Professional Training for TRADOC Environmental and Natural Resource Professionals. Volume 1. A Feasibility Study and Concept Plan for a University Without Walls

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-05-01

Overview of Environmental Laws and Regulations 24 NEPA Process and Environmental Audit and Assessment 27 Air Emissions 27 Hazardous Materials...25 5 Overview of Environmental Laws and Regulations Training-U.S. Army Context Training 26 6 NEPA Review Process and Environmental Audit and...and environmental audit /assessment 4. Air emissions 5. Hazardous materials and waste management a. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) b. Petroleum, oil

24 CFR 58.36 - Environmental assessments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Environmental assessments. 58.36... Development ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCEDURES FOR ENTITIES ASSUMING HUD ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES Environmental Review Process: Documentation, Range of Activities, Project Aggregation and Classification § 58.36...

24 CFR 58.36 - Environmental assessments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Environmental assessments. 58.36... Development ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCEDURES FOR ENTITIES ASSUMING HUD ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES Environmental Review Process: Documentation, Range of Activities, Project Aggregation and Classification § 58.36...

Improving environmental impact and cost assessment for supplier evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beucker, Severin; Lang, Claus

2004-02-01

Improving a company"s environmental and financial performance necessitates the evaluation of environmental impacts deriving from the production and cost effects of corporate actions. These effects have to be made transparent and concrete targets have to be developed. Such an evaluation has to be done on a regular basis but with limited expenses. To achieve this, different instruments of environmental controlling such as LCA and environmental performance indicators have to be combined with methods from cost accounting. Within the research project CARE (Computer Aided Resource Efficiency Accounting for Medium-Sized Enterprises), the method Resource Efficiency Accounting (REA) is used to give the participating companies new insights into hidden costs and environmental effects of their production and products. The method combines process based cost accounting with environmental impact assessment methodology and offers results that can be integrated into a company"s environmental controlling system and business processes like cost accounting, supplier assessment, etc. Much of the data necessary for the combined assessment can be available within a company"s IT system and therefore can be efficiently used for the assessment process. The project CARE puts a strong focus on the use of company data and information systems for the described assessment process and offers a methodological background for the evaluation and the structuring of such data. Besides the general approach of the project CARE the paper will present results from a case study in which the described approach is used for the evaluation of suppliers.

Environmental effectiveness of swine sewage management: a multicriteria AHP-based model for a reliable quick assessment.

PubMed

Vizzari, Marco; Modica, Giuseppe

2013-10-01

Environmental issues related to swine production are still a major concern for the general public and represent a key challenge for the swine industry. The environmental impact of higher livestock concentration is particularly significant where it coincides with weaker policy standards and poor manure management. Effective tools for environmental monitoring of the swine sewage management process become essential for verifying the environmental compatibility of farming facilities and for defining suitable policies aimed at increasing swine production sustainability. This research aims at the development and application of a model for a quick assessment of the environmental effectiveness of the pig farming sewage management process. In order to define the model, multicriteria techniques, and in particular, Saaty's analytic hierarchy process, were used to develop an iterative process in which the various key factors influencing the process under investigation were analyzed. The model, named EASE (Environmental Assessment of Sewages management Effectiveness), was optimized and applied to the Lake Trasimeno basin (Umbria, Italy), an area of high natural, environmental and aesthetic value. In this context, inadequate disposal of pig sewage represents a potential source of very considerable pollution. The results have demonstrated how the multicriteria model can represent a very effective and adaptable tool also in those decision-making processes aimed at the sustainable management of livestock production.

Environmental Effectiveness of Swine Sewage Management: A Multicriteria AHP-Based Model for a Reliable Quick Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vizzari, Marco; Modica, Giuseppe

2013-10-01

Environmental issues related to swine production are still a major concern for the general public and represent a key challenge for the swine industry. The environmental impact of higher livestock concentration is particularly significant where it coincides with weaker policy standards and poor manure management. Effective tools for environmental monitoring of the swine sewage management process become essential for verifying the environmental compatibility of farming facilities and for defining suitable policies aimed at increasing swine production sustainability. This research aims at the development and application of a model for a quick assessment of the environmental effectiveness of the pig farming sewage management process. In order to define the model, multicriteria techniques, and in particular, Saaty's analytic hierarchy process, were used to develop an iterative process in which the various key factors influencing the process under investigation were analyzed. The model, named EASE (Environmental Assessment of Sewages management Effectiveness), was optimized and applied to the Lake Trasimeno basin (Umbria, Italy), an area of high natural, environmental and aesthetic value. In this context, inadequate disposal of pig sewage represents a potential source of very considerable pollution. The results have demonstrated how the multicriteria model can represent a very effective and adaptable tool also in those decision-making processes aimed at the sustainable management of livestock production.

Toward a holistic environmental impact assessment of marble quarrying and processing: proposal of a novel easy-to-use IPAT-based method.

PubMed

Capitano, Cinzia; Peri, Giorgia; Rizzo, Gianfranco; Ferrante, Patrizia

2017-03-01

Marble is a natural dimension stone that is widely used in building due to its resistance and esthetic qualities. Unfortunately, some concerns have arisen regarding its production process because quarrying and processing activities demand significant amounts of energy and greatly affect the environment. Further, performing an environmental analysis of a production process such as that of marble requires the consideration of many environmental aspects (e.g., noise, vibrations, dust and waste production, energy consumption). Unfortunately, the current impact accounting tools do not seem to be capable of considering all of the major aspects of the (marble) production process that may affect the environment and thus cannot provide a comprehensive and concise assessment of all environmental aspects associated with the marble production process. Therefore, innovative, easy, and reliable methods for evaluating its environmental impact are necessary, and they must be accessible for the non-technician. The present study intends to provide a contribution in this sense by proposing a reliable and easy-to-use evaluation method to assess the significance of the environmental impacts associated with the marble production process. In addition, an application of the method to an actual marble-producing company is presented to demonstrate its practicability. Because of its relative ease of use, the method presented here can also be used as a "self-assessment" tool for pursuing a virtuous environmental policy because it enables company owners to easily identify the segments of their production chain that most require environmental enhancement.

Integration, status and potential of environmental justice and the social impact assessment process in transportation development in Missouri

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2004-07-01

This research examines the Social Impact Assessment Process at the Missouri Department of Transportation as directed by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Four case studies are used to assess the influence of human-dimension impacts in tra...

Model of environmental life cycle assessment for coal mining operations.

PubMed

Burchart-Korol, Dorota; Fugiel, Agata; Czaplicka-Kolarz, Krystyna; Turek, Marian

2016-08-15

This paper presents a novel approach to environmental assessment of coal mining operations, which enables assessment of the factors that are both directly and indirectly affecting the environment and are associated with the production of raw materials and energy used in processes. The primary novelty of the paper is the development of a computational environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) model for coal mining operations and the application of the model for coal mining operations in Poland. The LCA model enables the assessment of environmental indicators for all identified unit processes in hard coal mines with the life cycle approach. The proposed model enables the assessment of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) based on the IPCC method and the assessment of damage categories, such as human health, ecosystems and resources based on the ReCiPe method. The model enables the assessment of GHGs for hard coal mining operations in three time frames: 20, 100 and 500years. The model was used to evaluate the coal mines in Poland. It was demonstrated that the largest environmental impacts in damage categories were associated with the use of fossil fuels, methane emissions and the use of electricity, processing of wastes, heat, and steel supports. It was concluded that an environmental assessment of coal mining operations, apart from direct influence from processing waste, methane emissions and drainage water, should include the use of electricity, heat and steel, particularly for steel supports. Because the model allows the comparison of environmental impact assessment for various unit processes, it can be used for all hard coal mines, not only in Poland but also in the world. This development is an important step forward in the study of the impacts of fossil fuels on the environment with the potential to mitigate the impact of the coal industry on the environment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

30 CFR 285.111 - When and how does MMS charge me processing fees on a case-by-case basis?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... application or request and it will have a unique processing cost, such as the preparation of an Environmental Assessment (EA) or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). (1) Processing costs will include contract oversight... costs. (b) We will assess the ongoing processing fee for each individual application or request...

WCSC environmental process improvement study and demonstration program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pawlick, Joseph F., Jr.; Severo, Orlando C.

1993-01-01

CSTAR's objective to develop commercial infrastructure is multi-faceted and includes diverse elements of the orbital and suborbital missions. Goals to this eight-month project with the WCSC are aimed at simplifying the environmental assessment, approval, and licensing process for commercial users. Included in this overarching set of goals are two specific processes: (1) air pollution control, and (2) the environmental assessment mechanism. Resolution of the potentially user unfriendly aspects of these environmentally sensitive criteria are readily transferable to other ranges where commercial space activity will be supported.

Environmental Development Plan (EDP). Enhanced gas recovery, FY 1977

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1978-03-01

This Enhanced Gcs Recovery EDP addresses the environmental impacts of enhanced gas recovery processes in shale and sandstone, methane drainage from coalbeds, and methane recovery from geopressured aquifers. The EDP addresses planning in two basic areas: environmental research and environmental assessment. Environmental research can be categorized as follows: characterization of pollutants from EGR processes; selective application of monitoring and measuring techniques; evaluation of control/mitigation techniques; and evaluation of the synergistic impacts of the development of EGR techniques. Environmental assessment activities scheduled by EDP include: assessment of ecological impacts; assessment of socioeconomic effects; EIA/EIS preparation; evaluation of control technology needs; andmore » analysis of applicable and proposed emission, effluent, and health and safety standards. The EGR EDP includes an EGR technology overview (Section 2), a discussion of EGR environmental issues and requirements (Section 3), an environmental action plan (Section 4), an environmental management strategy for the EGR program (Section 5), and supporting appendices which present information on Federal legislation applicable to EGR technology, a summary of ongoing and completed research, and future research and assessment projects.« less

PCBs: Cancer Dose-Response Assessment and Application to Environmental Mixtures (1996)

EPA Science Inventory

This report updates the cancer dose-response assessment for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and shows how information on toxicity, disposition, and environmental processes can be considered together to evaluate health risks from PCB mixtures in the environment. Processes that ch...

76 FR 69769 - Annual Public Meeting of the Interagency Steering Committee on Multimedia Environmental Modeling

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-09

... assessments of site specific, generic, and process-oriented multimedia environmental models as they pertain to human and environmental health risk assessment. Multimedia model development and simulation supports...

A Production Function Approach to Regional Environmental-Economic Assessments

EPA Science Inventory

Numerous difficulties await those creating regional-scale environmental assessments, from data having inconsistent spatial or temporal scales to poorly understood environmental processes and indicators. Including socioeconomic variables further complicates the situation. In place...

Environmental assessment for the Processing and Environmental Technology Laboratory (PETL)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-09-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) on the proposed Processing and Environmental Technology Laboratory (PETC) at Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico (SNL/NM). This facility is needed to integrate, consolidate, and enhance the materials science and materials process research and development (R&D) currently in progress at SNL/NM. Based on the analyses in the EA, DOE has determined that the proposed action is not a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. Therefore, an environmental impact statement is not required, andmore » DOE is issuing this Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).« less

INCORPORATING ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS INTO PROCESS DESIGN: THE WASTE REDUCTION (WAR) ALGORITHM

EPA Science Inventory

A general theory known as the WAste Reduction (WASR) algorithm has been developed to describe the flow and the generation of potential environmental impact through a chemical process. This theory integrates environmental impact assessment into chemical process design Potential en...

Designing a Spatially Intelligent Public Participative System for the Environmental Impact Assessment Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lei, Lei

2013-01-01

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a decision-making process that often involves public participation in the scoping and reviewing stage. Although the importance of engaging the public in the EIA process has long been recognized, it is often considered ineffective due to factors such as time, budget, resource, technical and procedural…

Environmental Assessment of Remove Objects Along Flightline at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-08-01

of Defense DRMO Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office EA Environmental Assessment EIAP Environmental Impact Analysis Process EIS...the ADA to advertise that protected species might be available for salvage, facilitating the salvage process for the project area. 3.5 Hazardous...are stored at the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office (DRMO). Asbestos. AFI 32-1052, Facilities Asbestos Management, provides direction for

Life Cycle Assessment Software for Product and Process Sustainability Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vervaeke, Marina

2012-01-01

In recent years, life cycle assessment (LCA), a methodology for assessment of environmental impacts of products and services, has become increasingly important. This methodology is applied by decision makers in industry and policy, product developers, environmental managers, and other non-LCA specialists working on environmental issues in a wide…

Comparison of lignin extraction processes: Economic and environmental assessment.

PubMed

Carvajal, Juan C; Gómez, Álvaro; Cardona, Carlos A

2016-08-01

This paper presents the technical-economic and environmental assessment of four lignin extraction processes from two different raw materials (sugarcane bagasse and rice husks). The processes are divided into two categories, the first processes evaluates lignin extraction with prior acid hydrolysis step, while in the second case the extraction processes are evaluated standalone for a total analysis of 16 scenarios. Profitability indicators as the net present value (NPV) and environmental indicators as the potential environmental impact (PEI) are used through a process engineering approach to understand and select the best lignin extraction process. The results show that both economically and environmentally process with sulfites and soda from rice husk presents the best results; however the quality of lignin obtained with sulfites is not suitable for high value-added products. Then, the soda is an interesting option for the extraction of lignin if high quality lignin is required for high value-added products at low costs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experience of the nuclear reactors (environmental impact assessment for decommissioning) regulations 1999, as amended, in Great Britain

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, Sarah; Mattress, Elaine; Nettleton, Jo

2007-07-01

Available in abstract form only. Full text of publication follows: In Great Britain, the Nuclear Reactors (Environmental Impact Assessment for Decommissioning) Regulations 1999 as amended 2006 (EIADR) requires assessment of the potential environmental impacts of projects to decommission nuclear power stations and reactors. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the competent authority for EIADR. The EIADR implement European Council Directive 85/337/EEC (the EIA Directive) as amended by Council Directive 97/11/EC and Council Directive 2003/35/EC the (Public Participation Directive). The purpose of the EIADR is to assess environmental effects of nuclear reactor decommissioning projects, involve the public through consultation, andmore » make the decision-making process open and transparent. Under the regulations, any licensee wishing to begin to decommission or dismantle a nuclear power station, or other civil nuclear reactor, must apply to HSE for consent to carry out the decommissioning project, undertake an environmental impact assessment and prepare an environmental statement that summarises the environmental effects of the project. HSE will consult on the environmental statement. So far under the EIADR there have been six consents granted for decommissioning projects for Magnox Power Stations. These stations have been required as a condition of consent to submit an Environmental Management Plan on an annual basis. This allows the project to be continually reviewed and assessed to ensure that the licensee can provide detail as agreed during the review of the environmental statement and that any changes to mitigation measures are detailed. This paper summarises the EIADR process, giving particular emphasis to public participation and the decision making process, and discusses HSE's experience of EIADR with reference to specific environmental issues raised by stakeholders and current developments. (authors)« less

Life cycle assessment of mobile phone housing.

PubMed

Yang, Jian-xin; Wang, Ru-song; Fu, Hao; Liu, Jing-ru

2004-01-01

The life cycle assessment of the mobile phone housing in Motorola(China) Electronics Ltd. was carried out, in which materials flows and environmental emissions based on a basic production scheme were analyzed and assessed. In the manufacturing stage, such primary processes as polycarbonate molding and surface painting are included, whereas different surface finishing technologies like normal painting, electroplate, IMD and VDM etc. were assessed. The results showed that housing decoration plays a significant role within the housing life cycle. The most significant environmental impact from housing production is the photochemical ozone formation potential. Environmental impacts of different decoration techniques varied widely, for example, the electroplating technique is more environmentally friendly than VDM. VDM consumes much more energy and raw material. In addition, the results of two alternative scenarios of dematerialization showed that material flow analysis and assessment is very important and valuable in selecting an environmentally friendly process.

Economic and environmental assessment of propionic acid production by fermentation using different renewable raw materials.

PubMed

Tufvesson, Pär; Ekman, Anna; Sardari, Roya R R; Engdahl, Kristina; Tufvesson, Linda

2013-12-01

Production of propionic acid by fermentation of glycerol as a renewable resource has been suggested as a means for developing an environmentally-friendly route for this commodity chemical. However, in order to quantify the environmental benefits, life cycle assessment of the production, including raw materials, fermentation, upstream and downstream processing is required. The economic viability of the process also needs to be analysed to make sure that any environmental savings can be realised. In this study an environmental and economic assessment from cradle-to-gate has been conducted. The study highlights the need for a highly efficient bioprocess in terms of product titre (more than 100g/L and productivity more than 2g/(L · h)) in order to be sustainable. The importance of the raw materials and energy production for operating the process to minimize emissions of greenhouse gases is also shown. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental Assessment: Hurlburt Field Soundside Boathouse and Restroom Facility Construction

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-08-01

seq., and Air Force Instruction (AFI) 32-7061, The Environmental Impact Analysis Process, the USAF concludes that the Proposed Action will have no...U.S.C.) §4321, et seq., and Air Force Instruction (AFI) 32-7061, The Environmental Impact Analysis Process, the USAF concludes that the Proposed...et seq. • AFI 32-7061, The Environmental Impact Analysis Process These regulations require federal agencies to analyze the potential environmental

Integration, status and potential of environmental justice and the social impact assessment process in transportation development in Missouri

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-12-01

This research examines the Social Impact Assessment Process at the Missouri Department of Transportation as directed by the : National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The analysis includes an examination of the influences of the more recent directiv...

7 CFR 1940.315 - Timing of the environmental review process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Law 103-354's natural resource management policies, the nature and purpose of the environmental impact... review (whether a categorical exclusion, environmental assessment or EIS) must be completed prior to the... completed the environmental impact review, whether an assessment or EIS. (d) For those applications that...

Hierarchical, parallel computing strategies using component object model for process modelling responses of forest plantations to interacting multiple stresses

Treesearch

J. G. Isebrands; G. E. Host; K. Lenz; G. Wu; H. W. Stech

2000-01-01

Process models are powerful research tools for assessing the effects of multiple environmental stresses on forest plantations. These models are driven by interacting environmental variables and often include genetic factors necessary for assessing forest plantation growth over a range of different site, climate, and silvicultural conditions. However, process models are...

Implications of sedimentological studies for environmental pollution assessment and management: Examples from fluvial systems in North Queensland and Western Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eyre, Bradley; McConchie, David

1993-05-01

Sedimentology is of increasing importance in environmental research, particularly environmental pollution studies, where past trends in environmental processes need to be combined with data on present conditions to predict likely future changes—the past and present as a key to the future. Two examples are used to illustrate the role of sedimentology in assessing the influence of major processes on the transport, accumulation, deposition and modification of contaminants in fluvial/estuarine systems and in developing environmental management plans. Example 1 shows that when assessing nutrient behaviour in fluvial/estuarine depositional settings, it is important to examine the partitioning of phosphorus between grain size fractions to evaluate the sedimentological processes which control the dispersion and trapping of these contaminants. Example 2 shows that in studies of anthropogenic metal inputs to modern depositional settings, lateral and stratigraphic trends in sediment texture and mineralogy should be examined, in addition to trends in metal loads and evaluation of the prevailing physical, chemical and biological processes that may influence metal mobility and dispersion. Clearly, basic sedimentological data should form part of any assessment of potentially contaminated sites and part of investigations into the dispersion and trapping of contaminants in fluvial systems. These data are also required for rational environmental management to ensure that planning decisions are compatible with natural environmental constraints.

Proceedings of the 4th Conference on Aerospace Materials, Processes, and Environmental Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Griffin, D. E. (Editor); Stanley, D. C. (Editor)

2001-01-01

The next millennium challenges us to produce innovative materials, processes, manufacturing, and environmental technologies that meet low-cost aerospace transportation needs while maintaining US leadership. The pursuit of advanced aerospace materials, manufacturing processes, and environmental technologies supports the development of safer, operational, next-generation, reusable, and expendable aeronautical and space vehicle systems. The Aerospace Materials, Processes, and Environmental Technology Conference (AMPET) provided a forum for manufacturing, environmental, materials, and processes engineers, scientists, and managers to describe, review, and critically assess advances in these key technology areas.

A COMPARISON OF VECTOR AND RASTER GIS METHODS FOR CALCULATING LANDSCAPE METRICS USED IN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

GIS-based measurements that combine native raster and native vector data are commonly used to assess environmental quality. Most of these measurements can be calculated using either raster or vector data formats and processing methods. Raster processes are more commonly used beca...

ENVIRONMENTAL TOOLS FOR MATERIAL AND PROCESS SELECTION

EPA Science Inventory

A number of tools are being used within the Sustainable Technology Division of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to provide decision-makers with information on environmentally favorable materials and processes. These tools include LCA (Life Cycle Assessment), GREENSCOPE (...

Using integrated environmental modeling to automate a process-based Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment

EPA Science Inventory

Integrated Environmental Modeling (IEM) organizes multidisciplinary knowledge that explains and predicts environmental-system response to stressors. A Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) is an approach integrating a range of disparate data (fate/transport, exposure, an...

Using Integrated Environmental Modeling to Automate a Process-Based Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (presentation)

EPA Science Inventory

Integrated Environmental Modeling (IEM) organizes multidisciplinary knowledge that explains and predicts environmental-system response to stressors. A Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) is an approach integrating a range of disparate data (fate/transport, exposure, and...

The AgESGUI geospatial simulation system for environmental model application and evaluation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Practical decision making in spatially-distributed environmental assessment and management is increasingly being based on environmental process-based models linked to geographical information systems (GIS). Furthermore, powerful computers and Internet-accessible assessment tools are providing much g...

Assessing cumulative impacts within state environmental review frameworks in the United States

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ma Zhao, E-mail: zma@nrc.umass.ed; Becker, Dennis R., E-mail: drbecker@umn.ed; Kilgore, Michael A., E-mail: mkilgore@umn.ed

Cumulative impact assessment (CIA) is the process of systematically assessing a proposed action's cumulative environmental effects in the context of past, present, and future actions, regardless of who undertakes such actions. Previous studies have examined CIA efforts at the federal level but little is known about how states assess the cumulative impacts of nonfederal projects. By examining state environmental review statutes, administrative rules, agency-prepared materials, and a national survey of the administrators of state environmental review programs, this study identifies the legal and administrative frameworks for CIA. It examines current CIA practice, discusses the relationship between CIA policy and itsmore » implementation, and explores the opportunities for improvement. The results of the study show that twenty-nine state environmental review programs across twenty-six states required the assessment of cumulative environmental impacts. More than half of these programs have adopted specific procedures for implementing their policies. Some programs assessed cumulative impacts using a standard review document, and others have created their own documentations incorporated into applications for state permits or funding. The majority of programs have adopted various scales, baselines, significance criteria, and coordination practices in their CIA processes. Mixed methods were generally used for data collection and analysis; qualitative methods were more prevalent than quantitative methods. The results also suggest that a program with comprehensive and consistent environmental review policies and procedures does not always imply extensive CIA requirements and practices. Finally, this study discusses the potential for improving existing CIA processes and promoting CIA efforts in states without established environmental review programs.« less

Free and Open Source GIS Tools: Role and Relevance in the Environmental Assessment Community

EPA Science Inventory

The presence of an explicit geographical context in most environmental decisions can complicate assessment and selection of management options. These decisions typically involve numerous data sources, complex environmental and ecological processes and their associated models, ris...

Using integrated environmental modeling to automate a process-based Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Integrated Environmental Modeling (IEM) organizes multidisciplinary knowledge that explains and predicts environmental-system response to stressors. A Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) is an approach integrating a range of disparate data (fate/transport, exposure, and human health effect...

Total environmental impacts of biofuels from corn stover using a hybrid life cycle assessment model combining process life cycle assessment and economic input-output life cycle assessment.

PubMed

Liu, Changqi; Huang, Yaji; Wang, Xinye; Tai, Yang; Liu, Lingqin; Liu, Hao

2018-01-01

Studies on the environmental analysis of biofuels by fast pyrolysis and hydroprocessing (BFPH) have so far focused only on the environmental impacts from direct emissions and have included few indirect emissions. The influence of ignoring some indirect emissions on the environmental performance of BFPH has not been well investigated and hence is not really understood. In addition, in order to avoid shifting environmental problems from one medium to another, a comprehensive assessment of environmental impacts caused by the processes must quantify the environmental emissions to all media (air, water, and land) in relation to each life cycle stage. A well-to-wheels assessment of the total environmental impacts resulting from direct emissions and indirect emissions of a BFPH system with corn stover is conducted using a hybrid life cycle assessment (LCA) model combining the economic input-output LCA and the process LCA. The Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other environmental Impacts (TRACI) has been used to estimate the environmental impacts in terms of acidification, eutrophication, global climate change, ozone depletion, human health criteria, photochemical smog formation, ecotoxicity, human health cancer, and human health noncancer caused by 1 MJ biofuel production. Taking account of all the indirect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the net GHG emissions (81.8 g CO 2 eq/MJ) of the biofuels are still less than those of petroleum-based fuels (94 g CO 2 eq/MJ). Maize production and pyrolysis and hydroprocessing make major contributions to all impact categories except the human health criteria. All impact categories resulting from indirect emissions except eutrophication and smog air make more than 24% contribution to the total environmental impacts. Therefore, the indirect emissions are important and cannot be ignored. Sensitivity analysis has shown that corn stover yield and bio-oil yield affect the total environmental impacts of the biofuels more significantly than the biomass transportation distance and biofuel transportation distance. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2018;14:139-149. © 2017 SETAC. © 2017 SETAC.

Revision and extension of Eco-LCA metrics for sustainability assessment of the energy and chemical processes.

PubMed

Yang, Shiying; Yang, Siyu; Kraslawski, Andrzej; Qian, Yu

2013-12-17

Ecologically based life cycle assessment (Eco-LCA) is an appealing approach for the evaluation of resources utilization and environmental impacts of the process industries from an ecological scale. However, the aggregated metrics of Eco-LCA suffer from some drawbacks: the environmental impact metric has limited applicability; the resource utilization metric ignores indirect consumption; the renewability metric fails to address the quantitative distinction of resources availability; the productivity metric seems self-contradictory. In this paper, the existing Eco-LCA metrics are revised and extended for sustainability assessment of the energy and chemical processes. A new Eco-LCA metrics system is proposed, including four independent dimensions: environmental impact, resource utilization, resource availability, and economic effectiveness. An illustrative example of comparing assessment between a gas boiler and a solar boiler process provides insight into the features of the proposed approach.

Environmental performance of wastewater reuse systems: impact of system boundaries and external conditions.

PubMed

Baresel, Christian; Dalgren, Lena; Almemark, Mats; Lazic, Aleksandra

2016-01-01

Wastewater reclamation will be a significant part of future water management and the environmental assessment of various treatment systems to reuse wastewater has become an important research field. The secondary treatment process and sludge handling on-site are, especially, electricity demanding processes due to aeration, pumping, mixing, dewatering, etc. used for operation and are being identified as the main contributor for many environmental impacts. This study discusses how the environmental performance of reuse treatment systems may be influenced by surrounding conditions. This article illustrates and discusses the importance of factors commonly treated as externalities and as such not being included in optimization strategies of reuse systems, but that are necessary to environmentally assess wastewater reclamation systems. This is illustrated by two up-stream and downstream processes; electricity supply and the use of sludge as fertilizer commonly practiced in regions considered for wastewater reclamation. The study shows that external conditions can have a larger impact on the overall environmental performance of reuse treatment systems than internal optimizations could compensate for. These results imply that a more holistic environmental assessment of reuse schemes could provide less environmental impacts as externalities could be included in measures to reduce the overall impacts.

Cost analysis and environmental impact of nonthermal technologies

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The cost of high pressure processing (HPP) orange juice and its environmental impact were estimated. In addition, the environmental impact of pulsed electric fields (PEF) and thermal pasteurization were assessed for comparison. The cost analysis was based on commercial processing conditions that wer...

Predicting on-site environmental impacts of municipal engineering works

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gangolells, Marta, E-mail: marta.gangolells@upc.edu; Casals, Miquel, E-mail: miquel.casals@upc.edu; Forcada, Núria, E-mail: nuria.forcada@upc.edu

2014-01-15

The research findings fill a gap in the body of knowledge by presenting an effective way to evaluate the significance of on-site environmental impacts of municipal engineering works prior to the construction stage. First, 42 on-site environmental impacts of municipal engineering works were identified by means of a process-oriented approach. Then, 46 indicators and their corresponding significance limits were determined on the basis of a statistical analysis of 25 new-build and remodelling municipal engineering projects. In order to ensure the objectivity of the assessment process, direct and indirect indicators were always based on quantitative data from the municipal engineering projectmore » documents. Finally, two case studies were analysed and found to illustrate the practical use of the proposed model. The model highlights the significant environmental impacts of a particular municipal engineering project prior to the construction stage. Consequently, preventive actions can be planned and implemented during on-site activities. The results of the model also allow a comparison of proposed municipal engineering projects and alternatives with respect to the overall on-site environmental impact and the absolute importance of a particular environmental aspect. These findings are useful within the framework of the environmental impact assessment process, as they help to improve the identification and evaluation of on-site environmental aspects of municipal engineering works. The findings may also be of use to construction companies that are willing to implement an environmental management system or simply wish to improve on-site environmental performance in municipal engineering projects. -- Highlights: • We present a model to predict the environmental impacts of municipal engineering works. • It highlights significant on-site environmental impacts prior to the construction stage. • Findings are useful within the environmental impact assessment process. • They also help contractors to implement environmental management systems.« less

Science-based Framework for Environmental Benefits Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

ER D C/ EL T R -1 3 -4 Environmental Benefits Analysis Program Science-based Framework for Environmental Benefits Assessment E nv ir...acwc.sdp.sirsi.net/client/default. Environmental Benefits Analysis Program ERDC/EL TR-13-4 March 2013 Science-based Framework for Environmental Benefits ...evaluating ecosystem restoration benefits within the context of USACE Civil Works planning process. An emphasis is placed on knowledge gained from

Solar Program Assessment: Environmental Factors - Solar Agricultural and Industrial Process Heat.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Energy Research and Development Administration, Washington, DC. Div. of Solar Energy.

The purpose of this report is to present and prioritize the major environmental issues associated with the further development of solar energy as a source of process heat in the industrial and agricultural sectors. To provide a background for this environmental analysis, the basic concepts and technologies of solar process heating are reviewed.…

Santa Rosa Island Mission Utilization Plan Programmatic Environmental Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-03-01

subject areas with the greatest likelihood for potential environmental impacts. In each case, the assessment found that the preferred alternative would...7061, "The Environmental Impact Analysis Process"). Selection of Alternative 3, the preferred alternative, of the Santa Rosa Island Mission... Preferred Alternative ...............................................................................................................................2-12

16 CFR 1021.7 - Coordination of environmental review with CPSC procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

.... The preparation and completion of assessments and statements required by this part shall be scheduled... of alternatives considered by the Commission for an action. (b) An environmental assessment on a... decisionmaking process. (c) Draft EISs or findings of no significant impact together with environmental...

16 CFR 1021.7 - Coordination of environmental review with CPSC procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

.... The preparation and completion of assessments and statements required by this part shall be scheduled... of alternatives considered by the Commission for an action. (b) An environmental assessment on a... decisionmaking process. (c) Draft EISs or findings of no significant impact together with environmental...

22 CFR 161.9 - Specific steps in the Department's NEPA process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... cooperation with the Office of Environment and Health, initiate steps to prepare an environmental impact... EIS, will itself have no significant impact, he should conduct an environmental assessment in... assessment or environmental impact statement. However, the responsible action officer shall note in the...

22 CFR 161.9 - Specific steps in the Department's NEPA process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... cooperation with the Office of Environment and Health, initiate steps to prepare an environmental impact... EIS, will itself have no significant impact, he should conduct an environmental assessment in... assessment or environmental impact statement. However, the responsible action officer shall note in the...

22 CFR 161.9 - Specific steps in the Department's NEPA process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... cooperation with the Office of Environment and Health, initiate steps to prepare an environmental impact... EIS, will itself have no significant impact, he should conduct an environmental assessment in... assessment or environmental impact statement. However, the responsible action officer shall note in the...

16 CFR 1021.7 - Coordination of environmental review with CPSC procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

.... The preparation and completion of assessments and statements required by this part shall be scheduled... of alternatives considered by the Commission for an action. (b) An environmental assessment on a... decisionmaking process. (c) Draft EISs or findings of no significant impact together with environmental...

22 CFR 161.9 - Specific steps in the Department's NEPA process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... cooperation with the Office of Environment and Health, initiate steps to prepare an environmental impact... EIS, will itself have no significant impact, he should conduct an environmental assessment in... assessment or environmental impact statement. However, the responsible action officer shall note in the...

TRACI 2.0 - The Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other environmental Impacts

EPA Science Inventory

TRACI 2.0, the Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other environmental Impacts 2.0, has been expanded and developed for sustainability metrics, life cycle impact assessment, industrial ecology, and process design impact assessment for developing increasingly sus...

Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and Other Environmental Impacts (TRACI) TRACI version 2.1 User’s Guide

EPA Science Inventory

TRACI 2.1 (the Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other environmental Impacts) has been developed for sustainability metrics, life cycle impact assessment, industrial ecology, and process design impact assessment for developing increasingly sustainable products...

A Comparison of Vector and Raster GIS Methods for Calculating Landscape Metrics Used in Environmental Assessments

Treesearch

Timothy G. Wade; James D. Wickham; Maliha S. Nash; Anne C. Neale; Kurt H. Riitters; K. Bruce Jones

2003-01-01

AbstractGIS-based measurements that combine native raster and native vector data are commonly used in environmental assessments. Most of these measurements can be calculated using either raster or vector data formats and processing methods. Raster processes are more commonly used because they can be significantly faster computationally...

MINI REVIEW - EPIGENETIC PROCESSES AND CANCER RISK ASSESSMENT

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Guidelines for Carcinogen Risk Assessment encourages the use of mechanistic data in the assessment of human cancer risk at low (environmental) exposure levels. The key events that define a particular mode of action for tumor fo...

78 FR 39284 - Technical Guidance for Assessing Environmental Justice in Regulatory Analysis

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-01

... environmental justice assessments of its regulatory actions for years. This experience and body of work... set of questions to guide analysts in evaluating potential environmental justice concerns in EPA rules.... This guidance takes into account EPA's past experience in integrating EJ into the rulemaking process...

78 FR 59662 - Annual Public Meeting of the Interagency Steering Committee on Multimedia Environmental Modeling

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-27

... applications and assessment of site specific, generic, and process-oriented multimedia environmental models as... development and simulation supports interagency interests in risk assessment, uncertainty analyses, management...

Medical University of South Carolina Environmental Hazards Assessment Program. Volume 6: Annual report, July 1, 1993--June 30, 1994 deliverables

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The Medical University of South Carolina`s vision is to become the premier national resource for medical information and for environmental/health risk assessment. A key component to the success of the many missions of the Environmental Hazards Assessment Program (EHAP) is timely access to large volumes of data. This study documents the results of the needs assessment effort conducted to determine the information access and processing requirements of EHAP. This report addresses the Department of Environmental Health Science, education and training initiative.

Conceptualising the effectiveness of impact assessment processes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chanchitpricha, Chaunjit, E-mail: chaunjit@g.sut.ac.th; Bond, Alan, E-mail: alan.bond@uea.ac.uk; Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management School of Geo and Spatial Sciences, Internal Box 375, North West University

2013-11-15

This paper aims at conceptualising the effectiveness of impact assessment processes through the development of a literature-based framework of criteria to measure impact assessment effectiveness. Four categories of effectiveness were established: procedural, substantive, transactive and normative, each containing a number of criteria; no studies have previously brought together all four of these categories into such a comprehensive, criteria-based framework and undertaken systematic evaluation of practice. The criteria can be mapped within a cycle/or cycles of evaluation, based on the ‘logic model’, at the stages of input, process, output and outcome to enable the identification of connections between the criteria acrossmore » the categories of effectiveness. This framework is considered to have potential application in measuring the effectiveness of many impact assessment processes, including strategic environmental assessment (SEA), environmental impact assessment (EIA), social impact assessment (SIA) and health impact assessment (HIA). -- Highlights: • Conceptualising effectiveness of impact assessment processes. • Identification of factors influencing effectiveness of impact assessment processes. • Development of criteria within a framework for evaluating IA effectiveness. • Applying the logic model to examine connections between effectiveness criteria.« less

Propagation of Environmental Noise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyon, R. H.

1973-01-01

Solutions for environmental noise pollution lie in systematic study of many basic processes such as reflection, scattering, and spreading. Noise propagation processes should be identified in different situations and assessed for their relative importance. (PS)

Environmental Assessment, Search and Rescue Training, HH-60 and HC-130, 920th Rescue Group, 301st and 39th Rescue Squadrons, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-10-01

920th RQG Final Environmental Assessment i FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT (FONSI) FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE TRAINING OF THE...Regulations 32 Part 989 (Environmental Impact Analysis Process, July 1999), the 920th RQG has requested the U. S. Air Force (USAF), 45th Space Wing...45SW) to conduct an environmental impact analysis of their Proposed Action on PAFB, CCAFS, APAFR, TSR, the Banana River, and the Atlantic Ocean in

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The Medical University of South Carolina`s vision is to become the premier national resource for medical information and for environmental/health risk assessment. A key component to the success of the many missions of the Environmental Hazards Assessment Program (EHAP) is timely access to large volumes of data. This study documents the results of the needs assessment effort conducted to determine the information access and processing requirement of EHAP. The following topics are addressed in this report: environmental medicine and risk communication: curriculum and a professional support network-Department of Family Medicine; environmental hazards assessment and education program in pharmacy graduate educationmore » in risk assessment; and graduate education risk assessment.« less

Evaluation of the environmental impact of Brownfield remediation options: comparison of two life cycle assessment-based evaluation tools.

PubMed

Cappuyns, Valérie; Kessen, Bram

2012-01-01

The choice between different options for the remediation of a contaminated site traditionally relies on economical, technical and regulatory criteria without consideration of the environmental impact of the soil remediation process itself. In the present study, the environmental impact assessment of two potential soil remediation techniques (excavation and off-site cleaning and in situ steam extraction) was performed using two life cycle assessment (LCA)-based evaluation tools, namely the REC (risk reduction, environmental merit and cost) method and the ReCiPe method. The comparison and evaluation of the different tools used to estimate the environmental impact of Brownfield remediation was based on a case study which consisted of the remediation of a former oil and fat processing plant. For the environmental impact assessment, both the REC and ReCiPe methods result in a single score for the environmental impact of the soil remediation process and allow the same conclusion to be drawn: excavation and off-site cleaning has a more pronounced environmental impact than in situ soil remediation by means of steam extraction. The ReCiPe method takes into account more impact categories, but is also more complex to work with and needs more input data. Within the routine evaluation of soil remediation alternatives, a detailed LCA evaluation will often be too time consuming and costly and the estimation of the environmental impact with the REC method will in most cases be sufficient. The case study worked out in this paper wants to provide a basis for a more sounded selection of soil remediation technologies based on a more detailed assessment of the secondary impact of soil remediation.

Aiding eco-labelling process and its implementation: Environmental Impact Assessment Methodology to define Product Category Rules for canned anchovies.

PubMed

Laso, Jara; Margallo, María; Fullana, Pére; Bala, Alba; Gazulla, Cristina; Irabien, Ángel; Aldaco, Rubén

2017-01-01

To be able to fulfil high market expectations for a number of practical applications, Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) have to meet and comply with specific and strict methodological prerequisites. These expectations include the possibility to add up Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)-based information in the supply chain and to compare different EPDs. To achieve this goal, common and harmonized calculation rules have to be established, the so-called Product Category Rules (PCRs), which set the overall LCA calculation rules to create EPDs. This document provides PCRs for the assessment of the environmental performance of canned anchovies in Cantabria Region based on an Environmental Sustainability Assessment (ESA) method. This method uses two main variables: the natural resources sustainability (NRS) and the environmental burdens sustainability (EBS). To reduce the complexity of ESA and facilitate the decision-making process, all variables are normalized and weighted to obtain two global dimensionless indexes: resource consumption (X 1 ) and environmental burdens (X 2 ). •This paper sets the PCRs adapted to the Cantabrian canned anchovies.•ESA method facilitates the product comparison and the decision-making process.•This paper stablishes all the steps that an EPD should include within the PCRs of Cantabrian canned anchovies.

Novel Transformations of Trenbolone Acetate Metabolites Suggest Incomplete Environmental Risk Assessment for Trenbolone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolodziej, E. P.; Jones, G.; Cwiertny, D. M.; Qu, S.

2013-12-01

In general, the existing regulatory and risk assessment paradigm for veterinary pharmaceuticals and other potential environmental contaminants is relatively simplistic as it equates contaminant degradation with significant reduction in associated ecological risk. However, it is becoming clear that there exist a number of environmental contaminants whose behaviors in the environment confound this assessment paradigm and whose environmental risk cannot be accurately assessed by laboratory studies demonstrating degradation or attenuation of compound concentrations in model environmental systems. For example, trenbolone acetate (TBA) is an androgenic growth promoting steroid used widely in animal agriculture in the United States, with the vast majority of U.S. beef cattle receiving TBA implants. Despite their significant economic value ( $1 billion annually), TBA metabolites can be potent endocrine disrupting compounds for sensitive species of aquatic organisms, capable of endocrine disruption at low ng/L concentrations. TBA metabolites are often considered rather reactive and prone to degradation, and risk assessment studies specifically point to their rapid degradation as evidence for limited ecological risks. However, we have recently demonstrated a most unexpected observation for TBA metabolite fate in environmental systems: namely that product-to-parent reversion is possible for certain TBA metabolites. Also, a variety of structural analogs and stereoisomers can arise from environmental transformation processes of TBA metabolites, potentially yielding a range of uncharacterized steroid structures capable of receptor interactions. None of these possibilities are accounted for in current risk assessment approaches for trenbolone or any other veterinary pharmaceutical. These observations confound most all current environmental risk assessment and contaminant fate models, and therefore improving our approach to environmental risk assessment needs to specifically account for these possibilities. The implications of this data suggest that improved environmental risk assessment should include a more complete characterization of transformation products and identification of possible non-target receptor interactions as part of exposure assessment process.

Applications of genetic data to improve management and conservation of river fishes and their habitats

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scribner, Kim T.; Lowe, Winsor H.; Landguth, Erin L.; Luikart, Gordon; Infante, Dana M.; Whelan, Gary; Muhlfeld, Clint C.

2015-01-01

Environmental variation and landscape features affect ecological processes in fluvial systems; however, assessing effects at management-relevant temporal and spatial scales is challenging. Genetic data can be used with landscape models and traditional ecological assessment data to identify biodiversity hotspots, predict ecosystem responses to anthropogenic effects, and detect impairments to underlying processes. We show that by combining taxonomic, demographic, and genetic data of species in complex riverscapes, managers can better understand the spatial and temporal scales over which environmental processes and disturbance influence biodiversity. We describe how population genetic models using empirical or simulated genetic data quantify effects of environmental processes affecting species diversity and distribution. Our summary shows that aquatic assessment initiatives that use standardized data sets to direct management actions can benefit from integration of genetic data to improve the predictability of disturbance–response relationships of river fishes and their habitats over a broad range of spatial and temporal scales.

Using TRACI for Sustainability Metrics

EPA Science Inventory

TRACI, the Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other environmental Impacts, has been developed for sustainability metrics, life cycle impact assessment, and product and process design impact assessment for developing increasingly sustainable products, processes,...

Technical Review Guidelines for Environmental Impact Assessments in the Tourism, Energy and Mining Sectors

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA coordinated a regional collaborative process with Central America and Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) partners to develop Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Technical Review Guidelines for three sectors.

Environmental Assessment for Developing Renewable Energy Enhanced Use Lease Facilities at Robins Air Force Base

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-15

Blufftown is underlain by igneous and metamorphic rocks which are equivalent to those of the Georgia Piedmont. Potable and process waters are produced...Final Environmental Assessment for Developing Renewable Energy Enhanced Use Lease Facilities at Robins Air Force Base...TITLE AND SUBTITLE Final Environmental Assessment for Developing Renewable Energy Enhanced Use Lease Facilities at Robins Air Force Base 5a. CONTRACT

An Analytic Network Process approach for the environmental aspect selection problem — A case study for a hand blender

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bereketli Zafeirakopoulos, Ilke, E-mail: ibereketli@gsu.edu.tr; Erol Genevois, Mujde, E-mail: merol@gsu.edu.tr

Life Cycle Assessment is a tool to assess, in a systematic way, the environmental aspects and its potential environmental impacts and resources used throughout a product's life cycle. It is widely accepted and considered as one of the most powerful tools to support decision-making processes used in ecodesign and sustainable production in order to learn about the most problematic parts and life cycle phases of a product and to have a projection for future improvements. However, since Life Cycle Assessment is a cost and time intensive method, companies do not intend to carry out a full version of it, exceptmore » for large corporate ones. Especially for small and medium sized enterprises, which do not have enough budget for and knowledge on sustainable production and ecodesign approaches, focusing only on the most important possible environmental aspect is unavoidable. In this direction, finding the right environmental aspect to work on is crucial for the companies. In this study, a multi-criteria decision-making methodology, Analytic Network Process is proposed to select the most relevant environmental aspect. The proposed methodology aims at providing a simplified environmental assessment to producers. It is applied for a hand blender, which is a member of the Electrical and Electronic Equipment family. The decision criteria for the environmental aspects and relations of dependence are defined. The evaluation is made by the Analytic Network Process in order to create a realistic approach to inter-dependencies among the criteria. The results are computed via the Super Decisions software. Finally, it is observed that the procedure is completed in less time, with less data, with less cost and in a less subjective way than conventional approaches. - Highlights: • We present a simplified environmental assessment methodology to support LCA. • ANP is proposed to select the most relevant environmental aspect. • ANP deals well with the interdependencies between aspects and impacts. • The methodology is less subjective, less complicated, and less time–money consuming. • The proposed methodology is suitable for use by SMEs.« less

EXTENSION OF COMPUTER-AIDED PROCESS ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS TO ENVIRONMENTAL LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT AND SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

EPA Science Inventory

The potential of computer-aided process engineering (CAPE) tools to enable process engineers to improve the environmental performance of both their processes and across the life cycle (from cradle-to-grave) has long been proffered. However, this use of CAPE has not been fully ach...

Environmental Risk Assessment System for Phosphogypsum Tailing Dams

PubMed Central

Sun, Xin; Tang, Xiaolong; Yi, Honghong; Li, Kai; Zhou, Lianbi; Xu, Xianmang

2013-01-01

This paper may be of particular interest to the readers as it provides a new environmental risk assessment system for phosphogypsum tailing dams. In this paper, we studied the phosphogypsum tailing dams which include characteristics of the pollution source, environmental risk characteristics and evaluation requirements to identify the applicable environmental risk assessment methods. Two analytical methods, that is, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy logic, were used to handle the complexity of the environmental and nonquantitative data. Using our assessment method, different risk factors can be ranked according to their contributions to the environmental risk, thereby allowing the calculation of their relative priorities during decision making. Thus, environmental decision-makers can use this approach to develop alternative management strategies for proposed, ongoing, and completed PG tailing dams. PMID:24382947

Environmental risk assessment system for phosphogypsum tailing dams.

PubMed

Sun, Xin; Ning, Ping; Tang, Xiaolong; Yi, Honghong; Li, Kai; Zhou, Lianbi; Xu, Xianmang

2013-01-01

This paper may be of particular interest to the readers as it provides a new environmental risk assessment system for phosphogypsum tailing dams. In this paper, we studied the phosphogypsum tailing dams which include characteristics of the pollution source, environmental risk characteristics and evaluation requirements to identify the applicable environmental risk assessment methods. Two analytical methods, that is, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy logic, were used to handle the complexity of the environmental and nonquantitative data. Using our assessment method, different risk factors can be ranked according to their contributions to the environmental risk, thereby allowing the calculation of their relative priorities during decision making. Thus, environmental decision-makers can use this approach to develop alternative management strategies for proposed, ongoing, and completed PG tailing dams.

Designing a Likert-Type Scale to Predict Environmentally Responsible Behavior in Undergraduate Students: A Multistep Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith-Sebasto, N. J.; D'Costa, Ayres

1995-01-01

Describes an attempt to develop a reliable and valid instrument to assess the relationship between locus of control of reinforcement and environmentally responsible behavior. Presents a six-step psychometric process used to develop the Environmental Action Internal Control Index (EAICI) for undergraduate students. Contains 54 references. (JRH)

New parsimonious simulation methods and tools to assess future food and environmental security of farm populations

PubMed Central

Antle, John M.; Stoorvogel, Jetse J.; Valdivia, Roberto O.

2014-01-01

This article presents conceptual and empirical foundations for new parsimonious simulation models that are being used to assess future food and environmental security of farm populations. The conceptual framework integrates key features of the biophysical and economic processes on which the farming systems are based. The approach represents a methodological advance by coupling important behavioural processes, for example, self-selection in adaptive responses to technological and environmental change, with aggregate processes, such as changes in market supply and demand conditions or environmental conditions as climate. Suitable biophysical and economic data are a critical limiting factor in modelling these complex systems, particularly for the characterization of out-of-sample counterfactuals in ex ante analyses. Parsimonious, population-based simulation methods are described that exploit available observational, experimental, modelled and expert data. The analysis makes use of a new scenario design concept called representative agricultural pathways. A case study illustrates how these methods can be used to assess food and environmental security. The concluding section addresses generalizations of parametric forms and linkages of regional models to global models. PMID:24535388

New parsimonious simulation methods and tools to assess future food and environmental security of farm populations.

PubMed

Antle, John M; Stoorvogel, Jetse J; Valdivia, Roberto O

2014-04-05

This article presents conceptual and empirical foundations for new parsimonious simulation models that are being used to assess future food and environmental security of farm populations. The conceptual framework integrates key features of the biophysical and economic processes on which the farming systems are based. The approach represents a methodological advance by coupling important behavioural processes, for example, self-selection in adaptive responses to technological and environmental change, with aggregate processes, such as changes in market supply and demand conditions or environmental conditions as climate. Suitable biophysical and economic data are a critical limiting factor in modelling these complex systems, particularly for the characterization of out-of-sample counterfactuals in ex ante analyses. Parsimonious, population-based simulation methods are described that exploit available observational, experimental, modelled and expert data. The analysis makes use of a new scenario design concept called representative agricultural pathways. A case study illustrates how these methods can be used to assess food and environmental security. The concluding section addresses generalizations of parametric forms and linkages of regional models to global models.

Life-cycle and cost of goods assessment of fed-batch and perfusion-based manufacturing processes for mAbs.

PubMed

Bunnak, Phumthep; Allmendinger, Richard; Ramasamy, Sri V; Lettieri, Paola; Titchener-Hooker, Nigel J

2016-09-01

Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is an environmental assessment tool that quantifies the environmental impact associated with a product or a process (e.g., water consumption, energy requirements, and solid waste generation). While LCA is a standard approach in many commercial industries, its application has not been exploited widely in the bioprocessing sector. To contribute toward the design of more cost-efficient, robust and environmentally-friendly manufacturing process for monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), a framework consisting of an LCA and economic analysis combined with a sensitivity analysis of manufacturing process parameters and a production scale-up study is presented. The efficiency of the framework is demonstrated using a comparative study of the two most commonly used upstream configurations for mAb manufacture, namely fed-batch (FB) and perfusion-based processes. Results obtained by the framework are presented using a range of visualization tools, and indicate that a standard perfusion process (with a pooling duration of 4 days) has similar cost of goods than a FB process but a larger environmental footprint because it consumed 35% more water, demanded 17% more energy, and emitted 17% more CO 2 than the FB process. Water consumption was the most important impact category, especially when scaling-up the processes, as energy was required to produce process water and water-for-injection, while CO 2 was emitted from energy generation. The sensitivity analysis revealed that the perfusion process can be made more environmentally-friendly than the FB process if the pooling duration is extended to 8 days. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 32:1324-1335, 2016. © 2016 The Authors Biotechnology Progress published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Assessment and comparison of three high-aluminum fly ash utilization scenarios in Inner Mongolia, China using an eco-efficiency indicator.

PubMed

Yang, Shuo; Lin, Ling; Li, Shao Peng; Li, Qiang; Wang, Xiu Teng; Sun, Liang

2017-05-01

Utilization of fly ash is of great importance in China in the context of resource and environmental crises. Different fly ash utilization processes are proposed, and some have been practically applied. However, none of these fly ash utilization pathways has been evaluated comprehensively by integrating both environmental and economic perspectives. In this study, three high-aluminum fly ash utilization methods in Mongolia were assessed and compared based on the concept of eco-efficiency. The environmental assessment was conducted in accordance with life-cycle assessment principles, and a monetization-weighting approach was applied to obtain social willingness-to-pay as a reflection of environmental impact. The environmental assessment results revealed that the reuse of fly ash had significant advantage for saving primary resource, while solid waste, depletion of water, and global warming were the three highest environmental impacts from the life cycle perspective. The economic performance assessment showed positive net profits for fly ash utilization, but high value-added products were not necessarily indicative of better economic performance due to the relatively high operation cost. Comparison of the eco-efficiency indicators (EEIs) implied that the process of scenario 1#, which produced mullite ceramic and active calcium silicate, was the most recommended out of the three scenarios on the present scale. This judgment was consistent with the evaluation of the resource utilization rate. The present study showed that the EEI could be used to compare different fly ash utilization processes in a comprehensive and objective manner, thus providing definitive and insightful suggestions for decision-making and technical improvement.

