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PubMed1996

A Framework to Assess Regional Environmental Impacts of Dedicated Energy Crop Production

Numerous studies have evaluated air quality and greenhouse gas mitigation benefits of biomass energy systems, but the potential environmental impacts associated with large-scale changes in land-use patterns needed to produce energy crops have not been quantified. This paper presents a framework to assess the potential soil, water, and biodiversity impacts that may result from the large-scale production of dedicated energy crops. The framework incorporates producer economic decision models with environmental models to assess changes in land use patterns and to quantify the consequent environmental impacts. Economic and policy issues that will affect decisions to produce energy crops are discussed. The framework is used to evaluate erosion and chemical runoff in two Tennessee regions. The analysis shows that production of dedicated energy crops in place of conventional crops will significantly reduce erosion and chemical runoff.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2003

Integrated environmental impact assessment: a Canadian example.

The Canadian federal process for environmental impact assessment (EIA) integrates health, social, and environmental aspects into either a screening, comprehensive study, or a review by a public panel, depending on the expected severity of potential adverse environmental effects. In this example, a Public Review Panel considered a proposed diamond mining project in Canada's northern territories, where 50% of the population are Aboriginals. The Panel specifically instructed the project proposer to determine how to incorporate traditional knowledge into the gathering of baseline information, preparing impact prediction, and planning mitigation and monitoring. Traditional knowledge is defined as the knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and/or local communities developed from experience gained over the centuries and adapted to local culture and environment. The mining company was asked to consider in its EIA: health, demographics, social and cultural patterns; services and infrastructure; local, regional and territorial economy; land and resource use; employment, education and training; government; and other matters. Cooperative efforts between government, industry and the community led to a project that coordinated the concerns of all interested stakeholders and the needs of present and future generations, thereby meeting the goals of sustainable development. The mitigation measures that were implemented take into account: income and social status, social support networks, education, employment and working conditions, physical environments, personal health practices and coping skills, and health services.

American Indian or Alaska Native↗
PubMed2006

Evaluating the environmental impact of various dietary patterns combined with different food production systems.

OBJECTIVE: Recent studies support the hypothesis that plant-based diets are environmentally better than meat-based diets. This study aims to further explore this topic and to compare different environmental impacts resulting from different dietary patterns (omnivorous, vegetarian, vegan) and methods of production (conventional farming and organic agriculture). DESIGN: Three weekly balanced diets, equivalent to one another for energetic and nutrient content, have been planned: an omnivorous one, a vegetarian one and a vegan one. For each one, the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method has been applied in order to calculate the environmental impact, expressed in 'points'. INTERVENTIONS: The software we selected to carry out the Inventory Analysis and the Impact Assessment is SimaPro5. The Assessment phase has been conducted using Ecoindicator 99, a damage-oriented method, which analyses the impact according to three large damage categories, each of them subsuming various impact categories.

Agriculture↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Environmental Impact Assessment as a tool for risk management.

Environmental Impact Assessment is essentially a process comprising four elements: identification, prediction, evaluation, and monitoring. Properly conducted EIA studies can identify linkages between injurious events and/or activities and their damaging consequences. This aids in making the risk management decision. This paper discusses how EIA can be used as a tool for risk management. Each element of EIA, as well as available risk management options, is discussed. As a case example, the paper reviews EIA guidelines/procedures in Thailand and identify weakness and strength in capabilities to identify the sensitive areas where risk should be effectively controlled.

Environmental Monitoring↗
PubMed2002

An atmospheric dispersion model for the environmental impact assessment of thermal power plants in Japan--a method for evaluating topographical effects.

An atmospheric dispersion model was developed for the environmental impact assessment of thermal power plants in Japan, and a method for evaluating topographical effects using this model was proposed. The atmospheric dispersion model consists of an airflow model with a turbulence closure model based on the algebraic Reynolds stress model and a Lagrangian particle dispersion model (LPDM). The evaluation of the maximum concentration of air pollutants such as SO2, NOx, and suspended particulate matter is usually considered of primary importance for environmental impact assessment. Three indices were therefore estimated by the atmospheric dispersion model: the ratios (alpha and beta, respectively) of the maximum concentration and the distance of the point of the maximum concentration from the source over topography to the respective values over a flat plane, and the relative concentration distribution [gamma(x)] along the ground surface projection of the plume axis normalized by the maximum concentration over a flat plane. The atmospheric dispersion model was applied to the topography around a power plant with a maximum elevation of more than 1,000 m. The values of alpha and beta evaluated by the atmospheric dispersion model varied between 1 and 3 and between 1 and 0.4, respectively, depending on the topographical features. These results and the calculated distributions of y(x) were highly similar to the results of the wind tunnel experiment. Therefore, when the slope of a hill or mountain is similar to the topography considered in this study, it is possible to evaluate topographical effects on exhaust gas dispersion with reasonable accuracy using the atmospheric dispersion model as well as wind tunnel experiments.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2004

Radionuclide speciation and its relevance in environmental impact assessments.

