Emission rates of chlorinated volatile organics from new and used consumer products found during vapor intrusion investigations: Impact on indoor air concentrations

Consumer products can emit chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs) that complicate vapor intrusion (VI) assessments. Assessment protocols acknowledge the need to remove these products during VI investigations, but they can be problematic to identify and locate. Predicting if the products cause detectable air concentrations is also difficult since emission rate information is limited and can vary with product use and age. In this study, the emission rates of 1,2-dichloroethane, trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, and carbon tetrachloride from four consumer products identified as indoor sources during VI field investigations were measured under laboratory conditions using a flow through system. Emissions of PCE from an adhesive container tube ranged from 1.33 ± 1.13 μg/min (unopened) to 23.9 ± 2.93 μg/min (previously opened). The laboratory-measured emission rates were used to estimate indoor air concentrations, which were then compared to concentrations measured after the products placed were into an actual residence. The estimated and measured indoor air concentrations were generally comparable, showing that emission rate information can be used to determine the relative impact of internal CVOC sources.     

基于灰色马尔可夫的道路交通事故预测

探讨灰色马尔可夫模型在道路交通事故中的具体应用。灰色模型适用于短期、数据量少和波动不大的预测问题,在长期预测时,数据序列拟合较差,预测精度偏低;而马尔可夫链适用于长期、数据序列随机波动大的预测问题。灰色马尔可夫模型结合了灰色GM(1,1)模型和马尔可夫理论的优点,利用灰色模型进行长期预测,再利用马尔可夫链理论进行波动状态预测,最后得到期望值。该模型克服了随机波动性数据对道路交通事故预测精度的影响,提高了灰色预测的准确度。实例结果,证明灰色马尔可夫GM(1,1)模型具有较好的应用价值,为道路交通安全管理提供了有用依据。     

基于随机过程的城市应急车辆数量配置模型

针对城市中应急车辆的配置规模问题,运用随机过程理论,获得系统中空闲应急车辆数量期望值模型。在一定的事件需求下,空闲应急车辆数量期望值与应急车辆配置总量、平均的事件发生间隔时间成正比,与平均的事件救援时间成反比。克服了采用马尔可夫过程分析多用于应急车辆繁忙期以及布局研究的局限。以某市火灾统计数据为例,说明了模型的使用,为在宏观上合理确定城市应急车辆的配置规模提供理论依据。     

Eco-Labelling of Shampoos,Shower Gels and Foam Baths (6 pp)

GOAL, SCOPE AND BACKGROUND: Environmental issues of personal care products have been met with little attention in the past. Monitoring data as well as preliminary environmental risk assessments indicate that some ingredients in personal care products might be relevant pollutants in the environment. Following the precautionary principle, eco-labelling is proposed as an effective tool for source control of one major group of personal care products, shampoos, shower gels and foam baths (SSBs). Eco-labelling is a soft, but effective market driven and product specific approach to lower discharge of environmentally detrimental substances. Products that fulfil the criteria proposed help to minimise the impact of SSBs on the environment. METHODS: Available assessment tools for dangerous substances (e.g. current legislation on environmental risk assessments and classification, and labelling, eco-labelling criteria for similar products, the calculation of the critical dilution volume) were adapted and integrated into the criteria for the eco-labelling of SSBs. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: A short outline of the eco-labelling criteria developed for SSBs is provided. The basic criteria concern the effects of the substances discharged into the waste water during and after use. Products with an eco-label award may exclusively contain substances for which basic information about their effects on the environment is available. They may not contain persistent, bioaccumulating, toxic or ecotoxicological substances. In addition, the basic criteria include requirements for the container and consumer information. CONCLUSION: The basic criteria for eco-labelling SSBs are based on the actual state of science and are at the same time as simple and transparent as possible to ensure the best applicability. SSBs that comply with the described basic criteria can contribute to a lower chemical burden of waste water treatment plants and surface water. RECOMMENDATION AND OUTLOOK: The proposal for basic criteria described should stimulate discussion on eco-labelling of SSBs. It should help to pass valid criteria supported by authorities, producers and consumer groups for a national or international eco-label, e.g. for the European Flower or the German Blue Angel. In future, the successful introduction of labelled SSBs into the market will raise the awareness of the general public about the environmental effects of personal care products and it will help to promote environmentally compatible products.     

