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At least 991 records · Page 55Linked to original sources
PubMed2003

[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↗
PubMed1991

Concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans from chemical manufacturers and waste disposal facilities.

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs) were measured in various source and environmental samples obtained from eight chemical manufacturers producing agricultural chemicals, synthetic dye, or resin and eight chemical waste disposal facilities. The concentrations of PCDDs and PCDFs ranged from 3.0 to 3504 ng/g for PCDDs and from 1.2 to 1668 ng/g for PCDFs in fly ash. Their concentrations in emission were in the ranges of 21.8 to 3205 ng/m3 for PCDDs and not detected to 4344 ng/m3 for PCDFs. PCDD and PCDF concentrations were higher in fly and bottom ashes and in emissions from two manufacturers that incinerate waste plastics than in those from other manufacturers. For emission and liquid samples from the manufacturers. For emission and liquid samples from the manufacturers of agricultural chemicals, significantly high concentrations of tetra-CDDs were detected. Furthermore, the high concentrations of PCDFs, especially hepta- and octa-CDF congeners, existed in emissions from waste incinerators that manufacture rubber. Among manufacturers and disposal facilities, the total emission equivalent (2.94 ng/m3) of PCDDs and PCDFs was highest for a certain manufacturer of agricultural chemicals, showing that more 2,3,7,8-chlorine-substituted PCDDs and PCDFs were present in their emissions.

Benzofurans↗
PubMed2001

Research & development methodology for recycling residues as building materials--a proposal.

This article presents a proposal of methodology for conducting such research and development. The data/statistics waste collection statistics phase must cover geographical distribution, seasonal variations on production rates, waste management practices, current applications and their related costs and revenues. Waste characterisation must be comprehensive with physical, environmental and chemical aspects, including waste variability and waste contamination from shipping, handling and storage activities. Based on the previous results a broad forecast of potential applications must be developed based on very simple rules like minimisation of transportation distances and energy consumption, etc. Marketing evaluation is a very important step, frequently neglected when choosing the best applications for a particular waste. Other steps are product development and performance evaluation. Environmental evaluation of the new technology is very important because not all recycling is environmentally sound. This evaluation must be based on the life cycle assessment (LCA) and has to consider the environmental benefit of avoiding landfill disposal of the waste, and could include leaching or other specific tests or simulations. Also, the technological transference phase must be carefully planned and developed. Each proposed step is discussed, examples are given and needs for further research emphasised.

Conservation of Natural Resources↗
PubMed2005

Urban solid waste management in Chongqing: challenges and opportunities.

The dual influences of the resource supply and protection in ecological environments will pose a significant challenge to China's sustainable development. Solid waste management offers opportunities to improve profits by conserving resources and improving environmental performance. This paper examines municipal solid waste (MSW) management in urban Chongqing, the nation's fourth largest municipality after Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin. In this paper, we will provide information on the quantity and composition of MSW, as well as give an overview of different methods for collection, transport, treatment and disposal of MSW. At present the daily amount of MSW generated per person is about 1.08 kg; food waste accounts for about 59% of total MSW. MSW in Chongqing has a higher moisture content (64.1%) and a lower LHV (3728 kJ/kg) than other cities in Asia, which is an obstruction for incineration. Landfills are the main method of disposal in Chongqing, but pollution caused by simple landfills and lack of backup MSW disposal capacity are becoming major problems in the main districts of Chongqing. In this paper, the challenges being faced and opportunities to MSW in Chongqing are analyzed and some suggestions are given for improving the MSW system in the future.

Cities↗
PubMed2002

Solid waste: terminological and long-term environmental risk assessment problems exemplified in a power plant fly ash study.

