Burn or bury? A social cost comparison of final waste disposal methods

This paper evaluates the two well-known final waste disposal methods, incineration and landfilling. In particular we compare the social cost of two best-available technologies using a point estimate based on private and environmental cost data for the Netherlands. Not only does our comparison allow for Waste-to-Energy incineration plants but for landfills as well. The data provide support for the widespread policy preference for incineration over landfilling only if the analysis is restricted to environmental costs alone and includes savings of both energy and material recovery. Gross private costs, however, are so much higher for incineration, that landfilling is the social cost minimizing option at the margin even in a densely populated country such as the Netherlands. Furthermore, we show that our result generalizes to other European countries and probably to the USA. Implications for waste policy are discussed as well. Proper treatment of and energy recovery from landfills seem to be the most important targets for waste policy. Finally, WTE plants are a very expensive way to save on climate change emissions.     

A theory of innovation for process-based innovations such as nanotechnology

Many see Nanotechnology as the technology that will underlie the next Schumpeterian wave creating new opportunities for wealth and job creation. Further it is a process based or materials technology. Yet all currently used models of innovation are based on assembled products or service products and these simply do not recognize the differences in materials products nor the “enabling” nature of Nanotechnologies. If nanotechnology is poised to become the economic engine of this millennium and if current models of innovation, which are utilized, by policy makers and firm based strategist alike are based on technology product paradigms that are dissimilar to the realities of nanotechnology and other process-based technologies then there is cause for concern.Here the authors provide a model and supporting cases demonstrating a new process or materials based innovation model that is based on the tight coupling between product and process innovation of not only Nanotechnology-based products but other process-based products. This is an important finding, because it identifies and remedies a gap in the literature associated with earlier process and product innovation models. For process-based products like materials, food, chemicals and nanotechnologies any change to the manufacturing processes results in significant changes in end product features. The implications of this model to practice are considered.     

察尔汗盐湖物质来源的讨论

察尔汗盐湖是世界上最大的现代盐类矿床之一。盐湖中有用组份以 K、Mg 为主,伴有 Na、B、Li、Br、I、Rb、Cs、Sr 等元素。关于这些物质成份的来源有多种假说,如昆仑山古湖补给说、深层卤水或油田水补给说以及周边淡水补给说。本文首先根据格尔木河流域距今3万年以来补给察尔汗盐湖主要是山区大气降水这个事实,对昆仑山区古湖泊水是否为察尔汗盐湖提供重要物质来源提出质疑。通过元素比值与水量分析认为深层卤水或油田水可能不是盐湖的主要物质来源。研究认为察尔汗盐湖主要物质来源乃是四周长期风化淋滤及地下水、地表水不断搬运、溶解、析出演化过程的结果。昆仑山区特殊岩性环境及湖区脱硫酸作用可能是察尔汗盐湖缺少大量硫酸盐类沉积的原因。     

Embedded industrial production systems: Lessons from waste management in zinc production

To meet the sustainability challenge private companies must implement corporate strategies and adopt novel technologies. The technical and social embeddedness of industrial production systems, however, complicates these systems' transition towards sustainability. In the paper, mechanisms and conditions are reported for the development and implementation of waste management options in embedded industrial production systems. The focus is on the Dutch zinc production industry, which had to deal with a major waste problem; the generation of jarosite. The industry's options were to increase the jarosite waste storage capacity, to develop a jarosite treatment process or to switch to a zinc-ore of low-iron content whereby no jarosite waste would be generated anymore. Required conditions appeared to be a combination of technological capability and technical embedding and favourable economics. Case study research, however, revealed that adequate stakeholder management is crucial to address social pressure exerted and to obtain external acceptance for any transition strategy. Whilst appropriate, internal technological capabilities are important, effective interactions with and enrolment of various firm-external actors are crucial. In the case of zinc, access to the heterogeneous external actor network was critical for the development of the jarosite treatment solution direction. In conclusion, both the technical, organizational and social embedding of new technologies are crucial for successful implementation.     

