German drinking water regulations,pesticides, and axiom of concern

The limit value of 0.1 μg/liter for “substances used in plant treatment and pest control including their main toxic degradation products” (PBSM) established in the German Drinking Water Regulations (Trinkwasserverordnung) serves comprehensively to protect drinking water from unexpected toxicological risks and thus corresponds to theaxiom of concern (Besorgnisgrundsatz) contained in §11,2 of the Federal Communicable Disease Control Act (Bundesseuchengesetz), which is an essential cornerstone of the Drinking Water Regulations. Furthermore, precautionary values that are specific to the particular substance and near the valid limit can be found for about 10% of all registered active substances. The goal of the PBSM Recommendations of the Federal Health Office (BGA) issued in July 1989 is to preserve and restore groundwater and drinking water through measures to be taken by the causal party, while reducing consumer health risks to the greatest extent possible. The EC commission's drawbacks on these recommendations and the imminent EC-wide directive for the uniform registration of pesticides being based solely on Article 43 of the European Treaty would seriously endanger this goal. Therefore, a situation threatens in Europe similar to that in the United States, where at least 18 active ingredients have been detected in groundwater in concentrations of up to 1000 times the toxicologically established limits for drinking water. This article appeared first in the German journal?ffentliches Gesundheitswesen 52(8–9); 372–379, 1990. We thank the editor (Georg Thieme Verlag, D-7000 Stuttgart) for the kind permission to publish this slightly revised English version inEnvironmental Management.     

Model‐Based Nitrogen and Phosphorus (Nutrient) Criteria for Large Temperate Rivers: 2. Criteria Derivation

Nitrogen and phosphorus criteria were developed for 233 km of the Yellowstone River, one of the first cases where a mechanistic model has been used to derive large river numeric nutrient criteria. A water quality model and a companion model which simulates lateral algal biomass across transects were used to simulate effects of increasing nutrients on five variables (dissolved oxygen, total organic carbon, total dissolved gas, pH, and benthic algal biomass in depths ≤1 m). Incremental increases in nutrients were evaluated relative to their impact on predefined thresholds for each variable; the first variable to exceed a threshold set the nutrient criteria. Simulations were made at a low flow, the 14Q5 (lowest average 14 consecutive day flow, July‐September, recurring one in five years), which was derived using benthic algae growth curves and EPA guidance on excursion frequency. An extant climate dataset with an annual recurrence was used, and tributary water quality and flows were coincident with the river's 10 lowest flow years. The river had different sensitivities to nutrients longitudinally, pH being the most sensitive variable in the upstream reach and algal biomass in the lower. Model‐based criteria for the Yellowstone River are as follows: between the Bighorn and Powder river confluences, 55 μg TP/l and 655 μg TN/l; from the Powder River confluence to Montana state line, 95 μg TP/l and 815 μg TN/l. Pros and cons of using steady‐state models to derive river nutrient criteria are discussed.     

由一起厂内机动车事故引发的思考

本文对一起叉车安全事故的直接原因进行分析,并分别讨论了叉车本身缺陷导致事故发生的可能性、驾驶人员自身的不规范操作,以及使用单位在制度建设及实施方面存在的缺陷.     

EU Directive,ICNIRP Guidelines and Polish Legislation on Electromagnetic Fields

This review describes the general provisions of and the philosophy behind European Directive 2004/40/EC and ICNIRP (International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection) guidelines. As an example of national legislation on the protection of workers against excessive electromagnetic field exposure, regulations established in Poland are summarized. The problems of a practical implementation of the Directive’s provisions are discussed.     

Economic and Ecological Rules for Water Quality Trading1

Horan, Richard D. and James S. Shortle, 2011. Economic and Ecological Rules for Water Quality Trading. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(1):59‐69. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2010.00463.x Abstract: Emissions trading in textbook form uses markets to achieve pollution targets cost‐efficiently. This result is accomplished in markets that regulators can implement without knowing pollution abatement costs. The theoretical promise of emissions trading, along with real‐world success stories from air emissions trading, has led to initiatives to use trading for water pollution control. Yet, trading, particularly when it involves nonpoint sources of pollution, requires significant departures from the textbook concept. This paper explores how features of water quality problems affect the design of markets for water pollution control relative to textbook emissions markets. Three fundamental design tasks that regulators must address for pollution trading to achieve an environmental goal at low cost are examined: (1) defining the point and nonpoint commodities to be traded, (2) defining rules governing commodity exchange, and (3) setting caps on the commodity supplies so as to achieve an environmental target. We show that the way in which these tasks are optimally addressed for water quality markets differs significantly from the textbook model and its real‐world analogs. We also show that the fundamental appeal of emissions trading is lost in the case of realistic water quality markets, as market designs that reduce the costs of achieving water quality goals may no longer be implementable without the regulatory authority having information on abatement costs.     

二龙山流域生态环境整治与可持续发展管理机制研究

指出了二龙山水库流域经济社会发展与生态环境保护的矛盾,针对具体矛盾,建立了生态环境管理与可持续发展管理机制,提出了相应的社会对策,进而拟定了可行的法律法规体系.      

GAME-THEORETIC ANALYSES OF ENFORCEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS1

ABSTRACT: Game-theoretic models are developed for describing and analyzing the inspection and enforcement process, especially as it relates to environmental laws and regulations in North America. Based on these models, systems using irrevocable control orders can be compared to those relying on court determination of guilt and punishment. The cost-effectiveness of environmental enforcement can be systematically assessed in terms of factors such as the private gains for violators, the costs of inspection, penalties, and the social value of deterring violations. The policy implications of the analysis, especially with reference to environmental protection, are emphasized.     

IMPACT OF SURFACE COAL MINING ON THREE OHIO WATERSHEDS –PHYSICAL CONDITIONS AND GROUND-WATER HYDROLOGY1

ABSTRACT: A study was conducted over a six-year period in East-Central Ohio to determine the effects of surface mining and reclamation on physical watershed conditions and on ground-water hydrology in three ground-water zones in three small experimental watersheds. Mining disturbances in watersheds adjacent to the experimental sites affected ground-water levels in the undisturbed experimental watersheds prior to actual mining in the experimental sites. New subsurface flow paths, with different characteristics, formed during mining and reclamation. At all three sites mining dewatered the saturated zone above the underclay of the mined coal seam. Mining and reclamation affected ground-water levels below the mined coal seam in the middle and lower zones within at least two sites. Ground-water level recovery in the mined upper saturated zone was slow and irregular both temporally and spatially after reclamation. Hydraulic conductivities of postmining (Phase 3) spoil were generally greater than those of Phase 1 bedrock, but wide spatial variability was observed. Modelers need to be aware of the complexities of new flow paths and physical characteristics of subsurface flow media that are introduced by mining and reclamation, including destruction of the upper-zone clay.     

基于TPB的炼化装置大检修违章安全管理应用实践

针对安全管理制度、监督制度、安全黑名单等对违章行为态度、违章主观规范和违章知觉行为控制的重要影响,构建了基于计划行为理论的炼化装置大检修违章安全管理模式,并通过强化管理制度建设、建立违章黑名单、全员安全积分劳动竞赛等具体应用实践,有效降低并避免实际违章行为,充分保障了装置大检修期间的现场安全。     

完善环境审计法律对策

为监督中国环境政策的执行、环境保护管理体系的运行情况、环保资金的投入与效益以及资源的合理开发利用、大气污染、水污染、有害废物控制与治理情况及自然资源保护状况等,需要审计机关通过环境审计进行监督,因此开展环境审计势在必行.文章从论证开展环境审计的必要性入手,就完善环境审计的法律法规提出了意见.