To assess the long-term environmental impact of radioactive contamination of ecosystems, information on source terms including radionuclide speciation, mobility and biological uptake is needed. A major fraction of refractory radionuclides released from nuclear sources such as nuclear weapons tests and reactor accidents is present as radioactive particles, whilst radionuclides are also present as colloids or low molecular mass species in effluents from nuclear installations. Low molecular mass species are more mobile (lower apparent K(d)) and bioavailable (higher apparent BCF) than colloids and particles. Soils and sediments act as sinks for particles and colloids. Due to particle weathering, associated radionuclides can be remobilised over time. Thus, information on particle characteristics such as composition, particle size, crystalline structures and oxidation states influencing weathering rates and subsequent mobilisation is essential. The present article summarises current knowledge on radioactive particles released from different sources, and the relevance of radionuclide speciation for mobility and biological uptake.

Colloids↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Transboundary movement of hazardous wastes into Lebanon: Part 2. Environmental impacts and the need for remedial actions.

This paper discusses the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes (the "silent trade") into Lebanon in terms of environmental impacts and remedial actions. It highlights the projected impacts on potable-water quality, the exposure of the groundwater aquifer, and the status of quality control programs. The public responses to these problems are presented and characterized in terms of mistrust and rejection. The constraints developing countries face in handling environmental impacts and undertaking remedial actions are emphasized. The vision derived from the decade covered (1990-2000) emphasizes the need for international collaboration, through Basel Convention efforts, to control the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes and the disposal of such wastes. The need for "global harmonization" should be given serious consideration.

Developing Countries↗
PubMed2002

Defining "adverse environmental impact" and making paragraph 316(b) decisions: a fisheries management approach.

The electric utility industry has developed an approach for decisionmaking that includes a definition of Adverse Environmental Impact (AEI) and an implementation process. The definition of AEI is based on lessons from fishery management science and analysis of the statutory term "adverse environmental impact" and is consistent with current natural resource management policy. The industry has proposed a definition focusing on "unacceptable risk to the population"s ability to sustain itself, to support reasonably anticipated commercial or recreational harvests, or to perform its normal ecological function." This definition focuses not on counting individual fish or eggs cropped by the various uses of a water body, but on preserving populations of aquatic organisms and their functions in the aquatic community. The definition recognizes that assessment of AEI should be site-specific and requires both a biological decision and a balancing of diverse societal values. The industry believes that the definition of AEI should be implemented in a process that will maximize the overall societal benefit of the paragraph 316(b) decision by considering the facility"s physical location, design, and operation, as well as the local biology. The approach considers effects on affected fish and shellfish populations and the benefits of any necessary best technology available (BTA) alternatives. This is accomplished through consideration of population impacts, which conversely allows consideration of the benefits of any necessary BTA modifications. This in turn allows selection of BTAs that will protect potentially affected populations in a cost-effective manner. The process also employs risk assessment with stakeholder participation, in accordance with EPA's Guidelines for Ecological Risk Assessment. The information and tools are now available to make informed decisions about site-specific impacts that will ensure protection of aquatic ecosystems and best serve the public interest.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Influence of herbicide-resistant canola on the environmental impact of weed management.

The growth of herbicide-resistant canola varieties increased from 10% of the canola area in Canada in 1996, when the technology was first introduced, to 80% in 2000. From 1995 to 2000, the amount of herbicide active ingredient applied per hectare of canola declined by 42.8% and the Environmental Impact (EI) per hectare, calculated using the Environmental Impact Quotient for individual herbicides and the amounts of active ingredients applied, declined 36.8%. The amount of herbicide active ingredient per hectare applied to conventional canola was consistently higher than that applied to herbicide-resistant canola each year between 1996 and 2000. Similarly, the EI of herbicide use per hectare in conventional canola was higher than that of herbicide-resistant canola during the same time period. Since 1996, herbicide use has shifted from broadcast applications of soil-active herbicides to post-emergence applications of herbicides with broad-spectrum foliar activity. The decline in herbicide use and EI since the introduction of herbicide-resistant varieties was due to increased use of chemicals with lower application rates, a reduced number of applications and a decreased need for herbicide combinations.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2002

Minimizing adverse environmental impact: how murky the waters.