Research Priorities in Environmental Risk Assessment. Workshop on Research Needs in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Held in Breckenridge, Colorado on August 16-21, 1987

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-06-30

accordance with SETAC’s goal of providing a forum for communication among professionals involved with the use, protection, and management of the...templated action. Risk assessment provides technical input to risk management , the process of making decisions about the acceptability of risks and the need... management and computerized information-processing capabilities needed for risk assessment is also essential. Aquatic Toxicology In order to quantify and

ENVIRONMENTAL COMPARISON METRICS FOR LIFE CYCLE IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND PROCESS DESIGN

EPA Science Inventory

Metrics (potentials, potency factors, equivalency factors or characterization factors) are available to support the environmental comparison of alternatives in application domains like proces design and product life-cycle assessment (LCA). These metrics typically provide relative...

Cancer Dose-Response Assessment for Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and Application to Environmental Mixtures

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This report updates the cancer dose-response assessment for PCBs and shows how information on toxicity, disposition, and environmental processes can be considered together to evaluate health risks from PCB mixtures in the environment.

Waste management of printed wiring boards: a life cycle assessment of the metals recycling chain from liberation through refining.

PubMed

Xue, Mianqiang; Kendall, Alissa; Xu, Zhenming; Schoenung, Julie M

2015-01-20

Due to economic and societal reasons, informal activities including open burning, backyard recycling, and landfill are still the prevailing methods used for electronic waste treatment in developing countries. Great efforts have been made, especially in China, to promote formal approaches for electronic waste management by enacting laws, developing green recycling technologies, initiating pilot programs, etc. The formal recycling process can, however, engender environmental impact and resource consumption, although information on the environmental loads and resource consumption is currently limited. To quantitatively assess the environmental impact of the processes in a formal printed wiring board (PWB) recycling chain, life cycle assessment (LCA) was applied to a formal recycling chain that includes the steps from waste liberation through materials refining. The metal leaching in the refining stage was identified as a critical process, posing most of the environmental impact in the recycling chain. Global warming potential was the most significant environmental impact category after normalization and weighting, followed by fossil abiotic depletion potential, and marine aquatic eco-toxicity potential. Scenario modeling results showed that variations in the power source and chemical reagents consumption had the greatest influence on the environmental performance. The environmental impact from transportation used for PWB collection was also evaluated. The results were further compared to conventional primary metals production processes, highlighting the environmental benefit of metal recycling from waste PWBs. Optimizing the collection mode, increasing the precious metals recovery efficiency in the beneficiation stage and decreasing the chemical reagents consumption in the refining stage by effective materials liberation and separation are proposed as potential improvement strategies to make the recycling chain more environmentally friendly. The LCA results provide environmental information for the improvement of future integrated technologies and electronic waste management.

Environmental Assessment for A-29 Light Air Support (LAS) Training Beddown

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-08-21

Nation. Appendix A Updated to include responses/letters from federal and local agencies. Page 1 of 1 FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT A-29...32 CFR §989, Environmental Impact Analysis Process, the U.S. Air Force (Air Force) assessed the potential environmental consequences associated with...protection measures to avoid or reduce adverse environmental impacts . The EA considers all potential impacts of basing this training unit at three

A game theory perspective on environmental assessment: What games are played and what does this tell us about decision making rationality and legitimacy?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bond, Alan; Research Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University; Pope, Jenny

Game theory provides a useful theoretical framework to examine the decision process operating in the context of environmental assessment, and to examine the rationality and legitimacy of decision-making subject to Environmental Assessment (EA). The research uses a case study of the Environmental Impact Assessment and Sustainability Appraisal processes undertaken in England. To these are applied an analytical framework, based on the concept of decision windows to identify the decisions to be assessed. The conditions for legitimacy are defined, based on game theory, in relation to the timing of decision information, the behaviour type (competitive, reciprocal, equity) exhibited by the decisionmore » maker, and the level of public engagement; as, together, these control the type of rationality which can be brought to bear on the decision. Instrumental rationality is based on self-interest of individuals, whereas deliberative rationality seeks broader consensus and is more likely to underpin legitimate decisions. The results indicate that the Sustainability Appraisal process, conducted at plan level, is better than EIA, conducted at project level, but still fails to provide conditions that facilitate legitimacy. Game theory also suggests that Sustainability Appraisal is likely to deliver ‘least worst’ outcomes rather than best outcomes when the goals of the assessment process are considered; this may explain the propensity of such ‘least worst’ decisions in practise. On the basis of what can be learned from applying this game theory perspective, it is suggested that environmental assessment processes need to be redesigned and better integrated into decision making in order to guarantee the legitimacy of the decisions made. - Highlights: • Decision legitimacy is defined in terms of game theory. • Game theory is applied to EIA and SA decision windows. • Game theory suggests least worst outcomes prevail. • SA is more likely to be perceived legitimate than EIA.« less

State-of-the-Science Workshop Report: Issues and Approaches in Low Dose–Response Extrapolation for Environmental Health Risk Assessment

EPA Science Inventory

Low-dose extrapolation model selection for evaluating the health effects of environmental pollutants is a key component of the risk assessment process. At a workshop held in Baltimore, MD, on April 23-24, 2007, and sponsored by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Johns...

Energetic and environmental assessment of thermochemical and biochemical ways for producing energy from agricultural solid residues: Coffee Cut-Stems case.

PubMed

García, Carlos A; Peña, Álvaro; Betancourt, Ramiro; Cardona, Carlos A

2018-06-15

Forest residues are an important source of biomass. Among these, Coffee Cut-Stems (CCS) are an abundant wood waste in Colombia obtained from coffee crops renovation. However, only low quantities of these residues are used directly in combustion processes for heating and cooking in coffee farms where their energy efficiency is very low. In the present work, an energy and environmental assessment of two bioenergy production processes (ethanol fermentation and gasification) using CCS as raw material was performed. Biomass gasification seems to be the most promising thermochemical method for bioenergy production whereas, ethanol fermentation is a widely studied biochemical method to produce biofuels. Experimental runs of the CCS gasification were carried out and the synthesis gas composition was monitored. Prior to the fermentation process, a treatment of the CCS is required from which sugar content was determined and then, in the fermentation process, the ethanol yield was calculated. Both processes were simulated in order to obtain the mass and energy balance that are used to assess the energy efficiency and the potential environmental impact (PEI). Moderate high energy efficiency and low environmental impacts were obtained from the CCS gasification. In contrast, high environmental impacts in different categories and low energy efficiencies were calculated from the ethanolic fermentation. Biomass gasification seems to be the most promising technology for the use of Coffee Cut-Stems with high energy yields and low environmental issues. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Proposal for including what is valuable to ecosystems in environmental assessments.

PubMed

Campbell, D E

2001-07-15

Assessment scientists and managers depend on social values to identify the goals that will be used to guide environmental assessments. These goals are commonly identified by examining the vested interests of the various social groups that are stakeholders in a region. However, knowledge about what people value represents only part of the information needed to identify comprehensive assessment goals for environmental systems that include both economic and ecological components and processes. All parties also need to understand what is valuable to ecosystems because that determines the ecological patterns and processes that prevail in the long run. The competition among alternate system designs for available energy determines the viability of the choices that people make for their environment. Ecosystems that prevail in competition use the process of self-organization to create system designs that maximize the use of ever-changing sources of available energy. The efficacy of ecosystem designs can be evaluated using the maximum empower principle, which states that ecosystems evolve toward designs that maximize empower (energy use per unit time). Energy is an accounting quantity that normalizes the different kinds of energy developed in a system so that they may be compared. The counter-intuitive and sometimes controversial results that come from energy analyses are illustrated by examining three environmental problems on the interface between ecology and economics. A process for identifying and using social and ecosystem values to guide environmental assessments is proposed using a conceptual energy systems model that shows how these processes might interact within a region. The probability of realizing a given change in system empower production is suggested as a decision criterion that can be used by managers to evaluate the efficacy of alternatives.

Using adaptive processes and adverse outcome pathways to develop meaningful, robust, and actionable environmental monitoring programs.

PubMed

Arciszewski, Tim J; Munkittrick, Kelly R; Scrimgeour, Garry J; Dubé, Monique G; Wrona, Fred J; Hazewinkel, Rod R

2017-09-01

The primary goals of environmental monitoring are to indicate whether unexpected changes related to development are occurring in the physical, chemical, and biological attributes of ecosystems and to inform meaningful management intervention. Although achieving these objectives is conceptually simple, varying scientific and social challenges often result in their breakdown. Conceptualizing, designing, and operating programs that better delineate monitoring, management, and risk assessment processes supported by hypothesis-driven approaches, strong inference, and adverse outcome pathways can overcome many of the challenges. Generally, a robust monitoring program is characterized by hypothesis-driven questions associated with potential adverse outcomes and feedback loops informed by data. Specifically, key and basic features are predictions of future observations (triggers) and mechanisms to respond to success or failure of those predictions (tiers). The adaptive processes accelerate or decelerate the effort to highlight and overcome ignorance while preventing the potentially unnecessary escalation of unguided monitoring and management. The deployment of the mutually reinforcing components can allow for more meaningful and actionable monitoring programs that better associate activities with consequences. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:877-891. © 2017 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC). © 2017 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Environmental assessment of alternative pasteurization technologies for fluid milk production using process simulation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fluid milk processing (FMP) has significant environmental impact because of its high energy use. High temperature short time (HTST) pasteurization is the third most energy intensive operation comprising about 16% of total energy use, after clean-in-place operations and packaging. Nonthermal processe...

Environmental Assessment for Construction of a 20-Slip Boat Dock Structure MacDill AFB, Florida

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

unclassified Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18 FINAL FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AND FINDING OFNO PRACTICABLE...Force Environmental Impact Analysis Process, as promulgated in 32 CFR, Part 989, the USAF conducted an assessment of the potential environmental...assessment (EA) considered all potential impacts of the proposed action and alternatives, both as solitary actions and in conjunction with other proposed

Environmental impact analysis of batik natural dyes using life cycle assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rinawati, Dyah Ika; Sari, Diana Puspita; Purwanggono, Bambang; Hermawan, Andy Tri

2017-11-01

The use of natural dyes for batik dyeing is fewer than synthetic dyes because of its limitations in the application such complexity in manufacture and usage. For ease of use, natural dyes need to be processed into instant products. Extract of natural dyes are generally produced in liquid form that are less practical in long-term use. Dye powder obtained by drying the liquid extract using spray dryer. Production process of liquid natural dye is simpler and require less energy but need more energy for transporting. It is important to know which type of natural dyes should be produced based on their environmental impact. This research aim to compare environmental impact between liquid and powder natural dyes and also to find relative contribution of different stage in life cycle to total environmental impact. The appropriate method to analyze and compare the environmental impacts of powder and liquid natural dyes is Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The "cradle to grave" approach used to assess environmental impact of powder and liquid natural dyes of Jalawe rind throughout production process of natural dyes, distribution and use of natural dyes for coloring batik. Results of this research show that powder natural dyes has lower environmental impacts than liquid natural dyes. It was found that distribution, mordanting and packaging of liquid dyes have big contribution to environmental impact.

On Improving the Quality and Interpretation of Environmental Assessments using Statistical Analysis and Geographic Information Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karuppiah, R.; Faldi, A.; Laurenzi, I.; Usadi, A.; Venkatesh, A.

2014-12-01

An increasing number of studies are focused on assessing the environmental footprint of different products and processes, especially using life cycle assessment (LCA). This work shows how combining statistical methods and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) with environmental analyses can help improve the quality of results and their interpretation. Most environmental assessments in literature yield single numbers that characterize the environmental impact of a process/product - typically global or country averages, often unchanging in time. In this work, we show how statistical analysis and GIS can help address these limitations. For example, we demonstrate a method to separately quantify uncertainty and variability in the result of LCA models using a power generation case study. This is important for rigorous comparisons between the impacts of different processes. Another challenge is lack of data that can affect the rigor of LCAs. We have developed an approach to estimate environmental impacts of incompletely characterized processes using predictive statistical models. This method is applied to estimate unreported coal power plant emissions in several world regions. There is also a general lack of spatio-temporal characterization of the results in environmental analyses. For instance, studies that focus on water usage do not put in context where and when water is withdrawn. Through the use of hydrological modeling combined with GIS, we quantify water stress on a regional and seasonal basis to understand water supply and demand risks for multiple users. Another example where it is important to consider regional dependency of impacts is when characterizing how agricultural land occupation affects biodiversity in a region. We developed a data-driven methodology used in conjuction with GIS to determine if there is a statistically significant difference between the impacts of growing different crops on different species in various biomes of the world.

SYSTEMATIC PROCEDURE FOR DESIGNING PROCESSES WITH MULTIPLE ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES

EPA Science Inventory

Evaluation of multiple objectives is very important in designing environmentally benign processes. It requires a systematic procedure for solving multiobjective decision-making problems, due to the complex nature of the problems, the need for complex assessments, and complicated ...

LANDSCAPE SCIENCES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: A NATO FRAMEWORK FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

EPA Science Inventory

An international pilot study has been developed to explore the possibility of quantifying and assessing environmental condition, processes of land degradation, and subsequent impacts on natural and human resources by combining the advanced technologies of remote sensing, geograph...

Environmental impact of incineration of calorific industrial waste: rotary kiln vs. cement kiln.

PubMed

Vermeulen, Isabel; Van Caneghem, Jo; Block, Chantal; Dewulf, Wim; Vandecasteele, Carlo

2012-10-01

Rotary kiln incinerators and cement kilns are two energy intensive processes, requiring high temperatures that can be obtained by the combustion of fossil fuel. In both processes, fossil fuel is often substituted by high or medium calorific waste to avoid resource depletion and to save costs. Two types of industrial calorific waste streams are considered: automotive shredder residue (ASR) and meat and bone meal (MBM). These waste streams are of current high interest: ASR must be diverted from landfill, while MBM can no longer be used for cattle feeding. The environmental impact of the incineration of these waste streams is assessed and compared for both a rotary kiln and a cement kiln. For this purpose, data from an extensive emission inventory is applied for assessing the environmental impact using two different modeling approaches: one focusing on the impact of the relevant flows to and from the process and its subsystems, the other describing the change of environmental impact in response to these physical flows. Both ways of assessing emphasize different aspects of the considered processes. Attention is paid to assumptions in the methodology that can influence the outcome and conclusions of the assessment. It is concluded that for the incineration of calorific wastes, rotary kilns are generally preferred. Nevertheless, cement kilns show opportunities in improving their environmental impact when substituting their currently used fuels by more clean calorific waste streams, if this improvement is not at the expense of the actual environmental impact. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A multiscale method for assessing vegetation baseline of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in protected areas of Chile

Treesearch

Anibal Pauchard; Eduardo Ugarte; Jaime Millan

2000-01-01

The exponential growth of recreation and tourism or ecotourism activities is affecting ecological processes in protected areas of Chile. In order to protect protected areas integrity, all projects inside their boundaries must pass through the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The purpose of this research was to design a multiscale method to assess vegetation for...

Environmental assessment of farm-scaled anaerobic co-digestion for bioenergy production

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lijó, Lucía, E-mail: lucia.lijo@usc.es; González-García, Sara; Bacenetti, Jacopo

Highlights: • Anaerobic monodigestion and codigestion were compared. • The environmental advantages of suitable waste management were proved. • The use of cereal crops as feedstock improves biogas yield. • Cultivation step implies the most important environmental hotspot. • Digestate management options were evaluated. - Abstract: The aim of this study was to assess the environmental profile of a bioenergy system based on a co-digestion plant using maize silage and pig slurry as substrates. All the processes involved in the production of bioenergy as well as the avoided processes accrued from the biogas production system were evaluated. The results evidencedmore » the environmental importance of the cultivation step and the environmental credits associated to the avoided processes. In addition, this plant was compared with two different plants that digest both substrates separately. The results revealed the environmental benefits of the utilisation of pig slurry due to the absence of environmental burdens associated with its production as well as credits provided when avoiding its conventional management. The results also presented the environmental drawbacks of the utilisation of maize silage due to the environmental burdens related with its production. Accordingly, the anaerobic mono-digestion of maize silage achieved the worst results. The co-digestion of both substrates was ranked in an intermediate position. Additionally, three possible digestate management options were assessed. The results showed the beneficial effect of digestate application as an organic fertiliser, principally on account of environmental credits due to avoided mineral fertilisation. However, digestate application involves important acidifying and eutrophicating emissions.« less

Leading trends in environmental regulation that affect energy development. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Steele, R V; Attaway, L D; Christerson, J A

1980-01-01

Major environmental issues that are likely to affect the implementation of energy technologies between now and the year 2000 are identified and assessed. The energy technologies specifically addressed are: oil recovery and processing; gas recovery and processing; coal liquefaction; coal gasification (surface); in situ coal gasification; direct coal combustion; advanced power systems; magnetohydrodynamics; surface oil shale retorting; true and modified in situ oil shale retorting; geothermal energy; biomass energy conversion; and nuclear power (fission). Environmental analyses of these technologies included, in addition to the main processing steps, the complete fuel cycle from resource extraction to end use. A comprehensive surveymore » of the environmental community (including environmental groups, researchers, and regulatory agencies) was carried out in parallel with an analysis of the technologies to identify important future environmental issues. Each of the final 20 issues selected by the project staff has the following common attributes: consensus of the environmental community that the issue is important; it is a likely candidate for future regulatory action; it deals with a major environmental aspect of energy development. The analyses of the 20 major issues address their environmental problem areas, current regulatory status, and the impact of future regulations. These analyses are followed by a quantitative assessment of the impact on energy costs and nationwide pollutant emissions of possible future regulations. This is accomplished by employing the Strategic Environmental Assessment System (SEAS) for a subset of the 20 major issues. The report concludes with a more general discussion of the impact of environmental regulatory action on energy development.« less

40 CFR 6.100 - Policy and purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT AND ASSESSING THE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS ABROAD OF EPA ACTIONS General Provisions for... processes appropriate and careful consideration of all environmental effects of proposed actions, analyze potential environmental effects of proposed actions and their alternatives for public understanding and...

76 FR 78638 - Elba Express Company, L.L.C; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-19

... environmental assessment (EA) that will discuss the environmental impacts of the Coldwater Compressor Station...) in Elbert County, Georgia. The Commission will use this EA in its decision-making process to... evaluate in the EA. Please note that the scoping period will close on January 20, 2012. You may submit...

Multi-criteria GIS-based siting of an incineration plant for municipal solid waste.

PubMed

Tavares, Gilberto; Zsigraiová, Zdena; Semiao, Viriato

2011-01-01

Siting a municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration plant requires a comprehensive evaluation to identify the best available location(s) that can simultaneously meet the requirements of regulations and minimise economic, environmental, health, and social costs. A spatial multi-criteria evaluation methodology is presented to assess land suitability for a plant siting and applied to Santiago Island of Cape Verde. It combines the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) to estimate the selected evaluation criteria weights with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for spatial data analysis that avoids the subjectivity of the judgements of decision makers in establishing the influences between some criteria or clusters of criteria. An innovative feature of the method lies in incorporating the environmental impact assessment of the plant operation as a criterion in the decision-making process itself rather than as an a posteriori assessment. Moreover, a two-scale approach is considered. At a global scale an initial screening identifies inter-municipal zones satisfying the decisive requirements (socio-economic, technical and environmental issues, with weights respectively, of 48%, 41% and 11%). A detailed suitability ranking inside the previously identified zones is then performed at a local scale in two phases and includes environmental assessment of the plant operation. Those zones are ranked by combining the non-environmental feasibility of Phase 1 (with a weight of 75%) with the environmental assessment of the plant operation impact of Phase 2 (with a weight of 25%). The reliability and robustness of the presented methodology as a decision supporting tool is assessed through a sensitivity analysis. The results proved the system effectiveness in the ranking process. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Combined Sustainability Assessment and Techno-Economic Analysis for the Production of Biomass-Derived High-Octane Gasoline Blendstock

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tan, Eric C. D.; Talmadge, Michael; Dutta, Abhijit

Conversion technologies for biomass to liquid hydrocarbon fuels are being actively developed. Converting biomass into advanced hydrocarbon fuels requires detailed assessments to help prioritize research; techno-economic analysis (TEA) is a long established tool used to assess feasibility and progress. TEA provides information needed to make informed judgments about the viability of any given conceptual conversion process; it is particularly useful to identify technical barriers and measure progress toward overcoming those barriers. Expansion of the cellulosic biofuels industry at the scale needed to meet the Renewable Fuel Standard goals is also expected to have environmental impacts. Hence, the success of themore » biofuels industry depends not only on economic viability, but also on environmental sustainability. A biorefinery process that is economically feasible but suffers from key sustainability drawbacks is not likely to represent a long-term solution to replace fossil-derived fuels. Overarching concerns like environmental sustainability need to be addressed for biofuels production. Combined TEA and environmental sustainability assessment of emerging pathways helps facilitate biorefinery designs that are both economically feasible and minimally impactful to the environment. This study focuses on environmental sustainability assessment and techno-economic analysis for the production of high-octane gasoline blendstock via gasification and methanol/dimethyl ether intermediates. Results from the conceptual process design with economic analysis, along with the quantification and assessment of the environmental sustainability, are presented and discussed. Sustainability metrics associated with the production of high-octane gasoline include carbon conversion efficiency, consumptive water use, life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions, fossil energy consumption, energy return on investment and net energy value.« less

Military Ecological Risk Assessment Framework (MERAF) for Assessment of Risks of Military Training and Testing to Natural Resources

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Suter II, G.W.

2003-06-18

The objective of this research is to provide the DoD with a framework based on a systematic, risk-based approach to assess impacts for management of natural resources in an ecosystem context. This risk assessment framework is consistent with, but extends beyond, the EPA's ecological risk assessment framework, and specifically addresses DoD activities and management needs. MERAF is intended to be consistent with existing procedures for environmental assessment and planning with DoD testing and training. The intention is to supplement these procedures rather than creating new procedural requirements. MERAF is suitable for use for training and testing area assessment and management.more » It does not include human health risks nor does it address specific permitting or compliance requirements, although it may be useful in some of these cases. Use of MERAF fits into the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process by providing a consistent and rigorous way of organizing and conducting the technical analysis for Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) (Sigal 1993; Carpenter 1995; Canter and Sadler 1997). It neither conflicts with, nor replaces, procedural requirements within the NEPA process or document management processes already in place within DoD.« less

Impact Assessment and Environmental Evaluation of Various Ammonia Production Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bicer, Yusuf; Dincer, Ibrahim; Vezina, Greg; Raso, Frank

2017-05-01

In the current study, conventional resources-based ammonia generation routes are comparatively studied through a comprehensive life cycle assessment. The selected ammonia generation options range from mostly used steam methane reforming to partial oxidation of heavy oil. The chosen ammonia synthesis process is the most common commercially available Haber-Bosch process. The essential energy input for the methods are used from various conventional resources such as coal, nuclear, natural gas and heavy oil. Using the life cycle assessment methodology, the environmental impacts of selected methods are identified and quantified from cradle to gate. The life cycle assessment outcomes of the conventional resources based ammonia production routes show that nuclear electrolysis-based ammonia generation method yields the lowest global warming and climate change impacts while the coal-based electrolysis options bring higher environmental problems. The calculated greenhouse gas emission from nuclear-based electrolysis is 0.48 kg CO2 equivalent while it is 13.6 kg CO2 per kg of ammonia for coal-based electrolysis method.

Impact Assessment and Environmental Evaluation of Various Ammonia Production Processes.

PubMed

Bicer, Yusuf; Dincer, Ibrahim; Vezina, Greg; Raso, Frank

2017-05-01

In the current study, conventional resources-based ammonia generation routes are comparatively studied through a comprehensive life cycle assessment. The selected ammonia generation options range from mostly used steam methane reforming to partial oxidation of heavy oil. The chosen ammonia synthesis process is the most common commercially available Haber-Bosch process. The essential energy input for the methods are used from various conventional resources such as coal, nuclear, natural gas and heavy oil. Using the life cycle assessment methodology, the environmental impacts of selected methods are identified and quantified from cradle to gate. The life cycle assessment outcomes of the conventional resources based ammonia production routes show that nuclear electrolysis-based ammonia generation method yields the lowest global warming and climate change impacts while the coal-based electrolysis options bring higher environmental problems. The calculated greenhouse gas emission from nuclear-based electrolysis is 0.48 kg CO 2 equivalent while it is 13.6 kg CO 2 per kg of ammonia for coal-based electrolysis method.

Integrating uncertainties to the combined environmental and economic assessment of algal biorefineries: A Monte Carlo approach.

PubMed

Pérez-López, Paula; Montazeri, Mahdokht; Feijoo, Gumersindo; Moreira, María Teresa; Eckelman, Matthew J

2018-06-01

The economic and environmental performance of microalgal processes has been widely analyzed in recent years. However, few studies propose an integrated process-based approach to evaluate economic and environmental indicators simultaneously. Biodiesel is usually the single product and the effect of environmental benefits of co-products obtained in the process is rarely discussed. In addition, there is wide variation of the results due to inherent variability of some parameters as well as different assumptions in the models and limited knowledge about the processes. In this study, two standardized models were combined to provide an integrated simulation tool allowing the simultaneous estimation of economic and environmental indicators from a unique set of input parameters. First, a harmonized scenario was assessed to validate the joint environmental and techno-economic model. The findings were consistent with previous assessments. In a second stage, a Monte Carlo simulation was applied to evaluate the influence of variable and uncertain parameters in the model output, as well as the correlations between the different outputs. The simulation showed a high probability of achieving favorable environmental performance for the evaluated categories and a minimum selling price ranging from $11gal -1 to $106gal -1 . Greenhouse gas emissions and minimum selling price were found to have the strongest positive linear relationship, whereas eutrophication showed weak correlations with the other indicators (namely greenhouse gas emissions, cumulative energy demand and minimum selling price). Process parameters (especially biomass productivity and lipid content) were the main source of variation, whereas uncertainties linked to the characterization methods and economic parameters had limited effect on the results. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Limitations and drawbacks of using Preliminary Environmental Reports (PERs) as an input to Environmental Licensing in Sao Paulo State: A case study on natural gas pipeline routing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kirchhoff, Denis; Montano, Marcelo; Ranieri, Victor Eduardo Lima

2007-05-15

This article discusses the limitations and implications to environmental management issues posed by the Environmental Licensing approach adopted in Sao Paulo State. In Brazil, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is an essential precondition to the Environmental Licensing of activities and, in fact, it has been the most important and required tool for the licensing of projects. However, in 1994 the State of Sao Paulo implemented a simplified instrument called a 'Preliminary Environmental Report' in order to make the environmental licensing process faster. Since then, the Preliminary Environmental Report (PER) has had the role of indicating whether an EIA needs to bemore » elaborated upon or not. The positives and negatives regarding technical, institutional and legal aspects related to the use of Preliminary Environmental Reports (rather than EIA) are discussed using the case study of a high-pressure natural gas pipeline between the cities of Sao Carlos and Porto Ferreira in the State of Sao Paulo. The main conclusion is that the Environmental Licensing process in Sao Paulo should not use PERs as the sole input to decision making about proposed activities, since the PER approach does not guarantee that the proposed activity is environmentally suitable, does not address locational issues or comparison of alternatives, and risk assessment issues are not considered in the earliest stages of assessment.« less

A SYSTEMATIC PROCEDURE FOR DESIGNING PROCESSES WITH MULTIPLE ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES

EPA Science Inventory

Evaluation and analysis of multiple objectives are very important in designing environmentally benign processes. They require a systematic procedure for solving multi-objective decision-making problems due to the complex nature of the problems and the need for complex assessment....

Isolation by environmental distance in mobile marine species: molecular ecology of franciscana dolphins at their southern range.

PubMed

Mendez, Martin; Rosenbaum, Howard C; Subramaniam, Ajit; Yackulic, Charles; Bordino, Pablo

2010-06-01

The assessment of population structure is a valuable tool for studying the ecology of endangered species and drafting conservation strategies. As we enhance our understanding about the structuring of natural populations, it becomes important that we also understand the processes behind these patterns. However, there are few rigorous assessments of the influence of environmental factors on genetic patterns in mobile marine species. Given their dispersal capabilities and localized habitat preferences, coastal cetaceans are adequate study species for evaluating environmental effects on marine population structure. The franciscana dolphin, a rare coastal cetacean endemic to the Western South Atlantic, was studied to examine these issues. We analysed genetic data from the mitochondrial DNA and 12 microsatellite markers for 275 franciscana samples utilizing frequency-based, maximum-likelihood and Bayesian algorithms to assess population structure and migration patterns. This information was combined with 10 years of remote sensing environmental data (chlorophyll concentration, water turbidity and surface temperature). Our analyses show the occurrence of genetically isolated populations within Argentina, in areas that are environmentally distinct. Combined evidence of genetic and environmental structure suggests that isolation by distance and a process here termed isolation by environmental distance can explain the observed correlations. Our approach elucidated important ecological and conservation aspects of franciscana dolphins, and has the potential to increase our understanding of ecological processes influencing genetic patterns in other marine species.

An evaluation of a risk-based environmental regulation in Brazil: Limitations to risk management of hazardous installations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Naime, Andre, E-mail: andre.naime.ibama@gmail.com

The environmental regulation of hazardous projects with risk-based decision-making processes can lead to a deficient management of human exposure to technological hazards. Such an approach for regulation is criticized for simplifying the complexity of decisions involving the economic, social, and environmental aspects of the installation and operation of hazardous facilities in urban areas. Results of a Brazilian case study indicate that oil and gas transmission pipelines may represent a threat to diverse communities if the relationship between such linear projects and human populations is overlooked by regulatory bodies. Results also corroborate known challenges to the implementation of EIA processes andmore » outline limitations to an effective environmental and risk management. Two preliminary topics are discussed to strengthen similar regulatory practices. Firstly, an effective integration between social impact assessment and risk assessment in EIA processes to have a more comprehensive understanding of the social fabric. Secondly, the advancement of traditional management practices for hazardous installations to pursue a strong transition from assessment and evaluation to management and control and to promote an effective interaction between land-use planning and environmental regulation.« less

Ecological Risk Assessment Process under the Endangered Species Act

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This document provides an overview of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ecological risk assessment process for the evaluation of potential risk to endangered and threatened (listed) species from exposure to pesticides.

39 CFR 775.9 - Environmental evaluation process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... upon the environment. (2) Findings of no significant impact. If an environmental assessment indicates that there is no significant impact of a proposed action on the environment, an environmental impact... significant effect on the human environment and states that an environmental impact statement will not be...

39 CFR 775.9 - Environmental evaluation process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... upon the environment. (2) Findings of no significant impact. If an environmental assessment indicates that there is no significant impact of a proposed action on the environment, an environmental impact... significant effect on the human environment and states that an environmental impact statement will not be...

Multimedia modeling of engineered nanoparticles with SimpleBox4nano: model definition and evaluation.

PubMed

Meesters, Johannes A J; Koelmans, Albert A; Quik, Joris T K; Hendriks, A Jan; van de Meent, Dik

2014-05-20

Screening level models for environmental assessment of engineered nanoparticles (ENP) are not generally available. Here, we present SimpleBox4Nano (SB4N) as the first model of this type, assess its validity, and evaluate it by comparisons with a known material flow model. SB4N expresses ENP transport and concentrations in and across air, rain, surface waters, soil, and sediment, accounting for nanospecific processes such as aggregation, attachment, and dissolution. The model solves simultaneous mass balance equations (MBE) using simple matrix algebra. The MBEs link all concentrations and transfer processes using first-order rate constants for all processes known to be relevant for ENPs. The first-order rate constants are obtained from the literature. The output of SB4N is mass concentrations of ENPs as free dispersive species, heteroaggregates with natural colloids, and larger natural particles in each compartment in time and at steady state. Known scenario studies for Switzerland were used to demonstrate the impact of the transport processes included in SB4N on the prediction of environmental concentrations. We argue that SB4N-predicted environmental concentrations are useful as background concentrations in environmental risk assessment.

Health Impact Assessment, Physical Activity and Federal Lands Trail Policy

PubMed Central

Davis, Sally M.; Cruz, Theresa H.; Kozoll, Richard L.

2016-01-01

Objectives The objectives of this paper are to describe the application of Health Impact Assessment (HIA) to inform trail decisions affecting a rural, under-resourced community and propose the routine integration of HIAs to enhance NEPA environmental assessments and environmental impact statements for trail decisions on federal lands. Methods Screening, scoping, assessment, recommendations, reporting, monitoring and evaluation are being used to examine the health impact of trail location and design. Results HIA recommendations are being integrated into the public lands National Environmental Protection Act process for planning access to a new segment of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. Potential users from a nearby rural New Mexico community and a region of almost one million may benefit from this HIA-informed planning. Conclusions HIA can be integrated into the policy and decision-making process for trails on public lands. PMID:27213163

Comparative life cycle assessment and financial analysis of mixed culture polyhydroxyalkanoate production.

PubMed

Gurieff, Nicholas; Lant, Paul

2007-12-01

A life cycle assessment and financial analysis of mixed culture PHA (PHA(MC)) and biogas production was undertaken based on treating an industrial wastewater. Internal rate of return (IRR) and non-renewable CO(2)eq emissions were used to quantify financial viability and environmental impact. PHA(MC) was preferable to biogas production for treating the specified industrial effluent. PHA(MC) was also financially attractive in comparison to pure culture PHA production. Both PHA production processes had similar environmental impacts that were significantly lower than HDPE production. A large potential for optimisation exists for the PHA(MC) process as financial and environmental costs were primarily due to energy use for downstream processing. Under the conditions used in this work PHA(MC) was shown to be a viable biopolymer production process and an effective industrial wastewater treatment technology. This is the first study of its kind and provides valuable insight into the PHA(MC) process.

Environmental Hazards Assessment Program. Volume 4: Annual report, July 1, 1993--June 30, 1994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The Medical University of South Carolina`s (MUSC) vision is to become the premier national resource for medical information and for environmental/health risk assessment. A key component to the success of the many missions of the Environmental Hazards Assessment Program (EHAP) is timely access to large volumes of data. The significant growth in the number of environmental/health information systems that has occurred over the past few years has made data access challenging. This study documents the results of the needs assessment effort conducted to determine the information access and processing requirements of EHAP. The following topics are addressed in this report:more » immunological consequences of beryllium exposure; assessment of genetic risks to environmental diseases; low dose-rate radiation health effects; environmental risk perception in defined populations; information support and access systems; and environmental medicine and risk communication: curriculum and a professional support network-Department of Family Medicine.« less

Life-cycle assessment of typical Portuguese cork oak woodlands.

PubMed

González-García, Sara; Dias, Ana Cláudia; Arroja, Luis

2013-05-01

Cork forest systems are responsible for making an important economic contribution to the Mediterranean region, especially Portugal where the cork oak woodlands or montados contain about 32% of the world's area. The environmental profile derived from reproduction cork production and extraction in two Portuguese regions (Tagus valley and Alentejo) representative of the Portuguese sector were assessed in detail using the Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology from a cradle-to-gate perspective. The production line was divided into four stages considering all the processes involved: stand establishment, stand management, cork stripping and field recovery. According to the environmental results, there were remarkable differences between the two production scenarios mainly due to the intensity and repetition of forest activities even though the cork yield was reported to be the same. The management system in the Alentejo region presented the worse environmental profile in almost all the impact categories under assessment, mainly due to the shorter cycle duration of the mechanical cleaning and pruning processes. Cork stripping was identified in both scenarios as the production stage with the highest contribution to the environmental profile due to the cleaning and pruning processes. A sensitivity assessment concerning the cork yield was performed since the average production yields in the Portuguese montados are lower than the ones used in this study. Thus, if the cork yield is reduced, the environmental profile in both scenarios gets worse since almost all the forest activities involved are the same. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION WITH ANALYTICAL NETWORK PROCESS

EPA Science Inventory

A decision analysis method for integrating environmental indicators was developed. This was a combination of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and the Analytic Network Process (ANP). Being able to take into account interdependency among variables, the method was capable of ran...

Holistic environmental assessment and offshore oil field exploration and production.

PubMed

Salter, E; Ford, J

2001-01-01

According to UK Government surveys, concern for the environment is growing. Environmental regulation of the industry is becoming wider in its scope and tougher in its implementation. Various techniques are available to assess how the industry can drive down its environmental impact and comply with environmental regulation. Environmental Assessments (EA) required by European law do not cover the whole life cycle of the project that they are analysing. Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) was developed to assess the environmental loadings of a product, process or activity over its entire life cycle. It was the first technique used in environmental analysis that adopted what was described as a holistic approach. It fails this approach by not assessing accidental emissions or environmental impacts other than those that are direct. Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) offers the opportunity to value environmental effects and appraise a project on the basis of costs and benefits. Not all environmental effects can be valued and of those that can there is considerable uncertainty in their valuation and occurrence. CBA cannot satisfactorily measure the total environmental risk of a project. Consequently there is a need for a technique that overcomes the failures of project-level EA, LCA and CBA, and assesses total environmental risk. Many organizations such as, the British Medical Association, the European Oilfield Speciality Chemicals Association, the Royal Ministry of Petroleum and Energy (Norway) and Shell Expro now recognize that a holistic approach is an integral part of assessing total risk. The Brent SPAR case study highlights the interdisciplinary nature required of any environmental analysis. Holistic Environmental Assessment is recommended as such an environmental analysis.

16 CFR § 1021.7 - Coordination of environmental review with CPSC procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Commission action. The preparation and completion of assessments and statements required by this part shall... assessment on a proposed rulemaking action requiring environmental review shall be available to the... throughout the Commission's decisionmaking process. (c) Draft EISs or findings of no significant impact...

HUMAN AND ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT: ASSOCIATIONS AMONG HUMAN HEALTH, ECOLOGICAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING

EPA Science Inventory

While all life is affected by the quality of the environment, environmental risk factors for human and wildlife health are typically assessed using independent processes that are dissimilar in scale and scope. However, the integrated analysis of human, ecological, and environmen...

HUMAN AND ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT: ASSOCIATIONS AMONG HUMAN HEALTH, ECOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING DATA

EPA Science Inventory

While all life is affected by the quality of the environment, environmental risk factors for human and wildlife health are typically assessed using independent processes that are dissimilar in scale and scope. However, the integrated analysis of human, ecological, and environmen...

HUMAN AND ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT: ASSOCIATIONS AMONH HUMAN HEALTH, ECOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING DATA

EPA Science Inventory

While all life is affected by the quality of the environment, environmental risk factors for human and wildlife health are typically assessed using independent processes that are dissimilar in scale and scope. However, the integrated analysis of human, ecological, and environmen...

7 CFR 1940.316 - Responsible officials for the environmental review process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... submitted to the approval official for final determinations. The SEC will review the assessment and provide... adequacy of the assessment or the recommendations reached, the State Director, whether or not the approving... Law 103-354 official responsible for executing the environmental impact determination and...

[Environmental licensing of major undertakings: possible connection between health and environment].

PubMed

Silveira, Missifany; Araújo Neto, Mário Diniz de

2014-09-01

The prospect of multidisciplinary assessment that considers the environmental impacts on the health of the population during the implementation of potentially polluting projects is incipient in Brazil. Considering the scenario of major undertakings in the country, broadening the outlook on the health and environment relationship based on social and economic development processes striving for environmentally sustainable projects is a key strategy. This article examines the debate on the relationship between the current development model, the risks, the environment and health and discusses the importance of the participation of the health sector in the environmental licensing procedures, which is the instrument of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Seeking to create more environmentally and socially sustainable territories, the health sector has been looking for opportunities to participate in the licensing processes of major undertakings from the EIA standpoint. Results of research conducted by the Ministry of Health have demonstrated the form of participation in these processes, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses that favor or hinder the increase of preventive actions in public health in the implementation of major undertakings in Brazil.

Process and Energy Optimization Assessment, Rock Island Arsenal, IL

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-09-01

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. ER D C /C ER L TR -0 4- 17 Process and Energy Optimization Assessment Rock Island... Optimization Assessment: Rock Island Arsenal, IL Mike C.J. Lin, Alexander M. Zhivov, and Veera M. Boddu, Construction Engineering Research...and Energy Optimization Assessment (PEOA) was conducted at Rock Island Arsenal (RIA), IL to identify process, energy, and environmental opportunities

Evaluation of environmental aspects significance in ISO 14001.

PubMed

Põder, Tõnis

2006-05-01

The methodological framework set by standards ISO 14001 and ISO 14004 gives only general principles for environmental aspects assessment, which is regarded as one of the most critical stages of implementing environmental management system. In Estonia, about 100 organizations have been certified to the ISO 14001. Experience obtained from numerous companies has demonstrated that limited transparency and reproducibility of the assessment process serves as a common shortcoming. Despite rather complicated assessment schemes sometimes used, the evaluation procedures have been largely based on subjective judgments because of ill-defined and inadequate assessment criteria. A comparison with some similar studies in other countries indicates a general nature of observed inconsistencies. The diversity of approaches to the aspects' assessment in concept literature and to the related problems has been discussed. The general structure of basic assessment criteria, compatible with environmental impact assessment and environmental risk analysis has also been outlined. Based on this general structure, the article presents a tiered approach to help organize the assessment in a more consistent manner.

EVALUATING POLLUTION PREVENTION PROGRESS (P2P) III: AN ENVIRONMENTAL TOOL FOR SCREENING IN PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT AND CHEMICAL PROCESS DESIGN

EPA Science Inventory

P2P is a computer-based tool that supports the comparison of process and product alternatives in terms of environmental impacts. This tool provides screening-level information for use in process design and in product LCA. Twenty one impact categories and data for approximately ...

7 CFR 372.8 - Major planning and decision points and public involvement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... significant impact. (3) Notification of the availability of environmental assessments and findings of no... AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT... addressed in the environmental impact statement process. (1) A notice of intent to prepare an environmental...

7 CFR 372.8 - Major planning and decision points and public involvement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... significant impact. (3) Notification of the availability of environmental assessments and findings of no... AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT... addressed in the environmental impact statement process. (1) A notice of intent to prepare an environmental...

7 CFR 372.8 - Major planning and decision points and public involvement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... significant impact. (3) Notification of the availability of environmental assessments and findings of no... AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT... addressed in the environmental impact statement process. (1) A notice of intent to prepare an environmental...

Use of strategic environmental assessment in the site selection process for a radioactive waste disposal facility in Slovenia.

PubMed

Dermol, Urška; Kontić, Branko

2011-01-01

The benefits of strategic environmental considerations in the process of siting a repository for low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste (LILW) are presented. The benefits have been explored by analyzing differences between the two site selection processes. One is a so-called official site selection process, which is implemented by the Agency for radwaste management (ARAO); the other is an optimization process suggested by experts working in the area of environmental impact assessment (EIA) and land-use (spatial) planning. The criteria on which the comparison of the results of the two site selection processes has been based are spatial organization, environmental impact, safety in terms of potential exposure of the population to radioactivity released from the repository, and feasibility of the repository from the technical, financial/economic and social point of view (the latter relates to consent by the local community for siting the repository). The site selection processes have been compared with the support of the decision expert system named DEX. The results of the comparison indicate that the sites selected by ARAO meet fewer suitability criteria than those identified by applying strategic environmental considerations in the framework of the optimization process. This result stands when taking into account spatial, environmental, safety and technical feasibility points of view. Acceptability of a site by a local community could not have been tested, since the formal site selection process has not yet been concluded; this remains as an uncertain and open point of the comparison. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring the life cycle management of industrial solid waste in the case of copper slag.

PubMed

Song, Xiaolong; Yang, Jianxin; Lu, Bin; Li, Bo

2013-06-01

Industrial solid waste has potential impacts on soil, water and air quality, as well as human health, during its whole life stages. A framework for the life cycle management of industrial solid waste, which integrates the source reduction process, is presented and applied to copper slag management. Three management scenarios of copper slag are developed: (i) production of cement after electric furnace treatment, (ii) production of cement after flotation, and (iii) source reduction before the recycling process. A life cycle assessment is carried out to estimate the environmental burdens of these three scenarios. Life cycle assessment results showed that the environmental burdens of the three scenarios are 2710.09, 2061.19 and 2145.02 Pt respectively. In consideration of the closed-loop recycling process, the environmental performance of the flotation approach excelled that of the electric furnace approach. Additionally, although flash smelting promotes the source reduction of copper slag compared with bath smelting, it did not reduce the overall environmental burdens resulting from the complete copper slag management process. Moreover, it led to the shifting of environmental burdens from ecosystem quality damage and resources depletion to human health damage. The case study shows that it is necessary to integrate the generation process into the whole life cycle of industrial solid waste, and to make an integrated assessment for quantifying the contribution of source reduction, rather than to simply follow the priority of source reduction and the hierarchy of waste management.

Variability in Students' Evaluating Processes in Peer Assessment with Calibrated Peer Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, J.; Van Horne, S.; Ward, A. S.; Bettis, E. A., III; Gikonyo, J.

2017-01-01

This study investigated students' evaluating process and their perceptions of peer assessment when they engaged in peer assessment using Calibrated Peer Review. Calibrated Peer Review is a web-based application that facilitates peer assessment of writing. One hundred and thirty-two students in an introductory environmental science course…

Joint Distributed Regional Training Capacity: A Scoping Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-12-01

use management mechanisms 4. Develop assessment tools to rapidly quantify temporary land-use dis- turbance risks . The development of such...the Army Environmental Requirements and Technology Assessments (AERTA) process to develop validated requirements upon which to base more focused...conducting a large environmental assessment study each time an exercise is planned is needlessly expensive and does not give the flexibility to

The precautionary principle.

PubMed

Hayes, A Wallace

2005-06-01

The Precautionary Principle in its simplest form states: "When an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause-and-effect relationships are not fully established scientifically". This Principle is the basis for European environmental law, and plays an increasing role in developing environmental health policies as well. It also is used in environmental decision-making in Canada and in several European countries, especially in Denmark, Sweden, and Germany. The Precautionary Principle has been used in the environmental decision-making process and in regulating drugs and other consumer products in the United States. The Precautionary Principle enhances the collection of risk information for, among other items, high production volume chemicals and risk-based analyses in general. It does not eliminate the need for good science or for science-based risk assessments. Public participation is encouraged in both the review process and the decision-making process. The Precautionary Principle encourages, and in some cases may require, transparency of the risk assessment process on health risk of chemicals both for public health and the environment. A debate continues on whether the Principle should embrace the "polluter pays" directive and place the responsibility for providing risk assessment on industry. The best elements of a precautionary approach demand good science and challenge the scientific community to improve methods used for risk assessment.

Strategic environmental assessment can help solve environmental impact assessment failures in developing countries

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alshuwaikhat, Habib M.

2005-05-15

The current trend of industrialization and urbanization in developing nations has a huge impact on anthropogenic and natural ecosystems. Pollution sources increase with the expansion of cities and cause contamination of water, air and soil. The absence of urban environmental planning and management strategies has resulted in greater concern for future urban development. This paper advocates the adoption of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) as a means to achieve sustainable development in developing countries. It investigates project-level environmental impact assessment (EIA) and its limitations. The exploration of SEA and its features are addressed. The effective implementation of SEA can create amore » roadmap for sustainable development. In many developing countries, the lack of transparency and accountability and ineffective public participation in the development of the policy, plan and program (PPP) would be mitigated by the SEA process. Moreover, the proactive and broadly based characteristics of SEA would benefit the institutional development of the PPP process, which is rarely experienced in many developing countries. The paper also explores the prospects for SEA and its guiding principles in developing countries. Finally, the paper calls for a coordinated effort between all government, nongovernment and international organizations involved with PPPs to enable developing countries to pursue a path of sustainable development through the development and application of strategic environmental assessment.« less

PRESENTED AT: TURNOVO, BULGARIA: LANDSCAPE SCIENCES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: A NATO FRAMEWORK FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

EPA Science Inventory

An international pilot study has been developed to explore the possibility of quantifying and assessing environmental condition, processes of land degradation, and subsequent impacts on natural and human resources. The purpose of the study is to foster a framework for scientific...

Is the Critical Review Process Keeping Pace with the Growing Number of Life Cycle Assessments?

EPA Science Inventory

Environmental managers and government policy makers are becoming increasingly aware of the need to follow the holistic approach of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to move us in the right strategic direction to best achieve environmental sustainability. Along with this increasing real...

Considerations for Developing a Dosimetry-Based Cumulative Risk Assessment Approach for Mixtures of Environmental Contaminants (Final Report)

EPA Science Inventory

EPA announced the availability of the final report, Considerations for Developing a Dosimetry-Based Cumulative Risk Assessment Approach for Mixtures of Environmental Contaminants. This report describes a process that can be used to determine the potential value of develop...

Environmental Scanning: Assessing Local Business Training Needs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clagett, Craig A.; Huntington, Robin B.

Environmental scanning (ES) is a formal process of assessing trends and forecasting events which can influence an institution so that the potential challenges and opportunities can be effectively anticipated during strategic planning activities. The goal of ES is the implementation of proactive, anticipatory policies that will be robust under a…

Applying Comprehensive Environmental Assessment to Research Planning for Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes: Refinements to Inform Future Stakeholder Engagement

EPA Science Inventory

We previously described our collective judgment methods to engage expert stakeholders in the Comprehensive Environmental Assessment (CEA) workshop process applied to nano-TiO2 and nano-Ag research planning. We identified several lessons learned in engaging stakeholders to identif...

Life cycle assessment based environmental impact estimation model for pre-stressed concrete beam bridge in the early design phase

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Kyong Ju, E-mail: kjkim@cau.ac.kr; Yun, Won Gun, E-mail: ogun78@naver.com; Cho, Namho, E-mail: nhc51@cau.ac.kr

The late rise in global concern for environmental issues such as global warming and air pollution is accentuating the need for environmental assessments in the construction industry. Promptly evaluating the environmental loads of the various design alternatives during the early stages of a construction project and adopting the most environmentally sustainable candidate is therefore of large importance. Yet, research on the early evaluation of a construction project's environmental load in order to aid the decision making process is hitherto lacking. In light of this dilemma, this study proposes a model for estimating the environmental load by employing only the mostmore » basic information accessible during the early design phases of a project for the pre-stressed concrete (PSC) beam bridge, the most common bridge structure. Firstly, a life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted on the data from 99 bridges by integrating the bills of quantities (BOQ) with a life cycle inventory (LCI) database. The processed data was then utilized to construct a case based reasoning (CBR) model for estimating the environmental load. The accuracy of the estimation model was then validated using five test cases; the model's mean absolute error rates (MAER) for the total environmental load was calculated as 7.09%. Such test results were shown to be superior compared to those obtained from a multiple-regression based model and a slab area base-unit analysis model. Henceforth application of this model during the early stages of a project is expected to highly complement environmentally friendly designs and construction by facilitating the swift evaluation of the environmental load from multiple standpoints. - Highlights: • This study is to develop the model of assessing the environmental impacts on LCA. • Bills of quantity from completed designs of PSC Beam were linked with the LCI DB. • Previous cases were used to estimate the environmental load of new case by CBR model. • CBR model produces more accurate estimations (7.09%) than other conventional models. • This study supports decision making process in the early stage of a new construction case.« less

Environmental justice, impact assessment and the politics of knowledge: The implications of assessing the social distribution of environmental outcomes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Walker, Gordon, E-mail: g.p.walker@lancaster.ac.u

2010-09-15

Claims of environmental injustice have increasingly become part of environmental conflicts, both explicitly through the work of environmental justice campaigning groups and implicitly through the arguments deployed about the rights and wrongs of a given situation. Such claims can centre on different notions of justice, including those concerned with questions of distribution and procedure. This paper focuses on distributional or outcome justice and explores what implications follow when the distributional concerns of environmental justice are included in the practice of impact assessment processes, including through social impact assessment (SIA). The current use of impact assessment methods in the UK ismore » reviewed showing that although practices are evolving there is a little routine assessment of distributional inequalities. It is argued that whilst this should become part of established practice to ensure that inequalities are revealed and matters of justice are given a higher profile, the implications for conflict within decision making processes are not straightforward. On the one hand, there could be scope for conflict to be ameliorated by analysis of inequalities informing the debate between stakeholders, and facilitating the implementation of mitigation and compensation measures for disadvantaged groups. On the other hand, contestation over how evidence is produced and therefore what it shows, and disagreement as to the basis on which justice and injustice are to be determined, means that conflict may also be generated and sustained within what are essentially political and strategic settings.« less

ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ASSESSMENT OF PHOSPHATE-BASED REMEDIAL TECHNOLOGY IN METAL CONTAMINATED URBAN AND MINING AREAS IN A SELECTED MISSOURI SUPERFUND SITE

EPA Science Inventory

This project provided important data on fundamental processes responsible for health and environmental risk reductions and environmental safety of the phosphate-based treatments in metal, specifically Pb, contaminated soils. By an integrated approach of environmental risk asse...

