Erosion Control at Construction Sites: The Science–Policy Gap

/ To test the effectiveness of Michigan's soil erosion control law, 30 construction sites were evaluated in the east-central part of the state. The analytical framework lumped nine best management practices (BMPs) most closely related to the law into three categories: slope stabilization, soil stabilization, and water management. All sites were in the land clearing or foundation/framing stage of construction and were evaluated within 2 days after a rainfall event. Only four of the sites performed above the mean of the scoring scale, with the categorical scoring of BMPs indicating the worst performance for slope stabilization measures. The poor results suggest a failure to integrate scientific knowledge of erosion control with policy. A fundamental problem is the lack of basic site data on soil, topography, and hydrology, resulting in the incorrect application of BMPs, such as staging, filter fences, and berms. The current institutional framework for soil erosion control also provides disincentives to mitigate local erosion problems.     

The current situation of solid waste generation and its environmental contamination in China

In China, controlling environmental pollution resulting from solid waste (SW) and hazardous waste (HW) has become one of the most pressing tasks in the field of environmental engineering. It is reported that the annual generation of industrial solid waste (ISW) in China exceeded 0.6 billion tons in the 1990s, and is increasing every year. Although ISW management has been strengthened in recent years, about 40% of SW is put in uncontrolled landfill without appropriate treatment. According to statistics from the national Environmental Protection Agency, the cumulative ISW uncontrolled landfill in China had reached 6.6 billion tons by the end of 1995, occupying around 55 000 hectares of land. Although some major uncontrolled landfills were constructed, nonetheless groundwater contamination resulted from the use of low-standard liners and poor management. Furthermore, about 20 million tons of ISW was discharged into the environment illegally, and a third of this waste was discharged directly into water bodies, making ISW one of the greatest pollution sources for surface water and ground water. Environmental pollution accidents resulting from SW occur about 100 times a year in China, and environmental issues frequently arise because of ISW pollution. The practices of SW management, treatment, and disposal started relatively late in China, and for a long time the management of SW pollution has received little attention compared with water and air pollution management. China faces problems such as the insufficiency of management laws and regulations, insufficient investment, inadequate treatment and disposal technology, and a lack of qualified technicians. At present, most treatment and disposal technology cannot meet the requests for solid waste pollution control. In order to protect, restore, and improve environmental quality in China and to realize sustainable development, the safe management and disposal of solid and hazardous wastes is a pressing challenge. In recent years, much attention has been paid to SW management in China, and investment to develop management and treatment technologies has increased. In 1995, the Law for Solid Waste Pollution Protection was issued, and work on solid waste treatment and disposal began to be legally managed. SW treatment and disposal facilities have been constructed, and now operate in some large and medium-sized cities. In particular, rapid improvements have been seen in ISW recycling, collection, and disposal of municipal solid waste and regional HW management. All the figures in this paper are from 1995, and represent the situation in China in that year. Received: April 18, 2000 / Accepted: May 15, 2000     

VOCs污染场地挖掘过程的环境健康风险评价

开展了在典型污染场地修复过程中VOCs散逸浓度检测实验,并且建立了3条暴露途径对修复过程进行健康风险评价.结果表明,单污染物多途径累计非致癌指数最高的是四氯化碳,高达8.86E+01,其对综合非致癌影响贡献率为74.45%.多污染物质同一暴露途径危害指数最高的是呼吸暴露途径:1.01E+02,占综合危害指数的84.87%,非致癌综合危害指数为1.19E+02.单污染物多途径累计致癌指数最高的是1,2-二氯乙烷:3.08E-02,其对综合致癌影响贡献率为69.53%.多污染物质同一暴露途径危害指数最高的是呼吸暴露途径:3.96E-02,占综合致癌指数的89.39%,总致癌危害指数达到4.43E-02.     

城市生活垃圾填埋场建设项目的环境监理探究

生活垃圾填埋场在施工期和运营期会产生废气、废水、噪声等环境污染,本研究结合监理行业现状和城市生活垃圾填埋场建设项目的特点,重点探讨了项目施工期和运营期环境监理的内容与方法。     

美国污染场地清理的风险评估简介及政策制定

本文主要介绍美国加州污染场地清理的风险评估的概念,方法,计算和风险管理.从而引进挥发性污染物室内入侵风险评估方法来制定污染场地清理标准.讨论如何运用数学模型计算土壤清理浓度和挥发性污染物室内入侵风险评估.在风险评估基础上,加州环保署水质管理局颁布了地下储油罐低风险结案政策.政策中的污染场地清理定量标准是由人体健康风险评估方法计算得出.最后,用一个具体的美国加州洛杉矶案例介绍风险评估方法是怎样运用在污染场地清理修复中,以回答污染场地修复的关键问题"多干净算干净".     

