The Uncontacted as Third Infamy

This paper principally addresses the problem of anthropological thinking, that is, on how and why it remains with us and not with the peoples who do not subscribe to our contested regimes of truth. From my research on the topic, it appears we have not achieved any substantial moral progress on the question of exposure to indigenous otherness since the first European contact. This failure is primarily due to our hardheaded rationalist refusal to accept our inability to access the felt reality of the Other directly. Or, better still, of the failure of our language to obtain the shared reality of Being with perceived otherness. The access to realty discourse, so embedded in our modern notions of power and subjectivity, ends up with us talking only to ourselves and all those colonized into our way of thinking. At this stage of the infamy, we seem still to have remained oblivious to the potential of what anthropology can offer in the way of enhanced exposure to other forms of being human

The Triumph and Sorrow of Beauty: Comparing the Recursive, Contrapuntal, and Cellular Aesthetics of Being

The principal assumption put forward in this paper will be that for the Waiwai the privileging of lateral visibility brings ideas about a fractal individual into association with recursive power, while for coastal Guyanese and U.S. societies, respectively, the privileging of axial visibility brings concepts about an autonomous individual into association with contrapuntal and cellular relations of power. It will be argued that, contrary to the Waiwai situation, in its agenda to achieve a greater efficiency for the workings of its political relations with its citizens, the desire of the modern state, expressed through its privileged use of axial visibility, de-emphasizes lateral relations and brings about categorically isolated and solitary forms of individuals. El principal argumento propuesto en este artículo es que mientras que para los Waiwai el privilegiar la visibilidad lateral sugiere ideas acerca de un individuo fractal en asociación con formas de poder recursivo, para las sociedades de la costa de Guayana y los EEUU, respectivamente, el privilegiar la visibilidad axial sugiere nociones sobre un individuo autónomo en asociación con relaciones de poder contrapúntadas y celulares. Se argumentará que, contrariamente a la situación de los Waiwai, en su agenda para lograr una mayor eficiencia en el funcionamiento de sus relaciones políticas con sus ciudadanos, el deseo del estado moderno, expresado a través del uso privilegiado de la visibilidad axial, quita énfasis a las relaciones laterales y produce formas de individuos categóricamente aislados y solitarios

Appropriate solid waste management system in Quelimane (Mozambique): study and design of a small-scale center for plastic sorting with wastewater treatment

Appropriate solid waste management (SWM) strategies are necessary to avoid severe environmental and sanitary impacts, especially in low-income countries. Such strategies are most likely to succeed whether implementing actors are supported by scientific research. In this paper, the results of a collaboration between local authorities and researchers are presented and discussed that are the assessment of waste generation in the city of Quelimane (Mozambique), integrating existing and field-collected data and the design of a small-scale center for plastic sorting to complement the SWM system of the city. The center is expected to receive about 0.3-0.4 t/day of plastic waste (5%-7% of the overall amount of plastic waste daily produced in Quelimane). As long-term sustainability represents a typical issue, simplicity of operation was a leading principle in the design of the center; moreover, the design included a treatment plant (WWTP) for generated wastewater, whose management is usually neglected in such interventions. Among others, natural wastewater treatment (constructed wetlands) has been chosen for its affordability. Noteworthy, the so-conceived WWTP appears as a novelty in the scientific literature associated with small-scale plastic sorting plants. The system is designed to treat an average flow of 6 m3/day and consisted of a septic tank followed by a subsurface flow constructed wetland. Overall, the COD (chemical oxygen demand) and TSS (total suspended solids) removal higher than 80% and 90% were estimated, respectively. Based on this work, both the center and the WWTP were successfully realized, which are waiting to become operational. In the authors' opinion, the implemented procedure could become a reference for broader investigations and surveys

Costs associated with the management of waste from healthcare facilities: an analysis at national and site level

Given rising spend on the provision of healthcare services, the sustainable management of waste from healthcare facilities is increasingly becoming a focus as a means of reducing public health risks and financial costs. Using data on per capita healthcare spend at the national level, as well as a case study of a hospital in Italy, this study examined the relationship between trends in waste generation and the associated costs of managing the waste. At the national level, healthcare spend as a percentage of gross domestic product positively correlated with waste arisings. At the site level, waste generation and type were linked to department type and clinical performance, with the top three highest generating departments of hazardous healthcare waste being anaesthetics (5.96 kg day-1 bed-1), paediatric and intensive care (3.37 kg day-1 bed-1) and gastroenterology-digestive endoscopy (3.09 kg day-1 bed-1). Annual overall waste management costs were $US5,079,191, or approximately$US2.36 kg-1, with the management of the hazardous fraction of the waste being highest at $US3,707,939. In Italy, reduction in both waste arisings and the associated costs could be realised through various means, including improved waste segregation, and linking the TARI tax to waste generation

Understanding the perceptions, roles and interactions of stakeholder networks managing health-care waste: a case study of the Gaza Strip

