Modelling and analysing the relationship between innovation and the European Regulations on hazardous waste shipments

In Europe, there are different regulations regarding hazardous waste management with which European Union Member States must comply. On the one hand, Member States must meet the recovery targets that are set in the different waste Directives, and they have two options here: material recovery facilities in the country of origin, or recovery through the shipment of waste. In addition, EU Member States must comply with the regulations governing the shipment of hazardous waste (HW), that is, the Basel Convention and the European Regulation on the shipment of waste. Two main questions arise: where is hazardous waste sent, and why? We analyse the European regulation on the shipment of waste, and we consider the above questions by combining network analysis methodology, to examine which countries in the network can be grouped in HW-trading communities, and ANOVA technique to study how the groups created in the network behave in different contexts. These HW-trading communities can be assessed according to European Innovation Indicators, GDP, and other variables. The results allow us to understand the drivers behind the shipment of HW for recovery in Europe. First, this study provides a descriptive overview of the relationships between European countries, the way in which they cooperate and describes how each country is positioned in the joint network. Second, the study is able to identify the most relevant countries in the network. Third, the HW-trading communities are analysed to discover whether they behave differently from the other groups according to GDP and other variables, amongst which we have included the following Europe Innovation Indicators: innovation index, research systems, innovation friendly environment, or innovators. The results show that the Nordic countries are outstanding in the way in which their waste is managed with other countries and reveal a community that works both in the context of hazardous waste shipment and innovation

Understanding hazardous waste exports for disposal in europe: A contribution to sustainable development

The concept of sustainable development was introduced in Europe by the Treaty of Amsterdam (1997) and was extended to waste management in the Waste Framework Directive. In order to achieve sustainable development, hazardous waste (HW) must be managed safely and in accordance with regulations. This also applies to worldwide HW transport, especially when HW is shipped for disposal. The United Nations, through the Basel Convention, aims to prevent the export of HW from developed countries to developing countries for disposal. In Europe, HW shipments are regulated by Regulation (EC) No. 1013/2006 of the European Parliament and by the Council of 14 June 2006 on shipments of waste. Additionally, all HW shipments must be in accordance with two principles contained in the Waste Framework Directive: proximity and self-sufficiency. Using data from 2014 and network analysis methodology, this paper fills the gaps in the scientific literature by looking at how shipments of HW travel for disposal in Europe, how the regulations affect these shipments and how GDP per capita influences the shipment of waste. The results show that countries with a high GDP per capita play an important role in the network (having the highest in-degree) and that the absence of landfill taxes for HW does not influence HW shipments for disposal. Therefore, countries in the EU act in accordance with the proximity and self-sufficiency principles. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Circular Economy and Innovation: a Systematic Literature Review

The circular economy is presented as the sustainable solution as opposed to the current linear model of production and resource management, whose effects impact negatively on the economic, social and environmental dimensions. Through a systematic review of the literature, this article aims to unify and to uncover the available evidence on innovation in relation to the circular economy and to determine those aspects that remain unexplored or should be studied in more depth in order to be able to continue to make progress in this field. Thus, it was found that although the circular economy is at an early stage of implementation, both its benefits and drivers as well as its challenges and barriers to implementation have already been investigated. More importantly, it was found that ecological innovations, which reduce the environmental impact of production and consumption activities, are necessary for the research of new business models and new ways of operating in supply chains that allow closing the circle and taking advantage of all the waste, such as the system of products and services, dynamic capabilities, 3D printing, the biography of the product and the software recycling. To achieve this goal, the evidence shows that it is mandatory to raise awareness of the situation, especially through marketing actions, as well as for companies, including SMEs, to be willing to act together and to align their interests. Implications for Central European audience: The United Nations 2030 Agenda includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to which countries should implement the circular economy in order to move towards greater sustainability. In this context, European Union is key for this development, as it is one of the world’s major power. This article aims to unify and uncover the available evidence on innovation in relation to the circular economy and to determine those aspects that remain unexplored or should be studied in more depth. By doing so, it will be able to continue to make progress in the framework of the circular economy, enabling the achievement of the ODS. In addition, the majority of the articles reviewed take place in Europe. © 2022, Central European Business Review. All Rights Reserved

Bullying and gender violence at school: analysis of teacher perception

Nowadays gender violence and bullying continue to be considered a matter of great concern to society. This study analyses the teachers'' perceptions of these two social problems in the educational context. The interventions that are carried out from the school to prevent and respond to these behaviours are studied. From a methodological point of view, the study responds to the paradigm of qualitative research. We interviewed fifteen teachers of Early Childhood Education, Primary Education and Secondary Education of the Spanish educational system. The information collected indicates that teachers advocate a necessary reinforcement of emotional competencies and social skills from schools. In addition, they express their dissatisfaction due to the insufficient strategies applied from the school to respond to these violent behaviours. These results support any initiative that aims to train teachers to prevent possible cases of bullying or gender violence

Testing the effective scale of Quantum Gravity with the next generation of Gamma Ray Telescopes