Older Adults' Perceptions of Nutrition as Protective against Detrimental Effects of Environmental Pollution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunn, Kristina; Gaetke, Lisa; Stephenson, Tammy; Brewer, Dawn

2017-01-01

The aging process makes older adults vulnerable to the detrimental health effects of environmental contaminants. Our study assessed older adults' perceptions regarding diet as protective against environmental contaminants, levels of concern about exposure to environmental contaminants, and interest in learning about protective food-related…

39 CFR 775.9 - Environmental evaluation process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... environmental effect, or (iii) The action is a type that is not a major federal action with a significant impact upon the environment. (2) Findings of no significant impact. If an environmental assessment indicates that there is no significant impact of a proposed action on the environment, an environmental impact...

39 CFR 775.9 - Environmental evaluation process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... environmental effect, or (iii) The action is a type that is not a major federal action with a significant impact upon the environment. (2) Findings of no significant impact. If an environmental assessment indicates that there is no significant impact of a proposed action on the environment, an environmental impact...

39 CFR 775.9 - Environmental evaluation process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... environmental effect, or (iii) The action is a type that is not a major federal action with a significant impact upon the environment. (2) Findings of no significant impact. If an environmental assessment indicates that there is no significant impact of a proposed action on the environment, an environmental impact...

24 CFR 58.43 - Dissemination and/or publication of the findings of no significant impact.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCEDURES FOR ENTITIES ASSUMING HUD ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES Environmental Review Process: Environmental Assessments (EA's) § 58... individuals and groups known to be interested in the activities, to the local news media, to the appropriate...

24 CFR 58.43 - Dissemination and/or publication of the findings of no significant impact.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCEDURES FOR ENTITIES ASSUMING HUD ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES Environmental Review Process: Environmental Assessments (EA's) § 58... individuals and groups known to be interested in the activities, to the local news media, to the appropriate...

24 CFR 58.43 - Dissemination and/or publication of the findings of no significant impact.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCEDURES FOR ENTITIES ASSUMING HUD ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES Environmental Review Process: Environmental Assessments (EA's) § 58... individuals and groups known to be interested in the activities, to the local news media, to the appropriate...

24 CFR 58.43 - Dissemination and/or publication of the findings of no significant impact.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCEDURES FOR ENTITIES ASSUMING HUD ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES Environmental Review Process: Environmental Assessments (EA's) § 58... individuals and groups known to be interested in the activities, to the local news media, to the appropriate...

24 CFR 58.43 - Dissemination and/or publication of the findings of no significant impact.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCEDURES FOR ENTITIES ASSUMING HUD ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES Environmental Review Process: Environmental Assessments (EA's) § 58... individuals and groups known to be interested in the activities, to the local news media, to the appropriate...

Environmental Assessment for Developing Renewable Energy Enhanced Use Lease Facilities at Robins Air Force Base

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-15

underlain by igneous and metamorphic rocks which are equivalent to those of the Georgia Piedmont. Potable and process waters are produced from the...Final Environmental Assessment for Developing Renewable Energy Enhanced Use Lease Facilities at Robins Air Force Base...RENEWABLE ENERGY ENHANCED USE LEASE FACILITIES AT ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 U.S

Environmental sustainability assessment of hydropower plant in Europe using life cycle assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahmud, M. A. P.; Huda, N.; Farjana, S. H.; Lang, C.

2018-05-01

Hydropower is the oldest and most common type of renewable source of electricity available on this planet. The end of life process of hydropower plant have significant environmental impacts, which needs to be identified and minimized to ensure an environment friendly power generation. However, identifying the environmental impacts and health hazards are very little explored in the hydropower processing routes despite a significant quantity of production worldwide. This paper highlight the life-cycle environmental impact assessment of the reservoir based hydropower generation system located in alpine and non-alpine region of Europe, addressing their ecological effects by the ReCiPe and CML methods under several impact-assessment categories such as human health, ecosystems, global warming potential, acidification potential, etc. The Australasian life-cycle inventory database and SimaPro software are utilized to accumulate life-cycle inventory dataset and to evaluate the impacts. The results reveal that plants of alpine region offer superior environmental performance for couple of considered categories: global warming and photochemical oxidation, whilst in the other cases the outcomes are almost similar. Results obtained from this study will take part an important role in promoting sustainable generation of hydropower, and thus towards environment friendly energy production.

Creating an Overall Environmental Quality Index: Assessing Available Data

EPA Science Inventory

Background and Objectives: The interaction between environmental insults and human health is a complex process. Environmental exposures tend to cluster and disamenities such as landfills or industrial plants are often located in neighborhoods with high a percentage of minority a...

32 CFR 989.13 - Categorical exclusion.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... significant cumulative environmental impact. (4) Socioeconomic effects only. (5) Similarity to actions previously assessed and found to have no significant environmental impacts. (c) CATEXs apply to actions in... ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ANALYSIS PROCESS (EIAP) § 989.13 Categorical exclusion. (a) CATEXs define those categories...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Muldoon, Joe; Yankovich, Tamara; Schramm, Laurier L.

The Gunnar Mine and mill site was the largest of some 38 now-abandoned uranium mines that were developed and operated in Northern Saskatchewan, Canada, during the Cold War years. During their operating lifetimes these mines produced large quantities of ore and tailings. The Gunnar mine (open pit and underground) produced over 5 million tonnes of uranium ore and nearly 4.4 million tonnes of mine tailings during its operations from 1955 through 1963. An estimated 2.2 to 2.7 million m{sup 3} of waste rock that was generated during the processing of the ore abuts the shores of Lake Athabasca, the 22.more » largest lake in the world. After closure in the 1960's, the Gunnar site was abandoned with little to no decommissioning being done. The Saskatchewan Research Council has been contracted to manage the clean-up of these abandoned northern uranium mine and mill sites. The Gunnar Mine, because of the magnitude of tailings and waste rock, is subject to an environmental site assessment process regulated by both provincial and federal governments. This process requires a detailed study of the environmental impacts that have resulted from the mining activities and an analysis of projected impacts from remediation efforts. The environmental assessment process, specific site studies, and public involvement initiatives are all now well underway. Due to the many uncertainties associated with an abandoned site, an adaptive remediation approach, utilizing a decision tree, presented within the environmental assessment documents will be used as part of the site regulatory licensing. A critical early task was dealing with major public safety hazards on the site. The site originally included many buildings that were remnants of a community of approximately 800 people who once occupied the site. These buildings, many of which contained high levels of asbestos, had to be appropriately abated and demolished. Similarly, the original mine head frame and mill site buildings, many of which still contained the original machinery and equipment, also had to be dismantled. Remediation options for the accumulated demolition debris have been assessed, as have remediation options for the waste rock and tailings, all of which form part of the environmental assessment. The regulatory requirements include the environmental assessment processes, a complex public involvement strategy, and licensing from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) with the long-term goal of releasing the property in a remediated and stable state to the Province of Saskatchewan. Prescribed environmental and land use endpoints will be determined based on the environmental assessment studies and remediation options analyzed and implemented. Ultimately, the site will be released into an institutional controls program that will allow long-term government management and monitoring. (authors)« less

Environmental Assessment: General Plan-Based Environmental Impact Analysis Process, Laughlin Air Force Base

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-01

BASED ENVIROMENTAL IMPACT ANALYSIS PROCESS LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, TEXAS AGENCY: 47th Flying Training Wing (FTW), Laughlin Air Force Base (AFB), Texas...8217\\ \\ \\ \\ \\\\ \\ ~ >(- \\ , ~ AOC01 \\ PS018 / WP002 \\ DP008 // WP006 \\ ~ ,/ ’----- -----·-------------~--/·/ LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE ENVIROMENTAL RESTORATION

Environmental assessment of alternative pasteurization technologies for fluid milk production using process simulation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

JUSTIFICATION Fluid milk processing (FMP) has significant environmental impact because of its high energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. High temperature short time (HTST) pasteurization is the third most energy intense operation in FMP comprising about 16% of total energy use, after clean-...

A New Process for Organizing Assessments of Social, Economic, and Environmental Outcomes: Case Study of Wildland Fire Management in the USA

EPA Science Inventory

Ecological risk assessments typically are organized using the processes of planning (a discussion among managers, stakeholders, and analysts to clarify ecosystem management goals and assessment scope) and problem formulation (evaluation of existing information to generate hypothe...

A new process for organizing assessments of social, economic and environmental outcomes: case study of wildland fire management in the U.S.A.

EPA Science Inventory

Ecological risk assessments typically are organized using the processes of planning (a discussion among managers, stakeholders and analysis to clarify ecosystem management goals and assessment scope) and problem formulation (evaluation of existing information to generate hypothes...

Environmental optimization of chromium recovery from tannery sludge using a life cycle assessment approach.

PubMed

Kiliç, Eylem; Puig, Rita; Baquero, Grau; Font, Joaquim; Colak, Selime; Gürler, Deniz

2011-08-15

Life cycle assessment (LCA) was used to evaluate the environmental impact of an oxidative chromium recovery method from tannery sludge, in comparison with the usual landfilling process. Three improvement options (water reduction, byproduct use and anaerobic sludge digestion) were considered. The results showed that the proposed chromium recovery process would be better environmentally than conventional landfilling in all the evaluated impact categories if the amount of chromium recovered was 43 kg per ton of sludge. This amount could be recovered if the chromium concentration was about 20 times higher than that considered in this study. Alternatively, a lower chromium concentration would produce a better result if the recovery method was optimized and implemented at industrial rather than laboratory scale, and if more accurate data were provided on environmental credits for avoiding the chromium production process. Thus, the recovery method is environmentally beneficial when tannery sludge contains a chromium concentration of about 100,000 ppm. According to the literature, such concentrations are not unusual. The results could serve as the basis for further environmental improvements in chromium recovery and tannery sludge management and should be used in decision-making processes, especially for end-of-pipe treatments. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Coordinating ecological restoration options analysis and risk assessment to improve environmental outcomes.

PubMed

Kapustka, Lawrence A; Bowers, Keith; Isanhart, John; Martinez-Garza, Cristina; Finger, Susan; Stahl, Ralph G; Stauber, Jenny

2016-04-01

Ecological risk assessment as currently practiced has hindered consideration of ecosystem services endpoints and restoration goals in the environmental management process. Practitioners have created barriers between procedures to clean up contaminated areas and efforts to restore ecosystem functions. In this article, we examine linkages between contaminant risk assessment approaches and restoration efforts with the aim of identifying ways to improve environmental outcomes. We advocate that project managers and other stakeholders use an ecological planning framework, with restoration options included upfront in the risk assessment. We also considered the opportunities to incorporate ecosystem services as potential assessment endpoints in the Problem Formulation stages of a risk assessment. Indeed, diverse perspectives of stakeholders are central to understand the relevance of social, cultural, economic, and regional ecology as influences on future use options for the landscape being restored. The measurement endpoints used to characterize the existing ecological conditions for selected ecosystem services can also be used to evaluate restoration success. A regional, landscape, or seascape focus is needed throughout the risk assessment process, so that restoration efforts play a more prominent role in enhancing ecosystem services. In short, we suggest that practitioners begin with the question of "how can the ecological risk assessment inform the decision on how best to restore the ecosystem?" © 2015 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.

A multi-scale metrics approach to forest fragmentation for Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Eunyoung, E-mail: eykim@kei.re.kr; Song, Wonkyong, E-mail: wksong79@gmail.com; Lee, Dongkun, E-mail: dklee7@snu.ac.kr

Forests are becoming severely fragmented as a result of land development. South Korea has responded to changing community concerns about environmental issues. The nation has developed and is extending a broad range of tools for use in environmental management. Although legally mandated environmental compliance requirements in South Korea have been implemented to predict and evaluate the impacts of land-development projects, these legal instruments are often insufficient to assess the subsequent impact of development on the surrounding forests. It is especially difficult to examine impacts on multiple (e.g., regional and local) scales in detail. Forest configuration and size, including forest fragmentationmore » by land development, are considered on a regional scale. Moreover, forest structure and composition, including biodiversity, are considered on a local scale in the Environmental Impact Assessment process. Recently, the government amended the Environmental Impact Assessment Act, including the SEA, EIA, and small-scale EIA, to require an integrated approach. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to establish an impact assessment system that minimizes the impacts of land development using an approach that is integrated across multiple scales. This study focused on forest fragmentation due to residential development and road construction sites in selected Congestion Restraint Zones (CRZs) in the Greater Seoul Area of South Korea. Based on a review of multiple-scale impacts, this paper integrates models that assess the impacts of land development on forest ecosystems. The applicability of the integrated model for assessing impacts on forest ecosystems through the SEIA process is considered. On a regional scale, it is possible to evaluate the location and size of a land-development project by considering aspects of forest fragmentation, such as the stability of the forest structure and the degree of fragmentation. On a local scale, land-development projects should consider the distances at which impacts occur in the vicinity of the forest ecosystem, and these considerations should include the impacts on forest vegetation and bird species. Impacts can be mitigated by considering the distances at which these influences occur. In particular, this paper presents an integrated environmental impact assessment system to be applied in the SEIA process. The integrated assessment system permits the assessment of the cumulative impacts of land development on multiple scales. -- Highlights: • The model is to assess the impact of forest fragmentation across multiple scales. • The paper suggests the type of forest fragmentation on a regional scale. • The type can be used to evaluate the location and size of a land development. • The paper shows the influence distance of land development on a local scale. • The distance can be used to mitigate the impact at an EIA process.« less

Does environmental friendliness equal healthiness? Swiss consumers' perception of protein products.

PubMed

Lazzarini, Gianna A; Zimmermann, Jasmin; Visschers, Vivianne H M; Siegrist, Michael

2016-10-01

Food production and consumption have major impacts on the environment. At the same time, changes in human diets worldwide are increasingly leading to health problems. Both issues are highly influenced by consumers' everyday food choices and could be addressed by reducing consumption of meat and other animal products. To promote sustainable food consumption, we need to know how consumers perceive the environmental friendliness and healthiness of food products, on which criteria they base their evaluations of environmental friendliness and healthiness, and how their estimations relate to life cycle assessments and nutrient profiling. We presented 30 protein products, which varied in provenance, production methods, and processing, to 85 participants from Switzerland. They were asked to sort the products once according to their perceived environmental friendliness and once according to their perceived healthiness. The mean distances between the products were compared to the products' life cycle assessments and nutrient profiles. The results showed that perceived environmental friendliness and healthiness are highly correlated. The main predictors of the products' perceived environmental friendliness were product category, presence of an organic label, and provenance; and for perceived healthiness, these predictors were product category, fat content, processing, and presence of an organic label. Environmental friendliness and healthiness estimations were significantly correlated to the life cycle assessments and the nutrient profiles of the products, respectively. Hence, to promote healthy and environmentally friendly food choices, motivators related to environmental friendliness and healthiness could be used in synergy. Awareness about meat's environmental impact should be increased and better information is needed for consumers to make an accurate environmental impact and healthiness assessments of protein products. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental assessment of different dewatering and drying methods on the basis of life cycle assessment.

PubMed

Stefaniak, J; Zelazna, A; Pawłowski, A

2014-01-01

Sewage sludge is an inevitable product of wastewater treatment in municipal wastewater plants and its amount has increased dramatically due to the growing number of sewage systems users. This sludge needs to be adequately treated in order to decrease its hazardous properties and any negative influence on the environment. In this paper, gate to gate analysis, on the basis of life cycle assessment (LCA), was carried out in order to compare the environmental impact of alternative ways of sludge processing employing a dewatering press and three different kinds of dryers - belt dryer, container dryer and batch dryer. SimaPro 7.2 software and Ecoinvent 2.2 database were used to estimate the carbon footprint and energy balance of these processes. The main energy consumption in the scenarios analyzed is caused by the drying process. The solution based on application of the batch dryer allows a saving of 39.6% of energy compared with the most energy-consuming solution using a belt dryer. Sludge processing using belt and container dryers cause greater environmental burdens.

Teachers' Rooms Environmental Assessment Scale: Development and Psychometric Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arslan, Suna

2016-01-01

Teachers' rooms are important parts of educational environments, as the quality of the physical-spatial and psychosocial conditions may affect the personal and occupational developments of teachers as well as the education processes. In Study 1 (n = 245), a Teachers' Rooms-Environmental Assessment Scale (TREAS) measure of the current conditions of…

NREL: U.S. Life Cycle Inventory Database - Life Cycle Assessments

Science.gov Websites

evaluates the environmental impacts of products, processes, and services. Its quality depends on the life assessment of both goals and potential impacts. From this point, the next data interpretation step evaluates ? The environmental impacts of the shirts occurred during four phases: Production (cotton growing

Viability analysis in biological evaluations: Concepts of population viability analysis, biological population, and ecological scale

Treesearch

Gregory D. Hayward; John R. Squires

1994-01-01

Environmental protection strategies often rely on environmental impact assessments. As part of the assessment process biologists are routinely asked to evaluate the effects of management actions on plants and animals. This evaluation often requires that biologists make judgments about the viability of affected populations. However, population viability...

76 FR 28020 - Sawgrass Storage LLC; Supplemental Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-13

... Storage Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues As previously noticed on August 6, 2010... scoping process is to focus the analysis in the EA on the important environmental issues. By this... agencies with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with respect to environmental issues to formally...

Incorporating geoethics into environmental engineering lectures - three years of experience from international students visiting Iceland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finger, David C.

2017-04-01

Never before has human kind been facing bigger environmental challenges than today. The challenges are overwhelming: growing human population, increasing ecological footprints, accelerated climate change, severe soil degradation, eutrophication of vital fresh water resources, acidification of oceans, health threatening air pollution and rapid biodiversity loss, to name just a few. It is the task of environmental scientists to transmit established knowledge on these complex and interdisciplinary challenges while demonstrating that management and engineering solutions exist to meet these threats. In this presentation I will outline the concept of my environmental impact (EI) assessment course, where prospective engineering students can select a topic of their choice, assess the environmental impacts, discuss with relevant stakeholders and come up with innovative solutions. The course is structured in three parts: i) lecturing of theoretical methods frequently used within the EI assessment process, ii) interaction with local businesses to acquire first-hand experience and iii) hands on training by writing an EI statement on a selected topic (see link below). Over the course of three years over 70 prospective engineering students from all over the world have not only acquired environmental system understanding, but also enhanced their awareness and developed potential solutions to mitigate, compensate and reverse the persistent environmental challenges. Most importantly, during this process all involved stakeholders (students, teachers, industry partners, governmental bodies and NGO partners) will hopefully develop a mutual understanding of the above mentioned environmental challenges and engage in an open and constructive dialogue necessary to generate acceptable solutions. Link to student projects from previous years: https://fingerd.jimdo.com/teaching/courses/environmental-impact-assessment/

Integrating environment into land-use planning through strategic environmental assessment in China: Towards legal frameworks and operational procedures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tao Tang; Tan Zhu; He Xu

China currently put forwards 'striving to build an environmentally friendly society' as one of the most important development goals. The land administration authorities are facing the challenge of effectively incorporating environment considerations into their planning system. This paper aims to investigate why and how Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is enacted as an effective tool to integrate the environment into land-use planning during the construction process of an environmentally friendly society in China, and identify factors that influence the integration. It presents characteristics of the land-use planning system, and reviews the progress and current state of SEA in China. Results showmore » that SEA provides many benefits in promoting environmental considerations into the land-use planning process. The legal frameworks and operational procedures, in the context of land-use master planning SEA, are summarized and an assessment made of their effectiveness. Some barriers are highlighted through examination of the latest case studies, and several recommendations are presented to overcome these obstacles.« less

A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) comparison of three management options for waste papers: bioethanol production, recycling and incineration with energy recovery.

PubMed

Wang, Lei; Templer, Richard; Murphy, Richard J

2012-09-01

This study uses Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to assess the environmental profiles and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for bioethanol production from waste papers and to compare them with the alternative waste management options of recycling or incineration with energy recovery. Bioethanol production scenarios both with and without pre-treatments were conducted. It was found that an oxidative lime pre-treatment reduced GHG emissions and overall environmental burdens for a newspaper-to-bioethanol process whereas a dilute acid pre-treatment raised GHG emissions and overall environmental impacts for an office paper-to-bioethanol process. In the comparison of bioethanol production systems with alternative management of waste papers by different technologies, it was found that the environmental profiles of each system vary significantly and this variation affects the outcomes of the specific comparisons made. Overall, a number of configurations of bioethanol production from waste papers offer environmentally favourable or neutral profiles when compared with recycling or incineration. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Waste management through life cycle assessment of products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borodin, Yu V.; Aliferova, T. E.; Ncube, A.

2015-04-01

The rapid growth of a population in a country can contribute to high production of waste. Municipal waste and industrial waste can bring unhealthy and unpleasant environment or even diseases to human beings if the wastes are not managed properly.With increasing concerns over waste and the need for ‘greener’ products, it is necessary to carry out Life Cycle Assessments of products and this will help manufacturers take the first steps towards greener designs by assessing their product's carbon output. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a process to evaluate the environmental burdens associated with a product, process or activity by identifying and quantifying energy and materials used and wastes released to the environment, and to assess the impact of those energy and material used and released to the environment. The aim of the study was to use a life cycle assessment approach to determine which waste disposal options that will substantially reduce the environmental burdens posed by the Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottle. Several important observations can be made. 1) Recycling of the PET bottle waste can significantly reduce the energy required across the life cycle because the high energy inputs needed to process the requisite virgin materials greatly exceeds the energy needs of the recycling process steps. 2) Greenhouse gases can be reduced by opting for recycling instead of landfilling and incineration. 3) Quantity of waste emissions released from different disposal options was identified. 4) Recycling is the environmentally preferable disposal method for the PET bottle. Industry can use the tools and data in this study to evaluate the health, environmental, and energy implications of the PET bottle. LCA intends to aid decision-makers in this respect, provided that the scientific underpinning is available. Strategic incentives for product development and life cycle management can then be developed.

Integrated model for assessing the cost and CO2 emission (IMACC) for sustainable structural design in ready-mix concrete.

PubMed

Hong, Taehoon; Ji, Changyoon; Park, Hyoseon

2012-07-30

Cost has traditionally been considered the most important factor in the decision-making process. Recently, along with the consistent interest in environmental problems, environmental impact has also become a key factor. Accordingly, there is a need to develop a method that simultaneously reflects the cost and environmental impact in the decision-making process. This study proposed an integrated model for assessing the cost and CO(2) emission (IMACC) at the same time. IMACC is a model that assesses the cost and CO(2) emission of the various structural-design alternatives proposed in the structural-design process. To develop the IMACC, a standard on assessing the cost and CO(2) emission generated in the construction stage was proposed, along with the CO(2) emission factors in the structural materials, based on such materials' strengths. Moreover, using the economic and environmental scores that signify the cost and CO(2) emission reduction ratios, respectively, a method of selecting the best design alternative was proposed. To verify the applicability of IMACC, practical application was carried out. Structural designs were assessed, each of which used 21, 24, 27, and 30 MPa ready-mix concrete (RMC). The use of IMACC makes it easy to verify what the best design is. Results show the one that used 27 MPa RMC was the best design. Therefore, the proposed IMACC can be used as a tool for supporting the decision-making process in selecting the best design alternative. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Eco-innovation of a wooden childhood furniture set: an example of environmental solutions in the wood sector.

PubMed

González-García, Sara; García Lozano, Raúl; Moreira, M Teresa; Gabarrell, Xavier; Rieradevall i Pons, Joan; Feijoo, Gumersindo; Murphy, Richard J

2012-06-01

The environmental profile of a set of wood furniture was carried out to define the best design criteria for its eco-design. A baby cot convertible into a bed, a study desk and a bedside table were the objects of study. Two quantitative and qualitative environmental approaches were combined in order to propose improvement alternatives: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Design for Environment (DfE). In the first case Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was applied to identify the hot spots in the product system. As a next step, LCA information was used in eco-briefing to determine several improvement alternatives. A wood products company located in Catalonia (NE Spain) was assessed in detail, dividing the process into three stages: assembly, finishing and packaging. Ten impact categories were considered in the LCA study: abiotic depletion, acidification, eutrophication, global warming, ozone layer depletion, human toxicity, fresh water aquatic ecotoxicity, marine aquatic ecotoxicity, terrestrial ecotoxicity and photochemical oxidant formation. Two processes can be considered the key environmental factors: the production of the wooden boards and electricity, with contributions of 45-68% and 14-33% respectively depending on the impact categories. Subsequently, several improvement alternatives were proposed in the eco-design process (DfE) to achieve reductions in a short-medium period of time in the environmental impact. These eco-design strategies could reduce the environmental profile of the setup by 14%. The correct methodological adaptation of the concept of eco-briefing, as a tool for communication among environmental technicians and designers, the simplification of the analytical tool used and the LCA, could facilitate the environmental analysis of a product. The results obtained provide information that can help the furniture sector to improve their environmental performance. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Portland Harbor Superfund Site Sustainability Project: Introduction.

PubMed

Fitzpatrick, Anne G; Apitz, Sabine E; Harrison, David; Ruffle, Betsy; Edwards, Deborah A

2018-01-01

This article introduces the Portland Harbor Superfund Site Sustainability Project (PHSP) special series in this issue. The Portland Harbor Superfund Site is one of the "mega-sediment sites" in the United States, comprising about 10 miles of the Lower Willamette River, running through the heart of Portland, Oregon. The primary aim of the PHSP was to conduct a comprehensive sustainability assessment, integrating environmental, economic, and social considerations of a selection of the remedial alternatives laid out by the US Environmental Protection Agency. A range of tools were developed for this project to quantitatively address environmental, economic, and social costs and benefits based upon diverse stakeholder values. In parallel, a probabilistic risk assessment was carried out to evaluate the risk assumptions at the core of the remedial investigation and feasibility study process. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2018;14:17-21. © 2017 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC). © 2017 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Health impact assessment in Mongolia: current situation, directions, and challenges.

PubMed

Spickett, Jeff; Batmunkh, Tsetsegsaikhan; Jones, Sarah

2015-03-01

Many developing countries have limited capacity to adequately assess and manage health impacts associated with environmental change. In Mongolia, methodologies to introduce health impact assessment (HIA) as part of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process have been investigated, and a mechanism to incorporate HIA into the current EIA process is proposed. Some challenges to the implementation of HIA are discussed. The country is now in a position to incorporate HIA as part of the approvals process for development projects. Given the recent growth in population, industrial development, and urbanization together with the interest from international mining companies in the resources of the country, it is important for Mongolia to have such tools in place in order to take advantage of economic growth while improving health and well-being outcomes for the population. © 2012 APJPH.

Life cycle modelling of environmental impacts of application of processed organic municipal solid waste on agricultural land (EASEWASTE).

PubMed

Hansen, Trine Lund; Bhander, Gurbakhash S; Christensen, Thomas Højlund; Bruun, Sander; Jensen, Lars Stoumann

2006-04-01

A model capable of quantifying the potential environmental impacts of agricultural application of composted or anaerobically digested source-separated organic municipal solid waste (MSW) is presented. In addition to the direct impacts, the model accounts for savings by avoiding the production and use of commercial fertilizers. The model is part of a larger model, Environmental Assessment of Solid Waste Systems and Technology (EASEWASTE), developed as a decision-support model, focusing on assessment of alternative waste management options. The environmental impacts of the land application of processed organic waste are quantified by emission coefficients referring to the composition of the processed waste and related to specific crop rotation as well as soil type. The model contains several default parameters based on literature data, field experiments and modelling by the agro-ecosystem model, Daisy. All data can be modified by the user allowing application of the model to other situations. A case study including four scenarios was performed to illustrate the use of the model. One tonne of nitrogen in composted and anaerobically digested MSW was applied as fertilizer to loamy and sandy soil at a plant farm in western Denmark. Application of the processed organic waste mainly affected the environmental impact categories global warming (0.4-0.7 PE), acidification (-0.06 (saving)-1.6 PE), nutrient enrichment (-1.0 (saving)-3.1 PE), and toxicity. The main contributors to these categories were nitrous oxide formation (global warming), ammonia volatilization (acidification and nutrient enrichment), nitrate losses (nutrient enrichment and groundwater contamination), and heavy metal input to soil (toxicity potentials). The local agricultural conditions as well as the composition of the processed MSW showed large influence on the environmental impacts. A range of benefits, mainly related to improved soil quality from long-term application of the processed organic waste, could not be generally quantified with respect to the chosen life cycle assessment impact categories and were therefore not included in the model. These effects should be considered in conjunction with the results of the life cycle assessment.

Environmental assessment for the construction, operation, and decommissioning of the Waste Segregation Facility at the Savannah River Site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1998-01-01

This Environmental Assessment (EA) has been prepared by the Department of Energy (DOE) to assess the potential environmental impacts associated with the construction, operation and decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of the Waste Segregation Facility (WSF) for the sorting, shredding, and compaction of low-level radioactive waste (LLW) at the Savannah River Site (SRS) located near Aiken, South Carolina. The LLW to be processed consists of two waste streams: legacy waste which is currently stored in E-Area Vaults of SRS and new waste generated from continuing operations. The proposed action is to construct, operate, and D&D a facility to process low-activity job-controlmore » and equipment waste for volume reduction. The LLW would be processed to make more efficient use of low-level waste disposal capacity (E-Area Vaults) or to meet the waste acceptance criteria for treatment at the Consolidated Incineration Facility (CIF) at SRS.« less

Environmental impact assessment of transportation projects: An analysis using an integrated GIS, remote sensing, and spatial modeling approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Gafy, Mohamed Anwar

Transportation projects will have impact on the environment. The general environmental pollution and damage caused by roads is closely associated with the level of economic activity. Although Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) are dependent on geo-spatial information in order to make an assessment, there are no rules per se how to conduct an environmental assessment. Also, the particular objective of each assessment is dictated case-by-case, based on what information and analyses are required. The conventional way of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study is a time consuming process because it has large number of dependent and independent variables which have to be taken into account, which also have different consequences. With the emergence of satellite remote sensing technology and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), this research presents a new framework for the analysis phase of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for transportation projects based on the integration between remote sensing technology, geographic information systems, and spatial modeling. By integrating the merits of the map overlay method and the matrix method, the framework analyzes comprehensively the environmental vulnerability around the road and its impact on the environment. This framework is expected to: (1) improve the quality of the decision making process, (2) be applied both to urban and inter-urban projects, regardless of transport mode, and (3) present the data and make the appropriate analysis to support the decision of the decision-makers and allow them to present these data to the public hearings in a simple manner. Case studies, transportation projects in the State of Florida, were analyzed to illustrate the use of the decision support framework and demonstrate its capabilities. This cohesive and integrated system will facilitate rational decisions through cost effective coordination of environmental information and data management that can be tailored to specific projects. The framework would facilitate collecting, organizing, analyzing, archiving, and coordinating the information and data necessary to support technical and policy transportation decisions.

BIOACCUMULATION OF POPS IN FISH AND ESTIMATION OF HUMAN DIETARY EXPOSURE AND DOSE

EPA Science Inventory

The risk assessment process is fundamental in understanding and controlling environmental health risks. Risk assessment includes four steps: hazard identification, dose-response assessment, exposure assessment, and risk characterization. Exposure assessments seek to characteriz...

EnviroTech: Enhancing Environmental Literacy and Technology Assessment Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Mary Annette

2010-01-01

It is no coincidence that many of the "Grand Challenges for Engineering" (National Academy of Engineering, 2007-2010)--such as carbon sequestration--address environmental problems that were precipitated by human inventiveness and engineering achievements. Although people recognize their dependence upon environmental processes to provide…

Using the analytical hierarchy process to assess the environmental vulnerabilities of basins in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chang, Chia-Ling; Chao, Yu-Chi

2012-05-01

Every year, Taiwan endures typhoons and earthquakes; these natural hazards often induce landslides and debris flows. Therefore, watershed management strategies must consider the environmental vulnerabilities of local basins. Because many factors affect basin ecosystems, this study applied multiple criteria analysis and the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) to evaluate seven criteria in three phases (geographic phase, hydrologic phase, and societal phase). This study focused on five major basins in Taiwan: the Tan-Shui River Basin, the Ta-Chia River Basin, the Cho-Shui River Basin, the Tseng-Wen River Basin, and the Kao-Ping River Basin. The objectives were a comprehensive examination of the environmental characteristics of these basins and a comprehensive assessment of their environmental vulnerabilities. The results of a survey and AHP analysis showed that landslide area is the most important factor for basin environmental vulnerability. Of all these basins, the Cho-Shui River Basin in central Taiwan has the greatest environmental vulnerability.

An eco-balance of a recycling plant for spent lead-acid batteries.

PubMed

Salomone, Roberta; Mondello, Fabio; Lanuzza, Francesco; Micali, Giuseppe

2005-02-01

This study applies Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology to present an eco-balance of a recycling plant that treats spent lead-acid batteries. The recycling plant uses pyrometallurgical treatment to obtain lead from spent batteries. The application of LCA methodology (ISO 14040 series) enabled us to assess the potential environmental impacts arising from the recycling plant's operations. Thus, net emissions of greenhouse gases as well as other major environmental consequences were examined and hot spots inside the recycling plant were identified. A sensitivity analysis was also performed on certain variables to evaluate their effect on the LCA study. The LCA of a recycling plant for spent lead-acid batteries presented shows that this methodology allows all of the major environmental consequences associated with lead recycling using the pyrometallurgical process to be examined. The study highlights areas in which environmental improvements are easily achievable by a business, providing a basis for suggestions to minimize the environmental impact of its production phases, improving process and company performance in environmental terms.

Evaluation of Environmental Effects of Wave Energy Convertor Arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, C. A.

2015-12-01

Stakeholders and regulators in the U.S. are generally uncertain as to the potential environmental impacts posed by deployments of marine and hydrokinetic (MHK) devices, and in particular wave energy conversion (WEC) devices, in coastal waters. The first pilot-scale WEC deployments in the U.S. have had to absorb unsustainable costs and delays associated with permitting to get devices in the water. As such, there is an urgent industry need to streamline the technical activities and processes used to assess potential environmental impacts. To enable regulators and stakeholders to become more comfortable and confident with developing effective MHK environmental assessments, a better understanding of the potential environmental effects induced by arrays of WEC devices is needed. A key challenge in developing this understanding is that the assessment of the WEC effects must come prior to deployment. A typical approach in similar environmental assessments is to use numerical models to simulate the WEC devices and array layouts so that the appropriate environmental stressors and receptors can be identified and assessed. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and the U.S. Department of Energy are fulfilling the industry-wide need to develop "WEC-friendly" open-source numerical modeling tools capable of assessing potential changes to the physical environment caused by the operation of WEC arrays. Studies using these tools will advance the nation's general knowledge of the interrelationships among the number, size, efficiency, and configuration of MHK arrays and the subsequent effects these relationships may have on the deployment environment. By better understanding these relationships, industry, stakeholders, and regulators will be able to work together to optimize WEC deployments such that environmental impacts are minimized while power output is maximized. The present work outlines the initial effort in coupling the SNL WEC-friendly tools with the environmental assessment process. The development of the initial phases of a WEC case study in the offshore waters of Newport, Oregon will be presented. Examples of the quantitative evaluation of changes to important parameters that mau constitute an environmental stressors will be presented.

Developing a Benchmark Tool for Sustainable Consumption: An Iterative Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heiskanen, E.; Timonen, P.; Nissinen, A.; Gronroos, J.; Honkanen, A.; Katajajuuri, J. -M.; Kettunen, J.; Kurppa, S.; Makinen, T.; Seppala, J.; Silvenius, F.; Virtanen, Y.; Voutilainen, P.

2007-01-01

This article presents the development process of a consumer-oriented, illustrative benchmarking tool enabling consumers to use the results of environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) to make informed decisions. LCA provides a wealth of information on the environmental impacts of products, but its results are very difficult to present concisely…

Framework for Sustainability Performance Assessment for Manufacturing Processes- A Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, K.; Sultan, I.

2017-07-01

Manufacturing industries are facing tough competition due to increasing raw material cost and depleting natural resources. There is great pressure on the industry to produce environmental friendly products using environmental friendly processes. To address these issues modern manufacturing industries are focusing on sustainable manufacturing. To develop more sustainable societies, industries need to better understand how to respond to environmental, economic and social challenges. This paper proposed some framework and tools that accelerate the transition towards a sustainable system. The developed framework will be beneficial for sustainability assessment comparing different plans alongside material properties, ultimately helping the manufacturing industries to reduce the carbon emissions and material waste, besides improving energy efficiency. It is expected that this would be highly beneficial for determination of environmental impact of a process at early design stages. Therefore, it would greatly help the manufacturing industries for selection of process plan based on sustainable indices. Overall objective of this paper would have good impact on reducing air emissions and protecting environment. We expect this work to contribute to the development of a standard reference methodology to help further sustainability in the manufacturing sector.

[Assessment of land use environmental impacts in urban built-up area: a case study in main built-up area of Nanchang City].

PubMed

Chen, Wen-Bo; Liu, Shi-Yu; Yu, Dun; Zou, Qiu-Ming

2009-07-01

Based on the relevant studies of land use environmental impacts and the characteristics of urban land use, a conceptual model on the assessment of land use environmental impacts in urban built-up area was established. This model grouped the land use environmental impacts in built-up area into four basic processes, i. e., detailization, abstractization, matching, and evaluation. A case study was conducted in the main built-up area of Nanchang City, with noise, smell, dust, and hazard as the impact factors. In the test area, noise had a widespread impact, its impacting area accounting for 59% of the total, smell and dust impacts centralized in the east and south parts, while hazard impact was centralized in the southeast part, an industrial area. This assessment model of four basic processes was practical, and could provide basis for the decision-making of urban land use management and planning.

Water cooler towers and other man-made aquatic systems as environmental collection systems for agents of concern

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brigmon, Robin; Kingsley, Mark T.

An apparatus and process of using existing process water sources such as cooling towers, fountains, and waterfalls is provided in which the water sources are utilized as monitoring system for the detection of environmental agents which may be present in the environment. The process water is associated with structures and have an inherent filtering or absorbing capability available in the materials and therefore can be used as a rapid screening tool for quality and quantitative assessment of environmental agents.

A new process for organizing assessments of social, economic, and environmental outcomes: case study of wildland fire management in the USA

Treesearch

Randall JF Bruins; Wayne R Jr. Munns; Stephen J Botti; Steve Brink; David Cleland; Larry Kapustka; Danny Lee; al. et

2010-01-01

Ecological risk assessments typically are organized using the processes of planning (a discussion among managers, stakeholders, and analysts to clarify ecosystem management goals and assessment scope) and problem formulation (evaluation of existing information to generate hypotheses about adverse ecological effects, select assessment endpoints, and develop an analysis...

Insulation Cork Boards-Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of an Organic Construction Material.

PubMed

Silvestre, José D; Pargana, Nuno; de Brito, Jorge; Pinheiro, Manuel D; Durão, Vera

2016-05-20

Envelope insulation is a relevant technical solution to cut energy consumption and reduce environmental impacts in buildings. Insulation Cork Boards (ICB) are a natural thermal insulation material whose production promotes the recycling of agricultural waste. The aim of this paper is to determine and evaluate the environmental impacts of the production, use, and end-of-life processing of ICB. A "cradle-to-cradle" environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was performed according to International LCA standards and the European standards on the environmental evaluation of buildings. These results were based on site-specific data and resulted from a consistent methodology, fully described in the paper for each life cycle stage: Cork oak tree growth, ICB production, and end-of-life processing-modeling of the carbon flows ( i.e. , uptakes and emissions), including sensitivity analysis of this procedure; at the production stage-the modeling of energy processes and a sensitivity analysis of the allocation procedures; during building operation-the expected service life of ICB; an analysis concerning the need to consider the thermal diffusivity of ICB in the comparison of the performance of insulation materials. This paper presents the up-to-date "cradle-to-cradle" environmental performance of ICB for the environmental categories and life-cycle stages defined in European standards.

Insulation Cork Boards—Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of an Organic Construction Material

PubMed Central

Silvestre, José D.; Pargana, Nuno; de Brito, Jorge; Pinheiro, Manuel D.; Durão, Vera

2016-01-01

Envelope insulation is a relevant technical solution to cut energy consumption and reduce environmental impacts in buildings. Insulation Cork Boards (ICB) are a natural thermal insulation material whose production promotes the recycling of agricultural waste. The aim of this paper is to determine and evaluate the environmental impacts of the production, use, and end-of-life processing of ICB. A “cradle-to-cradle” environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was performed according to International LCA standards and the European standards on the environmental evaluation of buildings. These results were based on site-specific data and resulted from a consistent methodology, fully described in the paper for each life cycle stage: Cork oak tree growth, ICB production, and end-of-life processing-modeling of the carbon flows (i.e., uptakes and emissions), including sensitivity analysis of this procedure; at the production stage—the modeling of energy processes and a sensitivity analysis of the allocation procedures; during building operation—the expected service life of ICB; an analysis concerning the need to consider the thermal diffusivity of ICB in the comparison of the performance of insulation materials. This paper presents the up-to-date “cradle-to-cradle” environmental performance of ICB for the environmental categories and life-cycle stages defined in European standards. PMID:28773516

Environmental and risk screening for prioritizing pollution prevention opportunities in the U.S. printed wiring board manufacturing industry.

PubMed

Lam, Carl W; Lim, Seong-Rin; Schoenung, Julie M

2011-05-15

Modern manufacturing of printed wiring boards (PWBs) involves extensive use of various hazardous chemicals in different manufacturing steps such as board preparation, circuit design transfer, etching and plating processes. Two complementary environmental screening methods developed by the U.S. EPA, namely: (i) the Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and Other Environmental Impacts (TRACI) and (ii) Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators (RSEI), are used to quantify geographic and chemical environmental impacts in the U.S. PWB manufacturing industry based on Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data. Although the release weight percentages of industrial chemicals such as methanol, glycol ethers and dimethylformamide comprise the larger fraction of reported air and water emissions, results indicate that lead, copper and their compounds' releases correspond to the highest environmental impact from toxicity potentials and risk-screening scores. Combining these results with further knowledge of PWB manufacturing, select alternative chemical processes and materials for pollution prevention are discussed. Examples of effective pollution prevention options in the PWB industry include spent etchant recovery technologies, and process and material substitutions. In addition, geographic assessment of environmental burden highlights states where promotion of pollution prevention strategies and emissions regulations can have the greatest effect to curb the PWB industry's toxic release impacts. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Integrated Environmental Risk Assessment and Whole-Process Management System in Chemical Industry Parks

PubMed Central

Shao, Chaofeng; Yang, Juan; Tian, Xiaogang; Ju, Meiting; Huang, Lei

2013-01-01

Chemical industry parks in China are considered high-risk areas because they present numerous risks that can damage the environment, such as pollution incidents. In order to identify the environmental risks and the principal risk factors in these areas, we have developed a simple physical model of a regional environmental risk field (ERF) using existing dispersal patterns and migration models. The regional ERF zoning was also conducted and a reference value for diagnostic methods was developed to determine risk-acceptable, risk-warning, and risk-mitigation zones, which can provide a risk source layout for chemical industry parks. In accordance with the environmental risk control requirements, this study focused on the three stages of control and management of environmental risk and established an environmental risk management system including risk source identification and assessment, environmental safety planning, early risk warning, emergency management, assessment of environmental effects, and environmental remediation of pollution accidents. By using this model, the environmental risks in Tianjin Binhai New Area, the largest chemical industry park in China, were assessed and the environmental risk zoning map was drawn, which suggested the existence of many unacceptable environmental risks in this area. Thus, relevant suggestions have been proposed from the perspective of the adjustment of risk source layout, intensified management of environmental risk control and so on. PMID:23603866

Integrated environmental risk assessment and whole-process management system in chemical industry parks.

PubMed

Shao, Chaofeng; Yang, Juan; Tian, Xiaogang; Ju, Meiting; Huang, Lei

2013-04-19

Chemical industry parks in China are considered high-risk areas because they present numerous risks that can damage the environment, such as pollution incidents. In order to identify the environmental risks and the principal risk factors in these areas, we have developed a simple physical model of a regional environmental risk field (ERF) using existing dispersal patterns and migration models. The regional ERF zoning was also conducted and a reference value for diagnostic methods was developed to determine risk-acceptable, risk-warning, and risk-mitigation zones, which can provide a risk source layout for chemical industry parks. In accordance with the environmental risk control requirements, this study focused on the three stages of control and management of environmental risk and established an environmental risk management system including risk source identification and assessment, environmental safety planning, early risk warning, emergency management, assessment of environmental effects, and environmental remediation of pollution accidents. By using this model, the environmental risks in Tianjin Binhai New Area, the largest chemical industry park in China, were assessed and the environmental risk zoning map was drawn, which suggested the existence of many unacceptable environmental risks in this area. Thus, relevant suggestions have been proposed from the perspective of the adjustment of risk source layout, intensified management of environmental risk control and so on.

Incorporating exposure science into life-cycle assessment

EPA Science Inventory

Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is used to estimate the potential for environmental damage that may be caused by a product or process, ideally before the product or process begins. LCA includes all of the steps from extracting natural resources through manufacturing through product u...

Review of Chinese Environmental Risk Assessment Regulations and Case Studies

PubMed Central

Meng, Xiaojie; Zhang, Yan; Zhao, Yuchao; Lou, In Chio; Gao, Jixi

2012-01-01

Environmental risk assessment is an essential step in the development of solutions for pollution problems and new environmental regulations. An assessment system for environmental risks has been developed in China in recent decades. However, many of the Chinese technical guidelines, standards, and regulations were directly adapted from those of developed countries, and were not based on the Chinese environmental and socioeconomic context. Although existing environmental regulations for pollutants are usually obtained by extrapolations from high-dose toxicological data to low-dose scenarios using linear-non-threshold (LNT) models, toxicologists have argued that J-shaped or inverse J-shaped curves may dominate the dose–response relationships for environmental pollutants at low doses because low exposures stimulate biological protective mechanisms that are ineffective at higher doses. The costs of regulations based on LNT and J-shaped models could therefore be dramatically different. Since economic factors strongly affect the decision-making process, particularly for developing countries, it is time to strengthen basic research to provide more scientific support for Chinese environmental regulations. In this paper, we summarize current Chinese environmental policies and standards and the application of environmental risk assessment in China, and recommend a more scientific approach to the development of Chinese regulations. PMID:22740787

Streamlining Transportation Corridors Planning Processes and Validating the Application of Commercial Remote Sensing and Spatial Information (CRS-SI) Technologies for Environmental Impact Assessments

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-02-05

The new US DOT RITA program has selected MSU for addressing corridor planning and environmental assessment in new and innovative ways that can be compared to traditional approaches. Our primary focus is on the application and validation of new and in...

An Assessment of Decision-Making Processes: The Feasibility of Incorporating Climate Change Information into Land Protection Planning (External Review Draft)

EPA Science Inventory

This report was prepared by the Global Change Research Program (GCRP) in the National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) of the Office of Research and Development (ORD) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This draft report is a review of decision-making pro...

The Responsive Environmental Assessment for Classroom Teaching (REACT): The Dimensionality of Student Perceptions of the Instructional Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Peter M.; Demers, Joseph A.; Christ, Theodore J.

2014-01-01

This study details the initial development of the Responsive Environmental Assessment for Classroom Teachers (REACT). REACT was developed as a questionnaire to evaluate student perceptions of the classroom teaching environment. Researchers engaged in an iterative process to develop, field test, and analyze student responses on 100 rating-scale…

The Matthew Effect and widely prescribed pharmaceuticals lacking environmental monitoring: case study of an exposure-assessment vulnerability.

PubMed

Daughton, Christian G

2014-01-01

Assessing ambient exposure to chemical stressors often begins with time-consuming and costly monitoring studies to establish environmental occurrence. Both human and ecological toxicology are currently challenged by the unknowns surrounding low-dose exposure/effects, compounded by the reality that exposure undoubtedly involves mixtures of multiple stressors whose identities and levels can vary over time. Long absent from the assessment process, however, is whether the full scope of the identities of the stressors is sufficiently known. The Matthew Effect (a psychosocial phenomenon sometimes informally called the "bandwagon effect" or "iceberg effect," among others) may adversely bias or corrupt the exposure assessment process. The Matthew Effect is evidenced by decisions that base the selection of stressors to target in environmental monitoring surveys on whether they have been identified in prior studies, rather than considering the possibility that additional, but previously unreported, stressors might also play important roles in an exposure scenario. The possibility that the Matthew Effect might influence the scope of environmental stressor research is explored for the first time in a comprehensive case study that examines the preponderance of "absence of data" (in contrast to positive data and "data of absence") for the environmental occurrence of a very large class of potential chemical stressors associated with ubiquitous consumer use - active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). Comprehensive examination of the published data for an array of several hundred of the most frequently used drugs for whether their APIs are environmental contaminants provides a prototype example to catalyze discussion among the many disciplines involved with assessing risk. The findings could help guide the selection of those APIs that might merit targeting for environmental monitoring (based on the absence of data for environmental occurrence) as well as the prescribing of those medications that might have minimal environmental impact (based on data of absence for environmental occurrence). © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Brownfields Fact Sheet on Definition of Environmental Professional included in the Final Rule

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This document provides an insight into what “All appropriate inquiries” are as process of evaluating a property’s environmental conditions and assessing potential liability for any contamination.

The Spatial Distributions and Variations of Water Environmental Risk in Yinma River Basin, China.

PubMed

Di, Hui; Liu, Xingpeng; Zhang, Jiquan; Tong, Zhijun; Ji, Meichen

2018-03-15

Water environmental risk is the probability of the occurrence of events caused by human activities or the interaction of human activities and natural processes that will damage a water environment. This study proposed a water environmental risk index (WERI) model to assess the water environmental risk in the Yinma River Basin based on hazards, exposure, vulnerability, and regional management ability indicators in a water environment. The data for each indicator were gathered from 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015 to assess the spatial and temporal variations in water environmental risk using particle swarm optimization and the analytic hierarchy process (PSO-AHP) method. The results showed that the water environmental risk in the Yinma River Basin decreased from 2000 to 2015. The risk level of the water environment was high in Changchun, while the risk levels in Yitong and Yongji were low. The research methods provide information to support future decision making by the risk managers in the Yinma River Basin, which is in a high-risk water environment. Moreover, water environment managers could reduce the risks by adjusting the indicators that affect water environmental risks.

Integrating Data Sources for Process Sustainability ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

To perform a chemical process sustainability assessment requires significant data about chemicals, process design specifications, and operating conditions. The required information includes the identity of the chemicals used, the quantities of the chemicals within the context of the sustainability assessment, physical properties of these chemicals, equipment inventory, as well as health, environmental, and safety properties of the chemicals. Much of this data are currently available to the process engineer either from the process design in the chemical process simulation software or online through chemical property and environmental, health, and safety databases. Examples of these databases include the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA’s) Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource (ACToR), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH’s) Hazardous Substance Database (HSDB), and National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST’s) Chemistry Webbook. This presentation will provide methods and procedures for extracting chemical identity and flow information from process design tools (such as chemical process simulators) and chemical property information from the online databases. The presentation will also demonstrate acquisition and compilation of the data for use in the EPA’s GREENSCOPE process sustainability analysis tool. This presentation discusses acquisition of data for use in rapid LCI development.

A methodology for the environmental assessment of advanced coal extraction systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sullivan, P. J.; Hutchinson, C. F.; Makihara, J.; Evensizer, J.

1980-01-01

Procedures developed to identify and assess potential environment impacts of advanced mining technology as it moves from a generic concept to a more systems definition are described. Two levels of assessment are defined in terms of the design stage of the technology being evaluated. The first level of analysis is appropriate to a conceptual design. At this level it is assumed that each mining process has known and potential environmental impacts that are generic to each mining activity. By using this assumption, potential environmental impacts can be identified for new mining systems. When two or more systems have been assessed, they can be evaluated comparing potential environmental impacts. At the preliminary stage of design, a systems performance can be assessed again with more precision. At this level of systems definition, potential environmental impacts can be analyzed and their significane determined in a manner to facilitate comparisons between systems. At each level of analysis, suggestions calculated to help the designer mitigate potentially harmful impacts are provided.

Standardized Emission Quantification and Control of Costs for Environmental Measures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walter, J.; Hustedt, M.; Wesling, V.; Barcikowski, S.

Laser welding and soldering are important industrial joining processes. As is known, LGACs (Laser Generated Air Contaminants) cause costs for environmental measures during production of complex metallic components (steel, aluminium, magnesium, alloys). The hazardous potential of such processes has been assessed by analyzing the specific emissions with respect to relevant threshold limit values (TLVs). Avoiding and controlling emissions caused by laser processing of metals or metal composites is an important task. Using the experimental results, the planning of appropriate exhaust systems for laser processing is facilitated significantly. The costs quantified for environmental measures account for significant percentages of the total manufacturing costs.

Life cycle impacts of manufacturing redwood decking in Northern California

Treesearch

Richard D. Bergman; Elaine Oneil; Ivan L. Eastin; Han-Sup Han

2014-01-01

Awareness of the environmental footprint of building construction and use has led to increasing interest in green building. Defining a green building is an evolving process with life cycle inventory and life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) emerging as key tools in that evolution and definition process. This study used LCIA to determine the environmental footprint...

