Advancing voluntary chemical governance? The case of the Swedish textile industry dialogue

Voluntary environmental governance is a widely used policy approach that has been criticized for its lack of effectiveness. This raises fundamental questions about how to design processes that can advance voluntary programmes in a way that makes them more successful. In this paper, we analyse a government-initiated dialogue process to phase out hazardous chemicals through voluntary action by the Swedish textile industry. The analysis shows that information transfer primarily motivated business participation, while consumer pressure, regulatory threats and traditions of government–business cooperation played minor roles. The institutional design of the dialogue ensured close interaction within a homogeneous group, but collective actions were limited by disagreement about the problems to be addressed, prior unilateral environmental commitments by leading companies, and ambivalent engagement. This case provides valuable insights into the effect of institutional design on the actual interplay between business and government and its effects on voluntary governance.     

Significance of iron compounds in chemical and electro‐oxidation treatment of sugar industry wastewater: Batch reaction

Industrialization plays a major role in a nation's growth. However, with an increase in industrial activities, pollution levels are also increasing. Among all industries, the sugar‐processing industry is one that requires large amounts of water to process the sugar, and, consequently, it discharges large amounts of water as effluent. Highly polluted wastewater brings changes to the physicochemical characteristics of the surrounding environment. Iron compounds have had a significant impact when they are used in wastewater treatment in various applications, including when they are used to minimize the pollution levels in sugar industry wastewater (SIWW). To minimize the pollutant levels from SIWW, iron compounds have been key for uses in treatments involving chemical and electro‐oxidation. Two different methodologies of electrocoagulation and chemical coagulation have been used to treat SIWW. In electrocoagulation, an iron plate is used as an electrode material under specific operating conditions. Ferrous sulfate and ferric chloride have been used as chemical coagulants at various pH and mass loading levels. The use of iron metals shows an 82% reduction in chemical oxygen demand (COD) and an 84% reduction in color at the optimum condition of pH 6, an electrode distance of 20 millimeters, and a current density of 156 square centimeters. As a chemical coagulant, iron salt (ferrous sulfate) provides a reduction of 77% COD and a 91% reduction of color at pH 6 and a 40‐millimole mass loading. Electrochemical treatment using iron was found to be suitable to treat SIWW. The sludge generated after treatment can be burned or composted with the possible recovery of some of the treatment costs.     

机械工业职业卫生状况研究

对１２２４个工种（岗位）的工人接触生产性毒物、粉尘、高温的状况以及部分工种（岗位）的工人体力劳动强度状况进行了调研，初步了解到机械工业的主要职业危害因素、危害分布、危害程度和特征。     

Implementation and evaluation of the Safety Element Method at four mining sites

The Safety Element Method (SEM) is a method for improvements of safety results and safety approaches in the Norwegian mining industry. The method is developed by users and researchers in co-operation. The main approach of the method is that a group of organisational members assesses the current and desired situation for their own organisation within defined areas. Based on this assessment they work out a strategy and action plan to reach the internal goals for desired achievement, i.e. the desired situation defined. This article presents the implementation of the method in four mining companies and evaluates the method for its construct validity, criterion validity, face validity, how the method functions and is accepted among the users. The results show that the opinions regarding the experiences with the method are, on the whole, positive. The method is regarded as a valuable approach towards safety improvements. Subjective assessments play a prominent role in SEM, but these assessments are supported by an extensive review of empirical data such as accident reports, interview results and a questionnaire. This means that the internal assessments correspond well to the safety results of the companies and also to the independent external reviews carried out by the researcher.     

构建“水-煤-碳”体系 优化煤化工发展

分析了煤化工行业发展的现状及趋势,提出我国现代煤化工发展瓶颈主要是产业发展存在技术风险、产业发展与资源环境的矛盾突出及面临碳减排压力,并提出通过合理构建"水-煤-碳"三大约束指标体系,引导煤化工实现有序发展。     

经济转型中的中国废钢铁投资市场

废钢铁产业是我国再生资源产业的主体,其节能减排、低碳环保和不可替代的钢铁原料功效十分显著。阐述了我国废钢铁产业在经济转型中的主导地位、应用价值、投资环境及今后的发展战略。指出我国经济发展方式的转变,赋予了废钢铁产业良好的发展机遇和重大的历史使命,中国废钢产业具有良好的投资市场和巨大的发展空间。     

新兴产业形态与再生资源产业升级发展

在再生资源产业快速发展过程中,集散市场、分拣中心与加工园区等新兴产业形态令人瞩目。这些新兴产业形态的出现是再生资源产业经济效率提高的要求,是产业地位提升的需要,是先进理念注入的结果,是技术进步的必然趋势。其代表着再生资源产业更先进的生产力,标志着再生资源产业的庞大产业链条正在形成。应从新兴产业形态中,发掘再生资源产业发展的内生动力,推动再生资源产业又好又快发展。     

发展再生资源产业 实现可持续发展

党的十七届五中全会给再生资源产业的发展提供了重大发展机遇。再生资源行业必须坚持以科学发展为主题、以加快转变经济发展方式为主线,立足实际,转变经营方式,提高发展的全面性、协调性、可持续性,推动＂十二五＂期间再生资源产业发展迈上新台阶。     

工伤保险行业差别费率确定方法探讨

制定合理的行业差别费率对于工伤保险基金的稳定、促进企业改善安全生产状况具有积极作用.我国工伤保险制度处于起步阶段,有些地区对行业差别费率厘定进行了探索,但费率与风险的关联性不强,影响了低风险企业参加工伤保险统筹的积极性.本文针对工伤统计数据缺乏的现状,分析了现阶段工伤保险行业差别费率确定方法的研究现状,重点讨论了确定行业风险等级的3种方法,即聚类分析法、风险系数测评和模糊风险评估法的应用过程以及优缺点;另外,强调了在确定行业风险指数时,应注意根据不同事故类别的严重度来确定各风险因素指标的权重大小.最后,应用风险评估理论分析工伤保险行业差别费率的运作机理,提出应用工伤赔付支出费用计算行业差别费率的数学公式,此公式原理清晰、操作方便,且有利于各统筹地区根据实际情况划分行业差别费率.     

安全生产技术支撑体系建立的研究

为了解决安全生产事故预防和事故处理方面的技术保障问题,加强对安全生产的监督和监察,必须建立各级安全生产技术支撑体系专业中心。建设的目的是围绕加强灾害事故的鉴定分析、灾害预防、安全技术的研究以及直接为国家各级安全生产监管监察机构履行职责提供技术支撑等。就省级企事业中非矿行业的安全生产技术支撑体系的建立作了初步研究,提出自己的观点,为各级工业安全生产技术支撑体系中心的建立提供可参考的依据。