An incremental model to assess the environmental impact of cap cover systems on MSW landfill emissions

International audienceLandfill cap covers are designed to contain fugitive methane emissions and to prevent uncontrolled leachate infiltration. The objective of this paper is to propose a method for assessing their impact on the mitigation of landfill greenhouse gas emissions using a new dedicated model (IMAGE-Landfill) that takes into account the different steps of landfill management history as well as the incremental methane production from the different cells. In particular, different collection and oxidation efficiencies are considered depending on the landfill operation, on its life step and on the chosen cap cover system. Two different theoretical single cell case studies and one real-scale landfill were used to calibrate the IMAGE-Landfill model. The results highlight that, depending on the selected cap cover lining system, the potential greenhouse gas emissions may be divided by a factor 2.5-7, even if no energy is recovered from the collected methane. This model is a useful tool for landfill operators to model methane production, but also to select the most appropriate cover type for each step of the landfill lifetime. Finally, this research appeals for a better consideration of environmental impacts when designing landfill barriers

Smoking in the workplace: Role of occupational physicians

In many industrialized countries smokers have been observed in high prevalence among workers with poor educational status, who are usually exposed to major occupational risks. The smoking habit and passive smoking may by themselves, or through interactions with other occupational risk factors, cause the onset of serious diseases. Therefore health reasons and the legal obligation to observe the smoking ban in the workplace make it essential to prevent and combat smoking in the workplace and to promote smoking cessation in workers who smoke. This initiative should benefit not only workers'health and well-being but also company finances. The Occupational Physician should engage in diverse activities ranging from encouraging young people not to start smoking to providing programmes to encourage workers who smoke to abandon the habit. For example, he or she should i) inform managers, supervisors and workers about the high risks linked to smoking, passive smoking and obligations established by law ii) collect information about the smoking habit among workers and supply workers with the so-called minimal clinical intervention during routine health surveillance appointments and iii) collaborate with specific health promotion programmes in the workplace. © PI-ME, Pavia 2010

Effect of dental care on the oral health of Sj\uf6gren\u92s syndrome patients

Sj\uf6gren\u92s syndrome (SS) is a chronic, systemic autoimmune disease affecting the exocrine glands, particularly the salivary and lacrimal glands. Xerostomia is a major feature of this syndrome and greatly affects patient quality of life. The most typical clinical signs associated with hyposalivation are dysgeusia and dysosmia, dental caries, candidiasis, periodontal disease, gland inflammation, mucositis and oral ulcers. The aims are to investigate on Plaque Index (PI) and Gingival Index (GI) before and after dental care of SS patients. Fifty-two consecutive patients (mean age 48.9\ub12 years) were analysed. At T0, (baseline) T1 (3 months after T0) and T2 (6 months after T0), a Plaque Index and a Gingival Index were calculated. The statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA test. If distribution was not normal, Friedman test was chosen instead of ANOVA. Dunn\u92s multiple comparison procedure was performed as post-hoc (IBM SPSS Statistics 21 software). A statistically significant decrease was observed both in PI and in GI between T0 and T1, T1 and T2, T0 and T2 (P less than 0.05)

Prevalence of second-hand smoke exposure after the introduction of the Italian smoking ban: the Florence and Belluno survey

A law banning smoking in enclosed public places was implemented in Italy on January 10, 2005. The aim of this paper is to present a cross-sectional survey on two representative samples of non-smokers of two Italian towns, conducted one year after the introduction of the ban, in order to asses prevalence of second-hand smoke exposure, to record the attitudes towards the ban, and the perception about its compliance