Sample records for wastes current practice

  1. Biomedical waste management in Ayurveda hospitals - current practices & future prospectives.

    PubMed

    Rajan, Renju; Robin, Delvin T; M, Vandanarani

    2018-03-16

    Biomedical waste management is an integral part of traditional and contemporary system of health care. The paper focuses on the identification and classification of biomedical wastes in Ayurvedic hospitals, current practices of its management in Ayurveda hospitals and its future prospective. Databases like PubMed (1975-2017 Feb), Scopus (1960-2017), AYUSH Portal, DOAJ, DHARA and Google scholar were searched. We used the medical subject headings 'biomedical waste' and 'health care waste' for identification and classification. The terms 'biomedical waste management', 'health care waste management' alone and combined with 'Ayurveda' or 'Ayurvedic' for current practices and recent advances in the treatment of these wastes were used. We made a humble attempt to categorize the biomedical wastes from Ayurvedic hospitals as the available data about its grouping is very scarce. Proper biomedical waste management is the mainstay of hospital cleanliness, hospital hygiene and maintenance activities. Current disposal techniques adopted for Ayurveda biomedical wastes are - sewage/drains, incineration and land fill. But these methods are having some merits as well as demerits. Our review has identified a number of interesting areas for future research such as the logical application of bioremediation techniques in biomedical waste management and the usage of effective micro-organisms and solar energy in waste disposal. Copyright © 2017 Transdisciplinary University, Bangalore and World Ayurveda Foundation. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Healthcare waste management: current practices in selected healthcare facilities, Botswana.

    PubMed

    Mbongwe, Bontle; Mmereki, Baagi T; Magashula, Andrew

    2008-01-01

    Healthcare waste management continues to present an array of challenges for developing countries, and Botswana is no exception. The possible impact of healthcare waste on public health and the environment has received a lot of attention such that Waste Management dedicated a special issue to the management of healthcare waste (Healthcare Wastes Management, 2005. Waste Management 25(6) 567-665). As the demand for more healthcare facilities increases, there is also an increase on waste generation from these facilities. This situation requires an organised system of healthcare waste management to curb public health risks as well as occupational hazards among healthcare workers as a result of poor waste management. This paper reviews current waste management practices at the healthcare facility level and proposes possible options for improvement in Botswana.

  3. Current practices of construction waste reduction through 3R practice among contractors in malaysia: Case study in penang

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ng, L. S.; Tan, L. W.; Seow, T. W.

    2017-11-01

    The effectiveness of the implementation of construction waste reduction through 3R reflects the sustainability in construction waste management. Weak implementation of construction waste reduction through 3R among contractors will lead to unsustainable construction waste management. Increase in construction waste on landfills is critical especially on islands where land is very limited for solid waste disposal. This aim of this paper is to investigate current practice of construction waste reduction through 3R practice among contractors in Penang, Malaysia. The findings reported herein is based on feedbacks from 143 construction contractors of grade CIDB G7, G6 and G5 in Penang and experts from Penang Local Authority, CIDB in Penang and its Headquarters, National Solid Waste Management Department, and Headquarters of Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation. Interviews and questionnaire surveys have been found that 3R practice is not mandatory in construction waste management in Penang. Only 39.8% construction contractors practiced 3R in managing their waste. Therefore, 3R practices should be emphasized in construction industry. Reducing wastes through 3R practices in construction industry is a way forward towards sustainable construction waste management especially in expanding the lifetime of landfill.

  4. Manufacturing waste disposal practices of the chemical propulsion industry

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Goldberg, Benjamin E.; Adams, Daniel E.; Schutzenhofer, Scott A.

    1995-01-01

    The waste production, mitigation and disposal practices of the United States chemical propulsion industry have been investigated, delineated, and comparatively assessed to the U.S. industrial base. Special emphasis has been placed on examination of ozone depleting chemicals (ODC's). The research examines present and anticipated future practices and problems encountered in the manufacture of solid and liquid propulsion systems. Information collected includes current environmental laws and regulations that guide the industry practices, processes in which ODC's are or have been used, quantities of waste produced, funding required to maintain environmentally compliant practices, and preventive efforts.

  5. Multi-criteria decision making to support waste management: A critical review of current practices and methods.

    PubMed

    Goulart Coelho, Lineker M; Lange, Liséte C; Coelho, Hosmanny Mg

    2017-01-01

    Solid waste management is a complex domain involving the interaction of several dimensions; thus, its analysis and control impose continuous challenges for decision makers. In this context, multi-criteria decision-making models have become important and convenient supporting tools for solid waste management because they can handle problems involving multiple dimensions and conflicting criteria. However, the selection of the multi-criteria decision-making method is a hard task since there are several multi-criteria decision-making approaches, each one with a large number of variants whose applicability depends on information availability and the aim of the study. Therefore, to support researchers and decision makers, the objectives of this article are to present a literature review of multi-criteria decision-making applications used in solid waste management, offer a critical assessment of the current practices, and provide suggestions for future works. A brief review of fundamental concepts on this topic is first provided, followed by the analysis of 260 articles related to the application of multi-criteria decision making in solid waste management. These studies were investigated in terms of the methodology, including specific steps such as normalisation, weighting, and sensitivity analysis. In addition, information related to waste type, the study objective, and aspects considered was recorded. From the articles analysed it is noted that studies using multi-criteria decision making in solid waste management are predominantly addressed to problems related to municipal solid waste involving facility location or management strategy.

  6. Radioactive waste management and practice in Bangladesh

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

    Mollah, A.S.; Rahman, M.M.

    1993-12-31

    A large amount of low- and medium-level radioactive wastes are being generated in different parts of Bangladesh. The solid wastes are being collected in steel containers and liquid wastes are collected in plastic carboys and drums. Gaseous Ar-41 is discharged into the atmosphere through the 25 m height stack under controlled conditions after proper monitoring. The solid radioactive wastes collected are approximately 5 m{sup 3} (1988--1992) with gross beta-gamma surface dose rates from 0.30 {micro}Sv/h to 250 {micro}Sv/h. The liquid radioactive wastes are approximately 200 liters (1988--1992) with gross-beta-gamma surface dose rates from 0.30 {micro}Sv/h to 1 mSv/h. The solidmore » and liquid wastes presently being collected are mostly short lived and low level and safely stored according to international safety codes of practice. Radioactive waste packages collected during the 5-yrs study totaled 16, representing a collective volume of {approximately} 7.5 m{sup 3}. The problem of management of radioactive waste in Bangladesh is not so serious at present because the wastes arising are small now. A computerized data base has been developed to document inventory of all radioactive waste arising in the country. The current practices of collection, handling, safe storage and management of the radioactive wastes are reported in this paper.« less

  7. Waste-handling practices at red meat abattoirs in South Africa.

    PubMed

    Roberts, Hester; de Jager, Linda; Blight, Geoffrey

    2009-02-01

    Abattoir waste disposal must be carefully managed because the wastes can be a source of food-borne diseases (Nemerow & Dasgupta Industrial and Hazardous Waste Treatment, p. 284, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 1991; Bradshaw et al. The Treatment and Handling of Wastes, p. 183, The Royal Society, Chapman & Hall, London, 1992). Disposal of food that has been condemned because it is known to be diseased is of particular concern, and this paper looks at current disposal methods for such waste in the light of new scientific developments and waste-management strategies. Questionnaires were presented to management and workers at low- and high-throughput red meat abattoirs in the Free State Province, South Africa to determine current waste-handling procedures for condemned products. The waste-handling practices, almost without exception, did not fully comply with the requirements of the South African Red Meat Regulations of 2004, framed under the Meat Safety Act (Act 40 of 2000). The survey highlighted the need to improve current waste-handling strategies to prevent condemned products from re-entering the food chain and contributing to environmental pollution.

  8. Rural domestic waste management in Zhejiang Province, China: Characteristics, current practices, and an improved strategy.

    PubMed

    Guan, Yidong; Zhang, Yuan; Zhao, Dongye; Huang, Xiaofeng; Li, Haini

    2015-06-01

    Lack of access to adequate sanitation facilities has serious health implications for rural dwellers and can degrade the ecosystems. This study offers a systemantic and quantitative overview of historical data on rural domestic waste (RDW) production and past and current management practices in a prototype region in China, where rural areas are undergoing rapid urbanization and are confronted with great environmental challenges associated with poor RDW management practices. The results indicate that RDW is characterized with a large fraction of kitchen waste (42.9%) and high water content (53.4%). The RDW generation (RDWG) per capita between 2012 and 2020 is estimated to increase from 0.68 to 1.01 kg/d-cap. The Hill 1 model is able to adequately simulate/project the population growth in a rural area from 1993 to 2020. The annual RDWG in the region is estimated to double from 6,033,000 tons/year in 2008 to 12,030,000 tons/year by 2020. By comparing three RDW management scenarios based on the life-cycle inventory approach and cost-benefit analysis, it is strongly recommended that the present Scenario 2 (sanitary landfill treatment) be upgraded to Scenario 3 (source separation followed by composting and landfill of RDW) to significantly reduce the ecological footprint and to improve the cost-effectiveness and long-term sustainability. Rural domestic waste (RDW) is affecting 720 million people in China and more than 3221 million people worldwide. Consequently, handling and disposal of RDW have serious health implications to rural dwellers and the ecosystems. This study offers a systemantic and quantitative overview and analysis of historical data on RDW production and management practices in a prototype region in China, which is confronted with great environmental challenges associated with RDW. Then we predict future production of RDW and propose a sustainable RDW management strategy, which holds the promise of greatly mitigating the mounting environmental pressure

  9. Electronic waste (e-waste): material flows and management practices in Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Nnorom, Innocent Chidi; Osibanjo, Oladele

    2008-01-01

    The growth in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) production and consumption has been exponential in the last two decades. This has been as a result of the rapid changes in equipment features and capabilities, decrease in prices, and the growth in internet use. This creates a large volume of waste stream of obsolete electrical and electronic devices (e-waste) in developed countries. There is high level of trans-boundary movement of these devices as secondhand electronic equipment into developing countries in an attempt to bridge the 'digital divide'. The past decade has witnessed a phenomenal advancement in information and communication technology (ICT) in Nigeria, most of which rely on imported secondhand devices. This paper attempts to review the material flow of secondhand/scrap electronic devices into Nigeria, the current management practices for e-waste and the environmental and health implications of such low-end management practices. Establishment of formal recycling facilities, introduction of legislation dealing specifically with e-waste and the confirmation of the functionality of secondhand EEE prior to importation are some of the options available to the government in dealing with this difficult issue.

  10. Electronic waste (e-waste): Material flows and management practices in Nigeria

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

    Nnorom, Innocent Chidi; Osibanjo, Oladele

    The growth in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) production and consumption has been exponential in the last two decades. This has been as a result of the rapid changes in equipment features and capabilities, decrease in prices, and the growth in internet use. This creates a large volume of waste stream of obsolete electrical and electronic devices (e-waste) in developed countries. There is high level of trans-boundary movement of these devices as secondhand electronic equipment into developing countries in an attempt to bridge the 'digital divide'. The past decade has witnessed a phenomenal advancement in information and communication technology (ICT)more » in Nigeria, most of which rely on imported secondhand devices. This paper attempts to review the material flow of secondhand/scrap electronic devices into Nigeria, the current management practices for e-waste and the environmental and health implications of such low-end management practices. Establishment of formal recycling facilities, introduction of legislation dealing specifically with e-waste and the confirmation of the functionality of secondhand EEE prior to importation are some of the options available to the government in dealing with this difficult issue.« less

  11. Municipal solid waste generation in growing urban areas in Africa: current practices and relation to socioeconomic factors in Jimma, Ethiopia.

    PubMed

    Getahun, T; Mengistie, E; Haddis, A; Wasie, F; Alemayehu, E; Dadi, D; Van Gerven, T; Van der Bruggen, B

    2012-10-01

    As one of cities in the developing countries, a rapid population growth and industrial activities pose many environmental challenges for Jimma city, Ethiopia. One aspect of urban growth posing a threat on sustainable development is poor solid waste management, which results in environmental pollution. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the quantity, composition, sources of waste generated, their current disposal practices, and to recommend appropriate management technologies. The total waste generated daily in Jimma city was ca. 88,000 kg, and the average per capita generation rate was 0.55 ± 0.17 kg/capita/day. Eighty-seven percent of the waste was produced by households and 13% by institutions, and a negligible fraction (0.1%) was generated by street sweepings. During the rainy season, 40% more waste was generated than in the dry season because of the increased availability of agricultural food product. Further analysis showed that biodegradable organic waste constitutes 54% by weight with an average moisture content of 60% that falls within the required limits for composting. The nonbiodegradable components constitute 46% of which 30% of it was nonrecyclable material. Only 25% of the community uses municipal containers for disposal at the selected landfill site. Fifty-one percent of the households disposed their waste in individually chosen spots, whereas 22% burned their waste. Finally 2% of households use private waste collectors. The socioeconomic analysis showed that higher family income and educational status is associated more with private or municipal waste collection and less with the application of backyard or open dumping. These insights into generated waste and management practice in Jimma city allow making suggestions for improved collection, treatment, and disposal methods. A primary conclusion is that the biodegradable waste is a major fraction having suitable properties for recycling. As such an economic benefit can be obtained from

  12. A material flow analysis on current electrical and electronic waste disposal from Hong Kong households

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

    Lau, Winifred Ka-Yan; Chung, Shan-Shan, E-mail: sschung@hkbu.edu.hk; Zhang, Chan

    2013-03-15

    Highlights: ► Most household TWARC waste is sold directly to private e-waste collectors in HK. ► The current e-waste recycling network is popular with HK households. ► About 80% of household generated TWARC is exported overseas each year. ► Over 7000 tonnes/yr of household generated TWARC reach landfills. ► It is necessary to upgrade safety and awareness in HK’s e-waste recycling industry. - Abstract: A material flow study on five types of household electrical and electronic equipment, namely television, washing machine, air conditioner, refrigerator and personal computer (TWARC) was conducted to assist the Government of Hong Kong to establish anmore » e-waste take-back system. This study is the first systematic attempt on identifying key TWARC waste disposal outlets and trade practices of key parties involved in Hong Kong. Results from two questionnaire surveys, on local households and private e-waste traders, were used to establish the material flow of household TWARC waste. The study revealed that the majority of obsolete TWARC were sold by households to private e-waste collectors and that the current e-waste collection network is efficient and popular with local households. However, about 65,000 tonnes/yr or 80% of household generated TWARC waste are being exported overseas by private e-waste traders, with some believed to be imported into developing countries where crude recycling methods are practiced. Should Hong Kong establish a formal recycling network with tight regulatory control on imports and exports, the potential risks of current e-waste recycling practices on e-waste recycling workers, local residents and the environment can be greatly reduced.« less

  13. A material flow analysis on current electrical and electronic waste disposal from Hong Kong households.

    PubMed

    Lau, Winifred Ka-Yan; Chung, Shan-Shan; Zhang, Chan

    2013-03-01

    A material flow study on five types of household electrical and electronic equipment, namely television, washing machine, air conditioner, refrigerator and personal computer (TWARC) was conducted to assist the Government of Hong Kong to establish an e-waste take-back system. This study is the first systematic attempt on identifying key TWARC waste disposal outlets and trade practices of key parties involved in Hong Kong. Results from two questionnaire surveys, on local households and private e-waste traders, were used to establish the material flow of household TWARC waste. The study revealed that the majority of obsolete TWARC were sold by households to private e-waste collectors and that the current e-waste collection network is efficient and popular with local households. However, about 65,000 tonnes/yr or 80% of household generated TWARC waste are being exported overseas by private e-waste traders, with some believed to be imported into developing countries where crude recycling methods are practiced. Should Hong Kong establish a formal recycling network with tight regulatory control on imports and exports, the potential risks of current e-waste recycling practices on e-waste recycling workers, local residents and the environment can be greatly reduced. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Landfill taxes and Enhanced Waste Management: Combining valuable practices with respect to future waste streams.

    PubMed

    Hoogmartens, Rob; Eyckmans, Johan; Van Passel, Steven

    2016-09-01

    Both landfill taxes and Enhanced Waste Management (EWM) practices can mitigate the scarcity issue of landfill capacity by respectively reducing landfilled waste volumes and valorising future waste streams. However, high landfill taxes might erode incentives for EWM, even though EWM creates value by valorising waste. Concentrating on Flanders (Belgium), the paper applies dynamic optimisation modelling techniques to analyse how landfill taxation and EWM can reinforce each other and how taxation schemes can be adjusted in order to foster sustainable and welfare maximising ways of processing future waste streams. Based on the Flemish simulation results, insights are offered that are generally applicable in international waste and resource management policy. As shown, the optimal Flemish landfill tax that optimises welfare in the no EWM scenario is higher than the one in the EWM scenario (93 against €50/ton). This difference should create incentives for applying EWM and is driven by the positive external effects that are generated by EWM practices. In Flanders, as the current landfill tax is slightly lower than these optimal levels, the choice that can be made is to further increase taxation levels or show complete commitment to EWM. A first generally applicable insight that was found points to the fact that it is not necessarily the case that the higher the landfill tax, the more effective waste management improvements can be realised. Other insights are about providing sufficient incentives for applying EMW practices and formulating appropriate pleas in support of technological development. By these insights, this paper should provide relevant information that can assist in triggering the transition towards a resource-efficient, circular economy in Europe. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Current perspectives on biomedical waste management: Rules, conventions and treatment technologies.

    PubMed

    Capoor, Malini R; Bhowmik, Kumar Tapas

    2017-01-01

    Unregulated biomedical waste management (BMWM) is a public health problem. This has posed a grave threat to not only human health and safety but also to the environment for the current and future generations. Safe and reliable methods for handling of biomedical waste (BMW) are of paramount importance. Effective BMWM is not only a legal necessity but also a social responsibility. This article reviews the current perspectives on BMWM and rules, conventions and the treatment technologies used worldwide. BMWM should ideally be the subject of a national strategy with dedicated infrastructure, cradle-to-grave legislation, competent regulatory authority and trained personnel. Improving the management of biomedical waste begins with waste minimisation. These standards, norms and rules on BMWM in a country regulate the disposal of various categories of BMW to ensure the safety of the health-care workers, patients, public and environment. Furthermore, developing models for the monitoring of hospital health-care waste practices and research into non-burn eco-friendly sustainable technologies, recycling and polyvinyl chloride-free devices will go in long way for safe carbon environment. Globally, greater research in BMWM is warranted to understand its growing field of public health importance.

  16. Recovery and recycling practices in municipal solid waste management in Lagos, Nigeria

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

    Kofoworola, O.F.

    The population of Lagos, the largest city in Nigeria, increased seven times from 1950 to 1980 with a current population of over 10 million inhabitants. The majority of the city's residents are poor. The residents make a heavy demand on resources and, at the same time, generate large quantities of solid waste. Approximately 4 million tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) is generated annually in the city, including approximately 0.5 million of untreated industrial waste. This is approximately 1.1 kg/cap/day. Efforts by the various waste management agencies set up by the state government to keep its streets and neighborhoods cleanmore » have achieved only minimal success. This is because more than half of these wastes are left uncollected from the streets and the various locations due to the inadequacy and inefficiency of the waste management system. Whilst the benefits of proper solid waste management (SWM), such as increased revenues for municipal bodies, higher productivity rate, improved sanitation standards and better health conditions, cannot be overemphasized, it is important that there is a reduction in the quantity of recoverable materials in residential and commercial waste streams to minimize the problem of MSW disposal. This paper examines the status of recovery and recycling in current waste management practice in Lagos, Nigeria. Existing recovery and recycling patterns, recovery and recycling technologies, approaches to materials recycling, and the types of materials recovered from MSW are reviewed. Based on these, strategies for improving recovery and recycling practices in the management of MSW in Lagos, Nigeria are suggested.« less

  17. Best Practices for Management of Biocontaminated Waste ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Report The purpose of these best practices is to provide federal, state, territorial, and local waste management entities information on techniques and methodologies that have the potential to improve the handling and management of biocontaminated waste streams after a biological agent incident. These best practices are intended to be general in nature serving as a resource to a variety of biological agents in a variety of situations; however, these best practices also present a specific homeland security scenario – a biological attack with Bacillus anthracis (B. anthracis) – to help illustrate specific waste management considerations.

  18. MUNICIPAL WASTE COMBUSTION ASSESSMENT: MEDICAL WASTE COMBUSTION PRACTICES AT MUNICIPAL WASTE COMBUSTION FACILITIES

    EPA Science Inventory

    The report defines and characterizes types of medical waste, discusses the impacts of burning medical waste on combustor emissions, and outlines important handling and operating considerations. Facility-specific design, handling, and operating practiced are also discussed for mun...

  19. Current status of solid waste management in small island developing states: A review

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

    Mohee, Romeela; Mauthoor, Sumayya, E-mail: sumayya.mauthoor@umail.uom.ac.mu; Bundhoo, Zumar M.A.

    Highlights: • Waste management is a matter of great concern for small island developing states. • On average, waste generation rate in these islands amounts to 1.29 kg/capita/day. • Illegal dumping and landfilling prevail in most small island developing states. • Sustainable waste management practices, previously absent, are now emerging. • However, many challenges still hinder the implementation of these practices. - Abstract: This article reviews the current status of waste management in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and the challenges that are faced in solid waste management. The waste generation rates of SIDS were compared within the three geographicmore » regions namely Caribbean SIDS, Pacific SIDS and Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean and South China (AIMS) SIDS and with countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD). Only Pacific SIDS had a waste generation rate less than 1 kg/capita/day. The waste generation rates for the three SIDS regions averaged 1.29 kg/capita/day while that for OECD countries was at a mean value of 1.35 kg/capita/day. The waste compositions in the different SIDS regions were almost similar owing to comparable consumption patterns while these differed to a large extent with wastes generated in OECD countries. In SIDS, the major fraction of MSW comprised of organics (44%) followed by recyclables namely paper, plastics, glass and metals (total: 43%). In contrast, MSW in OECD countries consisted mainly of recyclables (43%) followed by organics (37%). This article also reviewed the other functional elements of the waste management systems in SIDS. Several shortcomings were noted in the process of waste collection, transfer and transport namely the fact of having outdated collection vehicles and narrow roads which are inaccessible. Among the waste management practices in SIDS, waste disposal via landfilling, illegal dumping and backyard burning were favoured most of the time at the

  20. Waste in Education: The Potential of Materiality and Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jørgensen, Nanna Jordt; Madsen, Katrine Dahl; Laessøe, Jeppe

    2018-01-01

    This article explores how waste materials and waste practices figure in education, pointing to educational potentials of waste which have hitherto received little consideration in environmental and sustainability education practice and research. Building on empirical research on waste education in Danish schools and preschools, we discuss how an…

  1. Current status of waste management in Botswana: A mini-review.

    PubMed

    Mmereki, Daniel

    2018-05-01

    Effective waste management practices are not all about legislative solutions, but a combination of the environmental, social, technical, technically skilled human resources, financial and technological resources, resource recycling, environmental pollution awareness programmes and public participation. As a result of insufficient resources, municipal solid waste (MSW) in transition and developing countries like Botswana remains a challenge, and it is often not yet given highest priority. In Botswana, the environment, public health and other socio-economic aspects are threatened by waste management practices due to inadequate implementation and enforcement mechanisms of waste management policy. This mini-review paper describes the panorama of waste management practices in Botswana and provides information to competent authorities responsible for waste management and to researchers to develop and implement an effective waste management system. Waste management practices in Botswana are affected by: lack of effective implementation of national waste policy, fragmented tasks and overlapping mandates among relevant institutions; lack of clear guidelines on the responsibilities of the generators and public authorities and on the associated economic incentives; and lack of consistent and comprehensive solid waste management policies; lack of intent by decision-makers to prepare national waste management plans and systems, and design and implement an integrated sustainable municipal solid waste management system. Due to these challenges, there are concerns over the growing trend of the illegal dumping of waste, creating mini dumping sites all over the country, and such actions jeopardize the efforts of lobbying investors and tourism business. Recommendations for concerted efforts are made to support decision makers to re-organize a sustainable waste management system, and this paper provides a reference to other emerging economies in the region and the world.

  2. A review of legal framework applicable for the management of healthcare waste and current management practices in Ethiopia.

    PubMed

    Haylamicheal, Israel Deneke; Desalegne, Solomon Akalu

    2012-06-01

    The management of healthcare waste (HCW) requires special attention due to the risk posed by the presence of hazardous waste. The first step towards this is the issuance of national legislation complemented by policy documents, regulations and technical guidelines. In Ethiopia there is no specific legislation for healthcare waste management (HCWM). However, there are various legislations which may provide a legal framework for the management of HCW. This review assesses the various legislations that are relevant to HCWM. It also looks into the institutional arrangements put in place and waste management practices that prevail in the country. It was found that, although the existing legislations have provisions that may provide a legal framework for the management of HCW in Ethiopia, they are not comprehensive and lack specificity in terms of defining hazardous HCW and its categories; in indicating legal obligations of healthcare facilities (HCFs) in handling, transporting, treating and disposing HCW, and record keeping and reporting. There is overlapping of mandates and lackof co-ordination among various government institutions that are responsible for HCWM. The HCWM practices also do not conform to the principles of waste management in general and HCWM in particular. Thus, to better manage HCW in Ethiopia, a specific and comprehensive legislation and policy document on HCWM with clear designation of responsibilities to various stakeholders should be issued immediately. Moreover, training and awareness raising activities on proper HCWM should be undertaken targeting medical staffs, HCF administrators, waste handlers, policy and decision makers and the general public.

  3. Waste management in the Irkutsk Region, Siberia, Russia: environmental assessment of current practice focusing on landfilling.

    PubMed

    Starostina, Vlada; Damgaard, Anders; Rechberger, Helmut; Christensen, Thomas H

    2014-05-01

    The municipal waste management system of the region of Irkutsk is described and a life cycle assessment (LCA) performed to assess the environmental performance of the system. Annually about 500 000 tons of waste are managed. The waste originates from three sources: household waste (27%), commercial waste (23%) and office & institutional waste (44%). Other waste of unknown composition constitutes 6%. Only 3% of the waste is recycled; 97% of the municipal waste is disposed of at the old Alexandrovsky landfill. The environmental impact from the current system is dominated by the landfill, which has no gas or leachate collection system. The global warming contribution is due to the emission of methane of the order of 420 000 tons CO2-equivalents per year. Collection and transport of the waste are insignificant compared with impacts from the landfill. As the old landfill runs out of capacity in a few years, the LCA modelling showed that introduction of a new and modern landfill with gas and leachate collection could improve the performance of the waste management system significantly. Collection of landfill gas and utilization for 30 years for electricity production (gas turbine) would reduce the global warming completely and result in a net saving of 100 000 CO2-equivalents per year due to storage of biogenic carbon in the landfill beyond 100 years. Considering other first-order degradation rates for the landfilled organic matter did not overtly affect the results, while assumptions about the top cover oxidation of methane significantly affected the results. This shows the importance of controlling the gas escape from the landfill.

  4. Health care waste management practice in a hospital.

    PubMed

    Paudel, R; Pradhan, B

    2010-10-01

    Health-care waste is a by-product of health care. Its poor management exposes health-care workers, waste handlers and the community to infections, toxic effects and injuries including damage of the environment. It also creates opportunities for the collection of disposable medical equipment, its re-sale and potential re-use without sterilization, which causes an important burden of disease worldwide. The purpose of this study was to find out health care waste management practice in hospital. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Narayani Sub-Regional Hospital, Birgunj from May to October 2006 using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Study population was four different departments of the hospital (Medical/Paediatric, Surgical/Ortho, Gynae/Obstetric and Emergency), Medical Superintendent, In-charges of four different departments and all sweepers. Data was collected using interview, group discussion, observation and measurement by weight and volume. Total health-care waste generated was 128.4 kg per day while 0.8 kg per patient per day. The composition of health care waste was found to be 96.8 kg (75.4%) general waste, 24.1 kg (8.8%) hazardous waste and 7.5 kg (5.8%) sharps per day by weight. Health staffs and sweepers were not practicing the waste segregation. Occupational health and safety was not given due attention. Majority of the sweepers were unaware of waste management and need of safety measures to protect their own health. Health care waste management practice in the hospital was unsatisfactory because of the lack of waste management plan and carelessness of patients, visitors and staffs. Therefore the hospital should develop the waste management plan and strictly follow the National Health Care Waste Management Guideline.

  5. Current situation and future plans in radioactive waste management in Mexico

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

    Lopez, H.; Jimenez, M.

    1992-01-01

    A brief introduction is offered in this document in order to explain the importance which is given in Mexico to the safe management of radioactive wastes. The Secretaria de Energia, Minas e Industria Paraestatal is the organization responsible for this issue. Also, a brief historical background is offered so as to understand the evolution of these activities since they were originated. This background allows us to describe the present situation, which consists in a substantial change in the volume of produced radioactive wastes; in other words, before the present situation only the, nuclear wastes from the application of radioisotopes weremore » generated whereas currently, with the starting of commercial operation of the first unit of Laguna Verde Nuclear Power Plant (LVNPP), large volumes of industrial radioactive wastes are being generated. A mention is given as well of the acquired experience during more than 20 years of waste management and of the technologies which have been applied or practiced in the use and disposal of such wastes. Finally, some general trends in relation to the future planning are indicated, which essentially consist in the siting and characterization of a site so as to, design and construct a permanent disposal facility in order to dispose the operational radioactive wastes from LVNPP.« less

  6. INNOVATIVE PRACTICES FOR TREATING WASTE STREAMS CONTAINING HEAVY METALS: A WASTE MINIMIZATION APPROACH

    EPA Science Inventory

    Innovative practices for treating waste streams containing heavy metals often involve technologies or systems that either reduce the amount of waste generated or recover reusable resources. With the land disposal of metal treatment residuals becoming less of an accepted waste man...

  7. Possible global environmental impacts of solid waste practices

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

    Davis, M.M.; Holter, G.M.; DeForest, T.J.

    1994-09-01

    Pollutants resulting from the management of solid waste have been shown to affect the air, land, oceans, and waterways. In addition, solid wastes have other, more indirect impacts such as reduction in feedstocks of natural resources, because useful materials are disposed of rather than recycled. The objective of this study is to evaluate solid waste management practices that have negative implications on the global environment and develop recommendations for reducing such impacts. Recommendations identifying needed changes are identified that will reduce global impacts of solid waste practices in the future. The scope of this study includes the range of non-hazardousmore » solid wastes produced within our society, including municipal solid waste (MSW) and industrial solid waste (ISW), as well as industry-specific wastes from activities such as construction, demolition, and landclearing. Most solid waste management decisions continue to be made and implemented at very local levels, predominantly with a short-term focus to respond to relatively immediate pressures of landfill shortages, funding problems, political considerations, and the like. In this rush to address immediate local problems, little consideration is being given to potential impacts, either short- or long-term, at the national or global level resulting from solid waste management practices. More and more, the cumulative impacts from local decisions concerning solid waste management are beginning to manifest themselves in broader, longer-term impacts than are being addressed by the decision-makers or, at the very least, are presenting a greater and greater potential for such impacts.« less

  8. Lean waste classification model to support the sustainable operational practice

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sutrisno, A.; Vanany, I.; Gunawan, I.; Asjad, M.

    2018-04-01

    Driven by growing pressure for a more sustainable operational practice, improvement on the classification of non-value added (waste) is one of the prerequisites to realize sustainability of a firm. While the use of the 7 (seven) types of the Ohno model now becoming a versatile tool to reveal the lean waste occurrence. In many recent investigations, the use of the Seven Waste model of Ohno is insufficient to cope with the types of waste occurred in industrial practices at various application levels. Intended to a narrowing down this limitation, this paper presented an improved waste classification model based on survey to recent studies discussing on waste at various operational stages. Implications on the waste classification model to the body of knowledge and industrial practices are provided.

  9. Solid waste management in Kolkata, India: Practices and challenges

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

    Hazra, Tumpa; Goel, Sudha

    2009-01-15

    This paper presents an overview of current solid waste management (SWM) practices in Kolkata, India and suggests solutions to some of the major problems. More than 2920 ton/d of solid waste are generated in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) area and the budget allocation for 2007-2008 was Rs. 1590 million (US$40 million), which amounts to Rs. 265/cap-y (US$6.7/cap-d) on SWM. This expenditure is insufficient to provide adequate SWM services. Major deficiencies were found in all elements of SWM. Despite 70% of the SWM budget being allocated for collection, collection efficiency is around 60-70% for the registered residents and less thanmore » 20% for unregistered residents (slum dwellers). The collection process is deficient in terms of manpower and vehicle availability. Bin capacity provided is adequate but locations were found to be inappropriate, thus contributing to the inefficiency of the system. At this time, no treatment is provided to the waste and waste is dumped on open land at Dhapa after collection. Lack of suitable facilities (equipment and infrastructure) and underestimates of waste generation rates, inadequate management and technical skills, improper bin collection, and route planning are responsible for poor collection and transportation of municipal solid wastes.« less

  10. Solid waste management in Kolkata, India: practices and challenges.

    PubMed

    Hazra, Tumpa; Goel, Sudha

    2009-01-01

    This paper presents an overview of current solid waste management (SWM) practices in Kolkata, India and suggests solutions to some of the major problems. More than 2920ton/d of solid waste are generated in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) area and the budget allocation for 2007-2008 was Rs. 1590 million (US$40 million), which amounts to Rs. 265/cap-y (US$6.7/cap-d) on SWM. This expenditure is insufficient to provide adequate SWM services. Major deficiencies were found in all elements of SWM. Despite 70% of the SWM budget being allocated for collection, collection efficiency is around 60-70% for the registered residents and less than 20% for unregistered residents (slum dwellers). The collection process is deficient in terms of manpower and vehicle availability. Bin capacity provided is adequate but locations were found to be inappropriate, thus contributing to the inefficiency of the system. At this time, no treatment is provided to the waste and waste is dumped on open land at Dhapa after collection. Lack of suitable facilities (equipment and infrastructure) and underestimates of waste generation rates, inadequate management and technical skills, improper bin collection, and route planning are responsible for poor collection and transportation of municipal solid wastes.

  11. [Health care waste management of potentially infectious medical waste by healthcare professionals in a private medical practice: a study of practices].

    PubMed

    Brunot, Alain; Thompson, Céline

    2010-01-01

    A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 278 health professionals (GPs and specialists, dentists, physical therapists and nurses) in a private medical practice in Paris to study the medical waste management practices related to the production and disposal of potentially hazardous health care waste. With the exception of physical therapists, most professionals produced medical waste (72% to 96,2% according to occupation), with a monthly median of 3 liters (inter-quartile range 1-15 liters). All sharp objects and needles were separated and 91% of them eliminated via a specific process for that sector. These percentages were respectively 84% and 69% concerning contaminated waste that was neither needles or used for cutting. 48% of the professionals reported the existence of documents that could track the disposal of their medical waste. To improve practice, professionals cited collection on-site at the office (74%) and reliability of the contracted service provider to collect the waste (59%). The study showed that health professionals need information on the regulations regarding potentially infectious medical waste, in particular on the traceability of its elimination. They also noted the lack of clarity and precision with regard to the definition of risk of infection: 31,7% of professionals only declare the production of sharp or cutting waste without having specified criteria for risk of infection.

  12. 40 CFR 257.3 - Criteria for classification of solid waste disposal facilities and practices.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES CRITERIA FOR CLASSIFICATION OF SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL FACILITIES AND PRACTICES Classification of Solid Waste Disposal Facilities and Practices § 257.3 Criteria for classification of solid waste disposal facilities and practices. Solid waste disposal facilities or practices...

  13. 40 CFR 257.3 - Criteria for classification of solid waste disposal facilities and practices.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES CRITERIA FOR CLASSIFICATION OF SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL FACILITIES AND PRACTICES Classification of Solid Waste Disposal Facilities and Practices § 257.3 Criteria for classification of solid waste disposal facilities and practices. Solid waste disposal facilities or practices...

  14. Perspectives on Past and Present Waste Disposal Practices: A Community-Based Participatory Research Project in Three Saskatchewan First Nations Communities

    PubMed Central

    Zagozewski, Rebecca; Judd-Henrey, Ian; Nilson, Suzie; Bharadwaj, Lalita

    2011-01-01

    The impact of current and historical waste disposal practices on the environment and human health of Indigenous people in First Nations communities has yet to be adequately addressed. Solid waste disposal has been identified as a major environmental threat to First Nations Communities. A community-based participatory research project (CBPR) was initiated by the Saskatoon Tribal Council Health and Family Services Incorporated to investigate concerns related to waste disposal in three Saskatchewan First Nations Communities. Utilizing a qualitative approach, we aimed to gain an understanding of past and present waste disposal practices and to identify any human and environmental health concerns related to these practices. One to one interviews and sharing circles were conducted with Elders. Elders were asked to share their perspectives on past and present waste disposal practices and to comment on the possible impacts these practices may have on the environment and community health. Historically waste disposal practices were similar among communities. The homeowner generated small volumes of waste, was exclusively responsible for disposal and utilized a backyard pit. Overtime waste disposal evolved to weekly pick-up of un-segregated garbage with waste disposal and open trash burning in a community dump site. Dump site locations and open trash burning were identified as significant health issues related to waste disposal practices in these communities. This research raises issues of inequity in the management of waste in First Nations Communities. It highlights the need for long-term sustainable funding to support community-based waste disposal and management strategies and the development of First Nations centered and delivered educational programs to encourage the adoption and implementation of waste reduction, reutilization and recycling activities in these communities. PMID:21573032

  15. Health Care Waste Management Practice in Health Care Institutions of Nepal.

    PubMed

    Joshi, H D; Acharya, T; Ayer, R; Dhakal, P; Karki, K B; Dhimal, M

    2017-01-01

    Medical waste is considered as a major public health hazard. In a developing country like Nepal, there is much concern about the management practice of medical waste. This study aimed to assess Health Care Waste Management practice among Health Care Institutions in Nepal. A cross sectional study was carried out between July 2012 to June 2013 in 62 different Health Care Institutions, selected from stratified proportionate random sampling technique from all administrative regions of Nepal. A structured questionnaire and observation checklist were used for data collection. The waste generation rate is found significantly correlated with bed capacity, patient flow rate and annual budget spent in the hospital. It is found significantly higher in Teaching hospital than other Health Care Institutions of Nepal. An average of 3.3 kg/day/patient of medical waste (2.0 kg/day/patient non-hazardous and 1.0 kg/day/patient hazardous waste) was generated during the study period. Further, it was found that most of the Health care wastes were not disinfected before transportation to waste disposal sites. Very limited number of Health Care Institutions had conducted Environmental Assessment. Similarly, some of the Health Care Institutions had not followed Health care waste management guideline 2009 of Nepal Government. We found poor compliance of medical waste management practice as per existing legislation of Government of Nepal. Hence, additional effort is needed for improvement of Health care waste management practice at Health Care Institutions of Nepal.

  16. Preliminary study on enhancing waste management best practice model in Malaysia construction industry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jamaludin, Amril Hadri; Karim, Nurulzatushima Abdul; Noor, Raja Nor Husna Raja Mohd; Othman, Nurulhidayah; Malik, Sulaiman Abdul

    2017-08-01

    Construction waste management (CWM) is the practice of minimizing and diverting construction waste, demolition debris, and land-clearing debris from disposal and redirecting recyclable resources back into the construction process. Best practice model means best choice from the collection of other practices that was built for purpose of construction waste management. The practice model can help the contractors in minimizing waste before the construction activities will be started. The importance of minimizing wastage will have direct impact on time, cost and quality of a construction project. This paper is focusing on the preliminary study to determine the factors of waste generation in the construction sites and identify the effectiveness of existing construction waste management practice conducted in Malaysia. The paper will also include the preliminary works of planned research location, data collection method, and analysis to be done by using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to help in developing suitable waste management best practice model that can be used in the country.

  17. Improved low-level radioactive waste management practices for hospitals and research institutions

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

    Not Available

    1983-07-01

    This report provides a general overview and a compendium of source material on low-level radioactive waste management practices in the institutional sector. Institutional sector refers to hospitals, universities, clinics, and research facilities that use radioactive materials in scientific research and the practice of medicine, and the manufacturers of radiopharmaceuticals and radiography devices. This report provides information on effective waste management practices for institutional waste to state policymakers, regulatory agency officials, and waste generators. It is not intended to be a handbook for actual waste management, but rather a sourcebook of general information, as well as a survey of the moremore » detailed analysis.« less

  18. Dental solid and hazardous waste management and safety practices in developing countries: Nablus district, Palestine.

    PubMed

    Al-Khatib, Issam A; Monou, Maria; Mosleh, Salem A; Al-Subu, Mohammed M; Kassinos, Despo

    2010-05-01

    This study investigated the dental waste management practices and safety measures implemented by dentists in the Nablus district, Palestine. A comprehensive survey was conducted for 97 of the 134 dental clinics to assess the current situation. Focus was placed on hazardous waste produced by clinics and the handling, storage, treatment and disposal measures taken. Mercury, found in dental amalgam, is one of the most problematic hazardous waste. The findings revealed that there is no proper separation of dental waste by classification as demanded by the World Health Organization. Furthermore, medical waste is often mixed with general waste during production, collection and disposal. The final disposal of waste ends up in open dumping sites sometimes close to communities where the waste is burned. Correct management and safety procedures that could be effectively implemented in developing countries were examined. It was concluded that cooperation between dental associations, government-related ministries and authorities needs to be established, to enhance dental waste management and provide training and capacity building programs for all professionals in the medical waste management field.

  19. Current status of solid waste management in small island developing states: A review.

    PubMed

    Mohee, Romeela; Mauthoor, Sumayya; Bundhoo, Zumar M A; Somaroo, Geeta; Soobhany, Nuhaa; Gunasee, Sanjana

    2015-09-01

    This article reviews the current status of waste management in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and the challenges that are faced in solid waste management. The waste generation rates of SIDS were compared within the three geographic regions namely Caribbean SIDS, Pacific SIDS and Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean and South China (AIMS) SIDS and with countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD). Only Pacific SIDS had a waste generation rate less than 1kg/capita/day. The waste generation rates for the three SIDS regions averaged 1.29kg/capita/day while that for OECD countries was at a mean value of 1.35kg/capita/day. The waste compositions in the different SIDS regions were almost similar owing to comparable consumption patterns while these differed to a large extent with wastes generated in OECD countries. In SIDS, the major fraction of MSW comprised of organics (44%) followed by recyclables namely paper, plastics, glass and metals (total: 43%). In contrast, MSW in OECD countries consisted mainly of recyclables (43%) followed by organics (37%). This article also reviewed the other functional elements of the waste management systems in SIDS. Several shortcomings were noted in the process of waste collection, transfer and transport namely the fact of having outdated collection vehicles and narrow roads which are inaccessible. Among the waste management practices in SIDS, waste disposal via landfilling, illegal dumping and backyard burning were favoured most of the time at the expense of sustainable waste treatment technologies such as composting, anaerobic digestion and recycling. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Solid and hazardous waste management practices onboard ocean going vessels: a review.

    PubMed

    Swamy, Yeddanapudi V R P P

    2012-01-01

    Shipping or carriage of goods play an important role in the development of human societies and international shipping industry, which carries 90% of the world trade, is the life blood of global economy. During ships operational activity a number of solid and hazardous wastes, also referred as garbage are produced from galleys, crew cabins and engine/deck departments stores. This review provides an overview of the current practices onboard and examines the evidence that links waste management plan regulations to shipping trade. With strict compliance to International Maritime Organization's MARPOL regulations, which prevents the pollution of sea from ships various discharges, well documented solid and hazardous waste management practices are being followed onboard ships. All ship board wastes are collected, segregated, stored and disposed of in appropriate locations, in accordance with shipping company's environmental protection policy and solid and hazardous waste management plan. For example, food residues are ground onboard and dropped into the sea as fish food. Cardboard and the like are burned onboard in incinerators. Glass is sorted into dark/light and deposited ashore, as are plastics, metal, tins, batteries, fluorescent tubes, etc. The residue from plastic incineration which is still considered as plastic is brought back to shore for disposal. New targets are being set up to reduce the volume of garbage generated and disposed of to shore facilities, and newer ships are using baling machines which compress cardboard etc into bales to be taken ashore. The garbage management and its control system work as a 'continual improvement' process to achieve new targets.

  1. Water Balance Covers For Waste Containment: Principles and Practice

    EPA Science Inventory

    Water Balance Covers for Waste Containment: Principles and Practices introduces water balance covers and compares them with conventional approaches to waste containment. The authors provided detailed analysis of the fundamentals of soil physics and design issues, introduce appl...

  2. An assessment of the current municipal solid waste management system in Lahore, Pakistan.

    PubMed

    Masood, Maryam; Barlow, Claire Y; Wilson, David C

    2014-09-01

    The current status of solid waste management in Lahore, a metropolitan city of Pakistan, is reviewed in this article using an existing approach, the UN-Habitat city profile. This involves a systematic quantitative and qualitative assessment of physical components and governance features of the current waste management system. A material flow diagram (MFD) is developed, which allows visualisation of the current waste management system with all related inputs and outputs. This study shows that in the current system, waste collection and transportation is the main focus, however the collection coverage is only about 68%. There is no controlled or even semi-controlled waste disposal facility in Lahore. There is no official recycling system in the city. It is estimated that currently ~27% of waste by weight is being recycled through the informal sector. Making use of the organic content of the waste, a composting facility is operative in the city, producing 47,230 tonnes year(-1) of organic compost. Lahore does not perform very well in governance features. Inclusivity of users and providers of the waste management system is low in the city, as not all stakeholders are consulted in the decision making processes. Waste management costs US$20 per tonne of waste, where the main focus is only on waste collection, and the current user fees are much lower than the actual costs. This study recommends that recycling should be promoted by increasing public awareness and integrating the informal sector to make the current system sustainable and financially viable. © The Author(s) 2014.

  3. Food waste reduction practices in German food retail.

    PubMed

    Hermsdorf, David; Rombach, Meike; Bitsch, Vera

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to investigate food retailers food waste reduction practices in Germany. The focus is on selling and redistributing agricultural produce with visual impairments and other surplus food items. In addition, drivers and barriers regarding the implementation of both waste reduction practices are explored. In total, 12 in-depth interviews with managerial actors in the food retail sector and a food bank spokesperson were recorded, transcribed and analyzed through a qualitative content analysis. In contrast to organic retailers, conventional retailers were reluctant to include agricultural produce with visual impairments in their product assortments, due to fears of negative consumer reactions. Another obstacle was EU marketing standards for specific produce. All retailers interviewed engaged in redistribution of surplus food. Logistics and the regulatory framework were the main barriers to food redistribution. The present study adds to the existing body of literature on food waste reduction practices as it explores selling produce with visual impairments and elaborates on the legal background of food redistribution in German retail. The results are the foundation for providing recommendations to policy makers and charitable food organizations.

  4. Reclamation of landfills and dumps of municipal solid waste in a energy efficient waste management system: methodology and practice

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Orlova, Tatyana; Melnichuk, Aleksandr; Klimenko, Kseniya; Vitvitskaya, Valentina; Popovych, Valentina; Dunaieva, Ielizaveta; Terleev, Vitaly; Nikonorov, Aleksandr; Togo, Issa; Volkova, Yulia; Mirschel, Wilfried; Garmanov, Vitaly

    2017-10-01

    The article considers the methodological and practical aspects of reclamation of landfills and dumps of municipal solid waste in a waste management system. The general tendencies of system development in the context of elements of the international concept of waste hierarchy are analyzed. Statistics of the formation and burial of domestic waste indicate a strategic non-alternative to the rejection of landfill technologies in favor of environmentally, energy efficient and economically expedient ways of utilization of municipal waste as a world trend. Practical approaches to the study of territories on which there are dumps and landfills are considered to justify the design solutions for reclamation.

  5. Current trends of tropical fruit waste utilization.

    PubMed

    Cheok, Choon Yoong; Mohd Adzahan, Noranizan; Abdul Rahman, Russly; Zainal Abedin, Nur Hanani; Hussain, Norhayati; Sulaiman, Rabiha; Chong, Gun Hean

    2018-02-11

    Recent rapid growth of the world's population has increased food demands. This phenomenon poses a great challenge for food manufacturers in maximizing the existing food or plant resources. Nowadays, the recovery of health benefit bioactive compounds from fruit wastes is a research trend not only to help minimize the waste burden, but also to meet the intensive demand from the public for phenolic compounds which are believed to have protective effects against chronic diseases. This review is focused on polyphenolic compounds recovery from tropical fruit wastes and its current trend of utilization. The tropical fruit wastes include in discussion are durian (Durio zibethinus), mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.), rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum), mango (Mangifera indica L.), jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), papaya (Carica papaya), passion fruit (Passiflora edulis), dragon fruit (Hylocereus spp), and pineapple (Ananas comosus). Highlights of bioactive compounds in different parts of a tropical fruit are targeted primarily for food industries as pragmatic references to create novel innovative health enhancement food products. This information is intended to inspire further research ideas in areas that are still under-explored and for food processing manufacturers who would like to minimize wastes as the norm of present day industry (design) objective.