Development of a dietary environmental index to assess nutritional quality versus environmental effect of foods and dietary patterns

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background: Anthropogenic environmental effects of food production and processing, alongside diets that fail to meet nutritional requirements, are contributing to an unhealthy as well as unsustainable food system. Going forward it is crucial that nutritional health be considered alongside the ecolog...

Expanding Health Technology Assessments to Include Effects on the Environment.

PubMed

Marsh, Kevin; Ganz, Michael L; Hsu, John; Strandberg-Larsen, Martin; Gonzalez, Raquel Palomino; Lund, Niels

2016-01-01

There is growing awareness of the impact of human activity on the climate and the need to stem this impact. Public health care decision makers from Sweden and the United Kingdom have started examining environmental impacts when assessing new technologies. This article considers the case for incorporating environmental impacts into the health technology assessment (HTA) process and discusses the associated challenges. Two arguments favor incorporating environmental impacts into HTA: 1) environmental changes could directly affect people's health and 2) policy decision makers have broad mandates and objectives extending beyond health care. Two types of challenges hinder this process. First, the nascent evidence base is insufficient to support the accurate comparison of technologies' environmental impacts. Second, cost-utility analysis, which is favored by many HTA agencies, could capture some of the value of environmental impacts, especially those generating health impacts, but might not be suitable for addressing broader concerns. Both cost-benefit and multicriteria decision analyses are potential methods for evaluating health and environmental outcomes, but are less familiar to health care decision makers. Health care is an important and sizable sector of the economy that could warrant closer policy attention to its impact on the environment. Considerable work is needed to track decision makers' demands, augment the environmental evidence base, and develop robust methods for capturing and incorporating environmental data as part of HTA. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Environmental impact assessment of european non-ferro mining industries through life-cycle assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hisan Farjana, Shahjadi; Huda, Nazmul; Parvez Mahmud, M. A.

2018-05-01

European mining industries are the vast industrial sector which contributes largely on their economy which constitutes of ferro and non-ferro metals and minerals industries. The non-ferro metals extraction and processing industries require focus of attention due to sustainability concerns as their manufacturing processes are highly energy intensive and impacts globally on environment. This paper analyses major environmental effects caused by European metal industries based on the life-cycle impact analysis technologies. This research work is the first work in considering the comparative environmental impact analysis of European non-ferro metal industries which will reveal their technological similarities and dissimilarities to assess their environmental loads. The life-cycle inventory datasets are collected from the EcoInvent database while the analysis is done using the CML baseline and ReCipe endpoint method using SimaPro software version 8.4. The CML and ReCipe method are chosen because they are specialized impact assessment methods for European continent. The impact categories outlined for discussion here are human health, global warming and ecotoxicity. The analysis results reveal that the gold industry is vulnerable for the environment due to waste emission and similar result retained by silver mines a little bit. But copper, lead, manganese and zinc mining processes and industries are environment friendly in terms of metal extraction technologies and waste emissions.

Application of a hierarchical framework for assessing environmental impacts of dam operation: changes in hydrology, channel hydraulics, bed mobility and recruitment of riparian trees in a western North American river

Treesearch

Michael Burke; Klaus Jorde; John M. Buffington

2009-01-01

River systems have been altered worldwide by dams and diversions, resulting in a broad array of environmental impacts. The use of a process-based, hierarchical framework for assessing environmental impacts of dams is explored here in terms of a case study of the Kootenai River, western North America. The goal of the case study is to isolate and quantify the relative...

Environmental, Economic, and Scalability Considerations and Trends of Selected Fuel Economy-Enhancing Biomass-Derived Blendstocks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dunn, Jennifer B.; Biddy, Mary; Jones, Susanne

24 biomass-derived compounds and mixtures, identified based on their physical properties, that could be blended into fuels to improve spark ignition engine fuel economy were assessed for their economic, technology readiness, and environmental viability. These bio-blendstocks were modeled to be produced biochemically, thermochemically, or through hybrid processes. To carry out the assessment, 17 metrics were developed for which each bio-blendstock was determined to be favorable, neutral, or unfavorable. Cellulosic ethanol was included as a reference case. Overall, bio-blendstock yields in biochemical processes were lower than in thermochemical processes, in which all biomass, including lignin, is converted to a product. Bio-blendstockmore » yields were a key determinant in overall viability. Key knowledge gaps included the degree of purity needed for use as a bio-blendstock as compared to a chemical. Less stringent purification requirements for fuels could cut processing costs and environmental impacts. Additionally, more information is needed on the blendability of many of these bio-blendstocks with gasoline to support the technology readiness evaluation. Overall, the technology to produce many of these blendstocks from biomass is emerging and as it matures, these assessments must be revisited. Importantly, considering economic, environmental, and technology readiness factors in addition to physical properties of blendstocks that could be used to boost fuel economy can help spotlight those most likely to be viable in the near term.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sahoo, Satiprasad; Dhar, Anirban, E-mail: anirban.dhar@gmail.com; Kar, Amlanjyoti

Environmental management of an area describes a policy for its systematic and sustainable environmental protection. In the present study, regional environmental vulnerability assessment in Hirakud command area of Odisha, India is envisaged based on Grey Analytic Hierarchy Process method (Grey–AHP) using integrated remote sensing (RS) and geographic information system (GIS) techniques. Grey–AHP combines the advantages of classical analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and grey clustering method for accurate estimation of weight coefficients. It is a new method for environmental vulnerability assessment. Environmental vulnerability index (EVI) uses natural, environmental and human impact related factors, e.g., soil, geology, elevation, slope, rainfall, temperature, windmore » speed, normalized difference vegetation index, drainage density, crop intensity, agricultural DRASTIC value, population density and road density. EVI map has been classified into four environmental vulnerability zones (EVZs) namely: ‘low’, ‘moderate’ ‘high’, and ‘extreme’ encompassing 17.87%, 44.44%, 27.81% and 9.88% of the study area, respectively. EVI map indicates that the northern part of the study area is more vulnerable from an environmental point of view. EVI map shows close correlation with elevation. Effectiveness of the zone classification is evaluated by using grey clustering method. General effectiveness is in between “better” and “common classes”. This analysis demonstrates the potential applicability of the methodology. - Highlights: • Environmental vulnerability zone identification based on Grey Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) • The effectiveness evaluation by means of a grey clustering method with support from AHP • Use of grey approach eliminates the excessive dependency on the experience of experts.« less

Benchmarking performance: Environmental impact statements in Egypt

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Badr, El-Sayed A., E-mail: ebadr@mans.edu.e; Zahran, Ashraf A., E-mail: ashraf_zahran@yahoo.co; Cashmore, Matthew, E-mail: m.cashmore@uea.ac.u

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) was formally introduced in Egypt in 1994. This short paper evaluates 'how well' the EIA process is working in practice in Egypt, by reviewing the quality of 45 environmental impact statements (EISs) produced between 2000 and 2007 for a variety of project types. The Lee and Colley review package was used to assess the quality of the selected EISs. About 69% of the EISs sampled were found to be of a satisfactory quality. An assessment of the performance of different elements of the EIA process indicates that descriptive tasks tend to be performed better than scientificmore » tasks. The quality of core elements of EIA (e.g., impact prediction, significance evaluation, scoping and consideration of alternatives) appears to be particularly problematic. Variables that influence the quality of EISs are identified and a number of broad recommendations are made for improving the effectiveness of the EIA system.« less

Susceptibility based upon Chemical Interaction with Disease Processes: Potential Implications for Risk Assessment

EPA Science Inventory

One of the challenges facing toxicology and risk assessment is that numerous host and environmental factors may modulate vulnerability and risk. An area of increasing interest is the potential for chemicals to interact with background aging and disease processes, an interaction...

Systematic Review: Concept and Tool Development with Application in the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) Assessment Process

EPA Science Inventory

Systematic Review: Concept and tool development with application to the National Toxicology Program (NTP) and the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) Assessment Processes. There is growing interest within the environmental health community to incorporate systematic review m...

Options for streamlining the site assessment process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Myers, R.

The current site assessment process consists of entry into the CERCLA Information System (CERCLIS) database; completion of the Preliminary Assessment (PA), Site Inspection (SI), and Hazard Ranking System (HRS) documents; and placement on the National Priorities List (NPL). The purpose behind site assessment has been to identify sites for the NPL, not identify the most appropriate means for clearup. Several developments have led EPA to consider redesigning the process, including; the need to encourage brownfields redevelopment; the unintended stigma associated with being on CERCLIS; and the increased expertise of State and some Tribal programs. (For purposes of this paper, brownfieldsmore » are considered abandoned, idled, or under-used industrial and commercial facilities where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination.) EPA has begun various site assessment pilots to aid in developing a more efficient and effective Superfund site assessment program. Key goals are to give States increased responsibility, encourage early/more efficient cleanups, reduce costs, and promote environmental recovery and economic revitalization. Possible components of a revised site assessment program are presented.« less

Environmental Impact Assessment: Teaching the Principles and Practices by Means of a Role-Playing Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crittenden, Barry D.; England, Richard

2005-01-01

The principles and practices of environmental impact assessment are best taught to chemical engineering undergraduate students by means of a role­-playing case study. Many suitable examples are available from public sources. The planning appeal process has been selected so as to introduce an adversarial style involving cross-­examination on…

OCONUS Compliance Assessment Protocols Air Force Supplement

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

that have environmental impacts (i.e., construction, mission changes, process/activity changes). Are environmental surveys and construction site...how and where does disposal occur? Has the installation conducted a complete asbestos survey ? If yes, what the date of the most recent... survey ? (Please provide a copy for the assessment team.) Has the installation prepared, coordinated, and executed an Asbestos Management Plan

Emergy Analysis for the Sustainable Utilization of Biosolids ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This contribution describes the application of an emergy-based methodology for comparing two management alternatives of biosolids produced in a wastewater treatment plant. The current management practice of using biosolids as soil fertilizers was evaluated and compared to another alternative, the recovery of energy from the biosolid gasification process. This emergy assessment and comparison approach identifies more sustainable processes which achieve economic and social benefits with a minimal environmental impact. In addition, emergy-based sustainability indicators and the GREENSCOPE methodology were used to compare the two biosolid management alternatives. According to the sustainability assessment results, the energy production from biosolid gasification is energetically profitable, economically viable, and environmentally suitable. Furthermore, it was found that the current use of biosolids as soil fertilizer does not generate any considerable environmental stress, has the potential to achieve more economic benefits, and a post-processing of biosolids prior to its use as soil fertilizer improves its sustainability performance. In conclusion, this emergy analysis provides a sustainability assessment of both alternatives of biosolid management and helps decision-makers to identify opportunities for improvement during the current process of biosolid management. This work aims to identify the best option for the use and management of biosolids generated in a wa

SPECIAL SECTION: Perspectives of the Scientific Community on the Status of Ecological Risk Assessment

PubMed

Power; Adams

1997-11-01

/ Views from a wide variety of practicing environmental professionals on the current status of ecological risk assessment (ERA) indicate consensus and divergence of opinion on the utility and practice of risk assessment. Central to the debate were the issues of whether ERA appropriately incorporates ecological and scientific principle into its conceptual paradigm. Advocates argue that ERA effectively does both, noting that much of the fault detractors find with the process has more to do with its practice than its purpose. Critics argue that failure to validate ERA predictions and the tendency to over-simplify ecological principles compromise the integrity of ERA and may lead to misleading advice on the appropriate responses to environmental problems. All authors felt that many improvements could be made, including validation, better definition of the ecological questions and boundaries of ERA, improved harmonization of selected methods, and improvements in the knowledge base. Despite identified deficiencies, most authors felt that ERA was a useful process undergoing evolutionary changes that will inevitably determine the range of environmental problems to which it can be appropriately applied. The views expressed give ERA a cautious vote of approval and highlight many of the critical strengths and weaknesses in one of our most important environmental assessment tools.KEY WORDS: Ecological risk assessment; Ecology; Probability

TRACI 2.0 - The Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

TRACI 2.0, the Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other environmental Impacts 2.0, has been expanded and developed for sustainability metrics, life cycle impact assessment, industrial ecology, and process design impact assessment for developing increasingly sustainable products, processes, facilities, companies, and communities. TRACI 2.0 allows the quantification of stressors that have potential effects, including ozone depletion, global warming, acidification, eutrophication, tropospheric ozone (smog) formation, human health criteria-related effects, human health cancer, human health noncancer, ecotoxicity, and fossil fuel depletion effects. Research is on going to quantify the use of land and water in a future version of TRACI. The original version of TRACI released in August 2002, has been used in many prestigious applications including: the US Green Building Council’s LEED Certification, the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s BEES (Building for Environment and Economic Sustainability) which is used by US EPA for Environmentally Preferable Purchasing, the US Marine Corps’ EKAT (Environmental Knowledge and Assessment Tool) for military and non-military uses, and within numerous college curriculums in engineering and design departments. To inform the public.

Three methods for integration of environmental risk into the benefit-risk assessment of veterinary medicinal products.

PubMed

Chapman, Jennifer L; Porsch, Lucas; Vidaurre, Rodrigo; Backhaus, Thomas; Sinclair, Chris; Jones, Glyn; Boxall, Alistair B A

2017-12-15

Veterinary medicinal products (VMPs) require, as part of the European Union (EU) authorization process, consideration of both risks and benefits. Uses of VMPs have multiple risks (e.g., risks to the animal being treated, to the person administering the VMP) including risks to the environment. Environmental risks are not directly comparable to therapeutic benefits; there is no standardized approach to compare both environmental risks and therapeutic benefits. We have developed three methods for communicating and comparing therapeutic benefits and environmental risks for the benefit-risk assessment that supports the EU authorization process. Two of these methods support independent product evaluation (i.e., a summative classification and a visual scoring matrix classification); the other supports a comparative evaluation between alternative products (i.e., a comparative classification). The methods and the challenges to implementing a benefit-risk assessment including environmental risk are presented herein; how these concepts would work in current policy is discussed. Adaptability to scientific and policy development is considered. This work is an initial step in the development of a standardized methodology for integrated decision-making for VMPs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessing eco-efficiency: A metafrontier directional distance function approach using life cycle analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Beltrán-Esteve, Mercedes, E-mail: mercedes.beltran@uv.es; Reig-Martínez, Ernest; Estruch-Guitart, Vicent

Sustainability analysis requires a joint assessment of environmental, social and economic aspects of production processes. Here we propose the use of Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), a metafrontier (MF) directional distance function (DDF) approach, and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), to assess technological and managerial differences in eco-efficiency between production systems. We use LCA to compute six environmental and health impacts associated with the production processes of nearly 200 Spanish citrus farms belonging to organic and conventional farming systems. DEA is then employed to obtain joint economic-environmental farm's scores that we refer to as eco-efficiency. DDF allows us to determine farms' globalmore » eco-efficiency scores, as well as eco-efficiency scores with respect to specific environmental impacts. Furthermore, the use of an MF helps us to disentangle technological and managerial eco-inefficiencies by comparing the eco-efficiency of both farming systems with regards to a common benchmark. Our core results suggest that the shift from conventional to organic farming technology would allow a potential reduction in environmental impacts of 80% without resulting in any decline in economic performance. In contrast, as regards farmers' managerial capacities, both systems display quite similar mean scores.« less

Development of the Hydroecological Integrity Assessment Process for Determining Environmental Flows for New Jersey Streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kennen, Jonathan G.; Henriksen, James A.; Nieswand, Steven P.

2007-01-01

The natural flow regime paradigm and parallel stream ecological concepts and theories have established the benefits of maintaining or restoring the full range of natural hydrologic variation for physiochemical processes, biodiversity, and the evolutionary potential of aquatic and riparian communities. A synthesis of recent advances in hydroecological research coupled with stream classification has resulted in a new process to determine environmental flows and assess hydrologic alteration. This process has national and international applicability. It allows classification of streams into hydrologic stream classes and identification of a set of non-redundant and ecologically relevant hydrologic indices for 10 critical sub-components of flow. Three computer programs have been developed for implementing the Hydroecological Integrity Assessment Process (HIP): (1) the Hydrologic Indices Tool (HIT), which calculates 171 ecologically relevant hydrologic indices on the basis of daily-flow and peak-flow stream-gage data; (2) the New Jersey Hydrologic Assessment Tool (NJHAT), which can be used to establish a hydrologic baseline period, provide options for setting baseline environmental-flow standards, and compare past and proposed streamflow alterations; and (3) the New Jersey Stream Classification Tool (NJSCT), designed for placing unclassified streams into pre-defined stream classes. Biological and multivariate response models including principal-component, cluster, and discriminant-function analyses aided in the development of software and implementation of the HIP for New Jersey. A pilot effort is currently underway by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection in which the HIP is being used to evaluate the effects of past and proposed surface-water use, ground-water extraction, and land-use changes on stream ecosystems while determining the most effective way to integrate the process into ongoing regulatory programs. Ultimately, this scientifically defensible process will help to quantify the effects of anthropogenic changes and development on hydrologic variability and help planners and resource managers balance current and future water requirements with ecological needs.

Techno-economic and environmental assessment of biogas production from banana peel (Musa paradisiaca) in a biorefinery concept.

PubMed

Martínez-Ruano, Jimmy Anderson; Caballero-Galván, Ashley Sthefanía; Restrepo-Serna, Daissy Lorena; Cardona, Carlos Ariel

2018-04-07

Two scenarios for the biogas production using Banana Peel as raw material were evaluated. The first scenario involves the stand-alone production of biogas and the second scenario includes the biogas production together with other products under biorefinery concept. In both scenarios, the influence of the production scale on the process economy was assessed and feasibility limits were defined. For this purpose, the mass and energy balances were established using the software Aspen Plus along with kinetic models reported in the literature. The economic and environmental analysis of the process was performed considering Colombian economic conditions. As a result, it was found that different process scales showed great potential for biogas production. Thus, plants with greater capacity have a greater economic benefit than those with lower capacity. However, this benefit leads to high-energy consumption and greater environmental impact.

Multimedia environmental management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Soesilo, J.A.; Wiley, W.D.

1999-09-01

This book explores and supports the argument that effective environmental management must be based on a multimedia approach, which focuses simultaneously on air, water, and waste and enables managers to assess the resulting financial, operation, and management benefits. The multimedia approach, which can be used to design an effective compliance program, includes proper waste and material handling management, systematic monitoring, and record keeping requirements. This approach integrates a wide array of environmental requirements and decision processes, which the authors examine in sixteen chapters, organized into four parts: the role of environmental management; environmental aspects of business operation, environmental processes; andmore » environmental management trends. Within these parts, the authors highlight the development of modern environmental management and provide an overview of federal laws pertinent to multimedia environmental management. They examine such issues as chemical storage and transportation, tank system operations and requirements, waste determination, spill response procedures, and employee training. Environmental processes addressed in the book include the management of solid and hazardous waste, wastewater treatment systems, stormwater management, air emission control, and site remediation. The authors also briefly discuss significant initiatives in US environmental management and look toward corporate sustainable development.« less

Environmental development plan for transportation programs: FY80 update

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Saricks, C.L.; Singh, M.K.; Bernard, M.J. III

1980-09-01

This is the second annual update of the environmental development plan (EDP) for transportation programs. It has been prepared as a cooperative effort of the Assistant Secretaries for Conservation and Solar Energy (ASCS) Office of Transportation Programs (CS/TP) and the Environment (ASEV) Office of Environmental Assessments. EDPs identify the ecosystem, resource, physical environment, health, safety, socioeconomic, and environmental control concerns associated with DOE programs. The programs include the research, development, demonstration, and assessment (RDD and A) of 14 transportation technologies and several strategy implementation projects. This EDP update presents a research and assessment plan for resolving any potentially adverse environmentalmore » concerns arising from these programs. The EDP process provides a framework for: incorporating environmental concerns into CS/TP planning and decision processes early to ensure they are assigned the same importance as technological, fiscal, and institutional concerns in decision making; resolving environmental concerns concurrently with energy technology and strategy development; and providing a research schedule that mitigates adverse environmental effects through sound technological design or policy analysis. This EDP also describes the status of each environmental concern and the plan for its resolution. Much of ongoing DOE reseirch and technology development is aimed at resolving concerns identified in this EDP. Each EDP is intended to be so comprehensive that no concerns escape notice. Care is taken to include any CS/TP action that may eventually require an Environmental Impact Statement. Because technology demonstration and commercialization tend to raise more environmental concerns than other portions of the transportation program, most of this EDP addresses these concerns.« less

Improving post-detonation energetics residues estimations for the Life Cycle Environmental Assessment process for munitions.

PubMed

Walsh, Michael; Gullett, Brian; Walsh, Marianne; Bigl, Matthew; Aurell, Johanna

2018-03-01

The Life Cycle Environmental Assessment (LCEA) process for military munitions tracks possible environmental impacts incurred during all phases of the life of a munition. The greatest energetics-based emphasis in the current LCEA process is on manufacturing. A review of recent LCEAs indicates that energetics deposition on ranges from detonations and disposal during training is only peripherally examined through assessment of combustion products derived from closed-chamber testing or models. These assessments rarely report any measurable energetic residues. Field-testing of munitions for energetics residues deposition has demonstrated that over 30% of some energetic compounds remain after detonation, which conflicts with the LCEA findings. A study was conducted in the open environment to determine levels of energetics residue deposition and if combustion product results can be correlated with empirical deposition results. Energetics residues deposition, post-detonation combustion products, and fine aerosolized energetics particles following open-air detonation of blocks of Composition C4 (510 g RDX/block) were quantified. The deposited residues amounted to 3.6 mg of energetic per block of C4, or less than 0.001% of the original energetics. Aerial emissions of energetics were about 7% of the amount of deposited energetics. This research indicates that aerial combustion products analysis can provide a valuable supplement to energetics deposition data in the LCEA process but is insufficient alone to account for total residual energetics. This study demonstrates a need for the environmental testing of munitions to quantify energetics residues from live-fire training. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Environmental assessment of mild bisulfite pretreatment of forest residues into fermentable sugars for biofuel production.

PubMed

Nwaneshiudu, Ikechukwu C; Ganguly, Indroneil; Pierobon, Francesca; Bowers, Tait; Eastin, Ivan

2016-01-01

Sugar production via pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulosic feedstock, in this case softwood harvest residues, is a critical step in the biochemical conversion pathway towards drop-in biofuels. Mild bisulfite (MBS) pretreatment is an emerging option for the breakdown and subsequent processing of biomass towards fermentable sugars. An environmental assessment of this process is critical to discern its future sustainability in the ever-changing biofuels landscape. The subsequent cradle-to-gate assessment of a proposed sugar production facility analyzes sugar made from woody biomass using MBS pretreatment across all seven impact categories (functional unit 1 kg dry mass sugar), with a specific focus on potential global warming and eutrophication impacts. The study found that the eutrophication impact (0.000201 kg N equivalent) is less than the impacts from conventional beet and cane sugars, while the global warming impact (0.353 kg CO2 equivalent) falls within the range of conventional processes. This work discusses some of the environmental impacts of designing and operating a sugar production facility that uses MBS as a method of treating cellulosic forest residuals. The impacts of each unit process in the proposed facility are highlighted. A comparison to other sugar-making process is detailed and will inform the growing biofuels literature.

Environmental Risk Assessment of dredging processes - application to Marin harbour (NW Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gómez, A. G.; García Alba, J.; Puente, A.; Juanes, J. A.

2014-04-01

A methodological procedure to estimate the environmental risk of dredging operations in aquatic systems has been developed. Environmental risk estimations are based on numerical models results, which provide an appropriated spatio-temporal framework analysis to guarantee an effective decision-making process. The methodological procedure has been applied on a real dredging operation in the port of Marin (NW Spain). Results from Marin harbour confirmed the suitability of the developed methodology and the conceptual approaches as a comprehensive and practical management tool.

Eco-innovative design approach: Integrating quality and environmental aspects in prioritizing and solving engineering problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakroun, Mahmoud; Gogu, Grigore; Pacaud, Thomas; Thirion, François

2014-09-01

This study proposes an eco-innovative design process taking into consideration quality and environmental aspects in prioritizing and solving technical engineering problems. This approach provides a synergy between the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), the nonquality matrix, the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ), morphological analysis and the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). In the sequence of these tools, LCA assesses the environmental impacts generated by the system. Then, for a better consideration of environmental aspects, a new tool is developed, the non-quality matrix, which defines the problem to be solved first from an environmental point of view. The TRIZ method allows the generation of new concepts and contradiction resolution. Then, the morphological analysis offers the possibility of extending the search space of solutions in a design problem in a systematic way. Finally, the AHP identifies the promising solution(s) by providing a clear logic for the choice made. Their usefulness has been demonstrated through their application to a case study involving a centrifugal spreader with spinning discs.

77 FR 4319 - Notification of Two Public Teleconferences of the Science Advisory Board Ecological Processes and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-27

..., ``Integrating Ecological Assessment and Decision-Making at EPA, 2011 RAF Ecological Assessment Action Plan... the EPA Risk Assessment Forum (RAF) document, ``Integrating Ecological Assessment and Decision-Making... Ecological Risk Assessment in Environmental Decision-Making'' (EPA-SAB-08-002), the EPA Risk Assessment Forum...

THE STATUS OF LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT TOOL

EPA Science Inventory

As environmental awareness increases, industries and businesses have responded by providing "greener" products and using "greener" processes. Many companies have found it advantageous to explore ways of moving beyond compliance using pollution prevention strat...

Introduction to Biotechnology Regulation for Pesticides

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Includes data requirements for the registration of plant-incorporated protectants (PIP), gene flow assessment, ecological non-target organism risk assessment process, environmental fate, insect resistance management in Bt crops.

The environmental impact of wind turbine blades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, P.; Barlow, C. Y.

2016-07-01

The first generation of wind turbine (WT) blades are now reaching their end of life, signalling the beginning of a large problem for the future. Currently most waste is sent to landfill, which is not an environmentally desirable solution. Awareness of this issue is rising, but no studies have fully assessed the eco impact of WT blades. The present study aims to provide a macroscopic quantitative assessment of the lifetime environmental impact of WT blades. The first stage has been to analyse global data to calculate the amount of WT blade materials consumed in the past. The life cycle environmental impact of a single WT blade has then been estimated using eco data for raw materials, manufacturing processes, transportation, and operation and maintenance processes. For a typical 45.2 meter 1.5 MW blade this is 795 GJ (CO2 footprint 42.1 tonnes), dominated by manufacturing processes and raw materials (96% of the total. Based on the 2014 installed capacity, the total mass of WTB is 78 kt, their energy consumption is 82 TJ and the carbon dioxide footprint is 4.35 Mt. These figures will provide a basis for suggesting possible solutions to reduce WTB environmental impact.

Environmental assessment of different advanced oxidation processes applied to a bleaching Kraft mill effluent.

PubMed

Muñoz, Iván; Rieradevall, Joan; Torrades, Francesc; Peral, José; Domènech, Xavier

2006-01-01

Different advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have been applied to remove the organic carbon content of a paper mill effluent originating from the Kraft pulp bleaching process. The considered AOPs were: TiO(2)-mediated heterogeneous photocatalysis, TiO(2)-mediated heterogeneous photocatalysis assisted with H(2)O(2), TiO(2)-mediated heterogeneous photocatalysis coupled with Fenton, photo-Fenton, ozonation and ozonation with UV-A light irradiation. The application of the selected AOPs all resulted in a considerable decrease in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content with variable treatment efficiencies depending upon the nature/type of the applied AOP. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study was used as a tool to compare the different AOPs in terms of their environmental impact. Heterogeneous photocatalysis coupled with the Fenton's reagent proved to have the lowest environmental impact accompanied with a moderate-to-high DOC removal rate. On the other hand, heterogeneous photocatalysis appeared to be the worst AOP both in terms of DOC abatement rate and environmental impact. For the studied AOPs, LCA has indicated that the environmental impact was attributable to the high electrical energy (power) consumption necessary to run a UV-A lamp or to produce ozone.

A life cycle assessment and economic analysis of the Scum-to-Biodiesel technology in wastewater treatment plants.

PubMed

Mu, Dongyan; Addy, Min; Anderson, Erik; Chen, Paul; Ruan, Roger

2016-03-01

This study used life cycle assessment and technical economic analysis tools in evaluating a novel Scum-to-Biodiesel technology and compares the technology with scum digestion and combustion processes. The key variables that control environmental and economic performance are identified and discussed. The results show that all impacts examined for the Scum-to-Biodiesel technology are below zero indicating significant environmental benefits could be drawn from it. Of the three technologies examined, the Scum-to-Biodiesel technology has the best environmental performance in fossil fuel depletion, GHG emissions, and eutrophication, whereas combustion has the best performance on acidification. Of all process inputs assessed, process heat, glycerol, and methanol uses had the highest impacts, much more than any other inputs considered. The Scum-to-Biodiesel technology also makes higher revenue than other technologies. The diesel price is a key variable for its economic performance. The research demonstrates the feasibility and benefits in developing Scum-to-Biodiesel technology in wastewater treatment facilities. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

GREENSCOPE: Sustainable Process Modeling

EPA Science Inventory

EPA researchers are responding to environmental problems by incorporating sustainability into process design and evaluation. EPA researchers are also developing a tool that allows users to assess modifications to existing and new chemical processes to determine whether changes in...

78 FR 53750 - EcoEléctrica, L.P.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed LNG...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-30

... Pe[ntilde]uelas, Puerto Rico. This EA will be used by the Commission in its decision-making process...) 502-8371. For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to the ``Additional Information'' section... Process The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the Commission to take into account the...

Environmental Scanning Project: A Dimensional Aspect of Needs Assessment in the Strategic Planning Process, Fall 1987.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lomax, Lynn A.

The environmental scanning project described in this report was undertaken at Lane Community College (LCC) in Eugene, Oregon, to enhance the college's strategic planning process by anticipating events that might differ from the economic, social, and political conditions of the present. First, an overview is provided of the purpose and intent of…

Life cycle assessment of Portland cement concrete interstate highway rehabilitation and replacement.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-02-01

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a tool that can be used to identify ways to decrease the environmental impact of a product or process and to inform decision makers of the consequences of changes to the product or process. LCA encompasses all aspects o...

THE INFLUENCE OF DNA REPAIR PROCESSES ON CANCER RISK ASSESSMENT AT LOW EXPOSURE LEVELS

EPA Science Inventory

The process of cancer risk assessment is deemed currently to allow for the inclusion of mechanistic data to help establish the nature of the tumor response curve at low exposure levels of environmental chemical carcinogens. For the present discussion, cancer is a genetic disease,...

ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH BRIEF: WASTE REDUCTION ACTIVITIES AND OPTIONS FOR A MANUFACTURER OF FINE CHEMICALS USING BATCH PROCESSES.

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funded a project with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Energy (NJDEPE) to assist in conducting waste minimization assessments at thirty small to medium sized businesses in the state of New Jersey. One of the...

Evaluation of environmental impact assessment system in Pakistan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nadeem, Obaidullah; Hameed, Rizwan

2008-11-15

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) was first introduced in Pakistan based on the Environmental Protection Ordinance 1983. The EIA process was further strengthened under the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997, which became operational under EIA Regulations 2000. Despite a sound legal basis and comprehensive guidelines, evidence suggests that EIA has not yet evolved satisfactorily in Pakistan. An evaluation of the EIA system against systematic evaluation criteria, based on interviews with EIA approval authorities, consulting firms and experts, reveals various shortcomings of the EIA system. These mainly include; inadequate capacity of EIA approval authorities, deficiencies in screening and scoping, poor EIA quality,more » inadequate public participation and weak monitoring. Overall, EIA is used presently as a project justification tool rather than as a project planning tool to contribute to achieving sustainable development. Whilst shortcomings are challenging, central government has recently shown a high degree of commitment to the environmental protection by making EIA compulsory for all the public sector projects likely to have adverse environmental impacts. The paper identifies opportunities for taking advantage of the current environment for strengthening the EIA process.« less

Environmental Characteristics and Geographic Information System Applications for the Development of Nutrient Thresholds in Oklahoma Streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Masoner, Jason R.; Haggard, Brian E.; Rea, Alan

2002-01-01

The U.S.Environmental Protection Agency has developed nutrient criteria using ecoregions to manage and protect rivers and streams in the United States. Individual states and tribes are encouraged by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to modify or improve upon the ecoregion approach. The Oklahoma Water Resources Board uses a dichotomous process that stratifies streams using environmental characteristics such as stream order and stream slope. This process is called the Use Support Assessment Protocols, subchapter15. The Use Support Assessment Protocols can be used to identify streams threatened by excessive amounts of nutrients, dependant upon a beneficial use designation for each stream. The Use Support Assessment Protocols, subchapter 15 uses nutrient and environmental characteristic thresholds developed from a study conducted in the Netherlands, but the Oklahoma Water Resources Board wants to modify the thresholds to reflect hydrologic and ecological conditions relevant to Oklahoma streams and rivers. Environmental characteristics thought to affect impairment from nutrient concentrations in Oklahoma streams and rivers were determined for 798 water-quality sites in Oklahoma. Nutrient, chlorophyll, water-properties, and location data were retrieved from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency STORET database including data from the U.S. Geological Survey, Oklahoma Conservation Commission, and Oklahoma Water Resources Board. Drainage-basin area, stream order, stream slope, and land-use proportions were determined for each site using a Geographic Information System. The methods, procedures, and data sets used to determine the environmental characteristics are described.

Techno-environmental assessment of the green biorefinery concept: Combining process simulation and life cycle assessment at an early design stage.

PubMed

Corona, Andrea; Ambye-Jensen, Morten; Vega, Giovanna Croxatto; Hauschild, Michael Zwicky; Birkved, Morten

2018-09-01

The Green biorefinery (GBR) is a biorefinery concept that converts fresh biomass into value-added products. The present study combines a Process Flowsheet Simulation (PFS) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate the technical and environmental performance of different GBR configurations and the cascading utilization of the GBR output. The GBR configurations considered in this study, test alternatives in the three main steps of green-biorefining: fractionation, precipitation, and protein separation. The different cascade utilization alternatives analyse different options for press-pulp utilization, and the LCA results show that the environmental profile of the GBR is highly affected by the utilization of the press-pulp and thus by the choice of conventional product replaced by the press-pulp. Furthermore, scenario analysis of different GBR configurations shows that higher benefits can be achieved by increasing product yields rather than lowering energy consumption. Green biorefining is shown to be an interesting biorefining concept, especially in a Danish context. Biorefining of green biomass is technically feasible and can bring environmental savings, when compared to conventional production methods. However, the savings will be determined by the processing involved in each conversion stage and on the cascade utilization of the different platform products. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Environmental quality assessment of regional agro-ecosystem in Loess Plateau].

PubMed

Wang, Limei; Meng, Fanping; Zheng, Jiyong; Wang, Zhonglin

2004-03-01

Based on the detection and analysis of the contamination status of agro-ecosystem with apple-crops intercropping as the dominant cropping model in Loess Plateau, the individual factor and comprehensive environmental quality were assessed by multilevel fuzzy synthetic evaluation model, analytical hierarchy process(AHP), and improved standard weight deciding method. The results showed that the quality of soil, water and agricultural products was grade I, the social economical environmental quality was grade II, the ecological environmental quality was grade III, and the comprehensive environmental quality was grade I. The regional agro-ecosystem dominated by apple-crops intercropping was not the best model for the ecological benefits, but had the better social economical benefits.

Environmental impacts of milk powder and butter manufactured in the Republic of Ireland.

PubMed

Finnegan, William; Goggins, Jamie; Clifford, Eoghan; Zhan, Xinmin

2017-02-01

The abolition of the milk quota system that was in place in Europe was abolished in 2015, which instigated an immediate increase in milk production in many European countries. This increase will aid in addressing the world's ever growing demand for food, but will incur increased stresses on the environmental impact and sustainability of the dairy industry. In this study, an environmental life cycle assessment was performed in order to estimate the environmental impacts associated with the manufacture of milk powder and butter in the Republic of Ireland. A farm gate to processing factory gate analysis, which includes raw milk transportation, processing into each product and packaging, is assessed in this study. Operational data was obtained from 5 dairy processing factories that produce milk powder (4 of which also produce butter). Results for each environmental impact category are presented per kilogram of product. Energy consumption (raw milk transportation and on-site electrical and thermal energy usage) contributes, on average, 89% and 78% of the total global warming potential, for milk powder and butter respectively, for the life cycle stages assessed. Similarly, energy consumption contributes, on average, 86% and 96% of the total terrestrial acidification potential for milk powder and butter respectively, for these life cycle stages. Emissions associated with wastewater treatment contribute approximately 10% and 40% to the total freshwater eutrophication potential and marine eutrophication potential, respectively, for both milk powder and butter production. In addition, packaging materials also has a significant contribution to these environmental impact categories for butter production. Results were also presented for three milk powder products being manufactured by the factories surveyed: skim milk powder, whole milk powder and full fat milk powder. The analysis presented in this paper helps to identify opportunities to reduce the environmental impacts associated with post-farm processing of milk powder and butter. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Geothermal Development and the Use of Categorical Exclusions Under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (Presentation)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Levine, A.; Young, K. R.

2014-09-01

The federal environmental review process under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) can be complex and time consuming. Currently, a geothermal developer may have to complete the NEPA process multiple times during the development of a geothermal project. One mechanism to reduce the timeframe of the federal environmental review process for activities that do not have a significant environmental impact is the use of Categorical Exclusions (CXs), which can exempt projects from having to complete an Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement. This study focuses primarily on the CX process and its applicability to geothermal exploration. In thismore » paper, we: Provide generalized background information on CXs, including previous NEPA reports addressing CXs, the process for developing CXs, and the role of extraordinary circumstances; Examine the history of the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) geothermal CXs; Compare current CXs for oil, gas, and geothermal energy; Describe bills proposing new statutory CXs; Examine the possibility of standardizing geothermal CXs across federal agencies; and Present analysis from the Geothermal NEPA Database and other sources on the potential for new geothermal exploration CXs. As part of this study, we reviewed Environmental Assessments (EAs) conducted in response to 20 geothermal exploration drilling permit applications (Geothermal Drilling Permits or Notices of Intents) since the year 2001, the majority of which are from the last 5 years. All 20 EAs reviewed for this study resulted in a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). While many of these FONS's involved proponent proposed or federal agency required mitigation, this still suggests it may be appropriate to create or expand an exploration drilling CX for geothermal, which would have a significant impact on reducing geothermal exploration timelines and up-front costs. Ultimately, federal agencies tasked with permitting and completing environmental reviews for geothermal exploration drilling activities and/or legislative representatives are the responsible parties to discuss the merits and implementation of new or revised CXs for geothermal development.« less

Motivators and Barriers to Incorporating Climate Change-Related Health Risks in Environmental Health Impact Assessment

PubMed Central

Turner, Lyle R.; Alderman, Katarzyna; Connell, Des; Tong, Shilu

2013-01-01

Climate change presents risks to health that must be addressed by both decision-makers and public health researchers. Within the application of Environmental Health Impact Assessment (EHIA), there have been few attempts to incorporate climate change-related health risks as an input to the framework. This study used a focus group design to examine the perceptions of government, industry and academic specialists about the suitability of assessing the health consequences of climate change within an EHIA framework. Practitioners expressed concern over a number of factors relating to the current EHIA methodology and the inclusion of climate change-related health risks. These concerns related to the broad scope of issues that would need to be considered, problems with identifying appropriate health indicators, the lack of relevant qualitative information that is currently incorporated in assessment and persistent issues surrounding stakeholder participation. It was suggested that improvements are needed in data collection processes, particularly in terms of adequate communication between environmental and health practitioners. Concerns were raised surrounding data privacy and usage, and how these could impact on the assessment process. These findings may provide guidance for government and industry bodies to improve the assessment of climate change-related health risks. PMID:23525029

Motivators and barriers to incorporating climate change-related health risks in environmental health impact assessment.

PubMed

Turner, Lyle R; Alderman, Katarzyna; Connell, Des; Tong, Shilu

2013-03-22

Climate change presents risks to health that must be addressed by both decision-makers and public health researchers. Within the application of Environmental Health Impact Assessment (EHIA), there have been few attempts to incorporate climate change-related health risks as an input to the framework. This study used a focus group design to examine the perceptions of government, industry and academic specialists about the suitability of assessing the health consequences of climate change within an EHIA framework. Practitioners expressed concern over a number of factors relating to the current EHIA methodology and the inclusion of climate change-related health risks. These concerns related to the broad scope of issues that would need to be considered, problems with identifying appropriate health indicators, the lack of relevant qualitative information that is currently incorporated in assessment and persistent issues surrounding stakeholder participation. It was suggested that improvements are needed in data collection processes, particularly in terms of adequate communication between environmental and health practitioners. Concerns were raised surrounding data privacy and usage, and how these could impact on the assessment process. These findings may provide guidance for government and industry bodies to improve the assessment of climate change-related health risks.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Glantz, C.S.; DiMassa, F.V.; Pelto, P.J.

The Western Area Power Administration (Western) views environmental protection and compliance as a top priority as it manages the construction, operation, and maintenance of its vast network of transmission lines, substations, and other facilities. A recent Department of Energy audit of Western`s environmental management activities recommends that Western adopt a formal environmental risk program. To accomplish this goal, Western, in conjunction with Pacific Northwest Laboratory, is in the process of developing a centrally coordinated environmental risk program. This report presents the results of this design effort, and indicates the direction in which Western`s environmental risk program is heading. Western`s environmentalmore » risk program will consist of three main components: risk communication, risk assessment, and risk management/decision making. Risk communication is defined as an exchange of information on the potential for threats to human health, public safety, or the environment. This information exchange provides a mechanism for public involvement, and also for the participation in the risk assessment and management process by diverse groups or offices within Western. The objective of risk assessment is to evaluate and rank the relative magnitude of risks associated with specific environmental issues that are facing Western. The evaluation and ranking is based on the best available scientific information and judgment and serves as input to the risk management process. Risk management takes risk information and combines it with relevant non-risk factors (e.g., legal mandates, public opinion, costs) to generate risk management options. A risk management tool, such as decision analysis, can be used to help make risk management choices.« less

Environmental Scanning for Occupational Education. A Facilitator's Guide. A Model for Environmental Scanning to Systematically Assess Future Occupational Education and Training Needs of a Michigan Community College Service Area.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kellogg Foundation, Battle Creek, MI.

This manual is designed to facilitate the planning and implementation of an environmental scanning project in Michigan's community colleges. (Environmental scanning is a systematic process for gathering and analyzing information about the external environment and relating it to an organization's internal environment.) This facilitator's guide is…

Environmental Assessment During Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (IPB) - Evaluation of the TIC-Master Computer Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-04-01

Definitions Environmental considerations: The spectrum of environmental media, resources, or programs that may impact, or are affected by, the...pollute, create negative- noise-related effects, degrade archeological/cultural resources, or negatively affect threatened or endangered species habitats...RM process. Many of the factors that affect the health of service members may be directly related to environmental considerations within the

THE STATUS OF LIFE-CYCLE ASSESSMENT AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT TOOL

EPA Science Inventory

As environmental awareness increases, industries and businesses have responded by providing “greener” products and using “greener” processes. Many companies have found it advantageous to explore ways of moving beyond compliance, using pollution prevention ...

Surveys of the earth's resources and environment by satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nordberg, W.; Tiedemann, H.; Bohn, C.

1975-01-01

The potential and promise of observing the earth from the vantage point of space is discussed. The systematic surveying of processes and phenomena occurring on the surface of the earth by Landsat 1 and Nimbus 5 is considered to be useful in the following areas: assessment of water resources; mineral and petroleum exploration; land use planning; crop, forest, and rangeland inventory; assessment of flood, earthquake, and other environmental hazards; monitoring coastal processes; environmental effects of industrial effluents and of air pollution; mapping the distribution and types of ice covering the earth's polar caps and global soil moisture distributions.

Reducing environmental risk associated with laboratory decommissioning and property transfer.

PubMed

Dufault, R; Abelquist, E; Crooks, S; Demers, D; DiBerardinis, L; Franklin, T; Horowitz, M; Petullo, C; Sturchio, G

2000-12-01

The need for more or less space is a common laboratory problem. Solutions may include renovating existing space, leaving or demolishing old space, or acquiring new space or property for building. All of these options carry potential environmental risk. Such risk can be the result of activities related to the laboratory facility or property (e.g., asbestos, underground storage tanks, lead paint), or the research associated with it (e.g., radioactive, microbiological, and chemical contamination). Regardless of the option chosen to solve the space problem, the potential environmental risk must be mitigated and the laboratory space and/or property must be decommissioned or rendered safe prior to any renovation, demolition, or property transfer activities. Not mitigating the environmental risk through a decommissioning process can incur significant financial liability for any costs associated with future decommissioning cleanup activities. Out of necessity, a functioning system, environmental due diligence auditing, has evolved over time to assess environmental risk and reduce associated financial liability. This system involves a 4-phase approach to identify, document, manage, and clean up areas of environmental concern or liability, including contamination. Environmental due diligence auditing includes a) historical site assessment, b) characterization assessment, c) remedial effort and d) final status survey. General practice standards from the American Society for Testing and Materials are available for conducting the first two phases. However, standards have not yet been developed for conducting the third and final phases of the environmental due diligence auditing process. Individuals involved in laboratory decommissioning work in the biomedical research industry consider this a key weakness.

Reducing environmental risk associated with laboratory decommissioning and property transfer.

PubMed Central

Dufault, R; Abelquist, E; Crooks, S; Demers, D; DiBerardinis, L; Franklin, T; Horowitz, M; Petullo, C; Sturchio, G

2000-01-01

The need for more or less space is a common laboratory problem. Solutions may include renovating existing space, leaving or demolishing old space, or acquiring new space or property for building. All of these options carry potential environmental risk. Such risk can be the result of activities related to the laboratory facility or property (e.g., asbestos, underground storage tanks, lead paint), or the research associated with it (e.g., radioactive, microbiological, and chemical contamination). Regardless of the option chosen to solve the space problem, the potential environmental risk must be mitigated and the laboratory space and/or property must be decommissioned or rendered safe prior to any renovation, demolition, or property transfer activities. Not mitigating the environmental risk through a decommissioning process can incur significant financial liability for any costs associated with future decommissioning cleanup activities. Out of necessity, a functioning system, environmental due diligence auditing, has evolved over time to assess environmental risk and reduce associated financial liability. This system involves a 4-phase approach to identify, document, manage, and clean up areas of environmental concern or liability, including contamination. Environmental due diligence auditing includes a) historical site assessment, b) characterization assessment, c) remedial effort and d) final status survey. General practice standards from the American Society for Testing and Materials are available for conducting the first two phases. However, standards have not yet been developed for conducting the third and final phases of the environmental due diligence auditing process. Individuals involved in laboratory decommissioning work in the biomedical research industry consider this a key weakness. PMID:11121365

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF A HEALTH TECHNOLOGY: A SCOPING REVIEW.

PubMed

Polisena, Julie; De Angelis, Gino; Kaunelis, David; Gutierrez-Ibarluzea, Iñaki

2018-06-13

The Health Technology Expert Review Panel is an advisory body to Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) that develops recommendations on health technology assessments (HTAs) for nondrug health technologies using a deliberative framework. The framework spans several domains, including the environmental impact of the health technology(ies). Our research objective was to identify articles on frameworks, methods or case studies on the environmental impact assessment of health technologies. A literature search in major databases and a focused gray literature search were conducted. The main search concepts were HTA and environmental impact/sustainability. Eligible articles were those that described a conceptual framework or methods used to conduct an environmental assessment of health technologies, and case studies on the application of an environmental assessment. From the 1,710 citations identified, thirteen publications were included. Two articles presented a framework to incorporate environmental assessment in HTAs. Other approaches described weight of evidence practices and comprehensive and integrated environmental impact assessments. Central themes derived include transparency and repeatability, integration of components in a framework or of evidence into a single outcome, data availability to ensure the accuracy of findings, and familiarity with the approach used. Each framework and methods presented have different foci related to the ecosystem, health economics, or engineering practices. Their descriptions suggested transparency, repeatability, and the integration of components or of evidence into a single outcome as their main strengths. Our review is an initial step of a larger initiative by CADTH to develop the methods and processes to address the environmental impact question in an HTA.

The Spatial Distributions and Variations of Water Environmental Risk in Yinma River Basin, China

PubMed Central

Di, Hui; Liu, Xingpeng; Tong, Zhijun; Ji, Meichen

2018-01-01

Water environmental risk is the probability of the occurrence of events caused by human activities or the interaction of human activities and natural processes that will damage a water environment. This study proposed a water environmental risk index (WERI) model to assess the water environmental risk in the Yinma River Basin based on hazards, exposure, vulnerability, and regional management ability indicators in a water environment. The data for each indicator were gathered from 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015 to assess the spatial and temporal variations in water environmental risk using particle swarm optimization and the analytic hierarchy process (PSO-AHP) method. The results showed that the water environmental risk in the Yinma River Basin decreased from 2000 to 2015. The risk level of the water environment was high in Changchun, while the risk levels in Yitong and Yongji were low. The research methods provide information to support future decision making by the risk managers in the Yinma River Basin, which is in a high-risk water environment. Moreover, water environment managers could reduce the risks by adjusting the indicators that affect water environmental risks. PMID:29543706

The Contribution of Environmental Assessment to Sustainable Development: Toward a Richer Empirical Understanding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cashmore, Matthew; Bond, Alan; Cobb, Dick

2007-09-01

It has long been suggested that environmental assessment has the potential to contribute to sustainable development through mechanisms above and beyond informing design and consent decisions, and while theories have been proposed to explain how this might occur, few have been subjected to rigorous empirical validation. This research advances the theoretical debate by building a rich empirical understanding of environmental assessment’s practical outcomes, from which its potential to contribute to sustainable development can be gauged. Three case study environmental assessment processes in England were investigated using a combination of data generated from content analysis, in-depth interviews, and a questionnaire survey. Four categories of outcomes are delineated based on the research data: learning outcomes; governance outcomes; attitudinal and value changes; and developmental outcomes. The data provide a robust critique of mainstream theory, with its focus on design and consent decisions. The article concludes with an examination of the consequences of the context-specific nature of environmental assessment practices in terms of developing theory and focusing future research.

Assessing and managing multiple risks in a changing world ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Roskilde University (Denmark) hosted a November 2015 workshop, Environmental Risk—Assessing and Managing Multiple Risks in a Changing World. This Focus article presents the consensus recommendations of 30 attendees from 9 countries regarding implementation of a common currency (ecosystem services) for holistic environmental risk assessment and management; improvements to risk assessment and management in a complex, human-modified, and changing world; appropriate development of protection goals in a 2-stage process; dealing with societal issues; risk-management information needs; conducting risk assessment of risk management; and development of adaptive and flexible regulatory systems. The authors encourage both cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches to address their 10 recommendations: 1) adopt ecosystem services as a common currency for risk assessment and management; 2) consider cumulative stressors (chemical and nonchemical) and determine which dominate to best manage and restore ecosystem services; 3) fully integrate risk managers and communities of interest into the risk-assessment process; 4) fully integrate risk assessors and communities of interest into the risk-management process; 5) consider socioeconomics and increased transparency in both risk assessment and risk management; 6) recognize the ethical rights of humans and ecosystems to an adequate level of protection; 7) determine relevant reference conditions and the proper ecological c

Assessing and Managing Multiple Risks in a Changing World ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Roskilde University hosted a November 2015 workshop on “Environmental Risk – Assessing and Managing Multiple Risks in a Changing World”. Thirty attendees from 9 countries developed consensus recommendations regarding: implementation of a common currency (ecosystem services) for holistic environmental risk assessment and management; improvements to risk assessment and management in a complex, human-modified, and changing world; appropriate development of protection goals in a 2-stage process involving both universal and site-, region-, or problem-specific protection goals; addressing societal issues; risk management information needs; conducting risk assessment of risk management; and development of adaptive and flexible regulatory systems. We encourage both cross- and inter-disciplinary approaches to address 10 recommendations: 1) adopt ecosystem services as a common currency for risk assessment and management; 2) consider cumulative stressors (chemical and non-chemical) and determine which dominate to best manage and restore ecosystem services; 3) fully integrate risk managers and communities of interest into the risk assessment process; 4) fully integrate risk assessors and communities of interest into the risk management process; 5) consider socio-economics and increase transparency in both risk assessment and risk management; 6) recognize the ethical rights of humans and ecosystems to an adequate level of protection; 7) determine relevant reference con

Comparative lifecycle assessment of alternatives for waste management in Rio de Janeiro - Investigating the influence of an attributional or consequential approach.

