Comparative values of various wastewater streams as a soil nutrient source

In order to assess whether wastewaters from different industries (winery, abattoir, dairy and municipal) could be used safely to irrigate agricultural crops, a pot experiment in glass house was conducted in a sandy clay loam soil (pH = 6.12) from South Australia. Different concentrations (0, 0.05, 5, 25, 50, 75 and 100%) of the wastewaters diluted in an ordinary tap water were applied to soils sown with sunflower and maize seeds, and the effect of these irrigation treatments were evaluated at the early crop growth stages by recording the biomass yields, plant mineral nutrient contents, and also the soil chemical properties. Results showed that the winery effluent reduced the early growth of maize and sunflower when applied without any dilution, but increased yields of both plants when applied at 25% dilution with tap water. At this dilution of the winery wastewater, 80% more dry shoot yield (DSY) of sunflower and 58% more DSY of maize were obtained in comparison to the application of 100% concentration of the wastewater. Abattoir wastewater showed the highest yields at 100% concentration. Furthermore, municipal effluent did not show any inhibitory effect on both the crops. It was observed that metal contents in both the crops were different due to the application of different wastewaters, but did not exceed any toxic level. This study demonstrated that abattoir wastewater as such, and winery and dairy wastewaters at appropriate dilutions could be used for irrigation in agricultural fields to enhance crop productivity

Reestructurar la conferencia episcopal

Un buen número de obispos de EEUU se sinceran y se atreven a levantar su voz en favor de que se aborden problemas pendientes de la vida de la Iglesia incluso a nivel episcopal: Una docena de obispos elaboró el documento siguiente el año 1995. Recibieron el respaldo de otros treinta obispos y lo presentaron a una comisión ad hoc de la Conferencia Nacional de Obispos Católicos (NCCB) de cara a la reestructuración de la NCCB y de la Conferencia Católica de Estados Unidos (USCC), su brazo administrativo. El documento incluye sugerencias episcopales respecto al papel de los obispos estadounidenses y la necesidad de un diálogo con el Vaticano. Contiene también un llamado a una mayor apertura en la Iglesia. La vida de la Iglesia era diferente en 1966, cuando la NCBB fue fundada. No eran comunes entonces los consejos parroquiales, ni existían los consejos pastorales diocesanos, ni los consejos presbiterales o económicos. También eran diferentes las oficinas diocesanas, principalmente porque había menor número de ellas. También el mundo era diferente; los cambios que se han dado en nuestro país y en la sociedad están desafiando a todas las instituciones: naciones, negocios, obras de caridad, colegios, hospitales, gobiernos, corporaciones, familias... La NCCB se desarrolló notablemente en esos casi ochenta años. Basta comparar las agendas, procedimientos, estructuras y personal de 1966 con los que tenemos hoy. Pues bien, las estructuras y procedimientos de cualquier gran organización pueden volverse tan pesadas que su peso trabaja en contra de lo que quieren realizar

Restaurant Waste Treatment and Management

© 2017 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Restaurant waste is composed of solid and liquid waste. The solid waste stream includes food waste, plastics, paper and paperboard, while the liquid waste stream includes fats, oils, and grease (FOG). In the United States, in 2012, 36 million tons of food waste was generated and only 1.7 million tons were recycled. Approximately 20% of the prepared food in the United States ends up as waste. Of the total waste stream from restaurants, over 50% is food waste. This chapter discusses how restaurant waste can be reduced or recycled. Solid restaurant waste can be reduced through food recovery techniques such as food source recovery, food donation, food scraps for animal food, and food scraps for industrial uses. Food waste from restaurant can be used to produce methane from anaerobic digestion (two-stage and 184single high-rate digesters including egg-shape digesters), synthetic gas (syngas) from biomass gasification (fixed bed, fluidized bed, and plasma processes), and hydrogen by fermentation (biohydrogen production). Another industrial use of food waste is the production of compost through windrows or forced air composting processes. Restaurant and hotels generate over 3 billion gallons of waste cooking oil per year. Ideally, the waste oil can be collected and converted to biodiesel fuel by transesterification process. Some restaurant wastes from cruise ships can also be recycled for reuse. The current restaurant waste treatment and management practice on board modern cruise ships is introduced in this chapter