Applying the precautionary principle to consumer household cleaning product development

Hazardous chemicals are pervasive in household disinfectant products. Many ingredients have established associations with acute and chronic human health conditions as well as with environmental damage. Although these associations are suggested but not proven, they are of great concern. This article describes the application of the precautionary principle to the selection of an anti-microbial active ingredient for a botanical disinfectant when significant uncertainty exists around the hazard and risk of traditional disinfectant active ingredients. We show that application of the precautionary principle does not stifle innovation and facilitates a responsible approach to product development.     

An environmental impact assessment of quantum dot photovoltaics (QDPV) from raw material acquisition through use

Some emerging technologies are expected to be pivotal for solving many of the environmental challenges faced today, especially those related to energy. However, many of these technologies may incur significant environmental impacts over their life cycle, while having environmental benefits during their use. This paper presents results of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a proposed type of nanophotovoltaic, quantum dot photovoltaic (QDPV) module. The LCA is confined to the stages of raw materials acquisition, manufacturing, and use. The impacts of QDPV are compared with other types of PV modules and energy sources - both renewable and nonrenewable. To provide a comprehensive comparative assessment, QDPV modules were compared with mature as well as emerging PV types for which data are available. Comparative assessment with other types of energy sources includes coal, oil, lignite, natural gas, diesel, nuclear, wind, and hydropower.QDPV modules may have the potential to overcome two current barriers of solar technology: low efficiencies and high manufacturing costs. If higher efficiencies are realized, QDPV modules could pave the way to large scale implementation of solar energy, helping nations move toward greater energy independence. On the other hand, candidate materials as quantum dots for solar cell applications are mostly compound semiconductors such as cadmium selenide, cadmium telluride, and lead sulfide which may be toxic and for which renewable options are limited. Toxic effects of these materials may be exacerbated by their nanoscale features.The LCA was carried out using the software SimaPro, and the Ecoinvent Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) database supplemented with available literature and patent information. Our results indicate that while QDPV modules have shorter Energy PayBack Time (EPBT), lower Global Warming Potential (GWP), SO_x and NO_x emissions than other types of PV modules, they have higher heavy metal emissions, underscoring the need for investigation of emerging technologies, especially nano-based ones, from a life cycle perspective. QDPV modules are better in all impact categories assessed than carbon-based energy sources but they have longer EPBT than wind and hydropower and higher GWP.     

The water supply footprint (WSF): a strategic planning tool for sustainable regional and local water supplies

This paper introduces a new methodological approach of the ecological footprint explicitly addressing the sustainability of water supplies, which we call the water supply footprint (WSF). The WSF calculates the catchment area or water supply hinterland of a certain society and can serve as a strategic planning tool for local or regional water supplies linking the water demand with the water supply in a water supply footprint matrix. Based on regional water balances it estimates how much water can be appropriated for human use in an environmentally sustainable way.The proposed method is tested on the South East Queensland water supply in Australia, an area where water use restrictions are regularly imposed on the population. Applying the proposed method indicates that supply shortages may be avoided by considerably changing the organisation of water supply, thereby reducing and possibly even avoiding the necessity for large-scale supply side measures like additional sweet water reservoirs or desalination plants. In that way it is demonstrated that the WSF method is applicable at an early and strategic stage of water supply planning.     

以生态足迹法分析评估抚顺市可持续发展

在介绍生态足迹理论和计算模型的基础上,对抚顺市2007年的可持续发展状态进行了实例计算和分析,结果表明抚顺2007年的生态赤字为4.986 3hm2,其城市处于非可持续发展的状态.在此基础上,提出了促进抚顺可持续发展的建议.     

我国城市污水处理

我国城市污水处理的现状以及当前全国城市污水厂普遍应用的污水处理工艺,在选择城市污水处理工艺时应考虑资金及土地资源方面的问题,通过开发新型高效污水处理工艺提高污水净化率和污水处理量。同时通过建立和完善城市污水处理制度,提高城市居民环保意识,污水处理走向市场化,实现社会与政府的共赢。     

浅谈循环经济立法及再生资源产业化发展

论述了循环经济法制化发展的重要意义.以再生水为例,指出我国再生资源产业化发展潜力巨大,大力发展再生资源产业,对发展我国循环经济,建设循环型社会具有重要意义.     

Fenton试剂氧化法在工业废水处理中的应用研究

Fenton试剂的氧化能力强,反应过程短,降解效果好,本文中介绍了Fenton试剂的特点,并且通过实验得出几种无机离子对Fenton试剂氧化处理工业废水的影响。     

储油罐区防火堤受力情况分析

利用ANSYS有限元分析软件,对防火堤受液态物质冲击时受力状况进行模拟,并对防火堤在冲击载荷下的受力情况进行了分析,指出防火堤在事故状态下的脆弱部分,对油库的安全设计、评价和日常维护具有参考价值。     

海上移动式平台安全信息预警与保护装置研制

介绍了一种基于海洋移动式平台应用的安全信息预警与保护装置的研制,实现具有移动式平台海上安全信息采集、记录、预警、保护及再现等功能。