Assessing the environmental performance of urban wastewater systems using the INSA model: application to the Algés-Alcântara wastewater system, in Portugal

Although the application of complex integrated models to wastewater systems is useful, it is often difficult to implement and not always suitable for the design of new systems or for their rehabilitation. Integrated simple approaches that allow assessing the environmental performance of urban wastewater systems may be advantageous, especially during the initial phases of the system planning process. This paper presents an original, straightforward approach that can be used for planning, design and operation of urban wastewater systems. The INtegrated Simplified Approach (INSA) combines the concepts of performance indicators with mass balances and can be applied to wastewater systems as a management support tool, particularly in situations where there is lack of data, economic limitations or time constraints. The INSA was applied to the Algés-Alcantara wastewater system to evaluate its environmental performance and to simulate the individual or combined impact of the rehabilitation measures proposed, thus defining their priority. The results clearly indicate that, despite the investment already made upgrading the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), the proposed interventions must be implemented to ensure an acceptable environmental performance of the system. In addition, the results demonstrate the significant pollution loads present in stormwater, frequently higher than the pollution loads discharged into receiving waters during dry weather.     

Does the housing market respond to information disclosure?: Effects of toxicity indices in Japan

The policy instruments that provide information on a firm’s or facility’s environmental performance, such as the U.S. Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) and the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register system (PRTRs) used in some European countries and Japan, play an important role in encouraging firms or facilities to improve their environmental performance, if investors, consumers and residents recognize their environmental performance. This study uses a hedonic approach to explore how the Japanese rental housing market responds to carcinogenic risk arising from releases and transfers of chemical substances produced and used at close facilities. We found that residents do not perceive carcinogenic risk generated more than 1.0 km away from their residence and that they seem to recognize the increased carcinogenic risk at distances from 0.5 km to 1.0 km away; a 1% increase in carcinogenic risk reduces the average rent by 0.0007%. The distance at which residents perceive the risk arising from such facilities is less than in previous studies. This suggests that the risk perception recognized in previous studies may capture the other externalities in addition to the chemical risk because the risk is measured by the distance.     

化学品泄漏致大气环境损害的量化评估初探

以某化学品泄漏造成大气污染为例,采用虚拟治理成本法,通过对污染物单位治理成本的调查,污染物危害系数的确定等步骤量化生态环境损害的数额。针对生态环境损害价值量化过程中主要污染物的选择、单位治理成本的确定、危害类别的判断等技术关键点,提出,应结合环境质量标准限值,污染物危害系数等综合因素选择主要污染物;采用成本函数法来确定某一地区单位治理成本更容易被采纳;利用标签制度（GHS）危险性类别的结论能够快速确定污染物危害系数,以期为大气环境损害鉴定评估技术方法的完善提供参考和借鉴。     

灾害经济损失概念及产业关联型间接经济损失计量

从三个方面拓展了对自然灾害经济的理解，它们是：承灾体，经济损失中的价格与价值，间接经济损失类型。评述了国内迄今提出的关于自然灾害产业关联型间接经济损失的计算方法，同时提出了作者对这一问题的处理，并以中国９０年代的水旱灾害为例，计算了这一期间的平均年度产业关联型间接经济损失及经济损失总值。     

与限控CO2排放有关的若干指标分析

本文针对美国政府近来提出的未来10年问使其GDP的CO2排放强度下降18%的承诺，就与限控CO2排放相关的若干指标，包括GDP的CO2排放强度、CO2排放对GDP的弹性、能源消费弹性、能源消费的CO2排放强度、GDP的能源消费强度等相互间的关系以及其年变化率与GDP年增长率之间的关系，进行了定量的数学推导，并以确定的数学关系式为工具，对美国承诺所涉及的经济增长、能源消费等相关问题进行了分析。     

