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.     

Assessment of eco-labelling criteria development from a strategic sustainability perspective

To turn current patterns of consumption and production in a sustainable direction, solid and understandable market information on the socio-ecological performance of products is needed. Eco-labelling programmes have an important role in this communication. The aim of this study is to investigate what gaps there may be in the current criteria development processes in relation to a strategic sustainability perspective and develop recommendations on how such presumptive gaps could be bridged. First a previously published generic framework for strategic sustainable development is described and applied for the assessment of two eco-labelling programmes. Data for the assessment is collected from literature and in semi-structured interviews and discussions with eco-labelling experts.The assessment revealed that the programmes lack both an operational definition of sustainability, and a statement of objectives to direct and drive the criteria development processes. Consequently they also lack guidelines for how product category criteria might gradually develop in any direction. The selected criteria mainly reflect the current reality based on a selection of negative impacts in ecosystems, but how this selection, or prioritization, is made is not clearly presented. Finally, there are no guidelines to ensure that the criteria developers represent a broad enough competence to embrace all essential sustainability aspects.In conclusion the results point at deficiencies in theory, process and practice of eco-labelling, which hampers cohesiveness, transparency and comprehension. And it hampers predictability, as producers get no support in foreseeing how coming revisions of criteria will develop. This represents a lost opportunity for strategic sustainable development. It is suggested that these problems could be avoided by informing the criteria development process by a framework for strategic sustainable development, based on backcasting from basic sustainability principles.     

Critical perspectives of sustainable development research and practice

Sustainable development has been intensely debated for more than twenty years, but real progress of our societies to become more sustainable is very slow. Therefore this special issue provides a forum for critical perspectives of Sustainable Development Research and Practice. The papers are grouped into three clusters: a. Sustainability Science, b. Economic Problems and c. Corporate Contributions to Sustainable Development.Although a single special issue cannot address the entire array of issues pertaining to progress of sustainability related research, the selected papers highlight special aspects of sustainability research either due to their theoretical contributions or because they report on valuable empirical evidence. The main goal of sustainability research should be to contribute to our understanding of sustainability problems and to develop and help to implement solutions to solve them. This can be described as the relevance of sustainability research. A precondition to gain relevance is the rigor of sustainability science: it has to be based on solid scientific principles and methods. Additionally it has to be regarded that Sustainable Development is dynamic and that it has both normative and practical aspects. It is concluded that sustainability science and practice should be based upon these four central aspects: rigor, relevance, normative aspects and dynamic     

北京转河河岸带生态修复对河流水质的影响

以北京转河为例,探讨一系列河岸带生态修复措施(尤其是河漫地和护岸的改造)对河流水质的影响.于2009年7～9月进行实地调查,沿河岸选取13个采样点,并定期采集水样,测定其中营养物质和溶解氧(DO)等的浓度.结果表明,转河氨氮(NH4+-N)、硝氮(NO3--N)、总磷(TP)和DO的浓度均有非常明显的季节变化.在居民用...     

中国区域可持续发展综合优势能力空间关联分析

采用空间统计方法研究了中国31个省、市、自治区的可持续发展综合优势能力的空间关联关系,结果显示中国可持续发展的总资产能力、总负债能力和综合优势能力均存在较强的空间依赖性。综合优势能力Z值与总资产Z值存在显著正相关（R=0.944）,而与总负债Z值存在显著的负相关（R=-0.952）。利用综合优势能力空间关联Z值对中国可持续发展能力进行初步的分区,并采用古典聚类（K means）方法对中国可持续发展能力进行同质性研究,利用K聚类结果对空间聚类（G统计）结果进行修正,将中国可持续发展能力划分为3种区域类型：中国东部沿海强发展区域、中国中部中等发展区域和中国西部弱发展区域。分区结果与中国传统的东部、中部、西部区域划分基本对应,东部沿海省市除海南和广西处于中等发展类型外,其他省市均处在强发展类型之列,中国中部全部省市均处于中等发展类型而中国西部全部省市均处于弱发展类型。     

可持续发展中的代际关系研究

人类社会的发展是一个世代发展的过程。因此．代际公平是可持续发展的根本所在。根据“代际”一词有不同的理解。“公平”在不同的社会有不同的含义,尤其是对代际公平的含义、原则进行了探讨。代际公平实现的策略是：基于压力-状态-反应的人力资源可持续开发;基于艾奇沃斯方框图分析的自然资源可持续利用;鉴于客观上当代具有优先权,代际之间在环境污染上则采用非合作博弈。     

农药厂搬迁厂址用于房地产开发的选址环境影响评价

传统有机磷、有机氯农药具有高毒性、持久性和环境激素效应,处于痕量和超痕量浓度水平都可能给人类生命健康和生态环境带来严重威胁和风险。由于农药及其副产物的历史残留、累积及跨界迁移和分布,农药厂搬迁厂址用于房地产开发场地环评具有很大困难。结合南方某市一大型农药厂搬迁厂址用于房地产开发项目的案例,探讨了该类场地评价中基础资料的搜集方法和环评中应遵循的理念和原则。     

我国农村经济发展现状与环境治理的相关问题探讨

目前,随着我国农村经济的高速发展,环境问题也日益突出.如仅重视经济的发展而忽略环境污染问题,必将严重导致一个恶性循环发展链,使经济发展的速度受到不良因素的制约.改革开放以来,中国农村经济得到了较快的发展,农村面貌发生了翻天覆地的变化.但在经济迅速发展的同时,农村的生态环境却在迅速的恶化.如何改变农村现有的经济发展模式,寻求高效、稳定、持续的农村发展模式成为当前重要而紧迫的课题.文章就当前农村经济的发展现状与农村环境污染的防治做相关的探讨.     

梨树县农业生态环境的分析与建议

生态保护的重点是保护自然资源及由其组成的各类生态系统,预防环境污染和生态破坏,改善和恢复生态系统的环境功能,维护生态平衡。我县工业发展迅速,生态环境面临的压力不断加大,为改善其生态环境现状及存在问题,提出对策与建议,以实现全县经济社会的可持续发展。