Predicting Impacts of Offshore Monoculture Farm Expansion in Ultra-Oligotrophic Waters of the Levantine Basin

The aim of this brief research report was to define the consequential shifts in biomass and trophic structure of an ecosystem surrounding an offshore monoculture fish farm in Israel. It attempts to clarify the impact of the industry expansion and input of artificial fish pellets on functional group biomasses. We account for the direct addition of artificial food pellets, the metabolic wastes from the caged fish in a mass-balance food web model (Ecopath), as well as the temporal expansion of the farm’s production capacity to 21,000 t over a 30-year period (Ecosim). In the static mass-balance model of the food web, the addition of the fish cages at its current production size of 1000 t does not adversely affect the system, and trophic energy transfer is still dependent on primary production versus the detrital pathway. The model suggests a semi-stable ecosystem with low trophic interactions. With time, the increase in fish farming at the site is characterized by an increase of all functional group biomasses at the site over the 30-year period. The accumulation in detritus most notably correlates to greater biomass for all benthic functional niches and their secondary consumers. It is, therefore, apt to develop an indicator species list to indicate negative site disturbance. In summary, the sediment column condition will be the main indicator for ecosystem stability, as well as the increase in apex predators that are attracted to the site from the accumulation of discards at the cage botto

A methodological approach for comparing waste water effluent's regulatory and management frameworks based on sustainability assessment

Abstract The availability of deterministic models to achieve information regarding the main aspects affected by the implementation of regulations is of high importance for supporting decision-makers and policymaking. This is particularly true and of crucial importance when pursuing more sustainable development. The present study proposes a triple bottom integrated model for the evaluation of the main aspects of sustainability —environmental, social, and economic— based on an integrated sustainability index. The model was applied for comparing the wastewater regulatory systems implemented in Italy and Israel. The main results show that greenhouse gas emissions were about 0.60 kgCO2eq/m3 for Israel and about 0.07 kgCO2eq/m3 for Italy. Concerning freshwater eutrophication, the emissions related to the Italian scenarios ranged from about 2x10-3 kgPeq/m3 to 1.2x10-2 kgPeq/m3 for use on soil and discharge to river, respectively. For Israel, the same figures resulted 6x10-3 kgPeq/m3 and 1x10-3 kgPeq/m3, respectively. The impact on human health ranged from 0.5x10-5 DALY to 1.56x10-4 DALY depending on the emission limits and final destination. A comprehensive figure of sustainability was calculated by the proposed integrated sustainability index. The higher was this index the lower was the sustainability. Results for "discharge to river" were 8.91 for Israel and 9.15 for Italy whereas for "reuse on soil" the index was 24.7 for Israel and 19.9 for Italy. The methodological approach presented in this paper can be implemented to measure and enhance sustainability performance in water sectors, as well as in other environmental fields

Curriculum for training course on policy impact assessment

A one-week MACSUR training course on policy impact assessment was held in March 2014 at Haifa University in Israel. The course was organised by ZALF (Hannes König, Katharina Helming) and Haifa University (Ofira Ayalon, Edan Benami, Ruslana Palatnik), targeting at the participation of Post-Docs and PhD students associated to the MACSUR consortium. The Framework for Participatory Impact Assessment (FoPIA) was used as the main method for the course to support structuring the policy impact assessment. The Israelian MACSUR case study of the Ramat Menashe Biosphere was used the test case of assessing alternative policy options and sustainability trade-offs

Sometimes Littering Is Acceptable—Understanding and Addressing Littering Perceptions in Natural Settings

