Sustainable value assessment of farms using frontier efficiency benchmarks

Appropriate assessment of firm sustainability facilitates actor-driven processes towards sustainable development. The methodology in this paper builds further on two proven methodologies for the assessment of sustainability performance: it combines the sustainable value approach with frontier efficiency benchmarks. The sustainable value methodology tries to relate firm performance to the use of different resources. This approach assesses contributions to corporate sustainability by comparing firm resource productivity with the resource productivity of a benchmark, and this for all resources considered. The efficiency is calculated by estimating the production frontier indicating the maximum feasible production possibilities. In this research, the sustainable value approach is combined with efficiency analysis methods to benchmark sustainability assessment. In this way, the production theoretical underpinnings of efficiency analysis enrich the sustainable value approach. The methodology is presented using two different functional forms: the Cobb–Douglas and the translog functional forms. The simplicity of the Cobb–Douglas functional form as benchmark is very attractive but it lacks flexibility. The translog functional form is more flexible but has the disadvantage that it requires a lot of data to avoid estimation problems. Using frontier methods for deriving firm specific benchmarks has the advantage that the particular situation of each company is taken into account when assessing sustainability. Finally, we showed that the methodology can be used as an integrative sustainability assessment tool for policy measures.     

Environmental bonds and the challenge of long-term carbon sequestration

The potential to capture carbon from industrial sources and dispose of it for the long-term, known as carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), is widely recognized as an important option to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide emissions. Specifically, CCS has the potential to provide emissions cuts sufficient to stabilize greenhouse gas levels, while still allowing for the continued use of fossil fuels. In addition, CCS is both technologically-feasible and commercially viable compared with alternatives with the same emissions profile. Although the concept appears to be solid from a technical perspective, initial public perceptions of the technology are uncertain. Moreover, little attention has been paid to developing an understanding of the social and political institutional infrastructure necessary to implement CCS projects. In this paper we explore a particularly dicey issue--how to ensure adequate long-term monitoring and maintenance of the carbon sequestration sites. Bonding mechanisms have been suggested as a potential mechanism to reduce these problems (where bonding refers to financial instruments used to ensure regulatory or contractual commitments). Such mechanisms have been successfully applied in a number of settings (e.g., to ensure court appearances, completion of construction projects, and payment of taxes). The paper examines the use of bonding to address environmental problems and looks at its possible application to nascent CCS projects. We also present evidence on the use of bonding for other projects involving deep underground injection of materials for the purpose of long-term storage or disposal.     

生物滴滤塔处理苯乙烯气流的工效和生物膜微群落的分析

采用培养驯化污泥菌种、类球形陶粒和循环液等构建生物滴滤塔.研究评价气体苯乙烯浓度、气体流量、循环液喷淋量对生物滴滤塔工效的影响,并对生物膜微群落中的微种群作了定性定量检测.当进口气体苯乙烯小于1 000 mg/m3、气体流量为200 L/h、循环液流量为10 L/h时,苯乙烯净化效率达90%以上,生化去除量为30 mg/(L·h);单位体积生物膜填料对苯乙烯的最大生化去除量为35 mg/(L·h).湿润生物膜微群落的优势菌种群包括恶臭假单胞菌、梭形芽孢杆菌、罗非氏不动杆菌等5种,恶臭假单胞菌等非芽孢杆菌的最大活菌数为5.5×107 CFU/g,并随生物滴滤塔运行时间延长有减少趋势.     

全尺度室内环境模拟箱研制及性能测评

介绍了全尺度室内环境模拟箱,以及研究开发的与室内实际空间尺寸相仿的大容量环境模拟箱具备的对试验条件的调节功能.在标准试验条件(箱内温度23 ℃,相对湿度45%,换气量30 m3/h)下,箱内温度、相对湿度和换气量的波动误差分别为0.21 ℃、0.35%、0.15 m3/h.实验结果表明,环境模拟箱的气密性和混合性良好,本底浓度较低,能为室内空气污染研究提供环境条件稳定、背景干扰小的室内仿真环境.对大芯板甲醛释放测定的结果表明,环境模拟箱能够较准确地模拟室内污染物的释放过程和规律.     

A neuro-fuzzy algorithm for assessment of health,safety, environment and ergonomics in a large petrochemical plant

Process plants such as petrochemical units have been continuously trying to improve Health, Safety, Environment and Ergonomics (HSEE) programs. This study proposes an adaptive network-based fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) for assessment of HSEE programs in a petrochemical plant. The proposed neuro-fuzzy approach is applied to a set of operators in the petrochemical unit to show its applicability and superiority. To achieve the objectives of this study, standard questionnaires with respect to HSEE are completed by operators. The average results for each category of HSEE are used as inputs and accomplishment of HSEE programs is used as output for the algorithm. Moreover, this algorithm is used to rank operators performance with respect to HSEE. Finally, the algorithm identifies efficient operators with respect to HSEE. This is the first study that introduces an intelligence algorithm for assessment and improvement of HSEE program in a petrochemical plant.     