PubMed

Bernstad Saraiva, A; Souza, R G; Valle, R A B

2017-10-01

The environmental impacts from three management alternatives for organic fraction of municipal solid waste were compared using lifecycle assessment methodology. The alternatives (sanitary landfill, selective collection of organic waste for anaerobic digestion and anaerobic digestion after post-separation of organic waste) were modelled applying an attributional as well as consequential approach, in parallel with the aim of identifying if and how these approaches can affect results and conclusions. The marginal processes identified in the consequential modelling were in general associated with higher environmental impacts than average processes modelled with an attributional approach. As all investigated waste management alternatives result in net-substitution of energy and in some cases also materials, the consequential modelling resulted in lower absolute environmental impacts in five of the seven environmental impact categories assessed in the study. In three of these, the chosen modelling approach can alter the hierarchy between compared waste management alternatives. This indicates a risk of underestimating potential benefits from efficient energy recovery from waste when applying attributional modelling in contexts in which electricity provision historically has been dominated by technologies presenting rather low environmental impacts, but where projections point at increasing impacts from electricity provision in coming years. Thus, in the present case study, the chosen approach affects both absolute and relative results from the comparison. However, results were largely related to the processes identified as affected by investigated changes, and not merely the chosen modelling approach. The processes actually affected by future choices between different waste management alternatives are intrinsically uncertain. The study demonstrates the benefits of applying different assumptions regarding the processes affected by investigated choices - both for provision of energy and materials substituted by waste management processes in consequential LCA modelling, in order to present outcomes that are relevant as decision support within the waste management sector. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrative Application of Life Cycle Assessment and Risk Assessment to Environmental Impacts of Anthropogenic Pollutants at a Watershed Scale.

PubMed

Lin, Xiaodan; Yu, Shen; Ma, Hwongwen

2018-01-01

Intense human activities have led to increasing deterioration of the watershed environment via pollutant discharge, which threatens human health and ecosystem function. To meet a need of comprehensive environmental impact/risk assessment for sustainable watershed development, a biogeochemical process-based life cycle assessment and risk assessment (RA) integration for pollutants aided by geographic information system is proposed in this study. The integration is to frame a conceptual protocol of "watershed life cycle assessment (WLCA) for pollutants". The proposed WLCA protocol consists of (1) geographic and environmental characterization mapping; (2) life cycle inventory analysis; (3) integration of life-cycle impact assessment (LCIA) with RA via characterization factor of pollutant of interest; and (4) result analysis and interpretation. The WLCA protocol can visualize results of LCIA and RA spatially for the pollutants of interest, which might be useful for decision or policy makers for mitigating impacts of watershed development.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pavlickova, Katarina; Vyskupova, Monika, E-mail: vyskupova@fns.uniba.sk

Cumulative environmental impact assessment deals with the occasional use in practical application of environmental impact assessment process. The main reasons are the difficulty of cumulative impact identification caused by lack of data, inability to measure the intensity and spatial effect of all types of impacts and the uncertainty of their future evolution. This work presents a method proposal to predict cumulative impacts on the basis of landscape vulnerability evaluation. For this purpose, qualitative assessment of landscape ecological stability is conducted and major vulnerability indicators of environmental and socio-economic receptors are specified and valuated. Potential cumulative impacts and the overall impactmore » significance are predicted quantitatively in modified Argonne multiple matrixes while considering the vulnerability of affected landscape receptors and the significance of impacts identified individually. The method was employed in the concrete environmental impact assessment process conducted in Slovakia. The results obtained in this case study reflect that this methodology is simple to apply, valid for all types of impacts and projects, inexpensive and not time-consuming. The objectivity of the partial methods used in this procedure is improved by quantitative landscape ecological stability evaluation, assignment of weights to vulnerability indicators based on the detailed characteristics of affected factors, and grading impact significance. - Highlights: • This paper suggests a method proposal for cumulative impact prediction. • The method includes landscape vulnerability evaluation. • The vulnerability of affected receptors is determined by their sensitivity. • This method can increase the objectivity of impact prediction in the EIA process.« less

Preliminary Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Great Western Development Strategy: Safeguarding Ecological Security for a New Western China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Wei; Liu, Yan-Ju; Yang, Zhifeng

2012-02-01

The Great Western Development Strategy (GWDS) is a long term national campaign aimed at boosting development of the western area of China and narrowing the economic gap between the western and the eastern parts of China. The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) procedure was employed to assess the environmental challenges brought about by the western development plans. These plans include five key developmental domains (KDDs): water resource exploitation and use, land utilization, energy generation, tourism development, and ecological restoration and conservation. A combination of methods involving matrix assessment, incorporation of expert judgment and trend analysis was employed to analyze and predict the environmental impacts upon eight selected environmental indicators: water resource availability, soil erosion, soil salinization, forest destruction, land desertification, biological diversity, water quality and air quality. Based on the overall results of the assessment, countermeasures for environmental challenges that emerged were raised as key recommendations to ensure ecological security during the implementation of the GWDS. This paper is intended to introduce a consensus-based process for evaluating the complex, long term pressures on the ecological security of large areas, such as western China, that focuses on the use of combined methods applied at the strategic level.

Life cycle assessment study on polishing units for use of treated wastewater in agricultural reuse.

PubMed

Büyükkamacı, Nurdan; Karaca, Gökçe

2017-12-01

A life cycle assessment (LCA) approach was used in the assessment of environmental impacts of some polishing units for reuse of wastewater treatment plant effluents in agricultural irrigation. These alternative polishing units were assessed: (1) microfiltration and ultraviolet (UV) disinfection, (2) cartridge filter and ultrafiltration (UF), and (3) just UV disinfection. Two different energy sources, electric grid mix and natural gas, were considered to assess the environmental impacts of them. Afterwards, the effluent of each case was evaluated against the criteria required for irrigation of sensitive crops corresponding to Turkey regulations. Evaluation of environmental impacts was carried out with GaBi 6.1 LCA software. The overall conclusion of this study is that higher electricity consumption causes higher environmental effects. The results of the study revealed that cartridge filter and UF in combination with electric grid mix has the largest impact on the environment for almost all impact categories. In general, the most environmentally friendly solution is UV disinfection. The study revealed environmental impacts for three alternatives drawing attention to the importance of the choice of the most appropriate polishing processes and energy sources for reuse applications.

Preliminary strategic environmental assessment of the Great Western Development Strategy: safeguarding ecological security for a new western China.

PubMed

Li, Wei; Liu, Yan-ju; Yang, Zhifeng

2012-02-01

The Great Western Development Strategy (GWDS) is a long term national campaign aimed at boosting development of the western area of China and narrowing the economic gap between the western and the eastern parts of China. The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) procedure was employed to assess the environmental challenges brought about by the western development plans. These plans include five key developmental domains (KDDs): water resource exploitation and use, land utilization, energy generation, tourism development, and ecological restoration and conservation. A combination of methods involving matrix assessment, incorporation of expert judgment and trend analysis was employed to analyze and predict the environmental impacts upon eight selected environmental indicators: water resource availability, soil erosion, soil salinization, forest destruction, land desertification, biological diversity, water quality and air quality. Based on the overall results of the assessment, countermeasures for environmental challenges that emerged were raised as key recommendations to ensure ecological security during the implementation of the GWDS. This paper is intended to introduce a consensus-based process for evaluating the complex, long term pressures on the ecological security of large areas, such as western China, that focuses on the use of combined methods applied at the strategic level.

Simplified LCA and matrix methods in identifying the environmental aspects of a product system.

PubMed

Hur, Tak; Lee, Jiyong; Ryu, Jiyeon; Kwon, Eunsun

2005-05-01

In order to effectively integrate environmental attributes into the product design and development processes, it is crucial to identify the significant environmental aspects related to a product system within a relatively short period of time. In this study, the usefulness of life cycle assessment (LCA) and a matrix method as tools for identifying the key environmental issues of a product system were examined. For this, a simplified LCA (SLCA) method that can be applied to Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) was developed to efficiently identify their significant environmental aspects for eco-design, since a full scale LCA study is usually very detailed, expensive and time-consuming. The environmentally responsible product assessment (ERPA) method, which is one of the matrix methods, was also analyzed. Then, the usefulness of each method in eco-design processes was evaluated and compared using the case studies of the cellular phone and vacuum cleaner systems. It was found that the SLCA and the ERPA methods provided different information but they complemented each other to some extent. The SLCA method generated more information on the inherent environmental characteristics of a product system so that it might be useful for new design/eco-innovation when developing a completely new product or method where environmental considerations play a major role from the beginning. On the other hand, the ERPA method gave more information on the potential for improving a product so that it could be effectively used in eco-redesign which intends to alleviate environmental impacts of an existing product or process.

Life cycle assessment of electronic waste treatment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hong, Jinglan, E-mail: hongjing@sdu.edu.cn; Shandong University Climate Change and Health Center, Public Health School, Shandong University, Jinan 250012; Shi, Wenxiao

Highlights: • Life cycle assessment of electronic waste recycling is quantified. • Key factors for reducing the overall environmental impact are indentified. • End-life disposal processes provide significant environmental benefits. • Efficiently reduce the improper disposal amount of e-waste is highly needed. • E-waste incineration can generate significant environmental burden. - Abstract: Life cycle assessment was conducted to estimate the environmental impact of electronic waste (e-waste) treatment. E-waste recycling with an end-life disposal scenario is environmentally beneficial because of the low environmental burden generated from human toxicity, terrestrial ecotoxicity, freshwater ecotoxicity, and marine ecotoxicity categories. Landfill and incineration technologies havemore » a lower and higher environmental burden than the e-waste recycling with an end-life disposal scenario, respectively. The key factors in reducing the overall environmental impact of e-waste recycling are optimizing energy consumption efficiency, reducing wastewater and solid waste effluent, increasing proper e-waste treatment amount, avoiding e-waste disposal to landfill and incineration sites, and clearly defining the duties of all stakeholders (e.g., manufacturers, retailers, recycling companies, and consumers)« less

Environmental Decision Making on Acid Mine Drainage Issues in South Africa: An Argument for the Precautionary Principle.

PubMed

Morodi, T J; Mpofu, Charles

2017-06-28

This paper examines the issue of acid mine drainage in South Africa and environmental decision making processes that could be taken to mitigate the problem in the context of both conventional risk assessment and the precautionary principle. It is argued that conventional risk assessment protects the status quo and hence cannot be entirely relied upon as an effective tool to resolve environmental problems in the context of South Africa, a developing country with complex environmental health concerns. The complexity of the environmental issues is discussed from historical and political perspectives. An argument is subsequently made that the precautionary principle is an alternative tool, and its adoption can be used to empower local communities. This work, therefore, adds to new knowledge by problematising conventional risk assessment and proposing the framing of the acid mine drainage issues in a complex and contextual scenario of a developing country-South Africa.

Life cycle impacts of ethanol production from spruce wood chips under high-gravity conditions.

PubMed

Janssen, Matty; Xiros, Charilaos; Tillman, Anne-Marie

2016-01-01

Development of more sustainable biofuel production processes is ongoing, and technology to run these processes at a high dry matter content, also called high-gravity conditions, is one option. This paper presents the results of a life cycle assessment (LCA) of such a technology currently in development for the production of bio-ethanol from spruce wood chips. The cradle-to-gate LCA used lab results from a set of 30 experiments (or process configurations) in which the main process variable was the detoxification strategy applied to the pretreated feedstock material. The results of the assessment show that a process configuration, in which washing of the pretreated slurry is the detoxification strategy, leads to the lowest environmental impact of the process. Enzyme production and use are the main contributors to the environmental impact in all process configurations, and strategies to significantly reduce this contribution are enzyme recycling and on-site enzyme production. Furthermore, a strong linear correlation between the ethanol yield of a configuration and its environmental impact is demonstrated, and the selected environmental impacts show a very strong cross-correlation ([Formula: see text] in all cases) which may be used to reduce the number of impact categories considered from four to one (in this case, global warming potential). Lastly, a comparison with results of an LCA of ethanol production under high-gravity conditions using wheat straw shows that the environmental performance does not significantly differ when using spruce wood chips. For this comparison, it is shown that eutrophication potential also needs to be considered due to the fertilizer use in wheat cultivation. The LCA points out the environmental hotspots in the ethanol production process, and thus provides input to the further development of the high-gravity technology. Reducing the number of impact categories based only on cross-correlations should be done with caution. Knowledge of the analyzed system provides further input to the choice of impact categories.

Life‐cycle and cost of goods assessment of fed‐batch and perfusion‐based manufacturing processes for mAbs

PubMed Central

Bunnak, Phumthep; Allmendinger, Richard; Ramasamy, Sri V.; Lettieri, Paola

2016-01-01

Life‐cycle assessment (LCA) is an environmental assessment tool that quantifies the environmental impact associated with a product or a process (e.g., water consumption, energy requirements, and solid waste generation). While LCA is a standard approach in many commercial industries, its application has not been exploited widely in the bioprocessing sector. To contribute toward the design of more cost‐efficient, robust and environmentally‐friendly manufacturing process for monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), a framework consisting of an LCA and economic analysis combined with a sensitivity analysis of manufacturing process parameters and a production scale‐up study is presented. The efficiency of the framework is demonstrated using a comparative study of the two most commonly used upstream configurations for mAb manufacture, namely fed‐batch (FB) and perfusion‐based processes. Results obtained by the framework are presented using a range of visualization tools, and indicate that a standard perfusion process (with a pooling duration of 4 days) has similar cost of goods than a FB process but a larger environmental footprint because it consumed 35% more water, demanded 17% more energy, and emitted 17% more CO2 than the FB process. Water consumption was the most important impact category, especially when scaling‐up the processes, as energy was required to produce process water and water‐for‐injection, while CO2 was emitted from energy generation. The sensitivity analysis revealed that the perfusion process can be made more environmentally‐friendly than the FB process if the pooling duration is extended to 8 days. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 32:1324–1335, 2016 PMID:27390260

Predator Force Structure Changes at Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field, Nevada Environmental Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-07-01

Office Agency for Nuclear Projects Energy Agriculture Business & Industry Minerals Economic Development Tourism Fire Marshal Human Resources...Agriculture Business & Industry Minerals Economic Development Tourism Fire Marshal Human Resources A in Services Indian Commission Colorado...Data EIAP Environmental Impact Analysis Process EMCS Central Energy Management System ERP Environmental Restoration Program ESA Endangered

Resource Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

Summit Envirosolutions of Minneapolis, Minnesota, used remote sensing images as a source for groundwater resource management. Summit is a full-service environmental consulting service specializing in hydrogeologic, environmental management, engineering and remediation services. CRSP collected, processed and analyzed multispectral/thermal imagery and aerial photography to compare remote sensing and Geographic Information System approaches to more traditional methods of environmental impact assessments and monitoring.

A Cultural Assessment of the Archeological Resources in the Keystone Lake Project Area, North-Central Oklahoma.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-01-01

CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION...... ....... . . . .. .. .... by Bruce M. Moore PART I. BACKGROUND CHAPTER 2. ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING...Area Inundation Impacts .. .. .... 235 Environmental Matrices Variable. .. .. . . ..... 236 Reservoir Dynamics Variable. .. ... .. ...... 236rCultural...susceptibility to erosional processes. PART I. BACKGROUND a- I CHAPTER 2 ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING Keystone Lake was formed by impounding the Arkansas and Cimarron

Multimedia Environmental Assessment of Existing Materials Management Approaches for Communities

EPA Science Inventory

The Sustainable and Healthy Communities Program has a mission to develop data and tools that enable community leaders to integrate environmental, societal, and economic factors into their decision-making processes and thus foster community sustainability. This report examines on...

Reconceptualizing public participation in environmental assessment as EA civics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sinclair, A. John, E-mail: jsincla@umanitoba.ca; Diduck, Alan P., E-mail: a.diduck@uwinnipeg.ca

Notwithstanding the considerable attention placed on creating meaningful opportunities for public participation in environmental assessment (EA), many participants and those who have reviewed participation processes often find practice sorely wanting. This reality stands in stark juxtaposition to future environmental governance needs, which will require increased openness, deliberation and transdisciplinary knowledge in order to deal with environmental change that is ever more uncertain, complex and conflictual. In this paper, our purpose was to consider how to meet those needs through reconceptualizing public participation as EA civics, founded on an active citizen base, deliberative in nature and orientated toward learning. We domore » this through developing a new conceptual model of next generation participation processes that is relevant at multiple spatial scales and institutional levels, is applicable to the entire assessment cycle and spans temporal scales through feedback loops. Our EA civics model builds on the “civics approach” to environmental governance and “action civics” by extending their core ideas to participation in EA. We did this by conducting an integrative literature review (including numerous papers we have contributed over the years) and reflecting on our own experiences as EA participants. We apply current thinking on public participation design to our EA civics conceptualization and highlight important design features that have received scant attention. We conclude that EA civics holds promise for fairer and more robust participation processes if all aspects of the model are considered and the actions related to each are implemented. - Highlights: • Consideration of the ‘civics approach’ and ‘action civics’ in an EA context • Conceptualization of public participation as EA civics • Reflection on the EA civics as a model of participation suitable for next generation assessment.« less

Adaptation of EVIAVE methodology for monitoring and follow-up when evaluating the environmental impact of landfills

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Arrieta, Gabriela, E-mail: tonina1903@hotmail.com; Requena, Ignacio, E-mail: requena@decsai.ugr.es; Toro, Javier, E-mail: jjtoroca@unal.edu.co

Treatment and final disposal of Municipal Solid Waste can have a significant role in the generation of negative environmental impacts. As a prevention strategy, such activities are subjected to the process of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Still, the follow-up of Environmental Management Plans or mitigation measures is limited, for one due to a lack of methodological approaches. In searching for possibilities, the University of Granada (Spain) developed a diagnostic methodology named EVIAVE, which allows one to quantify, by means of indexes, the environmental impact of landfills in view of their location and the conditions of exploitation. EVIAVE is applicable withinmore » the legal framework of the European Union and can be adapted to the environmental and legal conditions of other countries. This study entails its adaptation in Colombia, for the follow-up and control of the EIA process for landfills. Modifications involved inclusion of the environmental elements flora and fauna, and the evaluation of the environmental descriptors in agreement with the concept of vulnerability. The application of the modified EVIAVE in Colombian landfills allowed us to identify the elements affected by the operating conditions and maintenance. It may be concluded that this methodology is viable and effective for the follow-up and environmental control of EIA processes for landfills, and to analyze the associated risks, as it takes into account related environmental threats and vulnerabilities. - Highlights: • A modified methodology is used to monitor and follow-up environmental impacts in landfills. • The improved methodology includes the Vulnerability of Flora and Fauna to evaluate environmental impact of landfills. • The methodology serves to identify and evaluate the sources of risk generated in the construction and siting of landfills. • Environmental vulnerability indicators improve effectiveness of the control and follow-up phases of landfill management. • The follow-up of environmental management plans may help diminish the implementation gap in Environmental Impact Assessment.« less

Quantification of the environmental impact of different dietary protein choices.

PubMed

Reijnders, Lucas; Soret, Sam

2003-09-01

Quantitative environmental evaluations of meat, fresh vegetables, and processed protein based on soybeans suggest that the environmental burden of vegetarian foods is usually relatively low when production and processing are considered. The environmental comparison of cheese varieties made from cow milk and directly from lupine and the evaluation of energy inputs in fish protein and vegetable protein also suggest an environmental advantage for vegetarian food. In the evaluation of processed protein food based on soybeans and meat protein, a variety of environmental impacts associated with primary production and processing are a factor 4.4-> 100 to the disadvantage of meat. The comparison of cheese varieties gives differences in specific environmental impacts ranging between a factor 5 and 21. And energy use for fish protein may be up to a factor 14 more than for protein of vegetable origin. Assessment suggests that on average the complete life cycle environmental impact of nonvegetarian meals may be roughly a factor 1.5-2 higher than the effect of vegetarian meals in which meat has been replaced by vegetable protein. Although on average vegetarian diets may well have an environmental advantage, exceptions may also occur. Long-distance air transport, deep-freezing, and some horticultural practices may lead to environmental burdens for vegetarian foods exceeding those for locally produced organic meat.

Life cycle assessment of TV sets in China: a case study of the impacts of CRT monitors.

PubMed

Song, Qingbin; Wang, Zhishi; Li, Jinhui; Zeng, Xianlai

2012-10-01

Along with the rapid increase in both production and use of TV sets in China, there is an increasing awareness of the environmental impacts related to the accelerating mass production, electricity use, and waste management of these sets. This paper aims to describe the application of life cycle assessment (LCA) to investigate the environmental performance of Chinese TV sets. An assessment of the TV set device (focusing on the Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitor) was carried out using a detailed modular LCA based on the international standards of the ISO 14040 series. The LCA was constructed using SimaPro software version 7.2 and expressed with the Eco-indicator' 99 life cycle impact assessment method. For a sensitivity analysis of the overall LCA results, the CML method was used in order to estimate the influence of the choice of the assessment method on the results. Life cycle inventory information was compiled by Ecoinvent 2.2 databases, combined with literature and field investigations on the current Chinese situation. The established LCA study shows that the use stage of such devices has the highest environmental impact, followed by the manufacturing stage. In the manufacturing stage, the CRT and the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) are those components contributing the most environmental impacts. During the use phase, the environmental impacts are due entirely to the methods of electricity generation used to run them, since no other aspects were taken into account for this phase. The final processing step-the end-of-life stage-can lead to a clear environmental benefit when the TV sets are processed through the formal dismantling enterprises in China. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Life cycle assessment of TV sets in China: A case study of the impacts of CRT monitors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Song Qingbin; Wang Zhishi, E-mail: zswang@umac.mo; Li Jinhui

2012-10-15

Along with the rapid increase in both production and use of TV sets in China, there is an increasing awareness of the environmental impacts related to the accelerating mass production, electricity use, and waste management of these sets. This paper aims to describe the application of life cycle assessment (LCA) to investigate the environmental performance of Chinese TV sets. An assessment of the TV set device (focusing on the Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitor) was carried out using a detailed modular LCA based on the international standards of the ISO 14040 series. The LCA was constructed using SimaPro software versionmore » 7.2 and expressed with the Eco-indicator' 99 life cycle impact assessment method. For a sensitivity analysis of the overall LCA results, the CML method was used in order to estimate the influence of the choice of the assessment method on the results. Life cycle inventory information was compiled by Ecoinvent 2.2 databases, combined with literature and field investigations on the current Chinese situation. The established LCA study shows that the use stage of such devices has the highest environmental impact, followed by the manufacturing stage. In the manufacturing stage, the CRT and the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) are those components contributing the most environmental impacts. During the use phase, the environmental impacts are due entirely to the methods of electricity generation used to run them, since no other aspects were taken into account for this phase. The final processing step-the end-of-life stage-can lead to a clear environmental benefit when the TV sets are processed through the formal dismantling enterprises in China.« less

Institutionalizing policy-level health impact assessment in Europe: is coupling health impact assessment with strategic environmental assessment the next step forward?

PubMed Central

Wright, John; Parry, Jayne; Scully, Edward

2005-01-01

European Union (EU) Member States are interested in using health impact assessment (HIA) as a means of safeguarding their obligations to protect human health under the 1997 Treaty of Amsterdam. However, several have encountered difficulties institutionalizing HIA with the policy-making process. As a consequence, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe has suggested coupling HIA with strategic environmental assessment (SEA). Traditionally, the incorporation of HIA into other forms of impact assessment has been resisted, for fear of losing its focus on health issues to environmental concerns, and compromising its social model of health with the introduction of biophysical indicators. But can these fears be substantiated? In this paper, we investigate the grounds for such concerns by reviewing the relevant policy documents and departmental guidelines of four non-European countries that have considered the use of integrated assessment. We found that the case for associating HIA with SEA in Europe is strong, and offers potential solutions to problems of screening, theoretical framework, causal pathways and ready entry to the policy process. Coupling HIA with SEA may thus be the next step forward in a longer journey towards institutionalizing HIA as an independent policy-linked device. PMID:15976899

Institutionalizing policy-level health impact assessment in Europe: is coupling health impact assessment with strategic environmental assessment the next step forward?

PubMed

Wright, John; Parry, Jayne; Scully, Edward

2005-06-01

European Union (EU) Member States are interested in using health impact assessment (HIA) as a means of safeguarding their obligations to protect human health under the 1997 Treaty of Amsterdam. However, several have encountered difficulties institutionalizing HIA with the policy-making process. As a consequence, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe has suggested coupling HIA with strategic environmental assessment (SEA). Traditionally, the incorporation of HIA into other forms of impact assessment has been resisted, for fear of losing its focus on health issues to environmental concerns, and compromising its social model of health with the introduction of biophysical indicators. But can these fears be substantiated? In this paper, we investigate the grounds for such concerns by reviewing the relevant policy documents and departmental guidelines of four non-European countries that have considered the use of integrated assessment. We found that the case for associating HIA with SEA in Europe is strong, and offers potential solutions to problems of screening, theoretical framework, causal pathways and ready entry to the policy process. Coupling HIA with SEA may thus be the next step forward in a longer journey towards institutionalizing HIA as an independent policy-linked device.

State trends in ecological risk assessment and standard setting

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Siegel, M R; Fowler, K M; Bilyard, G R

1993-02-01

The purposes of this paper are (1) to identify key states' activities and plans related to setting cleanup standards using the ecological risk assessment process, and (2) to discuss the impacts these actions may have on the US Department of Energy's (DOE's) environmental restoration program. This report is prepared as part of a larger task, the purpose of which is to identify and assess state regulatory trends and legal developments that may impact DOE's environmental restoration program. Results of this task are intended to provide DOE with advance notice of potentially significant regulatory developments so as to enhance DOE's abilitymore » to influence these developments and to incorporate possible regulatory and policy changes into its planning process.« less

Health Impacts of Climate Change in the Solomon Islands: An Assessment and Adaptation Action Plan

PubMed Central

Spickett, Jeffery T; Katscherian, Dianne

2014-01-01

The Pacific island countries are particularly vulnerable to the environmental changes wrought by global climate change such as sea level rise, more frequent and intense extreme weather events and increasing temperatures. The potential biophysical changes likely to affect these countries have been identified and it is important that consideration be given to the implications of these changes on the health of their citizens. The potential health impacts of climatic changes on the population of the Solomon Islands were assessed through the use of a Health Impact Assessment framework. The process used a collaborative and consultative approach with local experts to identify the impacts to health that could arise from local environmental changes, considered the risks associated with these and proposed appropriate potential adaptive responses. Participants included knowledgeable representatives from the biophysical, socio-economic, infrastructure, environmental diseases and food sectors. The risk assessments considered both the likelihood and consequences of the health impacts occurring using a qualitative process. To mitigate the adverse effects of the health impacts, an extensive range of potential adaptation strategies were developed. The overall process provided an approach that could be used for further assessments as well as an extensive range of responses which could be used by sectors and to assist future decision making associated with the Solomon Islands’ responses to climate change. PMID:25168977

BER balanced program plan: oil shale technology. [23 suggested biomedical and environmental research projects

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schulte, H.F.; Stoker, A.K.; Campbell, E.E.

1976-06-01

Oil shale technology has been divided into two sub-technologies: surface processing and in-situ processing. Definition of the research programs is essentially an amplification of the five King-Muir categories: (A) pollutants: characterization, measurement, and monitoring; (B) physical and chemical processes and effects; (C) health effects; (D) ecological processes and effects; and (E) integrated assessment. Twenty-three biomedical and environmental research projects are described as to program title, scope, milestones, technolgy time frame, program unit priority, and estimated program unit cost.

Application of quality risk management to set viable environmental monitoring frequencies in biotechnology processing and support areas.

PubMed

Sandle, Tim

2012-01-01

Environmental monitoring programs are essential for pharmaceutical facilities in order to assess the level of environmental control. For biotechnology facilities there is little advice as to the frequency at which viable environmental monitoring should be conducted. This paper outlines an approach, based on the principles of quality risk management, for the development of a framework from which monitoring frequencies can be determined. This involved the identification of common hazards and the evaluation those hazards in terms of the severity of contamination and the probability of contamination occurring. These elements of risk were evaluated for different cleanrooms and the relative risks ranked. Once the risk scores were calculated, the methods for detecting risks within the cleanrooms were assessed. Risk filtering was then used to group different cleanrooms based on their relative risks and detection methods against predetermined monitoring frequencies. Through use of case study examples, the paper presents the model and describes how appropriate frequencies for the environmental monitoring of cleanrooms can be set. Cleanrooms in which biotechnology pharmaceutical processing takes place are subject to environmental monitoring. The frequency at which such monitoring should be performed can be difficult to determine. This paper uses quality risk assessment methods to construct a framework for determining monitoring frequencies and illustrates the suitability of the framework through a case study.

Underwater noise modelling for environmental impact assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Farcas, Adrian; Thompson, Paul M.; Merchant, Nathan D., E-mail: nathan.merchant@cefas.co.uk

Assessment of underwater noise is increasingly required by regulators of development projects in marine and freshwater habitats, and noise pollution can be a constraining factor in the consenting process. Noise levels arising from the proposed activity are modelled and the potential impact on species of interest within the affected area is then evaluated. Although there is considerable uncertainty in the relationship between noise levels and impacts on aquatic species, the science underlying noise modelling is well understood. Nevertheless, many environmental impact assessments (EIAs) do not reflect best practice, and stakeholders and decision makers in the EIA process are often unfamiliarmore » with the concepts and terminology that are integral to interpreting noise exposure predictions. In this paper, we review the process of underwater noise modelling and explore the factors affecting predictions of noise exposure. Finally, we illustrate the consequences of errors and uncertainties in noise modelling, and discuss future research needs to reduce uncertainty in noise assessments.« less

The Lisbon new international airport: The story of a decision-making process and the role of Strategic Environmental Assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Partidario, Maria R., E-mail: mrp@civil.ist.utl.p; Coutinho, Miguel, E-mail: miguel.coutinho@ua.p

2011-04-15

This is the brief story of a decision process and the role of Strategic Environmental Assessment in government political decision-making. Following a prolonged, and agitated, decision process, initiated in the 1960s, the Government of Portugal in 2005 took the final decision to build the new international airport of Lisbon at the controversial location of Ota, 40 km north of Lisbon. The detailed project design and EIA were started. However this decision would change in 2007 due to the challenge raised by a private sponsored study that identified an alternative location for the airport at Campo de Tiro de Alcochete (CTA).more » This new site, which had never been considered as an option before, appeared to avoid many of the problems that caused public controversy at the Ota site. The Government, pressured by this challenge, promoted a strategic comparative assessment between the two sites. The result of this study was the choice of CTA as the preferred location. This paper discusses this radical change in the decision from a socio-political perspective. It will highlight the relevance of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), and the strategic and constructive approach it enables in mega-project decision-making.« less

The study of potable water treatment process in Algeria (boudouaou station) -by the application of life cycle assessment (LCA).

PubMed

Mohamed-Zine, Messaoud-Boureghda; Hamouche, Aksas; Krim, Louhab

2013-12-19

Environmental impact assessment will soon become a compulsory phase in future potable water production projects, in algeria, especially, when alternative treatment processes such sedimentation ,coagulation sand filtration and Desinfection are considered. An impact assessment tool is therefore developed for the environmental evaluation of potable water production. in our study The evaluation method used is the life cycle assessment (LCA) for the determination and evaluation of potential impact of a drink water station ,near algiers (SEAL-Boudouaoua).LCA requires both the identification and quantification of materials and energy used in all stages of the product's life, when the inventory information is acquired, it will then be interpreted into the form of potential impact " eco-indicators 99" towards study areas covered by LCA, using the simapro6 soft ware for water treatment process is necessary to discover the weaknesses in the water treatment process in order for it to be further improved ensuring quality life. The main source shown that for the studied water treatment process, the highest environmental burdens are coagulant preparation (30% for all impacts), mineral resource and ozone layer depletion the repartition of the impacts among the different processes varies in comparison with the other impacts. Mineral resources are mainly consumed during alumine sulfate solution preparation; Ozone layer depletion originates mostly from tetrachloromethane emissions during alumine sulfate production. It should also be noted that, despite the small doses needed, ozone and active Carbone treatment generate significant impacts with a contribution of 10% for most of the impacts.Moreover impacts of energy are used in producing pumps (20-25 GHC) for plant operation and the unitary processes (coagulation, sand filtration decantation) and the most important impacts are localized in the same equipment (40-75 GHC) and we can conclude that:- Pre-treatment, pumping and EDR (EDR: 0.-6 0 kg CO2 eq. /produced m3) are the process-units with higher environmental impacts.- Energy consumption is the main source of impacts on climate change.- Chemicals consumption (e.g. coagulants, oxidants) are the principle cause of impacts on the ozone layer depletion.- Conventional plants: pre-treatment has high GHG emissions due to chemicals consumption.

Assessing Health Impacts within Environmental Impact Assessments: An Opportunity for Public Health Globally Which Must Not Remain Missed

PubMed Central

Harris, Patrick; Viliani, Francesca; Spickett, Jeff

2015-01-01

Within the member states of the United Nations 190 of 193 have regulated Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) which is a systematic process to prevent and mitigate the potential environmental impacts of industry development projects before these occur. However, the routine and comprehensive assessment of health impacts within EIAs remains underdeveloped. Focusing, as an example, on the risks to global health from the global shift in the mining industry towards Low and Middle Income Countries LMIC), this viewpoint details why connecting with EIA is an essential task for the health system. Although existing knowledge is out of date in relation to global practice we identify how health has been included, to some extent, in High Income Country EIAs and the institutional requirements for doing so. Using arguments identified by industry themselves about requiring a ‘social license to operate’, we conclude that EIA regulations provide the best current mechanism to ensure health protection is a core aspect in the decision making process to approve projects. PMID:25608592

Life-Cycle Assessment of Cookstove Fuels in India and China ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

A life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted to compare the environmental footprint of current and possible fuels used for cooking within China and India. Current fuel mix profiles are compared to scenarios of projected differences in and/or cleaner cooking fuels. Results are reported for a suite of relevant life cycle impact assessment indicators: global climate change, energy demand, fossil depletion, water consumption, particulate matter formation, acidification, eutrophication and photochemical smog formation. Traditional fuels demonstrate notably poor relative performance in particulate matter formation, photochemical oxidant formation, freshwater eutrophication, and black carbon emissions. Most fuels demonstrate trade-offs between impact categories. Stove efficiency is found to be a crucial variable determining environmental performance across all impact categories. The study shows that electricity and many of the processed fuels, while yielding emission reductions in homes at the point of use, transfer many of those emissions upstream into the processing and distribution life cycle stage. To conduct LCA study of the cookstove fuels being used in India and China to determine how fuels and stoves compare based on a holistic assessment considering the LCA environmental tradeoffs

INTEGRATION OF SYSTEMS ENGINEERING AND PROCESS INTENSIFICATION IN THE DESIGN OF PROCESSES FOR UTILIZING BIOBASED GLYCEROL

EPA Science Inventory

The expected results include an integrated process and mechanical design including a fabrication plan for the glycerol dehydration reactor, comprehensive heat and material balance, environmental impact assessment and comprehensive safety review. The resulting process design w...

Geothermal Development and the Use of Categorical Exclusions (Poster)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Levine, A.; Young, K. R.

2014-09-01

The federal environmental review process under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) can be complex and time consuming. Currently, a geothermal developer may have to complete the NEPA process multiple times during the development of a geothermal project. One mechanism to reduce the timeframe of the federal environmental review process for activities that do not have a significant environmental impact is the use of Categorical Exclusions (CXs), which can exempt projects from having to complete an Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement. This study focuses primarily on the CX process and its applicability to geothermal exploration. In thismore » paper, we Provide generalized background information on CXs, including previous NEPA reports addressing CXs, the process for developing CXs, and the role of extraordinary circumstances; Examine the history of the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) geothermal CXs;Compare current CXs for oil, gas, and geothermal energy; Describe bills proposing new statutory CXs; Examine the possibility of standardizing geothermal CXs across federal agencies; and Present analysis from the Geothermal NEPA Database and other sources on the potential for new geothermal exploration CXs. As part of this study, we reviewed Environmental Assessments (EAs) conducted in response to 20 geothermal exploration drilling permit applications (Geothermal Drilling Permits or Notices of Intents) since the year 2001, the majority of which are from the last 5 years. All 20 EAs reviewed for this study resulted in a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). While many of these FONSI's involved proponent proposed or federal agency required mitigation, this still suggests it may be appropriate to create or expand an exploration drilling CX for geothermal, which would have a significant impact on reducing geothermal exploration timelines and up-front costs. Ultimately, federal agencies tasked with permitting and completing environmental reviews for geothermal exploration drilling activities and/or legislative representatives are the responsible parties to discuss the merits and implementation of new or revised CXs for geothermal development.« less

A Golden Ticket to Future Occupational and Environmental Health Monitoring

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

by the BE career field, an assessment of the regulatory monitoring requirements and current detection capabilities was critical . The next step in...research criteria due to the inability to predict the cost of production for these detection systems. Until a standardization of mass scale production...the health risk assessment process and is critical to keeping the base population safe from occupational and environmental exposures. The predominant

Life cycle assessment of oriented strand boards (OSB): from process innovation to ecodesign.

PubMed

Benetto, Enrico; Becker, Marko; Welfring, Joëlle

2009-08-01

Oriented strand boards (OSBs) are wood panels that are used worldwide mainly in the packaging and the building sectors. Their market share is rapidly increasing thanks to their outstanding mechanical properties and to a renewed interest for wood based products. The OSB production process generates, nonetheless, emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during the air-drying of wood strands. This known problem in the literature leads to an odorous nuisance in the surrounding area of the production site. In order to address this problem, a novel application to wood drying of an innovative vapor drying technology is successfully operated at the production site of Kronospan Luxembourg S.A. In addition to the reduced odorous nuisance, a significant environmental added value is expected because of the other modifications induced by the vapor-drying technique on the OSB production process viz. the reduced energy and raw materials demands and the change of adhesive mixture, with the addition of phenol resin. The potential impact of this technology on the OSB market is therefore very significant. This study was aimed at assessing the environmental added value provided by the vapor-drying technique through a life cycle assessment (LCA) according to ISO 14040-44 standards. The objective was to compare the environmental performances of the former and the current OSB production processes. Considering only the pollutant emissions from the OSB production process, the reduction of climate change impact and human health damage is significant respectively, 15-20% and 50-75%. When the lifecycle processes related to the OSB production are included, the reduction of damages does not exceed 3-7%. Following an uncertainty analysis,this reduction was nevertheless proven to be statistically significant. However, it is observed that the reduction of environmental impacts and damages allowed by the vapor-drying technology is counterbalanced by the change of adhesive mixture. Indeed the new adhesive mixture generates higher environmental damages than the former mixture because of the higher energy and raw material demand from phenol resin production. These results show the need to move from an approach focused on a single process innovation (the vapor-drying technique) to a more general and systemic approach combining process and product ecodesign. Such approaches are needed in order to effectively improve the overall environmental performance of a production system, without transfer of pollution along the lifecycle or offsets of pollution credits. LCA is definitively one of the most pertinent tools to identify improvement opportunities in the comparison of alternative designs from an environmental perspective.

Biomedically relevant chemical and physical properties of coal combustion products.

PubMed Central

Fisher, G L

1983-01-01

The evaluation of the potential public and occupational health hazards of developing and existing combustion processes requires a detailed understanding of the physical and chemical properties of effluents available for human and environmental exposures. These processes produce complex mixtures of gases and aerosols which may interact synergistically or antagonistically with biological systems. Because of the physicochemical complexity of the effluents, the biomedically relevant properties of these materials must be carefully assessed. Subsequent to release from combustion sources, environmental interactions further complicate assessment of the toxicity of combustion products. This report provides an overview of the biomedically relevant physical and chemical properties of coal fly ash. Coal fly ash is presented as a model complex mixture for health and safety evaluation of combustion processes. PMID:6337824

Balanced program plan: analysis for biomedical and environmental research. Volume 5. Oil shale technology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1976-06-01

Oil shale technology has been divided into two sub-technologies: surfaceprocessing and in-situ processing. Definition of the research programs is essentially an amplification of the five King-Muir categories: (A) pollutants: characterization, measurement, and monitoring; (B) physical and chemical processes and effects; (C) health effects; (D) ecological processes and effects; and (E) integrated assessment. Twenty-three biomedical and environmental research projects are described as to program title, scope, milestones, technology time frame, program unit priority, and estimated program unit cost.

Assessing the environmental impact of energy production from hydrochar generated via hydrothermal carbonization of food wastes.

PubMed

Berge, Nicole D; Li, Liang; Flora, Joseph R V; Ro, Kyoung S

2015-09-01

Although there are numerous studies suggesting hydrothermal carbonization is an environmentally advantageous process for transformation of wastes to value-added products, a systems level evaluation of the environmental impacts associated with hydrothermal carbonization and subsequent hydrochar combustion has not been conducted. The specific objectives of this work are to use a life cycle assessment approach to evaluate the environmental impacts associated with the HTC of food wastes and the subsequent combustion of the generated solid product (hydrochar) for energy production, and to understand how parameters and/or components associated with food waste carbonization and subsequent hydrochar combustion influence system environmental impact. Results from this analysis indicate that HTC process water emissions and hydrochar combustion most significantly influence system environmental impact, with a net negative GWP impact resulting for all evaluated substituted energy-sources except biomass. These results illustrate the importance of electricity production from hydrochar particularly when it is used to offset coal-based energy sources. HTC process water emissions result in a net impact to the environment, indicating a need for developing appropriate management strategies. Results from this analysis also highlight a need for additional exploration of liquid and gas-phase composition, a better understanding of how changes in carbonization conditions (e.g., reaction time and temperature) influence metal and nutrient fate, and the exploration of liquid-phase treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

USING LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT TOOLS FOR INTEGRATED PRODUCT POLICY

EPA Science Inventory

The European Union's new Integrated Product Policy directs governments and companies to consider the entire product life cycle, from cradle to grave, in their environmental decision-making process. A life-cycle based approach is intended to lead toward true environmental improvem...

IN LCA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION ON LIFE-CYCLE ASSESSMENT: TOOLS FOR SUSTAINABILITY

EPA Science Inventory

LCA is being developed and applied internationally by corporations, governments, and environmental groups to incorporate environmental concerns into the decision-making process. It is being widely adopted as a means to evaluate commercial systems and develop sustainable solution...

The Contribution of Palaeoenvironmental Studies to Environmental Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cundill, Peter

1988-01-01

Assesses the value of a practical course in pollen analysis in the education of geography undergraduates. Discusses the difficulties and potentialities of the technique. Concludes that the course provides students with a better appreciation of past environments and environmental processes. (Author/CW)

Environmental assessment on electrokinetic remediation of multimetal-contaminated site: a case study.

PubMed

Kim, Do-Hyung; Yoo, Jong-Chan; Hwang, Bo-Ram; Yang, Jung-Seok; Baek, Kitae

2014-05-01

In this study, an environmental assessment on an electrokinetic (EK) system for the remediation of a multimetal-contaminated real site was conducted using a green and sustainable remediation (GSR) tool. The entire EK process was classified into major four phases consisting of remedial investigations (RIs), remedial action construction (RAC), remedial action operation (RAO), and long-term monitoring (LTM) for environmental assessment. The environmental footprints, including greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, total energy used, air emissions of criteria pollutants, such as NOx, SOx, and PM10, and water consumption, were calculated, and the relative contribution in each phase was analyzed in the environmental assessment. In the RAC phase, the relative contribution of the GHG emissions, total energy used, and PM10 emissions were 77.3, 67.6, and 70.4%, respectively, which were higher than those of the other phases because the material consumption and equipment used for system construction were high. In the RAO phase, the relative contributions of water consumption and NOx and SOx emissions were 94.7, 85.2, and 91.0%, respectively, which were higher than those of the other phases, because the water and electricity consumption required for system operation was high. In the RIs and LTM phases, the environmental footprints were negligible because the material and energy consumption was less. In conclusion, the consumable materials and electrical energy consumption might be very important for GSR in the EK remediation process, because the production of consumable materials and electrical energy consumption highly affects the GHG emissions, total energy used, and air emissions such as NOx and SOx.

Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) for environmental development and transfer of antibiotic resistance.

PubMed

Ashbolt, Nicholas J; Amézquita, Alejandro; Backhaus, Thomas; Borriello, Peter; Brandt, Kristian K; Collignon, Peter; Coors, Anja; Finley, Rita; Gaze, William H; Heberer, Thomas; Lawrence, John R; Larsson, D G Joakim; McEwen, Scott A; Ryan, James J; Schönfeld, Jens; Silley, Peter; Snape, Jason R; Van den Eede, Christel; Topp, Edward

2013-09-01

Only recently has the environment been clearly implicated in the risk of antibiotic resistance to clinical outcome, but to date there have been few documented approaches to formally assess these risks. We examined possible approaches and sought to identify research needs to enable human health risk assessments (HHRA) that focus on the role of the environment in the failure of antibiotic treatment caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens. The authors participated in a workshop held 4-8 March 2012 in Québec, Canada, to define the scope and objectives of an environmental assessment of antibiotic-resistance risks to human health. We focused on key elements of environmental-resistance-development "hot spots," exposure assessment (unrelated to food), and dose response to characterize risks that may improve antibiotic-resistance management options. Various novel aspects to traditional risk assessments were identified to enable an assessment of environmental antibiotic resistance. These include a) accounting for an added selective pressure on the environmental resistome that, over time, allows for development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB); b) identifying and describing rates of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in the relevant environmental "hot spot" compartments; and c) modifying traditional dose-response approaches to address doses of ARB for various health outcomes and pathways. We propose that environmental aspects of antibiotic-resistance development be included in the processes of any HHRA addressing ARB. Because of limited available data, a multicriteria decision analysis approach would be a useful way to undertake an HHRA of environmental antibiotic resistance that informs risk managers.

New approach to weight-of-evidence assessment of ecotoxicological effects in regulatory decision-making.

PubMed

Hall, A Tilghman; Belanger, Scott E; Guiney, Pat D; Galay-Burgos, Malyka; Maack, Gerd; Stubblefield, William; Martin, Olwenn

2017-07-01

Ecological risk assessments and risk management decisions are only as sound as the underlying information and processes to integrate them. It is important to develop transparent and reproducible procedures a priori to integrate often-heterogeneous evidence. Current weight-of-evidence (WoE) approaches for effects or hazard assessment tend to conflate aspects of the assessment of the quality of the data with the strength of the body of evidence as a whole. We take forward recent developments in the critical appraisal of the reliability and relevance of individual ecotoxicological studies as part of the effect or hazard assessment of prospective risk assessments and propose a streamlined WoE approach. The aim is to avoid overlap and double accounting of criteria used in reliability and relevance with that used in current WoE methods. The protection goals, problem formulation, and evaluation process need to be clarified at the outset. The data are first integrated according to lines of evidence (LoEs), typically mechanistic insights (e.g., cellular, subcellular, genomic), in vivo experiments, and higher-tiered field or observational studies. Data are then plotted on the basis of both relevance and reliability scores or categories. This graphical approach provides a means to visually assess and communicate the credibility (reliability and relevance of available individual studies), quantity, diversity, and consistency of the evidence. In addition, the external coherence of the body of evidence needs to be considered. The final step in the process is to derive an expression of the confidence in the conclusions of integrating the information considering these 5 aspects in the context of remaining uncertainties. We suggest that this streamlined approach to WoE for the effects or hazard characterization should facilitate reproducible and transparent assessments of data across different regulatory requirements. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:573-579. © 2017 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC). © 2017 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Potential scenarios for nanomaterial release and subsequent alteration in the environment.

PubMed

Nowack, Bernd; Ranville, James F; Diamond, Stephen; Gallego-Urrea, Julian A; Metcalfe, Chris; Rose, Jerome; Horne, Nina; Koelmans, Albert A; Klaine, Stephen J

2012-01-01

The risks associated with exposure to engineered nanomaterials (ENM) will be determined in part by the processes that control their environmental fate and transformation. These processes act not only on ENM that might be released directly into the environment, but more importantly also on ENM in consumer products and those that have been released from the product. The environmental fate and transformation are likely to differ significantly for each of these cases. The ENM released from actual direct use or from nanomaterial-containing products are much more relevant for ecotoxicological studies and risk assessment than pristine ENM. Released ENM may have a greater or lesser environmental impact than the starting materials, depending on the transformation reactions and the material. Almost nothing is known about the environmental behavior and the effects of released and transformed ENM, although these are the materials that are actually present in the environment. Further research is needed to determine whether the release and transformation processes result in a similar or more diverse set of ENM and ultimately how this affects environmental behavior. This article addresses these questions, using four hypothetical case studies that cover a wide range of ENM, their direct use or product applications, and their likely fate in the environment. Furthermore, a more definitive classification scheme for ENM should be adopted that reflects their surface condition, which is a result of both industrial and environmental processes acting on the ENM. The authors conclude that it is not possible to assess the risks associated with the use of ENM by investigating only the pristine form of the ENM, without considering alterations and transformation processes. Copyright © 2011 SETAC.

GIS as a vital tool for Environmental Impact Assessment and Mitigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gharehbaghi, Koorosh; Scott-Young, Christina

2018-03-01

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a course of action which provides information to various stakeholders such as planners and relevant authorities about the planned development and its subsequent effects of the environment and the immediate ambiances. Furthermore, the EIA and mitigation are the inclusive process of collecting, analyzing information and the determination of the application for development or construction approval, which could be accessible by the concerned communities and organizations. Although the set regulations of EIA and mitigation vary from jurisdictions, they are, however, very precise and need to be integrated with the specific geographical data. In addition, the Geographical Information System (GIS) is a software intended to encapsulate and present all types of physical, biological, environmental, ecological and geological information. Conversely, GIS is the integration of statistical analysis and information technology, and can also be further broken down into two different categories of; Topological Modelling and Map overlay. To ensure that the EIA and mitigation are receptive the GIS will provide the decisive apparatus. Using GIS not only improves the overall EIA and mitigation process, but also provides valuable mapping strategies, including holistic environmental system approach. Accordingly, the main objective of this paper is to discuss the importance of the GIS and Environmental Data integration progression, to further enhance the overall EIA and Mitigation processes.

Functional evaluations in the monitoring of the river ecosystem processes: the Adige River as a case stu.

PubMed

Braioni, M G; Salmoiraghi, G; Bracco, F; Villani, M; Braioni, A; Girelli, L

2002-03-12

A model of analysis and environmental evaluation was applied to 11 stretches of the Adige River, where an innovative procedure was carried out to interpret ecological results. Within each stretch, the most suitable methods were used to assess the quality and processes of flood plains, banks, water column, bed, and interstitial environment. Indices were applied to evaluate the wild state and ecological quality of the banks (wild state index, buffer strip index) and the landscape quality of wide areas of the fluvial corridor (environmental landscape index). The biotic components (i.e., macrozoobenthos, phytoplankton and zooplankton, interstitial hyporheic fauna, vegetation in the riparian areas) were analysed by both quantitative and functional methods (as productivity, litter--processing and colonisation). The results achieved were then translated into five classes of functional evaluation. These qualitative assessments have thus preserved a high level of precision and sensitivity in quantifying both the quality of the environmental conditions and the integrity of the ecosystem processes. Read together with urban planning data, they indicate what actions are needed to restore and rehabilitate the Adige River corridor.

Life-Cycle Assessment of Biodiesel Produced from Grease Trap Waste.

PubMed

Hums, Megan E; Cairncross, Richard A; Spatari, Sabrina

2016-03-01

Grease trap waste (GTW) is a low-quality waste material with variable lipid content that is an untapped resource for producing biodiesel. Compared to conventional biodiesel feedstocks, GTW requires different and additional processing steps for biodiesel production due to its heterogeneous composition, high acidity, and high sulfur content. Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is used to quantify greenhouse gas emissions, fossil energy demand, and criteria air pollutant emissions for the GTW-biodiesel process, in which the sensitivity to lipid concentration in GTW is analyzed using Monte Carlo simulation. The life-cycle environmental performance of GTW-biodiesel is compared to that of current GTW disposal, the soybean-biodiesel process, and low-sulfur diesel (LSD). The disposal of the water and solid wastes produced from separating lipids from GTW has a high contribution to the environmental impacts; however, the impacts of these processed wastes are part of the current disposal practice for GTW and could be excluded with consequential LCA system boundaries. At lipid concentrations greater than 10%, most of the environmental metrics studied are lower than those of LSD and comparable to soybean biodiesel.

Environmental sustainability of the solar photo-Fenton process for wastewater treatment and pharmaceuticals mineralization at semi-industrial scale.