  6. Current EU-27 technical potential of organic waste streams for biogas and energy production.

    PubMed

    Lorenz, Helge; Fischer, Peter; Schumacher, Britt; Adler, Philipp

    2013-11-01

    Anaerobic digestion of organic waste generated by households, businesses, agriculture, and industry is an important approach as method of waste treatment - especially with regard to its potential as an alternative energy source and its cost-effectiveness. Separate collection of biowaste from households or vegetal waste from public green spaces is already established in some EU-27 countries. The material recovery in composting plants is common for biowaste and vegetal waste. Brewery waste fractions generated by beer production are often used for animal feeding after a suitable preparation. Waste streams from paper industry generated by pulp and paper production such as black liquor or paper sludge are often highly contaminated with toxic substances. Recovery of chemicals and the use in thermal processes like incineration, pyrolysis, and gasification are typical utilization paths. The current utilization of organic waste from households and institutions (without agricultural waste) was investigated for EU-27 countries with Germany as an in-depth example. Besides of biowaste little is known about the suitability of waste streams from brewery and paper industry for anaerobic digestion. Therefore, an evaluation of the most important biogas process parameters for different substrates was carried out, in order to calculate the biogas utilization potential of these waste quantities. Furthermore, a calculation of biogas energy potentials was carried out for defined waste fractions which are most suitable for anaerobic digestion. Up to 1% of the primary energy demand can be covered by the calculated total biogas energy potential. By using a "best-practice-scenario" for separately collected biowaste, the coverage of primary energy demand may be increased above 2% for several countries. By using sector-specific waste streams, for example the German paper industry could cover up to 4.7% and the German brewery industry up to 71.2% of its total energy demand. Copyright © 2013

  7. Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Healthcare Managers to Medical Waste Management and Occupational Safety Practices: Findings from Southeast Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Anozie, Okechukwu Bonaventure; Lawani, Lucky Osaheni; Eze, Justus Ndulue; Mamah, Emmanuel Johnbosco; Onoh, Robinson Chukwudi; Ogah, Emeka Onwe; Umezurike, Daniel Akuma; Anozie, Rita Onyinyechi

    2017-03-01

    Awareness of appropriate waste management procedures and occupational safety measures is fundamental to achieving a safe work environment, and ensuring patient and staff safety. This study was conducted to assess the attitude of healthcare managers to medical waste management and occupational safety practices. This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 54 hospital administrators in Ebonyi state. Semi-structured questionnaires were used for qualitative data collection and analyzed with SPSS statistics for windows (2011), version 20.0 statistical software (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp). Two-fifth (40%) of healthcare managers had received training on medical waste management and occupational safety. Standard operating procedure of waste disposal was practiced by only one hospital (1.9%), while 98.1% (53/54) practiced indiscriminate waste disposal. Injection safety boxes were widely available in all health facilities, nevertheless, the use of incinerators and waste treatment was practiced by 1.9% (1/54) facility. However, 40.7% (22/54) and 59.3% (32/54) of respondents trained their staff and organize safety orientation courses respectively. Staff insurance cover was offered by just one hospital (1.9%), while none of the hospitals had compensation package for occupational hazard victims. Over half (55.6%; 30/54) of the respondents provided both personal protective equipment and post exposure prophylaxis for HIV. There was high level of non-compliance to standard medical waste management procedures, and lack of training on occupational safety measures. Relevant regulating agencies should step up efforts at monitoring and regulation of healthcare activities and ensure staff training on safe handling and disposal of hospital waste.

  8. Municipal solid waste (MSW) as a renewable source of energy: current and future practices in China.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Hefa; Hu, Yuanan

    2010-06-01

    With rapid economic growth and massive urbanization, China faces the problem of municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal and the pressing need for development of alternative energy. Waste-to-energy (WTE) incineration, which recovers energy from discarded MSW and produces electricity and/or steam for heating, is recognized as a renewable source of energy and is playing an increasingly important role in MSW management in China. This article provides an overview of the WTE industry, discusses the major challenges in expanding WTE incineration in China, namely, high capital and operational costs, equipment corrosion, air pollutant emissions, and fly ash disposal. A perspective on MSW as a renewable energy source in China is also presented. Currently, only approximately 13% of MSW generated in China is disposed in WTE facilities. With the significant benefits of environmental quality, the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and government policies and financial incentives as a renewable energy source, WTE incineration industry is expected to experience significant growth in the coming decade and make greater contribution to supplying renewable energy in China. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Beneficial Use of Waste Materials: State of the Practice 2012

    EPA Science Inventory

    Solid wastes produced in today’s society originate from a myriad of sources, including households, government, businesses, and industry. Current U.S. federal regulations for solid waste management have been developed to promote sound management of these wastes in a manner protect...

  10. Life cycle assessment part 2: current impact assessment practice.

    PubMed

    Pennington, D W; Potting, J; Finnveden, G; Lindeijer, E; Jolliet, O; Rydberg, T; Rebitzer, G

    2004-07-01

    Providing our society with goods and services contributes to a wide range of environmental impacts. Waste generation, emissions and the consumption of resources occur at many stages in a product's life cycle-from raw material extraction, energy acquisition, production and manufacturing, use, reuse, recycling, through to ultimate disposal. These all contribute to impacts such as climate change, stratospheric ozone depletion, photooxidant formation (smog), eutrophication, acidification, toxicological stress on human health and ecosystems, the depletion of resources and noise-among others. The need exists to address these product-related contributions more holistically and in an integrated manner, providing complimentary insights to those of regulatory/process-oriented methodologies. A previous article (Part 1, Rebitzer et al., 2004) outlined how to define and model a product's life cycle in current practice, as well as the methods and tools that are available for compiling the associated waste, emissions and resource consumption data into a life cycle inventory. This article highlights how practitioners and researchers from many domains have come together to provide indicators for the different impacts attributable to products in the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) phase of life cycle assessment (LCA).

  11. Evaluation of Practicing sustainable Industrial Solid Waste Minimization by Manufacturing Firms in Malaysia: Strengths and Weaknesses.

    PubMed

    Mallak, Shadi Kafi; Bakri Ishak, Mohd; Mohamed, Ahmad Fariz

    2016-09-13

    Malaysia is facing an increasing trend in industrial solid waste generation due to industrial development.Thus there is a paramount need in taking a serious action to move toward sustainable industrial waste management. The main aim of this study is to assess practicing solid waste minimization by manufacturing firms in Shah Alam industrial state, Malaysia. This paper presents a series of descriptive and inferential statistical analysis regarding the level and effects of practicing waste minimization methods, and seriousness of barriers preventing industries from practicing waste minimization methods. For this purpose the survey questions were designed such that both quantitative (questionnaire) and qualitative (semi-structures interview) data were collected concurrently. Analysis showed that, the majority of firms (92%) dispose their wastes rather than practice other sustainable waste management options. Also waste minimization methods such as segregation of wastes, on-site recycle and reuse, improve housekeeping and equipment modification were found to have significant contribution in waste reduction (p<0.05). Lack of expertise (M=3.50), lack of enough information (M= 3.54), lack of equipment modification (M= 3.16) and lack of specific waste minimization guidelines (M=3.49) have higher mean scores comparing with other barriers in different categories. These data were interpreted for elaborating of SWOT and TOWS matrix to highlight strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities. Accordingly, ten policies were recommended for improvement of practicing waste minimization by manufacturing firms as the main aim of this research. Implications This manuscript critically analysis waste minimization practices by manufacturing firms in Malaysia. Both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis were conducted to formulate SWOT and TOWS matrix in order to recommend policies and strategies for improvement of solid waste minimization by manufacturing industries

  12. Waste management practices in the Gulf of Suez - Egypt

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

    Ghzaly, S.M.; Binegar, J.S.

    1996-12-31

    The Gulf of Suez Petroleum Company (GUPCO) is the largest offshore oil producing company in Egypt. GUPCO currently produces 400,000 BOPD from over 350 wells supported by 87 offshore producing platforms. As a leader of the Egyptian petroleum industry, GUPCO established within its strategies and goals a separate category covering safety, health and Protection of the environment. This step was recognized and emphasized the importance of GUPCO`s role in protecting the Egyptian environment while producing oil and natural gas. This paper discusses the existing waste management practices of the Gulf of Suez Petroleum Company which were put into place tomore » protect the Egyptian environment in the Gulf of Suez-Egypt and GUPCO`s associated operations.« less

  13. Food waste-to-energy conversion technologies: current status and future directions.

    PubMed

    Pham, Thi Phuong Thuy; Kaushik, Rajni; Parshetti, Ganesh K; Mahmood, Russell; Balasubramanian, Rajasekhar

    2015-04-01

    Food waste represents a significantly fraction of municipal solid waste. Proper management and recycling of huge volumes of food waste are required to reduce its environmental burdens and to minimize risks to human health. Food waste is indeed an untapped resource with great potential for energy production. Utilization of food waste for energy conversion currently represents a challenge due to various reasons. These include its inherent heterogeneously variable compositions, high moisture contents and low calorific value, which constitute an impediment for the development of robust, large scale, and efficient industrial processes. Although a considerable amount of research has been carried out on the conversion of food waste to renewable energy, there is a lack of comprehensive and systematic reviews of the published literature. The present review synthesizes the current knowledge available in the use of technologies for food-waste-to-energy conversion involving biological (e.g. anaerobic digestion and fermentation), thermal and thermochemical technologies (e.g. incineration, pyrolysis, gasification and hydrothermal oxidation). The competitive advantages of these technologies as well as the challenges associated with them are discussed. In addition, the future directions for more effective utilization of food waste for renewable energy generation are suggested from an interdisciplinary perspective. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Hospital waste management in Brazil: a case study.

    PubMed

    Mattoso, V D; Schalch, V

    2001-12-01

    The evaluation of the current definition, classification and quantification of hospital waste being carried out by hospitals in different countries is extremely important to avoid improper waste management practices. In this work, the waste management from a 400-bed Brazilian hospital which generates about 386 kg per day of hospital waste was studied. The generation rate of just over one kg per bed per day was considered small, although more than 50% of the waste from non-isolation wards consisted of food waste. It was also interesting to note that the highest generation rate per patient per day was found in private rooms and the lowest rate in the public ones. The waste practices used in this hospital are discussed in terms of current Brazilian legislation.

  15. Current biomedical waste management practices and cross-infection control procedures of dentists in India.

    PubMed

    Singh, Balendra Pratap; Khan, Suleman A; Agrawal, Neeraj; Siddharth, Ramashanker; Kumar, Lakshya

    2012-06-01

    To investigate the knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of dentists working in dental clinics and dental hospitals regarding biomedical waste management and cross-infection control. A national survey was conducted. Self-administered questionnaires were sent to 800 dentists across India. A total of 494 dentists responded, giving a response rate of 61.8%. Of these, 228 of 323 (70.6%) general dentists reported using boiling water as a sterilising medium and 339 (68.6%) dentists reported disposing of hazardous waste such as syringes, blades and ampoules in dustbins and emptying these into municipal corporation bins. Dentists should undergo continuing education programmes on biomedical waste management and infection control guidelines. Greater cooperation between dental clinics and hospitals and pollution control boards is needed to ensure the proper handling and disposal of biomedical waste. © 2012 FDI World Dental Federation.

  16. Domestic waste disposal practice and perceptions of private sector waste management in urban Accra

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Waste poses a threat to public health and the environment if it is not stored, collected, and disposed of properly. The perception of waste as an unwanted material with no intrinsic value has dominated attitudes towards disposal. This study investigates the domestic waste practices, waste disposal, and perceptions about waste and health in an urban community. Methods The study utilised a mixed-method approach. A cross-sectional survey questionnaire and in-depth interview were used to collect data. A total of 364 household heads were interviewed in the survey and six key informants were interviewed with the in-depth interviews. Results The results of the study revealed that 93.1% of households disposed of food debris as waste and 77.8% disposed of plastic materials as waste. The study also showed that 61.0% of the households disposed of their waste at community bins or had waste picked up at their homes by private contractors. The remaining 39.0% disposed of their waste in gutters, streets, holes and nearby bushes. Of those who paid for the services of private contractors, 62.9% were not satisfied with the services because of their cost and irregular collection. About 83% of the respondents were aware that improper waste management contributes to disease causation; most of the respondents thought that improper waste management could lead to malaria and diarrhoea. There was a general perception that children should be responsible for transporting waste from the households to dumping sites. Conclusion Proper education of the public, the provision of more communal trash bins, and the collection of waste by private contractors could help prevent exposing the public in municipalities to diseases. PMID:25005728

  17. Domestic waste disposal practice and perceptions of private sector waste management in urban Accra.

    PubMed

    Yoada, Ramatta Massa; Chirawurah, Dennis; Adongo, Philip Baba

    2014-07-08

    Waste poses a threat to public health and the environment if it is not stored, collected, and disposed of properly. The perception of waste as an unwanted material with no intrinsic value has dominated attitudes towards disposal. This study investigates the domestic waste practices, waste disposal, and perceptions about waste and health in an urban community. The study utilised a mixed-method approach. A cross-sectional survey questionnaire and in-depth interview were used to collect data. A total of 364 household heads were interviewed in the survey and six key informants were interviewed with the in-depth interviews. The results of the study revealed that 93.1% of households disposed of food debris as waste and 77.8% disposed of plastic materials as waste. The study also showed that 61.0% of the households disposed of their waste at community bins or had waste picked up at their homes by private contractors. The remaining 39.0% disposed of their waste in gutters, streets, holes and nearby bushes. Of those who paid for the services of private contractors, 62.9% were not satisfied with the services because of their cost and irregular collection. About 83% of the respondents were aware that improper waste management contributes to disease causation; most of the respondents thought that improper waste management could lead to malaria and diarrhoea. There was a general perception that children should be responsible for transporting waste from the households to dumping sites. Proper education of the public, the provision of more communal trash bins, and the collection of waste by private contractors could help prevent exposing the public in municipalities to diseases.

  18. Key factors of eddy current separation for recovering aluminum from crushed e-waste.

    PubMed

    Ruan, Jujun; Dong, Lipeng; Zheng, Jie; Zhang, Tao; Huang, Mingzhi; Xu, Zhenming

    2017-02-01

    Recovery of e-waste in China had caused serious pollutions. Eddy current separation is an environment-friendly technology of separating nonferrous metallic particles from crushed e-waste. However, due to complex particle characters, separation efficiency of traditional eddy current separator was low. In production, controllable operation factors of eddy current separation are feeding speed, (ωR-v), and S p . There is little special information about influencing mechanism and critical parameters of these factors in eddy current separation. This paper provided the special information of these key factors in eddy current separation of recovering aluminum particles from crushed waste refrigerator cabinets. Detachment angles increased as the increase of (ωR-v). Separation efficiency increased with the growing of detachment angles. Aluminum particles were completely separated from plastic particles in critical parameters of feeding speed 0.5m/s and detachment angles greater than 6.61deg. S p /S m of aluminum particles in crushed waste refrigerators ranged from 0.08 to 0.51. Separation efficiency increased as the increase of S p /S m . This enlightened us to develop new separator to separate smaller nonferrous metallic particles in e-waste recovery. High feeding speed destroyed separation efficiency. However, greater S p of aluminum particles brought positive impact on separation efficiency. Greater S p could increase critical feeding speed to offer greater throughput of eddy current separation. This paper will guide eddy current separation in production of recovering nonferrous metals from crushed e-waste. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Deep Submarine Tailings Disposal (DSTP) the Proposed Use of Submarine Canyons and Artificial Turbidity Currents for the Disposal of Mine Waste: Current Practice, Future Plans, and Cumulative Impacts.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Young, R.; Moran, R.

    2015-12-01

    The wastes from mining operations ( tailings) have been disposed of in the fluvial environment (riverine disposal) and in nearshore marine environments for much of the last century. The scale of modern mining operations has led to increasing use of steep slopes and submarine canyons for deposition of these wastes at depths of 2000m - 4000m. Current mine disposal operations in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea which use Deep Sea Tailings Placement (DSTP) release volumes between 5000 tpd and 160,000 tpd. Planning is underway by the"Consortium," an industry and government group in Chile which would deposit mine waste of 1M tpd into the Humbolt Current Large Marine Ecosystem (HCLME) which provides nearly 20% of the fish biomass harvested on a sustainable basis worldwide. Underwater pipelines discharge tailings as a slurry to create a continuous artificial turbidity current with particle size distribtions (PSD's) ranging from sand to clay sized fractions. Potential problems arise from benthic smothering, angular particulate uptake by benthic organisms, and from the bioaccumulation of a complex of heavy metals by both benthic and pelagic species. While much is known about the binding of copper and other toxic heavy metals in a reducing environment, little has been done to consider the implications of ocean dumping where 1% of tailings discharged may consist of unrecovered heavy metals. Synergistic cumulative impacts to just the HCLME from the dumping of the more than 3M tpy of reactive metals in these tailings sediments remains unknown and poses substantial risks. DSTP assumes a stable deep sea depositional environment but upwelling currents and plume shear may make this hard to accomplish.

  20. Critical management practices influencing on-site waste minimization in construction projects.

    PubMed

    Ajayi, Saheed O; Oyedele, Lukumon O; Bilal, Muhammad; Akinade, Olugbenga O; Alaka, Hafiz A; Owolabi, Hakeem A

    2017-01-01

    As a result of increasing recognition of effective site management as the strategic approach for achieving the required performance in construction projects, this study seeks to identify the key site management practices that are requisite for construction waste minimization. A mixed methods approach, involving field study and survey research were used as means of data collection. After confirmation of construct validity and reliability of scale, data analysis was carried out through a combination of Kruskal-Wallis test, descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis. The study suggests that site management functions could significantly reduce waste generation through strict adherence to project drawings, and by ensuring fewer or no design changes during construction process. Provision of waste skips for specific materials and maximisation of on-site reuse of materials are also found to be among the key factors for engendering waste minimization. The result of factor analysis suggests four factors underlying on-site waste management practices with 96.093% of total variance. These measures include contractual provisions for waste minimization, waste segregation, maximisation of materials reuse and effective logistic management. Strategies through which each of the underlying measures could be achieved are further discussed in the paper. Findings of this study would assist construction site managers and other site operatives in reducing waste generated by construction activities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. 40 CFR 60.53b - Standards for municipal waste combustor operating practices.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... Performance for Large Municipal Waste Combustors for Which Construction is Commenced After September 20, 1994... 40 Protection of Environment 7 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Standards for municipal waste combustor... municipal waste combustor operating practices. (a) On and after the date on which the initial performance...

  2. Healthcare waste generation and management practice in government health centers of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

    PubMed

    Tadesse, Menelik Legesse; Kumie, Abera

    2014-11-25

    Healthcare wastes are hazardous organic and inorganic wastes. The waste disposal management in Addis Ababa city is seen unscientific manner. The waste management practice in the health facilities are poor and need improvement. This study will help different organizations, stakeholders and policy makers to correct and improve the existing situation of healthcare waste legislation and enforcement and training of staff in the healthcare facilities in Addis Ababa. The study aimed to assess the existing generation and management practice of healthcare waste in selected government health centers of Addis Ababa. The cross-sectional study was conducted to quantify waste generation rate and evaluate its management system. The study area was Addis Ababa. The sample size was determined by simple random sampling technique, the sampling procedure involved 10 sub-cities of Addis Ababa. Data were collected using both waste collecting and measuring equipment and check list. The Data was entered by EPI INFO version 6.04d and analyzed by and SPSS for WINDOW version15. The mean (±SD) healthcare waste generation rate was 9.61 ± 3.28 kg/day of which (38%) 3.64 ± 1.45 kg/day was general or non-hazardous waste and (62%) 5.97 ± 2.31 kg/day was hazardous. The mean healthcare waste generation rate between health centers was a significant different with Kurskal-Wallis test (χ2 = 21.83, p-value = 0.009). All health centers used safety boxes for collection of sharp wastes and all health centers used plastic buckets without lid for collection and transportation of healthcare waste. Pre treatment of infectious wastes was not practiced by any of the health centers. All health centers used incinerators and had placenta pit for disposal of pathological waste however only seven out of ten pits had proper covering material. Segregation of wastes at point of generation with appropriate collection materials and pre- treatment of infectious waste before disposal should be practiced

  3. Evidence-based integrated environmental solutions for secondary lead smelters: pollution prevention and waste minimization technologies and practices.

    PubMed

    Genaidy, A M; Sequeira, R; Tolaymat, T; Kohler, J; Rinder, M

    2009-05-01

    An evidence-based methodology was adopted in this research to establish strategies to increase lead recovery and recycling via a systematic review and critical appraisal of the published literature. In particular, the research examines pollution prevention and waste minimization practices and technologies that meet the following criteria: (a) reduce/recover/recycle the largest quantities of lead currently being disposed of as waste, (b) technically and economically viable, that is, ready to be diffused and easily transferable, and (c) strong industry interest (i.e., industry would consider implementing projects with higher payback periods). The following specific aims are designed to achieve the study objectives: Aim 1 - To describe the recycling process of recovering refined lead from scrap; Aim 2 - To document pollution prevention and waste management technologies and practices adopted by US stakeholders along the trajectory of LAB and lead product life cycle; Aim 3 - To explore improved practices and technologies which are employed by other organizations with an emphasis on the aforementioned criteria; Aim 4 - To demonstrate the economic and environmental costs and benefits of applying improved technologies and practices to existing US smelting operations; and Aim 5 - To evaluate improved environmental technologies and practices using an algorithm that integrates quantitative and qualitative criteria. The process of identifying relevant articles and reports was documented. The description of evidence was presented for current practices and technologies used by US smelters as well as improved practices and technologies. Options for integrated environmental solutions for secondary smelters were introduced and rank ordered on the basis of costs (i.e., capital investment) and benefits (i.e., production increases, energy and flux savings, and reduction of SO(2) and slag). An example was provided to demonstrate the utility of the algorithm by detailing the costs and

  4. WASTE REDUCTION PRACTICES AT TWO CHROMATED COPPER ARSENATE WOOD-TREATING PLANTS

    EPA Science Inventory

    Two chromated copper arsenate (CCA) wood-treating plants were assessed for their waste reduction practices. The objectives of this study were to estimate the amount of hazardous wastes that a well-designed and well-main- tained CCA treatment facility would generate and to iden- t...

  5. Healthcare waste management practices and risk perceptions: findings from hospitals in the Algarve region, Portugal.

    PubMed

    Ferreira, Vera; Teixeira, Margarida Ribau

    2010-12-01

    The management of healthcare wastes is receiving greater attention because of the risks to both human health and the environment caused by inadequate waste management practices. In that context, the objective of this study was to analyse the healthcare waste management practices in hospitals of the Algarve region, Portugal, and in particular to assess the risk perceptions of, and actual risk to, healthcare staff. The study included three of the six hospitals in the region, covering 41% of the bed capacity. Data were collected via surveys, interviews, and on-site observations. The results indicate that waste separation is the main deficiency in healthcare waste practice, with correct separation being positively related to the degree of daily contact with the waste. Risk perceptions of healthcare staff show the highest levels for the environment (4.24) and waste workers (4.08), and the lowest for patients (3.29) and visitors (2.80), again being positively associated with the degree of daily contact. Risk perceptions of healthcare staff are related to the difficulties of the correct separation of wastes and the lack of knowledge concerning the importance of that separation. The risk of infection with needlesticks/sharps is higher during patient care than during waste handling, and the frequency of these injuries is related to the daily tasks of each healthcare group (doctors, nurses, and housekeepers). Furthermore, legislative definitions and classifications of healthcare wastes appear to have conditioned the management practices associated with, and the perceptions of risk concerning, healthcare wastes. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Studies of Current Circulation at Ocean Waste Disposal Sites

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Klemas, V. (Principal Investigator); Davis, G.; Henry, R.

    1976-01-01

    The author has identified the following significant results. Acid waste plume was observed in LANDSAT imagery fourteen times ranging from during dump up to 54 hours after dump. Circulation processes at the waste disposal site are highly storm-dominated, with the majority of the water transport occurring during strong northeasterlies. There is a mean flow to the south along shore. This appears to be due to the fact that northeasterly winds produce stronger currents than those driven by southeasterly winds and by the thermohaline circulation. During the warm months (May through October), the ocean at the dump site stratifies with a distinct thermocline observed during all summer cruising at depths ranging from 10 to 21 m. During stratified conditions, the near-bottom currents were small. Surface currents responded to wind conditions resulting in rapid movement of surface drogues on windy days. Mid-depth drogues showed an intermediate behavior, moving more rapidly as wind velocities increased.

  7. A review on current status of municipal solid waste management in India.

    PubMed

    Gupta, Neha; Yadav, Krishna Kumar; Kumar, Vinit

    2015-11-01

    Municipal solid waste management is a major environmental issue in India. Due to rapid increase in urbanization, industrialization and population, the generation rate of municipal solid waste in Indian cities and towns is also increased. Mismanagement of municipal solid waste can cause adverse environmental impacts, public health risk and other socio-economic problem. This paper presents an overview of current status of solid waste management in India which can help the competent authorities responsible for municipal solid waste management and researchers to prepare more efficient plans. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  8. Contaminated waste incinerator modification study. Final report

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

    Wolf, F.

    1995-08-01

    An explosive waste incinerator (EWI) can be installed in the existing Badger AAP Contaminated Waste Processor (CWP). An engineering evaluation of installing a rotary kiln furnace to dispose of waste energetic material has shown the installation to be possible. An extensive literature search was completed to develop the known proven methods of energetic waste disposal. Current incineration practice including thermal treatment alternatives was investigated. Existing and new equipment was reviewed for adequacy. Current CWP operations and hazardous waste to be disposed of were determined. Comparisons were made with other AAP`s EWI.

  9. 21 CFR 110.5 - Current good manufacturing practice.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Current good manufacturing practice. 110.5 Section...) FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION CURRENT GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICE IN MANUFACTURING, PACKING, OR HOLDING HUMAN FOOD General Provisions § 110.5 Current good manufacturing practice. (a) The criteria and...

  10. Municipal solid waste management in Malaysia: practices and challenges.

    PubMed

    Manaf, Latifah Abd; Samah, Mohd Armi Abu; Zukki, Nur Ilyana Mohd

    2009-11-01

    Rapid economic development and population growth, inadequate infrastructure and expertise, and land scarcity make the management of municipal solid waste become one of Malaysia's most critical environmental issues. The study is aimed at evaluating the generation, characteristics, and management of solid waste in Malaysia based on published information. In general, the per capita generation rate is about 0.5-0.8 kg/person/day in which domestic waste is the primary source. Currently, solid waste is managed by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, with the participation of the private sector. A new institutional and legislation framework has been structured with the objectives to establish a holistic, integrated, and cost-effective solid waste management system, with an emphasis on environmental protection and public health. Therefore, the hierarchy of solid waste management has given the highest priority to source reduction through 3R, intermediate treatment and final disposal.

  11. 21 CFR 225.1 - Current good manufacturing practice.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Current good manufacturing practice. 225.1 Section...) DRUGS: GENERAL CURRENT GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICE FOR MEDICATED FEEDS General Provisions § 225.1 Current good manufacturing practice. (a) Section 501(a)(2)(B) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act...

  12. 21 CFR 226.1 - Current good manufacturing practice.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Current good manufacturing practice. 226.1 Section...) DRUGS: GENERAL CURRENT GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICE FOR TYPE A MEDICATED ARTICLES General Provisions § 226.1 Current good manufacturing practice. (a) The criteria in §§ 226.10 through 226.115, inclusive...

  13. Current and potential uses of bioactive molecules from marine processing waste.

    PubMed

    Suleria, Hafiz Ansar Rasul; Masci, Paul; Gobe, Glenda; Osborne, Simone

    2016-03-15

    Food industries produce huge amounts of processing waste that are often disposed of incurring expenses and impacting upon the environment. For these and other reasons, food processing waste streams, in particular marine processing waste streams, are gaining popularity amongst pharmaceutical, cosmetic and nutraceutical industries as sources of bioactive molecules. In the last 30 years, there has been a gradual increase in processed marine products with a concomitant increase in waste streams that include viscera, heads, skins, fins, bones, trimmings and shellfish waste. In 2010, these waste streams equated to approximately 24 million tonnes of mostly unused resources. Marine processing waste streams not only represent an abundant resource, they are also enriched with structurally diverse molecules that possess a broad panel of bioactivities including anti-oxidant, anti-coagulant, anti-thrombotic, anti-cancer and immune-stimulatory activities. Retrieval and characterisation of bioactive molecules from marine processing waste also contributes valuable information to the vast field of marine natural product discovery. This review summarises the current use of bioactive molecules from marine processing waste in different products and industries. Moreover, this review summarises new research into processing waste streams and the potential for adoption by industries in the creation of new products containing marine processing waste bioactives. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

  14. Status of waste tyres and management practice in Botswana.

    PubMed

    Mmereki, Daniel; Machola, Bontle; Mokokwe, Kentlafetse

    2017-02-22

    Waste tyres (WTs) are becoming a significant environmental, economical and technological challenge due to their high contents of combustible composition and potential for valuable materials and energy resources. Fewer studies in developing and even developed countries have been carried out to assess the challenges regarding waste tyres management, and suggested the best alternative solutions for managing this waste stream. While developed countries made progress in waste tyres management needs by implementing more efficient innovative recovery and recycling methods, and restrictive regulations regarding the management of used tyres, in many developing countries the management of waste tyres has not received adequate interest, and the processing, treatment and disposal of waste tyre is still nascent. In recent years, worldwide, several methods for managing used tyres, including other principal alternatives for managing end-of-life tyres defined in the 4Rs, reduction, re-use, recovery and recycling have been adopted and applied to minimize serious threats to both the natural environment environment and human. The paper attempted to establish stakeholders' action that has the responsibility in waste tyre management in Botswana. This study also analyzed important aspects on waste tyres management in Botswana. A synthesis of approaches was employed in the present investigation to determine the factors influencing effective performance of waste tyres management practice in Botswana. Data for the present study was obtained using relevant published literature, scientific journals, other third sector sources, academic sources, and research derived from governments and other agencies and field observations. Group discussions with the participants and semi-structured interviews with professionals were carried out. The outcomes of this investigation are a wide-range outline concerning the participants that are important in waste tyres management, and a set of aspects affecting

  15. Waste. Choices for Communities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Knaus, Andy; And Others

    The purpose of this booklet is to provide an introduction to the many complex issues of waste management in the United States. It is designed to raise public awareness of the serious impact of current waste generation and disposal practices and to promote alternatives. It encourages citizens to involve themselves in decisions about the way waste…

  16. Industrial hazardous waste management in Turkey: current state of the field and primary challenges.

    PubMed

    Salihoglu, Güray

    2010-05-15

    A holistic evaluation of a country's hazardous waste management (HWM) practices is useful in identifying the necessary actions to focus on. Based on an analysis of industrial hazardous waste (HW) generation in Turkey, this paper attempts to critically evaluate and report current Turkish HWM practices and discuss the primary challenges to be addressed. The generation of industrial HW for Turkey reported in 2004 was 1.195 million tons, which accounted for 7% of the total industrial solid waste (ISW) generated by the manufacturing industry, and for nearly 4.9% of the total solid waste generated in the country. The HW generated by the top five manufacturing product categories--basic metals, chemicals and chemical products, food and beverages, coke and refined petroleum, motor vehicles and trailers--accounted for 89.0% of total industrial HW. 21% of the HW generated in 2004 was recycled or reused, and 6% was sold or donated, whereas 73% was sent to ultimate disposal. 67% of the HW sent to ultimate disposal was disposed of at municipal landfills. The total capacity of the existing regional HW facilities is 212,500 tons/year, which accounts for about 24% of the HW to be disposed. Turkey has identified the HW problem in the country and enacted legislation, designated a lead agency, and promulgated rules and regulations. Several new initiatives are planned for improving HW management nationally; however, some HWM problems will be persistent due to previous and existing industrial development plans. These development policies led to the concentration of industry in regions marked by precious agricultural fields and high population density. This occurred because the government previously exhibited a default prioritization towards industrial development, leading to insufficient implementation of regulations on HW generators. Some of the problems may also be rooted in other countries that allow illegal trans boundary HW movements despite international regulations. Copyright (c

  17. Study of problem of waste chemical current sources in Russia and in European countries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zilenina, V. G.; Ulanova, O. V.; Dornack, C.

    2017-10-01

    This article gives a comparative analysis of handling waste chemical current sources in Russia and in the European countries, presents the effective international documents (Directives, acts) and national legislative acts (state standards, building codes, governmental decrees, etc.), demonstrates the mechanisms for disposal and recycling of waste in the European Union countries. Along with the data of the research works, conducted in other countries during many yearsб it presents the experimental data on leaching out heavy metals from chemical current sources by municipal solid waste landfill filtrate, depending on the morphological composition of domestic waste in the city of Irkutsk. An important point described in the article, is assessment and prediction of negative impact produced on the environment.

  18. 40 CFR 60.1200 - What are the operating practice requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit? 60.1200 Section 60.1200 Protection of Environment... SOURCES Standards of Performance for Small Municipal Waste Combustion Units for Which Construction is... Good Combustion Practices: Operating Requirements § 60.1200 What are the operating practice...

  19. 40 CFR 60.1200 - What are the operating practice requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit? 60.1200 Section 60.1200 Protection of Environment... SOURCES Standards of Performance for Small Municipal Waste Combustion Units for Which Construction is... Good Combustion Practices: Operating Requirements § 60.1200 What are the operating practice...

  20. 40 CFR 60.1200 - What are the operating practice requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit? 60.1200 Section 60.1200 Protection of Environment... SOURCES Standards of Performance for Small Municipal Waste Combustion Units for Which Construction is... Good Combustion Practices: Operating Requirements § 60.1200 What are the operating practice...

  1. 40 CFR 60.1200 - What are the operating practice requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit? 60.1200 Section 60.1200 Protection of Environment... SOURCES Standards of Performance for Small Municipal Waste Combustion Units for Which Construction is... Good Combustion Practices: Operating Requirements § 60.1200 What are the operating practice...

  2. 40 CFR 60.1200 - What are the operating practice requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit? 60.1200 Section 60.1200 Protection of Environment... SOURCES Standards of Performance for Small Municipal Waste Combustion Units for Which Construction is... Good Combustion Practices: Operating Requirements § 60.1200 What are the operating practice...

  3. Practices, Concerns, and Willingness to Participate in Solid Waste Management in Two Urban Slums in Central Uganda

    PubMed Central

    Ndejjo, Rawlance; Musoke, David; Musinguzi, Geofrey; Halage, Abdullah Ali; Carpenter, David O.; Ssempebwa, John C.

    2016-01-01

    Poor solid waste management is among the major challenges facing urban slums in developing countries including Uganda. Understanding community concerns and willingness towards involvement in solid waste management improvement initiatives is critical for informing interventions in slums. Methods. We used a cross-sectional study to collect quantitative data from 435 residents in two urban slums in central Uganda. A semistructured questionnaire was used which assessed waste collection practices, separation and disposal methods, concerns regarding solid wastes, and willingness to participate in waste separation and composting. Data was analysed using STATA 12. Results. Food remains (38%) and plastics (37%) formed the biggest proportion of wastes generated in households. Most households (35.9%) disposed of general wastes by open dumping while 27% disposed of plastics by burning. Only 8.8% of households conducted composting while 55% carried out separation for some decomposable wastes. Separation was carried out for only banana peelings and leftover foods for feeding animals. Respondents expressed high willingness to separate (76.6%) and compost (54.9%) solid wastes. Conclusion. Practices in waste disposal and separation were poor despite high willingness to participate in initiatives to improve waste management, highlighting a need for authorities to engage residents of slums to improve their practices. PMID:27066081

  4. Practices, Concerns, and Willingness to Participate in Solid Waste Management in Two Urban Slums in Central Uganda.

    PubMed

    Mukama, Trasias; Ndejjo, Rawlance; Musoke, David; Musinguzi, Geofrey; Halage, Abdullah Ali; Carpenter, David O; Ssempebwa, John C

    2016-01-01

    Poor solid waste management is among the major challenges facing urban slums in developing countries including Uganda. Understanding community concerns and willingness towards involvement in solid waste management improvement initiatives is critical for informing interventions in slums. We used a cross-sectional study to collect quantitative data from 435 residents in two urban slums in central Uganda. A semistructured questionnaire was used which assessed waste collection practices, separation and disposal methods, concerns regarding solid wastes, and willingness to participate in waste separation and composting. Data was analysed using STATA 12. Food remains (38%) and plastics (37%) formed the biggest proportion of wastes generated in households. Most households (35.9%) disposed of general wastes by open dumping while 27% disposed of plastics by burning. Only 8.8% of households conducted composting while 55% carried out separation for some decomposable wastes. Separation was carried out for only banana peelings and leftover foods for feeding animals. Respondents expressed high willingness to separate (76.6%) and compost (54.9%) solid wastes. Practices in waste disposal and separation were poor despite high willingness to participate in initiatives to improve waste management, highlighting a need for authorities to engage residents of slums to improve their practices.

  5. 21 CFR 129.1 - Current good manufacturing practice.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Current good manufacturing practice. 129.1 Section... Current good manufacturing practice. The applicable criteria in part 110 of this chapter, as well as the..., methods, practices, and controls used in the processing, bottling, holding, and shipping of bottled...

  6. Current techniques in rice mill effluent treatment: Emerging opportunities for waste reuse and waste-to-energy conversion.

    PubMed

    Kumar, Anuj; Priyadarshinee, Rashmi; Roy, Abhishek; Dasgupta, Dalia; Mandal, Tamal

    2016-12-01

    Rice mills release huge volumes of wastewater and other by-products when processing paddy rice. The wastewater often contains toxic inorganic and organic contaminants which cause environmental damage when released. Accordingly, cost-effective techniques for removing contaminants are needed. This article reviews current processes for curbing pollution and also reusing and recycling waste products. Novel techniques exist for converting waste products into energy and value-added products. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Hospital solid waste management practices in Limpopo Province, South Africa: A case study of two hospitals

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

    Nemathaga, Felicia; Maringa, Sally; Chimuka, Luke

    2008-07-01

    The shortcomings in the management practices of hospital solid waste in Limpopo Province of South Africa were studied by looking at two hospitals as case studies. Apart from field surveys, the generated hospital waste was weighed to compute the generation rates and was followed through various management practices to the final disposal. The findings revealed a major policy implementation gap between the national government and the hospitals. While modern practices such as landfill and incineration are used, their daily operations were not carried according to minimum standards. Incinerator ash is openly dumped and wastes are burned on landfills instead ofmore » being covered with soil. The incinerators used are also not environmentally friendly as they use old technology. The findings further revealed that there is no proper separation of wastes according to their classification as demanded by the national government. The mean percentage composition of the waste was found in the following decreasing order: general waste (60.74%) > medical waste (30.32%) > sharps (8.94%). The mean generation rates were found to be 0.60 kg per patient per day.« less

  8. 21 CFR 113.5 - Current good manufacturing practice.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Current good manufacturing practice. 113.5 Section... CONTAINERS General Provisions § 113.5 Current good manufacturing practice. The criteria in §§ 113.10, 113.40..., methods, practices, and controls used by the commercial processor in the manufacture, processing, or...

  9. 40 CFR 62.15145 - What are the operating practice requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit? 62.15145 Section 62.15145 Protection of Environment... Combustion Units Constructed on or Before August 30, 1999 Good Combustion Practices: Operating Requirements § 62.15145 What are the operating practice requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit? (a) You...

  10. 40 CFR 62.15145 - What are the operating practice requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit? 62.15145 Section 62.15145 Protection of Environment... Combustion Units Constructed on or Before August 30, 1999 Good Combustion Practices: Operating Requirements § 62.15145 What are the operating practice requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit? (a) You...

  11. 40 CFR 62.15145 - What are the operating practice requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit? 62.15145 Section 62.15145 Protection of Environment... Combustion Units Constructed on or Before August 30, 1999 Good Combustion Practices: Operating Requirements § 62.15145 What are the operating practice requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit? (a) You...

  12. 40 CFR 62.15145 - What are the operating practice requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit? 62.15145 Section 62.15145 Protection of Environment... Combustion Units Constructed on or Before August 30, 1999 Good Combustion Practices: Operating Requirements § 62.15145 What are the operating practice requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit? (a) You...

  13. 40 CFR 62.15145 - What are the operating practice requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit? 62.15145 Section 62.15145 Protection of Environment... Combustion Units Constructed on or Before August 30, 1999 Good Combustion Practices: Operating Requirements § 62.15145 What are the operating practice requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit? (a) You...

  14. 21 CFR 1271.150 - Current good tissue practice requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Current good tissue practice requirements. 1271... HUMAN CELLS, TISSUES, AND CELLULAR AND TISSUE-BASED PRODUCTS Current Good Tissue Practice § 1271.150 Current good tissue practice requirements. (a) General. This subpart D and subpart C of this part set...

  15. Awareness and practices regarding bio-medical waste management among health care workers in a tertiary care hospital in Delhi.

    PubMed

    Bhagawati, G; Nandwani, S; Singhal, S

    2015-01-01

    Health care institutions are generating large amount of Bio-Medical Waste (BMW), which needs to be properly segregated and treated. With this concern, a questionnaire based cross-sectional study was done to determine the current status of awareness and practices regarding BMW Management (BMWM) and areas of deficit amongst the HCWs in a tertiary care teaching hospital in New Delhi, India. The correct responses were graded as satisfactory (more than 80%), intermediate (50-80%) and unsatisfactory (less than 50%). Some major areas of deficit found were about knowledge regarding number of BMW categories (17%), mercury waste disposal (37.56%) and definition of BMW (47%).

  16. 1989 Report to Congress: Management of Hazardous Wastes from Educational Institutions

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Report identifying the statutory and regulatory requirements, examining current hazardous waste management practices, and identifying possible ways for educational institutions to improve hazardous waste management.

  17. Investigating solid waste production and associated management practices in private dental units

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

    Kontogianni, S.; Xirogiannopoulou, A.; Karagiannidis, A.

    In the municipality of Thessaloniki in 2006 mercury-bearing dental wastes were not managed properly by 80% of dentists and metal-bearing waste was handled in accordance with internationally established best management practices by less than 50% of dentists. Those results were documented through a biennial field-based research study that took place in private dental units within the Thessaloniki Urban Area. For quantifying the waste produced, structured questionnaires were used and interviews with dentists were performed. In the present work, results of this survey are presented; critical parameters and factors affecting the quantity and quality of the dental waste stream are reportedmore » together with the analysis and classification of dominant conditions and needs of the dental sector in the waste management field.« less

  18. Hazardous and toxic waste management in Botswana: practices and challenges.

    PubMed

    Mmereki, Daniel; Li, Baizhan; Meng, Liu

    2014-12-01

    Hazardous and toxic waste is a complex waste category because of its inherent chemical and physical characteristics. It demands for environmentally sound technologies and know-how as well as clean technologies that simultaneously manage and dispose it in an environmentally friendly way. Nevertheless, Botswana lacks a system covering all the critical steps from importation to final disposal or processing of hazardous and toxic waste owing to limited follow-up of the sources and types of hazardous and toxic waste, lack of modern and specialised treatment/disposal facilities, technical know-how, technically skilled manpower, funds and capabilities of local institutions to take lead in waste management. Therefore, because of a lack of an integrated system, there are challenges such as lack of cooperation among all the stakeholders about the safe management of hazardous and toxic waste. Furthermore, Botswana does not have a systematic regulatory framework regarding monitoring and hazardous and toxic waste management. In addition to the absence of a systematic regulatory framework, inadequate public awareness and dissemination of information about hazardous and toxic waste management, slower progress to phase-out persistent and bio-accumulative waste, and lack of reliable and accurate information on hazardous and toxic waste generation, sources and composition have caused critical challenges to effective hazardous and toxic waste management. It is, therefore, important to examine the status of hazardous and toxic waste as a waste stream in Botswana. By default; this mini-review article presents an overview of the current status of hazardous and toxic waste management and introduces the main challenges in hazardous and toxic waste management. Moreover, the article proposes the best applicable strategies to achieve effective hazardous and toxic waste management in the future. © The Author(s) 2014.

  19. Impact of intervention on healthcare waste management practices in a tertiary care governmental hospital of Nepal.

    PubMed

    Sapkota, Binaya; Gupta, Gopal Kumar; Mainali, Dhiraj

    2014-09-26

    Healthcare waste is produced from various therapeutic procedures performed in hospitals, such as chemotherapy, dialysis, surgery, delivery, resection of gangrenous organs, autopsy, biopsy, injections, etc. These result in the production of non-hazardous waste (75-95%) and hazardous waste (10-25%), such as sharps, infectious, chemical, pharmaceutical, radioactive waste, and pressurized containers (e.g., inhaler cans). Improper healthcare waste management may lead to the transmission of hepatitis B, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This evaluation of waste management practices was carried out at gynaecology, obstetrics, paediatrics, medicine and orthopaedics wards at Government of Nepal Civil Service Hospital, Kathmandu from February 12 to October 15, 2013, with the permission from healthcare waste management committee at the hospital. The Individualized Rapid Assessment tool (IRAT), developed by the United Nations Development Program Global Environment Facility project, was used to collect pre-interventional and post-interventional performance scores concerning waste management. The healthcare waste management committee was formed of representing various departments. The study included responses from focal nurses and physicians from the gynaecology, obstetrics, paediatrics, medicine and orthopaedics wards, and waste handlers during the study period. Data included average scores from 40 responders. Scores were based on compliance with the IRAT. The waste management policy and standard operating procedure were developed after interventions, and they were consistent with the national and international laws and regulations. The committee developed a plan for recycling or waste minimization. Health professionals, such as doctors, nurses and waste handlers, were trained on waste management practices. The programs included segregation, collection, handling, transportation, treatment and disposal of waste, as well as occupational health and safety issues

  20. Examining the relationship between socio-economic status, WASH practices and wasting

    PubMed Central

    Raihan, Mohammad Jyoti; Farzana, Fahmida Dil; Sultana, Sabiha; Haque, Md Ahshanul; Rahman, Ahmed Shafiqur; Waid, Jillian L.; McCormick, Ben; Choudhury, Nuzhat; Ahmed, Tahmeed

    2017-01-01

    Childhood wasting is a global problem and is significantly more pronounced in low and middle income countries like Bangladesh. Socio Economic Status (SES) and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) practices may be significantly associated with wasting. Most previous research is consistent about the role of SES, but the significance of WASH in the context of wasting remains ambiguous. The effect of SES and WASH on weight for length (WHZ) is examined using a Structural Equation Model (SEM) to explicitly describe the direct and indirect role of WASH in the context of SES.A nationally representative survey of 10,478 Bangladeshi children under 5 were examined. An expert defined SEM was used to construct latent variables for SES and WASH. The SEM included a direct pathway from SES to WHZ and an indirect pathway from SES to WHZ via WASH along with regression of relevant covariates on the outcome WHZ and the latent variables. Both SES (p<0.01) and WASH (p<0.05) significantly affect WHZ. SES (p<0.01) also significantly affects WASH. Other structural components showed that child’s age (p<0.01) affects WHZ and types of residence (p<0.01) affects SES. WASH practices at least partially mediate the association between SES and wasting status. WASH and SES are both significantly associated with WHZ. PMID:28278161

  1. The radioactive waste management policy and practice in the Czech Republic

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

    Kucerka, M.

    1996-12-31

    In recent period, the new Czech Atomic Law is in the final stage of preparation, and the author expects that Parliament of the Czech Republic will approve it in the first half of the year 1996. Partly the law deals with new distribution of responsibilities among bodies involved in utilization of nuclear energy and ionizing radiation, the state and local authorities. The new provisions include also radioactive waste management activities. These provisions clarify the relations between radioactive waste generators and state, and define explicitly duties of waste generators. One of the most important duties is to cover all expenses formore » radioactive waste management now and in the future, including radioactive waste disposal and decommissioning of nuclear facilities. The law establishes radioactive waste management and decommissioning funds and the new, on waste generators independent radioactive waste management organization, controlled by state, to ensure the safety of inhabitants and the environment, and a optimization of expenses. Parallel to the preparation of the law, the Ministry of Industry and Trade prepares drafts of a statute of the radioactive waste management organization and its control board, and of the methodology and rules of management the radioactive waste fund. First drafts of these documents are expected to be complete in January 1996. The paper will describe recent practice and policy of the radioactive waste management including uranium mining and milling tailings, amounts of waste and its activities, economical background, and safety. A special attention will be paid to description of expected changes in connection with the new Atomic Law and expected steps and time schedule of reorganization of the radioactive waste management structure in the Czech Republic.« less

  2. Caught between the global economy and local bureaucracy: the barriers to good waste management practice in South Africa.