Technical Procedures for CDM Project Design

The success of CDM depends on active participation of public and private entities. In particular, participation of wide range of private companies is an important factor for the success. In order to promote the participation of private companies in the CDM project activities as project participants, the authors clarify the steps and technical issues involved in the CDM project design procedures in a step-by-step approach. The steps consist of outlining the project plans, identifying project impacts, defining a project boundary, estimating GHG emissions reduction/enhancement of removals, documenting the results of estimation, and designing of monitoring plans. The authors also propose guidance for project participants, especially for those not familiar with the CDM, which provides plain explanation of major technical issues. In order to further develop a complete guideline, it is necessary to integrate the outputs of the ongoing international initiatives concerning technical issues of CDM into the stepwise approach proposed in this paper. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

清洁生产和产品的生态设计

给出了清洁生产的定义：论述了开发和推广清洁产品的意义和为此所作的努力：归纳了产品生态设计的基本概念及其实施的主要途径。这些途径不是相互孤立的。而是相互关联与补充的，其中最主要的是要满足产品设计的环境准则，即要在产品的生命周期中体现污染预防的思想。     

Scenario study for a regional low-carbon society

Japan should undertake drastic greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions by the middle of this century in order to mitigate climate change problems. Municipalities should design and execute scenarios toward a low-carbon society suited to their respective regions. This study describes long-term future visions developed for Shiga Prefecture targeting CO₂ emission reductions of 30–50% by 2030, and presents scenarios to attain these targets, which are achievable with mild economic growth. For targets over a 30% reduction, region-specific measures including land-use reform and citizen behavioral changes are necessary. Compared with other regions in Japan, Shiga should give priority to a modal shift in transport, efficiency improvements in industry, and photovoltaic energy generation.     

Development of plans to restore degraded areas in the Great Lakes

The International Joint Commission's Water Quality Board has identified 42 Areas of Concern in the Great Lakes ecosystem where Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement objectives or jurisdictional standards, criteria or guidelines, established to protect uses, have been exceeded and remedial actions are necessary to restore beneficial uses. As a result of the 1985 report of the Water Quality Board, the eight Great Lakes states and the Province of Ontario committed themselves to developing a remedial action plan (RAP) to restore all uses in each Area of Concern within their political boundaries. Each RAP must identify the specific measures necessary to control existing sources of pollution, abate existing contamination (e.g., contaminated sediments), and restore all beneficial uses. Points which must be explicitly addressed in each RAP include: geographic extent of problem, beneficial uses impaired, causes of problems, remedial measures and a schedule for implementation, responsible agencies, and surveillance and monitoring activities that will be used to track effectiveness of remedial actions. The jurisdictions are responsible for developing RAPs, and the International Joint Commission is responsible for evaluating the adequacy of each RAP and tracking progress in restoring beneficial uses.     

An overview of short‐term tests for the mutagenic and carcinogenic potential of pesticides

Abstract

In the last few years, marked progress has been made in the development of methods for evaluating the mutagenic and carcinogenic potential of pesticide chemicals. The correlation of genetic and related biological activity in short‐term tests with carcinogenic activity in whole animals allows the utilization of short‐term mutagenicity bioassays to prescreen chemicals for effects related to mutation induction and presumptive carcinogenicity. In addition, bioassays now available can measure directly the chemical transformation of normal cells in culture into cells capable of producing tumors when injected into animals.

This paper will review briefly the major types of relevant short‐term tests and will develop a rationale for a phased approach to the evaluation of the mutagenic and carcinogenic potential of environmental chemicals. This approach involves the sequential application of bioassays which are organized into a three‐level matrix emphasizing first detection, then confirmation, and finally hazard assessment. Chemicals demonstrating positive results in the short‐term detection systems and confirmatory bioassays are pursued in higher level whole animal tests. A core battery of tests is proposed to operationally define a negative result. The phased approach should facilitate a cost effective utilization of limited testing resources and provide protection for human health in proportion to the anticipated hazard.

Results obtained in evaluating a series of thirty‐eight pesticide chemicals according to the phased approach are discussed in detail.