PubMed

Foteinis, Spyros; Monteagudo, Jose Maria; Durán, Antonio; Chatzisymeon, Efthalia

2018-01-15

The environmental sustainability of a semi-industrial solar photo-Fenton reactor, treating real effluents emanating from a pharmaceutical laboratory, is assessed herein. The life cycle assessment/analysis (LCA) methodology was employed and real life cycle inventory (LCI) data was collected from a ferrioxalate-assisted homogeneous solar photo-Fenton wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), at Ciudad Real, Spain. Electricity was provided by photovoltaic (PV) panels in tandem with a battery bank, making the plant autonomous from the local grid. The effective treatment of 1m 3 of secondary-treated pharmaceutical wastewater, containing antipyrine, was used as a functional unit. The main environmental hotspot was identified to be the chemical reagents used to enhance treatment efficiency, mainly hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and to a smaller degree oxalic acid. On the other hand, land use, PV panels, battery units, compound parabolic collectors (CPC), tanks, pipes and pumps, as materials, had a low contribution, ranging from as little as 0.06% up to about 2% on the total CO 2eq emissions. Overall, the solar photo-Fenton process was found to be a sustainable technology for treating wastewater containing micropollutants at semi-industrial level, since the total environmental footprint was found to be 2.71kgCO 2 m -3 or 272mPtm -3 , using IPCC 2013 and ReCiPe impact assessment methods, respectively. A sensitivity analysis revealed that if the excess of solar power is fed back into the grid then the total environmental footprint is reduced. Depending on the amount of solar power fed back into the grid the process could have a near zero total environmental footprint. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Improving the effectiveness of impact assessment pertaining to Indigenous peoples in the Brazilian environmental licensing procedure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hanna, Philippe; Vanclay, Frank, E-mail: frank.vanclay@rug.nl; Langdon, Esther Jean

The number of environmental licence applications for projects affecting Indigenous peoples in Brazil has increased since the implementation of a major infrastructure program (Programa de Aceleração do Crescimento) in 2007. This increase has caused problems for Brazilian agencies involved in environmental licensing procedures (IBAMA, FUNAI and others). We analyze the Brazilian environmental licensing procedure for situations involving Indigenous peoples, Maroons (Quilombolas) or other traditional communities in order to identify potential improvements for Brazil and potentially other countries. Although Brazilian procedures are consistent with international best practice in environmental licensing, in practice social impacts are inadequately addressed, mitigation measures are poorlymore » implemented, and there is a lack of enforcement and compliance. The paper is based on document analysis and interviews with key actors in governmental and non-governmental organizations and Indigenous leaders. We suggest that Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) processes need to be conducted at the earliest stages of project planning, and that Indigenous peoples should actively participate in impact assessment, monitoring and evaluation processes. In order to achieve a social licence to operate, there needs to be full recognition of traditional knowledge and acceptance of Indigenous values and concepts. We also recommend increased involvement of social experts and mediators as well as improved accountability, enforcement and grievance mechanisms in the licensing process. - Highlights: • The Brazilian environmental licensing system needs to address social impacts better. • Communities need to be consulted at the earliest stage possible. • Indigenous peoples need to be invited to participate in impact assessment teams. • Independent Indigenous committees to monitor implementation of mitigation measures. • Accountability, enforcement and grievance mechanisms need to be improved.« less

Environmental and economic performance of plasma gasification in Enhanced Landfill Mining.

PubMed

Danthurebandara, Maheshi; Van Passel, Steven; Vanderreydt, Ive; Van Acker, Karel

2015-11-01

This paper describes an environmental and economic assessment of plasma gasification, one of the viable candidates for the valorisation of refuse derived fuel from Enhanced Landfill Mining. The study is based on life cycle assessment and life cycle costing. Plasma gasification is benchmarked against conventional incineration, and the study indicates that the process could have significant impact on climate change, human toxicity, particulate matter formation, metal depletion and fossil depletion. Flue gas emission, oxygen usage and disposal of residues (plasmastone) are the major environmental burdens, while electricity production and metal recovery represent the major benefits. Reductions in burdens and improvements in benefits are found when the plasmastone is valorised in building materials instead of landfilling. The study indicates that the overall environmental performance of plasma gasification is better than incineration. The study confirms a trade-off between the environmental and economic performance of the discussed scenarios. Net electrical efficiency and investment cost of the plasma gasification process and the selling price of the products are the major economic drivers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

SRB Materials and Processes Assessment from Laboratory and Ocean Environmental Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

The Materials and Processes Laboratory evaluation of Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB) and Solid Rocket Motors (SRM) candidate material, both in-house and with ocean exposure tests at Panama City and Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida is presented. Early sample tests showed excellent seawater corrosion resistance for inconel 718 and titanium 6A1-4V alloys. Considerable corrosion and biofouling occurred with bare 2219-T87 aluminum. Subsequent tests conclusively demonstrated that epoxy coatings prevented corrosion of 2219-T87 aluminum as long as the coatings stays intact. The results and assessment of the series of ocean environmental tests that were conducted are also presented.

Terrestrial vertebrate fauna surveys for the preparation of environmental impact assessments; how can we do it better? A Western Australian example

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thompson, Graham G.

2007-01-15

The Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) in 2002 released Position Statement, No. 3, Terrestrial Biological Surveys as an Element of Biodiversity Protection outlining how terrestrial fauna survey data are to be used and interpreted in the preparation of environmental impact assessments (EIA). In 2004, the EPA released its Guidance for the Assessment of Environmental Factors, Terrestrial Fauna Surveys for Environmental Impact Assessment in Western Australia, No. 56. This paper briefly assesses the adequacy of recent terrestrial fauna surveys undertaken to support publicly released EIAs and indicates that the EPA is not always adhering to its own position and guidancemore » statements. This paper argues that the current fauna survey guidelines are in need of improvement. The approach and requirements of some other Australian states are briefly assessed to identify similarities and where improvements can be made to the Western Australian (WA) guidelines. This paper concludes with suggestions on how the process and the guidelines in WA can be revised to more adequately assess the impact of developments on terrestrial vertebrate biodiversity and ecosystem function. These suggestions may have relevance for other areas where fauna surveys are undertaken to support EIAs.« less

Environmental impact assessment of rail infrastructure.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-01-29

This project resulted in three products: a comprehensive "Sustainable Rail Checklist," a rail planning GIS database, and a web GIS tool that integrates sustainability metrics and facilitates a rapid assessment before a formal NEPA process is implemen...

7 CFR 1940.318 - Completing environmental assessments for Class II actions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...) Throughout this assessment process, the preparer will keep in mind the criteria for determining a significant... action or its indirect impacts; soil erosion and sedimentation plans to control runoff during land...

7 CFR 1940.318 - Completing environmental assessments for Class II actions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...) Throughout this assessment process, the preparer will keep in mind the criteria for determining a significant... action or its indirect impacts; soil erosion and sedimentation plans to control runoff during land...

7 CFR 1940.318 - Completing environmental assessments for Class II actions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...) Throughout this assessment process, the preparer will keep in mind the criteria for determining a significant... action has the potential for significantly affecting the quality of the human environment or will...

A complete life cycle assessment of high density polyethylene plastic bottle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Treenate, P.; Limphitakphong, N.; Chavalparit, O.

2017-07-01

This study was aimed to determine environmental performances of a lubricant oil bottle made from high density polyethylene and to develop potential measures for reducing its impacts. A complete life cycle assessment was carried out to understand a whole effect on the environment from acquiring, processing, using, and disposing the product. Two scenarios of disposal phase; recycle and incineration: were examined to quantify a lesser degree on environmental impact. The results illustrated that major impacts of the two scenarios were at the same categories with the highest contributor of raw material acquisition and pre-processing. However, all impacts in case of recycling provided a lower point than that in case of incineration, except mineral extraction. Finally, feasible measures for reducing the environmental impact of high density polyethylene plastic bottle were proposed in accordance with 3Rs concept.

Application of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in Sugar Industries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Astuti, Arieyanti Dwi; Astuti, Rahayu Siwi Dwi; Hadiyanto, Hadiyanto

2018-02-01

Sugar is one of the main commodities that are needed for human life. The demand of sugar is very high with the trend increase from year to year. This condition makes the sugar industry become a leading industry that must be maintained sustainability. The sustainability of the sugar industry is influenced by the use of energy and natural resources and the resulting environmental impacts. Therefore, an effort is needed to analyze the environmental aspects and potential environmental impacts resulting from a product (sugar), by using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). LCA is a very important tool for the analysis of a process/system from its cradle to grave. This technique is very useful in the estimation of energy usage and environmental load of a product/system. This paper aims to describe the main elements of sugar industries using Life Cycle Assessment.

Assessing decision making and dispute resolution in environmental policy: Regulatory negotiations at the Environmental Protection Agency

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lyons, E.A.

This dissertation is an evaluation of the use of negotiations in the rule-making context at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The goal is to assess the benefits and the limitations of negotiation as a policy process, and to make explicit the values which are expected from a negotiation process as well as the conditions which must be met in order for those values to be realized. Three distinct values are expected of negotiation processes: (1) negotiation is promoted as an efficient process that can save time and money in public decision making by avoiding protracted and expensive legal actions;more » (2) it is expected that a negotiation process which provides a mechanism for reaching accommodation among all competing perspectives can yield good policy outcomes; face-to-face interactions among parties with competing interests should provide opportunities for building better relationships among individuals and also for building community. The usefulness of negotiation as a policy tool is limited by the fact that negotiation is only appropriate in a few select cases in which the issues are mature and the parties affected by the issues are prepared for negotiation.« less

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND LANDSCAPE-RISK ASSESSMENT IN THE YANTRA RIVER BASIN

EPA Science Inventory

Landscape characteristics exert their impact on the processes occurring in river basins in many directions and may influence in a different way the environmental security and some related constraints like extreme natural events. The complex nature of landscape structure and dynam...

Environmental Impact Analysis Process. Environmental Assessment for NAVSTAR Global Positioning System, Block IIR, and Medium Launch Vehicle III, Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-11-01

59 10 Solid Rocket Motor Combustion Products ...60 11 Core Vehicle First Stage Combustion Products ......................................................60 12 Health Hazard...Qualities of Hazardous Launch Emissions......................................61 13 Atlas II Combustion Products

Adapting Concepts from Systems Biology to Develop Systems Exposure Event Networks for Exposure Science Research

EPA Science Inventory

Systems exposure science has emerged from the traditional environmental exposure assessment framework and incorporates new concepts that link sources of human exposure to internal dose and metabolic processes. Because many human environmental studies are designed for retrospectiv...

Workshop: Analytical Methods for Assessing the Environmental Justice Implications of Environmental Regulations (2010)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The purpose of this workshop was to gather a small group of economists, regulatory experts, and EJ community leaders to discuss methods for incorporating EJ analyses into EPA’s regulatory process. Sessions addressed multiple EPA programs and EJ methods.

Older Adults' Perceptions of Nutrition as Protective Against Detrimental Effects of Environmental Pollution.

PubMed

Dunn, Kristina; Gaetke, Lisa; Stephenson, Tammy; Brewer, Dawn

2017-08-01

The aging process makes older adults vulnerable to the detrimental health effects of environmental contaminants. Our study assessed older adults' perceptions regarding diet being protective against environmental contaminants, their levels of concern about exposure, and their interest in learning about protective food-related strategies. A needs assessment to collect such information has not been conducted among older adults. Health fair survey results showed that they perceived diet as beneficial against contaminants, were concerned about health implications of exposure, and were interested in learning how to protect health through diet-related strategies. Results suggest that a nutrition-focused curriculum addressing how dietary strategies can help protect against environmental contaminants is needed for Extension professionals.

Environmental analysis of waste foundry sand via life cycle assessment.

PubMed

Mitterpach, Jozef; Hroncová, Emília; Ladomerský, Juraj; Balco, Karol

2017-01-01

The aim of this manuscript is to provide an environmental assessment of the creation and use of waste foundry sand (WFS) via an LCA in a foundry for grey cast iron. A life cycle impact assessment was carried out using SimaPro 8. This environmental analysis assessed the impact of creating waste foundry sand (WFS) in a foundry, Hronec (Slovakia, Central Europe). According to BREF, this foundry is classified as an iron foundry with a production capacity greater than 20 t/day with processes typical for grey cast iron foundries. Molten metal is poured into single-use sand moulds. We identified those factors influencing the creation and use of WFS which significantly affect the quality of the environment. The use of WFS from the production of cores in regenerated moulding mixtures with installed circuits brings marked minimisation of material and energy inputs in the processes of creating WFS and it positively influences the consumption of resources and the quality of the ecosystem. Space for lessening the impact of WFS processes upon the consumption of resources and ecosystem quality is mainly found in recycling WFS in the building sector. In the next step, it is necessary to thoroughly verify the eco-toxicological properties of not only the created WFS and other foundry waste, but mainly the building products for which this waste is used. In terms of transportation, it is important that waste is recycled at local level. The processes of creating WFS have a marked influence upon all the selected waste categories (consumption of resources, ecosystem quality, human health). By minimising material inputs into processes and the effective adjustment of production technology, a foundry can significantly lessen the impacts of processes for creating WFS upon the environment.

Environmental risk assessment of CRT and PCB workshops in a mobile e-waste recycling plant.

PubMed

Song, Qingbin; Zeng, Xianlai; Li, Jinhui; Duan, Huabo; Yuan, Wenyi

2015-08-01

The mobile e-waste recycling equipment was chosen as the object of this study, including manual dismantling, mechanical separation of cathode ray tubes (CRTs), and printed circuit boards (PCBs) in the two independent workshops. To determine the potential environmental contamination, the noise, the heavy metals (Cu, Cd, Pb), and the environmental impacts of the e-waste recycling processes in the two workshops of the mobile plant have been evaluated in this paper. This study determined that when control measures are employed, the noise within the two workshops (<80 dB) will meet the national standards. In the CRT workshop, Pb was the most polluting metal, with 2.3 μg/m(3) and 10.53 mg/g in the air and floor dust, respectively. The result of a health risk assessment shows that noncancerous effects are possible for Pb (hazard index (HI) = 3.54 in the CRT workshop and HI = 1.27 in the PCB workshop). The carcinogenic risks to workers for Cd are relatively light in both the workshops. From the results of life cycle assessment (LCA), it can be seen that there was an environmental benefit from the e-waste recycling process as a whole.

77 FR 7214 - Notice of Availability: Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Mail Processing Network...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-10

... Network Rationalization Initiative (Formerly Known as the ``Network Optimization'' Initiative), Nationwide... Processing Network Rationalization Initiative (the ``Proposed Action''), which is national in scope. This PEA... Network Rationalization Initiative to create a more streamlined processing and distribution network using...

Evaluating the Sustainability of Manufacturing: Process and Life Cycle Assessments

EPA Science Inventory

The Circular Economy is a popular term in environmental studies, but methods are needed to quickly and accurately evaluate recycling opportunities rather than assuming that recycling is appropriate. Through the study of recycling processes (i.e., processes that turn wastes into ...

Vulnerability Assessments in Support of the Climate Ready ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

As part of the Climate Ready Estuaries (CRE) program, the Global Change Research Program (GCRP) in the National Center for Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has prepared a report exploring a new methodology for climate change vulnerability assessments using Massachusetts Bays’ salt marsh ecosystem as a demonstration. The aim is to synthesize place-based information on the potential implications of climate change for key ecosystem processes in each estuary, in a form that will enable managers to undertake management adaptation planning.

A simple method to identify areas of environmental risk due to manure application.

PubMed

Flores, Héctor; Arumí, José Luis; Rivera, Diego; Lagos, L Octavio

2012-06-01

The management of swine manure is becoming an important environmental issue in Chile. One option for the final disposal of manure is to use it as a biofertilizer, but this practice could impact the surrounding environment. To assess the potential environmental impacts of the use of swine manure as a biofertilizer, we propose a method to identify zones of environmental risk through indices. The method considers two processes: nutrient runoff and solute leaching, and uses available information about soils, crops and management practices (irrigation, fertilization, and rotation). We applied the method to qualitatively assess the environmental risk associated with the use of swine manure as a biofertilizer in an 8,000-pig farm located in Central Chile. Results showed that the farm has a moderate environmental risk, but some specific locations have high environmental risks, especially those associated with impacts on areas surrounding water resources. This information could assist the definition of better farm-level management practices, as well as the preservation of riparian vegetation acting as buffer strips. The main advantage of our approach is that it combines qualitative and quantitative information, including particular situations or field features based on expert knowledge. The method is flexible, simple, and can be easily extended or adapted to other processes.

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE: CHEMICAL-FREE CLEANING OF SEMICONDUCTORS BY THE RADIANCE PROCESS

EPA Science Inventory

The Radiance Process is a patented dry process for removing contaminants from surfaces. It uses light, usually from a pulsed laser and a gas inert to the surface, to entrain released contaminants. The focus of this effort is to assess the applicability of the Radiance Process t...

Environmental, Economic, and Scalability Considerations and Trends of Selected Fuel Economy-Enhancing Biomass-Derived Blendstocks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dunn, Jennifer B.; Biddy, Mary; Jones, Susanne

Twenty-four biomass-derived compounds and mixtures, identified based on their physical properties, which could be blended into fuels to improve spark ignition engine fuel economy, were assessed for their economic, technology readiness, and environmental viability. These bio-blendstocks were modeled to be produced biochemically, thermochemically, or through hybrid processes. To carry out the assessment, 17 metrics were developed for which each bio-blendstock was determined to be favorable, neutral, or unfavorable. Cellulosic ethanol was included as a reference case. Overall economic and, to some extent, environmental viability is driven by projected yields for each of these processes. The metrics used in this analysismore » methodology highlight the near-term potential to achieve these targeted yield estimates when considering data quality and current technical readiness for these conversion strategies. Key knowledge gaps included the degree of purity needed for use as a bio-blendstock. Less stringent purification requirements for fuels could cut processing costs and environmental impacts. Additionally, more information is needed on the blending behavior of many of these bio-blendstocks with gasoline to support the technology readiness evaluation. Altogether, the technology to produce many of these blendstocks from biomass is emerging, and as it matures, these assessments must be revisited. Importantly, considering economic, environmental, and technology readiness factors, in addition to physical properties of blendstocks that could be used to boost engine efficiency and fuel economy, in the early stages of project research and development can help spotlight those most likely to be viable in the near term.« less

Environmental, Economic, and Scalability Considerations and Trends of Selected Fuel Economy-Enhancing Biomass-Derived Blendstocks

DOE PAGES

Dunn, Jennifer B.; Biddy, Mary; Jones, Susanne; ...

2017-10-30

Twenty-four biomass-derived compounds and mixtures, identified based on their physical properties, which could be blended into fuels to improve spark ignition engine fuel economy, were assessed for their economic, technology readiness, and environmental viability. These bio-blendstocks were modeled to be produced biochemically, thermochemically, or through hybrid processes. To carry out the assessment, 17 metrics were developed for which each bio-blendstock was determined to be favorable, neutral, or unfavorable. Cellulosic ethanol was included as a reference case. Overall economic and, to some extent, environmental viability is driven by projected yields for each of these processes. The metrics used in this analysismore » methodology highlight the near-term potential to achieve these targeted yield estimates when considering data quality and current technical readiness for these conversion strategies. Key knowledge gaps included the degree of purity needed for use as a bio-blendstock. Less stringent purification requirements for fuels could cut processing costs and environmental impacts. Additionally, more information is needed on the blending behavior of many of these bio-blendstocks with gasoline to support the technology readiness evaluation. Altogether, the technology to produce many of these blendstocks from biomass is emerging, and as it matures, these assessments must be revisited. Importantly, considering economic, environmental, and technology readiness factors, in addition to physical properties of blendstocks that could be used to boost engine efficiency and fuel economy, in the early stages of project research and development can help spotlight those most likely to be viable in the near term.« less

Life Cycle Assessment for Proton Conducting Ceramics Synthesized by the Sol-Gel Process.

PubMed

Lee, Soo-Sun; Hong, Tae-Whan

2014-09-16

In this report, the environmental aspects of producing proton conducting ceramics are investigated by means of the environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method. The proton conducting ceramics BaZr 0.8 Y 0.2 O 3-δ (BZY), BaCe 0.9 Y 0.1 O 2.95 (BCY10), and Sr(Ce 0.9 Zr 0.1 ) 0.95 Yb 0.05 O 3-δ (SCZY) were prepared by the sol-gel process. Their material requirements and environmental emissions were inventoried, and their energy requirements were determined, based on actual production data. This latter point makes the present LCA especially worthy of attention as a preliminary indication of future environmental impact. The analysis was performed according to the recommendations of ISO norms 14040 and obtained using the Gabi 6 software. The performance of the analyzed samples was also compared with each other. The LCA results for these proton conducting ceramics production processes indicated that the marine aquatic ecotoxicity potential (MAETP) made up the largest part, followed by fresh-water aquatic ecotoxicity potential (FAETP) and Human Toxicity Potential (HTP). The largest contribution was from energy consumption during annealing and calcinations steps.

Not planning a sustainable transport system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Finnveden, Göran, E-mail: goran.finnveden@abe.kth.se; Åkerman, Jonas

2014-04-01

The overall objective of the Swedish transport policy is to ensure the economically efficient and sustainable provision of transport services for people and business throughout the country. More specifically, the transport sector shall, among other things, contribute to the achievement of environmental quality objectives in which the development of the transport system plays an important role in the achievement of the objectives. The aim of this study is to analyse if current transport planning supports this policy. This is done by analysing two recent cases: the National Infrastructure Plan 2010–2021, and the planning of Bypass Stockholm, a major road investment.more » Our results show that the plans are in conflict with several of the environmental quality objectives. Another interesting aspect of the planning processes is that the long-term climate goals are not included in the planning processes, neither as a clear goal nor as factor that will influence future transport systems. In this way, the long-term sustainability aspects are not present in the planning. We conclude that the two cases do not contribute to a sustainable transport system. Thus, several changes must be made in the processes, including putting up clear targets for emissions. Also, the methodology for the environmental assessments needs to be further developed and discussed. - Highlights: • Two cases are studied to analyse if current planning supports a sustainable transport system. • Results show that the plans are in conflict with several of the environmental quality objectives. • Long-term climate goals are not included in the planning processes. • Current practices do not contribute to a sustainable planning processes. • Methodology and process for environmental assessments must be further developed and discussed.« less

Economic analysis and environmental impact assessment of three different fermentation processes for fructooligosaccharides production.

PubMed

Mussatto, Solange I; Aguiar, Luís M; Marinha, Mariana I; Jorge, Rita C; Ferreira, Eugénio C

2015-12-01

Three different fermentation processes for the production of fructooligosaccharides (FOS) were evaluated and compared in terms of economic aspects and environmental impact. The processes included: submerged fermentation of sucrose solution by Aspergillus japonicus using free cells or using the cells immobilized in corn cobs, and solid-state fermentation (SSF) using coffee silverskin as support material and nutrient source. The scale-up was designed using data obtained at laboratory scale and considering an annual productivity goal of 200 t. SSF was the most attractive process in both economic and environmental aspects since it is able to generate FOS with higher annual productivity (232.6 t) and purity (98.6%) than the other processes; reaches the highest annual profit (6.55 M€); presents the lowest payback time (2.27 years); and is more favourable environmentally causing a lower carbon footprint (0.728 kg/kg, expressed in mass of CO2 equivalent per mass of FOS) and the lowest wastewater generation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Externalization of the Health Care System's Educational Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seisser, Mary A.; Epstein, Alice L.

1999-01-01

Health care organizations with successful internal education programs can expand their offerings through a formal externalization process. The process involves needs assessment, environmental scanning, identification of internal successes, and selection of appropriate topics. (SK)

A systems approach to modeling Community-Based Environmental Monitoring: a case of participatory water quality monitoring in rural Mexico.

PubMed

Burgos, Ana; Páez, Rosaura; Carmona, Estela; Rivas, Hilda

2013-12-01

Community-Based Environmental Monitoring (CBM) is a social practice that makes a valuable contribution to environmental management and construction of active societies for sustainable future. However, its documentation and analysis show deficiencies that hinder contrast and comparison of processes and effects. Based on systems approach, this article presents a model of CBM to orient assessment of programs, with heuristic or practical goals. In a focal level, the model comprises three components, the social subject, the object of monitoring, and the means of action, and five processes, data management, social learning, assimilation/decision making, direct action, and linking. Emergent properties were also identified in the focal and suprafocal levels considering community self-organization, response capacity, and autonomy for environmental management. The model was applied to the assessment of a CBM program of water quality implemented in rural areas in Mexico. Attributes and variables (indicators) for components, processes, and emergent properties were selected to measure changes that emerged since the program implementation. The assessment of the first 3 years (2010-2012) detected changes that indicated movement towards the expected results, but it revealed also the need to adjust the intervention strategy and procedures. Components and processes of the model reflected relevant aspects of the CBM in real world. The component called means of action as a key element to transit "from the data to the action." The CBM model offered a conceptual framework with advantages to understand CBM as a socioecological event and to strengthen its implementation under different conditions and contexts.

A streamlined sustainability assessment tool for improved decision making in the urban water industry.

PubMed

Schulz, Matthias; Short, Michael D; Peters, Gregory M

2012-01-01

Water supply is a key consideration in sustainable urban planning. Ideally, detailed quantitative sustainability assessments are undertaken during the planning stage to inform the decision-making process. In reality, however, the significant time and cost associated with undertaking such detailed environmental and economic assessments is often cited as a barrier to wider implementation of these key decision support tools, particularly for decisions made at the local or regional government level. In an attempt to overcome this barrier of complexity, 4 water service providers in Melbourne, Australia, funded the development of a publicly available streamlined Environmental Sustainability Assessment Tool, which is aimed at a wide range of decision makers to assist them in broadening the type and number of water servicing options that can be considered for greenfield or backlog developments. The Environmental Sustainability Assessment Tool consists of a simple user interface and draws on life cycle inventory data to allow for rapid estimation of the environmental and economic performance of different water servicing scenarios. Scenario options can then be further prioritized by means of an interactive multicriteria analysis. The intent of this article is to identify the key issues to be considered in a streamlined sustainability assessment tool for the urban water industry, and to demonstrate the feasibility of generating accurate life cycle assessments and life cycle costings, using such a tool. We use a real-life case study example consisting of 3 separate scenarios for a planned urban development to show that this kind of tool can emulate life cycle assessments and life cycle costings outcomes obtained through more detailed studies. This simplified approach is aimed at supporting "sustainability thinking" early in the decision-making process, thereby encouraging more sustainable water and sewerage infrastructure solutions. Copyright © 2011 SETAC.

Integrating human and ecological risk assessment: application to the cyanobacterial harmful algal bloom problem.

PubMed

Orme-Zavaleta, Jennifer; Munns, Wayne R

2008-01-01

Environmental and public health policy continues to evolve in response to new and complex social, economic and environmental drivers. Globalization and centralization of commerce, evolving patterns of land use (e.g., urbanization, deforestation), and technological advances in such areas as manufacturing and development of genetically modified foods have created new and complex classes of stressors and risks (e.g., climate change, emergent and opportunist disease, sprawl, genomic change). In recognition of these changes, environmental risk assessment and its use are changing from stressor-endpoint specific assessments used in command and control types of decisions to an integrated approach for application in community-based decisions. As a result, the process of risk assessment and supporting risk analyses are evolving to characterize the human-environment relationship. Integrating risk paradigms combine the process of risk estimation for humans, biota, and natural resources into one assessment to improve the information used in environmental decisions (Suter et al. 2003b). A benefit to this approach includes a broader, system-wide evaluation that considers the interacting effects of stressors on humans and the environment, as well the interactions between these entities. To improve our understanding of the linkages within complex systems, risk assessors will need to rely on a suite of techniques for conducting rigorous analyses characterizing the exposure and effects relationships between stressors and biological receptors. Many of the analytical techniques routinely employed are narrowly focused and unable to address the complexities of an integrated assessment. In this paper, we describe an approach to integrated risk assessment, and discuss qualitative community modeling and Probabilistic Relational Modeling techniques that address these limitations and evaluate their potential for use in an integrated risk assessment of cyanobacteria.

Valued ecosystem components for watershed cumulative effects: an analysis of environmental impact assessments in the South Saskatchewan River watershed, Canada.

PubMed

Ball, Murray A; Noble, Bram F; Dubé, Monique G

2013-07-01

The accumulating effects of human development are threatening water quality and availability. In recognition of the constraints to cumulative effects assessment (CEA) under traditional environmental impact assessment (EIA), there is an emerging body of research dedicated to watershed-based cumulative effects assessment (WCEA). To advance the science of WCEA, however, a standard set of ecosystem components and indicators is required that can be used at the watershed scale, to inform effects-based understanding of cumulative change, and at the project scale, to inform regulatory-based project based impact assessment and mitigation. A major challenge, however, is that it is not clear how such ecosystem components and indicators for WCEA can or should be developed. This study examined the use of aquatic ecosystem components and indicators in EIA practice in the South Saskatchewan River watershed, Canada, to determine whether current practice at the project scale could be "scaled up" to support ecosystem component and indicator development for WCEA. The hierarchy of assessment components and indicators used in a sample of 35 environmental impact assessments was examined and the factors affecting aquatic ecosystem component selection and indicator use were identified. Results showed that public environmental impact statements are not necessarily publically accessible, thus limiting opportunities for data and information sharing from the project to the watershed scale. We also found no consistent terminology across the sample of impact statements, thus making comparison of assessment processes and results difficult. Regulatory compliance was found to be the dominant factor influencing the selection of ecosystem components and indicators for use in project assessment, rather than scientific reasoning, followed by the mandate of the responsible government agency for the assessment, public input to the assessment process, and preexisting water licensing arrangements external to the assessment process. The current approach to project-based assessment offered little support for WCEA initiatives. It did not provide a standard set of aquatic ecosystem components and indicators or allow the sharing of information across projects and from the project to the watershed scale. We suggest that determining priority assessment parameters for WCEA requires adoption of a standardized framework of component and indicator terminology, which can then be populated for the watershed of concern based on both watershed-based priorities and project-specific regulatory requirements. Copyright © 2012 SETAC.

Assessment and Context: Consideration of Client and Environmental Factors within the Assessment Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Black, Lynda K., Ed.

When an individual or family seeks counseling, assessment information ensures that the counseling professional understands the struggles, difficulties, and strengths of the client(s). An array of assessment issues for various populations and various mental disorders are examined in this series of articles. The hope is that the articles will…

Environmental accounting on a communal level: A tool to support environmental management and decision-making by communal executives.

PubMed

Kröger, G; Pietsch, J; Ufermann, K

1999-01-01

Starting from an ecological perspective of urban-industrial areas, environmental accounting is used to analyse and to evaluate which environmental impacts are the result of communal activities (e.g. the results of different kinds of water supply systems). Therefore, the anthropogenic fluxes, the changing quality of areas as well as the processes between the environmental fields are taken into account. The approach is based on methodical elements of te Life Cycle Analysis and the Environmental Impact Assessment. Looking at the 'urban systems' within the communal activities, 'ecological modelling' gives us a new and fuller picture of the spatial and temporal character of urban metabolism. The approach supports the perception of cumulative effects and the postponement of environmental problems and opens new horizons for process-oriented environmental planning within the community. Greater efficiency and a decrease in costs can be arrived at by leaving 'end of the pipe' strategies; opportunities for a better planning process and measures for different individuals and organisations can be drawn up. A data base which acts as a 'support system' implements the computer-aided approach to environmental accounting.

Framework for Human Health Risk Assessment to Inform Decision Making

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The purpose of this document is to describe a Framework for conducting human health risk assessments that are responsive to the needs of decision‐making processes in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Fuzzy comprehensive evaluation of multiple environmental factors for swine building assessment and control.

PubMed

Xie, Qiuju; Ni, Ji-Qin; Su, Zhongbin

2017-10-15

In confined swine buildings, temperature, humidity, and air quality are all important for animal health and productivity. However, the current swine building environmental control is only based on temperature; and evaluation and control methods based on multiple environmental factors are needed. In this paper, fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE) theory was adopted for multi-factor assessment of environmental quality in two commercial swine buildings using real measurement data. An assessment index system and membership functions were established; and predetermined weights were given using analytic hierarchy process (AHP) combined with knowledge of experts. The results show that multi-factors such as temperature, humidity, and concentrations of ammonia (NH 3 ), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), and hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) can be successfully integrated in FCE for swine building environment assessment. The FCE method has a high correlation coefficient of 0.737 compared with the method of single-factor evaluation (SFE). The FCE method can significantly increase the sensitivity and perform an effective and integrative assessment. It can be used as part of environmental controlling and warning systems for swine building environment management to improve swine production and welfare. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Background information for the Leaching environmental Assessment Framework (LEAF) test methods

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery has initiated the review and validation process for four leaching tests under consideration for inclusion into SW-846: Method 1313 "Liquid-Solid Partitioning as a Function of Extract pH for Co...

FUZZY DECISION ANALYSIS FOR INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT OF THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION

EPA Science Inventory

A fuzzy decision analysis method for integrating ecological indicators is developed. This is a combination of a fuzzy ranking method and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The method is capable ranking ecosystems in terms of environmental conditions and suggesting cumula...

Assessing the environmental impact of energy production from hydrochar generated via hydrothermal carbonization waste management

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a relatively low temperature thermal conversion process that is gaining significant attention as a sustainable and environmentally beneficial approach for the transformation of biomass and waste streams to value-added products. Although there are numerous studies ...

44 CFR 9.8 - Public notice requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... HOMELAND SECURITY GENERAL FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION OF WETLANDS § 9.8 Public notice requirements....12); and (2) Rely on its environmental assessment processes, to the extent possible, as vehicles for... the foreclosure of options consistent with the Orders. (1) For an action for which an environmental...

44 CFR 9.8 - Public notice requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... HOMELAND SECURITY GENERAL FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION OF WETLANDS § 9.8 Public notice requirements....12); and (2) Rely on its environmental assessment processes, to the extent possible, as vehicles for... the foreclosure of options consistent with the Orders. (1) For an action for which an environmental...

The geospatial modeling interface (GMI) framework for deploying and assessing environmental models

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Geographical information systems (GIS) software packages have been used for close to three decades as analytical tools in environmental management for geospatial data assembly, processing, storage, and visualization of input data and model output. However, with increasing availability and use of ful...

HUMAN AND ECOLOGICAL RISK: CORRELATIONS AMONG HUMAN HEALTH, ECOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING DATA

EPA Science Inventory

While all life is affected by the quality of the environment, environmental risk factors for human and wildlife health are typically assessed using independent processes that are dissimilar in scale and scope. However, the integrated analysis of human, ecological, and environmen...

Environmental Impact Analysis Process, Environmental Assessment Space Test Experiments Platform Mission 1, Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-01-05

Information LOCAL AGENCIES Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District, California Hallerman , Richard Air Quality Specialist City of...Base. Provided by Richard Hallerman , SBCAPCD, to Bob Baxter, Engineering-Science. 11 June. ____, 1991. Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control

Integrated approach of environmental impact and risk assessment of Rosia Montana Mining Area, Romania.

PubMed

Stefănescu, Lucrina; Robu, Brînduşa Mihaela; Ozunu, Alexandru

2013-11-01

The environmental impact assessment of mining sites represents nowadays a large interest topic in Romania. Historical pollution in the Rosia Montana mining area of Romania caused extensive damage to environmental media. This paper has two goals: to investigate the environmental pollution induced by mining activities in the Rosia Montana area and to quantify the environmental impacts and associated risks by means of an integrated approach. Thus, a new method was developed and applied for quantifying the impact of mining activities, taking account of the quality of environmental media in the mining area, and used as case study in the present paper. The associated risks are a function of the environmental impacts and the probability of their occurrence. The results show that the environmental impacts and quantified risks, based on quality indicators to characterize the environmental quality, are of a higher order, and thus measures for pollution remediation and control need to be considered in the investigated area. The conclusion drawn is that an integrated approach for the assessment of environmental impact and associated risks is a valuable and more objective method, and is an important tool that can be applied in the decision-making process for national authorities in the prioritization of emergency action.

Methodological challenges in assessing the environmental status of a marine ecosystem: case study of the Baltic Sea.

PubMed

Ojaveer, Henn; Eero, Margit

2011-04-29

Assessments of the environmental status of marine ecosystems are increasingly needed to inform management decisions and regulate human pressures to meet the objectives of environmental policies. This paper addresses some generic methodological challenges and related uncertainties involved in marine ecosystem assessment, using the central Baltic Sea as a case study. The objectives of good environmental status of the Baltic Sea are largely focusing on biodiversity, eutrophication and hazardous substances. In this paper, we conduct comparative evaluations of the status of these three segments, by applying different methodological approaches. Our analyses indicate that the assessment results are sensitive to a selection of indicators for ecological quality objectives that are affected by a broad spectrum of human activities and natural processes (biodiversity), less so for objectives that are influenced by a relatively narrow array of drivers (eutrophications, hazardous substances). The choice of indicator aggregation rule appeared to be of essential importance for assessment results for all three segments, whereas the hierarchical structure of indicators had only a minor influence. Trend-based assessment was shown to be a useful supplement to reference-based evaluation, being independent of the problems related to defining reference values and indicator aggregation methodologies. Results of this study will help in setting priorities for future efforts to improve environmental assessments in the Baltic Sea and elsewhere, and to ensure the transparency of the assessment procedure.

Environmental audits and process flow mapping to assess management of solid waste and wastewater from a healthcare facility: an Italian case study.

PubMed

Vaccari, Mentore; Montasser, Waleed; Tudor, Terry; Leone, Luigi

2017-05-01

In Europe, there are an increasing number of policy and legislative drivers for a more sustainable approach to the management of natural resources as well as for the mitigation of environmental health risks. However, despite significant progress in recent years, there is still some way to go to achieve circularity of process, as well as risk mitigation within organisations. Using a case study of the Gardone Val Trompia hospital in northern Italy, this manuscript offers a novel holistic examination of strategies to enhance resource efficiency and environmental health within a key sector, i.e. the healthcare sector. Through the use of environmental audits and process flow mapping, trends in waste and wastewater arisings and the associated financial and environmental costs and risks were identified. Recommendations for developing more resource efficient approaches as well as mitigating the environmental and public health risks are suggested. These include strategies for improved resource efficiency (including reduction in the hazardous waste) and reduced environmental impacts during the containment, transport and treatment of the waste.

Environmental impacts of climate change adaptation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Enríquez-de-Salamanca, Álvaro, E-mail: aenriquez@draba.org; Díaz-Sierra, Rubén, E-mail: sierra@dfmf.uned.es; Martín-Aranda, Rosa M., E-mail: rmartin@ccia.uned.es

Climate change adaptation reduces adverse effects of climate change but may also have undesirable environmental impacts. However, these impacts are yet poorly defined and analysed in the existing literature. To complement this knowledge-gap, we reviewed the literature to unveil the relationship between climate change adaptation and environmental impact assessment, and the degree to which environmental impacts are included in climate change adaptation theory and practice. Our literature review showed that technical, social and economic perspectives on climate change adaptation receive much more attention than the environmental perspective. The scarce interest on the environmental impacts of adaptation may be attributed tomore » (1) an excessive sectoral approach, with dominance of non-environmental perspectives, (2) greater interest in mitigation and direct climate change impacts rather than in adaptation impacts, (3) a tendency to consider adaptation as inherently good, and (4) subjective/preconceived notions on which measures are good or bad, without a comprehensive assessment. Environmental Assessment (EA) has a long established history as an effective tool to include environment into decision-making, although it does not yet guarantee a proper assessment of adaptation, because it is still possible to postpone or even circumvent the processes of assessing the impacts of climate adaptation. Our results suggest that there is a need to address adaptation proactively by including it in EA, to update current policy frameworks, and to demand robust and reliable evaluation of alternatives. Only through the full EA of adaptation measures can we improve our understanding of the primary and secondary impacts of adaptation to global environmental change. - Highlights: • Climate change adaptation may have undesirable environmental impacts. • The impacts of adaptation are yet poorly analysed in the literature. • There is an excessive sectoral approach to adaptation, mainly non-environmental.« less

From ecological test site to geographic information system: lessons for the 1980's

USGS Publications Warehouse

Alexander, Robert H.

1981-01-01

Geographic information systems were common elements in two kinds of interdisciplinary regional demonstration projects in the 1970's. Ecological test sits attempted to provide for more efficient remote-sensing data delivery for regional environmental management. Regional environmental systems analysis attempted to formally describe and model the interacting regional social and environmental processes, including the resource-use decision making process. Lessons for the 1980's are drawn from recent evaluations and assessments of these programs, focusing on cost, rates of system development and technology transfer, program coordination, integrative analysis capability, and the involvement of system users and decision makers.

Using Geographic Information Systems for Exposure Assessment in Environmental Epidemiology Studies

PubMed Central

Nuckols, John R.; Ward, Mary H.; Jarup, Lars

2004-01-01

Geographic information systems (GIS) are being used with increasing frequency in environmental epidemiology studies. Reported applications include locating the study population by geocoding addresses (assigning mapping coordinates), using proximity analysis of contaminant source as a surrogate for exposure, and integrating environmental monitoring data into the analysis of the health outcomes. Although most of these studies have been ecologic in design, some have used GIS in estimating environmental levels of a contaminant at the individual level and to design exposure metrics for use in epidemiologic studies. In this article we discuss fundamentals of three scientific disciplines instrumental to using GIS in exposure assessment for epidemiologic studies: geospatial science, environmental science, and epidemiology. We also explore how a GIS can be used to accomplish several steps in the exposure assessment process. These steps include defining the study population, identifying source and potential routes of exposure, estimating environmental levels of target contaminants, and estimating personal exposures. We present and discuss examples for the first three steps. We discuss potential use of GIS and global positioning systems (GPS) in the last step. On the basis of our findings, we conclude that the use of GIS in exposure assessment for environmental epidemiology studies is not only feasible but can enhance the understanding of the association between contaminants in our environment and disease. PMID:15198921

Assessing anaerobic co-digestion of pig manure with agroindustrial wastes: the link between environmental impacts and operational parameters.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Verde, Ivan; Regueiro, Leticia; Carballa, Marta; Hospido, Almudena; Lema, Juan M

2014-11-01

Anaerobic co-digestion (AcoD) is established as a techno-economic profitable process by incrementing biogas yield (increased cost-efficiency) and improving the nutrient balance (better quality digestate) in comparison to mono-digestion of livestock wastes. However, few data are available on the environmental consequences of AcoD and most of them are mainly related to the use of energy crops as co-substrates. This work analysed the environmental impact of the AcoD of pig manure (PM) with several agroindustrial wastes (molasses, fish, biodiesel and vinasses residues) using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. For comparative purposes, mono digestion of PM has also been evaluated. Four out of six selected categories (acidification, eutrophication, global warming and photochemical oxidation potentials) showed environmental impacts in all the scenarios assessed, whereas the other two (abiotic depletion and ozone layer depletion potentials) showed environmental credits, remarking the benefit of replacing fossil fuels by biogas. This was also confirmed by the sensitivity analysis applied to the PM quality (i.e. organic matter content) and the avoided energy source demonstrating the importance of the energy recovery step. The influence of the type of co-substrate could not be discerned; however, a link between the environmental performance and the hydraulic retention time, the organic loading rate and the nutrient content in the digestate could be established. Therefore, LCA results were successfully correlated to process variables involved in AcoD, going a step further in the combination of techno-economic and environmental feasibilities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sustainable management and supply of natural and recycled aggregates in a medium-size integrated plant.

PubMed

Faleschini, Flora; Zanini, Mariano Angelo; Pellegrino, Carlo; Pasinato, Stefano

2016-03-01

The consumption of natural aggregates in civil engineering applications can cause severe environmental impacts on a regional scale, depleting the stock of bulk resources within a territory. Several methods can improve the environmental sustainability of the whole aggregates' supply process, including natural and recycled aggregates' productive chains, for instance promoting the use of recycled aggregates (RA). However, when quarrying and recycling activities are considered as stand-alone processes, also the RA supply chain may not be as sustainable as expected, due to the high environmental loads associated to transportation, if high distances from the production to the use sites are involved. This work gives some insights on the environmental impact assessment of the aggregates' industry in the Italian context, through a comparative assessment of the environmental loads of natural and recycled aggregates' productive chains. An integrated plant for the extraction of virgin aggregates and recycling of construction and demolition waste (C&DW) was analyzed as significant case study, with the aim to identify the influence of sustainable solutions on the overall emissions of the facility. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach was used, using site-specific data and paying particular attention on transportation-related impacts, land use, avoided landfill and non-renewable resources preservation. From this work it was possible to evaluate the influence of transportation and PV energy use on the overall environmental emissions of natural and recycled aggregates' productive chains. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Final Environmental Assessment for the Grace Hopper Bridge Embankment Repairs at Joint Base Charleston Weapons Station, South Carolina

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-07-06

geotechnical reconunendations to aid in design of a retaining wall structure in case this alternative is considered in the future. Based on a telephone...potentially involve significant impacts on the environment must be reviewed in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and all other...Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 989, Environmental Impact Analysis Process (EIAP). The analyses focus on the following environmental resources: noise

Approaches to studying environmental effects on resistance of Pinus taeda L. to Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmermann

Treesearch

Peter L. Lorio

1996-01-01

There are a number of ways to approach the problem of assessing the effects of environmental conditions, such as water regime, on tree physiological responses and resistance to bark beetle attack.It helps to keep in mind that environmental factors operate throught physiological processes (Fig. 1, and Kramer 1986), and that there are concepts, such as plant growth-...

Chronic toxicity of erythromycin thiocyanate to Daphnia magna in a flow-through, continuous exposure test system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meinertz, J.R.; Schreier, Theresa M.; Bernardy, J.A.

2011-01-01

Approval of a new animal drug application for AQUAMYCIN 100?? (erythromycin thiocyanate; ET) to treat freshwater salmonid species with bacterial kidney disease is being pursued in the US. As part of the approval process, ETs impact on an aquatic environment had to be described in an environmental assessment. The environmental assessment was lacking data to characterize the effect ET would have on a chronically exposed aquatic invertebrate organism. A major step to fulfilling the environmental assessment was completed after conducting a comprehensive study continuously exposing Daphnia magna to ET for 21 days. Results indicated that the no observable effect concentration for ET was 179 ??g/L. ?? 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC (outside the USA).

Investigation of the environmental implications of the CNT switch through its life cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dahlben, Lindsay Johanna

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are unique allotropes of carbon that have high tensile strength, a high Young's modulus, good thermal conductivity, and depending on the CNT chirality can be metallic or semiconducting. These mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties make CNTs an attractive element in electronic applications such as conductive films, photovoltaics, non-volatile memory devices, batteries, sensors, and displays. Although commercialization of CNT-enabled products is increasing, there remains a significant lack of information regarding the health effects and environmental impacts of CNTs. Some studies have even shown that the behavior, toxicity, and persistence of CNTs may differ from bulk heterogeneous carbon. Given these uncertainties, it is prudent to assess the environmental attributes of CNT products and processes now to discover and potentially prevent adverse effects. This study investigates the environmental implications of a non-volatile bi-stable electromechanical CNT switch through its life cycle. Life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology is used to track the environmental impacts of the CNT switch through its fabrication and expected use and end-of-life (EOL) stages. Process parameters, energy consumption, input materials, output emissions, and yield efficiencies are determined for the laboratory and full-scale manufacture environments. The Ecoinvent(TM) inventory database and Eco-indicator 1999(TM) method are utilized for the impact assessment. Results for the fabrication stage are reported for highest contributions to environmental impact such as airborne inorganics, land use, and fossil fuels due to Au refining processes and electricity consumption. Extension of the LCA scope is evaluated for the potential replacement of CNT switches to current field-effect transistors (FETs) in flash memory for a cellular phone application. First-order predictions are made for the functionality and performance of the CNT switch during the use stage through an environmental perspective. Existing cellular phone EOL management options including recycling and direct disposal to landfill and incineration are evaluated for potential limitations, concerns, and environmental releases that may occur from the assimilation of CNT switch-enabled phones into the waste stream. In this manner, potential environmental effects of the CNT switch throughout its life cycle stages can be addressed alongside its technological development to ensure safe, sustainable, and successful CNT products.

A multi-scale spatial approach to address environmental effects of small hydropower development.

PubMed

McManamay, Ryan A; Samu, Nicole; Kao, Shih-Chieh; Bevelhimer, Mark S; Hetrick, Shelaine C

2015-01-01

Hydropower development continues to grow worldwide in developed and developing countries. While the ecological and physical responses to dam construction have been well documented, translating this information into planning for hydropower development is extremely difficult. Very few studies have conducted environmental assessments to guide site-specific or widespread hydropower development. Herein, we propose a spatial approach for estimating environmental effects of hydropower development at multiple scales, as opposed to individual site-by-site assessments (e.g., environmental impact assessment). Because the complex, process-driven effects of future hydropower development may be uncertain or, at best, limited by available information, we invested considerable effort in describing novel approaches to represent environmental concerns using spatial data and in developing the spatial footprint of hydropower infrastructure. We then use two case studies in the US, one at the scale of the conterminous US and another within two adjoining rivers basins, to examine how environmental concerns can be identified and related to areas of varying energy capacity. We use combinations of reserve-design planning and multi-metric ranking to visualize tradeoffs among environmental concerns and potential energy capacity. Spatial frameworks, like the one presented, are not meant to replace more in-depth environmental assessments, but to identify information gaps and measure the sustainability of multi-development scenarios as to inform policy decisions at the basin or national level. Most importantly, the approach should foster discussions among environmental scientists and stakeholders regarding solutions to optimize energy development and environmental sustainability.

Life cycle assessment of sewage sludge co-incineration in a coal-based power station.

PubMed

Hong, Jingmin; Xu, Changqing; Hong, Jinglan; Tan, Xianfeng; Chen, Wei

2013-09-01

A life cycle assessment was conducted to evaluate the environmental and economic effects of sewage sludge co-incineration in a coal-fired power plant. The general approach employed by a coal-fired power plant was also assessed as control. Sewage sludge co-incineration technology causes greater environmental burden than does coal-based energy production technology because of the additional electricity consumption and wastewater treatment required for the pretreatment of sewage sludge, direct emissions from sludge incineration, and incinerated ash disposal processes. However, sewage sludge co-incineration presents higher economic benefits because of electricity subsidies and the income generating potential of sludge. Environmental assessment results indicate that sewage sludge co-incineration is unsuitable for mitigating the increasing pressure brought on by sewage sludge pollution. Reducing the overall environmental effect of sludge co-incineration power stations necessitates increasing net coal consumption efficiency, incinerated ash reuse rate, dedust system efficiency, and sludge water content rate. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The complex roles of space and environment in structuring functional, taxonomic and phylogenetic beta diversity of frogs in the Atlantic Forest

PubMed Central

Luiz, Amom Mendes; Sawaya, Ricardo J.

2018-01-01

Ecological communities are complex entities that can be maintained and structured by niche-based processes such as environmental conditions, and spatial processes such as dispersal. Thus, diversity patterns may be shaped simultaneously at different spatial scales by very distinct processes. Herein we assess whether and how functional, taxonomic, and phylogenetic beta diversities of frog tadpoles are explained by environmental and/or spatial predictors. We implemented a distance–based redundancy analysis to explore variation in components of beta diversity explained by pure environmental and pure spatial predictors, as well as their interactions, at both fine and broad spatial scales. Our results indicated important but complex roles of spatial and environmental predictors in structuring phylogenetic, taxonomic and functional beta diversities. The pure fine-scales spatial fraction was more important in structuring all beta diversity components, especially to functional and taxonomical spatial turnover. Environmental variables such as canopy cover and vegetation structure were important predictors of all components, but especially to functional and taxonomic beta diversity. We emphasize that distinct factors related to environment and space are affecting distinct components of beta diversity in different ways. Although weaker, phylogenetic beta diversity, which is structured more on biogeographical scales, and thus can be represented by spatially structured processes, was more related to broad spatial processes than other components. However, selected fine-scale spatial predictors denoted negative autocorrelation, which may be revealing the existence of differences in unmeasured habitat variables among samples. Although overall important, local environmental-based processes explained better functional and taxonomic beta diversity, as these diversity components carry an important ecological value. We highlight the importance of assessing different components of diversity patterns at different scales by spatially explicit models in order to improve our understanding of community structure and help to unravel the complex nature of biodiversity. PMID:29672575

Health Impact Assessment practice and potential for integration within Environmental Impact and Strategic Environmental Assessments in Italy.

PubMed

Linzalone, Nunzia; Assennato, Giorgio; Ballarini, Adele; Cadum, Ennio; Cirillo, Mario; Cori, Liliana; De Maio, Francesca; Musmeci, Loredana; Natali, Marinella; Rieti, Sabrina; Soggiu, Maria Eleonora; Bianchi, Fabrizio

2014-12-01

Avoiding or minimizing potential environmental impact is the driving idea behind protecting a population's health via Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs). However, both are often carried out without any systematic approach. This paper describes the findings of a review of HIA, EIA andSEA experiences carried out by the authors, who act as institutional competent subjects at the national and regional levels in Italy. The analysis of how health is tackled in EIA and SEA procedures could support the definition of a protocol for the integration of HIA with EIA and SEA. Although EIA and SEA approaches include the aim of protecting health,significant technical and methodological gaps are present when assessing health systematically, and their basic principles regarding assessment are unsatisfactory for promoting and addressing healthcare concepts stated by the WHO. HIA is still poorly integrated into the decision-making process, screening and monitoring phases are only occasionally implemented, and operational details are not well-defined. The collaborative approach of institutions involved in environment and health is a core element in a systematic advancement toward supporting effective decisions and effective protection ofthe environment and health. At the Italian national level, the definition of guidelines and tools for HIA, also in relation with EIA and SEA, is of great interest.

Technological and life cycle assessment of organics processing odour control technologies.