The withdrawal of water from the nation's waterways to cool industrial facilities kills billions of adult, juvenile, and larval fish each year. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) promulgation of categorical rules defining the best technology available to minimize adverse environmental impact (AEI) could standardize and improve the control of such mortality. However, in an attempt to avoid compliance costs, industry has seized on the statutory phrase "adverse environmental impact" to propose significant procedural and substantive hurdles and layers of uncertainty in the permitting of cooling-water intakes under the Clean Water Act. These include, among other things, a requirement to prove that a particular facility threatens the sustainability of an aquatic population as a prerequisite to regulation. Such claims have no foundation in science, law, or the English language. Any nontrivial aquatic mortality constitutes AEI, as the EPA and several state and federal regulatory agencies have properly acknowledged. The focus of scientists, lawyers, regulators, permit applicants, and other interested parties should not be on defining AEI, but rather on minimizing AEI, which requires minimization of impingement and entrainment.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Assessing the environmental impact of wastewaters.

The conventional approach for assessing the environmental impact of wastewaters uses a set of global physicochemical and ecotoxicological parameters and is well adapted to the vast majority of wastewaters. When some chemicals may be particularly harmful for the environment, a specific approach based on a comparison between the predicted environmental concentration (PEC) and the predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) may be used. The four steps of extrapolation required for PNEC evaluation are discussed and the importance of the interspecies extrapolation is highlighted. It may also be useful to use an integrated approach relating the characteristics of the wastewater to that of specific compounds. For physicochemical parameters, a simple addition is adequate, whereas, for ecotoxicity, the problem is more complex. The toxicity of a mixture of compounds acting by the same mechanism is often described by the concentration addition model. Although this model is very useful for practical applications owing to its simplicity, a statistical evaluation of its performance indicates that it slightly over-predicts the toxicity of mixtures. A new model derived from the statistically sound "independence action" principle and based on a precise mathematical description of the dose-response relationship is proposed. Applications of this model to mixtures tested with algae demonstrate the accuracy of this model with the experimental data.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Assessment of the environmental impact of management measures for the biodegradable fraction of municipal solid waste in São Paulo City.

There is increasing concern about landfilling of biodegradable wastes. Therefore, biological treatment processes such as composting and biogasification have been considered as alternative strategies for managing those wastes. In this work, life cycle assessment was employed to compare the environmental impacts of landfilling, composting, and biological treatment of municipal solid waste in São Paulo City, Brazil. Energy consumption, recovered resources, and emissions to air and water were quantified and analyzed in terms of their potential contribution to global warming, acidification, and nutrient enrichment impact. The results demonstrated that processes that require high levels of energy consumption, such as wastewater treatment, play an important role in the outcome of environmental impact potentials. It was found that the landfilling of all waste is generally the worst strategy from an environmental point of view. However, significant reductions in the resulting impacts can be accomplished through biogasification and composting of the biodegradable fraction. Regarding composting, the application of a biofilter for gas treatment reduced significantly the gaseous emissions.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗
PubMed2004

Contribution of agricultural and non-agricultural use of pesticides to the environmental impact on aquatic life in regional surface water systems.

By means of a modelling tool an analysis was made of the local variation in the use of pesticides in the province of Utrecht in The Netherlands, and the potential environmental impact of pesticide emissions on the aquatic ecosystems. The aim of this study was to identify and quantify the major sources of pesticide use and environmental impact, taking the regional variation of pesticide use into account. The analysis was targeted at different levels: detailed (individual active substances, individual agricultural crops, civil land-use types, hydrological catchment basins) and globally covering agricultural use, non-agricultural use (some civil sectors) and recreational shipping. The results can be used for the (re)design of environmental monitoring programmes of pesticides in surface waters and for the development of region based policies towards sustainable pesticide use. The analysis tool that was developed is considered to be applicable for other regions as well.

Agriculture↗
PubMed1996

Model of multiple exposure to contaminants in monitoring the environmental impact on population health.

The model study is focused on possibilities of comprehensive evaluation of the multiple exposure of humans to selected inorganic contaminants (arsenic, cadmium, lead, zinc) monitored within the subsystems of the monitoring the environmental impact on population health (inhalation and ingestion exposure from air, drinking water and foodstuffs and biological monitoring). The mean daily intake of contaminants of average adults is assessed using the monitoring and literature data. The exposure balance showed that the total intake of individual contaminants studied did not exceed the limit values given by the exposure standards (acceptable daily intake). The highest value of exposure reaching 28% of the limit was reported for cadmium. The prevailing pathway of exposure is ingestion of foodstuffs: more than 95% in all contaminants under study. Information on the intake of contaminants is used as input in a linear multicompartmental model describing their kinetics and retention in the human organism. The results of the model computation are compared with the laboratory data obtained in the biological monitoring of adult urine. The model and monitoring sets of results were found to conform well for cadmium and zinc. For arsenic and lead the model values are roughly one order of magnitude lower than the monitored ones which should be considered as acceptable for the model studies of this type. The model study of contaminant monitoring data processing and evaluation suggests further applications of health risk assessment representing one of the basic outputs of monitoring the environmental impact on population health.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Detecting environmental impacts on metapopulations of mound spring invertebrates: assessing an incidence function model.

