Translating mitigation measures proposed in environmental impact statements into planning conditions: Promises and practices by multinational platinum mining firms along the Great Dyke of Zimbabwe

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is identified as an important instrument for facilitating environmental protection and sustainable development. However, since its emergence there has been a growing interest in examining its translation from theory into practice. This paper reviews the translation of mitigation measures proposed in environmental impact statements (EISs) into planning conditions at two platinum mining and processing projects along the Great Dyke of Zimbabwe. By comparing mitigation measures proposed in EISs and those included in environmental management plans (EMPs), examining views of environmental managers and local residents, as well as field observations the mitigation implementation status is verified and evaluated. Results show that 52% of mitigation measures proposed in EISs and mostly procedural are translated into planning conditions. Residents near the platinum processing plant were not satisfied with the mitigation of sulphur dioxide, dust and noise impacts on their health. The need to incorporate and enforce substantive mitigation measures in EISs and planning conditions is recommended for the future.     

Occurrence of the Dinoflagellate Gymnodinium Catenatum (Graham) Along the Mediterranean Coast of Alexandria (Egypt)

A monitoring programme during 4 years (1993-1996) was established in four eutrophic marine basins along the Mediterranean coast of Alexandria (Egypt) to follow the occurrence of a newly recorded dinoflagellate Gymnodinium catenatum and ambient environmental conditions. the species achieved its massive occurrence in warm seasons at low salinity, density stratified water column and different nutrient concentrations. A simple statistical approach showed temperature and phosphate to effect its distribution. Apparently no cases of toxic effect have accompanied the occurrence of G. catenatum. the regular occurrence of the species during the 4 year survey mean the existence of its benthic resting cysts, which certainly have important implications for its distribution dynamics.     

Backcasting — a framework for strategic planning

Backcasting is a planning methodology that is particularly helpful when problems at hand are complex and when present trends are part of the problems. When applied in planning towards sustainability, backcasting can increase the likelihood of handling the ecologically complex issues in a systematic and coordinated way, and also to foresee certain changes, even from a self-beneficial point of view, of the market and increase the chances of a relatively strong economic performance. To that end, backcasting should be performed from a set of non-overlapping principles that are general enough to be helpful in the coordination of different sectors of society and in business, as well as to cover relevant aspects of sustainability. Such principles are helpful when developing reliable non-overlapping indicators for monitoring of the development when coordinating various measures from different sectors of the society or within individual firms with each other, and when handling trade-offs in a relevant way. Furthermore, the transition can benefit from being undertaken in a strategic step-by-step manner, by which such investments search for those that combine two qualities: (i) technical flexibility to serve as platforms for future investments in line with non-overlapping principles of sustainability, and (ii) good possibilities of giving relatively fast return on investment. This framework for planning is developed together with the Natural Step, a non-government organization, and in collaboration with a network of scientists and business. Examples are given from firms applying the framework.     

医疗废物焚烧处置过程中关键参数研究

针对我国相关标准和技术规范在医疗废物焚烧处置中的问题,以控制二英、燃烧效果、残渣处置为关键目标,从二英控制机理、工况设计、设备选择和残渣处置等焚烧的关键环节进行深入分析。提出:一燃室、二燃室的最佳温度分别为850～870和1000～1200℃;烟气停留时间大于2s,但可根据实际情况延长;湍流程度的雷诺数大于1×104,当雷诺数大于5×104时,焚烧效率更高;急冷装置在180～550℃时烟气停留时间应小于1 5s,布袋除尘器最佳工作温度为120～150℃;残渣、飞灰和底渣中的w(PCDD DFs)(以TEQ计,下同)应分别小于1 0,0 3和0 5ng g。当底渣中的w(PCDD DFs)高于0 3ng g时,则当作危险废物处理。      

两级曝气生物滤池实用性综合分析

两级曝气生物滤池工艺主要特点是体积小、处理效率高、出水水质好、流程简单,集生物氧化和截流悬浮固体于一体,在有效去除水中的有机物的同时,脱氮效果良好。该工艺不设二沉池,节省了基建投资,且自动化控制水平高,也降低了运行成本。本文综合介绍了该工艺的工艺流程、设计要点、技术经济分析和运行状况等。     

Regimes and critical conditions of detonation propagation in expanding channels in gas suspensions of ultrafine aluminum particles