PubMed

Bindra, Navin; Dubey, Brajesh; Dutta, Animesh

2015-09-15

As more municipalities and communities across developed world look towards implementing organic waste management programmes or upgrading existing ones, composting facilities are emerging as a popular choice. However, odour from these facilities continues to be one of the most important concerns in terms of cost & effective mitigation. This paper provides a technological and life cycle assessment of some of the different odour control technologies and treatment methods that can be implemented in organics processing facilities. The technological assessment compared biofilters, packed tower wet scrubbers, fine mist wet scrubbers, activated carbon adsorption, thermal oxidization, oxidization chemicals and masking agents. The technologies/treatment methods were evaluated and compared based on a variety of operational, usage and cost parameters. Based on the technological assessment it was found that, biofilters and packed bed wet scrubbers are the most applicable odour control technologies for use in organics processing faculties. A life cycle assessment was then done to compare the environmental impacts of the packed-bed wet scrubber system, organic (wood-chip media) bio-filter and inorganic (synthetic media) bio-filter systems. Twelve impact categories were assessed; cumulative energy demand (CED), climate change, human toxicity, photochemical oxidant formation, metal depletion, fossil depletion, terrestrial acidification, freshwater eutrophication, marine eutrophication, terrestrial eco-toxicity, freshwater eco-toxicity and marine eco-toxicity. The results showed that for all impact categories the synthetic media biofilter had the highest environmental impact, followed by the wood chip media bio-filter system. The packed-bed system had the lowest environmental impact for all categories. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Environmental Assessment for Routine and Recurring Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Flight Operations at Edwards Air Force Base, California

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-11-01

grounds, spawning 28 sites, feeding sites, seasonal wetlands or drylands, water quality or quantity, host species or plant 29 pollinators , geological...cycles, and biotic interactions . As a 28 practical matter the guidance suggests that [environmental] assessments should focus on ecological 29...potential impacts were compared to the ten ecological 17 processes identified by the U.S. EPA and were found to be less than significant because of the

Environmental Impact Analysis Process, Final Environmental Assessment for U.S. Air Force Quick Reaction Launch Vehicle Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-01-22

fin whale (Balaenoptera physalis ), minke whale (B. acutorostrata), humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae), harbor seal (Phoca vitulina), Dall’s...modification of feeding habitat, 4) physical impacts due to launch failure, and 5) ingestion of toxins . A previous biological assessment (ENRI, 1998...Ingestion of toxins : Off Kodiak, eiders feed by diving and dabbling for mollusks and crustaceans in the shallow water. If, in the event of a launch

Environmental assessment of waste incineration in a life-cycle-perspective (EASEWASTE).

PubMed

Riber, Christian; Bhander, Gurbakhash S; Christensen, Thomas H

2008-02-01

A model for life-cycle assessment of waste incinerators is described and applied to a case study for illustrative purposes. As life-cycle thinking becomes more integrated into waste management, quantitative tools for assessing waste management technologies are needed. The presented model is a module in the life-cycle assessment model EASEWASTE. The module accounts for all uses of materials and energy and credits the incinerator for electricity and heat recovered. The energy recovered is defined by the user as a percentage of the energy produced, calculated on the lower heating value of the wet waste incinerated. Emissions are either process-specific (related to the amount of waste incinerated) or input-specific (related to the composition of the waste incinerated), while mass transfer to solid outputs are governed by transfer coefficients specified by the user. The waste input is defined by 48 material fractions and their chemical composition. The model was used to quantify the environmental performance of the incineration plant in Aarhus, Denmark before and after its upgrading in terms of improved flue gas cleaning and energy recovery. It demonstrated its usefulness in identifying the various processes and substances that contributed to environmental loadings as well as to environmental savings. The model was instrumental in demonstrating the importance of the energy recovery system not only for electricity but also heat from the incinerator.

Environmental considerations in the selection of isolation gowns: A life cycle assessment of reusable and disposable alternatives.

PubMed

Vozzola, Eric; Overcash, Michael; Griffing, Evan

2018-04-11

Isolation gowns serve a critical role in infection control by protecting healthcare workers, visitors, and patients from the transfer of microorganisms and body fluids. The decision of whether to use a reusable or disposable garment system is a selection process based on factors including sustainability, barrier effectiveness, cost, and comfort. Environmental sustainability is increasingly being used in the decision-making process. Life cycle assessment is the most comprehensive and widely used tool used to evaluate environmental performance. The environmental impacts of market-representative reusable and disposable isolation gown systems were compared using standard life cycle assessment procedures. The basis of comparison was 1,000 isolation gown uses in a healthcare setting. The scope included the manufacture, use, and end-of-life stages of the gown systems. At the healthcare facility, compared to the disposable gown system, the reusable gown system showed a 28% reduction in energy consumption, a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, a 41% reduction in blue water consumption, and a 93% reduction in solid waste generation. Selecting reusable garment systems may result in significant environmental benefits compared to selecting disposable garment systems. By selecting reusable isolation gowns, healthcare facilities can add these quantitative benefits directly to their sustainability scorecards. Copyright © 2018 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Combining environment and health information systems for the assessment of atmospheric pollution on human health.

PubMed

Skouloudis, Andreas N; Kassomenos, Pavlos

2014-08-01

The use of emerging technologies for environmental monitoring with satellite and in-situ sensors have become essential instruments for assessing the impact of environmental pollution on human health, especially in areas that require high spatial and temporal resolution. This was until recently a rather difficult problem. Regrettably, with classical approaches the spatial resolution is frequently inadequate in reporting environmental causes and health effects in the same time scale. This work examines with new tools different levels of air-quality with sensor monitoring with the aim to associate those with severe health effects. The process established here facilitates the precise representation of human exposure with the population attributed in a fine spatial grid and taking into account environmental stressors of human exposure. These stressors can be monitored with innovative sensor units with a temporal resolution that accurately describes chronic and acute environmental burdens. The current understanding of the situation in densely populated areas can be properly analyzed, before commitments are made for reductions in total emissions as well as for assessing the effects of reduced trans-boundary fluxes. In addition, the data processed here with in-situ sensors can assist in establishing more effective regulatory policies for the protection of vulnerable population groups and the satellite monitoring instruments permit abatement strategies that are close to real-time over large geographical areas. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Life cycle and human health risk assessments as tools for decision making in the design and implementation of nanofiltration in drinking water treatment plants.

PubMed

Ribera, G; Clarens, F; Martínez-Lladó, X; Jubany, I; V Martí; Rovira, M

2014-01-01

A combined methodology using life cycle assessment (LCA) and human health risk assessment (HHR) is proposed in order to select the percentage of water in drinking water treatment plants (DWTP) that should be nanofiltered (NF). The methodological approach presented here takes into account environmental and social benefit criteria evaluating the implementation of new processes into conventional ones. The inclusion of NF process improves drinking water quality, reduces HHR but, in turn, increases environmental impacts as a result of energy and material demand. Results from this study lead to balance the increase of the impact in various environmental categories with the reduction in human health risk as a consequence of the respective drinking water production and consumption. From an environmental point of view, the inclusion of NF and recommended pretreatments to produce 43% of the final drinking water means that the environmental impact is nearly doubled in comparison with conventional plant in impact categories severely related with electricity production, like climate change. On the other hand, the carcinogenic risk (HHR) associated to trihalomethane formation potential (THMFP) decreases with the increase in NF percentage use. Results show a reduction of one order of magnitude for the carcinogenic risk index when 100% of drinking water is produced by NF. © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Environmental impact assessment and eco-friendly decision-making in civil structures.

PubMed

Kim, Sang-Hyo; Choi, Moon-Seock; Mha, Ho-Seong; Joung, Jung-Yeun

2013-09-15

This study develops two useful procedures in performing an environmental-impact assessment. One is the advanced life-cycle assessment (LCA) method, which effectively tracks the flow of materials and considers the recycling and demolition of a civil structure. The other is an eco-friendly decision-making procedure, which may effectively apply when determining the prototype of a civil structure. The advanced LCA method differs from traditional LCA procedure, as it classifies the input material prior to the impact assessment. Classification work is performed to establish independent life-cycle stages for each material. The processes of recycling and demolition are appropriately added to the life-cycle stages. The impact assessment is performed separately for the materials, and results are aggregated at the end of the analysis. The eco-friendly decision-making procedure enables designers to choose an economical, and environmentally friendly, alternative during the planning phase of the construction project. This procedure rationally amalgamates economical value and environmental effects into a single indicator. The life cycle cost (LCC) of a structure can be analysed by using conventional LCC tools, whereas the environmental impact is estimated by LCA. The results from LCC and LCA are then integrated by using either a CO2 conversion method or an analytical hierarchy process (AHP). The CO2 conversion method presents the result as a monetary value, whereas the AHP presents the result as a non-dimensional value. A practical example using a steel box girder bridge and a pre-stressed concrete (PSC) box-girder bridge is also given in order to aid the understanding of the presented procedure. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental Assessment of Different Cement Manufacturing Processes Based on Emergy and Ecological Footprint Analysis

EPA Science Inventory

Due to its high environmental impact and energy intensive production, the cement industry needs to adopt more energy efficient technologies to reduce its demand for fossil fuels and impact on the environment. Bearing in mind that cement is the most widely used material for housin...

Environmental Impact Analysis Process, Environmental Assessment Space Test Experiments Platform Mission 3, Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-09-01

Scientist LOCAL AGENCIES Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District, California Hallerman , Richard Air Quality Specialist 6-1 APPENDIX A REFERENCES...Vandenberg Air Force Base. Provided by Richard Hallerman , SBCAPCD, to Bob Baxter, Engineering-Science. 11 June. ____, 1991. Santa Barbara County Air

7 CFR 1940.328 - State Environmental Policy Acts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... possible in the assessment process whether the project falls under the requirements of the State NEPA. If... assessment cannot be completed until the State's impact statement requirements have been fulfilled by the... determination will then be executed based upon the assessment and the statement. (c) It should be emphasized...

FORMAL SCENARIO DEVELOPMENT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT STUDIES

EPA Science Inventory

Scenario analysis is a process of evaluating possible future events through the consideration of alternative plausible (though not equally likely) outcomes (scenarios). The analysis is designed to enable improved decision-making and assessment through a more rigorous evaluation o...

LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT: AN INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

EPA Science Inventory

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is used to evaluate environmental burdens associated with a product, process or activity by identifying and quantifying relevant inputs and outputs of the defined system and evaluating their potential impacts. This article outlines the four components ...

LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT: INVENTORY GUIDELINES AND PRINCIPLES

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is describing the process, the underlying data, and the Inherent assumptions Involved in conducting the Inventory component of a life-cycle assessment (LCA) In order to facilitate understanding by potential users. This Inventory...

Knowledge brokering on emissions modelling in Strategic Environmental Assessment of Estonian energy policy with special reference to the LEAP model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kuldna, Piret, E-mail: piret.kuldna@seit.ee; Peterson, Kaja; Kuhi-Thalfeldt, Reeli

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) serves as a platform for bringing together researchers, policy developers and other stakeholders to evaluate and communicate significant environmental and socio-economic effects of policies, plans and programmes. Quantitative computer models can facilitate knowledge exchange between various parties that strive to use scientific findings to guide policy-making decisions. The process of facilitating knowledge generation and exchange, i.e. knowledge brokerage, has been increasingly explored, but there is not much evidence in the literature on how knowledge brokerage activities are used in full cycles of SEAs which employ quantitative models. We report on the SEA process of the nationalmore » energy plan with reflections on where and how the Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning (LEAP) model was used for knowledge brokerage on emissions modelling between researchers and policy developers. Our main suggestion is that applying a quantitative model not only in ex ante, but also ex post scenario modelling and associated impact assessment can facilitate systematic and inspiring knowledge exchange process on a policy problem and capacity building of participating actors. - Highlights: • We examine the knowledge brokering on emissions modelling between researchers and policy developers in a full cycle of SEA. • Knowledge exchange process can evolve at any modelling stage within SEA. • Ex post scenario modelling enables systematic knowledge exchange and learning on a policy problem.« less

Challenges in coupling LTER with environmental assessments: An insight from potential and reality of the Chinese Ecological Research Network in servicing environment assessments.

PubMed

Xia, Shaoxia; Liu, Yu; Yu, Xiubo; Fu, Bojie

2018-08-15

Environmental assessments estimate, evaluate and predict the consequences of natural processes and human activities on the environment. Long-term ecosystem observation and research networks (LTERs) are potentially valuable infrastructure to support environmental assessments. However, very few environmental assessments have successfully incorporated them. In this study, we try to reveal the current status of coupling LTERs with environmental assessments and look at the challenges involved in improving this coupling through exploring the role that Chinese Ecological Research Network (CERN), the LTER of China, currently plays in regional environment assessments. A review of official protocols and standards, regional assessments and CERN researches related to ecosystems and environment shows that there is great potential for coupling CERN with environment assessments. However in practice, CERN does not currently play the expected role. Remote sensing and irregular inventory data are still the main data sources currently used in regional assessments. Several causes led to the present situation: (1) insufficient cross-site research and failure to scale up site-level variables to the regional scale; (2) data barriers resulting from incompatible protocols and low data usability due to lack of data assimilation and scaling; and (3) absence of indicators relevant to human activities in existing monitoring protocols. For these reasons, enhancing cross-site monitoring and research, data assimilation and scaling up are critical steps required to improve coupling of LTER with environmental assessments. Site-focused long-term monitoring should be combined with wide-scale ground surveys and remote sensing to establish an effective connection between different environmental monitoring platforms for regional assessments. It is also necessary to revise the current monitoring protocols to include human activities and their impacts on the ecosystem, or change the LTERs into Long-Term Socio-Ecological Research (LTSER) networks. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Environmental toxicology and risk assessment: Standardization of biomarkers for endocrine disruption and environmental assessment: Eighth volume. Special technical publication 1364

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Henshel, D.S.; Black, M.C.; Harrass, M.C.

1999-07-01

This conference was held April 20--22, 1998 in Atlanta, Georgia. The purpose of this conference was to provide a multidisciplinary forum for exchange of state-of-the-art information on biological markers in toxicology and risk assessment, including endocrine disrupter screening assays. Attention is focused on the following: aquatic toxicology; behavioral toxicology; biochemical indicators; developmental indicators; endocrine indicators; biodegradation and fate of chemicals; quality assurance and quality control within laboratory and field studies; risk assessment and communication, and harmonization of standards development. Individual papers have been processed separately for inclusion in the appropriate data bases.

Comparison of Overall Resource Consumption of Biosolids Management System Processes Using Exergetic Life Cycle Assessment.

PubMed

Alanya, Sevda; Dewulf, Jo; Duran, Metin

2015-08-18

This study focused on the evaluation of biosolids management systems (BMS) from a natural resource consumption point of view. Additionally, the environmental impact of the facilities was benchmarked using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to provide a comprehensive assessment. This is the first study to apply a Cumulative Exergy Extraction from the Natural Environment (CEENE) method for an in-depth resource use assessment of BMS where two full-scale BMS and seven system variations were analyzed. CEENE allows better system evaluation and understanding of how much benefit is achievable from the products generated by BMS, which have valorization potential. LCA results showed that environmental burden is mostly from the intense electricity consumption. The CEENE analysis further revealed that the environmental burden is due to the high consumption of fossil and nuclear-based natural resources. Using Cumulative Degree of Perfection, higher resource-use efficiency, 53%, was observed in the PTA-2 where alkaline stabilization rather than anaerobic digestion is employed. However, an anaerobic digestion process is favorable over alkaline stabilization, with 35% lower overall natural resource use. The most significant reduction of the resource footprint occurred when the output biogas was valorized in a combined heat and power system.

Community-based approaches to strategic environmental assessment: Lessons from Costa Rica

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sinclair, A. John; Sims, Laura; Spaling, Harry

This paper describes a community-based approach to strategic environmental assessment (SEA) using a case study of the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad's (ICE) watershed management agricultural program (WMAP) in Costa Rica. The approach focused on four highly interactive workshops that used visioning, brainstorming and critical reflection exercises. Each workshop represented a critical step in the SEA process. Through this approach, communities in two rural watersheds assessed the environmental, social and economic impacts of a proposed second phase for WMAP. Lessons from this community-based approach to strategic environmental assessment include a recognition of participants learning what a participatory SEA is conceptually andmore » methodologically; the role of interactive techniques for identifying positive and negative impacts of the proposed program and generating creative mitigation strategies; the effect of workshops in reducing power differentials among program participants (proponent, communities, government agencies); and, the logistical importance of notice, timing and location for meaningful participation. The community-based approach to SEA offers considerable potential for assessing regional (watershed) development programs focused on sustainable resource-based livelihoods.« less

Cradle-to-grave analysis on batik cabut product to reduce environmental impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Djunaidi, Much.; Nursanti, Ida; Suryadarmawan, Viditwo Ashari

2017-06-01

Nowadays, the development of batik industry is growing rapidly. Efforts to protect the environment are increasing fast as well. This makes both of them go in line. In one of batik producers residing in Kampung Batik Laweyan, the process of making batik needs raw and supporting materials, both of which contain chemicals potentially dangerous to the environment. Assessment methods, such as life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle cost (LCC), to determine the value of the environmental impact are, therefore, needed. LCA and LCC are used to assess the level of product eco-efficiency. The eco-efficiency combines concepts of economic efficiency and efficiency of environmental resources. Based on assessment of 3,120 pieces of batik cabut product, it is found that scores of life cycle assessment (SLCA) and of life cycle cost (SLCC) are 4,049.15 points and IDR 146,437,138.29, respectively. Improvements proposed in this research are by replacing synthetic dyes with natural ones and by substituting wood with LPG. The proposal can reduce the environmental impact as much as 6.65%.

A proactive approach to sustainable management of mine tailings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edraki, Mansour; Baumgartl, Thomas

2015-04-01

The reactive strategies to manage mine tailings i.e. containment of slurries of tailings in tailings storage facilities (TSF's) and remediation of tailings solids or tailings seepage water after the decommissioning of those facilities, can be technically inefficient to eliminate environmental risks (e.g. prevent dispersion of contaminants and catastrophic dam wall failures), pose a long term economic burden for companies, governments and society after mine closure, and often fail to meet community expectations. Most preventive environmental management practices promote proactive integrated approaches to waste management whereby the source of environmental issues are identified to help make a more informed decisions. They often use life cycle assessment to find the "hot spots" of environmental burdens. This kind of approach is often based on generic data and has rarely been used for tailings. Besides, life cycle assessments are less useful for designing operations or simulating changes in the process and consequent environmental outcomes. It is evident that an integrated approach for tailings research linked to better processing options is needed. A literature review revealed that there are only few examples of integrated approaches. The aim of this project is to develop new tailings management models by streamlining orebody characterization, process optimization and rehabilitation. The approach is based on continuous fingerprinting of geochemical processes from orebody to tailings storage facility, and benchmark the success of such proactive initiatives by evidence of no impacts and no future projected impacts on receiving environments. We present an approach for developing such a framework and preliminary results from a case study where combined grinding and flotation models developed using geometallurgical data from the orebody were constructed to predict the properties of tailings produced under various processing scenarios. The modelling scenarios based on the case study data provide the capacity to predict the composition of tailings and the resulting environmental management implications. For example, the type and content of clay minerals in tailings will affect the geotechnical stability and water recovery. Clay content will also influence decisions made for paste or thickened tailings and underground backfilling. It is possible by using an integrated assessment framework to evaluate more alternatives, including the production of additional saleable and benign streams, alternative tailings treatment and disposal, as well as options for reuse, recycling and pre-processing of existing tailings.

Perspectives for integrating human and environmental exposure assessments.

PubMed

Ciffroy, P; Péry, A R R; Roth, N

2016-10-15

Integrated Risk Assessment (IRA) has been defined by the EU FP7 HEROIC Coordination action as "the mutual exploitation of Environmental Risk Assessment for Human Health Risk Assessment and vice versa in order to coherently and more efficiently characterize an overall risk to humans and the environment for better informing the risk analysis process" (Wilks et al., 2015). Since exposure assessment and hazard characterization are the pillars of risk assessment, integrating Environmental Exposure assessment (EEA) and Human Exposure assessment (HEA) is a major component of an IRA framework. EEA and HEA typically pursue different targets, protection goals and timeframe. However, human and wildlife species also share the same environment and they similarly inhale air and ingest water and food through often similar overlapping pathways of exposure. Fate models used in EEA and HEA to predict the chemicals distribution among physical and biological media are essentially based on common properties of chemicals, and internal concentration estimations are largely based on inter-species (i.e. biota-to-human) extrapolations. Also, both EEA and HEA are challenged by increasing scientific complexity and resources constraints. Altogether, these points create the need for a better exploitation of all currently existing data, experimental approaches and modeling tools and it is assumed that a more integrated approach of both EEA and HEA may be part of the solution. Based on the outcome of an Expert Workshop on Extrapolations in Integrated Exposure Assessment organized by the HEROIC project in January 2014, this paper identifies perspectives and recommendations to better harmonize and extrapolate exposure assessment data, models and methods between Human Health and Environmental Risk Assessments to support the further development and promotion of the concept of IRA. Ultimately, these recommendations may feed into guidance showing when and how to apply IRA in the regulatory decision-making process for chemicals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Converting lignocellulosic solid waste into ethanol for the State of Washington: an investigation of treatment technologies and environmental impacts.

PubMed

Schmitt, Elliott; Bura, Renata; Gustafson, Rick; Cooper, Joyce; Vajzovic, Azra

2012-01-01

There is little research literature on the conversion of lignocellulosic rich waste streams to ethanol, and even fewer have investigated both the technical aspects and environmental impacts together. This study assessed technical and environmental challenges of converting three lignocellulosic waste streams to ethanol: municipal solid waste (MSW), low grade mixed waste paper (MWP), and organic yard waste (YW). Experimental results showed high conversion yields for all three streams using suitable conversion methods. Environmental impacts are highly dependent on conversion technology, and process conditions used. Life cycle assessment results showed that both chemicals production and waste collection are important factors to be included within a waste-to-ethanol study. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A novel dismantling process of waste printed circuit boards using water-soluble ionic liquid.

PubMed

Zeng, Xianlai; Li, Jinhui; Xie, Henghua; Liu, Lili

2013-10-01

Recycling processes for waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs) have been well established in terms of scientific research and field pilots. However, current dismantling procedures for WPCBs have restricted the recycling process, due to their low efficiency and negative impacts on environmental and human health. This work aimed to seek an environmental-friendly dismantling process through heating with water-soluble ionic liquid to separate electronic components and tin solder from two main types of WPCBs-cathode ray tubes and computer mainframes. The work systematically investigates the influence factors, heating mechanism, and optimal parameters for opening solder connections on WPCBs during the dismantling process, and addresses its environmental performance and economic assessment. The results obtained demonstrate that the optimal temperature, retention time, and turbulence resulting from impeller rotation during the dismantling process, were 250 °C, 12 min, and 45 rpm, respectively. Nearly 90% of the electronic components were separated from the WPCBs under the optimal experimental conditions. This novel process offers the possibility of large industrial-scale operations for separating electronic components and recovering tin solder, and for a more efficient and environmentally sound process for WPCBs recycling. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DeRosa, C.T.; Choudhury, H.; Schoeny, R.S.

Risk assessment can be thought of as a conceptual approach to bridge the gap between the available data and the ultimate goal of characterizing the risk or hazard associated with a particular environmental problem. To lend consistency to and to promote quality in the process, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published Guidelines for Risk Assessment of Carcinogenicity, Developmental Toxicity, Germ Cell Mutagenicity and Exposure Assessment, and Risk Assessment of Chemical Mixtures. The guidelines provide a framework for organizing the information, evaluating data, and for carrying out the risk assessment in a scientifically plausible manner. In the absence of sufficientmore » scientific information or when abundant data are available, the guidelines provide alternative methodologies that can be employed in the risk assessment. 4 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Evaluating Indicators and Life Cycle Inventories for Processes in Early Stages of Technical Readiness

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tan, Eric C; Smith, Raymond; Ruiz-Mercado, Gerardo

This presentation examines different methods for analyzing manufacturing processes in the early stages of technical readiness. Before developers know much detail about their processes, it is valuable to apply various assessments to evaluate their performance. One type of assessment evaluates performance indicators to describe how closely processes approach desirable objectives. Another type of assessment determines the life cycle inventories (LCI) of inputs and outputs for processes, where for a functional unit of product, the user evaluates the resources used and the releases to the environment. These results can be compared to similar processes or combined with the LCI of othermore » processes to examine up-and down-stream chemicals. The inventory also provides a listing of the up-stream chemicals, which permits study of the whole life cycle. Performance indicators are evaluated in this presentation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's GREENSCOPE (Gauging Reaction Effectiveness for ENvironmental Sustainability with a multi-Objective Process Evaluator) methodology, which evaluates processes in four areas: Environment, Energy, Economics, and Efficiency. The method develops relative scores for indicators that allow comparisons across various technologies. In this contribution, two conversion pathways for producing cellulosic ethanol from biomass, via thermochemical and biochemical routes, are studied. The information developed from the indicators and LCI can be used to inform the process design and the potential life cycle effects of up- and down-stream chemicals.« less

Gastropod diversification and community structuring processes in ancient Lake Ohrid: a metacommunity speciation perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hauffe, T.; Albrecht, C.; Wilke, T.

2015-09-01

The Balkan Lake Ohrid is the oldest and most speciose freshwater lacustrine system in Europe. However, it remains unclear whether the diversification of its endemic taxa is mainly driven by neutral processes, environmental factors, or species interactions. This calls for a holistic perspective involving both evolutionary processes and ecological dynamics. Such a unifying framework - the metacommunity speciation model - considers how community assembly affects diversification and vice versa by assessing the relative contribution of the three main community assembly processes, dispersal limitation, environmental filtering, and species interaction. The current study therefore used the species-rich model taxon Gastropoda to assess how extant communities in Lake Ohrid are structured by performing process based metacommunity analyses. Specifically, the study aimed at (i) identifying the relative importance of the three community assembly processes and (ii) to test whether the importance of these individual processes changes gradually with lake depth or whether they are distinctively related to eco-zones. Based on specific simulation steps for each of the three processes, it could be demonstrated that dispersal limitation had the strongest influence on gastropod community structures in Lake Ohrid. However, it was not the exclusive assembly process but acted together with the other two processes - environmental filtering, and species interaction. In fact, the relative importance of the three community assembly processes varied both with lake depth and eco-zones, though the processes were better predicted by the latter. The study thus corroborated the high importance of dispersal limitation for both maintaining species richness in Lake Ohrid (through its impact on community structure) and generating endemic biodiversity (via its influence on diversification processes). However, according to the metacommunity speciation model, the inferred importance of environmental filtering and biotic interaction also suggests a small but significant influence of ecological speciation. These findings contribute to the main goal of the SCOPSCO initiative - inferring the drivers of biotic evolution - and might provide an integrative perspective on biological and limnological dynamics in ancient Lake Ohrid.

Computerised Decision Support Systems for the management of freshwater radioecological emergencies: assessment of the state-of-the-art with respect to the experiences and needs of end-users.

PubMed

Hofman, D; Monte, L; Boyer, P; Brittain, J; Donchyts, G; Gallego, E; Gheorghiu, D; Håkanson, L; Heling, R; Kerekes, A; Kocsy, G; Lepicard, S; Slavik, O; Slavnicu, D; Smith, J; Zheleznyak, M

2011-02-01

Assessment of the environmental and radiological consequences of a nuclear accident requires the management of a great deal of data and information as well as the use of predictive models. Computerised Decision Support Systems (CDSS) are essential tools for this kind of complex assessment and for assisting experts with a rational decision process. The present work focuses on the assessment of the main features of selected state-of-the-art CDSS for off-site management of freshwater ecosystems contaminated by radionuclides. This study involved both developers and end-users of the assessed CDSS and was based on practical customisation exercises, installation and application of the decision systems. Potential end-users can benefit from the availability of several ready-to-use CDSS that allow one to run different kinds of models aimed at predicting the behaviour of radionuclides in aquatic ecosystems, evaluating doses to humans, assessing the effectiveness of different kinds of environmental management interventions and ranking these interventions, accounting for their social, economic and environmental impacts. As a result of the present assessment, the importance of CDSS "integration" became apparent: in many circumstances, different CDSS can be used as complementary tools for the decision-making process. The results of this assessment can also be useful for the future development and improvement of the CDSS. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fishkind, H.H.

The overall environmental impact of the eucalyptus to methanol energy system in Florida is assessed. The environmental impacts associated with the following steps of the process are considered: (1) the greenhouse and laboratory; (2) the eucalyptus plantation; (3) transporting the mature logs; (4) the hammermill; and (5) the methanol synthesis plant. Next, the environmental effects of methanol as an undiluted motor fuel, methanol as a gasoline blend, and gasoline as motor fuels are compared. Finally, the environmental effects of the eucalypt gasification/methanol synthesis system are compared to the coal liquefaction and conversion system.

Environmental Assessment Addressing the Defense Language Institute English Language Center (DLIELC), and the Inter-American Air Forces Academy (IAAFA) Area Development Plan at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

Heat island” refers to built up areas that have hotter surface and air temperatures than nearby rural areas. Heat island effect occurs when...Summary of Environmental Effects The public and regulatory agency scoping process focused the analysis on the following environmental resources... effects of implementing the DLIELC and IAAFA ADP are not significant, that preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement is unnecessary, and that a

Assessment of Environmental Impacts of Limestone Quarrying Operations in Thailand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kittipongvises, Suthirat

2017-11-01

Environmental impacts of the mineral extraction have been a public concern. Presently, there is widespread global interest in the area of mining and its sustainability that focused on the need to shift mining industry to a more sustainable framework. The aim of this study was to systematically assess all possible environmental and climate change related impacts of the limestone quarrying operation in Thailand. By considering the life cycle assessment method, the production processes were divided into three phases: raw material extraction, transportation, and comminution. Both IMPACT 2002+ and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol methods were used. Results of IMPACT 2002+ analysis showed that per 1 ton crushed limestone rock production, the total depletion of resource and GHGs emissions were 79.6 MJ and 2.76 kg CO2 eq., respectively. Regarding to the four damage categories, `resources' and `climate change' categories were the two greatest environmental impacts of the limestone rock production. Diesel fuel and electricity consumption in the mining processes were the main causes of those impacts. For climate change, the unit of CO2 eq. was expressed to quantify the total GHGs emissions. Estimated result was about 3.13 kg CO2 eq. per ton limestone rock product. The results obtained by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol were also similar to IMPACT 2002+ method. Electrical energy consumption was considered as the main driver of GHGs, accounting for approximately 46.8 % of total fossil fuel CO2 emissions. A final point should be noted that data uncertainties in environmental assessment over the complete life cycle of limestone quarrying operation have to be carefully considered.

An introduction to the mechanics of performance assessment using examples of calculations done for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant between 1990 and 1992

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rechard, R.P.

1995-10-01

This document provides an overview of the process used to assess the performance of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), a proposed repository for transuranic wastes that is located in southeastern New Mexico. The quantitative metrics used in the performance-assessment (PA) process are those put forward in the Environmental Protection Agency`s Environmental Standards for the Management and Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel, High-Level and Transuranic Radioactive flasks (40 CFR 191). Much has been written about the individual building blocks that comprise the foundation of PA theory and practice, and that WIPP literature is well cited herein. However, the present approachmore » is to provide an accurate, well documented overview of the process, from the perspective of the mechanical steps used to perform the actual PA calculations. Specifically, the preliminary stochastic simulations that comprise the WIPP PAs of 1990, 1991. and 1992 are summarized.« less

The study of potable water treatment process in Algeria (boudouaou station) -by the application of life cycle assessment (LCA)

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Environmental impact assessment will soon become a compulsory phase in future potable water production projects, in algeria, especially, when alternative treatment processes such sedimentation ,coagulation sand filtration and Desinfection are considered. An impact assessment tool is therefore developed for the environmental evaluation of potable water production. in our study The evaluation method used is the life cycle assessment (LCA) for the determination and evaluation of potential impact of a drink water station ,near algiers (SEAL-Boudouaoua). LCA requires both the identification and quantification of materials and energy used in all stages of the product’s life, when the inventory information is acquired, it will then be interpreted into the form of potential impact “ eco-indicators 99” towards study areas covered by LCA, using the simapro6 soft ware for water treatment process is necessary to discover the weaknesses in the water treatment process in order for it to be further improved ensuring quality life. The main source shown that for the studied water treatment process, the highest environmental burdens are coagulant preparation (30% for all impacts), mineral resource and ozone layer depletion the repartition of the impacts among the different processes varies in comparison with the other impacts. Mineral resources are mainly consumed during alumine sulfate solution preparation; Ozone layer depletion originates mostly from tetrachloromethane emissions during alumine sulfate production. It should also be noted that, despite the small doses needed, ozone and active Carbone treatment generate significant impacts with a contribution of 10% for most of the impacts. Moreover impacts of energy are used in producing pumps (20-25 GHC) for plant operation and the unitary processes (coagulation, sand filtration decantation) and the most important impacts are localized in the same equipment (40-75 GHC) and we can conclude that: – Pre-treatment, pumping and EDR (EDR: 0.-6 0 kg CO2 eq. /produced m3) are the process-units with higher environmental impacts. – Energy consumption is the main source of impacts on climate change. – Chemicals consumption (e.g. coagulants, oxidants) are the principle cause of impacts on the ozone layer depletion. – Conventional plants: pre-treatment has high GHG emissions due to chemicals consumption. PMID:24355378

Assessing the influence of Environmental Impact Assessments on science and policy: an analysis of the Three Gorges Project.

PubMed

Tullos, Desiree

2009-07-01

The need to understand and minimize negative environmental outcomes associated with large dams has both contributed to and benefited from the introduction and subsequent improvements in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process. However, several limitations in the EIA process remain, including those associated with the uncertainty and significance of impact projections. These limitations are directly related to the feedback between science and policy, with information gaps in scientific understanding discovered through the EIA process contributing valuable recommendations on critical focus areas for prioritizing and funding research within the fields of ecological conservation and river engineering. This paper presents an analysis of the EIA process for the Three Gorges Project (TGP) in China as a case study for evaluating this feedback between the EIA and science and policy. For one of the best-studied public development projects in the world, this paper presents an investigation into whether patterns exist between the scientific interest (via number of publications) in environmental impacts and (a) the identification of impacts as uncertain or priority by the EIA, (b) decisions or political events associated with the dam, and (c) impact type. This analysis includes the compilation of literature on TGP, characterization of ecosystem interactions and responses to TGP through a hierarchy of impacts, coding of EIA impacts as "uncertain" impacts that require additional study and "priority" impacts that have particularly high significance, mapping of an event chronology to relate policies, institutional changes, and decisions about TGP as "events" that could influence the focus and intensity of scientific investigation, and analysis of the number of publications by impact type and order within the impact hierarchy. From these analyses, it appears that the availability and consistency of scientific information limit the accuracy of environmental impact projections. These analyses also suggest a lack of direct feedback between the EIA process and emerging science, as indicated by the failure of literature to focus on issues related to the design and management of TGP, ultimately challenging the environmental sustainability of the project. While the EIA process has enormous potential for improving both the basic sciences and the planning and sustainability of hydrodevelopment, important institutional changes need to occur for this potential to be realized. This paper concludes with recommendations about those institutional changes needed to improve the feedback between the science and policy, and ultimately the environmental sustainability, of large dams.

A multi-disciplinary approach for the integrated assessment of multiple risks in delta areas.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sperotto, Anna; Torresan, Silvia; Critto, Andrea; Marcomini, Antonio

2016-04-01

The assessment of climate change related risks is notoriously difficult due to the complex and uncertain combinations of hazardous events that might happen, the multiplicity of physical processes involved, the continuous changes and interactions of environmental and socio-economic systems. One important challenge lies in predicting and modelling cascades of natural and man -made hazard events which can be triggered by climate change, encompassing different spatial and temporal scales. Another regard the potentially difficult integration of environmental, social and economic disciplines in the multi-risk concept. Finally, the effective interaction between scientists and stakeholders is essential to ensure that multi-risk knowledge is translated into efficient adaptation and management strategies. The assessment is even more complex at the scale of deltaic systems which are particularly vulnerable to global environmental changes, due to the fragile equilibrium between the presence of valuable natural ecosystems and relevant economic activities. Improving our capacity to assess the combined effects of multiple hazards (e.g. sea-level rise, storm surges, reduction in sediment load, local subsidence, saltwater intrusion) is therefore essential to identify timely opportunities for adaptation. A holistic multi-risk approach is here proposed to integrate terminology, metrics and methodologies from different research fields (i.e. environmental, social and economic sciences) thus creating shared knowledge areas to advance multi risk assessment and management in delta regions. A first testing of the approach, including the application of Bayesian network analysis for the assessment of impacts of climate change on key natural systems (e.g. wetlands, protected areas, beaches) and socio-economic activities (e.g. agriculture, tourism), is applied in the Po river delta in Northern Italy. The approach is based on a bottom-up process involving local stakeholders early in different stages of the multi-risk assessment process (i.e. identification of objectives, collection of data, definition of risk thresholds and indicators). The results of the assessment will allow the development of multi-risk scenarios enabling the evaluation and prioritization of risk management and adaptation options under changing climate conditions.

Ecosystem Services and Climate Change Considerations for ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Freshwater habitats provide fishable, swimmable and drinkable resources and are a nexus of geophysical and biological processes. These processes in turn influence the persistence and sustainability of populations, communities and ecosystems. Climate change and landuse change encompass numerous stressors of potential exposure, including the introduction of toxic contaminants, invasive species, and disease in addition to physical drivers such as temperature and hydrologic regime. A systems approach that includes the scientific and technologic basis of assessing the health of ecosystems is needed to effectively protect human health and the environment. The Integrated Environmental Modeling Framework “iemWatersheds” has been developed as a consistent and coherent means of forecasting the cumulative impact of co-occurring stressors. The Framework consists of three facilitating technologies: Data for Environmental Modeling (D4EM) that automates the collection and standardization of input data; the Framework for Risk Assessment of Multimedia Environmental Systems (FRAMES) that manages the flow of information between linked models; and the Supercomputer for Model Uncertainty and Sensitivity Evaluation (SuperMUSE) that provides post-processing and analysis of model outputs, including uncertainty and sensitivity analysis. Five models are linked within the Framework to provide multimedia simulation capabilities for hydrology and water quality processes: the Soil Water

Environmental Impact Analysis Process. Supplement to Final Environmental Impact Statement Space Shuttle Program, Vandenberg AFB, California

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-07-01

problems . Six appendices offer more detailed environmental assessments for the key issues of air quality impacts, inadvertent weather modification...research studies in problem areas, and newly- acquired knowledge of the affected environment. The physical, chemi- cal, biological, and...Shuttle program, in conjunction with other projects within the county, will aggravate short-tenm problems concerning housing, and the quality and quantity

Analysis of environmental dispersion in a wetland flow under the effect of wind: Extended solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Huilin; Huai, Wenxin

2018-02-01

The accurate analysis of the contaminant transport process in wetland flows is essential for environmental assessment. However, dispersivity assessment becomes complicated when the wind strength and direction are taken into consideration. Prior studies illustrating the wind effect on environmental dispersion in wetland flows simply focused on the mean longitudinal concentration distribution. Moreover, the results obtained by these analyses are not accurate when done on a smaller scale, namely, the initial stage of the contaminant transport process. By combining the concentration moments method (the Aris' method) and Gill's expansion theory, the previous researches on environmental dispersion in wetland flows with effect of wind have been extended. By adopting up to 4th-order moments, the wind effect-as illustrated by dimensionless parameters Er (wind force) and ω (wind direction)-on kurtosis and skewness is discussed, the up to 4th-order vertical concentration distribution is obtained, and the two-dimensional concentration distribution is illustrated. This work demonstrates that wind intensity and direction can significantly affect the contaminant dispersion. Moreover, the study presents a more accurate analytical solution of environmental dispersion in wetland flows under various wind conditions.

Environmental screening tools for assessment of infrastructure plans based on biodiversity preservation and global warming (PEIT, Spain)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Garcia-Montero, Luis G., E-mail: luisgonzaga.garcia@upm.e; Lopez, Elena, E-mail: elopez@caminos.upm.e; Monzon, Andres, E-mail: amonzon@caminos.upm.e

Most Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) research has been concerned with SEA as a procedure, and there have been relatively few developments and tests of analytical methodologies. The first stage of the SEA is the 'screening', which is the process whereby a decision is taken on whether or not SEA is required for a particular programme or plan. The effectiveness of screening and SEA procedures will depend on how well the assessment fits into the planning from the early stages of the decision-making process. However, it is difficult to prepare the environmental screening for an infrastructure plan involving a whole country.more » To be useful, such methodologies must be fast and simple. We have developed two screening tools which would make it possible to estimate promptly the overall impact an infrastructure plan might have on biodiversity and global warming for a whole country, in order to generate planning alternatives, and to determine whether or not SEA is required for a particular infrastructure plan.« less

Advances in the development of common noise assessment methods in Europe: The CNOSSOS-EU framework for strategic environmental noise mapping.

PubMed

Kephalopoulos, Stylianos; Paviotti, Marco; Anfosso-Lédée, Fabienne; Van Maercke, Dirk; Shilton, Simon; Jones, Nigel

2014-06-01

The Environmental Noise Directive (2002/49/EC) requires EU Member States to determine the exposure to environmental noise through strategic noise mapping and to elaborate action plans in order to reduce noise pollution, where necessary. A common framework for noise assessment methods (CNOSSOS-EU) has been developed by the European Commission in co-operation with the EU Member States to be applied for strategic noise mapping as required by the Environment Noise Directive (2002/49/EC). CNOSSOS-EU represents a harmonised and coherent approach to assess noise levels from the main sources of noise (road traffic, railway traffic, aircraft and industrial) across Europe. This paper outlines the process behind the development of CNOSSOS-EU and the parts of the CNOSSOS-EU core methodological framework which were developed during phase A of the CNOSSOS-EU process (2010-2012), whilst focusing on the main scientific and technical issues that were addressed, and the implementation challenges that are being faced before it can become fully operational in the EU MS. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A Review of the Field on Children’s Exposure to Environmental Contaminants: A Risk Assessment Approach

PubMed Central

Ferguson, Alesia; Penney, Rosalind; Solo-Gabriele, Helena

2017-01-01

Background: Children must be recognized as a sensitive population based on having biological systems and organs in various stages of development. The processes of absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination of environmental contaminants within a child’s body are considered less advanced than those of adults, making them more susceptible to disease outcomes following even small doses. Children’s unique activities of crawling and practicing increased hand-to-mouth ingestion also make them vulnerable to greater exposures by certain contaminants within specific environments. Approach: There is a need to review the field of children’s environmental exposures in order to understand trends and identify gaps in research, which may lead to better protection of this vulnerable and sensitive population. Therefore, explored here are previously published contemporary works in the broad area of children’s environmental exposures and potential impact on health from around the world. A discussion of children’s exposure to environmental contaminants is best organized under the last four steps of a risk assessment approach: hazard identification, dose-response assessment, exposure assessment (including children’s activity patterns) and risk characterization. We first consider the many exposure hazards that exist in the indoor and outdoor environments, and emerging contaminants of concern that may help guide the risk assessment process in identifying focus areas for children. A section on special diseases of concern is also included. Conclusions: The field of children’s exposures to environmental contaminants is broad. Although there are some well-studied areas offering much insight into children exposures, research is still needed to further our understanding of exposures to newer compounds, growing disease trends and the role of gene-environment interactions that modify adverse health outcomes. It is clear that behaviors of adults and children play a role in reducing or increasing a child’s exposure, where strategies to better communicate and implement risk modifying behaviors are needed, and can be more effective than implementing   changes in the physical environment. PMID:28273865

A Review of the Field on Children's Exposure to Environmental Contaminants: A Risk Assessment Approach.

PubMed

Ferguson, Alesia; Penney, Rosalind; Solo-Gabriele, Helena

2017-03-04

Background : Children must be recognized as a sensitive population based on having biological systems and organs in various stages of development. The processes of absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination of environmental contaminants within a child's body are considered less advanced than those of adults, making them more susceptible to disease outcomes following even small doses. Children's unique activities of crawling and practicing increased hand-to-mouth ingestion also make them vulnerable to greater exposures by certain contaminants within specific environments. Approach : There is a need to review the field of children's environmental exposures in order to understand trends and identify gaps in research, which may lead to better protection of this vulnerable and sensitive population. Therefore, explored here are previously published contemporary works in the broad area of children's environmental exposures and potential impact on health from around the world. A discussion of children's exposure to environmental contaminants is best organized under the last four steps of a risk assessment approach: hazard identification, dose-response assessment, exposure assessment (including children's activity patterns) and risk characterization. We first consider the many exposure hazards that exist in the indoor and outdoor environments, and emerging contaminants of concern that may help guide the risk assessment process in identifying focus areas for children. A section on special diseases of concern is also included. Conclusions : The field of children's exposures to environmental contaminants is broad. Although there are some well-studied areas offering much insight into children exposures, research is still needed to further our understanding of exposures to newer compounds, growing disease trends and the role of gene-environment interactions that modify adverse health outcomes. It is clear that behaviors of adults and children play a role in reducing or increasing a child's exposure, where strategies to better communicate and implement risk modifying behaviors are needed, and can be more effective than implementing   changes in the physical environment.

AN INDOOR PESTICIDE AIR AND SURFACE CONCENTRATION MODEL

EPA Science Inventory

A thorough assessment of human exposure to environmental chemicals requires consideration of all processes in the sequence from source to dose. For assessment of exposure to pesticides following their use indoors, data and models are needed to estimate pesticide concentrations...

Indigenous Peoples Involment At The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Process in Tabi Mamta Area Of Papua Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhiksawan, Ferdinand Saras; Hadi, Sudharto P.; Samekto, Adji; Sasongko, Dwi P.

2018-02-01

The purpose of this study is to find a picture of the involvement of Indigenous Peoples of Tabi Mamta in the process of environmental impact assessment (EIA) in Tabi Mamta customary territory. The method and type of research used is non-ethnographic qualitative research with data collection techniques using limited observation techniques. Data and information in the field will be analyzed using constructivism paradigm. The paradigm of constructivism is based on an interpretive understanding called hermeneutics (hermeneuien) in the sense of interpreting, giving understanding, translating data and information obtained in the research location as a result of social reality. The results of this study indicate that the customary community of Tabi Mamta is a unit of customary community that still has territorial customary territory, has a customary leadership structure, still visible relationship of kinship, cultural values as well as customary norms and sanctions, and has environmental wisdom in maintaining existence Natural resources. In the socio-cultural system of customary communities there are components such as customary stratification, permissiveness, communication, reciprocity, past history, cultural values, customary norms and sanctions, religious and customary leadership. Components in the socio-cultural system of indigenous and tribal peoples play a role in the EIA process in the Tabi Mamta customary area especially in the environmental feasibility decision making process. The components of custom stratification, cultural values and customary norms play a role in the EIA process. In customary stratification there is uncustomary structure in the ondoafi, Iram and Tribal Leadership. Components in a sociual cultural system is a unity resulting from interaction between individuals and groups to prevent environmental damage and disturbance of natural resources. Natural resources are considered as ancestral symbols passed down by ancestors from generation to generation

Environmental exposure assessment framework for nanoparticles in solid waste.

PubMed

Boldrin, Alessio; Hansen, Steffen Foss; Baun, Anders; Hartmann, Nanna Isabella Bloch; Astrup, Thomas Fruergaard

2014-01-01

Information related to the potential environmental exposure of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) in the solid waste management phase is extremely scarce. In this paper, we define nanowaste as separately collected or collectable waste materials which are or contain ENMs, and we present a five-step framework for the systematic assessment of ENM exposure during nanowaste management. The framework includes deriving EOL nanoproducts and evaluating the physicochemical properties of the nanostructure, matrix properties and nanowaste treatment processes as well as transformation processes and environment releases, eventually leading to a final assessment of potential ENM exposure. The proposed framework was applied to three selected nanoproducts: nanosilver polyester textile, nanoTiO 2 sunscreen lotion and carbon nanotube tennis racquets. We found that the potential global environmental exposure of ENMs associated with these three products was an estimated 0.5-143 Mg/year, which can also be characterised qualitatively as medium, medium, low, respectively. Specific challenges remain and should be subject to further research: (1) analytical techniques for the characterisation of nanowaste and its transformation during waste treatment processes, (2) mechanisms for the release of ENMs, (3) the quantification of nanowaste amounts at the regional scale, (4) a definition of acceptable limit values for exposure to ENMs from nanowaste and (5) the reporting of nanowaste generation data.

Environmental exposure assessment framework for nanoparticles in solid waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boldrin, Alessio; Hansen, Steffen Foss; Baun, Anders; Hartmann, Nanna Isabella Bloch; Astrup, Thomas Fruergaard

2014-06-01

Information related to the potential environmental exposure of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) in the solid waste management phase is extremely scarce. In this paper, we define nanowaste as separately collected or collectable waste materials which are or contain ENMs, and we present a five-step framework for the systematic assessment of ENM exposure during nanowaste management. The framework includes deriving EOL nanoproducts and evaluating the physicochemical properties of the nanostructure, matrix properties and nanowaste treatment processes as well as transformation processes and environment releases, eventually leading to a final assessment of potential ENM exposure. The proposed framework was applied to three selected nanoproducts: nanosilver polyester textile, nanoTiO2 sunscreen lotion and carbon nanotube tennis racquets. We found that the potential global environmental exposure of ENMs associated with these three products was an estimated 0.5-143 Mg/year, which can also be characterised qualitatively as medium, medium, low, respectively. Specific challenges remain and should be subject to further research: (1) analytical techniques for the characterisation of nanowaste and its transformation during waste treatment processes, (2) mechanisms for the release of ENMs, (3) the quantification of nanowaste amounts at the regional scale, (4) a definition of acceptable limit values for exposure to ENMs from nanowaste and (5) the reporting of nanowaste generation data.

Polar Environmental Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nagler, R. G.; Schulteis, A. C.

1979-01-01

The present and projected benefits of the polar regions were reviewed and then translated into information needs in order to support the array of polar activities anticipated. These needs included measurement sensitivities for polar environmental data (ice/snow, atmosphere, and ocean data for integrated support) and the processing and delivery requirements which determine the effectiveness of environmental services. An assessment was made of how well electromagnetic signals can be converted into polar environmental information. The array of sensor developments in process or proposed were also evaluated as to the spectral diversity, aperture sizes, and swathing capabilities available to provide these measurements from spacecraft, aircraft, or in situ platforms. Global coverage and local coverage densification options were studied in terms of alternative spacecraft trajectories and aircraft flight paths.

An investigation of environmental and sustainability discourses associated with the substantive purposes of environmental assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rozema, Jaap G., E-mail: j.rozema@uea.ac.uk; Bond, Alan J., E-mail: alan.bond@uea.ac.uk; Cashmore, Matthew, E-mail: cashmore@plan.aau.dk

2012-02-15

This paper investigates the discursive construction of the substantive purposes of environmental assessment (EA). It addresses these purposes by exploring the complex and often multifaceted linkages between political factors and plural views of democracy, public participation, and the role of science that are embedded in environmental and sustainability discourses. The interaction between policy-making and public actors leads to the formulation of divergent and potentially competing rationales for public participation, and for social appraisal more generally. Participatory approaches have also given impetus to the development of several interpretations on the role of science in assessment procedures. Science is important in mediatingmore » public participation and the two are therefore reciprocally linked. This leads to discourses that become manifest in the construction of substantive purposes. Discourse analysis in EA is a relevant method for examining trends and patterns in sustainable development. It is argued that public participation is an important, if not decisive, variable in the articulation and civil legitimacy of certain purposes. A general proposition that results from this paper is that EA, although typically presented as an objective scientific tool, is an intrinsically normative process. Enhanced knowledge on the construction, and reconstruction over time, of substantive purposes is required if environmental and sustainability discourses are to be used and understood as meaningful analytical instruments to assess the socio-political implications of EA. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Substantive purposes related to environmental assessment may be best analyzed through discourse analysis. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Environmental and sustainability discourses are contingent on the level of participatory democracy and civic science. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Public participation is a decisive variable in the construction of the substantive purpose of environmental assessment.« less

Use of life cycle assessments to evaluate the environmental footprint of contaminated sediment remediation.

PubMed

Sparrevik, Magnus; Saloranta, Tuomo; Cornelissen, Gerard; Eek, Espen; Fet, Annik Magerholm; Breedveld, Gijs D; Linkov, Igor

2011-05-15

Ecological and human risks often drive the selection of remedial alternatives for contaminated sediments. Traditional human and ecological risk assessment (HERA) includes assessing risk for benthic organisms and aquatic fauna associated with exposure to contaminated sediments before and after remediation as well as risk for human exposure but does not consider the environmental footprint associated with implementing remedial alternatives. Assessment of environmental effects over the whole life cycle (i.e., Life Cycle Assessment, LCA) could complement HERA and help in selecting the most appropriate sediment management alternative. Even though LCA has been developed and applied in multiple environmental management cases, applications to contaminated sediments and marine ecosystems are in general less frequent. This paper implements LCA methodology for the case of the polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and -furans (PCDD/F)-contaminated Grenland fjord in Norway. LCA was applied to investigate the environmental footprint of different active and passive thin-layer capping alternatives as compared to natural recovery. The results showed that capping was preferable to natural recovery when analysis is limited to effects related to the site contamination. Incorporation of impacts related to the use of resources and energy during the implementation of a thin layer cap increase the environmental footprint by over 1 order of magnitude, making capping inferior to the natural recovery alternative. Use of biomass-derived activated carbon, where carbon dioxide is sequestered during the production process, reduces the overall environmental impact to that of natural recovery. The results from this study show that LCA may be a valuable tool for assessing the environmental footprint of sediment remediation projects and for sustainable sediment management.