The sustainable management of waste requires a holistic approach involving a range of stakeholders. What is often difficult is to understand the manner in which different networks, like information and interaction, are composed and work, and to enhance their effectiveness. Using social network analysis and stakeholder analysis of healthcare waste management stakeholders in the case study region of the Gaza Strip, this study aimed to understand and examine the manner in which the networks functioned. The Ministry of Health was found to be the most important stakeholder, followed by municipalities and solid waste management councils. Some international agencies were also mentioned, with specific roles, while other local institutions had a limited influence. Finally health-care facilities had a high interested in waste management, but were poorly informed and linked each other. The manner in which the network operated was complicated and influenced by differences in perception, sharing of information, access to finance and levels of awareness. In particular the lack of a clear legal framework generated various mistakes about roles and responsibilities in the system, and evidently regulation was not an effective driver for improvement. Finally stakeholders had different priorities according to the waste management phases they were involved into, however segregation at the source was identified as a key requirement. Areas for improving the effectiveness of the networks are suggested. The analysis utilized an innovative methodology, which involved a large number of stakeholders. Such an approach raised interest and awareness at different levels (public authorities, health providers, supporting actors, others), and stimulated the discussion about the adoption of specific policies, and the identification of the effective way forward

O triunfo e a dor da beleza: comparando as estéticas recursiva, contrapontística e celular do ser

O principal argumento desenvolvido neste ensaio é o de que, para os Waiwai, o privilégio conferido à visibilidade lateral sugere idéias sobre um indivíduo fractal, associado ao poder recursivo, enquanto, para as sociedades do litoral da Guiana e dos Estados Unidos, o privilégio conferido à visibilidade axial sugere concepções sobre um indivíduo autônomo, associado a relações de poder contrapontísticas e celulares, respectivamente. Será argumentado que, ao contrário da situação dos Waiwai, de acordo com o objetivo de atingir maior eficiência no funcionamento de suas relações políticas com os cidadãos, o desejo do Estado moderno, expresso por meio do uso privilegiado da visibilidade axial, reduz a importância das relações laterais e produz indivíduos categorialmente isolados e solitários.The principal assumption put forward in this paper will be that for the Waiwai the privileging of lateral visibility brings ideas about a fractal individual into association with recursive power, while for coastal Guyanese and U.S. societies, respectively, the privileging of axial visibility brings concepts about an autonomous individual into association with contrapuntal and cellular relations of power. It will be argued that, contrary to the Waiwai situation, in its agenda to achieve a greater efficiency for the workings of its political relations with its citizens, the desire of the modern state, expressed through its privileged use of axial visibility, de-emphasizes lateral relations and brings about categorically isolated and solitary forms of individuals

Mass balance of emerging organic micropollutants in a small wastewater treatment plant

Emerging organic micropollutants are compounds measured in water in μg/l or ng/l which may have long-term negative effects on both wildlife and humans. The purpose of this work was to perform a mass balance of emerging organic micropollutants on activated sludge tank and on secondary settling tank in a small wastewater treatment plant in the Municipality of Rome. The analytes monitored in this work were: Estrone (E1), 17β-Estradiol (E2) and 17α- Ethinylestradiol (EE2) for steroid hormones, 4-Nonylphenol (4-NP) and Bisphenol A (BPA) for substituted Phenols and Alkylphenols, Amphetamine (AM), Methamphetamine (MET), Benzoylecgonine (BEG) and 11-nor-Δ9-THC- 9carboxy (THC-COOH) for drugs of abuse. Mass balance on activated sludge tank showed that the emerging organic micropollutants removed were BPA (59%), EE2 (34%), AM (56%) and THCCOOH (35%). The processes occurring in the secondary settling tank were able to reduce 4-NP (26%), BPA (74%), E1 (82%), EE2 (93%), AM (44%), MET (80%), BEG (72%) and THC-COOH (39%). The residual amount of each substance was distributed between the effluent, the return sludge line and the excess sludge. Since the removal of emerging organic micropollutants was partial, the conventional wastewater treatment plant is not able to completely break down these substances. Accordingly, these compounds are found in water body potentially active and dangerous to wildlife and humans. © 201 WIT Press

Health risks of solid waste management practices in rural Ghana: A semi-quantitative approach toward a solid waste safety plan

Inadequate solid waste management (SWM) can lead to environmental contamination and human health risks. The health risks from poor SWM can vary based on specific practices and exposure pathways. Thus, it is necessary to adequately understand the local context. This information, however, is rarely available in low-resource settings, particularly in rural areas. A solid waste safety plan could be helpful in these settings for gathering necessary data to assess and minimize health risks. As a step in developing such a tool, a semi-quantitative health risk analysis of SWM practices in nine Ghanaian rural villages was undertaken. Data on SWM in each village were collected through qualitative field observations and semi-structured interviews with local stakeholders. SWM-related health risks were assessed using the collected data, similar case studies in the scientific literature and dialogue among an assembled team of experts. The analysis identified context-specific practices and exposure pathways that may present the most substantial health risks as well as targeted solutions for mitigation risks. A risk assessment matrix was developed to quantify SWM risks as low, medium, high, or very high based on the likelihood and severity of identified hazards. The highest SWM risks were identified from dumpsites and uncontrolled burying of solid waste. More specifically, a very high or high risk of infectious and vector-borne diseases from SWM in the villages was identified, both in the disposal of solid waste in dumpsites and uncontrolled burying of solid waste. Additionally, a very high or high risk of inhalation, ingestion or dermal contact with contaminants was found in the disposal of solid waste in dumpsites, open burning of waste and reuse of waste from dumpsites as compost. The results demonstrate the potential value of a solid waste safety plan and a parsimonious approach to collect key local data to inform its contents