Legal definitions exert a significant impact on the waste management strategy. Waste that is technically suitable for recovery does not automatically become a raw material if there is no market for it, or its use is not commercially effective and, hence, they should be disposed of. The majority of disposed wastes, including recyclable waste, are not environmentally safe. Waste as a freshly generated anthropogenic material is not geochemically stable. Przezchlebie fly ash surface pond (Upper Silesia, Poland) in the post-closure stage was subject to field validation of the results of laboratory leaching/extraction tests and long-term column experiments on fly ash (FA) leaching behaviour under controlled conditions for environmental risk assessment. The study showed: (i) the possibility of a discontinuous non-linear time delayed increase of pollution potential of disused 'non-hazardous' large-volume waste in the dumping sites to the hazardous level; (ii) inconsistency of the laboratory leaching tests and the actual leaching behaviour of trace metals, particularly when equilibria conditions are dictated by kinetically determined reactions where the test results reflected entirely wash-out (I) and dissolution (II) phases, but did not comprise delayed release (III) phase; and (iii) necessity of life-cycle screening/monitoring of 'non-hazardous' dumping sites for contaminant release as a function of the primary (pH-Eh, ionic strength, ionic composition of solute) and secondary controlling factors (L/S-liquid to solid ratio, water flow conditions) along the vertical profile of an anthropogenic or natural vadose zone. These data are to be used to develop long-term predictive hydrogeochemical models and their field validation, and for providing an early warning and remedial actions with respect to the particular site. The formation of pH (and Eh) as a function of time-dependent (kinetically defined) processes appeared to be a key issue for a correct prediction of the leaching behaviour of waste. The presented case study on FA shows that waste, even those considered non-hazardous and fit for use in a commercially proven applications, should not be treated the same way as a natural raw material. To facilitate waste utilisation and disposal in environmentally safe way and to prioritise its use, reliable environmental risk assessment prediction models and testing procedures, as well as special enforcement strategy and regulations, should be developed with respect to waste and not 'materials.'

Environmental Monitoring↗
PubMed1991

Environment. Nappy wars.

Disposable nappy manufacturers are coming under increasing pressure from the environmental lobby. Now the Women's Environmental Network (WEN) has hauled Proctor & Gamble before the Advertising Standards Authority. WEN says the company is making false claims about the environmental impact of its Pampers disposable nappies. P&G's claims are endorsed by both the National Childbirth Trust and the Worldwide Fund for Nature. Have the faeces hit the fan? And how much dirt will stick to charities and professional organisations--including the HVA--who accept sponsorship from the company?

Environmental Health↗
PubMed1985

Disposal of low-level radioactive waste. Impact on the medical profession.

During 1985, low-level radioactive waste disposal has become a critical concern. The issue has been forced by the threatened closure of the three commercial disposal sites. The medical community has used radioactive isotopes for decades in nuclear medicine, radiation therapy, radioimmunoassay, and biomedical research. Loss of disposal capacity for radioactive wastes generated by these activities, by the suppliers of radioisotopes, and by pharmaceutical companies will have a profound impact on the medical profession.

Legislation as Topic↗
PubMed1978

Guidelines for defining and disposing of medical waste.

Considerations of ecology, public health hazards, and rising health costs have been critically reevaluated in the matter of appropriate medical waste disposal at nursing homes and hospitals. The Maryland Department of Health has intermittently received reports from the public of human tissues, bandages, and other inappropriate, unaesthetic materials visible in landfill areas. The Department has experienced increasing concern for communicable disease transmission, e.g. hepatitis, to landfill waste handlers and to the general public. Incineration had been considered as an alternative to landfilling of medical wastes, but fear of increasing hospital costs dampened initial enthusiasm for this possibility, particularly when coupled with fears of air pollution by smoke and noxious fumes generated by incineration. Other problems requiring resolution were conflicting definitions of medical waste and disposal requirements by federal, state, and local regulatory bodies. On-site incineration of all waste generated at hospitals is proposed as an economical and ecologically feasible solution to this public health problem in Maryland.

California↗
PubMed1988

A method of audit for ward clinical waste.

We describe the conduct of an annual audit concerning the handling of clinical waste at ward level. The annual audit resulted in an improvement in the supply of colour coded bags and holders, and improved the efficiency of waste disposal in the hospital. The annual report of the audit enabled the hospital administrators to pinpoint defects and was partly responsible for the appointment of an "administrative officer responsible for waste".

England↗
PubMed2006

Optimizing the use of sludge treatment facilities at municipal WWTPs.

Sludge treatment and disposal are very important cost factors in the scope of municipal wastewater treatment. Therefore ways should be sought to reduce the sludge treatment costs and/or to increase the benefit of the treatment facilities by using them for other applications. This paper gives an overview of possible pathways of sludge treatment including disposal or reuse, particularly with respect to costs. Finally, the benefits and constraints of optimizing the use of anaerobic digesters as production plants for energy (as biogas), also by means of co-fermentation of organic wastes will be explained.

Anaerobiosis↗
PubMed2001

Modification of coagulation and Fenton oxidation processes for cost-effective leachate treatment.