    PubMed

    Godfrey, Linda; Scott, Dianne; Trois, Cristina

    2013-03-01

    Empirical research shows that good waste management practice in South Africa is not always under the volitional control of those tasked with its implementation. While intention to act may exist, external factors, within the distal and proximal context, create barriers to waste behaviour. In addition, these barriers differ for respondents in municipalities, private industry and private waste companies. The main barriers to implementing good waste management practice experienced by respondents in municipalities included insufficient funding for waste management and resultant lack of resources; insufficient waste knowledge; political interference in decision-making; a slow decision-making process; lack of perceived authority to act by waste staff; and a low priority afforded to waste. Barriers experienced by respondents in private industry included insufficient funding for waste and the resultant lack of resources; insufficient waste knowledge; and government bureaucracy. Whereas, barriers experienced in private waste companies included increasing costs; government bureaucracy; global markets; and availability of waste for recycling. The results suggest that respondents in public and private waste organizations are subject to different structural forces that shape, enable and constrain waste behaviour.

  3. 21 CFR 123.5 - Current good manufacturing practice.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Current good manufacturing practice. 123.5 Section...) FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION FISH AND FISHERY PRODUCTS General Provisions § 123.5 Current good manufacturing practice. (a) Part 110 of this chapter applies in determining whether the facilities, methods...

  4. Current Risk Management Practices in Psychotherapy Supervision.

    PubMed

    Mehrtens, Ilayna K; Crapanzano, Kathleen; Tynes, L Lee

    2017-12-01

    Psychotherapy competence is a core skill for psychiatry residents, and psychotherapy supervision is a time-honored approach to teaching this skill. To explore the current supervision practices of psychiatry training programs, a 24-item questionnaire was sent to all program directors of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-approved adult psychiatry programs. The questionnaire included items regarding adherence to recently proposed therapy supervision practices aimed at reducing potential liability risk. The results suggested that current therapy supervision practices do not include sufficient management of the potential liability involved in therapy supervision. Better protections for patients, residents, supervisors and the institutions would be possible with improved credentialing practices and better documentation of informed consent and supervision policies and procedures. © 2017 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

  5. Enforcement Alert: Hazardous Waste Management Practices at Mineral Processing Facilities Under Scrutiny by U.S. EPA; EPA Clarifies 'Bevill Exclusion' Wastes and Establishes Disposal Standards

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This is the enforcement alert for Hazardous Waste Management Practices at Mineral Processing Facilities Under Scrutiny by U.S. EPA; EPA Clarifies 'Bevill Exclusion' Wastes and Establishes Disposal Standards

  6. Impact of pedagogical method on Brazilian dental students' waste management practice.

    PubMed

    Victorelli, Gabriela; Flório, Flávia Martão; Ramacciato, Juliana Cama; Motta, Rogério Heládio Lopes; de Souza Fonseca Silva, Almenara

    2014-11-01

    The purpose of this study was to conduct a qualitative analysis of waste management practices among a group of Brazilian dental students (n=64) before and after implementing two different pedagogical methods: 1) the students attended a two-hour lecture based on World Health Organization standards; and 2) the students applied the lessons learned in an organized group setting aimed toward raising their awareness about socioenvironmental issues related to waste. All eligible students participated, and the students' learning was evaluated through their answers to a series of essay questions, which were quantitatively measured. Afterwards, the impact of the pedagogical approaches was compared by means of qualitative categorization of wastes generated in clinical activities. Waste categorization was performed for a period of eight consecutive days, both before and thirty days after the pedagogical strategies. In the written evaluation, 80 to 90 percent of the students' answers were correct. The qualitative assessment revealed a high frequency of incorrect waste disposal with a significant increase of incorrect disposal inside general and infectious waste containers (p<0.05). Although the students' theoretical learning improved, it was not enough to change behaviors established by cultural values or to encourage the students to adequately segregate and package waste material.

  7. Exploring Secondary School Students' Understanding and Practices of Waste Management in Ogun State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ifegbesan, Ayodeji

    2010-01-01

    This study examined the level of awareness, knowledge and practices of secondary schools students with regard to waste management. Few studies have captured waste management problems in Nigerian educational institutions, particularly the views of students. Using a structured, self-administered questionnaire, 650 students were surveyed from six…

  8. Wastes and by-products - alternatives for agricultural use

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

    Boles, J.L.; Craft, D.J.; Parker, B.R.

    1994-10-01

    Top address a growing national problem with generation of wastes and by-products, TVA has been involved for several years with developing and commercializing environmentally responsible practices for eliminating, minimizing, or utilizing various wastes/by-products. In many cases, reducing waste generation is impractical, but the wastes/by-products can be converted into other environmentally sound products. In some instances, conversion of safe, value-added agricultural products in the best or only practical alternative. TVA is currently involved with a diversity of projects converting wastes/by-products into safe, economical, and agriculturally beneficial products. Environmental improvement projects have involved poultry litter, cellulosic wastes, used battery acid, ammonium sulfatemore » fines, lead smelting effluents, deep-welled sulfuric acid/ammonium bisulfate solutions, wood ash, waste magnesium ammonium sulfate slurry from recording tape production, and ammunition plant waste sodium nitrate/ammonium nitrate streams.« less

  9. Solid Waste Management Practices in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khan, Hasin U.; Husain, Tahir; Khan, Suhail M.

    1987-11-01

    Solid waste management practices in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia are reviewed. The officials of various municipalities and agencies responsible for collecting and disposing of municipal waste were interviewed. The refuse generation rate found is in the range of 1.61 2.72 kg per capita per day. The refuse composition data indicate a high percentage of glass, metals, and wood. For storage purposes, 0.2-m3 barrels are used in residential areas and 0.75 to 1.50 m3-capacity containers are used in commerical areas. The present solid-waste collection system is labor-intensive, and a significant part of the budget is spent on collection and haul operations. The unit collection and haul cost is much higher than the unit disposal cost of refuse. The direct haul of refuse is the common practice, and the use of transfer stations has not yet been considered. It is also observed that the disposal methods used at these sites are not in line with modern techniques for refuse disposal. Landfilling and combined burning and landfilling are the common disposal methods at all the sites.

  10. 21 CFR 114.5 - Current good manufacturing practice.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Current good manufacturing practice. 114.5 Section...) FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION ACIDIFIED FOODS General Provisions § 114.5 Current good manufacturing practice. The criteria in §§ 114.10, 114.80, 114.83, 114.89, and 114.100, as well as the criteria in part...

  11. Current economic trends in equine practice.

    PubMed

    Clark, Andrew R

    2009-12-01

    Current economic trends in equine practice are trends of weakness. Most practices, after a decade of double-digit growth, have migrated to survival mode within a few months. Understanding that all regions and disciplines are affected differently, using the Porter five forces model, we can identify changes that must be made in our business models first to survive and then to position ourselves to prosper when the recession ends. If we are to avoid long-term damage to our practices, we must use cost control and work efficiency in addition to price concessions.

  12. Destined for indecision? A critical analysis of waste management practices in England from 1996 to 2013

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

    Farmer, T.D.; Shaw, P.J.; Williams, I.D., E-mail: idw@soton.ac.uk

    Highlights: • Critical analysis of municipal waste management practices and performance in England. • Trends visualised via innovative ternary plots and changes and reasons explored. • Performance 1996–2013 moved slowly away from landfill dominance. • Large variations in %s of waste landfilled, incinerated and recycled/composted. • Progress to resource efficiency slow; affected by poor planning and hostile disputes. - Abstract: European nations are compelled to reduce reliance on landfill as a destination for household waste, and should, in principle, achieve this goal with due recognition of the aims and principles of the waste hierarchy. Past research has predominantly focused onmore » recycling, whilst interactions between changing waste destinies, causes and drivers of household waste management change, and potential consequences for the goal of the waste hierarchy are less well understood. This study analysed Local Authority Collected Waste (LACW) for England, at national, regional and sub-regional level, in terms of the destination of household waste to landfill, incineration and recycling. Information about waste partnerships, waste management infrastructure and collection systems was collected to help identify and explain changes in waste destinies. Since 1996, the proportion of waste landfilled in England has decreased, in tandem with increases in recycling and incineration. At the regional and sub-regional (Local Authority; LA) level, there have been large variations in the relative proportions of waste landfilled, incinerated and recycled or composted. Annual increases in the proportion of household waste incinerated were typically larger than increases in the proportion recycled. The observed changes took place in the context of legal and financial drivers, and the circumstances of individual LAs (e.g. landfill capacity) also explained the changes seen. Where observed, shifts from landfill towards incineration constitute an approach

  13. 40 CFR 60.34b - Emission guidelines for municipal waste combustor operating practices.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... combustor operating practices. 60.34b Section 60.34b Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... September 20, 1994 § 60.34b Emission guidelines for municipal waste combustor operating practices. (a) For approval, a State plan shall include emission limits for carbon monoxide at least as protective as the...

  14. 40 CFR 60.34b - Emission guidelines for municipal waste combustor operating practices.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... combustor operating practices. 60.34b Section 60.34b Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... September 20, 1994 § 60.34b Emission guidelines for municipal waste combustor operating practices. (a) For approval, a State plan shall include emission limits for carbon monoxide at least as protective as the...

  15. 40 CFR 60.34b - Emission guidelines for municipal waste combustor operating practices.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... combustor operating practices. 60.34b Section 60.34b Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... September 20, 1994 § 60.34b Emission guidelines for municipal waste combustor operating practices. (a) For approval, a State plan shall include emission limits for carbon monoxide at least as protective as the...

  16. 40 CFR 60.34b - Emission guidelines for municipal waste combustor operating practices.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... combustor operating practices. 60.34b Section 60.34b Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... September 20, 1994 § 60.34b Emission guidelines for municipal waste combustor operating practices. (a) For approval, a State plan shall include emission limits for carbon monoxide at least as protective as the...

  17. Microbiological degradation of pesticides in yard waste composting.

    PubMed

    Fogarty, A M; Tuovinen, O H

    1991-06-01

    Changes in public opinion and legislation have led to the general recognition that solid waste treatment practices must be changed. Solid-waste disposal by landfill is becoming increasingly expensive and regulated and no longer represents a long-term option in view of limited land space and environmental problems. Yard waste, a significant component of municipal solid waste, has previously not been separated from the municipal solid-waste stream. The treatment of municipal solid waste including yard waste must urgently be addressed because disposal via landfill will be prohibited by legislation. Separation of yard waste from municipal solid waste will be mandated in many localities, thus stressing the importance of scrutinizing current composting practices in treating grass clippings, leaves, and other yard residues. Yard waste poses a potential environmental health problem as a result of the widespread use of pesticides in lawn and tree care and the persistence of the residues of these chemicals in plant tissue. Yard waste containing pesticides may present a problem due to the recalcitrant and toxic nature of the pesticide molecules. Current composting processes are based on various modifications of either window systems or in-vessel systems. Both types of processes are ultimately dependent on microbial bioconversions of organic material to innocuous end products. The critical stage of the composting process is the thermophilic phase. The fate and mechanism of removal of pesticides in composting processes is largely unknown and in need of comprehensive analysis.

  18. Recent trends and current practices for secondary processing of zinc and lead. Part II: zinc recovery from secondary sources.

    PubMed

    Sahu, Kamala Kanta; Agrawal, Archana; Pandey, Banshi Dhar

    2004-08-01

    Almost all metallurgical processes are associated with the generation of wastes and residues that may be hazardous or non-hazardous in nature depending upon the criteria specified by institutions such as the US Environment Protection Agency, etc. Wastes containing heavy and toxic metals such as arsenic, cadmium, chromium, nickel, lead, copper, mercury, zinc, etc., that are present beyond permissible limits deemed to be treated or disposed of, and non-hazardous wastes can be utilized for metal recovery or safe disposal. Zinc is in growing demand all over the world. In India, a major amount of zinc is imported and therefore processing of zinc secondaries will assist in satisfying the gap between demand and supply to some extent. This report mainly focuses on the current practices and recent trends on the secondary processing of zinc. Attempts made by various laboratories to develop ecofriendly processes for the recovery of zinc from secondary raw materials are also described and discussed.

  19. Cast Stone Formulation for Nuclear Waste Immobilization at Higher Sodium Concentrations

    DOE PAGES

    Fox, Kevin; Cozzi, Alex; Roberts, Kimberly; ...

    2014-11-01

    Low activity radioactive waste at U.S. Department of Energy sites can be immobilized for permanent disposal using cementitious waste forms. This study evaluated waste forms produced with simulated wastes at concentrations up to twice that of currently operating processes. The simulated materials were evaluated for their fresh properties, which determine processability, and cured properties, which determine waste form performance. The results show potential for greatly reducing the volume of material. Fresh properties were sufficient to allow for processing via current practices. Cured properties such as compressive strength meet disposal requirements. Leachability indices provide an indication of expected long-term performance.

  20. Impact of Construction Waste Disposal Charging Scheme on work practices at construction sites in Hong Kong.

    PubMed

    Yu, Ann T W; Poon, C S; Wong, Agnes; Yip, Robin; Jaillon, Lara

    2013-01-01

    Waste management in the building industry in Hong Kong has become an important environmental issue. Particularly, an increasing amount of construction and demolition (C&D) waste is being disposed at landfill sites. In order to reduce waste generation and encourage reuse and recycling, the Hong Kong Government has implemented the Construction Waste Disposal Charging Scheme (CWDCS) to levy charges on C&D waste disposal to landfills. In order to provide information on the changes in reducing waste generation practice among construction participants in various work trades, a study was conducted after 3 years of implementation of the CWDCS via a structured questionnaire survey in the building industry in Hong Kong. The study result has revealed changes with work flows of the major trades as well as differentiating the levels of waste reduced. Three building projects in the public and private sectors were selected as case studies to demonstrate the changes in work flows and the reduction of waste achieved. The research findings reveal that a significant reduction of construction waste was achieved at the first 3 years (2006-2008) of CWDCS implementation. However, the reduction cannot be sustained. The major trades have been influenced to a certain extent by the implementation of the CWDCS. Slight improvement in waste management practices was observed, but reduction of construction waste in the wet-finishing and dry-finishing trades has undergone little improvement. Implementation of the CWDCS has not yet motivated subcontractors to change their methods of construction so as to reduce C&D waste. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Practices of pharmaceutical waste generation and discarding in households across Portugal.

    PubMed

    Dias-Ferreira, Celia; Valente, Susana; Vaz, João

    2016-10-01

    This work is the first nationwide study in Portugal on pharmaceutical waste generated at households, exploring people's attitudes and risk perception. The waste audit was carried out from September to November 2014, targeting pharmaceutical products kept by a sample of families (n = 244). This campaign was an assignment of VALORMED, the non-profit association that manages waste and packaging from expired and unused pharmaceutical products collected by the pharmacies. On average, each household kept at home 1097 g of pharmaceutical products, of which 20% were in use, 72% were not in use, and 8% were mostly expired products ready to discard. Face-to-face interviews with householders showed that 69% of the respondents claimed returning pharmaceutical waste to the local pharmacy. However, this figure is overrated, probably owing to a possible 'good answer' effect. The barriers identified to proper disposal were mainly established routines and lack of close disposal points. This study also provides an insight into the Portuguese awareness and daily practices concerning pharmaceutical waste, which is the cornerstone of any future strategy to reduce the release of active pharmaceutical ingredients into ecosystems. © The Author(s) 2016.

  2. Hospital waste management in El-Beheira Governorate, Egypt.

    PubMed

    Abd El-Salam, Magda Magdy

    2010-01-01

    This study investigated the hospital waste management practices used by eight randomly selected hospitals located in Damanhour City of El-Beheira Governorate and determined the total daily generation rate of their wastes. Physico-chemical characteristics of hospital wastes were determined according to standard methods. A survey was conducted using a questionnaire to collect information about the practices related to waste segregation, collection procedures, the type of temporary storage containers, on-site transport and central storage area, treatment of wastes, off-site transport, and final disposal options. This study indicated that the quantity of medical waste generated by these hospitals was 1.249tons/day. Almost two-thirds was waste similar to domestic waste. The remainder (38.9%) was considered to be hazardous waste. The survey results showed that segregation of all wastes was not conducted according to consistent rules and standards where some quantity of medical waste was disposed of with domestic wastes. The most frequently used treatment method for solid medical waste was incineration which is not accepted at the current time due to the risks associated with it. Only one of the hospitals was equipped with an incinerator which is devoid of any air pollution control system. Autoclaving was also used in only one of the selected hospitals. As for the liquid medical waste, the survey results indicated that nearly all of the surveyed hospitals were discharging it in the municipal sewerage system without any treatment. It was concluded that the inadequacies in the current hospital waste management practices in Damanhour City were mainly related to ineffective segregation at the source, inappropriate collection methods, unsafe storage of waste, insufficient financial and human resources for proper management, and poor control of waste disposal. The other issues that need to be considered are a lack of appropriate protective equipment and lack of training and

  3. Life-cycle assessment of a Waste-to-Energy plant in central Norway: Current situation and effects of changes in waste fraction composition.

    PubMed

    Lausselet, Carine; Cherubini, Francesco; Del Alamo Serrano, Gonzalo; Becidan, Michael; Strømman, Anders Hammer

    2016-12-01

    Waste-to-Energy (WtE) plants constitute one of the most common waste management options to deal with municipal solid waste. WtE plants have the dual objective to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and simultaneously to produce useful energy (heat and/or power). Energy from WtE is gaining steadily increasing importance in the energy mix of several countries. Norway is no exception, as energy recovered from waste currently represents the main energy source of the Norwegian district heating system. Life-cycle assessments (LCA) of WtE systems in a Norwegian context are quasi-nonexistent, and this study assesses the environmental performance of a WtE plant located in central Norway by combining detailed LCA methodology with primary data from plant operations. Mass transfer coefficients and leaching coefficients are used to trace emissions over the various life-cycle stages from waste logistics to final disposal of the ashes. We consider different fractions of input waste (current waste mix, insertion of 10% car fluff, 5% clinical waste and 10% and 50% wood waste), and find a total contribution to Climate Change Impact Potential ranging from 265 to 637gCO 2 eq/kg of waste and 25 to 61gCO 2 eq/MJ of heat. The key drivers of the environmental performances of the WtE system being assessed are the carbon biogenic fraction and the lower heating value of the incoming waste, the direct emissions at the WtE plant, the leaching of the heavy metals at the landfill sites and to a lesser extent the use of consumables. We benchmark the environmental performances of our WtE systems against those of fossil energy systems, and we find better performance for the majority of environmental impact categories, including Climate Change Impact Potential, although some trade-offs exist (e.g. higher impacts on Human Toxicity Potential than natural gas, but lower than coal). Also, the insertion of challenging new waste fractions is demonstrated to be an option both to cope with the

  4. On the prevailing construction waste recycling practices: a South East Queensland study.

    PubMed

    Tam, Vivian W Y; Kotrayothar, Duangthidar; Loo, Yew-Chaye

    2009-03-01

    Waste generated from construction and building demolition work constitutes about 68% of all solid waste generated each year in South East Queensland. Consequently, it has created a serious waste management problem. The State Governments of Victoria and New South Wales have been encouraging the use of recycled materials from construction and related waste; they have also promulgated specifications for their use. In Queensland, however, similar regulations are not anticipated in the near future, which explains the lack of funded research conducted in this important arena. This paper presents an evaluation of the prevailing waste recycling practices in Queensland. Nine sites were visited, including two construction sites, three demolition sites, three recycling plants and one landfill in South East Queensland. The difficulties encountered by the recycling programme operators and their associates at these sites are described and the benefits of recycling construction materials are presented. One of the major barriers is that the local councils disallow the use of recycled materials in new construction work. To help rectify these impediments to recycling, recommendations are given to increase the use of recycled construction waste in South East Queensland.

  5. 21 CFR 210.1 - Status of current good manufacturing practice regulations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Status of current good manufacturing practice... SERVICES (CONTINUED) DRUGS: GENERAL CURRENT GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICE IN MANUFACTURING, PROCESSING, PACKING, OR HOLDING OF DRUGS; GENERAL § 210.1 Status of current good manufacturing practice regulations...

  6. Impact of Construction Waste Disposal Charging Scheme on work practices at construction sites in Hong Kong

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

    Yu, Ann T.W., E-mail: bsannyu@polyu.edu.hk; Poon, C.S.; Wong, Agnes

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A significant reduction of construction waste was achieved at the first 3 years of CWDCS implementation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer However, the reduction cannot be sustained. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Implementation of the CWDCS has generated positive effects in waste reduction by all main trades. - Abstract: Waste management in the building industry in Hong Kong has become an important environmental issue. Particularly, an increasing amount of construction and demolition (C and D) waste is being disposed at landfill sites. In order to reduce waste generation and encourage reuse and recycling, the Hong Kong Government has implemented the Construction Waste Disposal Charging Scheme (CWDCS)more » to levy charges on C and D waste disposal to landfills. In order to provide information on the changes in reducing waste generation practice among construction participants in various work trades, a study was conducted after 3 years of implementation of the CWDCS via a structured questionnaire survey in the building industry in Hong Kong. The study result has revealed changes with work flows of the major trades as well as differentiating the levels of waste reduced. Three building projects in the public and private sectors were selected as case studies to demonstrate the changes in work flows and the reduction of waste achieved. The research findings reveal that a significant reduction of construction waste was achieved at the first 3 years (2006-2008) of CWDCS implementation. However, the reduction cannot be sustained. The major trades have been influenced to a certain extent by the implementation of the CWDCS. Slight improvement in waste management practices was observed, but reduction of construction waste in the wet-finishing and dry-finishing trades has undergone little improvement. Implementation of the CWDCS has not yet motivated subcontractors to change their methods of construction so as to reduce C and D waste.« less

  7. Determining heavy metals in spent compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and their waste management challenges: Some strategies for improving current conditions

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

    Taghipour, Hassan, E-mail: hteir@yahoo.com; Amjad, Zahra; Jafarabadi, Mohamad Asghari

    2014-07-15

    Highlights: • Heavy metals in spent compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) determined. • Current waste management condition of CFLs in Iran assessed. • Currently, waste of CFLs is disposed by municipal waste stream in waste landfills. • We propose extended producer responsibility (EPR) for CFLs waste management. - Abstract: From environmental viewpoint, the most important advantage of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) is reduction of green house gas emissions. But their significant disadvantage is disposal of spent lamps because of containing a few milligrams of toxic metals, especially mercury and lead. For a successful implementation of any waste management plan, availability ofmore » sufficient and accurate information on quantities and compositions of the generated waste and current management conditions is a fundamental prerequisite. In this study, CFLs were selected among 20 different brands in Iran. Content of heavy metals including mercury, lead, nickel, arsenic and chromium was determined by inductive coupled plasma (ICP). Two cities, Tehran and Tabriz, were selected for assessing the current waste management condition of CFLs. The study found that waste generation amount of CFLs in the country was about 159.80, 183.82 and 153.75 million per year in 2010, 2011 and 2012, respectively. Waste generation rate of CFLs in Iran was determined to be 2.05 per person in 2012. The average amount of mercury, lead, nickel, arsenic and chromium was 0.417, 2.33, 0.064, 0.056 and 0.012 mg per lamp, respectively. Currently, waste of CFLs is disposed by municipal waste stream in waste landfills. For improving the current conditions, we propose by considering the successful experience of extended producer responsibility (EPR) in other electronic waste management. The EPR program with advanced recycling fee (ARF) is implemented for collecting and then recycling CFLs. For encouraging consumers to take the spent CFLs back at the end of the products’ useful life, a

  8. A waste walk through clinical pharmacy: how do the 'seven wastes' of Lean techniques apply to the practice of clinical pharmacists.

    PubMed

    Green, Christopher F; Crawford, Victoria; Bresnen, Gaynor; Rowe, Philip H

    2015-02-01

    This study used a 'Lean' technique, the 'waste walk' to evaluate the activities of clinical pharmacists with reference to the seven wastes described in 'Lean' including 'defects', 'unnecessary motion', 'overproduction', 'transport of products or material', 'unnecessary waiting', 'unnecessary inventory' and 'inappropriate processing'. The objectives of the study were to categorise the activities of ward-based clinical pharmacists into waste and non-waste, provide detail around what constitutes waste activity and quantify the proportion of time attributed to each category. This study was carried out in a district general hospital in the North West of England. Staff were observed using work-sampling techniques, to categorise activity into waste and non-waste, with waste activities being allocated to each of the seven wastes described earlier and subdivided into recurrent themes. Twenty different pharmacists were observed for 1 h on two separate occasions. Of 1440 observations, 342 (23.8%) were categorised as waste with 'defects' and 'unnecessary motion' accounting for the largest proportions of waste activity. Observation of clinical pharmacists' activities has identified that a significant proportion of their time could be categorised as 'waste'. There are practical steps that could be implemented in order to ensure their time is used as productively as possible. Given the challenges facing the UK National Health Service, the adoption of 'Lean' techniques provides an opportunity to improve quality and productivity while reducing costs. © 2014 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

  9. Domestic food practices: A study of food management behaviors and the role of food preparation planning in reducing waste.

    PubMed

    Romani, Simona; Grappi, Silvia; Bagozzi, Richard P; Barone, Ada Maria

    2018-02-01

    Recent research has started to show the key role of daily food provision practices in affecting household food waste. Building on and extending these previous contributions, the objective of this paper is to investigate how individuals' everyday practices regarding food (e.g., shopping, cooking, eating, etc.) lead to food waste, and how policy makers and the food industry can implement effective strategies to influence such practices and ultimately help consumers reduce food waste. The research performs three Studies; a critical incident qualitative study (Study 1; N = 514) and a quantitative, survey-based study (Study 2; N = 456) to identify and examine relevant food management behaviors associated with domestic waste. Lastly, findings from a field experiment (Study 3; N = 210) suggest that a specific educational intervention, directed at increasing consumers' perceived skills related to food preparation planning behaviors, reduces domestic food waste. Implications of the research for policy makers and the food industry are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Characterization of urban waste management practices in developing Asian countries: A new analytical framework based on waste characteristics and urban dimension.

    PubMed

    Aleluia, João; Ferrão, Paulo

    2016-12-01

    This paper characterizes municipal solid waste (MSW) management practices in developing Asia, with a focus on low and middle-income countries. The analysis that is conducted supports a proposed framework that maps out the trends observed in the region in relation to two parameters, waste compositions and urban dimension, which was prepared based on a set of national and urban case studies. The management of MSW in developing Asian countries is driven, first and foremost, by a public health imperative: the collection and disposal of waste in order to avoid the spread of disease vectors from uncollected waste. This comes, however, at a high cost, with local government authorities in these countries spending up to 50% of their budgets in the provision of these services. Little or no value is derived from waste, which is typically seen as a liability and not as a resource that can be harnessed. On the other hand, in many cities in developing Asia there is an informal sector that ekes out a living from the recovery of recyclable materials found in waste. Members of this "informal waste sector" are especially active in areas that are not served by formal waste collection systems, such as slums or squatter areas. A distinctive element shared among many cities in developing Asian countries concerns the composition of the municipal solid waste. MSW in those countries tends to be richer in biodegradable organic matter, which usually accounts for more than 50% of the total waste composition, suggesting that biological methods are more appropriate for treating this organic fraction. Conversely, thermal combustion technologies, which are extensively applied in high-income countries, are technically and economically challenging to deploy in light of the lower calorific value of waste streams which are rich in organics and moisture. Specific approaches and methods are therefore required for designing adequate waste management systems in developing Asian countries. In addition

  11. Air pollution control residues from waste incineration: current UK situation and assessment of alternative technologies.

    PubMed

    Rani, D Amutha; Boccaccini, A R; Deegan, D; Cheeseman, C R

    2008-11-01

    Current disposal options for APC residues in the UK and alternative treatment technologies developed world-wide have been reviewed. APC residues are currently landfilled in the UK where they undergo in situ solidification, although the future acceptability of this option is uncertain because the EU waste acceptance criteria (WAC) introduce strict limits on leaching that are difficult to achieve. Other APC residue treatment processes have been developed which are reported to reduce leaching to below relevant regulatory limits. The Ferrox process, the VKI process, the WES-PHix process, stabilisation/solidification using cementitious binders and a range of thermal treatment processes are reviewed. Thermal treatment technologies convert APC residues combined with other wastes into inert glass or glass-ceramics that encapsulate heavy metals. The waste management industry will inevitably use the cheapest available option for treating APC residues and strict interpretation and enforcement of waste legislation is required if new, potentially more sustainable technologies are to become commercially viable.

  12. Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) WasteWise Data

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    EPA??s WasteWise encourages organizations and businesses to achieve sustainability in their practices and reduce select industrial wastes. WasteWise is part of EPA??s sustainable materials management efforts, which promote the use and reuse of materials more productively over their entire lifecycles. All U.S. businesses, governments and nonprofit organizations can join WasteWise as a partner, endorser or both. Current participants range from small local governments and nonprofit organizations to large multinational corporations. Partners demonstrate how they reduce waste, practice environmental stewardship and incorporate sustainable materials management into their waste-handling processes. Endorsers promote enrollment in WasteWise as part of a comprehensive approach to help their stakeholders realize the economic benefits to reducing waste. WasteWise helps organizations reduce their impact on global climate change through waste reduction. Every stage of a product's life cycle??extraction, manufacturing, distribution, use and disposal??indirectly or directly contributes to the concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere and affects the global climate. WasteWise is part of EPA's larger SMM program (https://www.epa.gov/smm). Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) is a systemic approach to using and reusing materials more productively over their entire lifecycles. It represents a change in how our society thinks about the use of natural resources

  13. Current status of circularity for aluminum from household waste in Austria.

    PubMed

    Warrings, R; Fellner, J

    2018-02-20

    Aluminum (Al) represents the metal with the highest consumption growth in the last few decades. Beside its increasing usage in the transport (lightweight construction of vehicles) and building sector, Al is used ever more frequently for household goods like packaging material, which represents a readily available source for secondary aluminum due to its short lifetime. The present paper investigates the extent to which this potential source for recycling of Al is already utilized in Austria and highlights areas for future improvements. Thereto a detailed material flow analysis for Al used in packaging & household non-packaging in 2013 was conducted. In practice, all Al flows starting from market entrance through waste collection and processing until its final recycling or disposal have been investigated. The results indicate that about 25,100 t/a (2.96 kg/cap/a) of Al packaging & household non-packaging arose as waste. At present about 9800 t/a, or 39%, are recycled as secondary Al, of which 26% is regained from separate collection and sorting, 8% from bottom ash and 5% from mechanical treatment. The type of Al packaging & household non-packaging affects the recycling rate: 82% of the total recycled quantities come from rigid packaging & household non-packaging, while only 3% of the total recycled Al derives from flexible materials. A significant amount of Al was lost during thermal waste treatment due to oxidation (10%) and insufficient recovery of Al from both waste incineration bottom ash and municipal solid waste treated in mechanical biological treatment plants (49%). Overall it can be concluded that once Al ends up in commingled waste the recovery of Al becomes less likely and its material quality is reduced. Although Austria can refer to a highly developed recycling system, the Austrian packaging industry, collection and recovery systems and waste management need to increase their efforts to comply with future recycling targets. Copyright © 2018

  14. Current Best Practices for Preventing Asbestos Exposure Among Brake and Clutch Repair Workers

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Covers concerns about asbestos exposure for mechanics, how to tell if asbestos brake or clutch components contain asbestos, work practices to follow, protecting yourself for home mechanics, disposal of waste that contains asbestos.

  15. Healthcare waste management practice in the West Black Sea Region, Turkey: A comparative analysis with the developed and developing countries.

    PubMed

    Ciplak, Nesli; Kaskun, Songul

    2015-12-01

    The need for proper healthcare waste management has been a crucial issue in many developing countries as it is in Turkey. The regulation regarding healthcare wastes in Turkey was updated in 2005 in accordance with the European Union (EU) waste directives, but it still falls behind meeting the requirements of current waste treatment technologies. Therefore, this study aims to reveal deficiencies, inconsistencies, and improper applications of healthcare waste management in the western part of the Turkish Black Sea Region. In this study, it was revealed that nearly 1 million people live in the region, resulting in 5 million hospital admissions annually. All the healthcare waste produced (1000 tons yr(-1)) is treated in an autoclave plant. However, treating some categories of healthcare wastes in autoclave units mismatches with the EU waste regulations, as alternative treatment technologies are not technically able to treat all types of healthcare wastes. A proper waste management system, therefore, requires an internal segregation scheme to divert these wastes from the main healthcare waste stream. The existing malpractice in the region could cause serious health problems if no measure is taken urgently. It is expected that healthcare waste management in the region and then all across Turkey will be improved with the significant deficiencies and inconsistencies pointed out in this research. In developed countries, specific rules and regulations have already been implemented along with the recommendations for handling of healthcare waste. However, in Turkey, these wastes are treated in autoclave units, which mismatches with the European Union waste regulations, as alternative treatment technologies are not technically capable to treat all types of healthcare wastes. The existing malpractice could cause serious health problems if no measure is taken urgently. The authors demonstrated the existing status of Turkish waste management and revealed deficiencies

  16. Radioactive and mixed waste - risk as a basis for waste classification. Symposium proceedings No. 2

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

    NONE

    The management of risks from radioactive and chemical materials has been a major environmental concern in the United states for the past two or three decades. Risk management of these materials encompasses the remediation of past disposal practices as well as development of appropriate strategies and controls for current and future operations. This symposium is concerned primarily with low-level radioactive wastes and mixed wastes. Individual reports were processed separately for the Department of Energy databases.

  17. 40 CFR 60.1690 - What are the operating practice requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit? 60.1690 Section 60.1690 Protection of Environment... SOURCES Emission Guidelines and Compliance Times for Small Municipal Waste Combustion Units Constructed on or Before August 30, 1999 Model Rule-Good Combustion Practices: Operating Requirements § 60.1690 What...

  18. 40 CFR 60.1690 - What are the operating practice requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit? 60.1690 Section 60.1690 Protection of Environment... SOURCES Emission Guidelines and Compliance Times for Small Municipal Waste Combustion Units Constructed on or Before August 30, 1999 Model Rule-Good Combustion Practices: Operating Requirements § 60.1690 What...

  19. 40 CFR 60.1690 - What are the operating practice requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit? 60.1690 Section 60.1690 Protection of Environment... SOURCES Emission Guidelines and Compliance Times for Small Municipal Waste Combustion Units Constructed on or Before August 30, 1999 Model Rule-Good Combustion Practices: Operating Requirements § 60.1690 What...

  20. 40 CFR 60.1690 - What are the operating practice requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit? 60.1690 Section 60.1690 Protection of Environment... SOURCES Emission Guidelines and Compliance Times for Small Municipal Waste Combustion Units Constructed on or Before August 30, 1999 Model Rule-Good Combustion Practices: Operating Requirements § 60.1690 What...

  1. 40 CFR 60.1690 - What are the operating practice requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... requirements for my municipal waste combustion unit? 60.1690 Section 60.1690 Protection of Environment... SOURCES Emission Guidelines and Compliance Times for Small Municipal Waste Combustion Units Constructed on or Before August 30, 1999 Model Rule-Good Combustion Practices: Operating Requirements § 60.1690 What...

  2. Solid waste management practices in wet coffee processing industries of Gidabo watershed, Ethiopia.

    PubMed

    Ulsido, Mihret D; Li, Meng

    2016-07-01

    The financial and social contributions of coffee processing industries within most coffee export-based national economies like Ethiopia are generally high. The type and amount of waste produced and the waste management options adopted by these industries can have negative effects on the environment. This study investigated the solid waste management options adopted in wet coffee processing industries in the Gidabo watershed of Ethiopia. A field observation and assessment were made to identify whether the operational characteristics of the industries have any effect on the waste management options that were practiced. The investigation was conducted on 125 wet coffee processing industries about their solid waste handling techniques. Focus group discussion, structured questionnaires, key informant interview and transect walks are some of the tools employed during the investigation. Two major types of wastes, namely hull-bean-pulp blended solid waste and wastewater rich in dissolved and suspended solids were generated in the industries. Wet mills, on average, released 20.69% green coffee bean, 18.58% water and 60.74% pulp by weight. Even though these wastes are rich in organic matter and recyclables; the most favoured solid waste management options in the watershed were disposal (50.4%) and industrial or household composting (49.6%). Laxity and impulsive decision are the driving motives behind solid waste management in Gidabo watershed. Therefore, to reduce possible contamination of the environment, wastes generated during the processing of red coffee cherries, such as coffee wet mill solid wastes, should be handled properly and effectively through maximisation of their benefits with minimised losses. © The Author(s) 2016.

  3. U.S. Geological Survey toxic Waste-Groundwater Contamination Program, fiscal year 1985

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ragone, S.E.

    1986-01-01

    In fiscal year 1982, the U S Geological Survey began an interdisciplinary research thrust entitled Toxic Waste-Groundwater Contamination Program The objective of the thrust was to provide earth sciences information necessary to evaluate and mitigate existing groundwater contamination problems resulting from the planned or inadvertant disposal of wastes and from certain land-use practices, and to improve future waste disposal and land-use practices The program supports process-oriented and interdisciplinary field research, and regional groundwater quality studies This article provides an overview of the current (Fiscal Year 1985) activities of the Toxic Waste Program ?? 1986 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

  4. U.S. Geological Survey toxic Waste-Groundwater Contamination Program, fiscal year 1985

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ragone, Stephen E.

    1986-09-01

    In fiscal year 1982, the U S Geological Survey began an interdisciplinary research thrust entitled Toxic Waste-Groundwater Contamination Program The objective of the thrust was to provide earth sciences information necessary to evaluate and mitigate existing groundwater contamination problems resulting from the planned or inadvertant disposal of wastes and from certain land-use practices, and to improve future waste disposal and land-use practices The program supports process-oriented and interdisciplinary field research, and regional groundwater quality studies This article provides an overview of the current (Fiscal Year 1985) activities of the Toxic Waste Program

  5. Destined for indecision? A critical analysis of waste management practices in England from 1996 to 2013.

    PubMed

    Farmer, T D; Shaw, P J; Williams, I D

    2015-05-01

    European nations are compelled to reduce reliance on landfill as a destination for household waste, and should, in principle, achieve this goal with due recognition of the aims and principles of the waste hierarchy. Past research has predominantly focused on recycling, whilst interactions between changing waste destinies, causes and drivers of household waste management change, and potential consequences for the goal of the waste hierarchy are less well understood. This study analysed Local Authority Collected Waste (LACW) for England, at national, regional and sub-regional level, in terms of the destination of household waste to landfill, incineration and recycling. Information about waste partnerships, waste management infrastructure and collection systems was collected to help identify and explain changes in waste destinies. Since 1996, the proportion of waste landfilled in England has decreased, in tandem with increases in recycling and incineration. At the regional and sub-regional (Local Authority; LA) level, there have been large variations in the relative proportions of waste landfilled, incinerated and recycled or composted. Annual increases in the proportion of household waste incinerated were typically larger than increases in the proportion recycled. The observed changes took place in the context of legal and financial drivers, and the circumstances of individual LAs (e.g. landfill capacity) also explained the changes seen. Where observed, shifts from landfill towards incineration constitute an approach whereby waste management moves up the waste hierarchy as opposed to an attempt to reach the most preferred option(s); in terms of resource efficiency, this practice is sub-optimal. The requirement to supply incinerators with a feedstock over their lifespan reduces the benefits of developing of recycling and waste reduction, although access to incineration infrastructure permits short-term and marked decreases in the proportion of LACW landfilled. We

  6. Buried transuranic wastes at ORNL: Review of past estimates and reconciliation with current data

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

    Trabalka, J.R.

    1997-09-01

    Inventories of buried (generally meaning disposed of) transuranic (TRU) wastes at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have been estimated for site remediation and waste management planning over a period of about two decades. Estimates were required because of inadequate waste characterization and incomplete disposal records. For a variety of reasons, including changing definitions of TRU wastes, differing objectives for the estimates, and poor historical data, the published results have sometimes been in conflict. The purpose of this review was (1) to attempt to explain both the rationale for and differences among the various estimates, and (2) to update the estimatesmore » based on more recent information obtained from waste characterization and from evaluations of ORNL waste data bases and historical records. The latter included information obtained from an expert panel`s review and reconciliation of inconsistencies in data identified during preparation of the ORNL input for the third revision of the Baseline Inventory Report for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. The results summarize current understanding of the relationship between past estimates of buried TRU wastes and provide the most up-to-date information on recorded burials thereafter. The limitations of available information on the latter and thus the need for improved waste characterization are highlighted.« less

  7. An international perspective on hazardous waste practices.

    PubMed

    Orloff, Kenneth; Falk, Henry

    2003-08-01

    In developing countries, public health attention is focused on urgent health problems such as infectious diseases, malnutrition, and infant mortality. As a country develops and gains economic resources, more attention is directed to health concerns related to hazardous chemical wastes. Even if a country has little industry of its own that generates hazardous wastes, the importation of hazardous wastes for recycling or disposal can present health hazards. It is difficult to compare the quantities of hazardous wastes produced in different countries because of differences in how hazardous wastes are defined. In most countries, landfilling is the most common means of hazardous waste disposal, although substantial quantities of hazardous wastes are incinerated in some countries. Hazardous wastes that escape into the environment most often impact the public through air and water contamination. An effective strategy for managing hazardous wastes should encourage waste minimization, recycling, and reuse over disposal. Developing countries are especially in need of low-cost technologies for managing hazardous wastes.

  8. Impact of waste management training intervention on knowledge, attitude and practices of teaching hospital workers in Pakistan.

    PubMed

    Kumar, Ramesh; Somrongthong, Ratana; Ahmed, Jamil

    2016-01-01

    To evaluate the sustainability and effectiveness of training as an intervention to improve the knowledge, attitude and practices of hospital workers on health care waste management. We conducted this quasi-experimental study in two tertiary care teaching hospitals in Rawalpindi in October 2013. Training, practical demonstrations and reminders on standard waste management were given to 138 hospital workers in one hospital and compared with 137 workers from the control hospital. We collected data 18 months after intervention through a structured questionnaire to assess the impact of the intervention. We used paired t-test to compare the scores on knowledge, attitude and practices at baseline and first follow up and final impact assessment. Chi square test was used to compare group variables between intervention and control groups. After 18 months since intervention the mean scores on knowledge attitude and practices differed statistically significantly since baseline and intervention group had statistically significantly better knowledge positive attitudes and good health care waste management practices (p < 0.001). Health care and sanitary workers in intervention group scored statistically significantly higher (p < 0.001). Trainings of health and sanitary workers on health care waste management guidelines were sustainable among the intervention group after 18 months which shows the positive impact of our intervention. It is recommended that the trainings as intervention be included in the overall policies of the public and private sector hospitals in Pakistan and other similar settings.

  9. Healthcare waste management in Asia

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

    Prem Ananth, A.; Prashanthini, V.; Visvanathan, C., E-mail: visu@ait.ac.t

    The risks associated with healthcare waste and its management has gained attention across the world in various events, local and international forums and summits. However, the need for proper healthcare waste management has been gaining recognition slowly due to the substantial disease burdens associated with poor practices, including exposure to infectious agents and toxic substances. Despite the magnitude of the problem, practices, capacities and policies in many countries in dealing with healthcare waste disposal, especially developing nations, is inadequate and requires intensification. This paper looks upon aspects to drive improvements to the existing healthcare waste management situation. The paper placesmore » recommendation based on a 12 country study reflecting the current status. The paper does not advocate for any complex technology but calls for changes in mindset of all concerned stakeholders and identifies five important aspects for serious consideration. Understanding the role of governments and healthcare facilities, the paper also outlines three key areas for prioritized action for both parties - budget support, developing policies and legislation and technology and knowledge management.« less

  10. Healthcare waste management in Asia.

    PubMed

    Ananth, A Prem; Prashanthini, V; Visvanathan, C

    2010-01-01

    The risks associated with healthcare waste and its management has gained attention across the world in various events, local and international forums and summits. However, the need for proper healthcare waste management has been gaining recognition slowly due to the substantial disease burdens associated with poor practices, including exposure to infectious agents and toxic substances. Despite the magnitude of the problem, practices, capacities and policies in many countries in dealing with healthcare waste disposal, especially developing nations, is inadequate and requires intensification. This paper looks upon aspects to drive improvements to the existing healthcare waste management situation. The paper places recommendation based on a 12 country study reflecting the current status. The paper does not advocate for any complex technology but calls for changes in mindset of all concerned stakeholders and identifies five important aspects for serious consideration. Understanding the role of governments and healthcare facilities, the paper also outlines three key areas for prioritized action for both parties - budget support, developing policies and legislation and technology and knowledge management.

  11. Solid medical waste: a cross sectional study of household disposal practices and reported harm in Southern Ghana.

    PubMed

    Udofia, Emilia Asuquo; Gulis, Gabriel; Fobil, Julius

    2017-05-18

    Solid medical waste (SMW) in households is perceived to pose minimal risks to the public compared to SMW generated from healthcare facilities. While waste from healthcare facilities is subject to recommended safety measures to minimize risks to human health and the environment, similar waste in households is often untreated and co-mingled with household waste which ends up in landfills and open dumps in many African countries. In Ghana, the management of this potentially hazardous waste stream at household and community level has not been widely reported. The objective of this study was to investigate household disposal practices and harm resulting from SMW generated in households and the community. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey of 600 households was undertaken in Ga South Municipal Assembly in Accra, Ghana from mid-April to June, 2014. Factors investigated included socio-demographic characteristics, medication related practices, the belief that one is at risk of diseases associated with SMW, SMW disposal practices and reported harm associated with SMW at home and in the community. Eighty percent and 89% of respondents discarded unwanted medicines and sharps in household refuse bins respectively. A corresponding 23% and 35% of respondents discarded these items without a container. Harm from SMW in the household and in the community was reported by 5% and 3% of respondents respectively. Persons who believed they were at risk of diseases associated with SMW were nearly three times more likely to report harm in the household (OR 2.75, 95%CI 1.15-6.54). The belief that one can be harmed by diseases associated with SMW influenced reporting rates in the study area. Disposal practices suggest the presence of unwanted medicines and sharps in the household waste stream conferring on it hazardous properties. Given the low rates of harm reported, elimination of preventable harm might justify community intervention.

  12. Architects' perspectives on construction waste reduction by design

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

    Osmani, M.; Glass, J.; Price, A.D.F.

    2008-07-01

    The construction, demolition and excavation waste arising in England was estimated at 91 million tonnes in 2003. The current thinking on construction waste minimisation is heavily focussed on several issues relating to physical construction waste and recycling guides. Indeed, much had been published on ways to improve on-site waste management and recycling activities but very few attempts made to address the effect of design practices on waste generation. However, there is a consensus in the literature that the architect has a decisive role to play in helping to reduce waste by focussing on designing out waste. This paper examines previousmore » studies on architects' approach towards construction waste minimisation; and by means of a postal questionnaire, investigates: the origins of waste; waste minimisation design practices in the UK; and responsibilities and barriers within the UK architectural profession. The findings reveal that waste management is not a priority in the design process. Additionally, the architects seemed to take the view that waste is mainly produced during site operations and rarely generated during the design stages; however, about one-third of construction waste could essentially arise from design decisions. Results also indicate that a number of constraints, namely: lack of interest from clients; attitudes towards waste minimisation; and training all act as disincentives to a proactive and sustainable implementation of waste reduction strategies during the design process.« less

  13. Architects' perspectives on construction waste reduction by design.

    PubMed

    Osmani, M; Glass, J; Price, A D F

    2008-01-01

    The construction, demolition and excavation waste arising in England was estimated at 91 million tonnes in 2003. The current thinking on construction waste minimisation is heavily focussed on several issues relating to physical construction waste and recycling guides. Indeed, much had been published on ways to improve on-site waste management and recycling activities but very few attempts made to address the effect of design practices on waste generation. However, there is a consensus in the literature that the architect has a decisive role to play in helping to reduce waste by focussing on designing out waste. This paper examines previous studies on architects' approach towards construction waste minimisation; and by means of a postal questionnaire, investigates: the origins of waste; waste minimisation design practices in the UK; and responsibilities and barriers within the UK architectural profession. The findings reveal that waste management is not a priority in the design process. Additionally, the architects seemed to take the view that waste is mainly produced during site operations and rarely generated during the design stages; however, about one-third of construction waste could essentially arise from design decisions. Results also indicate that a number of constraints, namely: lack of interest from clients; attitudes towards waste minimisation; and training all act as disincentives to a proactive and sustainable implementation of waste reduction strategies during the design process.