油井采出液处理效果分析及改进措施研究

通过对油站和污水站的化学成分分析，找出了电脱水器跳闸的原因：由于污水中的一些成分导致腐蚀，腐蚀产生的硫化铁和铁颗粒，随着油水混合液在管线中运移，在电脱水器上越积越厚，致使电脱水器上导电率增高，电脱水器跳闸。提出了改善注入水水质，减缓腐蚀的有利措施。     

Managing sustainable practices in cruise tourism: the assessment of carbon footprint and waste of water and beverage packaging

This paper's aim is to present an analysis of the carbon - dioxide emissions and waste associated with water and beverage packaging. The assessment of the packaging's carbon footprint (CF) and waste is also considered for all passengers who visit Italian ports on cruise ships. These factors are considered at two points in time (2010 and 2018) to allow for the evaluation of changes due to technological innovations in the packaging sector. Finally, a best-case framework scenario for the management of water and beverage packaging materials is identified to evaluate whether the use of appropriate strategies can reduce CF and waste in this sector. The results indicate that adequate changes in packaging can minimize waste and reduce the consumption of materials and energy resources in the packaging production cycle, thus creating environmental benefits.     

基于循环经济理念的城市废弃物信息化管理研究

我国废弃物资源化利用循环经济试点工作正在展开,与国外成功经验相比,我国废弃物管理基础统计数据的残缺性、滞后性与非动态性,将影响废弃物资源化利用循环经济发展的战略规划和基础设施布局规划.建立适合我国现状的废弃物种类目录,开发城市废弃物信息化管理数据库,对城市废弃物的种类、数量、流动路程以及处理方式、处理结果实施动态监控,可以实现对废弃物的科学管理与调控.实现废弃物信息化管理对我国城市废弃物从回收、处理到再生利用走规模化、产业化和科学化发展道路的科学决策,具有重要的应用价值.     

城市生活垃圾困境与制度创新——以台北市生活垃圾分类收集管理为例

我国许多城市正面临“垃圾围城”困境,这种困境其实并非城市化的必然结果,困境的根源在于我国城市生活垃圾管理的制度缺失.制度缺失既包括我国城市垃圾分类收集方面的法律缺乏明确而可操作性的权利义务界定,也包括垃圾收费制度没有体现“多排放垃圾多付费”的原则,致使我国城市生活垃圾的分类收集成效甚微.我国台北市将垃圾分类收集与垃圾费...     

Consumers’ perceptions of food waste: A pilot study of U.S. students

Participants in this pilot study are asked to rank their perceptions of food waste by choosing between pairs of four types of foods of equal weight: chicken, cheese, bread and peas. We examine whether these perceptions are consistent for proportionally different weights and whether they are linked to the perceived cost of the items. The subjects (n = 106) who are students are randomly assigned to one of three information treatments: a control, a food waste video or the text of the food waste video. We find that the subjects have very accurate perceptions of the environmental impacts of food waste and the relative wastefulness of different food groups. These perceptions are not related to cooking skills or frequency. We find that the perceptions are consistent for proportionally different weights of food: 25 and 50 g. We also find that the perceptions are linked to participants’ assessments of the relative prices of the foods. However, while the participants have somewhat accurate estimates of the relative prices, they vastly overestimate the actual prices of foods. This implies that more accurate information about the true prices could actually decrease their perceptions of the wastefulness of throwing out food. Given that the participants had highly accurate perceptions of the environmental impacts of food waste and the relative wastefulness of animal vs. plant products, we found no significant increase in overall accuracy of perceptions due to information treatment, except for bread, for those who saw the food waste video.     

Reengineering of materials management system: A case study

A business process reengineering (BPR) project relating to the materials management function of a cement manufacturing plant is presented in this paper. The BPR project evolved out of an organisation development (OD) intervention initiative. Such an intervention aimed at improving value innovation capability of materials management professionals of a large cement manufacturing plant in India. The proposition here is that the value metrics relate to inside-in value innovations in order to deliver inside-out value to the customers in the face of fierce competition in Indian Cement industry. Materials of all types used in a cement plant constitute 60–70% of the total cost and hence the effective operations of procurement and inventory are the critical success factors for strategic value innovations and thereby competitiveness. The primary emphasis in this project was on learning and implementation, by creating an urgency for instilling responsible leadership and building organic partnership through knowledge networking.