Carbon capture in the cement industry: technologies, progress, and retrofitting

Several different carbon-capture technologies have been proposed for use in the cement industry. This paper reviews their attributes, the progress that has been made toward their commercialization, and the major challenges facing their retrofitting to existing cement plants. A technology readiness level (TRL) scale for carbon capture in the cement industry is developed. For application at cement plants, partial oxy-fuel combustion, amine scrubbing, and calcium looping are the most developed (TRL 6 being the pilot system demonstrated in relevant environment), followed by direct capture (TRL 4–5 being the component and system validation at lab-scale in a relevant environment) and full oxy-fuel combustion (TRL 4 being the component and system validation at lab-scale in a lab environment). Our review suggests that advancing to TRL 7 (demonstration in plant environment) seems to be a challenge for the industry, representing a major step up from TRL 6. The important attributes that a cement plant must have to be “carbon-capture ready” for each capture technology selection is evaluated. Common requirements are space around the preheater and precalciner section, access to CO2 transport infrastructure, and a retrofittable preheater tower. Evidence from the electricity generation sector suggests that carbon capture readiness is not always cost-effective. The similar durations of cement-plant renovation and capture-plant construction suggests that synchronizing these two actions may save considerable time and money

An assessment of Malaysian wooden furniture manufacturers’ readiness to embrace chain of custody (COC) certification

Although Malaysia is a major producer and exporter of wood products in the world, the status of wood products certification in the industry is relatively unknown. Therefore, a study was carried out to assess the status of chain of custody certification among wooden furniture manufacturers using a structured questionnaire to interview firms who had participated at the annual Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF). Results collated indicate that the readiness to adopt chain of custody certification among wooden furniture manufacturers was low. The lack of price premiums, limited market potential and high cost was cited as the primary reasons deterring furniture manufacturers from adopting chain of custody certification. Furthermore, the use of plantation wood resources, such as Rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis), perceived to be certified wood resources, reflects the lack of understanding among the manufacturers. This study shows that an increasing adoption of chain of custody certification among wooden furniture manufacturers in Malaysia can be realized in the market organisation, especially with regards to price premiums and market requirements

Success Factors of Rubberwood as a Furniture Stock in South East Asia

The study evaluated the consumer perceptions towards Rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis) as a premier furniture material. The data for this study was collected from a questionnaire survey, completed by 250 buyers who attended the international furniture fairs in Malaysia. Correlation analysis showed that the success factors of Rubberwood as a furniture stock are primarily its low cost and ample availability. According to 82% of the respondents, the three major advantages of Rubberwood as a furniture stock in comparison to other furniture wood species are its lower cost, environmental friendliness and workability. Inadvertently, Rubberwood furniture is also plagued by the perception of being low-cost

Chain of Custody certification among Malaysian wooden furniture manufacturers: status and challenges

Malaysia, a major producer and exporter of wood products has been slow to embrace wood products certifi cation. A study was carried out with the intention of assessing the status of chain of custody certifi cation among wooden furniture manufacturers. A structured questionnaire was used to interview fi rms who participated at the annual Malaysian International Furniture Fair in 2007. Results indicate that the readiness to adopt chain of custody certifi cation among wooden furniture manufacturers was low. The lack of price premiums, limited market potential and high cost were cited as the primary reasons deterring furniture manufacturers from adopting chain of custody certifi cation. Furthermore, the use of plantation wood resources, such as Rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis Müll. Arg.), were perceived by many respondents to be certifi ed wood resources, refl ecting a lack of understanding among manufacturers. It was concluded that the promotion of chain of custody certifi cation in Malaysia must focus on increasing awareness as well as highlighting the tangible and intangible benefi ts to be gained from such a scheme

Les effets du développement sur les politiques d’adoption des enfants : les cas de la Corée du Sud et du Vietnam

Le séisme dévastateur et meurtrier subi par Haïti en janvier 2010 a porté une nouvelle fois et brutalement sur le devant de la scène médiatique mondialisée la question de l’adoption d’enfants victimes du sous-développement : Est-ce une bonne réponse aux malheurs d’un pays pauvre ? Peut-elle régler les problèmes posés par l’enfance dans les pays du Tiers-monde ? Ne doit-on pas encadrer davantage l’adoption Internationale [André-Trevennec, 2008] Et chacun de prendre position pour ou contre l’adoption internationale, d’ériger en règle générale ou en loi commune tel ou tel cas de son entourage. Le regard de l’historien, s’appuyant sur des sources identifiées et une démarche construite permet de prendre du recul, de mettre en perspective les événements présents et passés [Denéchère, 2011]