Rough Set Applied to Air Pollution: A New Approach to Manage Pollutions in High Risk Rate Industrial Areas

This study presents a rough set application, using together the ideas of classical rough set approach, based on the indiscernibility relation and the dominance-based rough set approach (DRSA), to air micro-pollution management in an industrial site with a high environmental risk rate, such as the industrial area of Syracuse, located in the South of Italy (Sicily). This new data analysis tool has been applied to different decision problems in various fields with considerable success, since it is able to deal both with quantitative and with qualitative data and the results are expressed in terms of decision rules understandable by the decision-maker. In this chapter, some issue related to multi-attribute sorting (i.e. preference-ordered classification) of air pollution risk is presented, considering some meteorological variables, both qualitative and quantitative as attributes, and criteria describing the different objects (pollution occurrences) to be classified, that is, different levels of sulfur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and methane (CH4) as pollution indicators. The most significant results obtained from this particular application are presented and discussed: examples of ‘if, … then’ decision rules, attribute relevance as output of the data analysis also in terms of exchangeable or indispensable attributes/criteria, of qualitative substitution effect and interaction between them

LCI preliminary results of in the sicilian durum wheat pasta chain production

Abstract: Pasta is still the most characteristic Italian food and, in fact, it is always present in the Mediterranean diet. This study points out the preliminary results obtained through the application of the Life Cycle Inventory Analysis (LCI) on the dried pasta production. It has been analyzed the main environmental impacts caused by a small farm industry situated in Floridia (Sicily) and whose managing staff plays a particular attention on the environment. For this purpose it has been applied the LCI to exploit wisely the available resources, to reduce the power consumption and to limit the environmental impact of the entire production cycle..

Implementation of guidelines for eco-labelling in the agri-food smes: the sicilian pistachio sector

Abstract: This paper represents the practical implementation of some guidelines developed in the context of a published book entitled “Product-Oriented Environmental Management System (POEMS). Improving Sustainability and Competitiveness in the Agri- Food Chain with Innovative Environmental Management Tools”. Nowadays, companies show growing interest in the most suitable instrument of environmental communication for the characteristics of their products (and the related sector) could be. This aspect becomes particularly important in the agri-food compartment where the products features are the result of the interaction among very different subsystems, from the farming to the transformation and marketing processes. Over time, in this sector, a huge number of voluntary environmental labelling schemes systems, used as instruments of environmental communication, have sprung up. Consequently it becomes extremely difficult for the operators to choose the most suitable label for their needs. In this context these guidelines were established with the aim of representing an innovative tool which, through the evaluation of key aspects of the environmental impacts of a product, can support the Small and Medium sizes enterprises (SMEs) in their choice of the most suitable environmental label for their own product; they can also enhance their communication strategies and their visibility in the market. The company chosen for carrying out the implementation of these guidelines belongs to the Sicilian pistachio industrial sector and it is typical for its size and market within the Sicilian economic system. About 90% of the total Italian Pistachio area is concentrated in a few territories of Eastern Sicily, mainly located in the province of Catania (Bronte and Adrano)

Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) for sustainability assessment in food sector. A systematic literature review on methods, indicators and tools

In the last decades, several studies have highlighted the significant impacts of the food sector. Therefore, enhancing sustainability within this sector has become of paramount importance. A crucial step towards achieving this goal involves the definition and implementation of effective sustainability metric and measurements. In this regard, the adoption of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) methods can be seen as one of the most suitable and promising approach to comprehensively capture the complex and broad-ranging effects of agricultural practices and food supply chains. In such context, a systematic review of the scientific literature on multi-criteria approaches and tools for measuring the sustainability of food supply chains (harvest and post-harvest stages) has been carried out, resulting in the selection and analysis of 42 articles. To delve into the selected articles, three main areas of focus have been identified. The first about MCDA methods and their features, revealing the most adopted methods for sustainability assessments of food supply chains. The second, focusing on the participatory approach, led to the definition of a stakeholder's engagement map, highlighting the typology of stakeholders involved, the reasons of their involvement and engagement methods. Lastly, the third focus is related to the analysis and classification of indicators adopted in each study and the sustainability dimensions to which they refer to. The results of the present review study provide a comprehensive overview of the essential aspects to be considered when developing a MCDA for sustainability assessment in the food sector, serving as a valuable resource for both scholars and practitioners