Physicochemical processes have been used to remove nonbiodegradable organic compounds in leachate generated from sanitary landfills. In this study, a coagulation process combined with Fenton oxidation was evaluated for the removal of refractory organics in leachate. Recycling of sludge generated from Fenton oxidation to a coagulation process was attempted to reduce operation cost and to improve organic removal rate. The addition mode of Fenton reagent was also modified to obtain a better organic removal rate and more cost-effective operation. With Fenton sludge recycling, 9% higher COD removal was obtained, and the sludge to be disposed could be reduced up to 50%. Also, the coagulant could be reduced by 50%. For Fenton oxidation process, stepwise addition of reagents gave a 5% higher COD removal, and a 25% reduction in chemical consumption.

Cost-Benefit Analysis↗
PubMed1985

Community exposure to hazardous waste disposal sites: assessing reporting bias.

A household health survey of residents living near two hazardous waste disposal sites in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana was conducted in 1981-1982 as part of a comprehensive study of the effects of those sites on the environment and on the health of nearby residents. An unexposed community was included in the health survey for comparison. Due to media coverage and public concern about the sites, two potential indices of reporting bias, hypochondriasis and respondent's opinion about the environmental effects of waste sites, were included in the survey. Because air and water quality data showed little evidence that hazardous concentrations of chemicals were being released from the sites, questions were raised about the interpretation of the health survey data. The data were analyzed, therefore, for the association between symptom reports and the potential indices of reporting bias. Hypochondriasis scores were associated with symptom reports regardless of location of residence while an individual's opinion showed a different pattern by area of residence. Respondents living near one of the waste disposal sites who answered "yes" to the opinion question were 2-3 times more likely to report some types of symptoms than residents of the comparison community. In contrast, there was little difference in symptom reports between the exposed and comparison communities for those answering "no" to the opinion question. The usefulness of self-reported symptom data in studies of communities near hazardous waste disposal sites is discussed, and attention is called to the need to develop measures sensitive to reporting bias in epidemiologic studies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Characterisation of municipal solid waste and its recyclable contents of Guangzhou.

Waste characteristics are essential data for waste disposal facilities planning and waste management policy formulation. However, waste composition studies are rarely carried out in mainland Chinese cities and even when it does, the methodologies used are not stringent. A year-long field survey on the physical components of waste and the recyclable in the waste stream has been conducted in Guangzhou to fill the information gap and to provide further experience for waste characterization study in mainland China. It was found that the ash content in the waste stream has decreased considerably. But the proportion of plastic materials in the waste stream has increased and is now comparable to its more urbanized cities. Although this lends support to the recent controls on expanded polystyrene food containers implemented by the Guangzhou environmental protection bureau, more detailed analysis shows that the focus should not only be on disposable food containers, but also on film plastic waste. Furthermore, the abundance of composite materials in the waste stream solicits attention from the waste management authority to step up the monitoring of their generation pattern and to consider imposing control measures.

China↗
PubMed2006

Syringe disposal among injection drug users in Harlem and the Bronx during the New York State Expanded Syringe Access Demonstration Program.

Effective January 1, 2001, New York State enacted the Expanded Syringe Access Demonstration Program (ESAP), allowing syringes to be sold in pharmacies without a prescription or dispensed through doctors, hospitals, and clinics to adults. A concern in the assessment of ESAP is its effects on syringe disposal practices. Syringe use data regarding the last injection episode were combined from three projects (N = 1,030) recruiting injection drug users. Disposal of syringes by methods known to be safe decreased significantly over time after the implementation of ESAP. Syringes obtained either from syringe exchange programs or ESAP sources were more likely to be disposed of safely than syringes obtained from other sources. Efforts to enlist pharmacists and others involved in ESAP implementation to encourage safe disposal are needed. More detailed information on disposal practices is needed to capture the continuum from least to most safe practices and variation within individuals.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Hazardous waste management.