  14. Waste Reduction Model

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    To help solid waste planners and organizations track/report GHG emissions reductions from various waste management practices. To assist in calculating GHG emissions of baseline and alternative waste management practices and provide the history of WARM.

  15. Current loop signal conditioning: Practical applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Anderson, Karl F.

    1995-01-01

    This paper describes a variety of practical application circuits based on the current loop signal conditioning paradigm. Equations defining the circuit response are also provided. The constant current loop is a fundamental signal conditioning circuit concept that can be implemented in a variety of configurations for resistance-based transducers, such as strain gages and resistance temperature detectors. The circuit features signal conditioning outputs which are unaffected by extremely large variations in lead wire resistance, direct current frequency response, and inherent linearity with respect to resistance change. Sensitivity of this circuit is double that of a Wheatstone bridge circuit. Electrical output is zero for resistance change equals zero. The same excitation and output sense wires can serve multiple transducers. More application arrangements are possible with constant current loop signal conditioning than with the Wheatstone bridge.

  16. On-site or off-site treatment of medical waste: a challenge

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Treating hazardous-infectious medical waste can be carried out on-site or off-site of health-care establishments. Nevertheless, the selection between on-site and off-site locations for treating medical waste sometimes is a controversial subject. Currently in Iran, due to policies of Health Ministry, the hospitals have selected on-site-treating method as the preferred treatment. The objectives of this study were to assess the current condition of on-site medical waste treatment facilities, compare on-site medical waste treatment facilities with off-site systems and find the best location of medical waste treatment. To assess the current on-site facilities, four provinces (and 40 active hospitals) were selected to participate in the survey. For comparison of on-site and off-site facilities (due to non availability of an installed off-site facility) Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was employed. The result indicated that most on-site medical waste treating systems have problems in financing, planning, determining capacity of installations, operation and maintenance. AHP synthesis (with inconsistency ratio of 0.01 < 0.1) revealed that, in total, the off-site treatment of medical waste was in much higher priority than the on-site treatment (64.1% versus 35.9%). According to the results of study it was concluded that the off-site central treatment can be considered as an alternative. An amendment could be made to Iran’s current medical waste regulations to have infectious-hazardous waste sent to a central off-site installation for treatment. To begin and test this plan and also receive the official approval, a central off-site can be put into practice, at least as a pilot in one province. Next, if it was practically successful, it could be expanded to other provinces and cities. PMID:24739145

  17. [Current status on storage, processing and risk communication of medical radioactive waste in Japan].

    PubMed

    Watanabe, Hiroshi; Yamaguchi, Ichiro; Kida, Tetsuo; Hiraki, Hitoshi; Fujibuchi, Toshioh; Maehara, Yoshiaki; Tsukamoto, Atsuko; Koizumi, Mitsue; Kimura, Yumi; Horitsugi, Genki

    2013-03-01

    Decay-in-storage for radioactive waste including that of nuclear medicine has not been implemented in Japan. Therefore, all medical radioactive waste is collected and stored at the Japan Radioisotope Association Takizawa laboratory, even if the radioactivity has already decayed out. To clarify the current situation between Takizawa village and Takizawa laboratory, we investigated the radiation management status and risk communication activities at the laboratory via a questionnaire and site visiting survey in June 2010. Takizawa laboratory continues to maintain an interactive relationship with local residents. As a result, Takizawa village permitted the acceptance of new medical radioactive waste containing Sr-89 and Y-90. However, the village did not accept any non-medical radioactive waste such as waste from research laboratories. To implement decay-in-storage in Japan, it is important to obtain agreement with all stakeholders. We must continue to exert sincere efforts to acquire the trust of all stakeholders.

  18. Strategies for the municipal waste management system to take advantage of carbon trading under competing policies: The role of energy from waste in Sydney

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

    El Hanandeh, Ali; El-Zein, Abbas

    2009-07-15

    Climate change is a driving force behind some recent environmental legislation around the world. Greenhouse gas emission reduction targets have been set in many industrialised countries. A change in current practices of almost all greenhouse-emitting industrial sectors is unavoidable, if the set targets is to be achieved. Although, waste disposal contributes around 3% of the total greenhouse gas emissions in Australia (mainly due to fugitive methane emissions from landfills), the carbon credit and trading scheme set to start in 2010 presents significant challenges and opportunities to municipal solid waste practitioners. Technological advances in waste management, if adopted properly, allow themore » municipal solid waste sector to act as carbon sink, hence earning tradable carbon credits. However, due to the complexity of the system and its inherent uncertainties, optimizing it for carbon credits may worsen its performance under other criteria. We use an integrated, stochastic multi-criteria decision-making tool that we developed earlier to analyse the carbon credit potential of Sydney municipal solid waste under eleven possible future strategies. We find that the changing legislative environment is likely to make current practices highly non-optimal and increase pressures for a change of waste management strategy.« less

  19. Impact of an educational program on knowledge and practice of health care staff toward pharmaceutical waste management in Gaza, Palestine.

    PubMed

    Tabash, Mohammed I; Hussein, Rim A; Mahmoud, Aleya H; El-Borgy, Mohamed D; Abu-Hamad, Bassam A

    2016-04-01

    In health care facilities, pharmaceutical waste is generally discharged down the drain or sent to landfill. Poor knowledge about their potential downstream impacts may be a primary factor for improper disposal behavior. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of an intervention program on knowledge and practice of health care staff regarding pharmaceutical waste management. The study was designed as a pre/posttest intervention study. Total sample size was 530 in the pre-intervention phase, and then a subsample of 69 individuals was selected for the intervention and the post-intervention phases. Paired-sample t test was used to assess the difference between pretest and follow-up test results. A statistically significant improvement in knowledge and practice was achieved (P<0.001). Poor knowledge and poor practice levels (scores<50%) were found to improve to satisfactory levels (scores≥75%). Therefore, educational programs could be considered as an effective tool for changing health care staff practice in pharmaceutical waste management. In health care facilities, pharmaceutical waste is generally discharged down the drain or sent to landfill. A lack of knowledge about the potential impacts of this type of waste may be a leading factor in improper disposal behavior. Following an educational program, statistically significant improvement in knowledge and practice of health care staff as regards to pharmaceutical waste management (PWM) was achieved. It is thus recommended that authorities implement training-of-trainers (TOT) programs to educate health care staff on PWM and organize refreshment workshops regularly.

  20. Implementation of national practice guidelines to reduce waste and optimize patient value.

    PubMed

    Langell, John T; Bledsoe, Amber; Vijaykumar, Sathya; Anderson, Terry; Zawalski, Ivy; Zimmerman, Joshua

    2016-06-15

    The financial health care crisis has provided the platform to drive operational improvements at US health care facilities. This has led to adoption of lean operation principles by many health care organizations as a means of eliminating waste and improving operational efficiencies and overall value to patients. We believe that standardized implementation of national practice guidelines can provide the framework to help to reduce financial waste. We analyzed our institutional preoperative electrocardiogram (ECG) ordering practices for patients undergoing elective surgery at our institution from February-March, 2012 to identify utilization and review compliance with American Heart Association guidelines. We then implemented an ECG ordering algorithm based on these guidelines and studied changes in ordering patterns, associated cost savings and hospital billing for the same period in 2013. From February-March 2012, 677 noncardiac surgical procedures were performed at our institution, and 312 (46.1%) had a preoperative ECG. After implementation of our evidence-based ECG ordering algorithm for the same period in 2013, 707 noncardiac surgical cases were performed, and 120 (16.9%) had a preoperative ECG. Preoperative ECG utilization dropped 63% with an annual institutional cost savings of $72,906 and $291,618 in total annual health care savings. Based on our data, US-wide implementation of our evidence-based ECG ordering algorithm could save the US health care system >$1,868,800,000 per year. Here, we demonstrate that standardized application of a national practice guideline can be used to eliminate nearly $2 billion per year in waste from the US health care system. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Current Practices in Resident Assistant Training

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koch, Virginia Albaneso

    2016-01-01

    Developing resident assistant (RA) training is a challenge for most housing and residence life staff. Grounded in the author's doctoral research on the curricular design of RA training programs, this study summarizes current practices in three types of RA training programs--preservice training, in-service training, and academic courses--and…

  2. Pectus carinatum treatment in Canada: current practices.

    PubMed

    Emil, Sherif; Laberge, Jean-Martin; Sigalet, David; Baird, Robert

    2012-05-01

    Multiple treatment options currently exist for the correction of pectus carinatum (PC). We performed a survey of Canadian pediatric surgeons to define current practices. All active members of Canadian Association of Paediatric Surgeons were surveyed online during winter 2011 through the Canadian Association of Paediatric Surgeons Web site. The survey assessed multiple facets of PC evaluation and treatment, with particular emphasis on the practice of bracing. Forty-five active members (85%) responded, of whom 32 (71%) currently treat PC. Fifty-three percent of practices are low volume (<5 patients annually). In terms of preferred or most used treatment modality, 69% of surgeons used bracing, 25% performed Ravitch repairs, 3% performed open minimal cartilage resections, and 3% performed reverse Nuss procedures. Of 23 surgeons (72%) who used bracing, 83% used it for most or the patients. Fifty-seven percent judged their bracing results as good or excellent, and 74% felt that most or all patients braced were satisfied; 80% and 88% agreed or strongly agreed that bracing was generally preferable to surgical repair and that bracing should be first line treatment, respectively. Bracing is the preferred treatment for PC by most Canadian pediatric surgeons, despite lack of prospective outcome data. This presents an opportunity for a multicenter prospective study. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Environmental and health impacts of household solid waste handling and disposal practices in third world cities: the case of the Accra Metropolitan Area, Ghana.

    PubMed

    Boadi, Kwasi Owusu; Kuitunen, Markku

    2005-11-01

    Inadequate provision of solid waste management facilities in Third World cities results in indiscriminate disposal and unsanitary environments, which threatens the health of urban residents. The study reported here examined household-level waste management and disposal practices in the Accra Metropolitan Area, Ghana. The residents of Accra currently generate large amounts of solid waste, beyond the management capabilities of the existing waste management system. Because the solid waste infrastructure is inadequate, over 80 percent of the population do not have home collection services. Only 13.5 percent of respondents are served with door-to-door collection of solid waste, while the rest dispose of their waste at communal collection points, in open spaces, and in waterways. The majority of households store their waste in open containers and plastic bags in the home. Waste storage in the home is associated with the presence of houseflies in the kitchen (r = .17, p < .0001). The presence of houseflies in the kitchen during cooking is correlated with the incidence of childhood diarrhea (r = .36, p < .0001). Inadequate solid waste facilities result in indiscriminate burning and burying of solid waste. There is an association between waste burning and the incidence of respiratory health symptoms among adults (r = .25, p < .0001) and children (r = .22, p < .05). Poor handling and disposal of waste are major causes of environmental pollution, which creates breeding grounds for pathogenic organisms, and the spread of infectious diseases. Improving access to solid waste collection facilities and services will help achieve sound environmental health in Accra.

  4. Ontario Waste Exchange: Helping companies recycle their nonhazardous waste and reap the profits

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

    Hanley, M.J.

    1997-12-31

    The Ontario Waste Exchange (OWE), operated by ORTECH Corporation, is a technical assistance program committed to helping industries find practical alternatives to disposal. OWE is an active exchange, a Technical Matchmaker, matching waste generators with potential end users or recyclers. The OWE utilizes its extensive Reuse and Recycling Markets database that lists current markets in Ontario and neighboring provinces and states. The OWE maintains the database and electronically disseminates the information to industries in an effective and efficient manner. The OWE encourages industries to recycle their nonhazardous waste if a market is available and the economics are viable. The OWE`smore » true value is in helping to create new markets for currently unwanted wastes. The OWE helps to identify potential business opportunities where problem wastes could be recycled into useful products. The OWE also helps existing recyclers expand their operations by sourcing enough consistent supply of a required material. The OWE is recognized internationally as one of the most successful waste exchanges in the world and a significant contributor to achieving the goal of 50% diversion of nonhazardous waste from disposal by year 2,000. CNN and CBC networks showcased OWE`s unique services, highlighting the recycling businesses that have been helped. The OWE has assisted over a 100,000 companies, exchanged over 3,000 materials and diverted over one million cumulative tons of material from disposal since 1984.« less

  5. Solid waste management problems in secondary schools in Ibadan, Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Ana, G R E E; Oloruntoba, E O; Shendell, D; Elemile, O O; Benjamin, O R; Sridhar, M K C

    2011-09-01

    Inappropriate solid waste management practices in schools in less-developed countries, particularly in major urban communities, constitute one of the major factors leading to declining environmental health conditions. The objective of the authors' descriptive, cross-sectional study was to assess solid waste management problems in selected urban schools in Ibadan, Nigeria. Eight secondary schools with average pupil populations not less than 500 per school were selected randomly. Four hundred questionnaires (50 per school) were administered. In addition, an observational checklist was used to assess the physical environment. Paper and plastics were the most frequently generated wastes. Common methods of solid waste disposal reported were use of dustbins for collection and open burning. Major problems perceived with current refuse disposal methods by the study students were odors, pest infestation, and spillages. Littering and spillages of solid waste were also common features reported. Data suggested inadequate waste management facilities and practices in study schools. The lack of refuse bins may have contributed to waste spillages and the burning practices. Odors may have arisen from both the decay of overstored organic waste rich in moisture and emissions from refuse burning. This scenario poses a community environmental health nuisance and may compromise school environmental quality.

  6. Clinical solid waste management practices and its impact on human health and environment - A review

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

    Hossain, Md. Sohrab; Santhanam, Amutha; Nik Norulaini, N.A.

    2011-04-15

    Research highlights: > Appropriate waste management technology for safe handling and disposal of clinical solid waste. > Infectious risk assessment on unsafe handling of clinical solid waste. > Recycling-reuse program of clinical solid waste materials. > Effective sterilization technology to reduce exposure of infectious risk. - Abstract: The management of clinical solid waste (CSW) continues to be a major challenge, particularly, in most healthcare facilities of the developing world. Poor conduct and inappropriate disposal methods exercised during handling and disposal of CSW is increasing significant health hazards and environmental pollution due to the infectious nature of the waste. This articlemore » summarises a literature review into existing CSW management practices in the healthcare centers. The information gathered in this paper has been derived from the desk study of open literature survey. Numerous researches have been conducted on the management of CSW. Although, significant steps have been taken on matters related to safe handling and disposal of the clinical waste, but improper management practice is evident from the point of initial collection to the final disposal. In most cases, the main reasons of the mismanagement of CSW are the lack of appropriate legislation, lack of specialized clinical staffs, lack of awareness and effective control. Furthermore, most of the healthcare centers of the developing world have faced financial difficulties and therefore looking for cost effective disposal methods of clinical waste. This paper emphasizes to continue the recycle-reuse program of CSW materials after sterilization by using supercritical fluid carbon dioxide (SF-CO2) sterilization technology at the point of initial collection. Emphasis is on the priority to inactivate the infectious micro-organisms in CSW. In that case, waste would not pose any threat to healthcare workers. The recycling-reuse program would be carried out successfully with the non

  7. Utilizing a 'systems' approach to improve the management of waste from healthcare facilities: best practice case studies from England and Wales.

    PubMed

    Tudor, Terry L; Woolridge, Anne C; Bates, Margaret P; Phillips, Paul S; Butler, Sharon; Jones, Keith

    2008-06-01

    Changes in environmental legislation and standards governing healthcare waste, such as the Hazardous Waste Regulations are expected to have a significant impact on healthcare waste quantities and costs in England and Wales. This paper presents findings from two award winning case study organizations, the Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust and the Cornwall NHS Trust on 'systems' they have employed for minimizing waste. The results suggest the need for the development and implementation of a holistic range of systems in order to develop best practice, including waste minimization strategies, key performance indicators, and staff training and awareness. The implications for the sharing of best practice from the two case studies are also discussed.

  8. Food Waste to Energy: An Overview of Sustainable Approaches for Food Waste Management and Nutrient Recycling

    PubMed Central

    Paritosh, Kunwar; Kushwaha, Sandeep K.; Yadav, Monika; Pareek, Nidhi; Chawade, Aakash

    2017-01-01

    Food wastage and its accumulation are becoming a critical problem around the globe due to continuous increase of the world population. The exponential growth in food waste is imposing serious threats to our society like environmental pollution, health risk, and scarcity of dumping land. There is an urgent need to take appropriate measures to reduce food waste burden by adopting standard management practices. Currently, various kinds of approaches are investigated in waste food processing and management for societal benefits and applications. Anaerobic digestion approach has appeared as one of the most ecofriendly and promising solutions for food wastes management, energy, and nutrient production, which can contribute to world's ever-increasing energy requirements. Here, we have briefly described and explored the different aspects of anaerobic biodegrading approaches for food waste, effects of cosubstrates, effect of environmental factors, contribution of microbial population, and available computational resources for food waste management researches. PMID:28293629

  9. Food Waste to Energy: An Overview of Sustainable Approaches for Food Waste Management and Nutrient Recycling.

    PubMed

    Paritosh, Kunwar; Kushwaha, Sandeep K; Yadav, Monika; Pareek, Nidhi; Chawade, Aakash; Vivekanand, Vivekanand

    2017-01-01

    Food wastage and its accumulation are becoming a critical problem around the globe due to continuous increase of the world population. The exponential growth in food waste is imposing serious threats to our society like environmental pollution, health risk, and scarcity of dumping land. There is an urgent need to take appropriate measures to reduce food waste burden by adopting standard management practices. Currently, various kinds of approaches are investigated in waste food processing and management for societal benefits and applications. Anaerobic digestion approach has appeared as one of the most ecofriendly and promising solutions for food wastes management, energy, and nutrient production, which can contribute to world's ever-increasing energy requirements. Here, we have briefly described and explored the different aspects of anaerobic biodegrading approaches for food waste, effects of cosubstrates, effect of environmental factors, contribution of microbial population, and available computational resources for food waste management researches.

  10. Development of a waste management protocol based on assessment of knowledge and practice of healthcare personnel in surgical departments.

    PubMed

    Mostafa, Gehan M A; Shazly, Mona M; Sherief, Wafaa I

    2009-01-01

    Good healthcare waste management in a hospital depends on a dedicated waste management team, good administration, careful planning, sound organization, underpinning legislation, adequate financing, and full participation by trained staff. Hence, waste management protocols must be convenient and sensible. To assess the knowledge and practice related to waste management among doctors, nurses, and housekeepers in the surgical departments at Al-Mansoura University Hospital, and to design and validate a waste management protocol for the health team in these settings. This cross-sectional study was carried out in the eight surgical departments at Al-Mansoura University Hospital. All health care personnel and their assistants were included: 38 doctors, 106 nurses, and 56 housekeepers. Two groups of jury were included for experts' opinions validation of the developed protocol, one from academia (30 members) and the other from service providers (30 members). Data were collected using a self-administered knowledge questionnaire for nurses and doctors, and an interview questionnaire for housekeepers. Observation checklists were used for assessment of performance. The researchers developed the first draft of the waste management protocol according to the results of the analysis of the data collected in the assessment phase. Then, the protocol was presented to the jury group for validation, and then was implemented. Only 27.4% of the nurses, 32.1% of the housekeepers, and 36.8% of the doctors had satisfactory knowledge. Concerning practice, 18.9% of the nurses, 7.1% of the housekeepers, and none of the doctors had adequate practice. Nurses' knowledge score had a statistically significant weak positive correlation with the attendance of training courses (r=0.23, p<0.05). Validation of the developed protocol was done, and the percent of agreement ranged between 60.0% and 96.7% for the service group, and 60.0% and 90.0% for the academia group. The majority of the doctors, nurses

  11. Cytotoxic Drug Dispersal, Cytotoxic Safety, and Cytotoxic Waste Management: Practices and Proposed India-specific Guidelines

    PubMed Central

    Capoor, Malini R; Bhowmik, Kumar Tapas

    2017-01-01

    This article deals with practices related to cytotoxic drug dispersal, cytotoxic safety, and cytotoxic waste management and attempts at India-specific guidelines for their dispersal and disposal. The articles related to cytotoxic drug dispersal, cytotoxic safety, and cytotoxic waste management were reviewed from PubMed and their applicability in Indian health-care facilities (HCFs) was also reviewed. All HCFs dealing with cytotoxic drugs should consider cytotoxic policy, patient safety and health-care worker safety, and environmental monitoring program as per the available international guidelines customized as per Indian conditions. Utmost care in handling cytotoxic waste is quintessential. The formation of India-specific cytotoxic guidelines requires the inputs from all stakeholders. Cytotoxic waste, cytotoxic safety, and cytotoxic waste management should be the subject of a national strategy with an infrastructure, cradle-to-grave legislation, competent regulatory authority, and trained personnel. PMID:28900329

  12. Risk-informed radioactive waste classification and reclassification.

    PubMed

    Croff, Allen G

    2006-11-01

    Radioactive waste classification systems have been developed to allow wastes having similar hazards to be grouped for purposes of storage, treatment, packaging, transportation, and/or disposal. As recommended in the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements' Report No. 139, Risk-Based Classification of Radioactive and Hazardous Chemical Wastes, a preferred classification system would be based primarily on the health risks to the public that arise from waste disposal and secondarily on other attributes such as the near-term practicalities of managing a waste, i.e., the waste classification system would be risk informed. The current U.S. radioactive waste classification system is not risk informed because key definitions--especially that of high-level waste--are based on the source of the waste instead of its inherent characteristics related to risk. A second important reason for concluding the existing U.S. radioactive waste classification system is not risk informed is there are no general principles or provisions for exempting materials from being classified as radioactive waste which would then allow management without regard to its radioactivity. This paper elaborates the current system for classifying and reclassifying radioactive wastes in the United States, analyzes the extent to which the system is risk informed and the ramifications of its not being so, and provides observations on potential future direction of efforts to address shortcomings in the U.S. radioactive waste classification system as of 2004.

  13. Developmental neurotoxicants in e-waste: an emerging health concern.

    PubMed

    Chen, Aimin; Dietrich, Kim N; Huo, Xia; Ho, Shuk-mei

    2011-04-01

    Electronic waste (e-waste) has been an emerging environmental health issue in both developed and developing countries, but its current management practice may result in unintended developmental neurotoxicity in vulnerable populations. To provide updated information about the scope of the issue, presence of known and suspected neurotoxicants, toxicologic mechanisms, and current data gaps, we conducted this literature review. We reviewed original articles and review papers in PubMed and Web of Science regarding e-waste toxicants and their potential developmental neurotoxicity. We also searched published reports of intergovernmental and governmental agencies and nongovernmental organizations on e-waste production and management practice. We focused on the potential exposure to e-waste toxicants in vulnerable populations-that is, pregnant women and developing children-and neurodevelopmental outcomes. In addition, we summarize experimental evidence of developmental neurotoxicity and mechanisms. In developing countries where most informal and primitive e-waste recycling occurs, environmental exposure to lead, cadmium, chromium, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, polychlorinated biphenyls, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is prevalent at high concentrations in pregnant women and young children. Developmental neurotoxicity is a serious concern in these regions, but human studies of adverse effects and potential mechanisms are scarce. The unprecedented mixture of exposure to heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants warrants further studies and necessitates effective pollution control measures. Pregnant women and young children living close to informal e-waste recycling sites are at risk of possible perturbations of fetus and child neurodevelopment.

  14. A critical review of current nursing faculty practice.

    PubMed

    Sawyer, M J; Alexander, I M; Gordon, L; Juszczak, L J; Gilliss, C

    2000-12-01

    To critically examine the current literature on nursing faculty practice, using the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) Guidelines for Evaluation of Faculty Practice, and to examine faculty practice models' strengths, weaknesses, and barriers. Thirty-five articles describing models of faculty practice were identified through an exhaustive search on CINAHL and Medline. Two NONPF monographs on nursing faculty practice were used as guidelines for the critical review. Faculty practice has become an integral component of faculty-role expectations at many schools of nursing. Workload, especially without adequate compensation, remains a hindrance to practice. The value of faculty practice time and expertise has not been sufficiently demonstrated. Integration of practitioner, educator and researcher roles remains extremely difficult and sometimes elusive. Faculty practice offers many advantages to schools of nursing, including educational and research opportunities for faculty and students, as well as practice sites and affordable community healthcare. Providing health care in the community presents an opportunity for independent and collaborative practice. To fully utilize the great research opportunities provided by faculty practice, more emphasis must be placed on gathering and analyzing descriptive data.

  15. BIOREMEDIATION OF HAZARDOUS WASTE SITES: PRACTICAL APPROACHES TO IMPLEMENTATION (EPA/625/K-96/001)

    EPA Science Inventory

    This document contains abstracts and slide hardcopy for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) "Seminar Series on Bioremediation of Hazardous Waste Sites: Practical Approaches to Implementation." This technology transfer seminar series, sponsored by EPA's Biosystems ...

  16. Integrated models for solid waste management in tourism regions: Langkawi Island, Malaysia.

    PubMed

    Shamshiry, Elmira; Nadi, Behzad; Mokhtar, Mazlin Bin; Komoo, Ibrahim; Hashim, Halimaton Saadiah; Yahaya, Nadzri

    2011-01-01

    The population growth, changing consumption patterns, and rapid urbanization contribute significantly to the growing volumes of solid waste that are generated in urban settings. As the rate of urbanization increases, demand on the services of solid waste management increases. The rapid urban growth in Langkawi Island, Malaysia, combined with the increasing rates of solid waste production has provided evidence that the traditional solid waste management practices, particularly the methods of waste collection and disposal, are inefficient and quite nonsustainable. Accordingly, municipal managers and planners in Langkawi need to look for and adopt a model for solid waste management that emphasizes an efficient and sustainable management of solid wastes in Langkawi Island. This study presents the current practices of solid waste management in Langkawi Island, describes the composition of the solid waste generated in that area, and presents views of local residents and tourist on issues related to solid waste management like the aesthetic value of the island environment. The most important issue of this paper is that it is the first time that integrated solid waste management is investigated in the Langkawi Island.

  17. Report: Hospital waste management--awareness and practices: a study of three states in India.

    PubMed

    Rao, P Hanumantha

    2008-06-01

    The study was conducted in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh in India. Hospitals/nursing homes and private medical practitioners in urban as well as rural areas and those from the private as well as the government sector were covered. Information on (a) awareness of bio-medical waste management rules, (b) training undertaken and (c) practices with respect to segregation, use of colour coding, sharps management, access to common waste management facilities and disposal was collected. Awareness of Bio-medical Waste Management Rules was better among hospital staff in comparison with private medical practitioners and awareness was marginally higher among those in urban areas in comparison with those in rural areas. Training gained momentum only after the dead-line for compliance was over. Segregation and use of colour codes revealed gaps, which need correction. About 70% of the healthcare facilities used a needle cutter/destroyer for sharps management. Access to Common Waste Management facilities was low at about 35%. Dumping biomedical waste on the roads outside the hospital is still prevalent and access to Common Waste facilities is still limited. Surveillance, monitoring and penal machinery was found to be deficient and these require strengthening to improve compliance with the Bio-medical Waste Management Rules and to safeguard the health of employees, patients and communities.

  18. Determining heavy metals in spent compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and their waste management challenges: some strategies for improving current conditions.

    PubMed

    Taghipour, Hassan; Amjad, Zahra; Jafarabadi, Mohamad Asghari; Gholampour, Akbar; Norouz, Prviz

    2014-07-01

    From environmental viewpoint, the most important advantage of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) is reduction of green house gas emissions. But their significant disadvantage is disposal of spent lamps because of containing a few milligrams of toxic metals, especially mercury and lead. For a successful implementation of any waste management plan, availability of sufficient and accurate information on quantities and compositions of the generated waste and current management conditions is a fundamental prerequisite. In this study, CFLs were selected among 20 different brands in Iran. Content of heavy metals including mercury, lead, nickel, arsenic and chromium was determined by inductive coupled plasma (ICP). Two cities, Tehran and Tabriz, were selected for assessing the current waste management condition of CFLs. The study found that waste generation amount of CFLs in the country was about 159.80, 183.82 and 153.75 million per year in 2010, 2011 and 2012, respectively. Waste generation rate of CFLs in Iran was determined to be 2.05 per person in 2012. The average amount of mercury, lead, nickel, arsenic and chromium was 0.417, 2.33, 0.064, 0.056 and 0.012 mg per lamp, respectively. Currently, waste of CFLs is disposed by municipal waste stream in waste landfills. For improving the current conditions, we propose by considering the successful experience of extended producer responsibility (EPR) in other electronic waste management. The EPR program with advanced recycling fee (ARF) is implemented for collecting and then recycling CFLs. For encouraging consumers to take the spent CFLs back at the end of the products' useful life, a proportion of ARF (for example, 50%) can be refunded. On the other hand, the government and Environmental Protection Agency should support and encourage recycling companies of CFLs both technically and financially in the first place. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Theoretical Framework for Plastic Waste Management in Ghana through Extended Producer Responsibility: Case of Sachet Water Waste.

    PubMed

    Quartey, Ebo Tawiah; Tosefa, Hero; Danquah, Kwasi Asare Baffour; Obrsalova, Ilona

    2015-08-20

    Currently, use and disposal of plastic by consumers through waste management activities in Ghana not only creates environmental problems, but also reinforces the notion of a wasteful society. The magnitude of this problem has led to increasing pressure from the public for efficient and practical measures to solve the waste problem. This paper analyses the impact of plastic use and disposal in Ghana. It emphasizes the need for commitment to proper management of the impacts of plastic waste and effective environmental management in the country. Sustainable Solid Waste Management (SSWM) is a critical problem for developing countries with regards to climate change and greenhouse gas emission, and also the general wellbeing of the populace. Key themes of this paper are producer responsibility and management of products at end of life. The paper proposes two theatrical recovery models that can be used to address the issue of sachet waste in Ghana.

  20. Waste management in primary healthcare centres of Iran.

    PubMed

    Mesdaghinia, Alireza; Naddafi, Kazem; Mahvi, Amir Hossein; Saeedi, Reza

    2009-06-01

    The waste management practices in primary healthcare centres of Iran were investigated in the present study. A total of 120 primary healthcare centres located across the country were selected using the cluster sampling method and the current situation of healthcare waste management was determined through field investigation. The quantities of solid waste and wastewater generation per outpatient were found to be 60 g outpatient(-1) day(-1) and 26 L outpatient(-1) day(-1), respectively. In all of the facilities, sharp objects were separated almost completely, but separation of other types of hazardous healthcare solid waste was only done in 25% of the centres. The separated hazardous solid waste materials were treated by incineration, temporary incineration and open burning methods in 32.5, 8.3 and 42.5% of the healthcare centres, respectively. In 16.7% of the centres the hazardous solid wastes were disposed of without any treatment. These results indicate that the management of waste materials in primary healthcare centres in Iran faced some problems. Staff training and awareness, separation of healthcare solid waste, establishment of the autoclave method for healthcare solid waste treatment and construction of septic tanks and disinfection units in the centres that were without access to a sewer system are the major measures that are suggested for improvement of the waste management practices.

  1. CURRENT PRACTICES IN QSAR DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATIONS

    EPA Science Inventory

    Current Practices in QSAR Development and Applications

    Although it is commonly assumed that the structure and properties of a single chemical determines its activity in a particular biological system, it is only through study of how biological activity varies with changes...

  2. Practices and challenges of infectious waste management: A qualitative descriptive study from tertiary care hospitals in Pakistan

    PubMed Central

    Kumar, Ramesh; Shaikh, Babar Tasneem; Somrongthong, Ratana; Chapman, Robert S

    2015-01-01

    Background and Objective: Infectious waste management practices among health care workers in the tertiary care hospitals have been questionable. The study intended to identify issues that impede a proper infectious waste management. Methods: Besides direct observation, in-depths interviews were conducted with the hospital administrators and senior management involved in healthcare waste management during March 2014. We looked at the processes related to segregation, collection, storage and disposal of hospital waste, and identified variety of issues in all the steps. Results: Serious gaps and deficiencies were observed related to segregation, collection, storage and disposal of the hospital wastes, hence proving to be hazardous to the patients as well as the visitors. Poor safety, insufficient budget, lack of trainings, weak monitoring and supervision, and poor coordination has eventually resulted in improper waste management in the tertiary hospitals of Rawalpindi. Conclusion: Study has concluded that the poor resources and lack of healthcare worker’s training in infectious waste results in poor waste management at hospitals. PMID:26430405

  3. Effects from past solid waste disposal practices.

    PubMed Central

    Johnson, L J; Daniel, D E; Abeele, W V; Ledbetter, J O; Hansen, W R

    1978-01-01

    This paper reviews documented environmental effects experience from the disposal of solid waste materials in the U.S. Selected case histories are discussed that illustrate waste migration and its actual or potential effects on human or environmental health. Principal conclusions resulting from this review were: solid waste materials do migrate beyond the geometric confines of the initial placement location; environmental effects have been experienced from disposal of municipal, agricultural, and toxic chemical wastes; and utilization of presently known science and engineering principles in sitting and operating solid waste disposal facilities would make a significant improvement in the containment capability of shallow land disposal facilities. PMID:367769

  4. 21 CFR 212.2 - What is current good manufacturing practice for PET drugs?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false What is current good manufacturing practice for... HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) DRUGS: GENERAL CURRENT GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICE FOR POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY DRUGS (Eff. 12-12-2011) General Provisions § 212.2 What is current good manufacturing practice for...

  5. 21 CFR 210.2 - Applicability of current good manufacturing practice regulations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Applicability of current good manufacturing practice regulations. 210.2 Section 210.2 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) DRUGS: GENERAL CURRENT GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICE IN MANUFACTURING...

  6. The current status of hazardous solid waste management.

    PubMed Central

    Kaufman, H B

    1978-01-01

    Growth of the population and of industrialization, and substandard disposal of the increased waste products thus generated, have resulted in numerous documented cases of harm to human, plant, and animal health. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (1976), its stated goals, and its intended means of implementation, are discussed relative to hazardous waste problems. Subtitle C of this Act, and the authority granted by it to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, are explained. Standards and regulations have been imposed upon those responsible for generating and transporting hazardous wastes, to ensure the ultimate safe disposal of such wastes in environmentally suitable, properly licensed facilities. PMID:738237

  7. Developmental Neurotoxicants in E-Waste: An Emerging Health Concern

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Aimin; Dietrich, Kim N.; Huo, Xia; Ho, Shuk-mei

    2011-01-01

    Objective Electronic waste (e-waste) has been an emerging environmental health issue in both developed and developing countries, but its current management practice may result in unintended developmental neurotoxicity in vulnerable populations. To provide updated information about the scope of the issue, presence of known and suspected neurotoxicants, toxicologic mechanisms, and current data gaps, we conducted this literature review. Data sources We reviewed original articles and review papers in PubMed and Web of Science regarding e-waste toxicants and their potential developmental neurotoxicity. We also searched published reports of intergovernmental and governmental agencies and nongovernmental organizations on e-waste production and management practice. Data extraction We focused on the potential exposure to e-waste toxicants in vulnerable populations—that is, pregnant women and developing children—and neurodevelopmental outcomes. In addition, we summarize experimental evidence of developmental neurotoxicity and mechanisms. Data synthesis In developing countries where most informal and primitive e-waste recycling occurs, environmental exposure to lead, cadmium, chromium, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, polychlorinated biphenyls, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is prevalent at high concentrations in pregnant women and young children. Developmental neurotoxicity is a serious concern in these regions, but human studies of adverse effects and potential mechanisms are scarce. The unprecedented mixture of exposure to heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants warrants further studies and necessitates effective pollution control measures. Conclusions Pregnant women and young children living close to informal e-waste recycling sites are at risk of possible perturbations of fetus and child neurodevelopment. PMID:21081302

  8. Theoretical Framework for Plastic Waste Management in Ghana through Extended Producer Responsibility: Case of Sachet Water Waste

    PubMed Central

    Quartey, Ebo Tawiah; Tosefa, Hero; Danquah, Kwasi Asare Baffour; Obrsalova, Ilona

    2015-01-01

    Currently, use and disposal of plastic by consumers through waste management activities in Ghana not only creates environmental problems, but also reinforces the notion of a wasteful society. The magnitude of this problem has led to increasing pressure from the public for efficient and practical measures to solve the waste problem. This paper analyses the impact of plastic use and disposal in Ghana. It emphasizes the need for commitment to proper management of the impacts of plastic waste and effective environmental management in the country. Sustainable Solid Waste Management (SSWM) is a critical problem for developing countries with regards to climate change and greenhouse gas emission, and also the general wellbeing of the populace. Key themes of this paper are producer responsibility and management of products at end of life. The paper proposes two theatrical recovery models that can be used to address the issue of sachet waste in Ghana. PMID:26308016

  9. How practice contributes to trolley food waste. A qualitative study among staff involved in serving meals to hospital patients.

    PubMed

    Ofei, K T; Holst, M; Rasmussen, H H; Mikkelsen, B E

    2014-12-01

    This study investigated the generation of trolley food waste at the ward level in a hospital in order to provide recommendations for how practice could be changed to reduce food waste. Three separate focus group discussions were held with four nurses, four dietitians and four service assistants engaged in food service. Furthermore, single qualitative interviews were conducted with a nurse, a dietitian and two service assistants. Observations of procedures around trolley food serving were carried out during lunch and supper for a total of 10 weekdays in two different wards. All unserved food items discarded as waste were weighed after each service. Analysis of interview and observation data revealed five key themes. The findings indicate that trolley food waste generation is a practice embedded within the limitations related to the procedures of meal ordering. This includes portion size choices and delivery, communication, tools for menu information, portioning and monitoring of food waste, as well as the use of unserved food. Considering positive changes to these can be a way forward to develop strategies to reduce trolley food waste at the ward level. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Arsenic: a roadblock to potential animal waste management solutions.

    PubMed

    Nachman, Keeve E; Graham, Jay P; Price, Lance B; Silbergeld, Ellen K

    2005-09-01

    The localization and intensification of the poultry industry over the past 50 years have incidentally created a largely ignored environmental management crisis. As a result of these changes in poultry production, concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) produce far more waste than can be managed by land disposal within the regions where it is produced. As a result, alternative waste management practices are currently being implemented, including incineration and pelletization of waste. However, organic arsenicals used in poultry feed are converted to inorganic arsenicals in poultry waste, limiting the feasibility of waste management alternatives. The presence of inorganic arsenic in incinerator ash and pelletized waste sold as fertilizer creates opportunities for population exposures that did not previously exist. The removal of arsenic from animal feed is a critical step toward safe poultry waste management.

  11. Teaching Math Online: Current Practices in Turkey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akdemir, Omur

    2011-01-01

    Changing nature of student population, developments in technology, and insufficient number of traditional universities have made online courses popular around the globe. This study was designed to investigate the current practices of teaching mathematics online in Turkish Universities through a qualitative inquiry. The snowball sampling method was…

  12. Current practices for evaluation of resonance disorders in North America.

    PubMed

    Stelck, Elizabeth Huebert; Boliek, Carol A; Hagler, Paul H; Rieger, Jana M

    2011-02-01

    Improving treatment outcomes for people with resonance problems (due to velopharyngeal disorders) is a priority for many speech-language pathologists (SLPs), but there exists a limited understanding of the practices SLPs are using to assess and monitor therapeutic effects in this population. The current study was designed to answer the following questions: (1) What are current clinical practices versus best practices for assessing resonance disorders, tracking therapeutic effects, and determining discharge criteria? (2) What assessment practices would SLPs prefer to use with clients who have resonance disorders? (3) What are barriers to SLPs' use of best practices? and (4) What effects do SLP demographics have on clinical practices? Thirty-eight SLPs, specializing in the treatment of resonance disorders, participated in the study. Responses were compared with best practice recommendations derived from the literature. Most clinicians were using low-tech assessment tools, often because they lacked access to high-tech tools. Demographics and training did not affect clinical assessment practices. There is a need to increase the availability of high-tech assessment tools to SLPs practicing in the area of resonance disorders, as consistent use of sophisticated assessment devices would exemplify contemporary thinking about the transfer of knowledge to practice in this area. © Thieme Medical Publishers.

  13. Solid Waste Management Practices in EBRP Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mann, Nadine L.

    1994-01-01

    A Louisiana school district has made tremendous progress toward developing and implementing an environmentally friendly solid waste management program. Packaging changes in school food service, newspaper and aluminum can recycling, and composting of leaf and yard waste have contributed to reduced waste sent to the local landfill. (MLF)

  14. Municipal waste management in Sicily: practices and challenges.

    PubMed

    Messineo, Antonio; Panno, Domenico

    2008-01-01

    There are numerous problems yet to be solved in waste management and although efforts towards waste recovery and recycling have been made, landfills are still the most common method used in the EU and many other industrialised countries. Thermal disposal, particularly incineration, is a tested and viable alternative. In 2004, only 11% of the annual waste production of Italy was incinerated. Sicily, with over five million inhabitants, is the second largest region in Italy where waste management is now a critical problem. The use of landfills can no longer be considered a satisfactory environmental solution; therefore, new methods have to be chosen and waste-to-energy plants could provide an answer. This paper gives details of municipal solid waste management in Sicily following a new Waste Management Plan. Four waste-to-energy plants will generate electricity through a steam cycle; the feedstock will become the residue after material recovery, which is calculated as 20-40% weight of the collected municipal solid waste.

  15. A practical method of determining water current velocities and diffusion coefficients in coastal waters by remote sensing techniques

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    James, W. P.

    1971-01-01

    A simplified procedure is presented for determining water current velocities and diffusion coefficients. Dye drops which form dye patches in the receiving water are made from an aircraft. The changes in position and size of the patches are recorded from two flights over the area. The simplified data processing procedure requires only that the ground coordinates about the dye patches be determined at the time of each flight. With an automatic recording coordinatograph for measuring coordinates and a computer for processing the data, this technique provides a practical method of determining circulation patterns and mixing characteristics of large aquatic systems. This information is useful in assessing the environmental impact of waste water discharges and for industrial plant siting.

  16. Practical applications of current loop signal conditioning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anderson, Karl F.

    1994-10-01

    This paper describes a variety of practical application circuits based on the current loop signal conditioning paradigm. Equations defining the circuit response are also provided. The constant current loop is a fundamental signal conditioning circuit concept that can be implemented in a variety of configurations for resistance-based transducers, such as strain gages and resistance temperature devices. The circuit features signal conditioning outputs which are unaffected by extremely large variations in lead wire resistance, direct current frequency response, and inherent linearity with respect to resistance change. Sensitivity of this circuit is double that of a Wheatstone bridge circuit. Electrical output is zero for resistance change equals zero. The same excitation and output sense wires can serve multiple transducers. More application arrangements are possible with constant current loop signal conditioning than with the Wheatstone bridge.

  17. Integrated Models for Solid Waste Management in Tourism Regions: Langkawi Island, Malaysia

    PubMed Central

    Shamshiry, Elmira; Nadi, Behzad; Bin Mokhtar, Mazlin; Komoo, Ibrahim; Saadiah Hashim, Halimaton; Yahaya, Nadzri

    2011-01-01

    The population growth, changing consumption patterns, and rapid urbanization contribute significantly to the growing volumes of solid waste that are generated in urban settings. As the rate of urbanization increases, demand on the services of solid waste management increases. The rapid urban growth in Langkawi Island, Malaysia, combined with the increasing rates of solid waste production has provided evidence that the traditional solid waste management practices, particularly the methods of waste collection and disposal, are inefficient and quite nonsustainable. Accordingly, municipal managers and planners in Langkawi need to look for and adopt a model for solid waste management that emphasizes an efficient and sustainable management of solid wastes in Langkawi Island. This study presents the current practices of solid waste management in Langkawi Island, describes the composition of the solid waste generated in that area, and presents views of local residents and tourist on issues related to solid waste management like the aesthetic value of the island environment. The most important issue of this paper is that it is the first time that integrated solid waste management is investigated in the Langkawi Island. PMID:21904559

  18. Counter-current acid leaching process for copper azole treated wood waste.

    PubMed

    Janin, Amélie; Riche, Pauline; Blais, Jean-François; Mercier, Guy; Cooper, Paul; Morris, Paul

    2012-09-01

    This study explores the performance of a counter-current leaching process (CCLP) for copper extraction from copper azole treated wood waste for recycling of wood and copper. The leaching process uses three acid leaching steps with 0.1 M H2SO4 at 75degrees C and 15% slurry density followed by three rinses with water. Copper is recovered from the leachate using electrodeposition at 5 amperes (A) for 75 min. Ten counter-current remediation cycles were completed achieving > or = 94% copper extraction from the wood during the 10 cycles; 80-90% of the copper was recovered from the extract solution by electrodeposition. The counter-current leaching process reduced acid consumption by 86% and effluent discharge volume was 12 times lower compared with the same process without use of counter-current leaching. However, the reuse of leachates from one leaching step to another released dissolved organic carbon and caused its build-up in the early cycles.

  19. Industrial-waste management in developing countries: the case of Lebanon.

    PubMed

    el-Fadel, M; Zeinati, M; el-Jisr, K; Jamali, D

    2001-04-01

    This paper presents a critical assessment of the existing Lebanese industrial sector, namely the current status and classification of industrial establishments based on a comparative synthesis and analysis of recent nationwide surveys and studies pertaining to industrial-waste management. Characterisation of solid and liquid industrial wastes generated, including hazardous wastes, is presented together with current and projected waste loads, recycling opportunities, and export/import practices. Institutional capacity and needs pertaining to the enforcement of relevant environmental legislation, staffing and resources, monitoring schemes, and public participation are critically evaluated. Finally, realistic options for industrial-waste management in the context of country-specific institutional economic and technical limitations are outlined. The industrial sector in Lebanon consists of small-scale industries (84% employ less than 10 persons), primarily involved in light manufacturing (96%). These industries which are distributed among 41 ill-defined zones and deficient in appropriate physical infrastructure, generate solid, liquid, and hazardous waste estimated at 346,730 tons/year, 20,169,600 m3/year and between 3000 to 15,000 tons/year, respectively. Although the growth of this sector contributes significantly to the socio-economic development of the country (industry accounts for 17% of the gross domestic product), in the absence of a comprehensive environmental management plan, this expansion may not be sustained into the coming millennium. The anticipated expansion will inevitably amplify adverse environmental impacts associated with industrial activities due to rising waste volumes and improper waste handling and disposal practices. These impacts are further aggravated by a deficient institutional framework, a lack of adequate environmental laws, and lax enforcement of regulations governing industrial-waste management.

  20. A comparative assessment of waste incinerators in the UK.

    PubMed

    Nixon, J D; Wright, D G; Dey, P K; Ghosh, S K; Davies, P A

    2013-11-01

    The uptake in Europe of Energy from Waste (EfW) incinerator plants has increased rapidly in recent years. In the UK, 25 municipal waste incinerators with energy recovery are now in operation; however, their waste supply chains and business practices vary significantly. With over a hundred more plant developments being considered it is important to establish best business practices for ensuring efficient environmental and operational performance. By reviewing the 25 plants we identify four suitable case study plants to compare technologies (moving grate, fluidised bed and rotary kiln), plant economics and operations. Using data collected from annual reports and through interviews and site visits we provide recommendations for improving the supply chain for waste incinerators and highlight the current issues and challenges faced by the industry. We find that plants using moving grate have a high availability of 87-92%. However, compared to the fluidised bed and rotary kiln, quantities of bottom ash and emissions of hydrogen chloride and carbon monoxide are high. The uptake of integrated recycling practices, combined heat and power, and post incineration non-ferrous metal collections needs to be increased among EfW incinerators in the UK. We conclude that one of the major difficulties encountered by waste facilities is the appropriate selection of technology, capacity, site, waste suppliers and heat consumers. This study will be of particular value to EfW plant developers, government authorities and researchers working within the sector of waste management. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Healthcare waste management: an interpretive structural modeling approach.