Under study are the regimes of detonation propagation in channels with linear expansion filled with monodisperse mixtures of oxygen and ultrafine aluminum particles of various loading; the methods of numerical simulations are used. The detonation combustion of submicron aluminum particles is described within the semi-empirical model of reduced kinetics with due regard to the transition from the diffusion-limited regime of combustion to the kinetic one. Waves of both planar and developed cellular detonation are considered as initial conditions. The characteristics of the main flow regimes are obtained and described: the subcritical (detonation failure), critical (detonation failure in some part of the channel) and supercritical (continuous detonation propagation). The maps of flow regimes in suspensions of 200-nm – 400-nm particles are presented in the plane of parameters: the channel width, expansion angle. The obtained critical conditions are similar to those observed in the gas detonation. The critical channel width linearly depends on the expansion angle up to a first critical value (35°–38°). Behind the second critical value (50°), the channel width is independent on the expansion angle. Between these values, there is an interval of nonmonotonicity similar to the detonation of micro-sized suspensions of aluminum particles. The effect of particle loading on the critical conditions in poor mixtures appears in the form of a sharp increase in the critical channel width, if the mass concentration falls below 0.25.     

高职院校中“产学合作”运行机制的实施及评价体系的构建

从学校、企业、政策等方面分析了现有“产学合作”运行机制存在的问题，从知识机制、动力机制、调控机制、利益机制、风险机制及环境机制五个角度分析了校企“产学合作”机制发展的现状。以中国环境管理干部学院环境信息管理专业为例，提出了构建合理的“产学合作”评价体系的完整流程，流程中涵盖了评价的重要指标，从不同角度反映了合作的效果。     

Magnitude,Frequency, and Duration Relations for Suspended Sediment in Stable (“Reference”) Southeastern Streams1

Abstract: Sediment is listed as one of the leading causes of water‐quality impairments in surface waters of the United States (U.S.). A water body becomes listed by a State, Territory or Tribe if its designated use is not being attained (i.e., impaired). In many cases, the prescribed designated use is aquatic health or habitat, indicating that total maximum daily loads (TMDL) targets for sediment should be functionally related to this use. TMDL targets for sediment transport have been developed for many ecoregions over the past several years using suspended‐sediment yield as a metric. Target values were based on data from “reference” streams or reaches, defined as those exhibiting geomorphic characteristics of equilibrium. This approach has proved useful to some states developing TMDLs for suspended sediment, although one cannot conclude that if a stream exceeds the target range, the aquatic ecosystem will be adversely impacted. To address this problem, historical flow‐transport and sediment‐transport data from hundreds of sites in the Southeastern U.S. were re‐examined to develop parameters (metrics) such as frequency and duration of sediment concentrations. Sites determined as geomorphically stable from field evaluations and from analysis of gauging‐station records were sorted by ecoregion. Mean‐daily flow data obtained from the U.S. Geological Survey were applied to sediment‐transport rating relations to determine suspended‐sediment load for each day of record. The frequency and duration that a given concentration was equaled or exceeded were then calculated to produce a frequency distribution for each site. “Reference” distributions were created using the stable sites in each ecoregion by averaging all of the distributions at specified exceedance intervals. As with the “reference” suspended‐sediment yields, there is a broad range of frequency and duration distributions that reflects the hydrologic and sediment‐transport regimes of the ecoregions. Ecoregions such as the Mississippi Valley Loess Plains (#74) maintain high suspended sediment concentrations for extended periods, whereas coastal plain ecoregions (#63 and 75) show much lower concentrations.     

Will Musculoskeletal,Visual and Psychosocial Stress Change for Visual Display Unit (VDU) Operators When Moving From a Single-Occupancy Office to an Office Landscape?

This study investigated the effect of moving from single-occupancy offices to a landscape environment. Thirty-two visual display unit (VDU) operators reported no significant change in visual discomfort. Lighting conditions and glare reported subjectively showed no significant correlation with visual discomfort. Experience of pain was found to reduce subjectively rated work capacity during VDU tasks. The correlation between visual discomfort and reduced work capacity for single-occupancy offices was r_s = .88 (p = .000) and for office landscape r_s = .82 (p = .000). Eye blink rate during habitual VDU work was recorded for 12 operators randomly selected from the 32 participants in the office landscape. A marked drop in eye blink rate during VDU work was found compared to eye blink rate during easy conversation. There were no significant changes in pain intensity in the neck, shoulder, forearm, wrist/hand, back or headache (.24 < p < .67). Pain levels in different body areas were significantly correlated with reduced work capacity, .77 < r_s < .99 (p = .000).     

秦皇岛地区干旱趋势分析及人工增雨条件

通过分析秦皇岛地区水资源及人均占有率、气候干旱化之现状及秦皇岛地区降水的特点,发现秦皇岛降水有明显日变化特征（凌晨1～2时和傍晚17～18时降水量较大）。从化学制剂的选择、碘化银成核环境确定、积云增雨的高度判断三个方面提出了人工增雨作业条件,在作业实践中取得了良好效果。