The actual potential of the next generation of Gamma Ray Telescopes in improving the existing tests of an effective Quantum Gravity scale from the study of the propagation delay for gamma rays of different energies coming from a distant astrophysical source is discussed. It is shown that the existence of a cosmological Gamma Ray Horizon, will impose very demanding conditions on the observations of the telescopes to try to test a Quantum Gravity scale close to the Planck mass.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figure

Bacterial cellulose for increasing barrier properties of paper products

Bacterial cellulose was combined with wood cellulose papers in order to obtain biomaterials with increased barrier properties. For this purpose, different parameters were assessed: two producing bacterial strains (Komagataeibacter xylinus and Gluconacetobacter sucrofermentans), two paper supports to hold bacterial cellulose (filter paper and eucalyptus paper), two kinds of combined biomaterials (composite and bilayer) and two drying temperatures (90 °C and room temperature). Papers with increased barrier properties (100° of water contact angle, 1220 s of water drop test and air permeability < 1 µm (Pa s)-1) were obtained by the addition of bacterial cellulose to each paper support. However, due to the lower initial barrier properties of filter paper, higher improvements were produced with this paper. In addition, bacterial cellulose provided smoother surfaces with higher gloss without a detrimental effect on physical properties. Higher resistance to water absorption was obtained with K. xylinus possibly explained by its longer size fibers than G. sucrofermentans, as analysed by SEM. Smoothness and gloss were specially increased in the bilayer biomaterial although resistance to air and water were further improved in the composite. In this biomaterial drying at high temperature had a detrimental effect. SEM analysis of the products obtained showed the intimate contact among fibers of bacterial cellulose and wood paper. Results obtained show the contribution of bacterial cellulose to improve the properties of paper and its potential for the design of new added value paper products from biomassPostprint (author's final draft

Probing quantum gravity using photons from a flare of the active galactic nucleus Markarian 501 observed by the MAGIC telescope

We analyze the timing of photons observed by the MAGIC telescope during a flare of the active galactic nucleus Mkn 501 for a possible correlation with energy, as suggested by some models of quantum gravity (QG), which predict a vacuum refractive index \simeq 1 + (E/M_{QGn})^n, n = 1,2. Parametrizing the delay between gamma-rays of different energies as \Delta t =\pm\tau_l E or \Delta t =\pm\tau_q E^2, we find \tau_l=(0.030\pm0.012) s/GeV at the 2.5-sigma level, and \tau_q=(3.71\pm2.57)x10^{-6} s/GeV^2, respectively. We use these results to establish lower limits M_{QG1} > 0.21x10^{18} GeV and M_{QG2} > 0.26x10^{11} GeV at the 95% C.L. Monte Carlo studies confirm the MAGIC sensitivity to propagation effects at these levels. Thermal plasma effects in the source are negligible, but we cannot exclude the importance of some other source effect.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures, Phys. Lett. B, reflects published versio

Evaluation of Bone Marrow Adipose Tissue and Bone Mineralization on Broiler Chickens Affected by Wooden Breast Myopathy

In humans, alterations in bone metabolism have been associated with myopathies. We postulate the hypothesis that perhaps similar pathologies can also be associated in modern chickens. Hence, this study aimed to assess the fat infiltration in bone marrow and its repercussion on broiler chicken affected by Wooden Breast (WB) myopathy. Ten Cobb 500 live birds with extreme rigidity of the Pectoralis major (PM) muscle were selected as WB affected chickens by physical examination of the muscle at 49 days of age, whereas ten chickens healthy with no physical signs of hardness in the breast muscle were considered to be unaffected. Macroscopic lesions in affected chickens included areas of firm and inflamed muscle with pale appearance, hemorrhaging, and viscous exudate on the surface. Bone marrow and sections of the PM muscle were collected and analyzed for light microscopy. Additionally, transmission electron microscopy was conducted in affected or unaffected muscle. Chickens affected with WB showed significant reductions (P &lt; 0.05) in femur diameter, calcium, and phosphorous percentage but increased breast weight, compression force and filet thickness when compared with non-affected chickens. Interestingly, bone marrow from WB chicken had subjectively, more abundant infiltration of adipose tissue, when compared with non-affected chickens. Histology of the Pectoralis major of birds with WB showed abundant infiltration of adipose tissue, muscle fibers degeneration with necrosis and infiltration of heterophils and mononuclear cells, connective tissue proliferation, and vasculitis. Ultrastructural changes of WB muscle revealed lack definition of bands in muscle tissue, or any normal ultrastructural anatomy such as myofibrils. The endomysium components were necrotic, and in some areas, the endomysium was notable only as a string of necrotic tissue between degraded myofibrils. The fascia appeared hypertrophied, with large areas of necrosis and myofiber without structural identity with degraded mitochondria adjacent to the disrupted muscle tissue. As far as we know, this is the first study that describes a subjective increase in adipose tissue in the bone marrow of chickens affected with WB when compared with non-affected chickens, and reduced bone mineralization