    PubMed

    Thakur, Vikas; Anbanandam, Ramesh

    2016-06-13

    Purpose - The World Health Organization identified infectious healthcare waste as a threat to the environment and human health. India's current medical waste management system has limitations, which lead to ineffective and inefficient waste handling practices. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to: first, identify the important barriers that hinder India's healthcare waste management (HCWM) systems; second, classify operational, tactical and strategical issues to discuss the managerial implications at different management levels; and third, define all barriers into four quadrants depending upon their driving and dependence power. Design/methodology/approach - India's HCWM system barriers were identified through the literature, field surveys and brainstorming sessions. Interrelationships among all the barriers were analyzed using interpretive structural modeling (ISM). Fuzzy-Matrice d'Impacts Croisés Multiplication Appliquée á un Classement (MICMAC) analysis was used to classify HCWM barriers into four groups. Findings - In total, 25 HCWM system barriers were identified and placed in 12 different ISM model hierarchy levels. Fuzzy-MICMAC analysis placed eight barriers in the second quadrant, five in third and 12 in fourth quadrant to define their relative ISM model importance. Research limitations/implications - The study's main limitation is that all the barriers were identified through a field survey and barnstorming sessions conducted only in Uttarakhand, Northern State, India. The problems in implementing HCWM practices may differ with the region, hence, the current study needs to be replicated in different Indian states to define the waste disposal strategies for hospitals. Practical implications - The model will help hospital managers and Pollution Control Boards, to plan their resources accordingly and make policies, targeting key performance areas. Originality/value - The study is the first attempt to identify India's HCWM system barriers and prioritize

  2. Examining the Environmental Effects of Athletic Training: Perceptions of Waste and the Use of Green Techniques.

    PubMed

    Potteiger, Kelly; Pitney, William A; Cappaert, Thomas A; Wolfe, Angela

    2017-12-01

      Environmental sustainability is a critical concern in health care. Similar to other professions, the practice of athletic training necessitates the use of a large quantity of natural and manufactured resources.   To examine the perceptions of the waste produced by the practice of athletic training and the green practices currently used by athletic trainers (ATs) to combat this waste.   Mixed-methods study.   Field setting.   A total of 442 ATs completed the study. Sixteen individuals participated in the qualitative portion.   Data from sections 2 and 3 of the Athletic Training Environmental Impact Survey were analyzed. Focus groups and individual interviews were used to determine participants' views of waste and the efforts used to combat waste. Descriptive statistics were used to examine types of waste. Independent t tests, χ 2 tests, and 1-way analyses of variance were calculated to identify any differences between the knowledge and use of green techniques. Interviews and focus groups were transcribed verbatim and analyzed inductively.   Participants reported moderate knowledge of green techniques (3.18 ± 0.53 on a 5-point Likert scale). Fifty-eight percent (n = 260) of survey participants perceived that a substantial amount of waste was produced by the practice of athletic training. Ninety-two percent (n = 408) admitted they thought about the waste produced in their daily practice. The types of waste reported most frequently were plastics (n = 111, 29%), water (n = 88, 23%), and paper for administrative use (n = 81, 21%). Fifty-two percent (n = 234) agreed this waste directly affected the environment. The qualitative aspect of the study reinforced recognition of the large amount of waste produced by the practice of athletic training. Types of conservation practices used by ATs were also explored.   Participants reported concern regarding the waste produced by athletic training. The amount of waste varies depending on practice size and setting

  3. 21 CFR 225.1 - Current good manufacturing practice.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... Current good manufacturing practice. (a) Section 501(a)(2)(B) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act... the methods used in, or the facilities or controls used for, its manufacture, processing, packing, or...

  4. 21 CFR 225.1 - Current good manufacturing practice.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... Current good manufacturing practice. (a) Section 501(a)(2)(B) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act... the methods used in, or the facilities or controls used for, its manufacture, processing, packing, or...

  5. 21 CFR 225.1 - Current good manufacturing practice.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... Current good manufacturing practice. (a) Section 501(a)(2)(B) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act... the methods used in, or the facilities or controls used for, its manufacture, processing, packing, or...

  6. 21 CFR 225.1 - Current good manufacturing practice.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... Current good manufacturing practice. (a) Section 501(a)(2)(B) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act... the methods used in, or the facilities or controls used for, its manufacture, processing, packing, or...

  7. Review of LCA studies of solid waste management systems – Part II: Methodological guidance for a better practice

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

    Laurent, Alexis, E-mail: alau@dtu.dk; Clavreul, Julie; Bernstad, Anna

    Highlights: • We perform a critical review of 222 LCA studies of solid waste management systems. • We analyse the past LCA practice against the ISO standard and ILCD Handbook guidance. • Malpractices exist in many methodological aspects with large variations among studies. • Many of these aspects are important for the reliability of the results. • We provide detailed recommendations to practitioners of waste management LCAs. - Abstract: Life cycle assessment (LCA) is increasingly used in waste management to identify strategies that prevent or minimise negative impacts on ecosystems, human health or natural resources. However, the quality of themore » provided support to decision- and policy-makers is strongly dependent on a proper conduct of the LCA. How has LCA been applied until now? Are there any inconsistencies in the past practice? To answer these questions, we draw on a critical review of 222 published LCA studies of solid waste management systems. We analyse the past practice against the ISO standard requirements and the ILCD Handbook guidelines for each major step within the goal definition, scope definition, inventory analysis, impact assessment, and interpretation phases of the methodology. Results show that malpractices exist in several aspects of the LCA with large differences across studies. Examples are a frequent neglect of the goal definition, a frequent lack of transparency and precision in the definition of the scope of the study, e.g. an unclear delimitation of the system boundaries, a truncated impact coverage, difficulties in capturing influential local specificities such as representative waste compositions into the inventory, and a frequent lack of essential sensitivity and uncertainty analyses. Many of these aspects are important for the reliability of the results. For each of them, we therefore provide detailed recommendations to practitioners of waste management LCAs.« less

  8. How Advertising History Helps Explain Current Practices.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lanfranco, Leonard W.

    Students majoring in advertising can benefit from a study of that field in its historical context because such study helps them to understand current practices and to foresee future developments. One model of teaching advertising history within a required course about advertising and society begins with some basic definitions of the advertising…

  9. The current status of evidence-based practice in juvenile justice.

    PubMed

    McKee, Esther Chao; Rapp, Lisa

    2014-01-01

    The advent of evidence-based practice (EBP) has significantly changed the juvenile justice system while producing intense controversy. The intent of this article is to provide an update on the current status of EBP in the juvenile justice system. Specifically, this article will describe the evolution of juvenile justice philosophy as it has informed current juvenile justice policies and programs, discuss the scope of current juvenile justice research regarding EBP, identify barriers to implementing EBP, expound on the development of EBP in juvenile justice, discern the characteristics of evidence-based interventions in the juvenile justice system, and finally describe how to select and assess evidence-based practices and interventions.

  10. Profile of medical waste management in two healthcare facilities in Lagos, Nigeria: a case study.

    PubMed

    Idowu, Ibijoke; Alo, Babajide; Atherton, William; Al Khaddar, Rafid

    2013-05-01

    Proper management and safe disposal of medical waste (MW) is vital in the reduction of infection or illness through contact with discarded material and in the prevention of environmental contamination in hospital facilities. The management practices for MW in selected healthcare facilities in Lagos, Nigeria were assessed. The cross-sectional study involved the use of questionnaires, in-depth interviews, focused group discussions and participant observation strategies. It also involved the collection, segregation, identification and weighing of waste types from wards and units in the representative facilities in Lagos, Nigeria, for qualitative and quantitative analysis of the MW streams. The findings indicated that the selected Nigerian healthcare facilities were lacking in the adoption of sound MW management (MWM) practices. The average MW ranged from 0.01 kg/bed/day to 3.98 kg/bed/day. Moreover, about 30% of the domestic waste from the healthcare facilities consisted of MW due to inappropriate co-disposal practices. Multiple linear regression was applied to predict the volume of waste generated giving a correlation coefficient (R(2)) value of 0.99 confirming a good fit of the data. This study revealed that the current MWM practices and strategies in Lagos are weak, and suggests an urgent need for review to achieve vital reversals in the current trends.

  11. Review article: practical current issues in perioperative patient safety.

    PubMed

    Eichhorn, John H

    2013-02-01

    This brief review provides an overview and, importantly, a context perspective of relevant current practical issues in perioperative patient safety. The dramatic improvement in anesthesia patient safety over the last 30 years was not initiated by electronic monitors but, rather, largely by a set of behaviours known as "safety monitoring" that were then made decidedly more effective by extending the human senses through electronic monitoring, for example, capnography and pulse oximetry. In the highly developed world, this current success is threatened by complacency and production pressure. In some areas of the developing/underdeveloped world, the challenge is implementing the components of anesthesia practice that will bring safety improvements to parallel the overall current success, for instance, applying the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists (WFSA) "International Standards for A Safe Practice of Anaesthesia". Generally, expanding the current success in safety involves many practical issues. System issues involve research, effective reporting mechanisms and analysis/broadcasting of results, perioperative communication (including "speaking up to power"), and checklists. Monitoring issues involve enforcing existing published monitoring standards and also recognizing the risk of danger to the patient from hypoventilation during procedural sedation and from postoperative intravenous pain medications. Issues of clinical care include medication errors in the operating room, cerebral hypoperfusion (especially in the head-up position), dangers of airway management, postoperative residual weakness from muscle relaxants, operating room fires, and risks specific in obstetric anesthesia. Recognition of the issues outlined here and empowerment of all anesthesia professionals, from the most senior professors and administrators to the newest practitioners, should help maintain, solidify, and expand the improvements in anesthesia and perioperative patient

  12. Inclusion Classrooms and Teachers: A Survey of Current Practices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kilanowski-Press, Lisa; Foote, Chandra J.; Rinaldo, Vince J.

    2010-01-01

    This study investigates the current state of inclusion practices in general education classrooms via survey of 71 inclusion teachers currently serving as special educators across the state of New York. Specifically, small group instruction, co-teaching, one-to-one instruction, and planning support are explored in relationship to class size, number…

  13. Circular economy of plastic packaging: Current practice and perspectives in Austria.

    PubMed

    Van Eygen, Emile; Laner, David; Fellner, Johann

    2018-02-01

    Plastics, especially from packaging, have gained increasing attention in waste management, driving many policy initiatives to improve the circularity of these materials in the economy to increase resource efficiency. In this context, the EU has proposed increasing targets to encourage the recycling of (plastic) packaging. To accurately calculate the recycling rates, detailed information on the flows of plastic packaging is needed. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to quantitatively and qualitatively investigate the waste management system for plastic packaging in Austria in 2013 using material flow analysis, taking into account the used product types and the polymer composition. The results show that 300,000 ± 3% t/a (35 kg/cap·a) of waste plastic packaging were produced, mainly composed of large and small films and small hollow bodies, including PET bottles. Correspondingly, the polymer composition of the waste stream was dominated by LDPE (46% ± 6%), PET (19% ± 4%) and PP (14% ± 6%). 58% ± 3% was collected separately, and regarding the final treatment, 26% ± 7% of the total waste stream was recovered as re-granulates, whereas the rest was thermally recovered in waste-to-energy plants (40% ± 3%) and the cement industry (33% ± 6%). The targets set by the EU and Austria were reached comfortably, although to reach the proposed future target major technological steps regarding collection and sorting will be needed. However, the current calculation point of the targets, i.e. on the input side of the recycling plant, is not deemed to be fully in line with the overall objective of the circular economy, namely to keep materials in the economy and prevent losses. It is therefore recommended that the targets be calculated with respect to the actual output of the recycling process, provided that the quality of the output products is maintained, to accurately assess the performance of the waste management system. Copyright © 2017

  14. Investigating composition and production rate of healthcare waste and associated management practices in Bandar Abbass, Iran.

    PubMed

    Koolivand, Ali; Mahvi, Amir Hossein; Alipoor, Vali; Azizi, Kourosh; Binavapour, Mohammad

    2012-06-01

    The objective of this study was to identify the composition and production rate of healthcare waste and associated management practices in healthcare centres in Bandar Abbas, southern Iran. A total of 90 centres, including 30 physician offices, 30 dental offices and 30 clinics were selected in random way. Two samples in summer and two samples in winter were taken and weighed from each selected centre at the end of successive working day on Mondays and Tuesdays. Results showed that the mean of daily production rate for each clinic, dental and physician office were 2125.3, 498.3 and 374.9 g, respectively. Domestic-type and potentially infectious waste had the highest and chemical and pharmaceutical waste and sharps had the lowest percentages in all centres. Questionnaire results indicated that there were no effective activity for waste minimization, separation, reuse and recycling in healthcare centres and management of sharps, potentially infectious and other hazardous waste was poor.

  15. Certain Hospital Waste Management Practices in Isfahan, Iran

    PubMed Central

    Ferdowsi, Ali; Ferdosi, Masoud; Mehrani, Zeinab; Narenjkar, Parisa

    2012-01-01

    Objectives: Infected hospital wastes are among hazardous wastes, and special treatment methods are needed for their disposal. Having information about present status of medical waste management systems is of great importance in finding weak, and for future planning. Such studies have not been done for most of the hospitals in Iran. Methods: This paper reports the results of a study on the present status of medical waste management in Isfahan hospitals. A ten page researcher made questionnaire was used to collect data in terms of collection, transportation, segregation, treatment and disposal. For assessment of autoclaves, standard tests including TST (Time, Steam, and Temperature) strip test and spore tests were used. Samples were made of stack gases of incinerators. Quantity and composition of hospital wastes in Isfahan were also measured manually. Results: Of all wastes in selected hospitals, 40% were infected wastes (1.59 kg/day/bed), which is 15 to 20% higher than World Health Organization (WHO) standards. TST and Spore test results were negative in all samples. Stack gases analysis showed high concentration of CO in some samples. Besides, the combustion efficiency in some samples is less than 99.5%, which is the standard criterion in Iran. Conclusions: This study may create awareness regarding the magnitude of the problem of waste management in hospitals of Isfahan and may stimulate interests for systematic control efforts for hospital waste disposal. Hospital waste management cannot succeed without documented plans, certain equipment, defined staff trainings, and periodic evaluations. PMID:22826762

  16. Environmental and economic analyses of waste disposal options for traditional markets in Indonesia.

    PubMed

    Aye, Lu; Widjaya, E R

    2006-01-01

    Waste from traditional markets in Indonesia is the second largest stream of municipal solid waste after household waste. It has a higher organic fraction and may have greater potential to be managed on a business scale compared to household wastes. The attributed reason is that in general the wastes generated from traditional markets are more uniform, more concentrated and less hazardous than waste from other sources. This paper presents the results of environmental and economic assessments to compare the options available for traditional market waste disposal in Indonesia. The options compared were composting in labour intensive plants, composting in a centralised plant that utilised a simple wheel loader, centralised biogas production and landfill for electricity production. The current open dumping practice was included as the baseline case. A life cycle assessment (LCA) was used for environmental analysis. All options compared have lower environmental impacts than the current practice of open dumping. The biogas production option has the lowest environmental impacts. A cost-benefit analysis, which considered greenhouse gas savings, was used for the economic assessment. It was found that composting at a centralised plant is the most economically feasible option under the present Indonesian conditions. The approach reported in this study could be applied for 'a pre-feasibility first cut comparison' that includes environmental aspects in a decision-making framework for developing countries even though European emission factors were used.

  17. Social life and sanitary risks: evolutionary and current ecological conditions determine waste management in leaf-cutting ants

    PubMed Central

    Farji-Brener, Alejandro G.; Elizalde, Luciana; Amador-Vargas, Sabrina

    2016-01-01

    Adequate waste management is vital for the success of social life, because waste accumulation increases sanitary risks in dense societies. We explored why different leaf-cutting ants (LCA) species locate their waste in internal nest chambers or external piles, including ecological context and accounting for phylogenetic relations. We propose that waste location depends on whether the environmental conditions enhance or reduce the risk of infection. We obtained the geographical range, habitat and refuse location of LCA from published literature, and experimentally determined whether pathogens on ant waste survived to the high soil temperatures typical of xeric habitats. The habitat of the LCA determined waste location after phylogenetic correction: species with external waste piles mainly occur in xeric environments, whereas those with internal waste chambers mainly inhabit more humid habitats. The ancestral reconstruction suggests that dumping waste externally is less derived than digging waste nest chambers. Empirical results showed that high soil surface temperatures reduce pathogen prevalence from LCA waste. We proposed that LCA living in environments unfavourable for pathogens (i.e. xeric habitats) avoid digging costs by dumping the refuse above ground. Conversely, in environments suitable for pathogens, LCA species prevent the spread of diseases by storing waste underground, presumably, a behaviour that contributed to the colonization of humid habitats. These results highlight the adaptation of organisms to the hygienic challenges of social living, and illustrate how sanitary behaviours can result from a combination of evolutionary history and current environmental conditions. PMID:27226469

  18. Social life and sanitary risks: evolutionary and current ecological conditions determine waste management in leaf-cutting ants.

    PubMed

    Farji-Brener, Alejandro G; Elizalde, Luciana; Fernández-Marín, Hermógenes; Amador-Vargas, Sabrina

    2016-05-25

    Adequate waste management is vital for the success of social life, because waste accumulation increases sanitary risks in dense societies. We explored why different leaf-cutting ants (LCA) species locate their waste in internal nest chambers or external piles, including ecological context and accounting for phylogenetic relations. We propose that waste location depends on whether the environmental conditions enhance or reduce the risk of infection. We obtained the geographical range, habitat and refuse location of LCA from published literature, and experimentally determined whether pathogens on ant waste survived to the high soil temperatures typical of xeric habitats. The habitat of the LCA determined waste location after phylogenetic correction: species with external waste piles mainly occur in xeric environments, whereas those with internal waste chambers mainly inhabit more humid habitats. The ancestral reconstruction suggests that dumping waste externally is less derived than digging waste nest chambers. Empirical results showed that high soil surface temperatures reduce pathogen prevalence from LCA waste. We proposed that LCA living in environments unfavourable for pathogens (i.e. xeric habitats) avoid digging costs by dumping the refuse above ground. Conversely, in environments suitable for pathogens, LCA species prevent the spread of diseases by storing waste underground, presumably, a behaviour that contributed to the colonization of humid habitats. These results highlight the adaptation of organisms to the hygienic challenges of social living, and illustrate how sanitary behaviours can result from a combination of evolutionary history and current environmental conditions. © 2016 The Author(s).

  19. Biomedical waste management: study on the awareness and practice among healthcare workers in a tertiary teaching hospital.

    PubMed

    Joseph, L; Paul, H; Premkumar, J; Paul, R; Michael, J S

    2015-01-01

    Bio-medical waste has a higher potential of infection and injury to the healthcare worker, patient and the surrounding community. Awareness programmes on their proper handling and management to healthcare workers can prevent the spread of infectious diseases and epidemics. This study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital to assess the impact of training, audits and education/implementations from 2009 to 2012 on awareness and practice of biomedical waste segregation. Our study reveals focused training, strict supervision, daily surveillance, audits inspections, involvement of hospital administrators and regular appraisals are essential to optimise the segregation of biomedical waste.

  20. Current Development in Treatment and Hydrogen Energy Conversion of Organic Solid Waste

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shin, Hang-Sik

    2008-02-01

    This manuscript summarized current developments on continuous hydrogen production technologies researched in Korea advanced institute of science and technology (KAIST). Long-term continuous pilot-scale operation of hydrogen producing processes fed with non-sterile food waste exhibited successful results. Experimental findings obtained by the optimization processes of growth environments for hydrogen producing bacteria, the development of high-rate hydrogen producing strategies, and the feasibility tests for real field application could contribute to the progress of fermentative hydrogen production technologies. Three major technologies such as controlling dilution rate depending on the progress of acidogenesis, maintaining solid retention time independently from hydraulic retention time, and decreasing hydrogen partial pressure by carbon dioxide sparging could enhance hydrogen production using anaerobic leaching beds reactors and anaerobic sequencing batch reactors. These findings could contribute to stable, reliable and effective performances of pilot-scale reactors treating organic wastes.

  1. The constraints of good governance practice in national solid waste management policy (NSWMP) implementation: A case study of Malaysia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wee, Seow Ta; Abas, Muhamad Azahar; Chen, Goh Kai; Mohamed, Sulzakimin

    2017-10-01

    Nowadays, international donors have emphasised on the adoption of good governance practices in solid waste management which include policy implementation. In Malaysia, the National Solid Waste Management Policy (NSWMP) was introduced as the main guideline for its solid waste management and the Malaysian government has adopted good governance practice in the NSMWP implementation. However, the good governance practices implemented by the Malaysian government encountered several challenges. This study was conducted to explore the good governance constraints experienced by stakeholders in the NSWMP implementation. An exploratory research approach is applied in this study through in-depth interviews with several government agencies and concessionaires that involved in the NSWMP implementation in Malaysia. A total of six respondents took part in this study. The findings revealed three main good governance constraints in the NSWMP implementation, namely inadequate fund, poor staff's competency, and ambiguity of policy implementation system. Moreover, this study also disclosed that the main constraint influenced the other constraints. Hence, it is crucial to identify the main constraint in order to minimise its impact on the other constraints.

  2. Digitally Controllable Current Amplifier and Current Conveyors in Practical Application of Controllable Frequency Filter

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Polak, Josef; Jerabek, Jan; Langhammer, Lukas; Sotner, Roman; Dvorak, Jan; Panek, David

    2016-07-01

    This paper presents the simulations results in comparison with the measured results of the practical realization of the multifunctional second order frequency filter with a Digitally Adjustable Current Amplifier (DACA) and two Dual-Output Controllable Current Conveyors (CCCII +/-). This filter is designed for use in current mode. The filter was designed of the single input multiple outputs (SIMO) type, therefore it has only one input and three outputs with individual filtering functions. DACA element used in a newly proposed circuit is present in form of an integrated chip and the current conveyors are implemented using the Universal Current Conveyor (UCC) chip with designation UCC-N1B. Proposed frequency filter enables independent control of the pole frequency using parameters of two current conveyors and also independent control of the quality factor by change of a current gain of DACA.

  3. A solid waste management survey in Davao del Sur (school and household waste management survey)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Trondillo, Mark Jude F.; Amaba, Jeneley A.; Paniza, Lyndelle Ann D.; Cubol, John Rhico V.

    2018-02-01

    Environmental degradation has become a very alarming issue at present. Human activities have been the primary cause of this unfortunate event which has resulted to other complications such as health problems. The resources are limited and people solely depend on it for living. Thus, the necessity to address these concerns arises. Various solid waste management programs have been established however the people's commitment has continued to challenge the local authorities as well as the cooperating agencies. This study was conducted in order to assess the awareness, practice and attitude towards the existing solid waste management programs of the selected students in Davao del Sur. It also aims to measure the effectiveness and current status of these implemented programs. The study used survey method. One hundred sixty eight of 227 students were surveyed using a validated, self-administered instrument. The study revealed that majority of the students is well aware of the existing solid waste management programs, practice them and is willing to learn more about the issue. Others, on the other hand, do the opposite. It is of great importance that all citizens must commit in the implementation of environmental programs so as to be more effective.

  4. Electrical and electronic plastics waste co-combustion with municipal solid waste for energy recovery

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

    Vehlow, J.; Mark, F.E.

    1997-12-01

    The recovery or disposal of end-of-life electrical and electronic (E+E) equipment is receiving considerable attention from industry organisations such as APME in order to supply factual information which can be used in the development of a clear industry strategy. It is hoped that such information will persuade EU member states to define the best management practices for this waste stream. One of the difficulties regarding the recovery or disposal of E+E waste is a lack of data regarding its behaviour when incinerated. This lack of data has led to unfounded conclusions by sonic parties that plastic wastes contain harmful halogenatedmore » species which are difficult to treat and remove, and when incinerated contribute to the emission of halogenated species and are responsible for the major portion of emissions. APME has a comprehensive testing program investigating the impact of plastics on municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration. APME`s previous work has demonstrated the positive, beneficial effects of mixed waste plastics in the MSW energy recovery process as well as studying halogen behaviour during the combustion of packaging plastics waste and construction foam from the building industry. The current study was designed to evaluate the incineration of MSW containing typical levels of electrical and electronic (E+E) plastic waste, as well as MSW containing E+E waste in amounts up to 12%.« less

  5. Bimodal Programming: A Survey of Current Clinical Practice.

    PubMed

    Siburt, Hannah W; Holmes, Alice E

    2015-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the current clinical practice in approaches to bimodal programming in the United States. To be specific, if clinicians are recommending bimodal stimulation, who programs the hearing aid in the bimodal condition, and what method is used for programming the hearing aid? An 11-question online survey was created and sent via email to a comprehensive list of cochlear implant programming centers in the United States. The survey was sent to 360 recipients. Respondents in this study represented a diverse group of clinical settings (response rate: 26%). Results indicate little agreement about who programs the hearing aids, when they are programmed, and how they are programmed in the bimodal condition. Analysis of small versus large implant centers indicated small centers are less likely to add a device to the contralateral ear. Although a growing number of cochlear implant recipients choose to wear a hearing aid on the contralateral ear, there is inconsistency in the current clinical approach to bimodal programming. These survey results provide evidence of large variability in the current bimodal programming practices and indicate a need for more structured clinical recommendations and programming approaches.

  6. Analyzing Matrices of Meta-Analytic Correlations: Current Practices and Recommendations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sheng, Zitong; Kong, Wenmo; Cortina, Jose M.; Hou, Shuofei

    2016-01-01

    Researchers have become increasingly interested in conducting analyses on meta-analytic correlation matrices. Methodologists have provided guidance and recommended practices for the application of this technique. The purpose of this article is to review current practices regarding analyzing meta-analytic correlation matrices, to identify the gaps…

  7. Environmental and health impacts of using food waste as animal feed: a comparative analysis of food waste management options.

    PubMed

    Salemdeeb, Ramy; Zu Ermgassen, Erasmus K H J; Kim, Mi Hyung; Balmford, Andrew; Al-Tabbaa, Abir

    2017-01-01

    The disposal of food waste is a large environmental problem. In the United Kingdom (UK), approximately 15 million tonnes of food are wasted each year, mostly disposed of in landfill, via composting, or anaerobic digestion (AD). European Union (EU) guidelines state that food waste should preferentially be used as animal feed though for most food waste this practice is currently illegal, because of disease control concerns. Interest in the potential diversion of food waste for animal feed is however growing, with a number of East Asian states offering working examples of safe food waste recycling - based on tight regulation and rendering food waste safe through heat treatment. This study investigates the potential benefits of diverting food waste for pig feed in the UK. A hybrid, consequential life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted to compare the environmental and health impacts of four technologies for food waste processing: two technologies of South Korean style-animal feed production (as a wet pig feed and a dry pig feed) were compared with two widespread UK disposal technologies: AD and composting. Results of 14 mid-point impact categories show that the processing of food waste as a wet pig feed and a dry pig feed have the best and second-best scores, respectively, for 13/14 and 12/14 environmental and health impacts. The low impact of food waste feed stems in large part from its substitution of conventional feed, the production of which has substantial environmental and health impacts. While the re-legalisation of the use of food waste as pig feed could offer environmental and public health benefits, this will require support from policy makers, the public, and the pig industry, as well as investment in separated food waste collection which currently occurs in only a minority of regions.

  8. Training Activities on Radioactive Waste Management at Moscow SIA -Radon-: Experience, Practice, Theory

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

    Batyukhnova, O.G.; Arustamov, A.E.; Dmitriev, S.A.

    Management of radioactive waste relates to the category of hazardous activities. Hence the requirements to the professional level of managers and personnel working in this industry are very high. Education, training and examination of managers, operators and workers are important elements of assuring safe and efficient operation of radioactive waste management sites. The International Education Training Centre (IETC) at Moscow State Unitary Enterprise Scientific and Industrial Association 'Radon' (SIA 'Radon'), in co-operation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has developed expertise and provided training to waste management personnel for the last 10 years. The paper summarizes the current experiencemore » of the SIA 'Radon' in the organisation and implementation of the IAEA sponsored training and others events and outlines some of strategic educational elements, which IETC will continue to pursue in the coming years. (authors)« less

  9. Carotid Endarterectomy: Current Concepts and Practice Patterns

    PubMed Central

    Saha, Sibu P.; Saha, Subhajit; Vyas, Krishna S.

    2015-01-01

    Background Stroke is the number one cause of disability and third leading cause of death among adults in the United States. A major cause of stroke is carotid artery stenosis (CAS) caused by atherosclerotic plaques. Randomized trials have varying results regarding the equivalence and perioperative complication rates of stents versus carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in the management of CAS. Objectives We review the evidence for the current management of CAS and describe the current concepts and practice patterns of CEA. Methods A literature search was conducted using PubMed to identify relevant studies regarding CEA and stenting for the management of CAS. Results The introduction of CAS has led to a decrease in the percentage of CEA and an increase in the number of CAS procedures performed in the context of all revascularization procedures. However, the efficacy of stents in patients with symptomatic CAS remains unclear because of varying results among randomized trials, but the perioperative complication rates exceed those found after CEA. Conclusions Vascular surgeons are uniquely positioned to treat carotid artery disease through medical therapy, CEA, and stenting. Although data from randomized trials differ, it is important for surgeons to make clinical decisions based on the patient. We believe that CAS can be adopted with low complication rate in a selected subgroup of patients, but CEA should remain the standard of care. This current evidence should be incorporated into practice of the modern vascular surgeon. PMID:26417192

  10. ICU nurses' oral-care practices and the current best evidence.

    PubMed

    DeKeyser Ganz, Freda; Fink, Naomi Farkash; Raanan, Ofra; Asher, Miriam; Bruttin, Madeline; Nun, Maureen Ben; Benbinishty, Julie

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to describe the oral-care practices of ICU nurses, to compare those practices with current evidence-based practice, and to determine if the use of evidence-based practice was associated with personal demographic or professional characteristics. A national survey of oral-care practices of ICU nurses was conducted using a convenience sample of 218 practicing ICU nurses in 2004-05. The survey instrument included questions about demographic and professional characteristics and a checklist of oral-care practices. Nurses rated their perceived level of priority concerning oral care on a scale from 0 to 100. A score was computed representing the sum of 14 items related to equipment, solutions, assessments, and techniques associated with the current best evidence. This score was then statistically analyzed using ANOVA to determine differences of EBP based on demographic and professional characteristics. The most commonly used equipment was gauze pads (84%), followed by tongue depressors (55%), and toothbrushes (34%). Chlorhexidine was the most common solution used (75%). Less than half (44%) reported brushing their patients' teeth. The majority performed an oral assessment before beginning oral care (71%); however, none could describe what assessment tool was used. Only 57% of nurses reported documenting their oral care. Nurses rated oral care of intubated patients with a priority of 67+/-27.1. Wide variations were noted within and between units in terms of which techniques, equipment, and solutions were used. No significant relationships were found between the use of an evidence-based protocol and demographic and professional characteristics or with the priority given to oral care. While nurses ranked oral care a high priority, many did not implement the latest evidence into their current practice. The level of research utilization was not related to personal or professional characteristics. Therefore attempts should be made to encourage all

  11. Current Practices in the Delivery of Undergraduate Exercise Physiology Content

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fisher, Michele M.

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify current practices for the delivery of exercise physiology content at the undergraduate level. An anonymous 22-item survey was sent to instructors of exercise physiology to collect information concerning the structure of course offerings and instructional practices. One hundred ten instructors responded to…

  12. Tribal Waste Management Program

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The EPA’s Tribal Waste Management Program encourages environmentally sound waste management practices that promote resource conservation through recycling, recovery, reduction, clean up, and elimination of waste.

  13. 21 CFR 210.2 - Applicability of current good manufacturing practice regulations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 4 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Applicability of current good manufacturing... AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) DRUGS: GENERAL CURRENT GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICE IN MANUFACTURING, PROCESSING, PACKING, OR HOLDING OF DRUGS; GENERAL § 210.2 Applicability of current good manufacturing...

  14. Using Technology in Undergraduate Admission: Current Practices and Future Plans

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lindbeck, Robin; Fodrey, Brian

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify the current practices and future plans for using technology in admission practices at four-year colleges and universities. This study collected data through an online survey. The survey was largely quantitative but also included several qualitative questions, and focused on 12 broad categories of…

  15. Environmental and economic analyses of waste disposal options for traditional markets in Indonesia

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

    Aye, Lu; Widjaya, E.R.

    2006-07-01

    Waste from traditional markets in Indonesia is the second largest stream of municipal solid waste after household waste. It has a higher organic fraction and may have greater potential to be managed on a business scale compared to household wastes. The attributed reason is that in general the wastes generated from traditional markets are more uniform, more concentrated and less hazardous than waste from other sources. This paper presents the results of environmental and economic assessments to compare the options available for traditional market waste disposal in Indonesia. The options compared were composting in labour intensive plants, composting in amore » centralised plant that utilised a simple wheel loader, centralised biogas production and landfill for electricity production. The current open dumping practice was included as the baseline case. A life cycle assessment (LCA) was used for environmental analysis. All options compared have lower environmental impacts than the current practice of open dumping. The biogas production option has the lowest environmental impacts. A cost-benefit analysis, which considered greenhouse gas savings, was used for the economic assessment. It was found that composting at a centralised plant is the most economically feasible option under the present Indonesian conditions. The approach reported in this study could be applied for 'a pre-feasibility first cut comparison' that includes environmental aspects in a decision-making framework for developing countries even though European emission factors were used.« less

  16. 21 CFR 113.5 - Current good manufacturing practice.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Current good manufacturing practice. 113.5 Section 113.5 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION THERMALLY PROCESSED LOW-ACID FOODS PACKAGED IN HERMETICALLY SEALED...

  17. 21 CFR 113.5 - Current good manufacturing practice.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Current good manufacturing practice. 113.5 Section 113.5 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION THERMALLY PROCESSED LOW-ACID FOODS PACKAGED IN HERMETICALLY SEALED...

  18. 21 CFR 113.5 - Current good manufacturing practice.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Current good manufacturing practice. 113.5 Section 113.5 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION THERMALLY PROCESSED LOW-ACID FOODS PACKAGED IN HERMETICALLY SEALED...

  19. 21 CFR 113.5 - Current good manufacturing practice.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Current good manufacturing practice. 113.5 Section 113.5 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION THERMALLY PROCESSED LOW-ACID FOODS PACKAGED IN HERMETICALLY SEALED...

  20. Autism Spectrum Disorders: Neurobiology and Current Assessment Practices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Allen, Ryan A.; Robins, Diana L.; Decker, Scott L.

    2008-01-01

    This study reviews recent research related to the neurobiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) an provides an empirical analysis of current assessment practices. Data were collected through a survey of 117 school psychologists. The Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), Gilliam Autism Rating Scale (GARS), and Gilliam Asperger's Disorder Scale…

  1. 21 CFR 120.5 - Current good manufacturing practice.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Current good manufacturing practice. 120.5 Section 120.5 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION HAZARD ANALYSIS AND CRITICAL CONTROL POINT (HACCP) SYSTEMS General...

  2. 21 CFR 120.5 - Current good manufacturing practice.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Current good manufacturing practice. 120.5 Section 120.5 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION HAZARD ANALYSIS AND CRITICAL CONTROL POINT (HACCP) SYSTEMS General...

  3. 21 CFR 120.5 - Current good manufacturing practice.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Current good manufacturing practice. 120.5 Section 120.5 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION HAZARD ANALYSIS AND CRITICAL CONTROL POINT (HACCP) SYSTEMS General...

  4. 21 CFR 120.5 - Current good manufacturing practice.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Current good manufacturing practice. 120.5 Section 120.5 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION HAZARD ANALYSIS AND CRITICAL CONTROL POINT (HACCP) SYSTEMS General...

  5. 21 CFR 120.5 - Current good manufacturing practice.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Current good manufacturing practice. 120.5 Section 120.5 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION HAZARD ANALYSIS AND CRITICAL CONTROL POINT (HACCP) SYSTEMS General...

  6. Serving Wounded Warriors: Current Practices in Postsecondary Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vance, Mary Lee; Miller, Wayne K., II

    2009-01-01

    From September to October 2009 the Association on Higher Education and Disabilities (AHEAD) invited anonymous voluntary responses from 2,500 members and affiliates to complete a 29-question online survey on current practices in postsecondary education for serving veterans with disabilities (wounded warriors). Two hundred and thirty seven complete…

  7. Remediation in Practicing Physicians: Current and Alternative Conceptualizations.

    PubMed

    Bourgeois-Law, Gisèle; Teunissen, Pim W; Regehr, Glenn

    2018-04-24

    Suboptimal performance in practicing physicians is a decades-old problem. The lack of a universally accepted definition of remediation, the paucity of research on best remediation practices, and the ongoing controversy regarding the institutional responsibility for enacting and overseeing this activity suggests that the remediation of physicians is not merely a difficult problem to solve, but a problem that the community does not grapple with meaningfully. Undoubtedly, logistical and political considerations contribute to this state of affairs; however, other underlying conceptual issues may also play a role in the medical profession's difficulties in engaging with the challenges around remediation.Through a review of the medical education and other literatures, the authors examined current conceptualizations of both remediation itself and the individual being remediated, as well as how the culture of medicine influences these conceptions. The authors explored how conceptualizations of remediation and the surrounding culture might affect not only the medical community's ability to support, but also its willingness to engage with physicians in need of remediation.Viewing remediation as a means of supporting practice change-rather than as a means of redressing gaps in knowledge and skill-might be a useful alternative conceptualization, providing a good place to start exploring new avenues of research. However, moving forward will require more than simply a reconceptualizion of remediation; it will also necessitate a change in how the community views its struggling members and a change in the medical culture that currently positions professional autonomy as the foundational premise for individual practice improvement.

  8. Characteristics and management of infectious industrial waste in Taiwan

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

    Huang, M.-C.; Lin, Jim Juimin

    Infectious industrial waste management in Taiwan is based on the specific waste production unit. In other countries, management is based simply on whether the producer may lead to infectious disease. Thus, Taiwan has a more detailed classification of infectious waste. The advantage of this classification is that it is easy to identify the sources, while the disadvantage lies in the fact that it is not flexible and hence increases cost. This study presents an overview of current management practices for handling infectious industrial waste in Taiwan, and addresses the current waste disposal methods. The number of small clinics in Taiwanmore » increased from 18,183 to 18,877 between 2003 and 2005. Analysis of the data between 2003 and 2005 showed that the majority of medical waste was general industrial waste, which accounted for 76.9%-79.4% of total medical waste. Infectious industrial waste accounted for 19.3%-21.9% of total medical waste. After the SARS event in Taiwan, the amount of infectious waste reached 19,350 tons in 2004, an increase over the previous year of 4000 tons. Waste minimization was a common consideration for all types of waste treatment. In this study, we summarize the percentage of plastic waste in flammable infectious industrial waste generated by medical units, which, in Taiwan was about 30%. The EPA and Taiwan Department of Health have actively promoted different recycling and waste reduction measures. However, the wide adoption of disposable materials made recycling and waste reduction difficult for some hospitals. It has been suggested that enhancing the education of and promoting communication between medical units and recycling industries must be implemented to prevent recyclable waste from entering the incinerator.« less

  9. Evaluating the use of waste-to-energy bottom ash as road construction materials.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-02-01

    Current management practice, existing regulations, and environmental consequences of municipal solid : waste incineration (MSWI) ash utilization were comprehensively reviewed worldwide and nationwide : in the U.S. Efforts were made to physically and ...

  10. Environmental issues and management strategies for waste electronic and electrical equipment.

    PubMed

    Townsend, Timothy G

    2011-06-01

    Issues surrounding the impact and management of discarded or waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE) have received increasing attention in recent years. This attention stems from the growing quantity and diversity of electronic and electrical equipment (EEE) used by modern society, the increasingly rapid turnover of EEE with the accompanying burden on the waste stream, and the occurrence of toxic chemicals in many EEE components that can pose a risk to human and environmental health if improperly managed. In addition, public awareness of the WEEE or "e-waste" dilemma has grown in light of popular press features on events such as the transition to digital television and the exportation of WEEE from the United States and other developed countries to Africa, China, and India, where WEEE has often not been managed in a safe manner (e.g., processed with proper safety precautions, disposed of in a sanitary landfill, combusted with proper air quality procedures). This paper critically reviews current published information on the subject of WEEE. The definition, magnitude, and characteristics of this waste stream are summarized, including a detailed review of the chemicals of concern associated with different components and how this has changed and continues to evolve over time. Current and evolving management practices are described (e.g., reuse, recycling, incineration, landfilling). This review discusses the role of regulation and policies developed by governments, institutions, and product manufacturers and how these initiatives are shaping current and future management practices.

  11. Utilization of municipal solid and liquid wastes for bioenergy and bioproducts production.

    PubMed

    Chen, Paul; Xie, Qinglong; Addy, Min; Zhou, Wenguang; Liu, Yuhuan; Wang, Yunpu; Cheng, Yanling; Li, Kun; Ruan, Roger

    2016-09-01

    Municipal wastes, be it solid or liquid, are rising due to the global population growth and rapid urbanization and industrialization. Conventional management practice involving recycling, combustion, and treatment/disposal is deemed unsustainable. Solutions must be sought to not only increase the capacity but also improve the sustainability of waste management. Research has demonstrated that the non-recyclable waste materials and bio-solids can be converted into useable heat, electricity, or fuel and chemical through a variety of processes, including gasification, pyrolysis, anaerobic digestion, and landfill gas in addition to combustion, and wastewater streams have the potential to support algae growth and provide other energy recovery options. The present review is intended to assess and analyze the current state of knowledge in the municipal solid wastes and wastewater treatment and utilization technologies and recommend practical solution options and future research and development needs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. The management of household hazardous waste in the United Kingdom.

    PubMed

    Slack, R J; Gronow, J R; Voulvoulis, N

    2009-01-01

    Waste legislation in the United Kingdom (UK) implements European Union (EU) Directives and Regulations. However, the term used to refer to hazardous waste generated in household or municipal situations, household hazardous waste (HHW), does not occur in UK, or EU, legislation. The EU's Hazardous Waste Directive and European Waste Catalogue are the principal legislation influencing HHW, although the waste categories described are difficult to interpret. Other legislation also have impacts on HHW definition and disposal, some of which will alter current HHW disposal practices, leading to a variety of potential consequences. This paper discusses the issues affecting the management of HHW in the UK, including the apparent absence of a HHW-specific regulatory structure. Policy and regulatory measures that influence HHW management before disposal and after disposal are considered, with particular emphasis placed on disposal to landfill.

  13. Review of LCA studies of solid waste management systems--part II: methodological guidance for a better practice.

    PubMed

    Laurent, Alexis; Clavreul, Julie; Bernstad, Anna; Bakas, Ioannis; Niero, Monia; Gentil, Emmanuel; Christensen, Thomas H; Hauschild, Michael Z

    2014-03-01

    Life cycle assessment (LCA) is increasingly used in waste management to identify strategies that prevent or minimise negative impacts on ecosystems, human health or natural resources. However, the quality of the provided support to decision- and policy-makers is strongly dependent on a proper conduct of the LCA. How has LCA been applied until now? Are there any inconsistencies in the past practice? To answer these questions, we draw on a critical review of 222 published LCA studies of solid waste management systems. We analyse the past practice against the ISO standard requirements and the ILCD Handbook guidelines for each major step within the goal definition, scope definition, inventory analysis, impact assessment, and interpretation phases of the methodology. Results show that malpractices exist in several aspects of the LCA with large differences across studies. Examples are a frequent neglect of the goal definition, a frequent lack of transparency and precision in the definition of the scope of the study, e.g. an unclear delimitation of the system boundaries, a truncated impact coverage, difficulties in capturing influential local specificities such as representative waste compositions into the inventory, and a frequent lack of essential sensitivity and uncertainty analyses. Many of these aspects are important for the reliability of the results. For each of them, we therefore provide detailed recommendations to practitioners of waste management LCAs. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. A comparison of electronic waste recycling in Switzerland and in India

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

    Sinha-Khetriwal, Deepali; Kraeuchi, Philipp; Schwaninger, Markus

    2005-07-15

    Electronic waste, commonly known as e-waste, is comprised of discarded computers, television sets, microwave ovens and other such appliances that are past their useful lives. As managing e-waste becomes a priority, countries are being forced to develop new models for the collection and environmentally sound disposal of this waste. Switzerland is one of the very few countries with over a decade of experience in managing e-waste. India, on the other hand, is only now experiencing the problems that e-waste poses. The paper aims to give the reader insight into the disposal of end-of-life appliances in both countries, including appliance collectionmore » and the financing of recycling systems as well as the social and environmental aspects of the current practices.« less

  15. Concept of sustainable waste management in the city of Zagreb: Towards the implementation of circular economy approach.

    PubMed

    Ribić, Bojan; Voća, Neven; Ilakovac, Branka

    2017-02-01

    Improvement of the current waste management is one of the main challenges for most municipalities in Croatia, mainly due to legal obligations set in different European Union (EU) directives regarding waste management, such as reduction of waste generation and landfilling, or increase of separately collected waste and recycling rates. This paper highlights the current waste management in the city of Zagreb by analyzing the waste generation, collection, and disposal scenario along with the regulatory and institutional framework. Since the present waste management system mainly depends upon landfilling, with the rate of separate waste collection and recycling far from being adequate, it is necessary to introduce a new system that will take into account the current situation in the city as well as the obligations imposed by the EU. Namely, in the coming years, the Waste Framework and Landfill Directives of the European Union will be a significant driver of change in waste management practices and governance of the city of Zagreb. At present, the yearly separate waste collection makes somewhat less than 5 kg per capita of various waste fractions, i.e., far below the average value for the (28) capital cities of the EU, which is 108 kg per capita. This is possible to achieve only by better and sustainable planning of future activities and facilities, taking into account of environmental, economic, and social aspects of waste management. This means that the city of Zagreb not only will have to invest in new infrastructure to meet the targets, but also will have to enhance public awareness in diverting this waste at the household level. The solution for the new waste management proposed in this paper will certainly be a way of implementing circular economy approach to current waste management practice in the city of Zagreb. Municipal waste management in the developing countries in the EU (new eastern EU members) is often characterized by its limited utilization of recycling

  16. Solid Waste Activity Packet for Teachers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Illinois Univ., Urbana. Cooperative Extension Service.

    This solid waste activity packet introduces students to the solid waste problem in Illinois. Topics explore consumer practices in the market place, packaging, individual and community garbage generation, and disposal practices. The activities provide an integrated approach to incorporating solid waste management issues into subject areas. The…

  17. 21 CFR 212.2 - What is current good manufacturing practice for PET drugs?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 4 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false What is current good manufacturing practice for PET drugs? 212.2 Section 212.2 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) DRUGS: GENERAL CURRENT GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICE FOR POSITRON EMISSION...

  18. An empirical investigation of construction and demolition waste generation rates in Shenzhen city, South China.

    PubMed

    Lu, Weisheng; Yuan, Hongping; Li, Jingru; Hao, Jane J L; Mi, Xuming; Ding, Zhikun

    2011-04-01

    The construction and demolition waste generation rates (C&D WGRs) is an important factor in decision-making and management of material waste in any construction site. The present study investigated WGRs by conducting on-site waste sorting and weighing in four ongoing construction projects in Shenzhen city of South China. The results revealed that WGRs ranged from 3.275 to 8.791 kg/m(2) and miscellaneous waste, timber for formwork and falsework, and concrete were the three largest components amongst the generated waste. Based on the WGRs derived from the research, the paper also discussed the main causes of waste in the construction industry and attempted to connect waste generation with specific construction practices. It was recommended that measures mainly including performing waste sorting at source, employing skilful workers, uploading and storing materials properly, promoting waste management capacity, replacing current timber formwork with metal formwork and launching an incentive reward program to encourage waste reduction could be potential solutions to reducing current WGRs in Shenzhen. Although these results were derived from a relatively small sample and so cannot justifiably be generalized, they do however add to the body of knowledge that is currently available for understanding the status of the art of C&D waste management in China. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Defense Waste Processing Facility Canister Closure Weld Current Validation Testing

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

    Korinko, P. S.; Maxwell, D. N.

    Two closure welds on filled Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) canisters failed to be within the acceptance criteria in the DWPF operating procedure SW4-15.80-2.3 (1). In one case, the weld heat setting was inadvertently provided to the canister at the value used for test welds (i.e., 72%) and this oversight produced a weld at a current of nominally 210 kA compared to the operating procedure range (i.e., 82%) of 240 kA to 263 kA. The second weld appeared to experience an instrumentation and data acquisition upset. The current for this weld was reported as 191 kA. Review of the datamore » from the Data Acquisition System (DAS) indicated that three of the four current legs were reading the expected values, approximately 62 kA each, and the fourth leg read zero current. Since there is no feasible way by further examination of the process data to ascertain if this weld was actually welded at either the target current or the lower current, a test plan was executed to provide assurance that these Nonconforming Welds (NCWs) meet the requirements for strength and leak tightness. Acceptance of the welds is based on evaluation of Test Nozzle Welds (TNW) made specifically for comparison. The TNW were nondestructively and destructively evaluated for plug height, heat tint, ultrasonic testing (UT) for bond length and ultrasonic volumetric examination for weld defects, burst pressure, fractography, and metallography. The testing was conducted in agreement with a Task Technical and Quality Assurance Plan (TTQAP) (2) and applicable procedures.« less

  20. Crystallization screening: the influence of history on current practice.

    PubMed

    Luft, Joseph R; Newman, Janet; Snell, Edward H

    2014-07-01

    While crystallization historically predates crystallography, it is a critical step for the crystallographic process. The rich history of crystallization and how that history influences current practices is described. The tremendous impact of crystallization screens on the field is discussed.