Final Environmental Assessment for the Closure of the Garland ANG Station 254th Combat Communications Group Garland, Texas

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-07-01

using GIS, ArcView, ArcGIS , and PGS. Mary Washington College, 2002, BA, Geography. AIR NATIONAL GUARD COORDINATORS Major Stephen R. Lippert...Environmental Impact Assessment Process Regulations at 32 CFR Part 989, and US Air Force Instruction 32-7061 (12 March 2003), the Air National Guard...license between the Texas National Guard and the Federal Government (specifically, the US Air Force, with the US Army Corps of Engineers as its agent

Sustainability assessment of shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alkahla, Ibrahim; Pervaiz, Salman

2017-09-01

Shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) process is one of the most commonly employed material joining processes utilized in the various industrial sectors such as marine, ship-building, automotive, aerospace, construction and petrochemicals etc. The increasing pressure on manufacturing sector wants the welding process to be sustainable in nature. The SMAW process incorporates several types of inputs and output streams. The sustainability concerns associated with SMAW process are linked with the various input and output streams such as electrical energy requirement, input material consumptions, slag formation, fumes emission and hazardous working conditions associated with the human health and occupational safety. To enhance the environmental performance of the SMAW welding process, there is a need to characterize the sustainability for the SMAW process under the broad framework of sustainability. Most of the available literature focuses on the technical and economic aspects of the welding process, however the environmental and social aspects are rarely addressed. The study reviews SMAW process with respect to the triple bottom line (economic, environmental and social) sustainability approach. Finally, the study concluded recommendations towards achieving economical and sustainable SMAW welding process.

Environmental hazard mapping using GIS and AHP - A case study of Dong Trieu District in Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anh, N. K.; Phonekeo, V.; My, V. C.; Duong, N. D.; Dat, P. T.

2014-02-01

In recent years, Vietnamese economy has been growing up rapidly and caused serious environmental quality plunging, especially in industrial and mining areas. It brings an enormous threat to a socially sustainable development and the health of human beings. Environmental quality assessment and protection are complex and dynamic processes, since it involves spatial information from multi-sector, multi-region and multi-field sources and needs complicated data processing. Therefore, an effective environmental protection information system is needed, in which considerable factors hidden in the complex relationships will become clear and visible. In this paper, the authors present the methodology which was used to generate environmental hazard maps which are applied to the integration of Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Geographical Information system (GIS). We demonstrate the results that were obtained from the study area in Dong Trieu district. This research study has contributed an overall perspective of environmental quality and identified the devastated areas where the administration urgently needs to establish an appropriate policy to improve and protect the environment.

Improving three-tier environmental assessment model by using a 3D scanning FLS-AM series hyperspectral lidar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samberg, Andre; Babichenko, Sergei; Poryvkina, Larisa

2005-05-01

Delay between the time when natural disaster, for example, oil accident in coastal water, occurred and the time when environmental protection actions, for example, water and shoreline clean-up, started is of significant importance. Mostly remote sensing techniques are considered as (near) real-time and suitable for multiple tasks. These techniques in combination with rapid environmental assessment methodologies would form multi-tier environmental assessment model, which allows creating (near) real-time datasets and optimizing sampling scenarios. This paper presents the idea of three-tier environmental assessment model. Here all three tiers are briefly described to show the linkages between them, with a particular focus on the first tier. Furthermore, it is described how large-scale environmental assessment can be improved by using an airborne 3-D scanning FLS-AM series hyperspectral lidar. This new aircraft-based sensor is typically applied for oil mapping on sea/ground surface and extracting optical features of subjects. In general, a sampling network, which is based on three-tier environmental assessment model, can include ship(s) and aircraft(s). The airborne 3-D scanning FLS-AM series hyperspectral lidar helps to speed up the whole process of assessing of area of natural disaster significantly, because this is a real-time remote sensing mean. For instance, it can deliver such information as georeferenced oil spill position in WGS-84, the estimated size of the whole oil spill, and the estimated amount of oil in seawater or on ground. All information is produced in digital form and, thus, can be directly transferred into a customer"s GIS (Geographical Information System) system.

15 CFR 287.2 - Definitions. 1

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... management of product, process or service quality and environmental performance. Sampling means the selection..., process, service, or person's qualifications conforms to specified requirements. Conformity assessment.... Requirements for products, services, systems, and organizations are those defined by law or regulation or by an...

International Conference on Environmental Sensing and Assessment, Las Vegas, Nev., September 14-19, 1975, Proceedings. Volumes 1 & 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

The papers deal with the detection of hazardous environmental pollutants, the development of emission control plans, and the design of compliance monitoring systems. Topics include remote sensing techniques in environmental pollution monitoring, monitoring of atmospheric particulate matter, air pollution due to sulfur dioxide and other inorganic compounds, marine pollution, atmospheric aerosols, industrial pollution, and legal aspects of pollution monitoring. Other papers examine the toxic effects of heavy metals and halogenated hydrocarbons, pollution associated with waste-disposal processes, pesticide residues in soil and groundwater, evaluations of groundwater quality, and monitoring of nuclear wastes. The interaction of climate and pollution is also discussed along with global pollutant transport, environmental modeling, ambient environmental air quality, aircraft and ground-vehicle emissions, and pollution associated with energy extraction and utilization processes. Individual items are announced in this issue.

18 CFR 5.24 - Applications not requiring a draft NEPA document.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... requiring a draft NEPA document. 5.24 Section 5.24 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY... APPLICATION PROCESS § 5.24 Applications not requiring a draft NEPA document. (a) If the Commission determines... environmental impact statement and that a draft environmental assessment will not be required, the Commission...

18 CFR 5.24 - Applications not requiring a draft NEPA document.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... requiring a draft NEPA document. 5.24 Section 5.24 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY... APPLICATION PROCESS § 5.24 Applications not requiring a draft NEPA document. (a) If the Commission determines... environmental impact statement and that a draft environmental assessment will not be required, the Commission...

18 CFR 5.24 - Applications not requiring a draft NEPA document.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... requiring a draft NEPA document. 5.24 Section 5.24 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY... APPLICATION PROCESS § 5.24 Applications not requiring a draft NEPA document. (a) If the Commission determines... environmental impact statement and that a draft environmental assessment will not be required, the Commission...

78 FR 65962 - Revision of the Land Management Plan for the Flathead National Forest

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-04

... over time. Under the 2012 Planning Rule, the assessment of ecological, social, and economic trends and... environmental impact statement and revised Forest Plan for public review and comment, and the preparation of the final environmental impact statement and revised Forest Plan. The third stage of the process is...

75 FR 7472 - Southern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-19

... Abandonment and Replacement Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues February 5, 2010. The... Replacement Project, involving the abandonment and replacement of facilities by Southern Natural Gas Company... process to determine whether the project is in the public convenience and necessity. This notice announces...

Assessing the impact of emerging forest disease on wildfire using Landsat and KOMPSAT-2 data

Treesearch

Gang Chen; Yinan He; Angela De Santis; Guosheng Li; Richard Cobb; Ross K. Meentemeyer

2017-01-01

Environmental disturbance regimes are more frequently being altered by historically novel events and disturbance interactions, which may trigger reorganizations of new ecosystem states and processes. Here we examine synergies between emerging forest disease and wildfire to determine whether disease outbreak changes environmental drivers of burn severity using sudden...

78 FR 57847 - Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Environmental Impact Assessment of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-20

... Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), ``Final Rule at.... citizens or groups of citizens planning travel to Antarctica on an expedition for which they are not acting... identified and considered by the operator during the planning process and that to the extent practicable...

Long-term assessment of the productivity, profitability, and environmental impact of two mid-Atlantic no-tillage cropping systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Future farming systems need to simultaneously 1) meet the demand for feeding a growing world population, 2) adjust to the developing scarcity of energy, nutrients, and water resources, and 3) mitigate environmental hazards. Development of cropping systems that maximize ecological processes for prov...

Environmentally Sound Processing Technology: JANNAF Safety and Environmental Protection Subcommittee and Propellant Development and Characterization Subcommittee Joint Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pickett, Lorri A. (Editor)

1995-01-01

Topics covered include: Risk assessment of hazardous materials, Automated systems for pollution prevention and hazardous materials elimination, Study design for the toxicity evaluation of ammonium perchlorate, Plasma sprayed bondable stainless surface coatings, Development of CFC-free cleaning processes, New fluorinated solvent alternatives to ozone depleting solvents, Cleaning with highly fluorinated liquids, Biotreatment of propyleneglycol nitrate by anoxic denitrification, Treatment of hazardous waste with white rot fungus, Hydrothermal oxidation as an environmentally benign treatment technology, Treatment of solid propellant manufacturing wastes by base hydrolysis, Design considerations for cleaning using supercritical fluid technology, and Centrifugal shear carbon dioxide cleaning.

Implications of movement for species distribution models - Rethinking environmental data tools.

PubMed

Bruneel, Stijn; Gobeyn, Sacha; Verhelst, Pieterjan; Reubens, Jan; Moens, Tom; Goethals, Peter

2018-07-01

Movement is considered an essential process in shaping the distributions of species. Nevertheless, most species distribution models (SDMs) still focus solely on environment-species relationships to predict the occurrence of species. Furthermore, the currently used indirect estimates of movement allow to assess habitat accessibility, but do not provide an accurate description of movement. Better proxies of movement are needed to assess the dispersal potential of individual species and to gain a more practical insight in the interconnectivity of communities. Telemetry techniques are rapidly evolving and highly capable to provide explicit descriptions of movement, but their usefulness for SDMs will mainly depend on the ability of these models to deal with hitherto unconsidered ecological processes. More specifically, the integration of movement is likely to affect the environmental data requirements as the connection between environmental and biological data is crucial to provide reliable results. Mobility implies the occupancy of a continuum of space, hence an adequate representation of both geographical and environmental space is paramount to study mobile species distributions. In this context, environmental models, remote sensing techniques and animal-borne environmental sensors are discussed as potential techniques to obtain suitable environmental data. In order to provide an in-depth review of the aforementioned methods, we have chosen to use the modelling of fish distributions as a case study. The high mobility of fish and the often highly variable nature of the aquatic environment generally complicate model development, making it an adequate subject for research. Furthermore, insight into the distribution of fish is of great interest for fish stock assessments and water management worldwide, underlining its practical relevance. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

INCORPORATION OF MOLECULAR ENDPOINTS INTO QUANTITATIVE RISK ASSESSMENT

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recently released its Guidelines for Carcinogen Risk Assessment. These new guidelines benefit from the significant progress that has been made in understanding the cancer process and also from the more than 20 years experience that EPA...

Multiple pathway asbestos exposure assessment for a Superfund community.

PubMed

Noonan, Curtis W; Conway, Kathrene; Landguth, Erin L; McNew, Tracy; Linker, Laura; Pfau, Jean; Black, Brad; Szeinuk, Jaime; Flores, Raja

2015-01-01

Libby, MT, USA, was the home to workers at a historical vermiculite mining facility and served as the processing and distribution center for this industrial product that was contaminated with amphibole asbestos. Several pathways of environmental asbestos exposure to the general population have been identified. The local clinic and health screening program collects data from participants on past occupational and environmental exposures to vermiculite and asbestos. Health studies among this population have demonstrated associations between amphibole exposure and health outcomes, but critical questions regarding the nature and level of exposure associated with specific outcomes remain unanswered. The objective of this study was to develop a comprehensive exposure assessment approach that integrates information on individuals' contact frequency with multiple exposure pathways. For 3031 participants, we describe cumulative exposure metrics for environmental exposures, occupational exposures, and residents' contact with carry-home asbestos from household workers. As expected, cumulative exposures for all three occupational categories were higher among men compared with women, and cumulative exposures for household contact and environmental pathways were higher among women. The comprehensive exposure assessment strategies will advance health studies and risk assessment approaches in this population with a complex history of both occupational and environmental asbestos exposure.

The Insignificance of Thresholds in Environmental Impact Assessment: An Illustrative Case Study in Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murray, Cathryn Clarke; Wong, Janson; Singh, Gerald G.; Mach, Megan; Lerner, Jackie; Ranieri, Bernardo; Peterson St-Laurent, Guillaume; Guimaraes, Alice; Chan, Kai M. A.

2018-06-01

Environmental assessment is the process that decision-makers rely on to predict, evaluate, and prevent biophysical, social, and economic impacts of potential project developments. The determination of significance in environmental assessment is central to environmental management in many nations. We reviewed ten recent environmental impact assessments from British Columbia, Canada and systematically reviewed and scored significance determination and the approaches used by assessors, the use of thresholds in significance determination, threshold exceedances, and the outcomes. Findings of significant impacts were exceedingly rare and practitioners used a combination of significance determination approaches, most commonly relying upon reasoned argumentation. Quantitative thresholds were rarely employed, with less than 10% of the valued components evaluated using thresholds. Even where quantitative thresholds for significance were exceeded, in every case practitioners used a variety of rationales to demote negative impacts to non-significance. These reasons include combinations of scale (temporal and spatial) of impacts, an already exceeded baseline, model uncertainty and/or substituting less stringent thresholds. Governments and agencies can better protect resources by requiring clear and defensible significance determinations, by making government-defined thresholds legally enforceable and accountable, and by requiring or encouraging significance determination through inclusive and collaborative approaches.

Life cycle assessment of overhead and underground primary power distribution.

PubMed

Bumby, Sarah; Druzhinina, Ekaterina; Feraldi, Rebe; Werthmann, Danae; Geyer, Roland; Sahl, Jack

2010-07-15

Electrical power can be distributed in overhead or underground systems, both of which generate a variety of environmental impacts at all stages of their life cycles. While there is considerable literature discussing the trade-offs between both systems in terms of aesthetics, safety, cost, and reliability, environmental assessments are relatively rare and limited to power cable production and end-of-life management. This paper assesses environmental impacts from overhead and underground medium voltage power distribution systems as they are currently built and managed by Southern California Edison (SCE). It uses process-based life cycle assessment (LCA) according to ISO 14044 (2006) and SCE-specific primary data to the extent possible. Potential environmental impacts have been calculated using a wide range of midpoint indicators, and robustness of the results has been investigated through sensitivity analysis of the most uncertain and potentially significant parameters. The studied underground system has higher environmental impacts in all indicators and for all parameter values, mostly due to its higher material intensity. For both systems and all indicators the majority of impact occurs during cable production. Promising strategies for impact reduction are thus cable failure rate reduction for overhead and cable lifetime extension for underground systems.

Environmental impact assessment in Sri Lanka: A progress report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Butler, J.W.

1995-12-01

The paper reports on progress by the Government of Sri Lanka in the implementation of a formal environmental impact assessment (EIA) requirement. The authors have recently conducted several activities in Sri Lanka intended to improve the analytical quality of EIA documents and the utility of the EIA process in government decisionmaking, with particular attention to the use of programmatic or sectoral EIAs. The U.S. Agency for International Development established a 5-year project, the Natural Resources and Environmental Policy Project (NAREPP), to provide training and technical assistance in EIA and related disiplines for the Central Environmental Authority (CEA), several other Srimore » Lanka government agencies, and the private sector. This activity has involved efforts to expand the technical expertise within Sri Lanka for conducting EIA, which include developing EIA courses and materials in cooperation with several universities and conducting intensive training programs for both government and private-sector environmental professionals. This EIA will focus on the selection of government-approved industrial estates throughout the country, on which most new industrial development projects are to be located. Further training programs in the use of current analytical methodologies for EIA were also developed and conducted. The effectiveness of these activities can be assessed by evaluating changes in the content and quality of subsequent EIA documents and in the extent to which such documents affect environmental decisionmaking in Sri Lanka. The authors discuss the role of the programmatic EIA in the industrial development program of Sri Lanka, remaining constraints on the EIA process, and recommendations for further improvement.« less

Eco-environmental vulnerability assessment for large drinking water resource: a case study of Qiandao Lake Area, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Qing; Li, Jun; Deng, Jinsong; Lin, Yi; Ma, Ligang; Wu, Chaofan; Wang, Ke; Hong, Yang

2015-09-01

The Qiandao Lake Area (QLA) is of great significance in terms of drinking water supply in East Coast China as well as a nationally renowned tourist attraction. A series of laws and regulations regarding the QLA environment have been enacted and implemented throughout the past decade with the aim of negating the harmful effects associated with expanding urbanization and industrialization. In this research, an assessment framework was developed to analyze the eco-environmental vulnerability of the QLA from 1990-2010 by integrating fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) and geographical information systems (GIS) in an attempt to gain insights into the status quo of the QLA so as to review and evaluate the effectiveness of the related policies. After processing and analyzing the temporal and spatial variation of eco-environmental vulnerability and major environmental issues in the QLA, we found that the state of eco-environmental vulnerability of the QLA was acceptable, though a moderate deterioration was detected during the study period. Furthermore, analysis of the combination of vulnerability and water quality indicated that the water quality showed signs of declination, though the overall status remained satisfactory. It was hence concluded that the collective protection and treatment actions were effective over the study period, whereas immediately stricter measures would be required for protecting the drinking water quality from domestic sewage and industrial wastewater. Finally, the spatial variation of the eco-environmental vulnerability assessment also implied that specifically more targeted measures should be adopted in respective regions for long-term sustainable development of the QLA.

Environmental and health impact assessment for ports in Thailand.

PubMed

Chanchang, Chamchan; Sithisarankul, Pornchai; Supanitayanon, Thanawat

2016-01-01

Port development in Thailand is an essential part of the national maritime interest in connection with ship and shore activities. The growth of maritime industry and transportation has led to the expansion of ports' areas and capacity. Each port type causes different environmental impacts. Therefore, the Port Authority of Thailand has set up guidelines on ports' environmental management. This is divided into 3 major phases; namely, planning, construction and operation commencement periods. The Report of Environmental and Health Impact Assessment (EIA, HIA and EHIA) is regarded as the environmental management process in the planning period. It is a key tool to anticipate and prevent any adverse effects that might occur on the environment as well as community health resulting from the project implementation. This measure, in turn, creates advance preparation on both the preventive and problem-solving means before the project gets off the ground. At present, the majority of new projects on port development have still been in the process of information gathering for EHIA submission. Some cannot start to operate due to their EHIA failure. For example, the Tha-sala port which did not pass EHIA, mainly because emphasis had been focused on adhering to legal regulations without taking into consideration the in-depth analysis of data being conducted by community entities in the area. Thus caused the project to be finally abolished. Impact assessment on environment and health should be aimed at detailed understanding of the community in each particular area so that effective data of objective achievement in preventing environmental problems could actually be carried out and welcomed by the concerned society.

Just who is at risk? The ethics of environmental regulation.

PubMed

Simon, Ted

2011-08-01

The willingness to view risk as part of daily life has vanished. A risk-averse mindset among environmental regulators engenders confusion between the ethics of intention and the ethics of consequence, leading to the elevation of the precautionary principle with unintended and often unfortunate outcomes. Environmental risk assessment is conservative, but the actual level of conservatism cannot be determined. High-end exposure assumptions and current toxicity criteria from the USEPA, based on linear extrapolation for carcinogens and default uncertainty factors for systemic toxicants, obscure the degree of conservatism in risk assessments. Ideally, one could choose a percentile of the target population to include within environmental standards, but this choice is complicated by the food, pharmaceutical and advertising industries, whose activities, inadvertent or not, often promote maladaptive and unhealthy lifestyle choices. There has lately been much discussion about background exposures and disease processes and their potential to increase the risk from environmental chemicals. Should these background exposures or disease processes, especially those associated with maladaptive individual choices, be included as part of a regulatory risk evaluation? A significant ethical question is whether environmental regulation should protect those pursuing a self-destructive lifestyle that may add to or synergize with otherwise innocuous environmental exposures. Choosing a target percentile of protection would provide an increased level of transparency and the flexibility to choose a higher or lower percentile if such a choice is warranted. Transparency and flexibility will lead to more responsive environmental regulation that balances protection of public health and the stewardship of societal resources.

Use of mass spectrometry coupled with a solids insertion probe to prescreen soil samples for environmental samples

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Check, C.E.; Bach, S.B.H.

1995-12-31

The contamination of air, water, and soils by a myriad of sources generates a large sample Currently, sample volume for hazardous constituent analyses is approximately half a million samples per year. The total analytical costs associated with this are astronomical. The analysis of these samples is vital in terms of assessing the types of contamination present and to what degree a site has been contaminated. The results of these analyses are very important for making an informed, knowledgeable decision as to the need for remediation and what type of remediation processes should be initiated based on site suitability vs non-actionmore » for the various sample sites. With an ever growing environmental consciousness in today`s society, the assessment and subsequent remediation of a site needs to be accomplished promptly despite the time constraints traditional methods place on such actions. In order to facilitate a rapid assessment, it is desirable to utilize instrumentation and equipment which afford the most information about a site allowing for optimization in environmental assessment while maintaining a realistic time schedule for the resulting remediation process. Because there are various types of environmental samples that can be taken at a site, different combinations of instrumentation and methods are required for assessing the level and type of contamination present whether it is in air, water, or soils. This study is limited to analyzing soil-like media that would normally fall under EPA Method 8270 which is used to analyze solid waste matrices, soils, and groundwater for semi-volatile organic compounds.« less

The role of environmental accidental risk assessment in the process of granting development consent.

PubMed

Kontic, Branko; Gerbec, Marko

2009-11-01

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a procedure that must be followed for certain types of development before they are granted development consent. The procedure requires the developer to compile an environmental impact report (EIR) describing the likely significant effects of the project on the environment. A regulatory requirement in Slovenia is that an accidental risk assessment for a new installation should be a part of an EIR. The article shows how risk assessment (RA) related to accidental release of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) or a polyvalent alcohol mixture from a new planned unit of a chemical factory in the Alpine region of Slovenia was performed in the framework of an EIA for the purpose of obtaining a construction permit. Two accidental scenarios were considered: (a) a spill of 20 m(3) of MDI or polyvalent alcohol mixture into the river Soca (the river runs close to the chemical factory) and (b) a fire in the warehouse storing the raw material, where emission of toxic gases HCN, NO(x), and CO is expected during combustion of MDI. One of the most important results of this case is the agreement among the developer, the competent authority, and a consultant in the field of EIA and RA to positively conclude the licensing process despite the absence of formal (regulatory) limit values for risk. It has been approved that transparent, reasonably uncertain, and semi-quantitative environmental risk assessment is an inevitable component of an EIA, and an essential factor in informed, licensing-related decision making.

Environmental Impact Assessment and Space Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viikari, L.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a common tool for environment a l protection and management on Earth today, as prior assessment of the environmental consequences of planned activities. It is meant to provide the decision-makers with as comprehensive as possible information about the different environmental effects the proposed activity would entail, including alternative courses of action and the zero-alternative (i.e. the no action alternative). Additionally, plans for mitigation in respect of each alternative are to be outlined. The assessments take account of i.a. environmental impacts on ecosystems, diminution of aesthetic and scientific values, long-term or cumulative effects, as well as transfrontier implications. They also consider issues such as pollution control, environmental protection measures, reporting, post-project analysis, rehabilitation and so on. Also uncertainties in the assessment process are to be expressly presented. Most importantly, a common requirement also is that the results of the impact studies are presented in a way comprehensible to the g neral public,e too. Although the central aspect of the EIA is to provide the decision-makers with scientific information, the process also has other important implications. One of the most relevant of them is the involvement of those people potentially affected in some way by the proposed activity: most EIA systems require in some way the participation of the public, alongside with the relevant governmental authorities and other stake-holders. Such public involvement has various aims and goals: it may serve as a testimony to good governance in general, or be considered in more practical terms as improved planning, due to the concrete contribution of the public to the decision-making process. Obviously, it also is a tool for reducing conflict and developing wider support for the eventual decisions. In short, it enables the public to gain information about planned activities and influence these developments in way or another. In addition to national EIA regulations, there are also international agreements on EIA (i.a. the Espoo Convention) which establish their own EIA systems. In international law of outer space, environmental impact assessment is, however, not a well-established tool. The UN space treaties were drafted during a time when such consideratio ns were still not among the highest ranking items on national agendas. Therefore, these instruments fail to contain provisions regarding impact assessment, and also rest of the environmental content found in them is rather modest. The nearest equivalent to any impact assessment is contained in the Outer Space Treaty Article IX, namely the requirement of prior consultations in case of planned space activity or experiment that might cause "potentially harmful interference" with space activities of other St ates Parties. There also exist some applicable provisions on national level, such as the requirement of "formal assessment" on NASA programs of "[orbital] debris generation potential and debris mitigation options" in NASA Policy for Limiting Orbital Debris Generation (Art. 1.b). Also the national legislation of some space faring countries provides at least for the supply of some kind of information assessing the possible environmental consequences of proposed space activities. For instance, the Russian Statute on Lisencing Space Operations requires that for obtaining a license for space operation in the Russian Federation, the applicant has to supply, i.a. "documents confirming the safety of space operations (including ecological, fire and explosion safety) and the reliability of space equipment'"(Art.5.h). However, such provisions are obviously not enough for ensuring effective international regulation of the issue. The goal of this paper is to consider the usefulness of international environmental impact assessment for space activities. The space environment, however, is a unique arena in many ways. An obvious problem for any impact assessment are the deficiencies in knowledge about processes taking place in space in general. The outcome of proposed space activities therefore cannot necessarily be assessed in detail. In any case, outer space is a global common, and any adverse environmental effects of space utilization are therefore likely to be highly severe, irreversible and wide in scope. On the other hand, the tragedy of the commons problem render many nationally adopted strategies for combating adverse environmental consequences ineffective. Additionally, some principles applied on earth have not been as warmly welcomed among the space faring nations and other entities involved. For instance, it is still an issue under debate whether space has any intrinsic value or is merely a resource for human utilization. There is presently no permanent human settlement in space, and the environs thereby remain somew hat remote for the everyday lives of the vast majority of humankind. Space industry is, furthermore, highly commercialised and militarised area of international activity. Relevance of the precautionary principle and sustainable development, for instance, seem to rest therefore on a bit shakier ground while applied in outer space. Space faring nations and other entities seldom are very keen on distributing detailed information about their planned activities either. Also the fact that any activity taking place in outer space may be regarded ultra-hazardous, although during their normal operation the environmental harms usually are minor, renders for instance the due diligence principle, and the transboundary impact assessment duty it entails, somewhat less applicable. Nevertheless, sustainable development and precautionary principle are important issues for all space activities, too, and such goals would obviously necessitate better environmental protection. Additionally, democracy would seem to require the possibility of enhanced public participation, or at least more open distribution of information about human enterprises in space, too.However, the "public concerned" in space activities may cover the entire humanity, which would most likely direct the possible spatial EIA procedures into the auspices of the UN, with states representing their portion of the "public". Despite the peculiarities in assessing the potential impacts of space activities, Environmental Impact Assessment, modified to answer thes e particular features, would seem as a tool worth considering for the above objectives of enhanced environmental protection and public involvement. This is particularly true, as any adverse environmental impacts of space activities are highly difficult to mitigate, once they have materialized. For the above mentioned reasons, and for the fact that space activities are regulated for a major part on policy level, particularly Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) would seem a viable option. As distinct from the project EIA, the SEA means carrying out EIAs of plans themselves, i.e. it directly addresses the environmental implications of proposed strategies and policies. Formerly, the governmental authorities tended to regard SEA with suspicion because of the public interest groups involvement in policy making that the SEA entails. However, currently the SEA is a highly topical issue in the international arena, particularly because of the ongoing discussions within the United Nations Economic Commision for Europe about adopting a Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment to amend the Espoo Convention, and of the recent EU Directive (2001/42/EC) on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on t he environment. These instruments could also serve as feasible models for SEA in the outer space environment.

Indirect water management through Life Cycle Assessment: Fostering sustainable production in developing countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pfister, S.; Bayer, P.; Koehler, A.; Hellweg, S.

2009-04-01

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) represents a methodological framework for analyzing the total environmental impact of any product or service of our daily life. After tracking all associated emissions and the consumption of resources, this impact is expressed with respect to a few common impact categories. These are supposed to reflect major societal and environmental priorities. However, despite their central role in environmental processes, to date hydrological as well as hydrogeological aspects are only rarely considered in LCA. Compared with standard impact categories within LCA, water is special. In contrast to other abiotic resources such as crude oil, it can be replenished. Total freshwater resources are immense, but not evenly distributed and often scarce in regions of high demand. Consequently, threads to natural water bodies have immense spatial dependency. Setting up functional relationships in order to derive a generally valid and practicable evaluation is tedious due to the complex, insufficiently understood, and uncertain natural processes involved. LCA that includes the environmental effects of water consumption means global indirect water resource management. It supports goal-directed consumer behaviour that aims to reduce pressure on natural water systems. By developing a hydrologically-based assessment of potential impacts from human interaction with natural water bodies, "greener" products can be prioritised. More sustainable and environmentally friendly water management is the result. The proposed contribution presents an operational assessment method of global surface water consumption for impacts on human health and ecosystem quality within a LCA framework. A major focus is the issue of how such global assessment helps to quantify potential impacts from water-intensive production in developing countries, where the means for proper water management are often limited. We depict a compensation scheme for impacts related to water consumption that allows agriculture-dependent regions to produce and export crops while customers can compensate the related environmental impacts and/or improving the integrated water resource management by paying a premium. This allows for efficient international food production, strengthening sustainability regarding social, environmental and economic issues related to water and trade.

Health Impact Assessment Practice and Potential for Integration within Environmental Impact and Strategic Environmental Assessments in Italy

PubMed Central

Linzalone, Nunzia; Assennato, Giorgio; Ballarini, Adele; Cadum, Ennio; Cirillo, Mario; Cori, Liliana; De Maio, Francesca; Musmeci, Loredana; Natali, Marinella; Rieti, Sabrina; Soggiu, Maria Eleonora; Bianchi, Fabrizio

2014-01-01

Avoiding or minimizing potential environmental impact is the driving idea behind protecting a population’s health via Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs). However, both are often carried out without any systematic approach. This paper describes the findings of a review of HIA, EIA and SEA experiences carried out by the authors, who act as institutional competent subjects at the national and regional levels in Italy. The analysis of how health is tackled in EIA and SEA procedures could support the definition of a protocol for the integration of HIA with EIA and SEA. Although EIA and SEA approaches include the aim of protecting health, significant technical and methodological gaps are present when assessing health systematically, and their basic principles regarding assessment are unsatisfactory for promoting and addressing healthcare concepts stated by the WHO. HIA is still poorly integrated into the decision-making process, screening and monitoring phases are only occasionally implemented, and operational details are not well-defined. The collaborative approach of institutions involved in environment and health is a core element in a systematic advancement toward supporting effective decisions and effective protection of the environment and health. At the Italian national level, the definition of guidelines and tools for HIA, also in relation with EIA and SEA, is of great interest. PMID:25493391

When product diversification influences life cycle impact assessment: A case study of canned anchovy.

PubMed

Laso, Jara; Margallo, María; Fullana, Pére; Bala, Alba; Gazulla, Cristina; Irabien, Ángel; Aldaco, Rubén

2017-03-01

The anchovy canning industry is one of the most important economic resources of the Cantabria region in Spain. However, environmental, economic and social problems over the past years have forced companies to apply marketing strategies, develop product diversification, create new products and introduce them in new "green markets". Launching Cantabrian canned anchovies into more sustainable markets requires measuring the environmental performance using Product Category Rules (PCRs) and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). EPDs and PCRS include the environmental profile of a range of similar products, such as all of the available canned anchovy products. The great variety of anchovy canned products depends on three process variables: the origin of the anchovy (Cantabria, Argentina and Chile or Peru), the type of oil (refined olive oil, extra virgin olive oil and sunflower oil) and the packaging (aluminum, tinplate, glass and plastic). This work aims to assess the environmental impact from cradle to grave of canned anchovies in oil using the life cycle assessment methodology (LCA). Moreover, the paper evaluates the influence of the above-mentioned three product variables in the LCA results. The results show that out of all of the alternatives, Chilean and Peruvian anchovies have the highest environmental burdens due to the transportation by ship. The production of anchovies in sunflower oil is a less environmentally friendly oil process due to the low yield per hectare of sunflower cultivation. Finally, the use of aluminum as the packaging material has the largest environmental impact out of almost all of the impact categories. Moreover, because the LCA results can be significantly affected by the allocation procedure, a sensitivity analysis comparing system expansion, mass and economic allocation is performed. In this case, the system expansion approach presents the highest environmental impacts followed by the mass allocation. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Solid-state fermentation and composting as alternatives to treat hair waste: A life-cycle assessment comparative approach.

PubMed

Catalán, Eva; Komilis, Dimitrios; Sánchez, Antoni

2017-07-01

One of the wastes associated with leather production in tannery industries is the hair residue generated during the dehairing process. Hair wastes are mainly dumped or managed through composting but recent studies propose the treatment of hair wastes through solid-state fermentation (SSF) to obtain proteases and compost. These enzymes are suitable for its use in an enzymatic dehairing process, as an alternative to the current chemical dehairing process. In the present work, two different scenarios for the valorization of the hair waste are proposed and assessed by means of life-cycle assessment: composting and SSF for protease production. Detailed data on hair waste composting and on SSF protease production are gathered from previous studies performed by our research group and from a literature survey. Background inventory data are mainly based on Ecoinvent version 3 from software SimaPro® 8. The main aim of this study was to identify which process results in the highest environmental impact. The SSF process was found to have lower environmental impacts than composting, due to the fact that the enzyme use in the dehairing process prevents the use of chemicals traditionally used in the dehairing process. This permits to reformulate an industrial process from the classical approach of waste management to a novel alternative based on circular economy.

Quantifying the environmental impact of an integrated human/industrial-natural system using life cycle assessment; a case study on a forest and wood processing chain.

PubMed

Schaubroeck, Thomas; Alvarenga, Rodrigo A F; Verheyen, Kris; Muys, Bart; Dewulf, Jo

2013-01-01

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a tool to assess the environmental sustainability of a product; it quantifies the environmental impact of a product's life cycle. In conventional LCAs, the boundaries of a product's life cycle are limited to the human/industrial system, the technosphere. Ecosystems, which provide resources to and take up emissions from the technosphere, are not included in those boundaries. However, similar to the technosphere, ecosystems also have an impact on their (surrounding) environment through their resource usage (e.g., nutrients) and emissions (e.g., CH4). We therefore propose a LCA framework to assess the impact of integrated Techno-Ecological Systems (TES), comprising relevant ecosystems and the technosphere. In our framework, ecosystems are accounted for in the same manner as technosphere compartments. Also, the remediating effect of uptake of pollutants, an ecosystem service, is considered. A case study was performed on a TES of sawn timber production encompassing wood growth in an intensively managed forest ecosystem and further industrial processing. Results show that the managed forest accounted for almost all resource usage and biodiversity loss through land occupation but also for a remediating effect on human health, mostly via capture of airborne fine particles. These findings illustrate the potential relevance of including ecosystems in the product's life cycle of a LCA, though further research is needed to better quantify the environmental impact of TES.

Advice and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Citizen-Science Environmental Health Assessments.

PubMed

Barzyk, Timothy M; Huang, Hongtai; Williams, Ronald; Kaufman, Amanda; Essoka, Jonathan

2018-05-11

Citizen science provides quantitative results to support environmental health assessments (EHAs), but standardized approaches do not currently exist to translate findings into actionable solutions. The emergence of low-cost portable sensor technologies and proliferation of publicly available datasets provides unparalleled access to supporting evidence; yet data collection, analysis, interpretation, visualization, and communication are subjective approaches that must be tailored to a decision-making audience capable of improving environmental health. A decade of collaborative efforts and two citizen science projects contributed to three lessons learned and a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) that address the complexities of environmental health and interpersonal relations often encountered in citizen science EHAs. Each project followed a structured step-by-step process in order to compare and contrast methods and approaches. These lessons and FAQs provide advice to translate citizen science research into actionable solutions in the context of a diverse range of environmental health issues and local stakeholders.

Environmental Scanning as a Public Health Tool: Kentucky's Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Project.

PubMed

Wilburn, Amanda; Vanderpool, Robin C; Knight, Jennifer R

2016-08-18

Borrowing from business, quality improvement programs, and strategic planning principles, environmental scanning is gaining popularity in public health practice and research and is advocated as an assessment and data collection tool by federal funding agencies and other health-related organizations. Applicable to a range of current and emerging health topics, environmental scans - through various methods - assess multiple facets of an issue by engaging stakeholders who can ask or answer research questions, exploring related policy, critiquing published and gray literature, collecting and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data in both primary and secondary forms, disseminating findings to internal and external stakeholders, and informing subsequent planning and decision making. To illustrate the environmental scanning process in a public health setting and showcase its value to practitioners in the field, we describe a federally funded environmental scan for a human papillomavirus vaccination project in Kentucky.

ASSESSING AND MANAGING MERCURY FROM HISTORIC AND CURRENT MINING ACTIVITIES (PROGRAM FLYER)

EPA Science Inventory

The conference is designed to achieve three primary goals:

Convey public, non-profit and priva sector perspectives on the assessment and management of mercury associated with mining processes, residuals and environmental impacters

Identify data gaps and information ...

PRODUCT LIFE-CYCLE ASSESSMENT: INVENTORY GUIDELINES AND PRINCIPLES

EPA Science Inventory

The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) can be used as an objective technical tool to evaluate the environmental consequences of a product, process, or activity holistically, across its entire life cycle. omplete LCA can be viewed as consisting of three complementary components (1) the i...

Biosafety research for non-target organism risk assessment of RNAi-based GE plants

PubMed Central

Roberts, Andrew F.; Devos, Yann; Lemgo, Godwin N. Y.; Zhou, Xuguo

2015-01-01

RNA interference, or RNAi, refers to a set of biological processes that make use of conserved cellular machinery to silence genes. Although there are several variations in the source and mechanism, they are all triggered by double stranded RNA (dsRNA) which is processed by a protein complex into small, single stranded RNA, referred to as small interfering RNAs (siRNA) with complementarity to sequences in genes targeted for silencing. The use of the RNAi mechanism to develop new traits in plants has fueled a discussion about the environmental safety of the technology for these applications, and this was the subject of a symposium session at the 13th ISBGMO in Cape Town, South Africa. This paper continues that discussion by proposing research areas that may be beneficial for future environmental risk assessments of RNAi-based genetically modified plants, with a particular focus on non-target organism assessment. PMID:26594220

Environmental Impact Assessment Under the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act: Deliberative Democracy in Canada's North?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fitzpatrick, Patricia; Sinclair, A. John; Mitchell, Bruce

2008-07-01

We consider the extent to which the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act (MVRMA) provides an opportunity for deliberative democracy to emerge within the context of resource management in Canada’s North. The focus is on the extent to which the tenets of deliberative democracy are exercised in the environmental assessment (EA) of the Snap Lake diamonds project. Data collection included semi-structured interviews with assessment participants, and a review of documentation surrounding the EA process, and the case study. Results combined four principles of deliberative democracy: generality, autonomy, power neutrality, and ideal role taking. The EA conducted under the MVRMA can serve as a deliberative process, as illustrated by opportunities for dialogue, access to different perspectives, and learning outcomes. However, many of these positive results occurred through nonmandated technical sessions. The absence of participant funding also limits the deliberative potential of the MVRMA.

Legal and institutional framework of environmental impact assessment in Nigeria: An initial assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Olokesusi, F.

Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, has high rates of urbanization and industrialization. Until recently, decisions on most large-scale projects such as expressways, harbors, industries, dams, and irrigation were considered with an emphasis on traditional technical and cost-benefit analysis. Spurred by massive environmental degradation and persistent community agitation in oil producing areas, environmental impact assessment (EIA) legislation was passed in late 1992. The main purpose of this article is to review and assess the content of this legislation and the guidelines produced by the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA), the institution responsible for EIA administration. Some EIA reports havemore » been prepared and reviewed by FEPA since 1994. There are some positive outcomes and expectations, but some problems have been identified as well, including: deliberate restriction of public involvement and participation by proponents and/or their consultants, interagency conflict leading to high cost and project delays especially in the oil industry, and restriction of public access to final EIA reports. These are discussed, and recommendations for improving the process are made.« less

Regulatory requirements and tools for environmental assessment of hazardous wastes: Understanding tribal and stakeholder concerns using Department of Energy sites

PubMed Central

Burger, Joanna; Powers, Charles; Gochfeld, Michael

2014-01-01

Many US governmental and Tribal Nation agencies, as well as state and local entities, deal with hazardous wastes within regulatory frameworks that require specific environmental assessments. In this paper we use Department of Energy (DOE) sites as examples to examine the relationship between regulatory requirements and environmental assessments for hazardous waste sites and give special attention to how assessment tools differ. We consider federal laws associated with environmental protection include the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), as well as regulations promulgated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Tribal Nations and state agencies. These regulatory regimes require different types of environmental assessments and remedial investigations, dose assessments and contaminant pathways. The DOE case studies illustrate the following points: 1) there is often understandable confusion about what regulatory requirements apply to the site resources, and what environmental assessments are required by each, 2) the messages sent on site safety issued by different regulatory agencies are sometimes contradictory or confusing (e.g. Oak Ridge Reservation), 3) the regulatory frameworks being used to examine the same question can be different, leading to different conclusions (e.g. Brookhaven National Laboratory), 4) computer models used in support of groundwater models or risk assessments are not necessarily successful in convincing Native Americans and others that there is no possibility of risk from contaminants (e.g. Amchitka Island), 5) when given the opportunity to choose between relying on a screening risk assessments or waiting for a full site-specific analysis of contaminants in biota, the screening risk assessment option is rarely selected (e.g. Amchitka, Hanford Site), and finally, 6) there needs to be agreement on whether there has been adequate characterization to support the risk assessment (e.g. Hanford). The assessments need to be transparent and to accommodate different opinions about the relationship between characterizations and risk assessments. This paper illustrates how many of the problems at DOE sites, and potentially at other sites in the U.S. and elsewhere, derive from a lack of either understanding of, or consensus about, the regulatory process, including the timing and types of required characterizations and data in support of site characterizations and risk assessments. PMID:20719428

Environmental monitoring, restoration and assessment: What have we learned

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gray, R.H.

1990-01-01

The Twenty-Eighth Hanford Symposium on Health and the Environment was held in Richland, Washington, October 16--19, 1989. The symposium was sponsored by the US Department of Energy and the Pacific Northwest Laboratory, operated by Battelle Memorial Institute. The symposium was organized to review and evaluate some of the monitoring and assessment programs that have been conducted or are currently in place. Potential health and environmental effects of energy-related and other industrial activities have been monitored and assessed at various government and private facilities for over three decades. Most monitoring is required under government regulations; some monitoring is implemented because facilitymore » operators consider it prudent practice. As a result of these activities, there is now a substantial radiological, physical, and chemical data base for various environmental components, both in the United States and abroad. Symposium participants, both platform and poster presenters, were asked to consider, among other topics, the following: Has the expenditure of millions of dollars for radiological monitoring and assessment activities been worth the effort How do we decide when enough monitoring is enough Can we adequately assess the impacts of nonradiological components -- both inorganic and organic -- of wastes Are current regulatory requirements too restrictive or too lenient Can monitoring and assessment be made more cost effective Papers were solicited in the areas of environmental monitoring; environmental regulations; remediation, restoration, and decommissioning; modeling and dose assessment; uncertainty, design, and data analysis; and data management and quality assurance. Individual reports are processed separately for the databases.« less

Case Studies in Crewed Spacecraft Environmental Control and Life Support System Process Compatibility and Cabin Environmental Impact

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perry, J. L.

2017-01-01

Contamination of a crewed spacecraft's cabin environment leading to environmental control and life support system (ECLSS) functional capability and operational margin degradation or loss can have an adverse effect on NASA's space exploration mission figures of merit-safety, mission success, effectiveness, and affordability. The role of evaluating the ECLSS's compatibility and cabin environmental impact as a key component of pass trace contaminant control is presented and the technical approach is described in the context of implementing NASA's safety and mission success objectives. Assessment examples are presented for a variety of chemicals used in vehicle systems and experiment hardware for the International Space Station program. The ECLSS compatibility and cabin environmental impact assessment approach, which can be applied to any crewed spacecraft development and operational effort, can provide guidance to crewed spacecraft system and payload developers relative to design criteria assigned ECLSS compatibility and cabin environmental impact ratings can be used by payload and system developers as criteria for ensuring adequate physical and operational containment. In additional to serving as an aid for guiding containment design, the assessments can guide flight rule and procedure development toward protecting the ECLSS as well as approaches for contamination event remediation.

Life cycle assessment of nutrient removal technologies for the treatment of anaerobic digestion supernatant and its integration in a wastewater treatment plant.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Garcia, G; Frison, N; Vázquez-Padín, J R; Hospido, A; Garrido, J M; Fatone, F; Bolzonella, D; Moreira, M T; Feijoo, G

2014-08-15

The supernatant resulting from the anaerobic digestion of sludge generated by wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) is an attractive flow for technologies such as partial nitritation-anammox (CANON), nitrite shortcut (NSC) and struvite crystallization processes (SCP). The high concentration of N and P and its low flow rate facilitate the removal of nutrients under more favorable conditions than in the main water line. Despite their operational and economic benefits, the environmental burdens of these technologies also need to be assessed to prove their feasibility under a more holistic perspective. The potential environmental implications of these technologies were assessed using life cycle assessment, first at pilot plant scale, later integrating them in a modeled full WWTP. Pilot plant results reported a much lower environmental impact for N removal technologies than SCP. Full-scale modeling, however, highlighted that the differences between technologies were not relevant once they are integrated in a WWTP. The impacts associated with the WWTP are slightly reduced in all categories except for eutrophication, where a substantial reduction was achieved using NSC, SCP, and especially when CANON and SCP were combined. This study emphasizes the need for assessing wastewater treatment technologies as part of a WWTP rather than as individual processes and the utility of modeling tools for doing so. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Laser cutting of various materials: Kerf width size analysis and life cycle assessment of cutting process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yilbas, Bekir Sami; Shaukat, Mian Mobeen; Ashraf, Farhan

2017-08-01

Laser cutting of various materials including Ti-6Al-4V alloy, steel 304, Inconel 625, and alumina is carried out to assess the kerf width size variation along the cut section. The life cycle assessment is carried out to determine the environmental impact of the laser cutting in terms of the material waste during the cutting process. The kerf width size is formulated and predicted using the lump parameter analysis and it is measured from the experiments. The influence of laser output power and laser cutting speed on the kerf width size variation is analyzed using the analytical tools including scanning electron and optical microscopes. In the experiments, high pressure nitrogen assisting gas is used to prevent oxidation reactions in the cutting section. It is found that the kerf width size predicted from the lump parameter analysis agrees well with the experimental data. The kerf width size variation increases with increasing laser output power. However, this behavior reverses with increasing laser cutting speed. The life cycle assessment reveals that material selection for laser cutting is critical for the environmental protection point of view. Inconel 625 contributes the most to the environmental damages; however, recycling of the waste of the laser cutting reduces this contribution.

Life-Cycle inventory/impact Assessment in the context of Chemical Risk Assessment: An Informatics-driven Scoping Review

EPA Science Inventory

One of the goals of Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) is to compare the full range of environmental effects assignable to products and services in order to improve processes, support policy and provide a sound “systems-thinking” basis for decision support. How in fact LCA can be incorp...

76 FR 22692 - Florida Gas Transmission Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-22

... operate a new 15,000-horsepower (hp) electric compressor station (CS 32) along its existing 26-inch... compressor station (CS 18) at MP 668.8; and upgrade existing pipeline facilities, all located in Orange... would be confined to the existing compressor station. The EA Process The National Environmental Policy...

77 FR 46512 - Adoption and Notice of Availability of a Final Environmental Assessment for the Penobscot River...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-03

... Interior (Department) is a signatory. The Service intends to approve mechanisms to assist with funding the... Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) procedures and guidelines, as the Service is funding the precise actions, the effects of which have already been analyzed by the Commission. As part of that process, the Service is...

Fuzzy Decision Analysis for Integrated Environmental Vulnerability Assessment of the Mid-Atlantic Region

Treesearch

Liem T. Tran; C. Gregory Knight; Robert V. O' Neill; Elizabeth R. Smith; Kurt H. Riitters; James D. Wickham

2002-01-01

A fuzzy decision analysis method for integrating ecological indicators was developed. This was a combination of a fuzzy ranking method and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The method was capable of ranking ecosystems in terms of environmental conditions and suggesting cumulative impacts across a large region. Using data on land cover, population, roads, streams,...

Institutional Effectiveness Assessment Process, 1993-94 Executive Summary. Hospitality and Service Occupations Division, Landscape and Environmental Horticulture Department.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

South Seattle Community Coll., Washington.

A study was conducted to determine current and former students' and local employers' satisfaction with South Seattle Community College's (SSCC's) Landscape and Environmental Horticulture Department. Specifically, the study gathered data on four outcomes: that students receive an education allowing them to meet goals; that students be satisfied…

Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals and Oil and Natural Gas Operations: Potential Environmental Contamination and Recommendations to Assess Complex Environmental Mixtures

PubMed Central

Kassotis, Christopher D.; Tillitt, Donald E.; Lin, Chung-Ho; McElroy, Jane A.; Nagel, Susan C.

2015-01-01

Background Hydraulic fracturing technologies, developed over the last 65 years, have only recently been combined with horizontal drilling to unlock oil and gas reserves previously deemed inaccessible. Although these technologies have dramatically increased domestic oil and natural gas production, they have also raised concerns for the potential contamination of local water supplies with the approximately 1,000 chemicals that are used throughout the process, including many known or suspected endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Objectives We discuss the need for an endocrine component to health assessments for drilling-dense regions in the context of hormonal and antihormonal activities for chemicals used. Methods We discuss the literature on a) surface and groundwater contamination by oil and gas extraction operations, and b) potential human exposure, particularly in the context of the total hormonal and antihormonal activities present in surface and groundwater from natural and anthropogenic sources; we also discuss initial analytical results and critical knowledge gaps. Discussion In light of the potential for environmental release of oil and gas chemicals that can disrupt hormone receptor systems, we recommend methods for assessing complex hormonally active environmental mixtures. Conclusions We describe a need for an endocrine-centric component for overall health assessments and provide information supporting the idea that using such a component will help explain reported adverse health trends as well as help develop recommendations for environmental impact assessments and monitoring programs. Citation Kassotis CD, Tillitt DE, Lin CH, McElroy JA, Nagel SC. 2016. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals and oil and natural gas operations: potential environmental contamination and recommendations to assess complex environmental mixtures. Environ Health Perspect 124:256–264; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1409535 PMID:26311476

Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) for Environmental Development and Transfer of Antibiotic Resistance

PubMed Central

Amézquita, Alejandro; Backhaus, Thomas; Borriello, Peter; Brandt, Kristian K.; Collignon, Peter; Coors, Anja; Finley, Rita; Gaze, William H.; Heberer, Thomas; Lawrence, John R.; Larsson, D.G. Joakim; McEwen, Scott A.; Ryan, James J.; Schönfeld, Jens; Silley, Peter; Snape, Jason R.; Van den Eede, Christel; Topp, Edward

2013-01-01

Background: Only recently has the environment been clearly implicated in the risk of antibiotic resistance to clinical outcome, but to date there have been few documented approaches to formally assess these risks. Objective: We examined possible approaches and sought to identify research needs to enable human health risk assessments (HHRA) that focus on the role of the environment in the failure of antibiotic treatment caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Methods: The authors participated in a workshop held 4–8 March 2012 in Québec, Canada, to define the scope and objectives of an environmental assessment of antibiotic-resistance risks to human health. We focused on key elements of environmental-resistance-development “hot spots,” exposure assessment (unrelated to food), and dose response to characterize risks that may improve antibiotic-resistance management options. Discussion: Various novel aspects to traditional risk assessments were identified to enable an assessment of environmental antibiotic resistance. These include a) accounting for an added selective pressure on the environmental resistome that, over time, allows for development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB); b) identifying and describing rates of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in the relevant environmental “hot spot” compartments; and c) modifying traditional dose–response approaches to address doses of ARB for various health outcomes and pathways. Conclusions: We propose that environmental aspects of antibiotic-resistance development be included in the processes of any HHRA addressing ARB. Because of limited available data, a multicriteria decision analysis approach would be a useful way to undertake an HHRA of environmental antibiotic resistance that informs risk managers. Citation: Ashbolt NJ, Amézquita A, Backhaus T, Borriello P, Brandt KK, Collignon P, Coors A, Finley R, Gaze WH, Heberer T, Lawrence JR, Larsson DG, McEwen SA, Ryan JJ, Schönfeld J, Silley P, Snape JR, Van den Eede C, Topp E. 2013. Human health risk assessment (HHRA) for environmental development and transfer of antibiotic resistance. Environ Health Perspect 121:993–1001; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1206316 PMID:23838256