The detrimental impact of visitor-induced litter pollution on ecosystems, wildlife, and overall quality of life emphasizes the urgency of mitigating it. This study uniquely focuses on diverse visitors’ perceptions of littering behavior in open spaces, facilitating comprehensive assessment and targeted mitigation strategies. This study aimed to analyze attitudes, willingness to act, and responsibility perceptions, considering diverse demographics in Israel’s multicultural context. It sought insights into littering rationales, potential remedies, and the identification of relatively acceptable littering behaviors for focused attention. This profound comprehension is crucial for conserving ecologically sensitive open areas, necessitating optimized management for interface preservation. Leveraging insights from an online survey involving 401 recent open-space visitors, this research reveals a disparity between self-professed and actual littering practices. Intriguingly, 32% of participants who claimed never to litter described instances of doing so. Furthermore, disparities emerged between anti-litter attitudes, willingness to act, and individual accountability, which were influenced by demographic variables. While individuals from various demographic cohorts attested to littering behavior, young ultra-Orthodox Jews possessing solely a high school level of education exhibited a proclivity for increased littering. Perceptions predominantly attribute purposeful and recreational motives to littering, rather than substantial reasons. Participants conceive a diverse range of effective strategies to address the issue, highlighting its intricate and multifaceted nature. Consequently, this study advocates for a multifaceted approach combining enhanced enforcement, educational campaigns, informative initiatives, and infrastructural enhancements. By acknowledging the complexities of littering behavior and embracing multifarious interventions, policymakers can enhance the likelihood of successfully curbing this pervasive challenge

Economic Efficiency of Compost Production: The Case of Israel

This paper presents a comprehensive economic analysis of recycling organic wastes through composting. A mathematical programming model is developed to examine the optimal level of compost production from sources of organic municipal solid waste, livestock manure and wastewater-treatment sludge. The model incorporates the spatial nature of the problem by referring to the locations of the sources for raw organic matter, of the composting plants and agricultural regions. Agricultural demand for compost is derived using estimated production functions for 42 crops, price elasticity of the vegetative agricultural outputs, and farmers' stated willingness to utilize compost. The model accounts for the costs of waste collection, compost production, transportation and landfilling; all include both direct costs and externalities. The optimal allocation of raw materials and outputs is achieved when the financial contribution of the composting system is maximized relative to the alternative of disposing of these organic wastes in landfills. We apply the model to the case of Israel. Today, despite the relatively high levels of organic material in municipal solid waste, the scarcity of landfill sites, and the low level of organic content in agricultural soils, only 37% of Israel's composting potential is realized. Subject to compliance with new environmental regulations, our analysis points to the possibility of an 89% composting rate, in which all livestock manure and sludge are composted, but only 75% of the organic municipal solid waste is utilized in this manner. This finding supports the strict enforcement of these environmental regulations, and indicates the need for a composting encouraging policy. However, regulations aimed at increasing the rate of municipal solid waste recycling should leave enough freedom for municipalities to select their waste disposal strategies. It is also concluded that, given the high costs of separating municipal waste at the 2 source, the government can increase composting rates by initializing and stimulating the formation of regional cooperation to ensure steady long run consumption of raw organic materials. Moreover, the government can increase agricultural demand for compost by both setting clear standards for high quality compost, and spreading the scientific information on the advantages of composting via the governmental agricultural instruction system. The presented methodology is applicable to other cases, as is the scientific-based data, which include the external costs and the compost production functions. This information is relevant for regions facing the same challenges, particularly where the soil's organic content is less than 2%; e.g., Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece

Economic Efficiency of Compost Production: The Case of Israel

This paper presents a comprehensive economic analysis of recycling organic wastes through composting. A mathematical programming model is developed to examine the optimal level of compost production from sources of organic municipal solid waste, livestock manure and wastewater-treatment sludge. The model incorporates the spatial nature of the problem by referring to the locations of the sources for raw organic matter, of the composting plants and agricultural regions. Agricultural demand for compost is derived using estimated production functions for 42 crops, price elasticity of the vegetative agricultural outputs, and farmers' stated willingness to utilize compost. The model accounts for the costs of waste collection, compost production, transportation and landfilling; all include both direct costs and externalities. The optimal allocation of raw materials and outputs is achieved when the financial contribution of the composting system is maximized relative to the alternative of disposing of these organic wastes in landfills. We apply the model to the case of Israel. Today, despite the relatively high levels of organic material in municipal solid waste, the scarcity of landfill sites, and the low level of organic content in agricultural soils, only 37% of Israel's composting potential is realized. Subject to compliance with new environmental regulations, our analysis points to the possibility of an 89% composting rate, in which all livestock manure and sludge are composted, but only 75% of the organic municipal solid waste is utilized in this manner. This finding supports the strict enforcement of these environmental regulations, and indicates the need for a composting encouraging policy. However, regulations aimed at increasing the rate of municipal solid waste recycling should leave enough freedom for municipalities to select their waste disposal strategies. It is also concluded that, given the high costs of separating municipal waste at the 2 source, the government can increase composting rates by initializing and stimulating the formation of regional cooperation to ensure steady long run consumption of raw organic materials. Moreover, the government can increase agricultural demand for compost by both setting clear standards for high quality compost, and spreading the scientific information on the advantages of composting via the governmental agricultural instruction system. The presented methodology is applicable to other cases, as is the scientific-based data, which include the external costs and the compost production functions. This information is relevant for regions facing the same challenges, particularly where the soil's organic content is less than 2%; e.g., Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece.Compost, Economics, Livestock-Manure, Mathematical-Programming, Municipal-Solid-Waste, Waste-Water-Treatment-Sludge,