  1. Values and principles evident in current health promotion practice.

    PubMed

    Gregg, Jane; O'Hara, Lily

    2007-04-01

    Modern health promotion practice needs to respond to complex health issues that have multiple interrelated determinants. This requires an understanding of the values and principles of health promotion. A literature review was undertaken to explore the values and principles evident in current health promotion theory and practice. A broad range of values and principles are espoused as being integral to modern health promotion theory and practice. Although there are some commonalities across these lists, there is no recognised, authoritative set of values and principles accepted as fundamental and applicable to modern health promotion. There is a continuum of values and principles evident in health promotion practice from those associated with holistic, ecological, salutogenic health promotion to those more in keeping with conventional health promotion. There is a need for a system of values and principles consistent with modern health promotion that enables practitioners to purposefully integrate these values and principles into their understanding of health, as well as their needs assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation practice.

  2. Specialization and the Current Practices of General Surgeons

    PubMed Central

    Decker, Marquita R; Dodgion, Christopher M; Kwok, Alvin C; Hu, Yue-Yung; Havlena, Jeff A; Jiang, Wei; Lipsitz, Stuart R; Kent, K Craig; Greenberg, Caprice C

    2014-01-01

    Background The impact of specialization on the practice of general surgery has not been characterized. Our goal was to assess general surgeons’ operative practices to inform surgical education and workforce planning. Study Design We examined the practices of general surgeons identified in the 2008 State Inpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Databases of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) for three US states. Operations were identified using ICD-9 and CPT codes linked to encrypted physician identifiers. For each surgeon, total operative volume and the percentage of practice comprised of their most common operation were calculated. Correlation was measured between general surgeons’ case volume and the number of other specialists in a health service area. Results There were 1,075 general surgeons who performed 240,510 operations in 2008. The mean operative volume for each surgeon was 224 annual procedures. General surgeons performed an average of 23 different types of operations. For the majority of general surgeons, their most common procedure comprised no more than 30% of total practice. The most common operations, ranked by the frequency that they appeared as general surgeons’ top procedure, included: cholecystectomy, colonoscopy, endoscopy, and skin excision. The proportion of general surgery practice comprised of endoscopic procedures inversely correlated with the number of gastroenterologists in the health service area (Rho = - 0.50, p = 0.005). Conclusions Despite trends toward specialization, the current practices of general surgeons remain heterogeneous. This indicates a continued demand for broad-based surgical education to allow future surgeons to tailor their practices to their environment. PMID:24210145

  3. Specialization and the current practices of general surgeons.

    PubMed

    Decker, Marquita R; Dodgion, Christopher M; Kwok, Alvin C; Hu, Yue-Yung; Havlena, Jeff A; Jiang, Wei; Lipsitz, Stuart R; Kent, K Craig; Greenberg, Caprice C

    2014-01-01

    The impact of specialization on the practice of general surgery has not been characterized. Our goal was to assess general surgeons' operative practices to inform surgical education and workforce planning. We examined the practices of general surgeons identified in the 2008 State Inpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Databases of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project for 3 US states. Operations were identified using ICD-9 and CPT codes linked to encrypted physician identifiers. For each surgeon, total operative volume and percentage of practice that made up their most common operation were calculated. Correlation was measured between general surgeons' case volume and the number of other specialists in a health service area. There were 1,075 general surgeons who performed 240,510 operations in 2008. The mean operative volume for each surgeon was 224 annual procedures. General surgeons performed an average of 23 different types of operations. For the majority of general surgeons, their most common procedure constituted no more than 30% of total practice. The most common operations, ranked by the frequency they appeared as general surgeons' top procedure, included cholecystectomy, colonoscopy, endoscopy, and skin excision. The proportion of general surgery practice composed of endoscopic procedures inversely correlated with the number of gastroenterologists in the health service area (rho = -0.50; p = 0.005). Despite trends toward specialization, the current practices of general surgeons remain heterogeneous. This indicates a continued demand for broad-based surgical education to allow future surgeons to tailor their practices to their environment. Copyright © 2014 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. 21 CFR 212.2 - What is current good manufacturing practice for PET drugs?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... PET drugs? 212.2 Section 212.2 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND... TOMOGRAPHY DRUGS General Provisions § 212.2 What is current good manufacturing practice for PET drugs? Current good manufacturing practice for PET drugs is the minimum requirements for the methods to be used...

  5. 21 CFR 212.2 - What is current good manufacturing practice for PET drugs?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... PET drugs? 212.2 Section 212.2 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND... TOMOGRAPHY DRUGS General Provisions § 212.2 What is current good manufacturing practice for PET drugs? Current good manufacturing practice for PET drugs is the minimum requirements for the methods to be used...

  6. 21 CFR 212.2 - What is current good manufacturing practice for PET drugs?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... PET drugs? 212.2 Section 212.2 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND... TOMOGRAPHY DRUGS General Provisions § 212.2 What is current good manufacturing practice for PET drugs? Current good manufacturing practice for PET drugs is the minimum requirements for the methods to be used...

  7. Crystallization screening: the influence of history on current practice

    PubMed Central

    Luft, Joseph R.; Newman, Janet; Snell, Edward H.

    2014-01-01

    While crystallization historically predates crystallography, it is a critical step for the crystallographic process. The rich history of crystallization and how that history influences current practices is described. The tremendous impact of crystallization screens on the field is discussed. PMID:25005076

  8. Unreviewed Disposal Question Evaluation: Impact of New Information since 2008 PA on Current Low-Level Solid Waste Operations

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

    Flach, G.; Smith, F.; Hamm, L.

    2014-10-06

    Solid low-level waste disposal operations are controlled in part by an E-Area Low-Level Waste Facility (ELLWF) Performance Assessment (PA) that was completed by the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) in 2008 (WSRC 2008). Since this baseline analysis, new information pertinent to disposal operations has been identified as a natural outcome of ongoing PA maintenance activities and continuous improvement in model simulation techniques (Flach 2013). An Unreviewed Disposal Question (UDQ) Screening (Attachment 1) has been initiated regarding the continued ability of the ELLWF to meet Department of Energy (DOE) Order 435.1 performance objectives in light of new PA items and datamore » identified since completion of the original UDQ Evaluation (UDQE). The present UDQE assesses the ability of Solid Waste (SW) to meet performance objectives by estimating the influence of new information items on a recent sum-of-fractions (SOF) snapshot for each currently active E-Area low-level waste disposal unit. A final SOF, as impacted by this new information, is projected based on the assumptions that the current disposal limits, Waste Information Tracking System (WITS) administrative controls, and waste stream composition remain unchanged through disposal unit operational closure (Year 2025). Revision 1 of this UDQE addresses the following new PA items and data identified since completion of the original UDQE report in 2013: New K d values for iodine, radium and uranium; Elimination of cellulose degradation product (CDP) factors; Updated radionuclide data; Changes in transport behavior of mobile radionuclides; Potential delay in interim closure beyond 2025; and Component-in-grout (CIG) plume interaction correction. Consideration of new information relative to the 2008 PA baseline generally indicates greater confidence that PA performance objectives will be met than indicated by current SOF metrics. For SLIT9, the previous prohibition of non-crushable containers in revision 0

  9. The role of frit in nuclear waste vitrification

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

    Vienna, J.D.; Smith, P.A.; Dorn, D.A.

    1994-04-01

    Vitrification of nuclear waste requires additives which are often vitrified independently to form a frit. Frit composition is formulated to meet the needs of glass composition and processing. The effects of frit on melter feed and melt processing, glass acceptance, and waste loading is of practical interest in understanding the trade-offs associated with the competing demands placed on frit composition. Melter feed yield stress, viscosity and durability of frits and corresponding waste glasses as well as the kinetics of elementary melting processes have been measured. The results illustrate the competing requirements on frit. Four frits (FY91, FY93, HW39-4, and SR202)more » and simulated neutralized current acid waste (NCAW) were used in this study. The experimental evidence shows that optimization of frit for one processing related property often results in poorer performance for the remaining properties. The difficulties associated with maximum waste loading and durability are elucidated for glasses which could be processed using technology available for the previously proposed Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant.« less

  10. Special Report: E-Waste Management in the United States and Public Health Implications.

    PubMed

    Seeberger, Jessica; Grandhi, Radhika; Kim, Stephani S; Mase, William A; Reponen, Tiina; Ho, Shuk-mei; Chen, Aimin

    2016-10-01

    Electronic waste (e-waste) generation is increasing worldwide, and its management becomes a significant challenge because of the many toxicants present in electronic devices. The U.S. is a major producer of e-waste, although its management practice and policy regulation are not sufficient to meet the challenge. We reviewed e-waste generation, current management practices and trends, policy challenges, potential health impact, and toxicant exposure prevention in the U.S. A large amount of toxic metals, flame retardants, and other persistent organic pollutants exist in e-waste or can be released from the disposal of e-waste (e.g., landfill, incineration, recycling). Landfill is still a major method used to dispose of obsolete electronic devices, and only about half of the states have initiated a landfill ban for e-waste. Recycling of e-waste is an increasing trend in the past few years. There is potential, however, for workers to be exposed to a mixture of toxicants in e-waste and these exposures should be curtailed. Perspectives and recommendations are provided regarding managing e-waste in the U.S. to protect public health, including enacting federal legislation, discontinuing landfill disposal, protecting workers in recycling facilities from toxicant exposure, reducing toxicant release into the environment, and raising awareness of this growing environmental health issue among the public.

  11. Regulation of solid waste management at Brazilian ports: analysis and proposals for Brazil in light of the European experience.

    PubMed

    Jaccoud, Cristiane; Magrini, Alessandra

    2014-02-15

    With a coastline of 8500 km, Brazil has 34 public ports and various private terminals, which together in 2012 handled 809 million tonnes of goods. The solid wastes produced (from port activities, ships and cargoes) pose a highly relevant problem, both due to the quantity and diversity, requiring a complex and integrated set of practices resulting from legal requirements and proactive initiatives. The main Brazilian law on solid waste management is recent (Law 12,305/2010) and the specific rules on solid waste in ports are badly in need of revision to meet the challenges caused by expansion of the sector and to harmonize them with the best global practices. This paper analyzes the current legal/regulatory framework for solid waste management at Brazilian ports and compares this structure with the practice in Europe. At the end, we suggest initiatives to improve the regulation of solid wastes at Brazilian ports. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Scientific approach and practical experience for reconstruction of waste water treatment plants in Russia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Makisha, Nikolay; Gogina, Elena

    2017-11-01

    Protection of water bodies has a strict dependence on reliable operation of engineering systems and facilities for water supply and sewage. The majority of these plants and stations has been constructed in 1970-1980's in accordance with rules and regulations of that time. So now most of them require reconstruction due to serious physical or/and technological wear. The current condition of water supply and sewage systems and facilities frequently means a hidden source of serious danger for normal life support and ecological safety of cities and towns. The article reveals an obtained experience and modern approaches for reconstruction of waste water and sludge treatment plants that proved their efficiency even if applied in limited conditions such as area limits, investments limits. The main directions of reconstruction: overhaul repair and partial modernization of existing facilities on the basis of initial project; - restoration and modernization of existing systems on the basis on the current documents and their current condition; upgrade of waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) performance on the basis of modern technologies and methods; reconstruction of sewage systems and facilities and treatment quality improvement.

  13. 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.

  14. Impact of Capital and Current Costs Changes of the Incineration Process of the Medical Waste on System Management Cost

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jolanta Walery, Maria

    2017-12-01

    The article describes optimization studies aimed at analysing the impact of capital and current costs changes of medical waste incineration on the cost of the system management and its structure. The study was conducted on the example of an analysis of the system of medical waste management in the Podlaskie Province, in north-eastern Poland. The scope of operational research carried out under the optimization study was divided into two stages of optimization calculations with assumed technical and economic parameters of the system. In the first stage, the lowest cost of functioning of the analysed system was generated, whereas in the second one the influence of the input parameter of the system, i.e. capital and current costs of medical waste incineration on economic efficiency index (E) and the spatial structure of the system was determined. Optimization studies were conducted for the following cases: with a 25% increase in capital and current costs of incineration process, followed by 50%, 75% and 100% increase. As a result of the calculations, the highest cost of system operation was achieved at the level of 3143.70 PLN/t with the assumption of 100% increase in capital and current costs of incineration process. There was an increase in the economic efficiency index (E) by about 97% in relation to run 1.

  15. Solid health care waste management status at health care centers in the West Bank - Palestinian Territory

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

    Al-Khatib, Issam A.; Sato, Chikashi

    Health care waste is considered a major public health hazard. The objective of this study was to assess health care waste management (HCWM) practices currently employed at health care centers (HCCs) in the West Bank - Palestinian Territory. Survey data on solid health care waste (SHCW) were analyzed for generated quantities, collection, separation, treatment, transportation, and final disposal. Estimated 4720.7 m{sup 3} (288.1 tons) of SHCW are generated monthly by the HCCs in the West Bank. This study concluded that: (i) current HCWM practices do not meet HCWM standards recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) or adapted by developedmore » countries, and (ii) immediate attention should be directed towards improvement of HCWM facilities and development of effective legislation. To improve the HCWM in the West Bank, a national policy should be implemented, comprising a comprehensive plan of action and providing environmentally sound and reliable technological measures.« less

  16. 76 FR 38399 - Assessing the Current Research, Policy, and Practice Environment in Public Health Genomics

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-06-30

    ... CDC-2011-0008] Assessing the Current Research, Policy, and Practice Environment in Public Health... information helpful to assess the current research, policy, and practice environment in public health genomics. HHS/CDC is currently leading a process to assess the most important steps for public health genomics...

  17. Waste management in small hospitals: trouble for environment.

    PubMed

    Pant, Deepak

    2012-07-01

    Small hospitals are the grassroots for the big hospital structures, so proper waste management practices require to be initiated from there. Small hospitals contribute a lot in the health care facilities, but due to their poor waste management practices, they pose serious biomedical waste pollution. A survey was conducted with 13 focus questions collected from the 100 hospital present in Dehradun. Greater value of per day per bed waste was found among the small hospitals (178 g compared with 114 g in big hospitals), indicating unskilled waste management practices. Small hospitals do not follow the proper way for taking care of segregation of waste generated in the hospital, and most biomedical wastes were collected without segregation into infectious and noninfectious categories.

  18. Technique for Reduction of Environmental Pollution from Construction Wastes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bakaeva, N. V.; Klimenko, M. Y.

    2017-11-01

    The results of the research on the negative impact construction wastes have on the urban environment and construction ecological safety are described. The research results are based on the statistical data and indicators calculated with the use of environmental pollution assessment in the restoration system of urban buildings technical conditions. The technique for the reduction of environmental pollution from construction wastes is scientifically based on the analytic summary of scientific and practical results for ecological safety ensuring at major overhaul and current repairs (reconstruction) of the buildings and structures. It is also based on the practical application of the probability theory method, system analysis and disperse system theory. It is necessary to execute some stages implementing the developed technique to reduce environmental pollution from construction wastes. The stages include various steps starting from information collection to the system formation with optimum performance characteristics which are more resource saving and energy efficient for the accumulation of construction wastes from urban construction units. The following tasks are solved under certain studies: basic data collection about construction wastes accumulation; definition and comparison of technological combinations at each system functional stage intended for the reduction of construction wastes discharge into the environment; assessment criteria calculation of resource saving and energy efficiency; optimum working parameters of each implementation stage are created. The urban construction technique implementation shows that the resource saving criteria are from 55.22% to 88.84%; potential of construction wastes recycling is 450 million tons of construction damaged elements (parts).

  19. Waste management outlook for mountain regions: Sources and solutions.

    PubMed

    Semernya, Larisa; Ramola, Aditi; Alfthan, Björn; Giacovelli, Claudia

    2017-09-01

    Following the release of the global waste management outlook in 2015, the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment), through its International Environmental Technology Centre, is elaborating a series of region-specific and thematic waste management outlooks that provide policy recommendations and solutions based on current practices in developing and developed countries. The Waste Management Outlook for Mountain Regions is the first report in this series. Mountain regions present unique challenges to waste management; while remoteness is often associated with costly and difficult transport of waste, the potential impact of waste pollutants is higher owing to the steep terrain and rivers transporting waste downstream. The Outlook shows that waste management in mountain regions is a cross-sectoral issue of global concern that deserves immediate attention. Noting that there is no 'one solution fits all', there is a need for a more landscape-type specific and regional research on waste management, the enhancement of policy and regulatory frameworks, and increased stakeholder engagement and awareness to achieve sustainable waste management in mountain areas. This short communication provides an overview of the key findings of the Outlook and highlights aspects that need further research. These are grouped per source of waste: Mountain communities, tourism, and mining. Issues such as waste crime, plastic pollution, and the linkages between exposure to natural disasters and waste are also presented.

  20. A performative definition of waste prevention.

    PubMed

    Corvellec, Hervé

    2016-06-01

    The increasing importance being placed on waste prevention in European waste governance raises the question of how waste prevention is defined in practice. This paper presents a qualitative analysis of a sample of fifty-one Swedish waste prevention initiatives with the purpose of identifying which kind of actions are imagined, promoted, and set into motion under the label of waste prevention. The analysis shows that despite their apparent variety, the initiatives in the sample boil down to three main types of actions: raising awareness about the need to prevent waste, increasing material efficiency, and developing sustainable consumption. In contradistinction to the formal definition of waste prevention in the European Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC), what emerges from analyzing the initiatives in the sample is a performative definition of waste prevention as something heterogeneous, contradictory, and evolving. Such a definition of waste prevention in practice provides an understanding of the organizational dynamics of waste prevention. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Addressing Prediabetes in Childhood Obesity Treatment Programs: Support from Research and Current Practice

    PubMed Central

    Grow, H. Mollie; Fernandez, Cristina; Lukasiewicz, Gloria J.; Rhodes, Erinn T.; Shaffer, Laura A.; Sweeney, Brooke; Woolford, Susan J.; Estrada, Elizabeth

    2014-01-01

    Abstract Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and prediabetes have increased in prevalence among overweight and obese children, with significant implications for long-term health. There is little published evidence on the best approaches to care of prediabetes among overweight youth or the current practices used across pediatric weight management programs. Methods: This article reviews the literature and summarizes current practices for screening, diagnosis, and treatment of prediabetes at childhood obesity treatment centers. Findings regarding current practice were based on responses to an online survey from 28 pediatric weight management programs at 25 children's hospitals in 2012. Based on the literature reviewed, and empiric data, consensus support statements on prediabetes care and T2DM prevention were developed among representatives of these 25 children's hospitals' obesity clinics. Results: The evidence reviewed demonstrates that current T2DM and prediabetes diagnostic parameters are derived from adult-based studies with little understanding of clinical outcomes among youth. Very limited evidence exists on preventing progression of prediabetes. Some evidence suggests that a significant proportion of obese youth with prediabetes will revert to normoglycemia without pharmacological management. Evidence supports lifestyle modification for children with prediabetes, but further study of specific lifestyle changes and pharmacological treatments is needed. Conclusion: Evidence to guide management of prediabetes in children is limited. Current practice patterns of pediatric weight management programs show areas of variability in practice, reflecting the limited evidence base. More research is needed to guide clinical care for overweight youth with prediabetes. PMID:25055134

  2. A review on technological options of waste to energy for effective management of municipal solid waste.

    PubMed

    Kumar, Atul; Samadder, S R

    2017-11-01

    Approximately one-fourth population across the world rely on traditional fuels (kerosene, natural gas, biomass residue, firewood, coal, animal dung, etc.) for domestic use despite significant socioeconomic and technological development. Fossil fuel reserves are being exploited at a very fast rate to meet the increasing energy demands, so there is a need to find alternative sources of energy before all the fossil fuel reserves are depleted. Waste to energy (WTE) can be considered as a potential alternative source of energy, which is economically viable and environmentally sustainable. The present study reviewed the current global scenario of WTE technological options (incineration, pyrolysis, gasification, anaerobic digestion, and landfilling with gas recovery) for effective energy recovery and the challenges faced by developed and developing countries. This review will provide a framework for evaluating WTE technological options based on case studies of developed and developing countries. Unsanitary landfilling is the most commonly practiced waste disposal option in the developing countries. However, developed countries have realised the potential of WTE technologies for effective municipal solid waste management (MSWM). This review will help the policy makers and the implementing authorities involved in MSWM to understand the current status, challenges and barriers for effective management of municipal solid waste. This review concluded WTE as a potential renewable source of energy, which will partly meet the energy demand and ensure effective MSWM. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. 21 CFR 1271.150 - Current good tissue practice requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ....150 Section 1271.150 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... HUMAN CELLS, TISSUES, AND CELLULAR AND TISSUE-BASED PRODUCTS Current Good Tissue Practice § 1271.150... implemented for reproductive HCT/Ps described in § 1271.10 and regulated solely under section 361 of the...

  4. 21 CFR 1271.150 - Current good tissue practice requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ....150 Section 1271.150 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... HUMAN CELLS, TISSUES, AND CELLULAR AND TISSUE-BASED PRODUCTS Current Good Tissue Practice § 1271.150... implemented for reproductive HCT/Ps described in § 1271.10 and regulated solely under section 361 of the...

  5. 21 CFR 1271.150 - Current good tissue practice requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ....150 Section 1271.150 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... HUMAN CELLS, TISSUES, AND CELLULAR AND TISSUE-BASED PRODUCTS Current Good Tissue Practice § 1271.150... implemented for reproductive HCT/Ps described in § 1271.10 and regulated solely under section 361 of the...

  6. 21 CFR 1271.150 - Current good tissue practice requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ....150 Section 1271.150 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... HUMAN CELLS, TISSUES, AND CELLULAR AND TISSUE-BASED PRODUCTS Current Good Tissue Practice § 1271.150... implemented for reproductive HCT/Ps described in § 1271.10 and regulated solely under section 361 of the...

  7. Assessment of pharmaceutical waste management at selected hospitals and homes in Ghana.

    PubMed

    Sasu, Samuel; Kümmerer, Klaus; Kranert, Martin

    2012-06-01

    The practice of use and disposal of waste from pharmaceuticals compromises the safety of the environment as well as representing a serious health risk, as they may accumulate and stay active for a long time in the aquatic environment. This article therefore presents the outcome of a study on pharmaceutical waste management practices at homes and hospitals in Ghana. The study was conducted at five healthcare institutions randomly selected in Ghana, namely two teaching hospitals (hospital A, hospital B), one regional hospital (hospital C), one district hospital (hospital D) and one quasi-governmental hospital (hospital E). Apart from hospital E which currently has a pharmaceutical waste separation programmr as well as drug return programme called DUMP (Disposal of Unused Medicines Program), all other hospitals visited do not have any separate collection and disposal programme for pharmaceutical waste. A survey was also carried out among the general public, involving the questioning of randomly selected participants in order to investigate the household disposal of unused and expired pharmaceuticals. The results from the survey showed that more than half of the respondents confirmed having unused, left-over or expired medicines at home and over 75% disposed of pharmaceutical waste through the normal waste bins which end up in the landfills or dump sites.

  8. A pilot survey of the U.S. medical waste industry to determine training needs for safely handling highly infectious waste.

    PubMed

    Le, Aurora B; Hoboy, Selin; Germain, Anne; Miller, Hal; Thompson, Richard; Herstein, Jocelyn J; Jelden, Katelyn C; Beam, Elizabeth L; Gibbs, Shawn G; Lowe, John J

    2018-02-01

    The recent Ebola outbreak led to the development of Ebola virus disease (EVD) best practices in clinical settings. However, after the care of EVD patients, proper medical waste management and disposal was identified as a crucial component to containing the virus. Category A waste-contaminated with EVD and other highly infectious pathogens-is strictly regulated by governmental agencies, and led to only several facilities willing to accept the waste. A pilot survey was administered to determine if U.S. medical waste facilities are prepared to handle or transport category A waste, and to determine waste workers' current extent of training to handle highly infectious waste. Sixty-eight percent of survey respondents indicated they had not determined if their facility would accept category A waste. Of those that had acquired a special permit, 67% had yet to modify their permit since the EVD outbreak. This pilot survey underscores gaps in the medical waste industry to handle and respond to category A waste. Furthermore, this study affirms reports a limited number of processing facilities are capable or willing to accept category A waste. Developing the proper management of infectious disease materials is essential to close the gaps identified so that states and governmental entities can act accordingly based on the regulations and guidance developed, and to ensure public safety. Copyright © 2018 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Birth Control in Clinical Trials: Industry Survey of Current Use Practices, Governance, and Monitoring.

    PubMed

    Stewart, J; Breslin, W J; Beyer, B K; Chadwick, K; De Schaepdrijver, L; Desai, M; Enright, B; Foster, W; Hui, J Y; Moffat, G J; Tornesi, B; Van Malderen, K; Wiesner, L; Chen, C L

    2016-03-01

    The Health and Environmental Sciences Institute (HESI) Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology Technical Committee sponsored a pharmaceutical industry survey on current industry practices for contraception use during clinical trials. The objectives of the survey were to improve our understanding of the current industry practices for contraception requirements in clinical trials, the governance processes set up to promote consistency and/or compliance with contraception requirements, and the effectiveness of current contraception practices in preventing pregnancies during clinical trials. Opportunities for improvements in current practices were also considered. The survey results from 12 pharmaceutical companies identified significant variability among companies with regard to contraception practices and governance during clinical trials. This variability was due primarily to differences in definitions, areas of scientific uncertainty or misunderstanding, and differences in company approaches to enrollment in clinical trials. The survey also revealed that few companies collected data in a manner that would allow a retrospective understanding of the reasons for failure of birth control during clinical trials. In this article, suggestions are made for topics where regulatory guidance or scientific publications could facilitate best practice. These include provisions for a pragmatic definition of women of childbearing potential, guidance on how animal data can influence the requirements for male and female birth control, evidence-based guidance on birth control and pregnancy testing regimes suitable for low- and high-risk situations, plus practical methods to ascertain the risk of drug-drug interactions with hormonal contraceptives.

  10. Global responses for recycling waste CRTs in e-waste.

    PubMed

    Singh, Narendra; Li, Jinhui; Zeng, Xianlai

    2016-11-01

    The management of used cathode ray tube (CRT) devices is a major problem worldwide due to rapid uptake of the technology and early obsolescence of CRT devices, which is considered an environment hazard if disposed improperly. Previously, their production has grown in step with computer and television demand but later on with rapid technological innovation; TVs and computer screens has been replaced by new products such as Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs) and Plasma Display Panel (PDPs). This change creates a large volume of waste stream of obsolete CRTs waste in developed countries and developing countries will be becoming major CRTs waste producers in the upcoming years. We studied that there is also high level of trans-boundary movement of these devices as second-hand electronic equipment into developing countries in an attempt to bridge the 'digital divide'. Moreover, the current global production of e-waste is estimated to be '41million tonnes per year' where a major part of the e-waste stream consists of CRT devices. This review article provides a concise overview of world's current CRTs waste scenario, namely magnitude of the demand and processing, current disposal and recycling operations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. 76 FR 47593 - Guidance for Small Business Entities on Current Good Manufacturing Practice for Positron Emission...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-08-05

    ...] Guidance for Small Business Entities on Current Good Manufacturing Practice for Positron Emission... entitled ``PET Drugs--Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP); Small Entity Compliance Guide.'' FDA has... consistent with FDA's good guidance practices regulation (21 CFR 10.115). The guidance represents the Agency...

  12. Short-range transit planning : current practice and a proposed framework

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1984-06-01

    The research described in this report explored the service and operations : planning process in the transit industry in a two-phase approach. In the first : phase a detailed assessment of current short range transit planning practice was : undertaken...

  13. Current practice in airway management: A descriptive evaluation.

    PubMed

    Kjonegaard, Rebecca; Fields, Willa; King, Major L

    2010-03-01

    Ventilator-associated pneumonia, a common complication of mechanical ventilation, could be reduced if health care workers implemented evidence-based practices that decrease the risk for this complication. To determine current practice and differences in practices between registered nurses and respiratory therapists in managing patients receiving mechanical ventilation. A descriptive comparative design was used. A convenience sample of 41 registered nurses and 25 respiratory therapists who manage critical care patients treated with mechanical ventilation at Sharp Grossmont Hospital, La Mesa, California, completed a survey on suctioning techniques and airway management practices. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Significant differences existed between nurses and respiratory therapists for hyperoxygenation before suctioning (P =.03). In the 2 groups, nurses used the ventilator for hyper-oxygenation more often, and respiratory therapists used a bag-valve device more often (P =.03). Respiratory therapists instilled saline (P <.001) and rinsed the closed system with saline after suctioning (P =.003) more often than nurses did. Nurses suctioned oral secretions (P <.001) and the nose of orally intubated patients (P =.01), brushed patients' teeth with a toothbrush (P<.001), and used oral swabs to clean the mouth (P <.001) more frequently than respiratory therapists did. Nurses and respiratory therapists differed significantly in the management of patients receiving mechanical ventilation. To reduce the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia, both nurses and respiratory therapists must be consistent in using best practices when managing patients treated with mechanical ventilation.

  14. Solid waste management in the hospitality industry: a review.

    PubMed

    Pirani, Sanaa I; Arafat, Hassan A

    2014-12-15

    Solid waste management is a key aspect of the environmental management of establishments belonging to the hospitality sector. In this study, we reviewed literature in this area, examining the current status of waste management for the hospitality sector, in general, with a focus on food waste management in particular. We specifically examined the for-profit subdivision of the hospitality sector, comprising primarily of hotels and restaurants. An account is given of the causes of the different types of waste encountered in this sector and what strategies may be used to reduce them. These strategies are further highlighted in terms of initiatives and practices which are already being implemented around the world to facilitate sustainable waste management. We also recommended a general waste management procedure to be followed by properties of the hospitality sector and described how waste mapping, an innovative yet simple strategy, can significantly reduce the waste generation of a hotel. Generally, we found that not many scholarly publications are available in this area of research. More studies need to be carried out on the implementation of sustainable waste management for the hospitality industry in different parts of the world and the challenges and opportunities involved. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Current practice and usual care of major cervical disorders in Korea

    PubMed Central

    Choi, A Ryeon; Shin, Joon-Shik; Lee, Jinho; Lee, Yoon Jae; Kim, Me-riong; Oh, Min-seok; Lee, Eun-Jung; Kim, Sungchul; Kim, Mia; Ha, In-Hyuk

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Neck pain is a highly common condition and is the 4th major cause of years lived with disability. Previous literature has focused on the effect of specific treatments, and observations of actual practice are lacking to date. This study examined Korean health insurance review and assessment service (HIRA) claims data to the aim of assessing prevalence and comparing current medical practice and costs of cervical disorders in Korea. Current practice trends were determined through assessment of prevalence, total expenses, per-patient expense, average days in care, average days of visits, sociodemographic characteristics, distribution of medical costs, and frequency of treatment types of high frequency cervical disorders (cervical sprain/strain, cervical intervertebral disc displacement [IDD], and cervicalgia). Although the number of cervical IDD patients was few, total expenses, per-patient expense, average days in care, and average days of visits were highest. The proportion of women was higher than men in all 3 groups with highest prevalence in the ≥50s middle-aged population for IDD compared to sprain/strain. Primary care settings were commonly used for ambulatory care, of which approximately 70% chose orthopedic specialist treatment. In analysis of medical expenditure distribution, costs of visit (consultation) (22%–34%) and physical therapy (14%–16%) were in the top 3 for all 3 disorders. Although heat and electrical therapies were the most frequently used physical therapies, traction use was high in the cervical IDD group. In nonnarcotics, aceclofenac and diclofenac were the most commonly used NSAIDs, and pethidine was their counterpart in narcotics. This study investigated practice trends and cost distribution of treatment regimens for major cervical disorders, providing current usage patterns to healthcare policy decision makers, and the detailed treatment reports are expected to be of use to clinicians and researchers in understanding current

  16. Thermal co-treatment of combustible hazardous waste and waste incineration fly ash in a rotary kiln.

    PubMed

    Huber, Florian; Blasenbauer, Dominik; Mallow, Ole; Lederer, Jakob; Winter, Franz; Fellner, Johann

    2016-12-01

    As current disposal practices for municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash are either associated with significant costs or negative environmental impacts, an alternative treatment was investigated in a field scale experiment. Thereto, two rotary kilns were fed with hazardous waste, and moistened MSWI fly ash (water content of 23%) was added to the fuel of one kiln with a ratio of 169kg/Mg hazardous waste for 54h and 300kg/Mg hazardous waste for 48h while the other kiln was used as a reference. It was shown that the vast majority (>90%) of the inserted MSWI fly ash was transferred to the bottom ash of the rotary kiln. This bottom ash complied with the legal limits for non-hazardous waste landfills, thereby demonstrating the potential of the investigated method to transfer hazardous waste (MSWI fly ash) into non-hazardous waste (bottom ash). The results of a simple mixing test (MSWI fly ash and rotary kiln bottom ash have been mixed accordingly without thermal treatment) revealed that the observed transformation of hazardous MSWI fly ash into non-hazardous bottom ash during thermal co-treatment cannot be referred to dilution, as the mixture did not comply with legal limits for non-hazardous waste landfills. For the newly generated fly ash of the kiln, an increase in the concentration of Cd, K and Pb by 54%, 57% and 22%, respectively, was observed. In general, the operation of the rotary kiln was not impaired by the MSWI fly ash addition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. A proposal for improving sustainability practice through the implementations of reuse and recycle technique in Malaysian construction industry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Osman, Wan Nadzri; Nawi, Mohd Nasrun Mohd; Saad, Rohaizah; Anuar, Herman Shah; Ibrahim, Siti Halipah

    2016-08-01

    Construction and demolition waste is often seen as the major contributor to the solid waste stream that is going to landfill, hence, making it the area of focus for improvement. In the construction industry, reuse and recycle principles have been promoted in order to reduce waste and protect the environment. Construction and demolition waste including demolished concrete, bricks and masonry, wood and other materials such as dry wall, glass, insulation, roofing, wire, pipe, rock and soil constitute a significant component of the total waste. Without proper reuse and recycle policies, these construction and demolition wastes would quickly fill all the remaining landfill space, which has already been growing in scarce around this region. Based on the feedback received, on average, a third of respondents said they currently have a lotto benefit from the use of reduce and reuse. In addition, they also agreed that the existing policies help and support the min carrying out the reduce and reuse practices. Respondents also agreed that other stakeholders in the construction industry currently have an excellent awareness in term of implementation of the reduce and reuse in their practices.

  18. Healthcare waste management practices and safety indicators in Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Oyekale, Abayomi Samuel; Oyekale, Tolulope Olayemi

    2017-09-25

    Adequate management of healthcare waste (HCW) is a prerequisite for efficient delivery of healthcare services. In Nigeria, there are several constraints militating against proper management of HCW. This is raising some environmental concerns among stakeholders in the health sector. In this study, we analyzed the practices of HCW management and determinants of risky/safe indices of HCW disposal. The study used the 2013/2014 Service Delivery Indicator (SDI) data that were collected from 2480 healthcare facilities in Nigeria. Descriptive statistics, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression were used to analyze the data. The results showed that 52.20% and 38.21% of the sampled healthcare facilities from Cross River and Bauchi states possessed guidelines for HCW management, respectively. Trainings on management of HCW were attended by 67.18% and 53.19% of the healthcare facilities from Cross River and Imo states, respectively. Also, 32.32% and 29.50% of healthcare facilities from rural and urban areas previously sent some of their staff members for trainings on HCW management, respectively. Sharp and non-sharp HCW were burnt in protected pits in 45.40% and 45.36% of all the sampled healthcare facilities, respectively. Incinerators were reported to be functional in only 2.06% of the total healthcare facilities. In Bauchi and Kebbi states, 23.58% and 21.05% of the healthcare facilities respectively burnt sharp HCW without any protection. Using PCA, computed risky indices for disposal of sharp HCW were highest in Bayelsa state (0.3070) and Kebbi state (0.2172), while indices of risky disposal of non-sharp HCW were highest in Bayelsa state (0.2868) and Osun state (0.2652). The OLS results showed that at 5% level of significance, possession of medical waste disposal guidelines, staff trainings on HCW management, traveling hours from the facilities to local headquarters and being located in rural areas significantly influenced indices of

  19. Scrap automotive electronics: A mini-review of current management practices.

    PubMed

    Cucchiella, Federica; D'Adamo, Idiano; Rosa, Paolo; Terzi, Sergio

    2016-01-01

    End-of-life vehicles, together with waste from electric and electronic equipment, are known as an important source of secondary raw materials. For many years, their recovery has allowed the restoring of great amounts of metals for new cars production. This article provides a comprehensive mini-review on the end-of-life vehicles recycling topic between 2000 and 2014, with a particular focus on automotive electronics recycling. In fact, in the last years, experts focused their attention on a better exploitation of automotive shredder residue fraction, but not sufficiently on eventual electronic scraps embedded in it. Hence, studies assessing the value embedded in these scraps are rarely available in literature, causing an important gap in both recycling policies and research. The fact that, at present, the management of electronic control units (the most valuable component among automotive electronic equipment) is, as yet, off the radar in both end-of-life vehicles and waste from electric and electronic equipment Directives demonstrates the theory. Of course, their recycling would not contribute in a relevant way to reach the weighted-based recycling and recovery targets characterising current regulations, but would be very important under a critical raw materials recovery view. Results coming from the literature analysis confirm these assumptions. © The Author(s) 2015.

  20. Waste Characterization Methods

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

    Vigil-Holterman, Luciana R.; Naranjo, Felicia Danielle

    2016-02-02

    This report discusses ways to classify waste as outlined by LANL. Waste Generators must make a waste determination and characterize regulated waste by appropriate analytical testing or use of acceptable knowledge (AK). Use of AK for characterization requires several source documents. Waste characterization documentation must be accurate, sufficient, and current (i.e., updated); relevant and traceable to the waste stream’s generation, characterization, and management; and not merely a list of information sources.

  1. WasteWise Resource Management: Innovative Solid Waste Contracting Methods

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Resource management is an innovative contractual partnership between a waste-generating organization and a qualified contractor that changes the nature of current disposal services to support waste minimization and recycling.

  2. Assessment of current cybersecurity practices in the public domain : cyber indications and warnings domain.

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

    Hamlet, Jason R.; Keliiaa, Curtis M.

    This report assesses current public domain cyber security practices with respect to cyber indications and warnings. It describes cybersecurity industry and government activities, including cybersecurity tools, methods, practices, and international and government-wide initiatives known to be impacting current practice. Of particular note are the U.S. Government's Trusted Internet Connection (TIC) and 'Einstein' programs, which are serving to consolidate the Government's internet access points and to provide some capability to monitor and mitigate cyber attacks. Next, this report catalogs activities undertaken by various industry and government entities. In addition, it assesses the benchmarks of HPC capability and other HPC attributes thatmore » may lend themselves to assist in the solution of this problem. This report draws few conclusions, as it is intended to assess current practice in preparation for future work, however, no explicit references to HPC usage for the purpose of analyzing cyber infrastructure in near-real-time were found in the current practice. This report and a related SAND2010-4766 National Cyber Defense High Performance Computing and Analysis: Concepts, Planning and Roadmap report are intended to provoke discussion throughout a broad audience about developing a cohesive HPC centric solution to wide-area cybersecurity problems.« less

  3. Current-use and organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in the biodegradable fraction of source separated household waste, compost, and anaerobic digest.

    PubMed

    Hellström, Anna; Nilsson, Marie-Louise; Kylin, Henrik

    2011-01-01

    Several current-use (≤ 80 ng g⁻¹ dry weight) and organochlorine pesticides (≤ 15 ng g⁻¹ dry weight) and polychlorinated biphenyls (≤ 18 ng g⁻¹ dry weight) were found in the biodegradable fraction of source separated household waste, compost, and/or anaerobic digestate. The degradation rates of individual compounds differ depending on the treatment. Dieldrin and pentachloroaniline, e.g., degrade more rapidly than the waste is mineralized and accumulates in the products after all treatments. Many organochlorines degrade at the same rate as the waste and have the same concentrations in the waste and products. Chlorpyrifos degrades slower than the waste and accumulates in all products and ethion during anaerobic digestion. The polychlorinated biphenyls and some pesticides show different degradations rates relative the waste during different processes. Understanding the degradation of the contaminants under different conditions is necessary to develop quality criteria for the use of compost and digest.

  4. MINE WASTE TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM:HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES. CURRENT HIGHLIGHTS, FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES

    EPA Science Inventory

    For the past 13 years, the Mine Waste Technology Program has been technically driven by the National Risk Management Research Lab. A portion of the MWTP funding has been used to perform field demonstrations of innovative technologies with the potential to address mine waste issue...

  5. Evaluation of knowledge, practices, and possible barriers among healthcare providers regarding medical waste management in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

    PubMed

    Sarker, Mohammad Abul Bashar; Harun-Or-Rashid, Md; Hirosawa, Tomoya; Abdul Hai, Md Shaheen Bin; Siddique, Md Ruhul Furkan; Sakamoto, Junichi; Hamajima, Nobuyuki

    2014-12-09

    Improper handling of medical wastes, which is common in Bangladesh, could adversely affect the hospital environment and community at large, and poses a serious threat to public health. We aimed to assess the knowledge and practices regarding medical waste management (MWM) among healthcare providers (HCPs) and to identify possible barriers related to it. A cross-sectional study was carried out during June to September, 2012 including 1 tertiary, 3 secondary, and 3 primary level hospitals in Dhaka division, Bangladesh through 2-stage cluster sampling. Data were collected from 625 HCPs, including 245 medical doctors, 220 nurses, 44 technologists, and 116 cleaning staff who were directly involved in MWM using a self-administered (researcher-administered for cleaning staff), semi-structured questionnaire. Nearly one-third of medical doctors and nurses and two-thirds of technologists and cleaning staff had inadequate knowledge, and about half of medical doctors (44.0%) and cleaning staff (56.0%) had poor practices. HCPs without prior training on MWM were more likely to have poor practices compared to those who had training. Lack of personal protective equipment, equipment for final disposal, MWM-related staff, proper policy/guideline, and lack of incinerator were identified as the top 5 barriers. Strengthening and expansion of ongoing educational programs/training is necessary to improve knowledge and practices regarding MWM. The government should take necessary steps and provide financial support to eliminate the possible barriers related to proper MWM.

  6. From waste plastics to industrial raw materials: A life cycle assessment of mechanical plastic recycling practice based on a real-world case study.

    PubMed

    Gu, Fu; Guo, Jianfeng; Zhang, Wujie; Summers, Peter A; Hall, Philip

    2017-12-01

    Mechanical recycling of waste plastics is an environmental solution to the problem of waste plastic disposal, and has already become a common practice in industry. However, limited information can be found on either the industralised plastic recycling or the recycled materials, despite the use of recycled plastics has already extended to automobile production. This study investigates the life cycle environmental impacts of mechanical plastic recycling practice of a plastic recycling company in China. Waste plastics from various sources, such as agricultural wastes, plastic product manufacturers, collected solid plastic wastes and parts dismantled from waste electric and electronic equipments, are processed in three routes with products end up in different markets. The results of life cycle assessments show that the extrusion process has the largest environmental impacts, followed by the use of fillers and additives. Compared to production of virgin plastics and composites, the mechanical recycling is proved to be a superior alternative in most environmental aspects. Substituting virgin plastic composites with recycled plastic composites has achieved the highest environmental benefits, as virgin composite production has an impact almost 4 times higher that of the recycled composite production in each ReCiPe endpoint damage factor. Sensitivity analysis shows that the coverage of collecting network contribute affect little to overall environmental impact, and centralisation plays an important role in reducing overall environmental impacts. Among the fillers and additives, impact modifiers account for the most significant contributions to the environmental impacts of recycled composites. This study provides necessary information about the existing industrialised plastic recycling practice, and recommendations are given. Research implications are presented with the purpose to achieve higher substitution rate and lower environmental impact. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B

  7. Cost analysis of laparoscopic gastric bypass practice using current Medicare reimbursement and practice costs.

    PubMed

    Madan, Atul K; Powelson, Jill E; Tichansky, David S

    2008-01-01

    We performed a formal cost analysis of a hypothetical bariatric practice consisting of a surgeon, dietitian, clinical coordinator/office manager, receptionist, and certified medical assistant to determine whether a bariatric practice would have a difficult time surviving financially with the current Medicare reimbursement. The number of possible cases was calculated for the 2005 calendar year. Most of the costs and assumptions were taken from an actual bariatric practice. The malpractice insurance premium (but not physician salary and benefits) was calculated into the practice cost. With a total of 231 days available for clinical work in 2005, 300 scheduled laparoscopic gastric bypasses could have been performed to allow for appropriate clinic time for new patient visits, postoperative visits, and annual visits. The total reimbursement from Medicare would have been $516,158, with most of the reimbursement coming from procedure fees ($407,063). The total practice cost would have been $444,592. Most of the costs were clinic staff salary and benefits ($207,065) and the malpractice premium ($55,150). The net difference of $71,566 was left to pay the salary and benefits of the bariatric surgeon. The low reimbursement of Medicare for laparoscopic gastric bypass threatens the financial viability of a bariatric surgery practice. With the increasing cost of malpractice and the threatened decrease in Medicare physician reimbursement, Medicare recipients could see a decrease in the number of bariatric surgeons offering them service.

  8. Estimation of construction waste generation and management in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Kofoworola, Oyeshola Femi; Gheewala, Shabbir H

    2009-02-01

    This study examines construction waste generation and management in Thailand. It is estimated that between 2002 and 2005, an average of 1.1 million tons of construction waste was generated per year in Thailand. This constitutes about 7.7% of the total amount of waste disposed in both landfills and open dumpsites annually during the same period. Although construction waste constitutes a major source of waste in terms of volume and weight, its management and recycling are yet to be effectively practiced in Thailand. Recently, the management of construction waste is being given attention due to its rapidly increasing unregulated dumping in undesignated areas, and recycling is being promoted as a method of managing this waste. If effectively implemented, its potential economic and social benefits are immense. It was estimated that between 70 and 4,000 jobs would have been created between 2002 and 2005, if all construction wastes in Thailand had been recycled. Additionally it would have contributed an average savings of about 3.0 x 10(5) GJ per year in the final energy consumed by the construction sector of the nation within the same period based on the recycling scenario analyzed. The current national integrated waste management plan could enhance the effective recycling of construction and demolition waste in Thailand when enforced. It is recommended that an inventory of all construction waste generated in the country be carried out in order to assess the feasibility of large scale recycling of construction and demolition waste.

  9. Treatment Targets in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Current Status in Daily Practice.

    PubMed

    Römkens, Tessa E H; Gijsbers, Kim; Kievit, Wietske; Hoentjen, Frank; Drenth, Joost P H

    2016-12-01

    Recently, treatment goals in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in clinical trials have shifted from mainly symptom-based to more mucosa-driven. Real world data on treatment priorities are lacking. We aimed to investigate the current practice and most commonly used definitions of IBD treatment targets among Dutch gastroenterologists. Dutch gastroenterologists were asked to participate in a computer-based nation-wide survey. We asked questions on demographics, opinion and current practice regarding IBD treatment targets. Twenty-four percent (134/556) of the respondents completed the survey. For both Crohn's disease (CD) (47.3%, 61/129) and ulcerative colitis (UC)(45%, 58/129) the main treatment goal was to achieve and maintain deep remission, defined as clinical, biochemical and endoscopic remission. Seventy-six percent of the participants use mucosal healing (MH) as a potential treatment target for IBD, whereas 22.6% use histological remission. There is no single definition for MH in IBD. The majority use Mayo score ≤ 1 in UC (52%) and 'macroscopic normal mucosa' in CD (66%). More stringent and mucosa-driven treatment targets as 'deep remission' and 'mucosal healing' have found traction in clinical practice. The most commonly used definition for MH in routine practice is endoscopic MAYO score

  10. Transport of organic contaminants in subsoil horizons and effects of dissolved organic matter related to organic waste recycling practices.

