Developing Integrated Waste Management Systems: Information Needs and the Role of Locally Based Data

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A Review of Integrated Pollution Control Efforts in Selected Countries

This report describes the reasons why integrated pollution control (IPC) became accepted as a necessary part of the environmental regulatory systems of the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Sweden and examines the experience these countries have had with unified environmental statutes, alternative compliance approaches, cross-media permitting, and other aspects of IPC that are under consideration in this country. The report is organized into five chapters. In the first chapter we provide a brief overview of the intellectual pedigree of integrated pollution control and discuss arguments that have been put forward by advocates of IPC as well as the counter-arguments of those who have taken a more skeptical view of the technical and political feasibility of implementing IPC measures. Chapter two details how the United Kingdom, long considered the dirty man of Europe, is developing an integrated system of industrial pollution control based on its 1990 Environmental Protection Act. The Act introduced new controls to limit and prevent pollution from a wide range of industries and has created a unified pollution inspectorate to ensure that the best practical environmental option (BPEO) for all media is achieved. We consider both the progress the UK Environmental Agency has made in IPC as well as the barriers it has encountered. In chapter three, we examine how the Dutch Environmental Ministry (VROM) was able to forge a consensus among diverse groups for the need to embrace innovative, integrated policies and then examine in detail the Dutch experience with alternative compliance efforts, notably their covenant system. The long-standing success of Sweden’s industrial permitting system is analyzed in chapter 4 and in the fifth and final chapter we consider the development and implications of the European Union’s recently adopted Directive on Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control, a document which is likely to have a profound influence on environmental management in Europe and elsewhere.

Effective use of data in waste strategy planning in the UK

Effective waste strategy planning for sustainable and integrated waste management is predicated on high-quality information. However a review of recent local authority waste strategies in England, part of a research project into effective use of data and analysis in waste strategy planning carried out by researchers at the Open University, showed little evidence of being based on thorough analysis. Lack of good data on many aspects of performance restricts what can be achieved in planning better integrated, more sustainable waste management provision. This paper draws from the results of that project and illustrates improvements that could be achieved by using better quality data and analysis to inform decision making. The research explored the use of various types of information and analysis including compositional analysis and establishing diversion rates; scenario building; applications of geographical information systems; understanding and measuring public participation; the use of trials to collect relevant data; and understanding of the effects of recycling schemes on residual waste composition. The general principals and methodologies of each approach are illustrated by examples derived from the authors’ analysis and interpretation of local authority data provided by case study partners, and show how local data can provide relevant and effective local answers

A review of the Yorkshire and Humber regional waste strategy

Managing waste has become a primary issue for regional planners. This article reports on the institutional process underpinning the region’s strategy and the stages in its production. It emphasises that there has been a watering down of the target for household waste production without appropriate explanation

The antiinflammatory potential of phenolic compounds from Emblica officinalis L. in rat

Antiinflammatory effects of phenolic compounds from Emblica officinalis were evaluated in carrageenan and cotton pellet induced acute and chronic inflammatory animal model. Fractions of E. officinalis containing free (FPEO) and bounded (BPEO) phenolic compounds were assessed by HPLC technique. The free and bound phenolic compounds were studied for their acute and chronic antiinflammatory activity at dose level of 20 and 40 mg/kg. The carrageenan induced acute inflammation was assessed by measuring rat paw volume at different time of intervals. Further, cotton pellet induced chronic inflammation was assessed by granulomatous tissue mass estimation along with the estimation of tissue biomarker changes (i.e. lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione, myeloperoxidase and plasma extravasation). The results indicated that in both acute and chronic inflammation, FPEO and BPEO show reduction in the inflammation, but significant effects was observed only at high doses of both fractions which was comparable to diclofenac treated group. In conclusion, phenolic compounds of E. officinalis may serve as potential herbal candidate for amelioration of acute and chronic inflammation due to their modulatory action of free radicals

The Best Practicable Environmental Option for Paper Waste Management in Geographically Isolated Communities

