benzene levels and other variables monitored within an AQMN, such as NO₂, O₃, temperature, solar radiation, and accumulated precipitation, this study propo...     

Health impact assessment of air pollutants during the COVID-19 pandemic in a Brazilian metropolis

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Studies around the world have revealed reduced levels of atmospheric particulate matter in periods of greatest human mobility restriction to contain...     

Native plant restoration combats environmental change: development of carbon and nitrogen sequestration capacity using small cordgrass in European salt marshes

Restoration of salt marshes is critical in the context of climate change and eutrophication of coastal waters because their vegetation and sediments may act as carbon and nitrogen sinks. Our primary objectives were to quantify carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stocks and sequestration rates in restored marshes dominated by Spartina maritima to provide support for restoration and management strategies that may offset negative aspects of eutrophication and climate change in estuarine ecosystems. Sediment C content was between ca. 13 mg C g^?1and sediment N content was ca. 1.8 mg N g^?1. The highest C content for S. maritima was recorded in leaves and stems (ca. 420 mg C g^?1) and the lowest in roots (361?±?4 mg C g^?1). S. maritima also concentrated more N in its leaves (31?±?1 mg N g^?1) than in other organs. C stock in the restored marshes was 29.6 t C ha^?1; ca. 16 % was stored in S. maritima tissues. N stock was 3.6 t N ha^?1, with 8.3 % stored in S. maritima. Our results showed that the S. maritima restored marshes, 2.5 years after planting, were sequestering atmospheric C and, therefore, provide some mitigation for global warming. Stands are also capturing nitrogen and reducing eutrophication. The concentrations of C and N contents in sediments, and cordgrass relative cover of 62 %, and low below-ground biomass (BGB) suggest restored marshes can sequester more C and N. S. maritima plantations in low marshes replace bare sediments and invasive populations of exotic Spartina densiflora and increase the C and N sequestration capacity of the marsh by increasing biomass production and accumulation.