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The biotechnology for the removal of specific pollutants.

In the last century, thanks to the development of molecular trials such as those involving genetic modification, biotechnologies have asserted themselves in diversified sectors and their evolution has been rapid, resulting in an enormous impact on the productive sector, on the quality of life, and on the consequences that their employment can have for man and, above all, for the environment. In particular, the application of biotechnologies in the sector concerned with the management and disposal of dangerous and non dangerous wastes, as well as in the sector concerned with the remediation of grounds contaminated by organic and inorganic pollutants, has led to the development of systems and processes that represent a valid and consolidated methodology for environmental improvement. This paper reviews the various different ways in which biotechnologies have been employed in the above sectors, citing the conditions necessary for their successful application, and stressing the great potential that these methodologies have, if optimised by means of further research, for solving environmental problems.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗

Preparing for asset retirement.

Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 143 requires organizations to recognize a liability for an asset retirement obligation when it is incurred--even if that occurs far in advance of the asset's planned retirement. For example, organizations must recognize future costs associated with medical equipment disposal that carries hazardous material legal obligations.

Accounts Payable and Receivable↗

Future trends which will influence waste disposal.

The disposal and management of solid wastes are ancient problems. The evolution of practices naturally changed as populations grew and sites for disposal became less acceptable. The central search was for easy disposal at minimum costs. The methods changed from indiscriminate dumping to sanitary landfill, feeding to swine, reduction, incineration, and various forms of re-use and recycling. Virtually all procedures have disabilities and rising costs. Many methods once abandoned are being rediscovered. Promises for so-called innovations outstrip accomplishments. Markets for salvage vary widely or disappear completely. The search for conserving materials and energy at minimum cost must go on forever.

Animal Feed↗

Fish waste as an alternative resource for gulls along the Patagonian coast: availability, use, and potential consequences.

We evaluated the volumes of waste from fish processing plants in Chubut Province, Argentina, and discuss its potential consequences for Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) population dynamics and coastal management. Mean volume of waste produced between 1989 and 2001 in three coastal cities was 49.8+/-10.9 thousand tonsy(-1). The amount of waste varied between years and cities, being larger at Puerto Madryn and Comodoro Rivadavia than at Rawson (24.1, 19.3 and 6.4 thousand tonsy(-1), respectively). Waste was disposed at the three cities during all months of the sampled years. Large numbers of Kelp Gulls have been recorded taking advantage of fish waste disposed at these waste sites throughout the year. Considering its energetic content, waste generated at processing plants may support a population of between 101000 and 209000 Kelp Gulls. Fish waste could be contributing to their population expansion through increased survival and breeding success. Conflicts due to the use of waste and derived effects on other coastal species and human populations could be minimized by adequate fish waste management.

Animals↗

Dedicated-site, interim storage of high-level nuclear waste as part of the management system.

Dedicated-site interim storage of high-level reprocessed nuclear waste and of spent fuel rods is proposed as a long-term integral part of the systems approach of the national nuclear waste isolation program. Separation of interim sites for retrievable storage from permanent-disposal repositories should enhance ensurance of the performance of the latter; maintenance of retrievability at separate sites also has many advantages in both safety and possible use of waste as resources. Interim storage sites probably will not be needed beyond about 100 years from now, so the institutional and technical considerations involved in their choice should be much less stringent than those for the selection of permanent sites. Development of interim sites must be concurrent with unabated effort to identify and to develop permanent repositories.

Journal Article↗

Future scenarios for a sustainable water sector: a case study from Switzerland.

Uncertainties about the long-term prospects of urban water management systems have increased substantially over the past decade due to an increasing variety of regulations, technologies, and demand structures. In Switzerland, this uncertainty is mirrored by growing difficulties of utility managers and (waste)water scientists to agree on shared strategies: Water professionals demand support for pressing management problems, while researchers fundamentally question the longer-term sustainability of the established water management system. To reestablish shared orientation, we conducted a foresight study for the Swiss (waste)water sector in 2004. Based on interviews with 29 experts from Swiss water management and research to collect 56 drivers of change, a team of 17 experts developed three scenarios: (A) regional mergers of water utilities leading to enhanced professionalism in the sector, (B) consequent material flows management leading to a radically restructured urban water management system, and (C) generalized financial crisis leading to a breakdown of centralized utility services. These scenarios helped identifying shared research priorities. We conclude that scenario analysis is a powerful tool for framing long-term strategies, defining priorities, and integrating different interests in the multidisciplinary contexts of sustainability science, which are marked by high uncertainties and concern a wide range of stakeholder groups.

Professional Competence↗

Waste design and source control lead to flexibility in wastewater management.

The concepts of waste design and source control are introduced as contracts between wastewater handling agencies and consumers and consumers and industry respectively. Waste design serves to produce waste streams that are optimized in composition and time sequence for easy transport and treatment. Source control makes services and installations available, which allow the consumer to adhere to the specification of waste design. Increased delegation of responsibility to the consumer is expected to result in more flexible wastewater handling systems.

Community Participation↗

Abatement cost curves: a viable management tool for enabling the achievement of win-win waste reduction strategies?

Environmental regulation of industrial activity is generally believed to have a negative impact on the industry. Recent literature has suggested, however, that reducing industrial waste outputs can, in some circumstances, result in a 'win-win', or at least 'win-draw', scenario for industry and the environment. The viability of using the abatement cost curve method as a management tool to enable the achievement of a 'win-win' state is investigated here. Copper pollution in the Humber Estuary is used as a case-study, and the abatement cost curve methodology proves to be a valuable tool in identifying barriers to achieving the win-win state, and also in providing future direction for the waste management strategy. Abatement cost curves are concluded to be powerful management tools which greatly improve the transparency of waste reduction information.

Copper↗

[Application of optimization management model of municipal solid waste from medium or small city of China].

According to the basic characteristics of municipal solid waste generated from medium or small city of China, the optimal management principles and programs for optimization management model suitable to them were put forward. By application of the model in case study, the optimal scenarios for the disposal of municipal solid waste from the planning system in 1999, 2005 and 2010 were calculated, which adequately validated and accounted for the advantages of optimization model by comparison of costs between optimization scenarios and former scenarios.

China↗

Injections--how safe.

Injection, is a skin-piercing event performed by a syringe and needle with the purpose of introducing a curative substance or vaccine in a patient. According to WHO, safe injection is one which does not harm to the recepient, does not expose the health worker to any risk and does not result in waste that is dangerous for the community. To achieve this injection should be prepared on a clean workspace, provider should clean his hands appropriately, sterility of the syringe and needle to be maintained, skin of the recipient should be cleaned and above all sharps waste should be managed appropriately. Common danger of unsafe injection is infection. Most medication used in primary care can be administered orally. So firstly the behaviour of healthcare providers and patients must be changed so as to decrease overuse of injections, secondly provision of sufficient quantities of appropriate injection equipment and infection control supplies should be made available and thirdly a sharp waste management system should be set up.

Blood-Borne Pathogens↗