Waste management generally, and paper waste specifically, are important issues. The problems finding suitable landfill sites and the legislative and environmental needs for alternatives to landfill make research into this field important. Isolated communities have specific issues related to the treatment of waste. Available sites for landfill are limited, the community is often economically dependent on tourism and local alternatives to landfill are limited, whilst transport across the barrier is expensive. The aims of the research were to find the Best Practicable Environmental Option (BPEO) for paper waste management in isolated communities and to produce a tool that could be used by other areas to assess their own paper waste management practices. During this research, three geographically isolated areas were chosen as study areas and the financial, environmental and legislative aspects of the current household waste management systems were examined. A financial model was produced and used in the case study areas. The environmental emissions were modelled by the use of WRATE, a Life Cycle Analysis programme developed by the Environment Agency for England and Wales. The financial, legislative and environmental impacts social factors of the six scenarios were examined by a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis workshop consisting of residents from one of the case study areas. The conclusions of the research were that: • MCDA can be used to combine LCA, financial, legislative and social information to assist in determining BPEO for managing waste in isolated communities, • The use of the MCDA panel allowed the local community to be involved in the decision-making process, • Isolated communities have specific issues in regard to waste management, • The research tool was valuable in finding the most sustainable paper waste management solution for the area, • Local solutions are to be preferred financially, environmentally and socially although local or national taxes can distort the financial position

Incorporating project uncertainty in novel environmental biotechnologies: illustrated using phytoremediation

"Pollution of the environment by metals and organic contaminants is an intractable global problem, with cleanup costs running into billions of dollars using current engineering technologies. The availability of alternative, cheap and effective technologies would significantly improve the prospects of cleaning-up metal contaminated sites. Phytoremediation has been proposed as an economical and ‘green' method of exploiting plants to extract or degrade the contaminants in the soil. To date, the majority of phytoremediation efforts have been directed at leaping the biological, biochemical and agronomic hurdles to deliver a working technology, with scant attention to the economic outlook other than simple estimates of the cost advantages of phytoremediation over other techniques. In this paper we use a deterministic actuarial model to show that uncertainty in project success (the possibility that full clean up may not be realized) may significantly increase the perceived costs of remediation works for decision-makers." Authors' Abstractbiotechnology, Soil contaminants, Environmental remediation Economic aspects, Industrial crop technologies,

Development of Platform Selection Tool for Offshore Decommissioning in Malaysia

Decommissioning of offshore structures is not a novel issue in the oil and gas industry. Malaysia is now dealing with ageing platforms that are waiting to be decommissioned. There are several alternatives of decommissioning such as “complete removal” and conversion to artificial reefs; “partial removal”, “remote reefing” and “topple in-situ”. Given quite a list of options, the decision to undertake the best option is challenging as the current method of comparative assessment of options using Best Practicable Environmental Option (BPEO) did not fully cover the technical aspect from structural competency point of view. Besides, BPEO is only implemented at the end of platform‟s life. Therefore, the main goal is to develop a management decision making tool which is incorporated in the life cycle management of an oil field. A survey is conducted to solicit the verification of a group of „experts‟ on pre-identified decommissioning criteria. The criteria were ranked accordingly through calculation of Relative Importance Index (RII), and a conceptual system is developed to complement the existing asset management system. In summary, this study could benefit the knowledge of offshore decommissioning planning through prioritization of decommissioning criteria

Involvement of opioid receptors in Boesenbergia pandurata's esssential oil (BPEO)-induced antinociceptive activity in animal model of nociception

Boesenbergia pandurata is a folklore remedy for relieving stomach, abdominal, joint, and muscular pain. Previous study from our research group has shown that Boesenbergia pandurata’s essential oil (BPEO) possesses antinociceptive activity against chemical and thermal models of pain. The present study was conducted to evaluate participation of opioid receptors in BPEO-induced antinociceptive activity. The involvement opioid receptors were assessed using acetic acid-induced abdominal writhing test. The acetic acid-induced writhing test was conducted by administering the non-selective opioid receptor antagonists (naloxone) 15 minutes before administration of BPEO orally, and selective opioid receptor antagonists (beta-funaltrexamine, norbinaltorphimine, and naltrindole) 1 day before BPEO administration. 0.6% acetic acid was later injected intraperitoneally and 5 minutes after the injection mice was observed for writhing response in 30 minutes time span. It was demonstrated that oral administration of BPEO 300 mg/kg produced 82.19% inhibition of nociception induced by 0.6% acetic acid injection. Opioid receptor antagonists administration solely did not modify acetic acid-induced nociceptive behavior. However, administration of naloxone (non-selective opioid antagonist) significantly increases the nociceptive response of animal receiving BPEO in the acetic acid-induced writhing test. Furthermore, administration of beta-funaltrexamine (mu opioid receptor antagonist and norbinaltorphimine kappa opioid receptor antagonist) significantly reserved antinociceptive activity induced by BPEO. Together, these result suggested participation of opioid receptors in inducing antinociceptive in animal model. In conclusion, BPEO may exert its antinociceptive activity through activation of mu opioid receptor, as well as kappa opioid receptor