Perceived drivers and barriers in the governance of wastewater treatment and reuse in India : Insights from a two-round Delphi study

Wastewater treatment and reuse practices are limited in India despite the known benefits of preventing water resources pollution and contributing to sustainable production and consumption systems. We identify the perceived key drivers and barriers to wastewater treatment and reuse governance in a two-round Delphi study, including literature and case study analyses and consultation with 75 panelists. Panelists indicated that the most significant driver for wastewater treatment and water reuse is persistent water scarcity that necessitates diversification to alternative water supplies. In contrast, the most significant barriers are the lack of enforcement of pollution monitoring and control, the lack of an umbrella directive for integrated water resources management, and insufficient collaboration between responsible governmental organizations, central and state water authorities. Given the absence of central guidelines, only a few Indian states such as Maharashtra, Gujarat or Punjab have adopted effective governance structures. These states showcase that defined reuse standards can create successful wastewater treatment and reuse practices but require target-based regulations which are enforced and regularly monitored and financing mechanisms for their long-term operation. The new effluent discharge standards by the National Green Tribunal, the government support programmes, and increasing water scarcity in many parts of India will supposedly drive innovative wastewater treatment and reuse structures. Panelists agreed that efforts are needed to develop technology guiding frameworks following the fit-for-purpose principle and that strengthening institutional and monitoring capacity is crucial to increase confidence in the quality of recovered water resources, create demand, and ultimately safeguard human health and the environment

Lebensmittelabfälle in Schweizer Grüngut

Es wurden bereits umfangreiche Erhebungen zu Lebensmittelabfällen in der Landwirtschaft, der Lebensmittelverarbeitung, der Gastronomie und im Gross und Detailhandel durchgeführt. Auf Ebene des privaten Konsums besteht noch eine Datenlücke. Während im Zehnjahresrhythmus die Zusammensetzung des Kehrichts inklusive der darin enthaltenen Lebensmittelabfälle untersucht wird, fehlen Informationen zu Lebensmittelabfällen im separat gesammelten kommunalen Grüngut. Ziel dieser Studie ist es, erste Grundlagendaten in diesem Bereich zu sammeln und die Vermeidbarkeit dieser Lebensmittelabfälle zu beurteilen. Hierzu wurden zwei Erhebungskampagnen von Grüngut aus kommunaler Separatsammlung in ausgewählten Gemeinden der Deutschschweiz zwischen Januar und April 2018 durchgeführt. Es wurde dabei nach den Gemeindekategorien städtisch, periurban und ländlich unterschieden. Die Kategorisierung des Grünguts folgte der Kategorisierung der biogenen Abfälle der Erhebung der Kehrichtzusammensetzung 2012 (BAFU, 2012) mit den Kategorien Gartenabfälle, Fleisch/Fisch (noch geniessbar), Andere Nahrungsmittel (noch geniessbar) und Rüstabfälle. Fleisch/Fisch (noch geniessbar) und Andere Nahrungsmittel (noch geniessbar) wurden dabei als vermeidbare Lebensmittelabfälle angesehen, Rüstabfälle als unvermeidbare. Basierend auf den erhobenen Daten wurde eine Abschätzung der jährlich in der Schweiz anfallenden Mengen Lebensmittelabfälle und vermeidbare Lebensmittelabfälle pro Gemeindekategorie und Einwohnerzahl getroffen. Diese Studie ermöglicht eine Charakterisierung des Grünguts ausgewählter Gemeinden zu bestimmten Zeitpunkten und gibt wichtige Anhaltspunkte, in welchem Rahmen sich die Anteile der verschiedenen Fraktionen pro Gemeindekategorie befinden. Aufgrund der geringen Stichprobenzahl sollten die Ergebnisse jedoch mit Bedacht interpretiert werden. Nicht einbezogen wurden beispielsweise regionale Unterschiede. Jahreszeitliche Unterschiede wurden durch die Analyse im Zeitraum Ende Winter/Anfang Frühling teilweise berücksichtigt

Microbiological Landscape of Oil-contaminated Soil and its Bioremediation by Microorganisms

The composition of microbial contaminants of soil samples contaminated with oil and oil products from oil depots of ports in southern Ukraine was investigated, and the possibility of their bioremediation by microorganisms present in the soil was determined. The microbiological landscape of the soil contaminated with oil and oil products was established, the quantitative and qualitative characteristics, group and dendrological composition of microorganisms were determined, and their potential ability to biodegrade petroleum hydrocarbons was determined. The degree of sanitary and ecological contamination of the samples was characterized by the number of the main groups of microorganisms - mesophilic aerobic and facultative anaerobic microorganisms (MAFAnM), molds, yeasts, as well as the dominance of MAFAnM by 3-5 orders among the studied groups of microorganisms. According to MAFANM, the number of thermophilic bacteria, titers of nitrifying bacteria, E. coli, Clostridium perfringens, bacteria of the genus Proteus, and the degree of oil contamination, the soil samples studied are characterized as contaminated and heavily contaminated. According to the study of morphological, tintorial, cultural, biochemical properties, 130 species were identified and 9 morphogroups of bacteria in oil-contaminated soil samples were determined. A dendrogram was constructed based on the set of studied properties of the isolated microorganisms. According to the results of the screening, the microorganisms isolated from contaminated soil samples are capable of biodegradation of long-chain alkanes of petroleum hydrocarbons. The identified groups of microorganisms can be arranged in the following sequence in order of increasing this indicator: Bacillus subtilis and Paenibacillus macerans ˂ Paenibacillus polymyxa ˂ Bacillus licheniformis ˂ Bacillus thuringiensis ˂ Bacillus megaterium ˂ Bacillus pumilis ˂ Bacillus cereus ˂ Paenibacillus circulans. Paenibacillus circulans and Bacillus cereus were identified as the most promising strains, biotransforming up to 48 percent of the total amount of hydrocarbons

Methane potential from municipal biowaste: Insights from six communities in Maharashtra, India

Anaerobic digestion (AD) of biowaste can generate biogas with methane (CH4) as energy source and contribute to sustainable municipal solid waste management in India. Characteristic municipal biowastes sampled seasonally from household, fruit and vegetable market and agricultural waste collection points in villages, towns and cities in Maharashtra were analysed to assess the potential as substrate for AD. The mean biochemical methane potential (BMP, at 37 °C) across seasons and community sizes was between 200–260, 175–240 and 101–286 NLCH4 kgvs −1 for household, market and agricultural biowaste, respectively. CH4 yields were comparable in villages, towns and cities. Seasonal variations in CH4 yields were observed for market and agricultural biowaste with highest values during pre-monsoon season. Results underpin that municipal biowaste is a suitable substrate for AD in India. However, low purity of available biowaste resulted in lower CH4 yields compared to recent studies using source-segregated biowaste