Mass Balance as Green Economic and Sustainable Management in WEEE Sector

Abstract This study investigates the treatment procedures of the Large House Hold Appliance to describe the production of secondary raw material within the Waste of Electric and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) sector in step with the Circular Economy model. Drawing on the modern accounting system, the project developed a perspective, which highlights accounting technologies (i.e. Environmental Accounting, sustainable performance indicators, Mass Balance) as new adaptive management tools for sustainable firms. The theoretical arguments shown by a longitudinal case study proposes a conceptual framework of the e-waste manage within treatment plants in the Sicilian context. The results demonstrate a percentage analysis by waste fraction of all materials recovered which can be re-use. Then, the recognition of critical raw materials identifies the end of west in implementing a competitive advantage for business growth

The Industrial Symbiosis of Wineries: An Analisys of the Wine Production Chain According to the Preliminary LCA Model

The circular economy refers to a term that defines an economy designed to be able to regenerate itself. Agri-food is one of the areas where the tools and strategies of the circular economy are implemented. The wine sector involving numerous stages of production and processing causes many impacts on the environment. Starting from the transport, to the distribution of wine products, there are several impacting processes on the environment. For the assessment of negative results although not of every product production process, the circular economy provides a more than suitable tool: the LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) has been implemented on the whole production chain of the product “Lenza di Munti”, a bottle of wine by “Nicosia S.p.A.”. The grapes used in the production of red wine are Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio; instead of Carricante and Catarratto grapes used for white wine. This chapter provides a complete picture of the interactions between the product and the environment, to understand the environmental consequences and to provide the necessary information to define the best solutions

On the Impossibility of Using “the Correct” Cost-Benefit Aggregation Rule

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to deal with one of the technical difficulties of private and social cost–benefit analysis, i.e. the choice of the proper cost–benefit aggregation rule (or method) to use, when a private capital investment decision has to be taken or a public project appraisal has to be carried out. Design/methodology/approach – Although the considerable amount of existing literature, the problem of the choice of the right mathematical aggregation rule is still an open one. The majority of authors claim that net present value is a superior method and thus it is the one to be always used. Other authors try to show that various aggregation methods, under specific conditions, arrive at the same recommendation. An exceptional case is the field of education economics where the internal rate of return is widely used. Findings – This paper offers a survey of this controversial topic which focuses on some clear cut formal properties of the various aggregation methods and considers the empirical characteristics of the different fields of application. Its main conclusion is that no “correct” aggregation rule, always applicable in all decision frameworks, can exist. Originality/value – Its main objective is to supply clear guidelines to orient practitioners and help the teaching on this topic. Its main conclusion is that no “correct” aggregation rule, always applicable in all decision frameworks, can exist. On the contrary, even if one restricts her/himself to a particular class of investments, often no clear-cut selection can be made.JRC.I.2-Foresight, Modelling, Behavioural Insights & Design for Polic

Implementation of a traceability system for food chains

Abstract: This paper proposes the results of an exploratory survey, carried out through a suitable questionnaire, elaborated by us, on variables related to the implementation of a traceability system in the citrus fruit sector, one of the most representative of Sicily. In order to have a survey on the problem that is as general as possible, this questionnaire has been proposed to some Sicilian companies of various sizes placed in the provinces of Catania and Syracuse. The target of the analysis is to investigate what are the main company advantages and the critical points found by the different types of companies interviewed. .

Survey on purchasing methods of food products in Tarragona and Catania

Marketing can be the strategical difference between two companies. It identifies the way to sell a product, emphasizing the characteristics of the product. The paper aims to examine the relationship between green marketing strategy by food companies and consumers shopping behaviour. In order to better analyse the two factors of green marketing tools, their use and advantages are described, highlighting benefits of their application by food companies. The European Organic standard certification process is fully described by a comparison between quality and ecological labels. The European law set different requirements that companies must follow for the implementation of that standard. The last part of the paper shows data about customer satisfaction obtained by the comparison of the different behaviour of the populations leaving in two cities, Tarragona, located in the east side of Spain, and Catania, located in the south side of Italy. The survey allows to understand the people attitude in buying food product and how this process is influenced by green marketing techniques. This study allows understanding the new green marketing approach, showing a different point of view useful as a starting point to introduce a new marketing strategy to better face competitors