The UK landfill tax and the landfill tax credit scheme: operational weaknesses

The UK Landfill Tax and the related Landfill Tax Credit Scheme have now been in operation since October 1996. There have been a number of reviews to assess its operation and effectiveness that have led to some minor amendments. However, there continue to be concerns about operational weaknesses of the tax and the credit scheme. In particular, there is the risk that the tax may be evaded and there are fears that a lack of transparency and independence may undermine the fundamental principles of the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme. Following a recent report, the Secretary of State for the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions has set up an inquiry. This paper looks at some of the specific concerns that have been raised and the implications for waste management.     

Decentralized scheme for leaks’ location in a branched pipeline

This article presents a novel scheme for the detection and isolation of single leaks in a pipeline with a branch junction by measuring only the flow rate and pressure at the ends of the line. For the solution of this realistic issue, which commonly occurs in pipeline networks, the position of the branch junction and its flow rate are supposed to be known. The idea consists of deriving a model considering the branch junction as a known point in the pipeline such that the leak position is characterized by two possible orientations with respect to the branch (upstream and downstream of it). Thus, this model allows proposing a diagnosis scheme which includes a static selector and two identifiers designed by using a continuous extended Kalman filter with only one deviation parameter to be estimated. This framework reduces the identification task to one parameter which is associated with the deviation from a prescribed positive base position located between one of the pipeline ends and the branch. Simulation and experimental results with data of a hydraulic pilot pipeline of 200 [m] show the promise of the novel scheme.     

水库水用作热网补充水的研究与应用

某供热电厂以水库水作为热网补充水,文章对其热网系统故障原因进行了分析,在试验研究基础上,提出了"水库水—热网阻垢缓蚀剂—除氧器除氧"处理工艺及相应的运行控制方案,并成功应用到该电厂,降低了热网系统清洗及维护检修费用,保证了热网系统的运行安全。     

固戍污水处理厂再生回用水工程论证研究

宝安区域污水处理厂出水水质基本是执行城镇污水处理厂污染物排放标准(GB 18918-2002)中一级B标准,需进行深度处理才能再生回用.以固戍污水处理厂为例,分析了实施固戍污水处理厂再生回用水工程的必要性,论证了再生回用水水质、规模和工艺方案,介绍了工程实施后的实际效果.论证的结果表明,采用二级处理加混凝、沉淀、过滤、消毒工艺,来改造宝安区域内的污水处理厂尾水成为再生回用水切实可行.     

浙江省"十二五"城市声环境监测点位优化调整研究

随着城市建设步伐的加快,人口数量增多,城市基础设施的完善,建成区的扩大和功能区类型的改变,"十二五"城市声环境监测点位的调整、优化是必然趋势.本文结合浙江省"十二五"城市声环境监测点位优化布设的实际工作情况,对城市声环境监测点位优化布点原则、方法等进行了阐述.以"十一五"声环境监测点位布设现状为基础,结合功能区环境噪声的普查数据,对优化选点监测数据进行分析,选出具有空间分布适当,可以保证设备安全,方便操作,并且数据具有较好的代表性的测点.优化调整后,城市区域环境噪声有效网格覆盖面积增加了80.8%,道路交通噪声监测总路长增加了67.0%,功能区定点噪声测点数量增加了129.2%,优化调整后的监测点位更能客观反映城市区域环境噪声实际情况.     

The prevention of occupational injuries in two industrial plants using an incident reporting scheme

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to examine whether the introduction of an incident reporting scheme with feedback in two industrial plants had an effect on the number of major incidents. METHOD: An intervention design with measurements before the implementation of the incident reporting scheme and two years later was used to examine the relationship between incident rates, safety climate, the willingness to report incidents and perceived management commitment to safety. RESULTS: The results showed that a successful implementation of an incident reporting scheme was followed by a decline in the incidence of major incidents at a Danish metal plant. A key factor in implementing the scheme was top management commitment, which was lacking at another plant, where the implementation of a similar scheme failed. CONCLUSION: Although the study shows some encouraging results concerning the use of incident reporting schemes to prevent occupational accidents, the possibility to draw causal conclusions is limited in the present study, and further studies are needed before the effectiveness of such schemes can be evaluated with certainty.     

The threat of abandonment in socio-ecological landscapes: Farmers’ motivations and perspectives on high nature value grassland conservation

Future sustainability of the conservation management of socio-ecological landscapes is typically reliant on on-going agricultural management. Such management may be threatened by changes in the drivers of management and the fragility of the stakeholder networks that deliver management. This study examined evidence for the risk of abandonment in a series of case study high nature value (HNV) grassland sites. The work found that the motivation of farmers to participate in the conservation management was typically limited and often marginal. Landowners and conservation stakeholders who relied on partner farmers to manage such sites often struggled to recruit and retain their participation, leading to increased turnover among managing farmers and to some sites being under-managed. Primary reasons for difficulty of recruitment and farmer turnover included a lack of candidate farmers in the local landscape, and the marginal and fluctuating economics of grassland management. A trend towards greater financial incentivisation of farmers was evident, which policy-makers responsible for agri-environment schemes should note, and elsewhere some conservation organisations were seen to be bringing grassland management in-house. Farmers’ motivations to participate in conservation management of such systems may continue to weaken and abandonment may therefore become a significant risk to the successful conservation of such systems. Conservation stakeholders need to foster good relations with their farmer-manager partners and not further depress their limited motivations to participate, as well as consider carefully whether farmer stakeholders are being adequately compensated for their efforts.     

长沙市城市公共安全综合试点方案

简要介绍了城市公共安全综合试点项目的启动背景 ,分析了长沙市目前的公共安全现状 ,提出了综合试点方案 ,包括建立长沙市公共安全基础数据库 ,开展重大危险源辨识和生命线应急能力评估 ,建立长沙市重大事故预防控制体系 ,建立长沙市应急联动系统 ,编制长沙市公共安全规划等五部分。该方案既结合了长沙的实际又具有较高的起点 ,实施思路清晰 ,它的实施对提高长沙市的公共安全水平具有重要意义且试点成果具有一定的典型性和示范性。     

地铁同站台高架换乘车站火灾全尺寸实验研究-(1)火灾场景设计

为研究地铁同站台高架换乘车站火灾烟气蔓延特性和防排烟技术,对具有该换乘形式的某实体车站进行全尺寸火灾实验方案设计,结合车站通风排烟模式和列车运行模式,对站厅层、站台层和设备区分别设计不同规模的火灾场景,同时在站内各防烟分区设计安装烟气温度测量装置和流速测试装置,实现同站台高架换乘车站不同结构空间内烟气危险性参数的实时测量。按照本文设计的实验方案在该车站开展了一系列全尺寸实验,后续的研究中将详细介绍不同火源规模、火源位置、通风方式和列车运行模式下的实验结果。     

山区高速公路边坡监测与动态化设计施工实例分析

据对中部某山区高速公路边坡的实际监测资料,结合勘察、设计、施工情况得出了各种不利边坡稳定的因素,分析了该边坡实际变形方式。选取具有代表性的边坡监测点,监测边坡变形、锚索受力和雨量,以反应出边坡在开挖后的实际发展状态,进而对边坡变形的影响因素进行分析,对该边坡特有的反向坡体内部的变形做出解释。根据不同的边坡状态提出对该类型边坡的长期预警参考值。实际监测与研究结果表明,该边坡处于临界状态,容易受雨水、爆破施工等外界因素扰动,原有施工设计方案不完全适合于该边坡治理,优化后的设计施工方案成功完成了该边坡的抢险任务。