From spatial models to spatial evaluation in the analysis of wetland restoration in the Vecht river basin

Water tables are strictly controlled throughout much of the Netherlands. Higher water tables could permit the restoration of wetland ecosystems. Deriving benefits from this requires the spatial matching of physical planning, eco-hydrological processes, and economic activities. This paper reports on a study combining spatial analysis and disciplinary integration to assess management strategies for the Vecht river basin in the Netherlands. The paper addresses two research questions. How can the information generated by spatial models be condensed into performance indicators for the evaluation of strategies? How can spatial information be retained in the evaluation, and does this lead to different rankings and/or insights? Procedures for the construction of performance indicators for three criteria – net present value, environmental quality and spatial equity – are presented. The evaluation concludes that recreation and higher water tables provide a means for restoration, recouping of costs, and stimulating regional incomes. Maintenance of spatial detail led to different insights, and in particular indicated uncertainty about this conclusion.     

气浮-水解酸化-高效接触氧化工艺处理汽车废水

对某汽车公司的废水处理系统进行了改造,采用气浮-水解酸化-高效接触氧化工艺对其废水进行了处理,在水解酸化池中使用生物微电解填料,在接触氧化池内使用LK40弹性立体网状生物亲和性组合填料.经该体系处理后,出水水质为pH=6～9、SS＜60mg/L、CODCr＜90mg/L、BOD5＜20mg/L、石油类＜5mg/L,达到DB44/26-2001中一级标准,其处理费用为1.91元/m3.     

Continuously and simultaneously optimizing an organization’s safety and security culture and climate: the Improvement Diamond for Excellence Achievement and Leadership in Safety & Security (IDEAL S&S) model

This article discusses an innovative approach to measure and to enhance a company’s safety culture and climate as well as its security culture and climate in one go. A safety and security culture and climate model using three dimensions (People, Procedures and Technology) is suggested to form the building blocks of the model. The Improvement Diamond for Excellence Achievement and Leadership in Safety and Security (abbreviated IDEAL S&S) model’s structure is shaped by integrating the principles of Performance Management into the well-known and much used concept of the PDCA cycle or loop of continuous improvement. This way, the model can easily be used and implemented by any organization. Furthermore, a Roadmap is provided for introducing and applying the model and the approach to test the model in a real industrial setting is explained and discussed.     

Evaluation and in situ assessment of photodegradation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons in semipermeable membrane devices deployed in ocean water

Semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) were deployed in water using four different methods: a typical SPMD cage with and without a mesh cover, a bowl chamber and without any protection. In addition to routinely used performance reference compounds (PRCs), perdeuterated dibenz[a,h]anthracene was added. Due to its high sampler to water partition coefficient no measurable clearance due to diffusion was expected during the deployment period, hence any observed loss could be attributed to photodegradation. The loss of PRCs was measured and SPMD-based water concentrations determined. Results showed that a typical SPMD deployment cage covered with mesh provided the best protection from photodegradation. Samplers which had undergone the highest photodegradation underestimated PAH water concentrations by up to a factor of 5 compared to the most protected SPMDs. This study demonstrates that the potential for photodegradation needs to be addressed when samplers are deployed in water of low turbidity.     

Development of key performance measures for the automobile green supply chain

The main purpose of this study was to develop a set of measures for evaluating the performance of the automobile green supply chain. This study reviewed various literatures on green supply chain performance measurement, environmental management, traditional supply chain performance measurement, and automobile supply chain management. In order to comprehensively and effectively establish the relevant measures, a suitable framework which considered the automobile green supply chain as a two-in-one chain was adopted. This two-in-one chain comprised a forward and backward chain for the automobile industry. Consequently, 10 measures with 49 metrics and 6 measures with 23 metrics were identified and developed for the forward and backward chains, respectively. Sequel to the development of these measures, a survey was conducted using a four-page questionnaire distributed to experts (including academics and practitioners) to establish their importance and applicability. The findings of this study suggested that the importance and applicability of all the developed measures have been substantiated. For the forward chain, the most crucial measure was customer perspective while the most applicable one was traditional supply chain cost. The reverse chain measures were topped by management commitment in terms of both importance and applicability. This study contributed to the advancement of knowledge by pioneering the development of a set of holistic measures for evaluating the performance of the automobile green supply chain. The study was wrapped up with the proposition of directions for further studies.