Decentralized Composting Analysis Model—Benefit/Cost Decision-Making Methodology

Municipal solid waste management is considered one of the major environmental challenges. Organic waste, especially food waste, usually accounts for over 50 wt% of municipal solid waste, yet, in most countries, it is the least recovered material. Decentralized composting aims to develop a new framework of waste management, building a closed-loop system for the composting of home, community, and commercial organic waste in urban environments. However, in some cases, decentralized composting is not economically and/or environmentally viable. Even when it is viable, various barriers and challenges need to be addressed in many cases. Different models in the literature address certain aspects of organic waste management, such as food waste treatment technology, recovery of energy, site selection, or environmental impact. The objective of this study is to provide guidelines and a methodological framework to quantify economic, social, operational, environmental, and regulatory aspects, in order to examine the viability and feasibility of decentralized composting projects at any given location. The decentralized composting analysis model proposed in this study has been developed with an innovative approach to decentralized composting project planning and design, an approach that is both holistic and very practical. The innovative model incorporates various aspects to examine the viability of decentralized composting projects based on benefit/cost criteria. In this respect, a result obtained through another model that examines a specific aspect of decentralized composting can be used as input for the model presented here. The decentralized composting analysis model provides a powerful tool for decision makers, based on the quantification of the decentralized composting project characteristics, and a benefit/cost index that takes into account the various impact variables. The decentralized composting analysis model allows examining the viability of the decentralized composting project in different scenarios, locations and options, and can help indicate the most viable alternative. In this paper, we describe the decentralized composting analysis model and its methodological framework, along with numerical examples to demonstrate its implementation

Decentralized Composting Analysis Model—Benefit/Cost Decision-Making Methodology

Municipal solid waste management is considered one of the major environmental challenges. Organic waste, especially food waste, usually accounts for over 50 wt% of municipal solid waste, yet, in most countries, it is the least recovered material. Decentralized composting aims to develop a new framework of waste management, building a closed-loop system for the composting of home, community, and commercial organic waste in urban environments. However, in some cases, decentralized composting is not economically and/or environmentally viable. Even when it is viable, various barriers and challenges need to be addressed in many cases. Different models in the literature address certain aspects of organic waste management, such as food waste treatment technology, recovery of energy, site selection, or environmental impact. The objective of this study is to provide guidelines and a methodological framework to quantify economic, social, operational, environmental, and regulatory aspects, in order to examine the viability and feasibility of decentralized composting projects at any given location. The decentralized composting analysis model proposed in this study has been developed with an innovative approach to decentralized composting project planning and design, an approach that is both holistic and very practical. The innovative model incorporates various aspects to examine the viability of decentralized composting projects based on benefit/cost criteria. In this respect, a result obtained through another model that examines a specific aspect of decentralized composting can be used as input for the model presented here. The decentralized composting analysis model provides a powerful tool for decision makers, based on the quantification of the decentralized composting project characteristics, and a benefit/cost index that takes into account the various impact variables. The decentralized composting analysis model allows examining the viability of the decentralized composting project in different scenarios, locations and options, and can help indicate the most viable alternative. In this paper, we describe the decentralized composting analysis model and its methodological framework, along with numerical examples to demonstrate its implementation