Ethical Challenges for Livestock Production:Meeting Consumer Concerns about Meat Safety and AnimalWelfare

Livestock production today faces thedifficult task of effectively meeting emergingconsumer concerns while remaining competitive on majortarget markets. Meeting consumer concerns aboutproduct safety and animal welfare are identified askey attention points for future livestock production.The relevance of these issues pertains to productionefficiency and economic benefits and tore-establishing meat sector image and consumer trust.The current paper analyses consumer concerns about theethical issues of meat safety and animal welfare fromcurrent livestock production. The research methodologyis based on literature review, secondary data sources,and primary research through focus group discussionsand a survey of 320 meat consumers in Belgium.Objectives were to assess importance attached byconsumers to product safety and animal welfare asethical issues in commercial livestock production, andto evaluate consumer perception of these issues forbeef, pork, and poultry. Significant differences inissue importance and perception are identified amongconsumer groups based on socio-demographic andbehavioral characteristics. From the analysis, meatsafety emerges as an absolute but minimum requirementfor future success of livestock and meat production.Additionally, animal welfare can be expected to becomea critical theme especially for pork and poultryacceptance.     

旅行成本法在我国应用中存在的几个问题

我国旅行成本法案例研究多数未分清旅行成本与旅游目的地本身价格的关系,推导的游憩需求曲线是旅行成本-旅游人次模型,而不是旅游目的地本身的价格-旅游人次需求曲线。文章具体说明了区域旅行成本法的基本原理及操作方法,并用乔光华文章数据重新对达里诺尔国家级自然保护区游憩价值进行计算,对旅行成本的构成等问题进行了讨论,得出其消费者剩余为0.9221×108元a/,比原研究中的0.0937×108元a/高出近10倍。认为乔光华等的研究在推断游憩需求曲线时存在方法上的问题,直接将旅行成本和时间价值作为游憩价值不符合旅行成本法的基本原理和公共物品无(或低)市场价格的经济理论。还对调整后的旅行成本数据进行了计算,得到保护区游憩价值为1.3581×108元a/。     

自然与环境资源价值评估的误区

资源环境价值计量近年来成为资源与环境经济学的研究热点,但却因为在许多最基本的问题上迷失了方向,产生了不少似是而非的问题。被混淆的问题包括:①实物意义上的稀缺与经济学上的稀缺;②使用价值与交换价值;③边际价值与全部价值;④成本与价值;⑤个人消费者价值与社会价值。论文主要目的是通过澄清这些问题来指出如何对自然与环境资源估价。     

Designing individualisation of eco information: a conceptual framework and design toolkit

Eco-labelling is the practice of eco information provision that most directly addresses consumer behaviour. Nowadays, consumers are facing difficulties in perceiving and understanding existing eco labels. In previous work, we proposed the conceptual framework of eco information individualisation which tailors eco labels according to the specific needs of individual users using contextual technologies. This paper extends the conceptual framework by introducing a more structured way of considering the personal data and product data requirements, and reports the development of a design toolkit that aims to support designers in the designing of individualised eco information. A design workshop was carried out to introduce the concept to designers, and evaluate the usability and usefulness of the toolkit. Positive responses were received. The design outputs generated from the workshop were considered largely feasible and have the potential to be developed into digital prototypes. These indicate that it is possible for designers to learn to design eco information individualisation in a short time. This paper is a step towards a greater understanding of designing individualised eco information.     

中国消费端食物浪费规模及其资源环境效应测算

食物浪费及其产生的资源环境问题与全球粮食安全密切相关,减少食物浪费逐渐被认为是保障粮食安全的Plan B。消费端是造成食物浪费的重要环节,消费者作为消费端食物浪费的主体,其在消费阶段产生的食物浪费是食物损耗与浪费的主要来源。本文采用直接称重法,在全国典型地区（北京、上海、四川、山东、河南和西藏）获取居民食物浪费的一手数据,首次在全国尺度上测算了消费端食物浪费总规模及其资源环境效应。结果显示：（1）2018年全国居民消费端食物浪费共3432万t,人均食物浪费量67.33 g/d,其中粮食浪费量占比最高（35.44%）,其次是蔬菜（34.83%）和肉类（15.38%）。（2）2018年全国居民消费端食物浪费所占用的生态足迹达6254万hm²,人均生态足迹为448 m²,按中国人均生态足迹1.5 hm²计算,相当于4169万人的生态位被挤占;水产类（39.28%）和肉类（34.22%）的生态足迹占比最大,分别为2456.23万hm²和2140.25万hm²。研究结果有助于推进我国消费端食物浪费的减量化,对于缓解食物浪费的环境影响和资源消耗压力、改善全球粮食安全等方面具有重要的参考价值和借鉴意义。     

低碳经济的消费行为研究述评与政策启示

文章认为目前我国低碳经济推进过程中缺乏对作为市场主体的消费者的可持续消费行为关键动因和决策机制的细致探索。本文在对国际上可持续消费行为影响因素模型研究成果进行评述的基础上,提出了以上研究对于支撑我国低碳经济发展的可持续消费的政策启示。