The management of waste in the dental office is dictated by the federal, state, and local ordinances in force in the locale in which the office is located. The dentist must first determine what the laws require and then implement the changes in waste management into the office setting. The local component society of the ADA often provides such information; otherwise, the health department of the government branch having jurisdiction over the office locale will either have the information or know where to find it. Once it has been established what constitutes hazardous waste, the next steps are to contain it, store it, and finally dispose of it according to the information gained from the authorities. Storage of sharps should be accomplished in "hard-walled, leak-proof containers," usually red, which can be closed securely when they have been filled, and which are located as close to the point of use as possible. Solid waste should usually be contained in red bags, which are then bagged in a second bag when full or in a hard-walled container. Waste may then be hauled away for disposal by a qualified company that keeps the required records of the waste from the time it leaves the office until final disposal by incineration or burial in an approved landfill. The company chosen to do the hauling should be able to demonstrate that they have appropriate insurance to indemnify your office in the event of a problem while they have the waste in their possession.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Dental Offices↗
PubMed2005

Management approaches to integrated solid waste in industrialized zones in Jordan: a case of Zarqa City.

There is a need to recognize the difficulties experienced in managing waste and to understand the reasons for those difficulties, especially in developing countries such as Jordan. Zarqa is a Governorate located in central Jordan, which has 2874 registered industries, making up more than 52% of the total industries in the country. Zarqa Governorate suffers from serious solid waste problems. These problems arise from an absence of adequate policies, facilitating legislation, and an environmentally enthused public, which therefore have a negative impact on the environment and health. Solid waste generation in Zarqa Governorate has increased exponentially and has polluted natural resources and the environment. A significant change in municipal solid waste generation was evident between the years 1994 and 2000. The Zarqa Governorate generated 482 tons/day in 2002 with a per capita rate of 0.44 kg/cap-day [Consulting Engineers, 2002, Feasibility study for the treatment of industrial wastewater in Zarqa Governorate. A project funded by METAP and Zarqa Chamber of Industry. Unpublished report]. This manuscript assesses the current operational and management practices of solid waste in the Zarqa Governorate; and evaluates the associated issues of solid waste collection, storage, transport, disposal and recycling in developing countries. The lack of techniques, financial funds and awareness among public and private sectors form an obstacle for achieving a successful environmental program. Several options are proposed to address management goals. Although Jordan became the first country in the Middle East to adopt a national environmental strategy; waste disposal is still largely uncontrolled and large quantities of waste go uncollected. Ensuring proper management of solid wastes, enforcing regulations, and implementing proper environmental awareness programs that will enhance the public understanding and achieve greater efficiency, are the findings of this study.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2002

Advances in poultry litter disposal technology--a review.

The land disposal of waste from the poultry industry and subsequent environmental implications has stimulated interest into cleaner and more useful disposal options. The review presented here details advances in the three main alternative disposal routes for poultry litter, specifically in the last decade. Results of experimental investigations into the optimisation of composting, anaerobic digestion and direct combustion are summarised. These technologies open up increased opportunities to market the energy and nutrients in poultry litter to agricultural and non-agricultural uses. Common problems experienced by the current technologies are the existence and fate of nitrogen as ammonia, pH and temperature levels, moisture content and the economics of alternative disposal methods. Further advancement of these technologies is currently receiving increased interest, both academically and commercially. However, significant financial incentives are required to attract the agricultural industry.

Abattoirs↗
PubMed1991

Influence of an educational program and mechanical opening needle disposal boxes on occupational needlestick injuries.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether an educational program had a beneficial impact on healthcare worker needlestick injuries, particularly those caused by recapping. Secondary goals were to evaluate the efficacy of in-room needle-boxes and to determine whether surveillance data were useful when evaluating new products. DESIGN: Survey of employee health department reports. SETTING: Tertiary care teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Healthcare workers who reported needlestick injuries and other blood and body fluid exposures to the employee health department. INTERVENTIONS: Exposure data from the 10 months prior to institution of the educational program and installation of disposal boxes were compared with data from the following 27 months. Additionally, the type of disposal box was changed for the last 9 months of the survey. RESULTS: Needlestick injuries caused by recapping fell significantly following the educational program (p = .005). However, injuries caused by previously disposed needles protruding into the mechanical opening of the needleboxes increased significantly (p = .002). Following a change of needleboxes to a nonmechanical opening design, the latter type of injury declined (p = .052). Total needlestick injuries, most other categories of needlestick injury, and other exposures did not change significantly during the 37 months of the study. CONCLUSIONS: The educational programs appeared to have positive impact on reducing recapping injuries, but many other needlestick categories did not change significantly. Mechanical opening needle disposal boxes appear to present a hazard when compared with fixed opening boxes. Surveillance data appear to be useful in monitoring injuries as well as evaluating products.

Accidents, Occupational↗