We use a stochastic patch occupancy model of invertebrates in the Mound Springs ecosystem of South Australia to assess the ability of incidence function models to detect environmental impacts on metapopulations. We assume that the probability of colonisation decreases with increasing isolation and the probability of extinction is constant across spring vents. We run the models to quasi-equilibrium, and then impose an impact by increasing the local extinction probability. We sample the output at various times pre- and postimpact, and examine the probability of detecting a significant change in population parameters. The incidence function model approach turns out to have little power to detect environmental impacts on metapopulations with small numbers of patches.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Pesticide residues on the external surfaces of field-crop sprayers: environmental impact.

There is increased awareness of the need to clean the external surfaces of sprayers, but the extent to which the washings may impact on the environment is not known. Quantification of the levels of external residues on sprayers could give an indication of the potential environmental impact of sprayer cleaning. The presence of azoxystrobin, carbendazim, chlorothalonil, cyanazine, cypermethrin, epoxiconazole, flusilazole, isoproturon, kresoxim-methyl, metazachlor, pendimethalin, pirimicarb and tebuconazole on thirteen sprayers, sampled on two occasions was investigated. Composite samples were taken from the boom, nozzles and spray tank (delivery system) and the mudguard, cab door, rear window and windscreen (tractor body). Despite being subject to some form of cleaning, pesticides were detected on all sprayers. Residues were found at higher quantities and with greater frequency on the nozzles and booms, but the mean dose on the spray tank was equal to that on the mudguard (7.2 mg m(-2)). Isoproturon, pendimethalin, metazachlor, chlorothalonil and azoxystrobin were all detected above 1000 mg m(-2) on the delivery system, whereas on the tractor body the highest concentrations were between 100 and 1000 mg m(-2) (isoproturon, pendimethalin, chlorothalonil and carbendazim). On the whole, azoxystrobin was detected on the least number of occasions. However, there was great variation within and between compounds and sampling sites. Generally sprayers were not cleaned frequently or efficiently, enabling residues to accumulate on the external surfaces where they can remain for years. The findings here indicate that the quantity of these residues may be sufficient to be harmful to aquatic organisms should the residues enter a watercourse. In addition, if all the residues were removed by cleaning in the field and the washings catchment area was 15 m2 or less, overdosing could occur. Further work is required to assess whether a more frequent cleaning regime would reduce the overall environmental impact of cleaning sprayers. Implications for potential occupational exposure are considered elsewhere.

Environment↗
PubMed2002

Proposed methods and endpoints for defining and assessing adverse environmental impact (AEI) on fish communities/populations in Tennessee River reservoirs.

Two multimetric indices have been developed to help address fish community (reservoir fish assemblage index [RFAI]) and individual population quality (sport fishing index [SFI]) in Tennessee River reservoirs. The RFAI, with characteristics similar to the index of biotic integrity (IBI) used in stream fish community determinations, was developed to monitor the existing condition of resident fish communities. The index, which incorporates standardized electrofishing of littoral areas and experimental gill netting for limnetic bottom-dwelling species, has been used to determine residential fish community response to various anthropogenic impacts in southeastern reservoirs. The SFI is a multimetric index designed to address the quality of the fishery for individual resident sport fish species in a particular lake or reservoir[4]. The SFI incorporates measures of fish population aspects and angler catch and pressure estimates. This paper proposes 70% of the maximum RFAI score and 10% above the average SFI score for individual species as "screening" endpoints for balanced indigenous populations (BIP) or adverse environmental impact (AEI). Endpoints for these indices indicate: (1) communities/populations are obviously balanced indigenous populations (BIP) indicating no adverse environmental impact (AEI), or are "screened out"; (2) communities/populations are considered to be potentially impacted; and (3) where the resident fish community/population should be considered adversely impacted. Suggestions are also made concerning how examination of individual metric scores can help determine the source or cause of the impact.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Utilisation of bottom ash in road construction: evaluation of the environmental impact.

France incinerates about 40% of its municipal solid waste (MSW), producing 2.7 million tons of bottom ash annually. Utilisation of bottom ash (BA) is encouraged in France but strictly regulated. Only bottom ash meeting specific criteria and produced in accordance with a quality assurance plan can be used in roadbeds and embankments. In order to evaluate the environmental impact of BA used in road construction under real conditions, two road sections were built: one containing a sub-layer of BA and the other, constructed using only natural gravel to serve as a reference. Water percolating through each roadbed was collected and sampled periodically over three years. Analysis of the samples shows minimal leaching of pollutants from BA. The results are encouraging and indicate that BA utilisation can be safe and can have an environmental impact no greater than that of natural materials.

Conservation of Natural Resources↗