    PubMed

    Chabauty, Florian; Pot, Valérie; Bourdat-Deschamps, Marjolaine; Bernet, Nathalie; Labat, Christophe; Benoit, Pierre

    2016-04-01

    Compost amendment on agricultural soil is a current practice to compensate the loss of organic matter. As a consequence, dissolved organic carbon concentration in soil leachates can be increased and potentially modify the transport of other solutes. This study aims to characterize the processes controlling the mobility of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in deep soil layers and their potential impacts on the leaching of organic contaminants (pesticides and pharmaceutical compounds) potentially present in cultivated soils receiving organic waste composts. We sampled undisturbed soil cores in the illuviated horizon (60-90 cm depth) of an Albeluvisol. Percolation experiments were made in presence and absence of DOM with two different pesticides, isoproturon and epoxiconazole, and two pharmaceutical compounds, ibuprofen and sulfamethoxazole. Two types of DOM were extracted from two different soil surface horizons: one sampled in a plot receiving a co-compost of green wastes and sewage sludge applied once every 2 years since 1998 and one sampled in an unamended plot. Results show that DOM behaved as a highly reactive solute, which was continuously generated within the soil columns during flow and increased after flow interruption. DOM significantly increased the mobility of bromide and all pollutants, but the effects differed according the hydrophobic and the ionic character of the molecules. However, no clear effects of the origin of DOM on the mobility of the different contaminants were observed.

  11. The new Waste Law: Challenging opportunity for future landfill operation in Indonesia.

    PubMed

    Meidiana, Christia; Gamse, Thomas

    2011-01-01

    The Waste Law No. 18/2008 Article 22 and 44 require the local governments to run environmentally sound landfill. Due to the widespread poor quality of waste management in Indonesia, this study aimed to identify the current situation by evaluating three selected landfills based on the ideal conditions of landfill practices, which are used to appraise the capability of local governments to adapt to the law. The results indicated that the local governments have problems of insufficient budget, inadequate equipment, uncollected waste and unplanned future landfill locations. All of the selected landfills were partially controlled landfills with open dumping practices predominating. In such inferior conditions the implementation of sanitary landfill is not necessarily appropriate. The controlled landfill is a more appropriate solution as it offers lower investment and operational costs, makes the selection of a new landfill site unnecessary and can operate with a minimum standard of infrastructure and equipment. The sustainability of future landfill capacity can be maintained by utilizing the old landfill as a profit-oriented landfill by implementing a landfill gas management or a clean development mechanism project. A collection fee system using the pay-as-you-throw principle could increase the waste income thereby financing municipal solid waste management.

  12. Tank-connected food waste disposer systems--current status and potential improvements.

    PubMed

    Bernstad, A; Davidsson, A; Tsai, J; Persson, E; Bissmont, M; la Cour Jansen, J

    2013-01-01

    An unconventional system for separate collection of food waste was investigated through evaluation of three full-scale systems in the city of Malmö, Sweden. Ground food waste is led to a separate settling tank where food waste sludge is collected regularly with a tank-vehicle. These tank-connected systems can be seen as a promising method for separate collection of food waste from both households and restaurants. Ground food waste collected from these systems is rich in fat and has a high methane potential when compared to food waste collected in conventional bag systems. The content of heavy metals is low. The concentrations of N-tot and P-tot in sludge collected from sedimentation tanks were on average 46.2 and 3.9 g/kg TS, equalling an estimated 0.48 and 0.05 kg N-tot and P-tot respectively per year and household connected to the food waste disposer system. Detergents in low concentrations can result in increased degradation rates and biogas production, while higher concentrations can result in temporary inhibition of methane production. Concentrations of COD and fat in effluent from full-scale tanks reached an average of 1068 mg/l and 149 mg/l respectively over the five month long evaluation period. Hydrolysis of the ground material is initiated between sludge collection occasions (30 days). Older food waste sludge increases the degradation rate and the risks of fugitive emissions of methane from tanks between collection occasions. Increased particle size decreases hydrolysis rate and could thus decrease losses of carbon and nutrients in the sewerage system, but further studies in full-scale systems are needed to confirm this. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Waste in Place Elementary Curriculum Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Keep America Beautiful, Inc., Stamford, CT.

    This curriculum guide is a behavioral-based, systematic approach to changing attitudes and practices related to waste handling. Activities included are on litter prevention, waste reduction, reuse, recycling, composting, waste-to-energy, and landfill. These activities are used to assist students in making informed decisions about waste disposal…

  14. Liquid secondary waste. Waste form formulation and qualification

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

    Cozzi, A. D.; Dixon, K. L.; Hill, K. A.

    The Hanford Site Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF) currently treats aqueous waste streams generated during Site cleanup activities. When the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) begins operations, a liquid secondary waste (LSW) stream from the WTP will need to be treated. The volume of effluent for treatment at the ETF will increase significantly. Washington River Protection Solutions is implementing a Secondary Liquid Waste Immobilization Technology Development Plan to address the technology needs for a waste form and solidification process to treat the increased volume of waste planned for disposal at the Integrated Disposal Facility IDF). Waste form testingmore » to support this plan is composed of work in the near term to demonstrate the waste form will provide data as input to a performance assessment (PA) for Hanford’s IDF.« less

  15. Large-Eddy Simulation: Current Capabilities, Recommended Practices, and Future Research

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Georgiadis, Nicholas J.; Rizzetta, Donald P.; Fureby, Christer

    2009-01-01

    This paper presents the results of an activity by the Large Eddy Simulation (LES) Working Group of the AIAA Fluid Dynamics Technical Committee to (1) address the current capabilities of LES, (2) outline recommended practices and key considerations for using LES, and (3) identify future research needs to advance the capabilities and reliability of LES for analysis of turbulent flows. To address the current capabilities and future needs, a survey comprised of eleven questions was posed to LES Working Group members to assemble a broad range of perspectives on important topics related to LES. The responses to these survey questions are summarized with the intent not to be a comprehensive dictate on LES, but rather the perspective of one group on some important issues. A list of recommended practices is also provided, which does not treat all aspects of a LES, but provides guidance on some of the key areas that should be considered.

  16. Progress towards Sustainable Utilisation and Management of Food Wastes in the Global Economy.

    PubMed

    Ghosh, Purabi R; Fawcett, Derek; Sharma, Shashi B; Poinern, Gerrard Eddy Jai

    2016-01-01

    In recent years, the problem of food waste has attracted considerable interest from food producers, processors, retailers, and consumers alike. Food waste is considered not only a sustainability problem related to food security, but also an economic problem since it directly impacts the profitability of the whole food supply chain. In developed countries, consumers are one of the main contributors to food waste and ultimately pay for all wastes produced throughout the food supply chain. To secure food and reduce food waste, it is essential to have a comprehensive understanding of the various sources of food wastes throughout the food supply chain. The present review examines various reports currently in the literature and quantifies waste levels and examines the trends in wastage for various food sectors such as fruit and vegetable, fisheries, meat and poultry, grain, milk, and dairy. Factors contributing to food waste, effective cost/benefit food waste utilisation methods, sustainability and environment considerations, and public acceptance are identified as hurdles in preventing large-scale food waste processing. Thus, we highlight the need for further research to identify and report food waste so that government regulators and food supply chain stakeholders can actively develop effective waste utilisation practices.

  17. Plastic and reconstructive robotic microsurgery--a review of current practices.

    PubMed

    Saleh, D B; Syed, M; Kulendren, D; Ramakrishnan, V; Liverneaux, P A

    2015-08-01

    We sought to review the current state of robotics in this specialty. A Pubmed and Medline search was performed using key search terms for a comprehensive review of the whole cross-section of plastic and reconstructive practice. Overall, 28 publications specific to robotic plastic and reconstructive procedures were suitable for appraisal. The current evidence suggests robotics is comparable to standard methods despite its infancy. The possible applications are wide and could translate into superior patient outcomes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  18. Backcasting to identify food waste prevention and mitigation opportunities for infant feeding in maternity services.

    PubMed

    Ryan-Fogarty, Yvonne; Becker, Genevieve; Moles, Richard; O'Regan, Bernadette

    2017-03-01

    Food waste in hospitals is of major concern for two reasons: one, healthcare needs to move toward preventative and demand led models for sustainability and two, food system sustainability needs to seek preventative measures such as diet adaptation and waste prevention. The impact of breast-milk substitute use on health services are well established in literature in terms of healthcare implications, cost and resourcing, however as a food demand and waste management issue little has been published to date. This paper presents the use of a desk based backcasting method to analyse food waste prevention, mitigation and management options within the Irish Maternity Service. Best practice in healthcare provision and waste management regulations are used to frame solutions. Strategic problem orientation revealed that 61% of the volume of ready to use breast-milk substitutes purchased by maternity services remains unconsumed and ends up as waste. Thirteen viable strategies to prevent and manage this waste were identified. Significant opportunities exist to prevent waste and also decrease food demand leading to both positive health and environmental outcomes. Backcasting methods display great promise in delivering food waste management strategies in healthcare settings, especially where evidenced best practice policies exist to inform solution forming processes. In terms of food waste prevention and management, difficulties arise in distinguishing between demand reduction, waste prevention and waste reduction measures under the current Waste Management Hierarchy definitions. Ultimately demand reduction at source requires prioritisation, a strategy which is complimentary to health policy on infant feeding. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Small enterprise opportunities in municipal solid waste management.

    PubMed

    Grierson, J P; Brown, A

    1999-02-01

    Most developing countries are rapidly urbanizing, with growing urban populations fueling demand for more and better urban services which many cities simply cannot provide given the current financial constraints. With the public sector unable to service the needs of expanding cities, small businesses are moving in to fill the vacuum. Such fledgling private sector initiatives have often prevented problems from becoming crises, while also demonstrating that private sector enterprises have an important role to play in meeting the demand for municipal services. Waste collection and processing is an area which could benefit from private sector involvement and greater public-private coordination. The authors examine the progress to date of an action-research initiative led by the Collaborative Group on Municipal Solid Waste Management in Low-income Countries which is developing best practice guidelines for expanding the involvement of micro- and small enterprises in municipal solid waste management.

  20. Current Practice and Infrastructures for Campus Centers of Community Engagement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Welch, Marshall; Saltmarsh, John

    2013-01-01

    This article provides an overview of current practice and essential infrastructure of campus community engagement centers in their efforts to establish and advance community engagement as part of the college experience. The authors identified key characteristics and the prevalence of activities of community engagement centers at engaged campuses…

  1. Management of tinnitus in English NHS audiology departments: an evaluation of current practice

    PubMed Central

    Hoare, Derek J; Gander, Phillip E; Collins, Luke; Smith, Sandra; Hall, Deborah A

    2012-01-01

    Rationale, aim and objective In 2009, the UK Department of Health formalized recommended National Health Service practices for the management of tinnitus from primary care onwards. It is timely therefore to evaluate the perceived practicality, utility and impact of those guidelines in the context of current practice. Methods We surveyed current practice by posting a 36-item questionnaire to all audiology and hearing therapy staff that we were able to identify as being involved in tinnitus patient care in England. Results In total, 138 out of 351 clinicians responded (39% response rate). The findings indicate a consensus opinion that management should be tailored to individual symptom profiles but that there is little standardization of assessment procedures or tools in use. Conclusions While the lack of standardized practice might provide flexibility to meet local demand, it has drawbacks. It makes it difficult to ascertain key standards of best practice, it complicates the process of clinical audit, it implies unequal patient access to care, and it limits the implementation of translational research outcomes. We recommend that core elements of practice should be standardized, including use of a validated tinnitus questionnaires and an agreed pathway for decision making to better understand the rationale for management strategies offered. PMID:21087449

  2. Indonesia municiple solid waste life cycle and environmental monitoring: current situation, before and future challenges

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Susmono

    2017-03-01

    Indonesia is a big country with circa 250 million population, with more than 500 Local Governments and they are going to improve their municiple solid waste dumping method from Open Dumping to Sanitary Landfill (SLF) and to promote Reduce-Reuse-Recycling (3R) since many years ago, and it is strengthened by issuing of Solid Waste Management Act No.18/2008, MSW Government Regulation No.12/2012 and other regulations which are issued by Central Government and Local Governments. During “Water and Sanitation Decade 1980-1990” through “Integrated Urban Infrastructures Development Program” some pilot project such as 30 units of 3R station were developed in the urban areas, and modified or simplification of SLF call Controlled Landfill (CLF) were implemented. In the year of 2002 about 45 units of composting pilot projects were developed under “Western Java Environmental Management Project”, and the result was notified that some of them are not sustain because many aspects. At the beginning of 2007 until now, some pilot projects of 3R were continued in some cities and since 2011 some Waste Banks are growing fast. In the year of 2014 was recorded that of 70 % of 3Rs in Java Island well developed (2014, Directorate of Environment Sanitation Report), and in the year of 2012 was recorded that development of Communal Waste Banks were growing fast during two months from 400 units to 800 units (2012, Ministry of Environment report), now more Communal Waste Banks all ready exist. After the last overview monitoring activity by Ministry of Environment and JICA (2008), because of lack of data is very difficult to give current accurate information of Municiple Solid Waste Handling in Indonesia. Nevertheless some innovation are developed because of impact of many pilot projects, Adipura City Cleanest Competition among Local Governments and growing of the spirit of autonomous policy of Local Governments, but some Local Governments still dependence on Central Government support

  3. Waste minimization/pollution prevention study of high-priority waste streams

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

    Ogle, R.B.

    1994-03-01

    Although waste minimization has been practiced by the Metals and Ceramics (M&C) Division in the past, the effort has not been uniform or formalized. To establish the groundwork for continuous improvement, the Division Director initiated a more formalized waste minimization and pollution prevention program. Formalization of the division`s pollution prevention efforts in fiscal year (FY) 1993 was initiated by a more concerted effort to determine the status of waste generation from division activities. The goal for this effort was to reduce or minimize the wastes identified as having the greatest impact on human health, the environment, and costs. Two broadmore » categories of division wastes were identified as solid/liquid wastes and those relating to energy use (primarily electricity and steam). This report presents information on the nonradioactive solid and liquid wastes generated by division activities. More specifically, the information presented was generated by teams of M&C staff members empowered by the Division Director to study specific waste streams.« less

  4. Aphasia: Current Concepts in Theory and Practice

    PubMed Central

    Tippett, Donna C.; Niparko, John K.; Hillis, Argye E.

    2014-01-01

    Recent advances in neuroimaging contribute to a new insights regarding brain-behavior relationships and expand understanding of the functional neuroanatomy of language. Modern concepts of the functional neuroanatomy of language invoke rich and complex models of language comprehension and expression, such as dual stream networks. Increasingly, aphasia is seen as a disruption of cognitive processes underlying language. Rehabilitation of aphasia incorporates evidence based and person-centered approaches. Novel techniques, such as methods of delivering cortical brain stimulation to modulate cortical excitability, such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation, are just beginning to be explored. In this review, we discuss the historical context of the foundations of neuroscientific approaches to language. We sample the emergent theoretical models of the neural substrates of language and cognitive processes underlying aphasia that contribute to more refined and nuanced concepts of language. Current concepts of aphasia rehabilitation are reviewed, including the promising role of cortical stimulation as an adjunct to behavioral therapy and changes in therapeutic approaches based on principles of neuroplasticity and evidence-based/person-centered practice to optimize functional outcomes. PMID:24904925

  5. Integrated waste management as a climate change stabilization wedge.

    PubMed

    Bahor, Brian; Van Brunt, Michael; Stovall, Jeff; Blue, Katherine

    2009-11-01

    Anthropogenic sources of greenhouse gas emissions are known to contribute to global increases in greenhouse gas concentrations and are widely believed to contribute to climate change. A reference carbon dioxide concentration of 383 ppm for 2007 is projected to increase to a nominal 500 ppm in less than 50 years according to business as usual models. This concentration change is equivalent to an increase of 7 billion tonnes of carbon per year (7 Gt C year(-1)). The concept of a stabilization wedge was introduced by Pacala and Socolow (Science, 305, 968-972, 2004) to break the 7 Gt C year(- 1) into more manageable 1 Gt C year(- 1) reductions that would be achievable with current technology. A total of fifteen possible 'wedges' were identified; however, an integrated municipal solid waste (MSW) management system based on the European Union's waste management hierarchy was not evaluated as a wedge. This analysis demonstrates that if the tonnage of MSW is allocated to recycling, waste to energy and landfilling in descending order in lieu of existing 'business-as-usual' practices with each option using modern technology and best practices, the system would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 1 Gt C year( -1). This integrated waste management system reduces CO(2) by displacing fossil electrical generation and avoiding manufacturing energy consumption and methane emissions from landfills.

  6. Study of water recovery and solid waste processing for aerospace and domestic applications. Volume 2: Final report

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Guarneri, C. A.; Reed, A.; Renman, R. E.

    1972-01-01

    The manner in which current and advanced technology can be applied to develop practical solutions to existing and emerging water supply and waste disposal problems is evaluated. An overview of water resource factors as they affect new community planning, and requirements imposed on residential waste treatment systems are presented. The results of equipment surveys contain information describing: commercially available devices and appliances designed to conserve water; devices and techniques for monitoring water quality and controlling back contamination; and advanced water and waste processing equipment. System concepts are developed and compared on the basis of current and projected costs. Economic evaluations are based on community populations of from 2,000 to 250,000. The most promising system concept is defined in sufficient depth to initiate detailed design.

  7. Human resource management in general practice: survey of current practice.

    PubMed Central

    Newton, J; Hunt, J; Stirling, J

    1996-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The organization and management of general practice is changing as a result of government policies designed to expand primary health care services. One aspect of practice management which has been underresearched concerns staffing: the recruitment, retention, management and motivation of practice managers. AIM: A study set out to find out who is routinely involved in making decisions about staffing matters in general practice, to establish the extent to which the human resource management function is formalized and specialized, and to describe the characteristics of the practice managers. METHOD: A postal questionnaire was sent to a stratified random sample of 750 general practices in England and Wales in February 1994 enquiring about the practice (for example, the fundholding status and number of general practitioner partners), how the practice dealt with a range of staffing matters and about the practice manager (for example, employment background and training in human resource management). Practices were classed as small (single-handed and two or three general practitioner partners), medium (four or five partners) or large (six or more partners). RESULTS: Replies were received from 477 practices (64%). Practice managers had limited authority to make decisions alone in the majority of practices although there was a greater likelihood of them taking independent action as the size of practice increased. Formality in handling staffing matters (as measured by the existence and use of written policies and procedures) also increased with practice size. Larger practices were more likely than smaller practices to have additional tiers in their management structure through the creation of posts with the titles assistant practice manager, fund manager and senior receptionist. Most practice managers had been recruited from within general practice but larger practices were more likely than smaller practices to recruit from outwith general practice. Three quarters

  8. [Waste management in hospitals. Current situation in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia].

    PubMed

    Popp, W; Hansen, D; Hilgenhöner, M; Grandek, M; Heinemann, A; Blättler, T

    2009-07-01

    In 20 hospitals in North Rhine-Westphalia in-plant handling wastes and the delivery of the waste to the disposer were examined. Deficits were seen regarding risk assessment and operating instructions, support by company doctors, personal protection equipment, and break areas for the waste collecting personnel. Also the qualification of the waste management officer and his/her time contingent, correct declaration of the wastes, the training of the waste collecting personnel, the cleaning of multi-use containers and transportation vehicles, storage of the wastes at the collecting points, and the use of sharp collecting boxes were to be partly criticized. Consequences and recommendations are given, concerning the company's obligations (e.g., provide risk assessment, operating instructions), waste management officer (e.g., qualification, enough time contingent, regular inspections), waste collecting personnel (e.g., training courses), industrial safety (e.g., protection equipment, break area wash places), company doctors, transportation vehicles in the house (e.g., regular cleaning), one-way collectors (e.g., labelling at the site of the collection), multi-use collectors (e.g., cleaning), and compressing containers (e.g., larger maintenance openings).

  9. Assessing and Treating Pain in Hospices: Current State of Evidence-Based Practices

    PubMed Central

    Herr, Keela; Titler, Marita; Fine, Perry; Sanders, Sara; Cavanaugh, Joe; Swegle, John; Forcucci, Chris; Tang, Xiongwen

    2010-01-01

    The aim of this article is to report on current provider evidence-based assessment and treatment practices for older adults with cancer in community-based hospice settings. Using the Cancer Pain Practices Index (CPPI), a tool developed by the researchers to measure evidence-based pain management practices, patients received an average of 32% of the those key evidence-based practices (EBPs) that were applicable to their situation. When examining individual practices, the majority of patients had their pain assessed at admission using a valid pain scale (69.7%) and had primary components of a comprehensive assessment completed at admission (52.7%); most patients with admission reports of pain had an order for pain medication (83.5%). However, data revealed a number of practice gaps including: additional components of a comprehensive assessment completed within 48 hours of admission (0%); review of the Pain Treatment Plan at each reassessment (35.7%); reassessment of moderate or greater pain (5.3%); consecutive pain reports of 5 or greater followed by pain medication increases (15.8%); monitoring of analgesic- induced side effects (19.3%); initiation of a bowel regimen for patients with an opioid order (32.3%); and documentation of both non-pharmacological therapies (22.5%) and written pain management plans (0.6%). Findings highlight positive EBPs and areas for improving the translation of EBPs into practice. Data suggest that cancer pain is not being documented as consistently assessed, reassessed or treated in a manner consistent with current EBP recommendations for older adults with cancer in community-based hospices. PMID:20471542

  10. Investigation of health care waste management in Binzhou District, China

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

    Ruoyan, Gai; Xu Lingzhong; Li Huijuan

    In China, national regulations and standards for health care waste management were implemented in 2003. To investigate the current status of health care waste management at different levels of health care facilities (HCF) after the implementation of these regulations, one tertiary hospital, one secondary hospital, and four primary health care centers from Binzhou District were visited and 145 medical staff members and 24 cleaning personnel were interviewed. Generated medical waste totaled 1.22, 0.77, and 1.17 kg/bed/day in tertiary, secondary, and primary HCF, respectively. The amount of medical waste generated in primary health care centers was much higher than that inmore » secondary hospitals, which may be attributed to general waste being mixed with medical waste. This study found that the level of the HCF, responsibility for medical waste management in departments and wards, educational background and training experience can be factors that determine medical staff members' knowledge of health care waste management policy. Regular training programs and sufficient provision of protective measures are urgently needed to improve occupational safety for cleaning personnel. Financing and administrative monitoring by local authorities is needed to improve handling practices and the implementation of off-site centralized disposal in primary health care centers.« less

  11. Dangerous Waste Characteristics of Waste from Hanford Tank 241-S-109

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

    Tingey, Joel M.; Bryan, Garry H.; Deschane, Jaquetta R.

    2004-11-05

    Existing analytical data from samples taken from Hanford Tank 241-S-109, along with process knowledge of the wastes transferred to this tank, are reviewed to determine whether dangerous waste characteristics currently assigned to all waste in Hanford underground storage tanks are applicable to this tank waste. Supplemental technologies are examined to accelerate the Hanford tank waste cleanup mission and to accomplish the waste treatment in a safer and more efficient manner. The goals of supplemental technologies are to reduce costs, conserve double-shell tank space, and meet the scheduled tank waste processing completion date of 2028.

  12. Solid Waste Management Plan. Revision 4

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

    NONE

    1995-04-26

    The waste types discussed in this Solid Waste Management Plan are Municipal Solid Waste, Hazardous Waste, Low-Level Mixed Waste, Low-Level Radioactive Waste, and Transuranic Waste. The plan describes for each type of solid waste, the existing waste management facilities, the issues, and the assumptions used to develop the current management plan.

  13. The Current Teacher Education Programs in Ethiopia: Reflection on Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mekonnen, Geberew Tulu

    2017-01-01

    This study threw light on the current practice of Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching Program at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. The study focused on the enrolment, graduation and attrition proportion of Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching candidates in the year 2011 and 2015. The 2011 and 2015 academic years have been purposively selected because the…

  14. Narrative, Poststructuralism, and Social Justice: Current Practices in Narrative Therapy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Combs, Gene; Freedman, Jill

    2012-01-01

    This paper is a review of current practice in narrative therapy with a focus on how it is attractive and useful for therapists who wish to work for social justice. The authors describe narrative therapy's roots in poststructuralist philosophy and social science. They illustrate its major theoretical constructs, including the "narrative metaphor,"…

  15. Health technology reassessment of non-drug technologies: current practices.

    PubMed

    Leggett, Laura; Noseworthy, Tom W; Zarrabi, Mahmood; Lorenzetti, Diane; Sutherland, Lloyd R; Clement, Fiona M

    2012-07-01

    Obsolescence is a natural phase of the lifecycle of health technologies. Given increasing cost of health expenditures worldwide, health organizations have little choice but to engage in health technology reassessment (HTR); a structured, evidence-based assessment of the medical, social, ethical, and economic effects of a technology, currently used within the healthcare system, to inform optimal use of that technology in comparison to its alternatives. This research was completed to identify and summarize international HTR initiatives for non-drug technologies. A systematic review was performed using the terms disinvestment, obsolescence, obsolete technology, ineffective, reassessment, reinvestment, reallocation, program budgeting, and marginal analysis to search PubMED, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL until November 2011. Websites of organizations listed as members of INAHTA and HTAi were hand-searched for gray literature. Documents were excluded if they were unavailable in English, if the title/abstract was irrelevant to HTR, and/or if the document made no mention of current practices. All citations were screened in duplicate with disagreements resolved by consensus. Sixty full-text documents were reviewed and forty were included. One model for reassessment was identified; however, it has never been put into practice. Eight countries have some evidence of past or current work related to reassessment; seven have shown evidence of continued work in HTR. There is negligible focus on monitoring and implementation. HTR is in its infancy. Although health technology reassessments are being conducted, there is no standardized approach. Future work should focus on developing and piloting a comprehensive methodology for completing HTR.

  16. Child obesity prevention in primary health care: investigating practice nurse roles, attitudes and current practices.

    PubMed

    Robinson, Alison; Denney-Wilson, Elizabeth; Laws, Rachel; Harris, Mark

    2013-04-01

    Overweight and obesity affects approximately 20% of Australian pre-schoolers. The general practice nurse (PN) workforce has increased in recent years; however, little is known of PN capacity and potential to provide routine advice for the prevention of child obesity. This mixed methods pilot study aims to explore the current practices, attitudes, confidence and training needs of Australian PNs surrounding child obesity prevention in the general practice setting. PNs from three Divisions of General Practice in New South Wales were invited to complete a questionnaire investigating PN roles, attitudes and practices in preventive care with a focus on child obesity. A total of 59 questionnaires were returned (response rate 22%). Semi-structured qualitative interviews were also conducted with a subsample of PNs (n = 10). Questionnaire respondent demographics were similar to that of national PN data. PNs described preventive work as enjoyable despite some perceived barriers including lack of confidence. Number of years working in general practice did not appear to strongly influence nurses' perceived barriers. Seventy per cent of PNs were interested in being more involved in conducting child health checks in practice, and 85% expressed an interest in taking part in child obesity prevention training. Findings from this pilot study suggest that PNs are interested in prevention of child obesity despite barriers to practice and low confidence levels. More research is needed to determine the effect of training on PN confidence and behaviours in providing routine healthy life-style messages for the prevention of child obesity. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health © 2013 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

  17. Test result communication in primary care: a survey of current practice.

    PubMed

    Litchfield, Ian; Bentham, Louise; Lilford, Richard; McManus, Richard J; Hill, Ann; Greenfield, Sheila

    2015-11-01

    The number of blood tests ordered in primary care continues to increase and the timely and appropriate communication of results remains essential. However, the testing and result communication process includes a number of participants in a variety of settings and is both complicated to manage and vulnerable to human error. In the UK, guidelines for the process are absent and research in this area is surprisingly scarce; so before we can begin to address potential areas of weakness there is a need to more precisely understand the strengths and weaknesses of current systems used by general practices and testing facilities. We conducted a telephone survey of practices across England to determine the methods of managing the testing and result communication process. In order to gain insight into the perspectives from staff at a large hospital laboratory we conducted paired interviews with senior managers, which we used to inform a service blueprint demonstrating the interaction between practices and laboratories and identifying potential sources of delay and failure. Staff at 80% of practices reported that the default method for communicating normal results required patients to telephone the practice and 40% of practices required that patients also call for abnormal results. Over 80% had no fail-safe system for ensuring that results had been returned to the practice from laboratories; practices would otherwise only be aware that results were missing or delayed when patients requested results. Persistent sources of missing results were identified by laboratory staff and included sample handling, misidentification of samples and the inefficient system for collating and resending misdirected results. The success of the current system relies on patients both to retrieve results and in so doing alert staff to missing and delayed results. Practices appear slow to adopt available technological solutions despite their potential for reducing the impact of recurring errors in the

  18. Test result communication in primary care: a survey of current practice

    PubMed Central

    Litchfield, Ian; Bentham, Louise; Lilford, Richard; McManus, Richard J; Hill, Ann; Greenfield, Sheila

    2015-01-01

    Background The number of blood tests ordered in primary care continues to increase and the timely and appropriate communication of results remains essential. However, the testing and result communication process includes a number of participants in a variety of settings and is both complicated to manage and vulnerable to human error. In the UK, guidelines for the process are absent and research in this area is surprisingly scarce; so before we can begin to address potential areas of weakness there is a need to more precisely understand the strengths and weaknesses of current systems used by general practices and testing facilities. Methods We conducted a telephone survey of practices across England to determine the methods of managing the testing and result communication process. In order to gain insight into the perspectives from staff at a large hospital laboratory we conducted paired interviews with senior managers, which we used to inform a service blueprint demonstrating the interaction between practices and laboratories and identifying potential sources of delay and failure. Results Staff at 80% of practices reported that the default method for communicating normal results required patients to telephone the practice and 40% of practices required that patients also call for abnormal results. Over 80% had no fail-safe system for ensuring that results had been returned to the practice from laboratories; practices would otherwise only be aware that results were missing or delayed when patients requested results. Persistent sources of missing results were identified by laboratory staff and included sample handling, misidentification of samples and the inefficient system for collating and resending misdirected results. Conclusions The success of the current system relies on patients both to retrieve results and in so doing alert staff to missing and delayed results. Practices appear slow to adopt available technological solutions despite their potential for

  19. Baby walkers--health visitors' current practice, attitudes and knowledge.

    PubMed

    Kendrick, Denise; Illingworth, Rachel; Hapgood, Rhydian; Woods, Amanda J; Collier, Jacqueline

    2003-09-01

    Baby walkers are a commonly used item of nursery equipment. Between 12% and 50% of parents whose infant uses a walker report that their child has suffered a walker-related injury. Health visitors' knowledge, attitudes and practice with regard to walkers and related health education has not been explored so far. The aim of the study was to describe health visitors' knowledge of walkers and walker-related injuries, their attitudes towards walkers and current practice with regard to walker health education, and to examine the relationship between knowledge and attitudes and knowledge and practice. A survey was carried out with 64 health visitors prior to participation in a randomized controlled trial assessing the effectiveness of an educational package in reducing baby walker use. The response rate was 95%. Half of the health visitors always discussed walkers postnatally, most frequently at the 6-9 month check. Most did not usually discuss the frequency of walker-related injuries. Most had negative attitudes towards walkers, but believed that parents hold positive attitudes to them and that it is hard to persuade parents not to use them. Health visitors had a limited knowledge of walker use and walker-related injuries. Those giving advice on walkers most often had higher knowledge scores than those giving advice less often (P = 0.03). Those with higher knowledge scores held more negative attitudes towards walkers (rs = 0.29, P = 0.023) and believed parents to have more positive attitudes towards walkers (rs = -0.49, P < 0.001). Few health visitors had resources to discuss walkers. Health visitor advice regarding walkers needs to be given earlier in the postnatal period than is currently common practice, and they need more knowledge about walker use and related injuries. Education about baby walkers needs to be incorporated into undergraduate and in-service education, which may need to include the development of skills in exploring reasons why parents use walkers and

  20. Analysis of the healthcare waste management status in Tehran hospitals.

    PubMed

    Malekahmadi, Fariba; Yunesian, Masud; Yaghmaeian, Kamyar; Nadafi, Kazem

    2014-01-01

    Considering the importance of healthcare waste management, following the ratification of the Waste Management law in 2005 and the subsequent approval of its executive bylaw in 2006 and finally the healthcare waste management criteria passing by the parliament in 2008, a review on the status of healthcare waste management is needed to implement the mentioned law properly. In this retrospective study during six months period all public hospitals in Iran's capital city, Tehran, were selected to conduct the survey. Data collected through an expert-standardized questionnaire was analyzed by using SPSS software. The results of the current status of healthcare waste management in Tehran hospitals showed 5.6% of hospitals were ranked excellent, 50.7% good, 26.4% medium, and the 13.9% of hospitals were ranked weak and 3.5% ranked very poor. The findings showed that appropriate technologies should be used to have better disposal stage. As the ratified criteria were not fully observed by all the selected hospitals, training courses and comprehensive program conducting by each hospital could be enjoyed as practical tools to implement the all stages of healthcare waste management properly.

  1. Challenges of implementing fibromyalgia treatment guidelines in current clinical practice.

    PubMed

    Arnold, Lesley M; Clauw, Daniel J

    2017-09-01

    The current diagnostic and treatment pathway for patients with fibromyalgia (FM) is lengthy, complex, and characterized by multiple physician visits with an average 2-year wait until diagnosis. It is clear that effective identification and appropriate treatment of FM remain a challenge in current clinical practice. Ideally, FM management involves a multidisciplinary approach with the preferable patient pathway originating in primary care but supported by a range of health care providers, including referral to specialist care when necessary. After the publication of individual clinical studies, high-quality reviews, and meta-analyses, recently published FM treatment guidelines have transitioned from an expert consensus to an evidence-based approach. Evidence-based guidelines provide a framework for ensuring early diagnosis and timely adoption of appropriate treatment. However, for successful outcomes, FM treatments must adopt a more holistic approach, which addresses more than just pain. Impact on the associated symptoms of fatigue and cognitive problems, sleep and mood disturbances, and lowered functional status are also important in judging the success of FM therapy. Recently published guidelines recommend the adoption of a symptom-based approach to guide pharmacologic treatment. Emerging treatment options for FM may be best differentiated on the basis of their effect on comorbid symptoms that are often associated with pain (e.g. sleep disturbance, mood, fatigue). The current review discusses the most recently published Canadian guidelines and the implications of the recent European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) recommendations, with a focus on the challenges of implementing these guidelines in current clinical practice.

  2. Evaluating How to Alter Design Processes to Consider Sustainable Practices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liew, V.

    2017-12-01

    The Design Cycle is a well established design methodology featuring four major criterion (Investigating, Planning, Creating, and Evaluating), adopted by International Baccalaureate education foundation. However, as sustainability has become an alarmingly relevant issue, the Design Cycle is not a sufficient guide in its current form. With the the excessive quantities of waste entering Hong Kong's landfills as well as the worldwide issue of rapidly depleting resources, it is imperative that products reduce waste via adaptive or mitigative methods, and that an environmental sector be integrated into the existing Design Cycle. In this piece of research, sustainable design practices will be evaluated to form a list of specifications that products can be assessed against to reduce waste and repurpose materials.

  3. Facilitating the improved management of waste in South Africa through a national waste information system

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

    Godfrey, Linda

    2008-07-01

    Developing a waste information system (WIS) for a country is more than just about collecting routine data on waste; it is about facilitating the improved management of waste by providing timely, reliable information to the relevant role-players. It is a means of supporting the waste governance challenges facing South Africa - challenges ranging from strategic waste management issues at national government to basic operational challenges at local government. The paper addresses two hypotheses. The first is that the identified needs of government can provide a platform from which to design a national WIS framework for a developing country such asmore » South Africa, and the second is that the needs for waste information reflect greater, currently unfulfilled challenges in the sustainable management of waste. Through a participatory needs analysis process, it is shown that waste information is needed by the three spheres of government, to support amongst others, informed planning and decision-making, compliance monitoring and enforcement, community participation through public access to information, human, infrastructure and financial resource management and policy development. These needs for waste information correspond closely with key waste management challenges currently facing the country. A shift in governments approach to waste, in line with national and international policy, is evident from identified current and future waste information needs. However, the need for information on landfilling remains entrenched within government, possibly due to the poor compliance of landfill sites in South Africa and the problems around the illegal disposal of both general and hazardous waste.« less

  4. Secondary Waste Cementitious Waste Form Data Package for the Integrated Disposal Facility Performance Assessment

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

    Cantrell, Kirk J.; Westsik, Joseph H.; Serne, R Jeffrey

    A review of the most up-to-date and relevant data currently available was conducted to develop a set of recommended values for use in the Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF) performance assessment (PA) to model contaminant release from a cementitious waste form for aqueous wastes treated at the Hanford Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF). This data package relies primarily upon recent data collected on Cast Stone formulations fabricated with simulants of low-activity waste (LAW) and liquid secondary wastes expected to be produced at Hanford. These data were supplemented, when necessary, with data developed for saltstone (a similar grout waste form used at themore » Savannah River Site). Work is currently underway to collect data on cementitious waste forms that are similar to Cast Stone and saltstone but are tailored to the characteristics of ETF-treated liquid secondary wastes. Recommended values for key parameters to conduct PA modeling of contaminant release from ETF-treated liquid waste are provided.« less

  5. The role of intergenerational influence in waste education programmes: the THAW project.

    PubMed

    Maddox, P; Doran, C; Williams, I D; Kus, M

    2011-12-01

    Whilst the education of young people is often seen as a part of the solution to current environmental problems seeking urgent attention, it is often forgotten that their parents and other household members can also be educated/influenced via home-based educational activities. This paper explores the theory of intergenerational influence in relation to school based waste education. Waste Watch, a UK-based environmental charity (www.wastewatch.org.uk), has pioneered a model that uses practical activities and whole school involvement to promote school based action on waste. This methodology has been adopted nationally. This paper outlines and evaluates how effective school based waste education is in promoting action at a household level. The paper outlines Waste Watch's 'Taking Home Action on Waste (THAW)' project carried out for two and half years in Rotherham, a town in South Yorkshire, England. The project worked with 6705 primary age children in 39 schools (44% of primary schools in the project area) to enable them to take the "reduce, reuse and recycle message" home to their families and to engage these (i.e. families) in sustainable waste management practices. As well as substantial increases in students' knowledge and understanding of waste reduction, measurement of the impact of the project in areas around 12 carefully chosen sample schools showed evidence of increased participation in recycling and recycling tonnages as well as declining levels of residual waste. Following delivery of the project in these areas, an average increase of 8.6% was recorded in recycling set out rates which led to a 4.3% increase in paper recycling tonnages and an 8.7% increase in tonnages of cans, glass and textiles collected for recycling. Correspondingly, there was a 4.5% fall in tonnages of residual waste. Waste Watch's THAW project was the first serious attempt to measure the intergenerational influence of an education programme on behaviour at home (i.e. other than schools

  6. Research on solid waste management system: to improve existing situation in Corlu Town of Turkey.

    PubMed

    Tinmaz, Esra; Demir, Ibrahim

    2006-01-01

    Over the past decades, uncontrolled population growth and rapid urbanization and industrialization have resulted in environmental problems in Corlu Town, Turkey. One of the most important problems is solid waste due to inadequate management practices. Nowadays, increasing public awareness of the environment compels local authorities to define and to adopt new solutions for waste management. This paper presents a general overview of current solid waste management practices in Corlu Town and principles of the recommended municipal solid waste (MSW) management system. In Corlu, 170 tonnes of municipal solid waste are generated each day, or 1.150 kg per capita per day. Approximately one-half of the municipal solid waste generated is organic material and 30% of the MSW consists of recyclable materials. The recommended system deals with maximizing recycling and minimizing landfilling of municipal solid waste, and consists of separation at source, collection, sorting, recycling, composting and sanitary landfilling. This study also analyzed the recommended system with respect to feasibility and economics. To evaluate whether the suggested system is cost effective or not, the operating cost of the recommended system and market prices of recyclable materials were compared, and the results show that the recommended system will reduce required landfill volume up to 27% of compared to the present situation. The profit of the recommended system is estimated to be about 80 million US dollars.

  7. The Practice of School Psychology in Quebec English Schools: Current Challenges and Opportunities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Finn, Cindy A.

    2016-01-01

    In Quebec, school psychology is alive and well. This article outlines current challenges and opportunities related to the practice of psychology in Quebec English schools. Changes to the practice of psychology in Quebec over the last decade have had an impact on the delivery of psychological services in schools. Modifications of the admission…

  8. Delivering Communication Strategy Training for People with Aphasia: What Is Current Clinical Practice?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beckley, Firle; Best, Wendy; Beeke, Suzanne

    2017-01-01

    Background: Communication strategy training (CST) is a recognized part of UK speech and language therapists' (SLTs) role when working with a person with aphasia. Multiple CST interventions have been published but, to date, there are no published studies exploring clinical practice in this area. Aims: To investigate UK SLTs' current CST practices.…

  9. Progress towards Sustainable Utilisation and Management of Food Wastes in the Global Economy

    PubMed Central

    Ghosh, Purabi R.; Fawcett, Derek; Sharma, Shashi B.

    2016-01-01

    In recent years, the problem of food waste has attracted considerable interest from food producers, processors, retailers, and consumers alike. Food waste is considered not only a sustainability problem related to food security, but also an economic problem since it directly impacts the profitability of the whole food supply chain. In developed countries, consumers are one of the main contributors to food waste and ultimately pay for all wastes produced throughout the food supply chain. To secure food and reduce food waste, it is essential to have a comprehensive understanding of the various sources of food wastes throughout the food supply chain. The present review examines various reports currently in the literature and quantifies waste levels and examines the trends in wastage for various food sectors such as fruit and vegetable, fisheries, meat and poultry, grain, milk, and dairy. Factors contributing to food waste, effective cost/benefit food waste utilisation methods, sustainability and environment considerations, and public acceptance are identified as hurdles in preventing large-scale food waste processing. Thus, we highlight the need for further research to identify and report food waste so that government regulators and food supply chain stakeholders can actively develop effective waste utilisation practices. PMID:27847805

  10. Municipal Solid Waste Management and its Energy Potential in Roorkee City, Uttarakhand, India

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alam, Tabish; Kulkarni, Kishore

    2016-03-01

    Energy plays a vital role in the development of any country. With rapid economic growth and multifold urbanization, India faces the problem of municipal solid waste management and disposal. This problem can be mitigate through adoption of environment friendly technologies for treatment and processing of waste before it is disposed off. Currently, urban and industrial wastes throughout India receive partial treatment before its final disposal, except in few exceptional cases. This practice leads to severe environmental pollution problems including major threat to human health. There is an absolute need to provide adequate waste collection and treatment before its disposal. Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is getting importance in recent years. The MSW management involves collection, transportation, handling and conversion to energy by biological and thermal routes. Based on the energy potential available, the energy conversion through biogas production using available waste is being carried out. Waste-to-energy is now a clean, renewable, sustainable source of energy. The estimation of energy content of MSW in Roorkee city is discussed in this paper. Furthermore this paper also takes into account the benefits of carbon credits.

  11. NASA's Current Earth Science Program

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Charles, Leslie Bermann

    1998-01-01

    NASA's Earth science program is a scientific endeavor whose goal is to provide long-term understanding of the Earth as an integrated system of land, water, air and life. A highly developed scientific knowledge of the Earth system is necessary to understand how the environment affects humanity, and how humanity may be affecting the environment. The remote sensing technologies used to gather the global environmental data used in such research also have numerous practical applications. Current applications of remote sensing data demonstrate their practical benefits in areas such as the monitoring of crop conditions and yields, natural disasters and forest fires; hazardous waste clean up; and tracking of vector-borne diseases. The long-term availability of environmental data is essential for the continuity of important research and applications efforts. NASA's Earth observation program has undergone many changes in the recent past.

  12. Current challenges in European oncology pharmacy practice.

    PubMed

    Hoppe-Tichy, Torsten

    2010-03-01

    The demand for pharmacy cancer services is expected to at least double over the next 10 years, as the population ages and new treatments are introduced. Safe and efficient handling of cytotoxic products minimises risks to staff and reduces medication errors. To identify and describe strategies for coping safely and effectively with heavier workloads in the hospital oncology pharmacy, currently and in the future. The PubMed database was searched for literature on approaches to safe handling of antineoplastic agents and to decreasing medication errors in the hospital pharmacy. Articles that were judged to be of prime importance to the hospital oncologist were reviewed. These safety concepts are put into the context of contemporary hospital oncology pharmacy practice through discussion of key issues, including increased demand, the role of the pharmacist in determining the hospital formulary, and growth in patient preferences for oral chemotherapy. Recommendations on best practices are also provided, based on relevant literature and author experience. Efficient, safe hospital pharmacy operations can be aided by capacity planning, dose banding, and knowledge of novel products and procedures that can reduce risks to health while increasing the number of patients who are safely treated. Consideration may also be given to the economic role of oncology pharmacists in formulary development.

  13. Management of Biomedical Waste: An Exploratory Study.

    PubMed

    Abhishek, K N; Suryavanshi, Harshal N; Sam, George; Chaithanya, K H; Punde, Prashant; Singh, S Swetha

    2015-09-01

    Dental operatories pose a threat due to the high chances of infection transmission both to the clinician and the patients. Hence, management of dental waste becomes utmost importance not only for the health benefit of the dentist himself, but also people who can come into contact with these wastes directly or indirectly. The present study was conducted to find out the management of biomedical waste in private dental practice among 3 districts of Karnataka. The study population included 186 private practitioners in 3 districts of Karnataka (Coorg, Mysore, Hassan), South India. A pre-tested self-administered questionnaire was distributed to assess the knowledge and practices regarding dental waste management. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize the results. Out of 186 study subjects, 71 (38%) were females and 115 (62%) were males. The maximum number of participants belonged to the age group of 28-33 years (29%). Undergraduate qualification was more (70%). 90 (48%) participants had an experience of 0-5 years. Chi-square analysis showed a highly significant association between participant who attended continuing dental education (CDE) program and their practice of dental waste management. Education with regards to waste management will help in enhancing practices regarding the same. In order to fill this vacuum CDE programs have to be conducted in pursuance to maintain health of the community.

  14. Co-digestion of organic solid waste and sludge from sewage treatment.

    PubMed

    Edelmann, W; Engeli, H; Gradenecker, M

    2000-01-01

    Solid organic wastes were codigested together with sludge of a sewage treatment plant (STP). In the practical part of the study, a plant to pretreat the organic solid wastes provided by local super markets was constructed at the STP of Frutigen, Switzerland. Up to more than 1 cubic metre of wastes was added to the fermenter of the STP every day. Data collected during 14 months of practical works, showed that for raw fruit and vegetable wastes a two step pretreatment is necessary: First the wastes were chopped and afterwards reduced to a size of 1-2 millimetres, in order to get a homogeneous suspension together with the primary sludge. The vegetable wastes showed excellent digestibility: They seemed to accelerate the digestion process as well as to increase the degree of the anaerobic degradation of the sludge. The energy demand for both, pretreatment and digestion, was 85 kWh/ton of fresh wastes. 20% of the energy was used for the hygienization, a step which does not seem to be necessary for this kind of waste in most of the cases, however. After using the gas for energy conversion, a net yield of 65 kWh/ton of electricity and 166 kWh/ton of heat was measured. Treating cooked kitchen wastes, the net energy production will be higher, because in this case a one step pretreatment will be sufficient. The pretreatment and treatment costs for codigestion on STP's were calculated to be in the range of 55 US$/ton treating half a ton per day and 39 US$/ton treating one ton, respectively. A theoretical feasibility study showed that in Switzerland there is a short term potential on STP's for the codigestion of about 120,000 tons of biogenic wastes per year without big investments. Economic studies about codigestion on agricultural biogas plants showed that the codigestion is a must at the current energy prices, which are far too low for agricultural AD without an additional income by treating solid wastes for third parties.

  15. Food waste minimization from a life-cycle perspective.

    PubMed

    Bernstad Saraiva Schott, A; Andersson, T

    2015-01-01

    This article investigates potentials and environmental impacts related to household food waste minimization, based on a case study in Southern Sweden. In the study, the amount of avoidable and unavoidable food waste currently being disposed of by households was assessed through waste composition analyses and the different types of avoidable food waste were classified. Currently, both avoidable and unavoidable food waste is either incinerated or treated through anaerobic digestion. A hypothetical scenario with no generation of avoidable food waste and either anaerobic digestion or incineration of unavoidable food waste was compared to the current situation using the life-cycle assessment method, limited to analysis of global warming potential (GWP). The results from the waste composition analyses indicate that an average of 35% of household food waste is avoidable. Minimization of this waste could result in reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of 800-1400 kg/tonne of avoidable food waste. Thus, a minimization strategy would result in increased avoidance of GWP compared to the current situation. The study clearly shows that although modern alternatives for food waste treatment can result in avoidance of GWP through nutrient and energy recovery, food waste prevention yields far greater benefits for GWP compared to both incineration and anaerobic digestion. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Meaningful Peer Review in Radiology: A Review of Current Practices and Potential Future Directions.