污染场地固化/稳定化修复的评价方法与标准

固化/稳定化技术是一项在欧美等国家的污染场地修复中广泛应用的技术.在分析固化/稳定化修复效果常用的浸出试验方法和物理评价方法以及相对应的评价标准的基础上,发现我国固化/稳定化修复效果的评价方法仅有少量振荡浸出试验的方法,还缺少动态浸出试验的评价方法;浸出毒性测试普遍采用硫酸硝酸法浸出评估,忽略了As、Cr(Ⅵ)等含氧阴离子在中性至弱碱性pH下溶解度达到最大的情况;固化/稳定化修复效果的评价标准则主要借鉴固废毒性鉴别与管理方法,但该方法未规定污染土壤资源化再利用时的评价依据;另外,污染土壤和固体废物的自身特性也有一定的差异.提出了基于我国国情的污染土壤固化/稳定化浸出测试和评价标准体系:当污染土壤固化/稳定化后采用卫生填埋或一般工业固体废物贮存、处置场处置时,可参考固体废物填埋处置时的评价方法与标准;当污染土壤固化/稳定化后原址填埋时,则应增加绕流浸出方法或穿透浸出试验方法,其评价标准可参考GB/T 14848—1993《地下水质量标准》或根据关注点浓度的要求进行风险评估推算确定;当污染土壤固化/稳定化后再利用时,需根据再利用的具体情景选择相应的评价方法与标准.      

Sprawl,Smart Growth and Sustainability

This paper examines the role of community-based management (CBM) in dealing with the problem of mine water pollution (MWP) in four ex-pit sites in northeast England. The outcomes of CBM can be divided into two categories: ecological (environmental improvement) and social (community improvement). The ecological outcomes range from problem recognition to investigation and remediation; the social outcomes range from community awareness to participation and enhanced cooperation. Both kinds of outcome were completely achieved in only one site (Quaking Houses). In the other three sites, varying degrees of success were achieved in each category. The main lessons learned are two-fold: first, even if CBM does not achieve its ecological aims, it may nonetheless be valuable in achieving social outcomes; second, its chances of achieving either ecological or social outcomes are linked to the resources (human, technical, financial, experiential, structural, legitimacy and network) that the community possesses.     

Factors affecting the concentration of bisphenol A in leachates from solid waste disposal sites and its fate in treatment processes

 The concentrations of bisphenol A (BPA) contained in landfill leachates from solid waste disposal sites were measured. The concentrations of BPA contained in leachates from industrial waste sites were in the range below the detection limit to 2800 μg/l, while those from municipal sites were in the range 26–8400 μg/l. The leachates from ash-rich sites contained relatively lower concentrations of BPA compared with organic-rich leachates. It is suggested that BPA concentration increases with time after the completion of reclamation in the case of ash-rich sites, whereas the concentration of BPA decreases with time in the case of organic-rich sites. A 7-year survey on a site in Japan showed neither a decrease nor an increase in the concentration of BPA during on-going reclamation. A leachate from a site in the Philippines contained high concentrations of BPA. A slight positive correlation was found between BPA concentrations and total organic carbon (TOC). A major portion of the BPA in leachates was found in dissolved and organic unassociated fractions, which cannot be precipitated by coagulation. More than 99.9% of the BPA contained in raw leachates was removed by a conventional series of treatment processes consisting of biological treatment, coagulation, sedimentation, sand filtration, and activated carbon adsorption. Received: May 29, 2002 / Accepted: October 17, 2002     

The Teshima Island industrial waste case and its process towards resolution

 The worst case of illegal dumping of industrial waste in Japan occurred on Teshima Island. The disputes concerning the removal and treatment of waste material were completely resolved. An outline of the process of arbitration and the terms of the agreement are given. A technological examination committee was organized to resolve the problem of environmental pollution caused by industrial wastes. An impermeable wall has been constructed on the north coast of the disposal area to prevent polluted water from flowing out to sea. A total of 600 000 tons of industrial waste will be excavated and moved to Naoshima Island. This material will be melted down and transformed into slag at a new melting furnace in Naoshima, with a capacity of 200 tons per day. The slag will be reused as aggregate in concrete. Comprehensive environmental preservation measures and full environmental monitoring of sewage and emission gas are planned in Teshima and Naoshima. Received: June 10, 2002 / Accepted: June 10, 2002     

Monitoring total suspended solids by using nephelometry

Correlation curves were developed relating nephelometric turbidity units (NTU) with total suspended solids (TSS) for diked upland dredged material placement site effluents of three US Army Corps of Engineers (COE) maintenance dredging projects in the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland. The procedure was developed in an effort to ensure compliance with Maryland's 400 milligrams per liter (mg/l) TSS standard for COE dredging projects. Samples of the sediments to be dredged were collected and analyzed, correlating turbidity readings with TSS determined by standard gravimetric techniques. The correlation curves were provided to the COE inspectors to measure the effluent with a turbidity meter and to extract a TSS concentration from the correlation curve. Samples collected and analyzed after initiation of the dredging indicated that the correlation curves were an overestimate of the actual TSS concentrations of the effluent discharges. The procedure, endorsed by the State of Maryland, provided immediate on-site TSS analysis eliminating the previously encountered delays in obtaining gravimetric analysis of effluent discharges and potential contract management problems.