Methods and models in process safety and risk management: Past,present and future

The paper reviews past progress in the development of methods and models for process safety and risk management and highlights the present research trends; also it outlines the opinions of the authors regarding the future research direction in the field. Based on the open literature published in the leading journals in the field of safety, risk and reliability, the review covers the evolution of the methods and models developed for process safety and risk management. The methods and models are categorized as qualitative, semi-quantitative, quantitative and hybrid. The progress in the last few decades is discussed in the context of the past. Developments in the current decade formulate the basis of the present trends; future directions for research in these fields are also outlined. The aim of the article is to provide a historical development in this field with respect to the driving forces behind the development. It is expected that it will help researchers and industrial practitioners to gain a better understanding of the existing concepts. At the same time the aim is to provide direction to bridge the existing gaps through research and developments.     

Do environmental right-to-know laws affect markets? Capitalization of information in the toxic release inventory

This paper investigates how information contained in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) program, one of the largest environmental right-to-know programs, affects prices in the housing market. I use a strengthening of the reporting requirements for the chemical lead in 2001 as exogenous variation to test for housing price changes near existing firms who must now report. Using a difference-in-differences specification, I find that listing an existing firm in the Toxic Release Inventory lowers housing prices up to 11% within approximately 1 mile. The results suggest that housing market participants do capitalize into prices at least some information conveyed by the TRI program.     

环境风险预警方法与应急成套装备的应用展望

介绍了环境风险预警方法建立的环境风险预警指标体系、环境风险源管理平台、环境风险源风险评估技术方法以及模块式应急成套装备的技术特点等;分析了环境风险预警方法与应急成套设备在危险化学品环境风险与应急管理,在区域大气环境挥发性有机污染物(VOCs)监控预警等方面的实际需求。面临现实的环境风险状况从环境风险防控与应急工程技术研究中心建设角度提出了需进一步完善、开发的环境风险预测预警技术与应急成套装备等新思路。     

化工园企业环境风险分级评估与管理方法研究

为减少环境污染事故的发生,文章从化工园内企业化学品储存、运输、生产等潜在风险环节出发,结合企业风险管理水平及周边受体易损性,利用环境风险综合评价指数法对企业环境风险进行分级评估。在此基础上,以长江下游某化工园区调研的41家企业作为案例进行评估,结果显示:园区内重大、较大、一般环境风险企业分别占调查总数的2.4%,65.9%,31.7%。该评估方法从化工园企业风险控制的实际需求出发,具有实用性和可操作性,为化工园更有效的风险管理提供技术支持。     

Predicting the aquatic risk of realistic pesticide mixtures to species assemblages in Portuguese river basins

Although pesticide regulatory tools are mainly based on individual substances, aquatic ecosystems are usually exposed to multiple pesticides from their use on the variety of crops within the catchment of a river. This study estimated the impact of measured pesticide mixtures in surface waters from 2002 and 2008 within three important Portuguese river basins(‘Mondego', ‘Sado' and ‘Tejo') on primary producers, arthropods and fish by toxic pressure calculation. Species sensitivity distributions(SSDs), in combination with mixture toxicity models, were applied. Considering the differences in the responses of the taxonomic groups as well as in the pesticide exposures that these organisms experience, variable acute multi-substance potentially affected fractions(ms PAFs) were obtained. The median msP AF for primary producers and arthropods in surface waters of all river basins exceeded 5%, the cut-off value used in the prospective SSD approach for deriving individual environmental quality standards. A ranking procedure identified various photosystem II inhibiting herbicides, with oxadiazon having the relatively largest toxic effects on primary producers, while the organophosphorus insecticides, chlorfenvinphos and chlorpyrifos, and the organochloride endosulfan had the largest effects on arthropods and fish, respectively. These results ensure compliance with European legislation with regard to ecological risk assessment and management of pesticides in surface waters.     

山西排污权交易实践、问题与对策研究

山西是中国环境污染最为严重的省区之一,经济发展与环境保护的矛盾非常突出.开展排污权有偿使用和交易,是山西省创新环保机制体制、服务经济社会发展的迫切需要.2010年,山西省获批成为国家排污权交易试点省份之一.概括总结了山西省排污权交易的实践及存在问题,提出今后要在合理核定和分配初始排污权、积极创新排污权质押与租赁机制、加强排污量监测核定等方面积极开展工作体制机制创新,把试点工作推向深入的政策建议.     

借鉴国际经验助推我国汞污染场地修复

汞污染问题已经成为国内外关注的环境热点问题。我国是汞的生产、使用和排放大国,涉汞行业众多,汞污染场地问题突出。发达国家在汞污染场地治理方面有着丰富的经验。本文通过借鉴美国和英国的相关经验,从完善法规标准、健全管理制度、增强科技支撑和完善投融资政策四个方面为我国未来开展汞污染场地修复工作提出政策建议。     

煤炭资源开发生态保护补偿政策回顾与评析研究

围绕煤炭资源开发中的生态环境问题,中国相继出台了一些资源生态环境补偿政策,建立起包括资源税费制度、环境影响评价制度、环境恢复治理保证金制度、三同时制度、排污收费制度在内的一些生态环境补偿法律制度,但现有的煤炭资源开发生态补偿制度存在法律体系和政策设计不完备,缺乏利益相关者的充分参与,部门化利益倾向,政策手段较为单一,生态补偿资金没有来源保障,缺乏统一的补偿标准等问题。为此,要不断健全生态补偿法律法规体系,将矿区开发的生态环境补偿纳入到法制化和市场化轨道,完善煤炭资源税费制度,建立健全公众参与机制,实现矿区的可持续发展。     

Stakeholder Perceptions of Scientists: Lake Tahoe Environmental Policy from 1984 to 2001

What factors explain stakeholders’ perceptions of scientists in environmental politics? Questionnaire data are used to examine stakeholders’ views of scientific experts in the context of Lake Tahoe environmental policy from 1984 to 2001. Stakeholders’ perceptions of scientists have remained the same over time – despite a shift from adversarial to collaborative policymaking and after decades of mounting scientific evidence showing water quality declines. On average, stakeholders perceive scientists with limited influence on Lake Tahoe environmental policy and view them with mixed levels of skepticism. Stakeholders’ evaluation of scientists is best explained by their beliefs about development versus the environment. Stakeholders in favor of more land development express distrust of scientists and negatively evaluate university researchers and consultants. Stakeholders in favor of environmental protection are more likely to trust scientists and positively evaluate university researchers and consultants.