    PubMed

    Moriarity, Andrew K; Hawkins, C Matthew; Geis, J Raymond; Dreyer, Keith J; Kamer, Aaron P; Khandheria, Paras; Morey, Jose; Whitfill, James; Wiggins, Richard H; Itri, Jason N

    2016-12-01

    The current practice of peer review within radiology is well developed and widely implemented compared with other medical specialties. However, there are many factors that limit current peer review practices from reducing diagnostic errors and improving patient care. The development of "meaningful peer review" requires a transition away from compliance toward quality improvement, whereby the information and insights gained facilitate education and drive systematic improvements that reduce the frequency and impact of diagnostic error. The next generation of peer review requires significant improvements in IT functionality and integration, enabling features such as anonymization, adjudication by multiple specialists, categorization and analysis of errors, tracking, feedback, and easy export into teaching files and other media that require strong partnerships with vendors. In this article, the authors assess various peer review practices, with focused discussion on current limitations and future needs for meaningful peer review in radiology. Copyright © 2016 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. The public health significance of trace chemicals in waste water utilization

    PubMed Central

    Shuval, Hillel I.

    1962-01-01

    The practice of waste water utilization has grown considerably in recent years, owing to the growing demand for water for agricultural, industrial and domestic purposes. Such utilization presents certain problems in respect of the quality of the reclaimed water, on account of the presence of certain trace chemicals in the waste waters to be re-used. The presence of these trace chemicals may have important consequences in the agricultural or industrial utilization of waste waters, but from the public health point of view it is in the re-use of waste waters for domestic purposes that their presence has most importance, owing to their possible toxic effects. This paper discusses the public health significance of trace chemicals in water, with special reference to some of the newer complex synthetic organic compounds that are appearing in ever-increasing numbers in industrial wastes. Current information on the acute and chronic toxicity of these substances is reviewed and related to possible methods of treatment of waste waters. In conclusion, the author points out that the problem of trace chemicals is not confined only to direct waste-water reclamation projects, but arises in all cases where surface waters polluted with industrial wastes are used as a source of domestic supply. PMID:13988826

  18. Implications of current resident work-hour guidelines on the future practice of surgery in Canada.

    PubMed

    Maruscak, Adam A; VanderBeek, Laura; Ott, Michael C; Kelly, Stephen; Forbes, Thomas L

    2012-01-01

    Work-hour restrictions have had a profound impact on surgical training. However, little is known of how work-hour restrictions may affect the future practice patterns of current surgical residents. The purpose of this study is to compare the anticipated career practice patterns of surgical residents who are training within an environment of work-hour restrictions with the current practice of faculty surgeons. An electronic survey was sent to all surgery residents and faculty at 2 Canadian university-affiliated medical centers. The survey consisted of questions regarding expected (residents) or current (faculty) practice patterns. A total of 149 residents and 125 faculty members completed the survey (50.3% and 52.3% response rates, respectively). A greater proportion of males were in the faculty cohort than in the resident group (77.6% vs 62.4%, p = 0.0003). More faculty than residents believed that work-hour restrictions have a negative impact on both residency education (40.8% vs 20.8%, p = 0.008) and preparation for a surgical career (56.8% vs 19.5%, p < 0.0001). Compared with current faculty, residents plan to take less call (p < 0.0003), work fewer days of the week (p < 0.0001), are more likely to limit their duty hours on postcall days (p = 0.009), and take parental leave (p = 0.02) once in practice. Male and female residents differed somewhat in their responses in that more female residents plan to limit their postcall duty hours (55.4% vs 36.5%, p = 0.009) and to take a parental leave (51.8% vs 16.1%, p < 0.0001) compared with their male resident colleagues. Current surgical residents expect to adopt components of resident work-hour guidelines into their surgical practices after completing their residency. These practice patterns will have surgical workforce implications and might require larger surgical groups and reconsideration of resource allocation. Copyright © 2012 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights

  19. Articulating current service development practices: a qualitative analysis of eleven mental health projects

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background The utilisation of good design practices in the development of complex health services is essential to improving quality. Healthcare organisations, however, are often seriously out of step with modern design thinking and practice. As a starting point to encourage the uptake of good design practices, it is important to understand the context of their intended use. This study aims to do that by articulating current health service development practices. Methods Eleven service development projects carried out in a large mental health service were investigated through in-depth interviews with six operation managers. The critical decision method in conjunction with diagrammatic elicitation was used to capture descriptions of these projects. Stage-gate design models were then formed to visually articulate, classify and characterise different service development practices. Results Projects were grouped into three categories according to design process patterns: new service introduction and service integration; service improvement; service closure. Three common design stages: problem exploration, idea generation and solution evaluation - were then compared across the design process patterns. Consistent across projects were a top-down, policy-driven approach to exploration, underexploited idea generation and implementation-based evaluation. Conclusions This study provides insight into where and how good design practices can contribute to the improvement of current service development practices. Specifically, the following suggestions for future service development practices are made: genuine user needs analysis for exploration; divergent thinking and innovative culture for idea generation; and fail-safe evaluation prior to implementation. Better training for managers through partnership working with design experts and researchers could be beneficial. PMID:24438471

  20. Articulating current service development practices: a qualitative analysis of eleven mental health projects.

    PubMed

    Jun, Gyuchan Thomas; Morrison, Cecily; Clarkson, P John

    2014-01-17

    The utilisation of good design practices in the development of complex health services is essential to improving quality. Healthcare organisations, however, are often seriously out of step with modern design thinking and practice. As a starting point to encourage the uptake of good design practices, it is important to understand the context of their intended use. This study aims to do that by articulating current health service development practices. Eleven service development projects carried out in a large mental health service were investigated through in-depth interviews with six operation managers. The critical decision method in conjunction with diagrammatic elicitation was used to capture descriptions of these projects. Stage-gate design models were then formed to visually articulate, classify and characterise different service development practices. Projects were grouped into three categories according to design process patterns: new service introduction and service integration; service improvement; service closure. Three common design stages: problem exploration, idea generation and solution evaluation - were then compared across the design process patterns. Consistent across projects were a top-down, policy-driven approach to exploration, underexploited idea generation and implementation-based evaluation. This study provides insight into where and how good design practices can contribute to the improvement of current service development practices. Specifically, the following suggestions for future service development practices are made: genuine user needs analysis for exploration; divergent thinking and innovative culture for idea generation; and fail-safe evaluation prior to implementation. Better training for managers through partnership working with design experts and researchers could be beneficial.

  1. Moving from recycling to waste prevention: A review of barriers and enables.

    PubMed

    Bartl, Andreas

    2014-09-01

    Current European waste policy does not mainly aim to treat waste streams but rather place in the foreground of interest the complete supply chain of a product. Waste prevention and re-use do have the highest priority and they take effect before the end-of-life phase of a product or a material is reached. Recycling only takes the third place whereas recovery and disposal represent the least favourable options. Recycling can help to decrease the consumption of primary resources but it does not tackle the causes but only the symptoms. In principle, recycling processes require energy and will generate side streams (i.e. waste). Furthermore, there are insuperable barriers and the practice is far from 100% recycling. The philosophy of waste prevention and re-use is completely different since they really tackle the causes. It is self-evident that a decrease of waste will also decrease the consumption of resources, energy and money to process the waste. However, even if European legislation is proceeding in the right direction, a clear decrease in waste generation did not occur up to now. Unfortunately, waste generation represents a positive factor of economic growth. Basically, waste generation is a huge business and numerous stakeholders are not interested to reduce waste. More sophisticated incentives are required to decouple economic growth from waste generation. © The Author(s) 2014.

  2. Radioactive Wastes.

    PubMed

    Choudri, B S; Charabi, Yassine; Baawain, Mahad; Ahmed, Mushtaque

    2017-10-01

    Papers reviewed herein present a general overview of radioactive waste related activities around the world in 2016. The current reveiw include studies related to safety assessments, decommission and decontamination of nuclear facilities, fusion facilities, transportation. Further, the review highlights on management solutions for the final disposal of low and high level radioactive wastes (LLW and HLW), interim storage and final disposal options for spent fuel (SF), and tritiated wastes, with a focus on environmental impacts due to the mobility of radionuclides in ecosystem, water and soil alongwith other progress made in the management of radioactive wastes.

  3. Eco-innovations for waste prevention--best practices, drivers and barriers.

    PubMed

    Wilts, Henning; Dehoust, Günter; Jepsen, Dirk; Knappe, Florian

    2013-09-01

    Several studies in Germany aimed at the development of a sound database on existing waste prevention measures by public bodies at the local, regional and federal levels. These results are the starting point for the creation of a national prevention program, which has to be presented by all European Member States until the end of 2013--due to the revised European Waste Framework Directive. Based on this empirical foundation, this paper draws conclusions with regard to drivers and barriers for eco-innovations in the field of waste prevention. The analysis shows that an optimized adaptation of information on waste prevention to the needs of specific target groups is still missing but could be a relevant driver. With regard to barriers the results of the study show that waste prevention is by no means always a win-win-situation. Institutional frameworks are missing to coordinate the different interests and for the exchange of experiences that could help to realize learning effects regarding innovation approaches. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  4. Factors influencing the current practice of self-medication consultations in Eastern Indonesian community pharmacies: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Brata, Cecilia; Fisher, Colleen; Marjadi, Brahmaputra; Schneider, Carl R; Clifford, Rhonda M

    2016-05-13

    Research has shown that the current practice of pharmacy staff when providing self-medication consultations in Indonesia is suboptimal. To improve the performance of pharmacy staff when providing self-medication consultations in community pharmacies, the factors that influence current practice need to be understood. The aim of this study is to identify the factors that influence current practice of pharmacy staff when handling self-medication consultations in Eastern Indonesian community pharmacies. Fifteen in-depth interviews were conducted with pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy owners, and counter attendants. Thematic analysis was used to generate findings. The current practice of pharmacy staff when handling self-medication consultations is directly influenced by the professionalism of pharmacy staff and patient responses to the consultations. These factors are in turn affected by the organisational context of the pharmacy and the external pharmacy environment. The organisational context of the pharmacy includes staffing, staff affordability, and the availability of time and facilities in which to provide consultations. The external pharmacy environment includes the number of trained pharmacy staff in the research setting, the relevance of pharmacy education to the needs of pharmacy practice, the support offered by the Indonesian Pharmacists Association, a competitive business environment, and the policy environment. Complex and inter-related factors influence the current practice of pharmacy staff when providing self-medication consultations in community pharmacies in this research setting. Multiple strategies will be required to improve consultation practices.

  5. Vehicle-Routing Optimization for Municipal Solid Waste Collection Using Genetic Algorithm: The Case of Southern Nablus City

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Assaf, Ramiz; Saleh, Yahya

    2017-09-01

    Municipalities are responsible for solid waste collectiont for environmental, social and economic purposes. Practices of municipalities should be effective and efficient, with the objectives of reducing the total incurred costs in the solid waste collection network concurrently achieving the highest service level. This study aims at finding the best routes of solid waste collection network in Nablus city-Palestine. More specifically, the study seeks the optimal route that minimizes the total travelled distance by the trucks and hence the resulted costs. The current situation is evaluated and the problem is modelled as a Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP). The VRP is then optimized via a genetic algorithm. Specifically, compared to the current situation, the trucks total travelled distance was reduced by 66%, whereas the collection time was reduced from 7 hours per truck-trip to 2.3 hours. The findings of this study is useful for all municipality policy makers that are responsible for solid waste collection.

  6. Recent Trends in Sustainable Textile Waste Recycling Methods: Current Situation and Future Prospects.

    PubMed

    Pensupa, Nattha; Leu, Shao-Yuan; Hu, Yunzi; Du, Chenyu; Liu, Hao; Jing, Houde; Wang, Huaimin; Lin, Carol Sze Ki

    2017-08-16

    In recent years, there have been increasing concerns in the disposal of textile waste around the globe. The growth of textile markets not only depends on population growth but also depends on economic and fashion cycles. The fast fashion cycle in the textile industry has led to a high level of consumption and waste generation. This can cause a negative environmental impact since the textile and clothing industry is one of the most polluting industries. Textile manufacturing is a chemical-intensive process and requires a high volume of water throughout its operations. Wastewater and fiber wastes are the major wastes generated during the textile production process. On the other hand, the fiber waste was mainly created from unwanted clothes in the textile supply chain. This fiber waste includes natural fiber, synthetic fiber, and natural/synthetic blends. The natural fiber is mostly comprised of cellulosic material, which can be used as a resource for producing bio-based products. The main challenge for utilization of textile waste is finding the method that is able to recover sugars as monosaccharides. This review provides an overview of valorization of textile waste to value-added products, as well as an overview of different strategies for sugar recovery from cellulosic fiber and their hindrances.

  7. 40 CFR 260.23 - Petitions to amend 40 CFR part 273 to include additional hazardous wastes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: GENERAL Rulemaking... appropriate for the waste or category of waste; will improve management practices for the waste or category of... waste or category of waste, will improve management practices for the waste or category of waste, and...

  8. 40 CFR 260.23 - Petitions to amend 40 CFR part 273 to include additional hazardous wastes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: GENERAL Rulemaking... appropriate for the waste or category of waste; will improve management practices for the waste or category of... waste or category of waste, will improve management practices for the waste or category of waste, and...

  9. 40 CFR 260.23 - Petitions to amend 40 CFR part 273 to include additional hazardous wastes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: GENERAL Rulemaking... appropriate for the waste or category of waste; will improve management practices for the waste or category of... waste or category of waste, will improve management practices for the waste or category of waste, and...

  10. 40 CFR 260.23 - Petitions to amend 40 CFR part 273 to include additional hazardous wastes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: GENERAL Rulemaking... appropriate for the waste or category of waste; will improve management practices for the waste or category of... waste or category of waste, will improve management practices for the waste or category of waste, and...

  11. Risk of Potential Exposure Incident in Non-healthcare Workers in Contact with Infectious and Municipal Waste

    PubMed Central

    Kanisek, Sanja; Gmajnić, Rudika; Barać, Ivana

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Introduction The proper classification of sharp and infectious waste in situ by the healthcare workers is an important measure of prevention of sharps and other exposure incidents in non-healthcare workers, who handle such waste. The aim was to examine the practice of classifying sharp and infectious waste in family and dental practices. Methods An analysis of 50 bags of infectious and 50 bags of municipal waste from five family and five dental practices for five days in October 2016 at the Health centre Osijek. Results Healthcare workers in 70% of the practices deposited sharps in infectious waste. In 56% of infectious waste bags, sharp object were found. More risky bags of infectious waste were produced by family practices (64%), but with no significant differences in relation to dental practices (48%), (P=0.143). Disposing of infectious into municipal waste was the case in 90% of the practitioners, where in 60% of municipal waste bags, infectious waste was disposed. Dental practices produced more risky bags of municipal waste (76%) in relation to family practices (44%), but with no significant difference (P=0.714). Conclusions The results of this research point to importance of performing audits of proper disposal of sharps and infectious waste to reduce the risks of injury to non-healthcare workers who come into contact with the said waste. Given results could be used for framing written protocols of proper disposal of sharps and infectious waste that should be visibly available in family and dental practices and for education of healthcare workers. PMID:29651317

  12. N-SINK - reduction of waste water nitrogen load

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aalto, Sanni; Tiirola, Marja; Arvola, Lauri; Huotari, Jussi; Tulonen, Tiina; Rissanen, Antti; Nykänen, Hannu

    2014-05-01

    Protection of the Baltic Sea from eutrophication is one of the key topics in the European Union environmental policy. One of the main anthropogenic sources of nitrogen (N) loading into Baltic Sea are waste water treatment plants, which are currently capable in removing only 40-70% of N. European commission has obliged Finland and other Baltic states to reduce nitrate load, which would require high monetary investments on nitrate removal processes in treatment plants. In addition, forced denitrification in treatment plants would increase emissions of strong greenhouse gas N2O. In this project (LIFE12 FI/ENV/597 N-SINK) we will develop and demonstrate a novel economically feasible method for nitrogen removal using applied ecosystem services. As sediment is known to have enormous capacity to reduce nitrate to nitrogen gas through denitrification, we predict that spatial optimization of the waste water discharge would be an efficient way to reduce nitrate-based load in aquatic systems. A new sediment filtration approach, which will increase both the area and time that nitrified waste water will be in contact with the reducing microbes of the sediment, is tested. Compared to the currently implemented practice, where purified waste water is discharged though one-point outlet system, we expect that sediment filtration system will result in more efficient denitrification and decreased N load to aquatic system. We will conduct three full-scale demonstrations in the receiving water bodies of waste water treatment plants in Southern and Central Finland. The ecosystem effects of sediment filtration system will be monitored. Using the most advanced stable isotope techniques will allow us accurately measure denitrification and unfavoured DNRA (reduction of nitrite to ammonium) activity.

  13. Measuring waste prevention.

    PubMed

    Zorpas, Antonis A; Lasaridi, Katia

    2013-05-01

    The Waste Framework Directive (WFD-2008/98/EC) has set clear waste prevention procedures, including reporting, reviewing, monitoring and evaluating. Based on the WFD, the European Commission and will offer support to Member States on how to develop waste prevention programmes through guidelines and information sharing on best practices. Monitoring and evaluating waste prevention activities are critical, as they constitute the main tools to enable policy makers, at the national and local level, to build their strategic plans and ensure that waste prevention initiatives are effective and deliver behaviour change. However, how one can measure something that is not there, remains an important and unresolved research question. The paper reviews and attempts to evaluate the methods that are being used for measuring waste prevention and the impact of relevant implemented activities at the household level, as the available data is still limited. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Issues that Drive Waste Management Technology Development for Space Missions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fisher, John W.; Levri, Julie A.; Hogan, John A.; Wignarajah, Kanapathipillai

    2005-01-01

    Waste management technologies for space life support systems are currently at low development levels. Manual compaction of waste in plastic bags and overboard disposal to earth return vehicles are the primary current waste management methods. Particularly on future missions, continuance of current waste management methods would tend to expose the crew to waste hazards, forfeit recoverable resources such as water, consume valuable crew time, contaminate planetary surfaces, and risk return to Earth of extraterrestrial life. Improvement of waste management capabilities is needed for adequate management of wastes. Improvements include recovery of water and other resources, conversion of waste to states harmless to humans, long-term containment of wastes, and disposal of waste. Current NASA requirements documents on waste management are generally not highly detailed. More detailed requirements are needed to guide the development of waste management technologies that will adequately manage waste. In addition to satisfying requirements, waste management technologies must also recover resources. Recovery of resources such as water and habitat volume can reduce mission cost. This paper explores the drivers for waste management technology development including requirements and resource recovery.

  15. Infective endocarditis prophylaxis: current practice trend among paediatric cardiologists: are we following the 2007 guidelines?

    PubMed

    Naik, Ronak J; Patel, Neil R; Wang, Ming; Shah, Nishant C

    2016-08-01

    In 2007, the American Heart Association modified the infective endocarditis prophylaxis guidelines by limiting the use of antibiotics in patients with cardiac conditions associated with the highest risk of adverse outcomes after infective endocarditis. Our objective was to evaluate current practice for infective endocarditis prophylaxis among paediatric cardiologists. A web-based survey focussing on current practice, describing the use of antibiotics for infective endocarditis prophylaxis in various congenital and acquired heart diseases, was distributed via e-mail to paediatric cardiologists. The survey was kept anonymous and was distributed twice. Data from 253 participants were analysed. Most paediatric cardiologists discontinued infective endocarditis prophylaxis in patients with simple lesions such as small ventricular septal defect, patent ductus arteriosus, and bicuspid aortic valve without stenosis or regurgitation; however, significant disagreement persists in prescribing infective endocarditis prophylaxis in certain conditions such as rheumatic heart disease, Fontan palliation without fenestration, and the Ross procedure. Use of antibiotic prophylaxis in certain selected conditions for which infective endocarditis prophylaxis has been indicated as per the current guidelines varies from 44 to 83%. Only 44% follow the current guidelines exclusively, and 34% regularly discuss the importance of oral hygiene with their patients at risk for infective endocarditis. Significant heterogeneity still persists in recommending infective endocarditis prophylaxis for several cardiac lesions among paediatric cardiologists. More than half of the participants (56%) do not follow the current guidelines exclusively in their practice. Counselling for optimal oral health in patients at risk for infective endocarditis needs to be optimised in the current practice.

  16. Aluminium recovery from waste incineration bottom ash, and its oxidation level.

    PubMed

    Biganzoli, Laura; Grosso, Mario

    2013-09-01

    The recovery of aluminium (Al) scraps from waste incineration bottom ash is becoming a common practice in waste management. However, during the incineration process, Al in the waste undergoes oxidation processes that reduce its recycling potential. This article investigates the behaviour of Al scraps in the furnace of two selected grate-fired waste-to-energy plants and the amount recoverable from the bottom ash. About 21-23% of the Al fed to the furnace with the residual waste was recovered and potentially recycled from the bottom ash. Out of this amount, 76-87% was found in the bottom ash fraction above 5 mm and thus can be recovered with standard eddy current separation technology. These values depend on the characteristics and the mechanical strength of the Al items in the residual waste. Considering Al packaging materials, about 81% of the Al in cans can be recovered from the bottom ash as an ingot, but this amount decreases to 51% for trays, 27% for a mix of aluminium and poly-laminated foils and 47% for paper-laminated foils. This shows that the recovery of Al from the incineration residues increases proportionally to the thickness of the packaging.

  17. TESOL: Current Problems and Classroom Practices.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wardhaugh, Ronald

    This paper attempts to "bridge the gap between the practical orientation of teachers and the theoretical concerns that should underlie practice," Discussed in turn are language, psychology, and pedagogical philosophy. An adequate knowledge of these areas is essential to good classroom practices; every bad practice is evidence of some weakness in…

  18. Current Practices and Future Trends in Neuropathology Assessment for Developmental Neurotoxicity Testing

    EPA Science Inventory

    The continuing education course on "Developmental Neurotoxicity Testing" (DNT) was designed to communicate current practices for DNT neuropathology, describe promising innovations in quantitative analysis and non-invasive imaging, and facilitate a discussion among experienced neu...

  19. The current status of 3D imaging in dental practice.

    PubMed

    McNamara, Clare; House, Kate; Davies, Rebecca; Barker, Chris S; Chawla, Ourvinder; Sandy, Jonathan R; Ireland, Anthony J

    2011-12-01

    This article aims to describe the current status of 3-dimensional (3D) imaging in dental practice. Advances in this field have made 3D imaging far more accessible in all dental fields. This paper describes methods of imaging dental hard and soft tissues and their clinical uses. In addition, the potential advantages and disadvantages of various systems are discussed, as well as expected future developments.

  20. Hanford solid-waste handling facility strategy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Albaugh, J. F.

    1982-05-01

    Prior to 1970, transuranic (TRU) solid waste was disposed of at Hanford by shallow land burial. Since 1970, TRU solid waste has been stored in near surface trenches designed to facilitate retrieval after twenty year storage period. Current strategy calls for final disposal in a geologic repository. Funding permitting, in 1983, certification of newly generated TRU waste to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) criteria for geologic disposal will be initiated. Certified and uncertified waste will continue to be stored at Hanford in retrievable storage until a firm schedule for shipment to WIPP is developed. Previously stored wastes retrieved for geologic disposal and newly generated uncertified waste requires processing to assure compliance with disposal criteria. A facility to perform this function is being developed. A study to determine the requirements of this Waste Receiving and Processing (WRAP) Facility is currently being conducted.

  1. Reclamation chain of waste concrete: A case study of Shanghai.

    PubMed

    Xiao, Jianzhuang; Ma, Zhiming; Ding, Tao

    2016-02-01

    A mass of construction and demolition (C&D) waste are generated in Shanghai every year, and it has become a serious environment problem. Reclaiming the waste concrete to produce recycled aggregate (RA) and recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) is an effective method to reduce the C&D waste. This paper develops a reclamation chain of waste concrete based on the researches and practices in Shanghai. C&D waste management, waste concrete disposition, RA production and RAC preparation are discussed respectively. In addition, technical suggestions are also given according to the findings in practical engineering, which aims to optimize the reclamation chain. The results show that the properties of RA and RAC can well meet the requirement of design and practical application through a series of technical measures. The reclamation chain of waste concrete is necessary and appropriate for Shanghai, which provides more opportunities for the wider application of RA and RAC, and it shows a favorable environmental benefit. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Current practices in vestibular schwannoma management: a survey of American and Canadian neurosurgeons.

    PubMed

    Fusco, Matthew R; Fisher, Winfield S; McGrew, Benjamin M; Walters, Beverly C

    2014-12-01

    Comprehensive therapy for vestibular schwannomas has changed dramatically over the past fifty years. Previously, neurosurgeons were most likely to treat these tumors via an independent surgical approach. Currently, many neurosurgeons treat vestibular schwannomas employing an interdisciplinary team approach with neuro-otologists and radiation oncologists. This survey aims to determine the current treatment paradigm for vestibular schwannomas among American and Canadian neurosurgeons, with particular attention to the utilization of a team approach to the surgical resection of these lesions. A seventeen part survey questionnaire was sent by electronic mail to residency trained members of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons currently practicing in Canada or the United States. Questions were divided into groups regarding physician background, overall practice history, recent practice history, opinions on treatment paradigms, and experience with an interdisciplinary team approach. Seven hundred and six responses were received. The vast majority of neurosurgeons surgically resect vestibular schwannomas as part of an interdisciplinary team (85.7%). Regional variations were observed in the use of an interdisciplinary team: 52.3% of responding neurosurgeons who surgically treat vestibular schwannomas without neuro-otologists currently practice in the South (no other region represented more than 15.4% of this group, p=0.02). Surgeons who have treated >50 vestibular schwannomas show a trend towards more frequent utilization of an interdisciplinary approach than less experienced surgeons, but this did not reach statistical significance. The majority of neurosurgeons in the United States and Canada surgically resect vestibular schwannomas via an interdisciplinary approach with the participation of a neuro-otologist. Neurosurgeons in the South appear more likely to surgically treat these tumors alone than neurosurgeons in other regions of the U.S. and Canada

  3. Rules and management of biomedical waste at Vivekananda Polyclinic: a case study.

    PubMed

    Gupta, Saurabh; Boojh, Ram; Mishra, Ajai; Chandra, Hem

    2009-02-01

    Hospitals and other healthcare establishments have a "duty of care" for the environment and for public health, and have particular responsibilities in relation to the waste they produce (i.e., biomedical waste). Negligence, in terms of biomedical waste management, significantly contributes to polluting the environment, affects the health of human beings, and depletes natural and financial resources. In India, in view of the serious situation of biomedical waste management, the Ministry of Environment and Forests, within the Government of India, ratified the Biomedical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, in July 1998. The present paper provides a brief description of the biomedical waste (Management and Handling) Rules 1998, and the current biomedical waste management practices in one of the premier healthcare establishments of Lucknow, the Vivekananda Polyclinic. The objective in undertaking this study was to analyse the biomedical waste management system, including policy, practice (i.e., storage, collection, transportation and disposal), and compliance with the standards prescribed under the regulatory framework. The analysis consisted of interviews with medical authorities, doctors, and paramedical staff involved in the management of the biomedical wastes in the Polyclinic. Other important stakeholders that were consulted and interviewed included environmental engineers (looking after the Biomedical Waste Cell) of the State Pollution Control Board, and randomly selected patients and visitors to the Polyclinic. A general survey of the facilities of the Polyclinic was undertaken to ascertain the efficacy of the implemented measures. The waste was quantified based on random samples collected from each ward. It was found that, although the Polyclinic in general abides by the prescribed regulations for the treatment and disposal of biomedical waste, there is a need to further build the capacity of the Polyclinic and its staff in terms of providing state

  4. The Paravascular Pathway for Brain Waste Clearance: Current Understanding, Significance and Controversy

    PubMed Central

    Bacyinski, Andrew; Xu, Maosheng; Wang, Wei; Hu, Jiani

    2017-01-01

    The paravascular pathway, also known as the “glymphatic” pathway, is a recently described system for waste clearance in the brain. According to this model, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) enters the paravascular spaces surrounding penetrating arteries of the brain, mixes with interstitial fluid (ISF) and solutes in the parenchyma, and exits along paravascular spaces of draining veins. Studies have shown that metabolic waste products and solutes, including proteins involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases such as amyloid-beta, may be cleared by this pathway. Consequently, a growing body of research has begun to explore the association between glymphatic dysfunction and various disease states. However, significant controversy exists in the literature regarding both the direction of waste clearance as well as the anatomical space in which the waste-fluid mixture is contained. Some studies have found no evidence of interstitial solute clearance along the paravascular space of veins. Rather, they demonstrate a perivascular pathway in which waste is cleared from the brain along an anatomically distinct perivascular space in a direction opposite to that of paravascular flow. Although possible explanations have been offered, none have been able to fully reconcile the discrepancies in the literature, and many questions remain. Given the therapeutic potential that a comprehensive understanding of brain waste clearance pathways might offer, further research and clarification is highly warranted. PMID:29163074

  5. The Paravascular Pathway for Brain Waste Clearance: Current Understanding, Significance and Controversy.

    PubMed

    Bacyinski, Andrew; Xu, Maosheng; Wang, Wei; Hu, Jiani

    2017-01-01

    The paravascular pathway, also known as the "glymphatic" pathway, is a recently described system for waste clearance in the brain. According to this model, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) enters the paravascular spaces surrounding penetrating arteries of the brain, mixes with interstitial fluid (ISF) and solutes in the parenchyma, and exits along paravascular spaces of draining veins. Studies have shown that metabolic waste products and solutes, including proteins involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases such as amyloid-beta, may be cleared by this pathway. Consequently, a growing body of research has begun to explore the association between glymphatic dysfunction and various disease states. However, significant controversy exists in the literature regarding both the direction of waste clearance as well as the anatomical space in which the waste-fluid mixture is contained. Some studies have found no evidence of interstitial solute clearance along the paravascular space of veins. Rather, they demonstrate a perivascular pathway in which waste is cleared from the brain along an anatomically distinct perivascular space in a direction opposite to that of paravascular flow. Although possible explanations have been offered, none have been able to fully reconcile the discrepancies in the literature, and many questions remain. Given the therapeutic potential that a comprehensive understanding of brain waste clearance pathways might offer, further research and clarification is highly warranted.

  6. E-waste hazard: The impending challenge

    PubMed Central

    Pinto, Violet N.

    2008-01-01

    Electronic waste or e-waste is one of the rapidly growing problems of the world. E-waste comprises of a multitude of components, some containing toxic substances that can have an adverse impact on human health and the environment if not handled properly. In India, e-waste management assumes greater significance not only due to the generation of its own e-waste but also because of the dumping of e-waste from developed countries. This is coupled with India's lack of appropriate infrastructure and procedures for its disposal and recycling. This review article provides a concise overview of India's current e-waste scenario, namely magnitude of the problem, environmental and health hazards, current disposal and recycling operations, existing legal framework, organizations working on this issue and recommendations for action. PMID:20040981

  7. E-waste hazard: The impending challenge.

    PubMed

    Pinto, Violet N

    2008-08-01

    Electronic waste or e-waste is one of the rapidly growing problems of the world. E-waste comprises of a multitude of components, some containing toxic substances that can have an adverse impact on human health and the environment if not handled properly. In India, e-waste management assumes greater significance not only due to the generation of its own e-waste but also because of the dumping of e-waste from developed countries. This is coupled with India's lack of appropriate infrastructure and procedures for its disposal and recycling. This review article provides a concise overview of India's current e-waste scenario, namely magnitude of the problem, environmental and health hazards, current disposal and recycling operations, existing legal framework, organizations working on this issue and recommendations for action.

  8. Current practice of preoperative fasting: a nationwide survey in Japanese anesthesia-teaching hospitals.

    PubMed

    Shime, Nobuaki; Ono, Akira; Chihara, Eiichi; Tanaka, Yoshifumi

    2005-01-01

    We conducted a nationwide survey to investigate the current practice of the preoperative fasting period in Japanese anesthesia-teaching hospitals. Acceptance of the clinical practice guideline published by the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) was also surveyed. A written type of questionnaire was mailed to 795 teaching hospitals. The response rate of the questionnaires was 57%. Most (>90%) of the respondents had been applying a longer fasting period than the ASA-recommended minimum period specifically in adults; the median duration of fasting was 12-13 h for solids and 6-9 h for liquids. Children or infants were allowed a more liberalized fasting period, frequently being permitted an oral intake of clear fluids up to 3 h before anesthesia. The incidence of pulmonary aspiration was 1/12,500 general anesthesia cases, and application of the ASA guideline appeared not to affect the incidence. Japanese anesthesiologists were still reluctant to depart from their traditional long fasting periods, as most of them could find little benefit in reducing the fasting periods. The long preoperative fasting period is still common practice in Japanese anesthesia-teaching hospitals. A national guideline for a preoperative fasting policy is worth exploring to change the current practice.

  9. The effect of recent amblyopia research on current practice in the UK.

    PubMed

    Newsham, D

    2010-10-01

    Several studies have recently provided insights into how amblyopia may be most effectively managed. Despite the new evidence, a US study reported that a recent randomised controlled trial had made little influence on clinical practice. The aims of this research are to assess current practice of amblyopia management in the UK and to determine the comparability with the evidence-based recommendations. A questionnaire was constructed to assess current amblyopia management practice, particularly in relation to areas investigated by recent research and emailed to every head orthoptist within the UK. There was a great deal of variability in the amount of occlusion that was prescribed for moderate and severe amblyopia. Sixty per cent of clinicians indicated that the maximum they would prescribe was in excess of the 6 h recommended by research. Atropine was rarely recommended as a first-line treatment, with occlusion generally being considered to be more effective. Despite recommendations regarding education as a means of reducing non-compliance, only 39% of clinicians always gave written information, although various other methods of enhancing compliance were used. A period of refractive adaptation was allowed by most clinicians but often far less than recommended. The uptake of recent research evidence into clinical practice is sporadic and incomplete with one-third of respondents indicating that following the studies, they had made no changes whatsoever to their practice. This is similar to other areas of medicine; the reasons are likely to be varied, and is an area that would benefit from greater attention.

  10. The role of intergenerational influence in waste education programmes: The THAW project

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

    Maddox, P.; Doran, C.; Williams, I.D., E-mail: idw@soton.ac.uk

    Highlights: > Children can be effective advocates in changing their parents' lifestyles. > We investigated the role of intergenerational influence in waste education programmes. > Waste Watch's Take Home Action on Waste project worked with 6705 children in 39 schools. > The results showed increased participation in recycling and declines in residual waste. > The study shows that recycling behaviour is positively impacted by intergenerational influence. - Abstract: Whilst the education of young people is often seen as a part of the solution to current environmental problems seeking urgent attention, it is often forgotten that their parents and other householdmore » members can also be educated/influenced via home-based educational activities. This paper explores the theory of intergenerational influence in relation to school based waste education. Waste Watch, a UK-based environmental charity ((www.wastewatch.org.uk)), has pioneered a model that uses practical activities and whole school involvement to promote school based action on waste. This methodology has been adopted nationally. This paper outlines and evaluates how effective school based waste education is in promoting action at a household level. The paper outlines Waste Watch's 'Taking Home Action on Waste (THAW)' project carried out for two and half years in Rotherham, a town in South Yorkshire, England. The project worked with 6705 primary age children in 39 schools (44% of primary schools in the project area) to enable them to take the 'reduce, reuse and recycle message' home to their families and to engage these (i.e. families) in sustainable waste management practices. As well as substantial increases in students' knowledge and understanding of waste reduction, measurement of the impact of the project in areas around 12 carefully chosen sample schools showed evidence of increased participation in recycling and recycling tonnages as well as declining levels of residual waste. Following delivery of the

  11. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: current clinical practice, coding, and reimbursement.

    PubMed

    Schuerer, Douglas J E; Kolovos, Nikoleta S; Boyd, Kayla V; Coopersmith, Craig M

    2008-07-01

    Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a technique for providing life support for patients experiencing both pulmonary and cardiac failure by maintaining oxygenation and perfusion until native organ function is restored. ECMO is used routinely at many specialized hospitals for infants and less commonly for children with respiratory or cardiac failure from a variety of causes. Its usage is more controversial in adults, but select medical centers have reported favorable findings in patients with ARDS and other causes of severe pulmonary failure. ECMO is also rarely used as a rescue therapy in a small subset of adult patients with cardiac failure. This article will review the current uses and techniques of ECMO in the critical care setting as well as the evidence supporting its usage. In addition, current practice management related to coding and reimbursement for this intensive therapy will be discussed.

  12. Infectious Risk Assessment of Unsafe Handling Practices and Management of Clinical Solid Waste

    PubMed Central

    Hossain, Md. Sohrab; Rahman, Nik Norulaini Nik Ab; Balakrishnan, Venugopal; Puvanesuaran, Vignesh R.; Sarker, Md. Zaidul Islam; Kadir, Mohd Omar Ab

    2013-01-01

    The present study was undertaken to determine the bacterial agents present in various clinical solid wastes, general waste and clinical sharp waste. The waste was collected from different wards/units in a healthcare facility in Penang Island, Malaysia. The presence of bacterial agents in clinical and general waste was determined using the conventional bacteria identification methods. Several pathogenic bacteria including opportunistic bacterial agent such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella spp., Klebsiella pneumoniae, Serratia marcescens, Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus pyogenes were detected in clinical solid wastes. The presence of specific pathogenic bacterial strains in clinical sharp waste was determined using 16s rDNA analysis. In this study, several nosocomial pathogenic bacteria strains of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Lysinibacillus sphaericus, Serratia marcescens, and Staphylococcus aureus were detected in clinical sharp waste. The present study suggests that waste generated from healthcare facilities should be sterilized at the point of generation in order to eliminate nosocomial infections from the general waste or either of the clinical wastes. PMID:23435587

  13. E-waste: a global hazard.

    PubMed

    Perkins, Devin N; Brune Drisse, Marie-Noel; Nxele, Tapiwa; Sly, Peter D

    2014-01-01

    Waste from end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment, known as e-waste, is a rapidly growing global problem. E-waste contains valuable materials that have an economic value when recycled. Unfortunately, the majority of e-waste is recycled in the unregulated informal sector and results in significant risk for toxic exposures to the recyclers, who are frequently women and children. The aim of this study was to document the extent of the problems associated with inappropriate e-waste recycling practices. This was a narrative review that highlighted where e-waste is generated, where it is recycled, the range of adverse environmental exposures, the range of adverse health consequences, and the policy frameworks that are intended to protect vulnerable populations from inappropriate e-waste recycling practices. The amount of e-waste being generated is increasing rapidly and is compounded by both illegal exportation and inappropriate donation of electronic equipment, especially computers, from developed to developing countries. As little as 25% of e-waste is recycled in formal recycling centers with adequate worker protection. The health consequences of both direct exposures during recycling and indirect exposures through environmental contamination are potentially severe but poorly studied. Policy frameworks aimed at protecting vulnerable populations exist but are not effectively applied. E-waste recycling is necessary but it should be conducted in a safe and standardized manor. The acceptable risk thresholds for hazardous, secondary e-waste substances should not be different for developing and developed countries. However, the acceptable thresholds should be different for children and adults given the physical differences and pronounced vulnerabilities of children. Improving occupational conditions for all e-waste workers and striving for the eradication of child labor is non-negotiable. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Transitional care for rheumatic conditions in Europe: current clinical practice and available resources.

    PubMed

    Clemente, Daniel; Leon, Leticia; Foster, Helen; Carmona, Loreto; Minden, Kirsten

    2017-06-09

    To assess European pediatric rheumatology providers' current clinical practices and resources used in the transition from child-centered to adult-oriented care. European pediatric rheumatologists were invited to complete a 17-item anonymized e-survey assessing current transition practices, transition policy awareness, and needs in advance of the publication of EULAR/PReS recommendations on transition. The response rate was 121/276 (44%), including responses from 115 centers in 22 European Union countries. Although 32/121 (26%) responded that their centers did not offer transition services, the majority (99%) agreed that a formalized process in transitioning patients to adult care is necessary. A minority (<30%) of respondents stated that they have a written transition policy although 46% have an informal transition process. Designated staff to support transitional care were available in a minority of centers: nurse (35%), physiotherapist (15%), psychologist (15%), social worker (8%), and occupational therapist (2%). The existence of a designated team member to coordinate transition was acknowledged in many centers (64% of respondents) although just 36% use a checklist for young people as part of individualized transitional care. This survey of European pediatric rheumatology providers regarding transitional care practices demonstrates agreement that transitional care is important, and wide variation in current provision of transition services exists.

  15. Heat supply from municipal solid waste incineration plants in Japan: Current situation and future challenges.

    PubMed

    Tabata, Tomohiro; Tsai, Peii

    2016-02-01

    The use of waste-to-energy technology as part of a municipal solid waste management strategy could reduce the use of fossil fuels and contribute to prevention of global warming. In this study, we examined current heat and electricity production by incineration plants in Japan for external use. Herein, we discuss specific challenges to the promotion of heat utilisation and future municipal solid waste management strategies. We conducted a questionnaire survey to determine the actual conditions of heat production by incineration plants. From the survey results, information of about 498 incineration plants was extracted. When we investigated the relationship between heat production for external use and population density where incineration plants were located, we found that regions with a population density <1000 persons (km(2))(-1) produce <500 MJ t(-1) of heat. We also found that external use of such energy for factories, markets, and related use, was noted in cities with a population density of 2000 to 4000 persons (km(2))(-1). Several incineration plants have poor performance for heat production because there are few facilities near them to provide demand for the energy. This is the result of redundant capacity, and is reflected in the heat production performance. Given these results, we discussed future challenges to creating energy demand around incineration plants where there is presently none. We also examined the challenges involved in increasing heat supply beyond the present situation. © The Author(s) 2015.

  16. Guidance on How to Move from Current Practice to Recommended Practice in Life Cycle Impact Assessment (UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative Publication)

    EPA Science Inventory

    The report provides guidance on how to move from current practice to recommended practice in Life Cycle Impact Assessment. It is composed of three complementary parts elaborated in the first task force (TFI) of the LCIA programme, with contribution of the other three task forces:

  17. Surgical handover in an era of reduced working hours: an audit of current practice.

    PubMed

    Shafiq-ur-Rehman; Mehmood, Sajid; Ahmed, Jamil; Razzaq, Muhammad Haroon; Khan, Shakeeb; Perry, Eugene Phillip

    2012-06-01

    To examine the current practice of handover and to record trainees' assessment of handover process. An audit study. Department of General Surgery, Scarborough General Hospital, Scarborough, United Kingdom, from January to April 2010. A paper-based questionnaire containing instruments pertaining to handover guidelines was disseminated to trainees on surgical on-call rota at the hospital. Trainees' responses regarding handover process including information transferred, designated location, duration, structure, senior supervision, awareness of guidelines, formal training, and rating of current handover practice were analysed. A total of 42 questionnaires were returned (response rate = 100%). The trainees included were; registrars 21% (n=9), core surgical trainees 38 % (n=16), and foundation trainees 41% (n=17). Satisfactory compliance (> 80% handover sessions) to RCS guidelines was observed for only five out of nine components. Ninety-five percent of hand over sessions took place at a designated place and two-third lasted less than 20-minutes. Computer generated handover sheet 57% (n=24) was the most commonly practised method of handover. Specialist registrar 69 % (n=29) remained the supervising person in majority of handover sessions. None of the respondents received formal teaching or training in handover, whereas only half of them 48% (n=20) were aware of handover guidelines. Twenty-one percent of the trainees expressed dissatisfaction with the current practice of handover. Current practice of surgical handover lacks structure despite a fair degree of compliance to RCS handover guidelines. A computerised-sheet based structured handover process, subjected to regular audit, would ensure patient safety and continuity of care.

  18. Airborne microorganisms from waste containers.

    PubMed

    Jedlicka, Sabrina S; Stravitz, David M; Lyman, Charles E

    2012-01-01

    In physician's offices and biomedical labs, biological waste is handled every day. This waste is disposed of in waste containers designed for holding red autoclave bags. The containers used in these environments are closed hands-free containers, often with a step pedal. While these containers protect the user from surface-borne microorganisms, the containers may allow airborne microorganisms to escape via the open/close mechanism because of the air current produced upon open/close cycles. In this study, the air current was shown to be sufficient to allow airborne escape of microorganisms held in the container, including Aspergillus niger. However, bacterial cultures, such as Escherichia coli and Lactococcus lactis did not escape. This may be due to the choice of bacterial cultures and the absence of solid waste, such as dust or other particulate matter in the waste containers, that such strains of bacteria could travel on during aerosolization. We compared these results to those obtained using a re-designed receptacle, which mimimizes air currents, and detected no escaping microorganisms. This study highlights one potential source of airborne contamination in labs, hospitals, and other environments that dispose of biological waste.

  19. Hazardous Waste Minimization Assessment: Fort Campbell, Kentucky

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1991-03-01

    Used Oii - Better Operating Practices . Selective Segregation 97 Used Oil - Process Change - Fast Lube Oil Change System (FLOCS) 98 Caustic Wastes...Product Substitution 98 Caustic Wastes - Process Change - Hot Tank (Equipment) Modifications 98 Aqueous or Caustic Wastes - Process Change - Dry Ovens...Aqueous or Caustic Wastes - Equipment Leasiag 102 Dirty Rags/Uniforms • Onsite/Offsite Recycling - Laundry Service 103 Treatment 103 Used Oil - Onsite

  20. Hazardous waste management in the Pacific basin

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

    Cirillo, R.R.; Chiu, S.; Chun, K.C.

    1994-11-01

    Hazardous waste control activities in Asia and the Pacific have been reviewed. The review includes China (mainland, Hong Kong, and Taiwan), Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. It covers the sources of hazardous waste, the government structure for dealing with hazardous waste, and current hazardous waste control activities in each country. In addition, the hazardous waste program activities of US government agencies, US private-sector organizations, and international organizations are reviewed. The objective of these reviews is to provide a comprehensive picture of the current hazardous waste problems and the waste management approaches being used tomore » address them so that new program activities can be designed more efficiently.« less

  1. Automotive Thermoelectric Waste Heat Recovery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meisner, Gregory P.

    2015-03-01

    Considerable fuel energy, as much as 70%, is not converted to useful work by internal combustion engines but is instead rejected as waste heat, and more than half of the waste heat, nearly 40% of fuel energy, is contained in vehicle exhaust gas. This provides an opportunity to recover some of the wasted fuel energy and convert it from heat into useful work, subject to the laws of thermodynamics, and thereby improve vehicle energy efficiency. Thermoelectric (TE) materials have been extensively researched and TE devices are now being developed for operation at high temperatures corresponding to automotive exhaust gases for direct solid-state conversion of heat into electricity. This has stimulated substantial progress in the development of practical TE generator (TEG) systems for large-scale commercialization. A significant enabler of this progress has been the US Department of Energy's Vehicle Technologies Program through funding for low cost solutions for automotive TE waste heat recovery to improve fuel economy. Our current project at General Motors has culminated in the identification of the potential supply chain for all components and assembly of an automotive TEG. A significant focus has been to develop integrated and iterative modeling tools for a fully optimized TEG design that includes all components and subsystems (TE modules, heat exchangers, thermal interfaces, electrical interconnects, power conditioning, and vehicle integration for maximal use of TEG power). We have built and tested a new, low-cost Initial TEG prototype based on state-of-the-art production-scale skutterudite TE modules, novel heat exchanger designs, and practical solutions to the many technical challenges for optimum TEG performance. We will use the results for our Initial TEG prototype to refine our modeling and design tools for a Final automotive TEG system prototype. Our recent results will be presented. Thanks to: J.R. Salvador, E.R. Gundlach, D. Thompson, N.K. Bucknor, M

  2. Correlates of domestic waste management and related health outcomes in Sunyani, Ghana: a protocol towards enhancing policy.

    PubMed

    Addo, Henry O; Dun-Dery, Elvis J; Afoakwa, Eugenia; Elizabeth, Addai; Ellen, Amposah; Rebecca, Mwinfaug

    2017-07-03

    Domestic waste generation has contributed significantly to hampering national waste management efforts. It poses serious threat to national development and requires proper treatment and management within and outside households. The problem of improper waste management has always been a challenge in Ghana, compelling several national surveys to report on the practice of waste management. However, little is known about how much waste is generated and managed within households and there is a serious dearth of information for national policy and planning. This paper seeks to document the handling and practice of waste management, including collection, storage, transportation and disposal along with the types and amount of waste generated by Households and their related health outcome. The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study and used a multi-stage sampling technique to sample 700 households. The study was planned and implemented from January to May 2015. It involved the use of structured questionnaires in the data collection over the period. Factors such as demographic characteristics, amount of waste generated, types of waste bins used within households, waste recycling, cost of disposing waste, and distance to dumpsite were all assessed. The paper shows that each surveyed household generated 0.002 t of waste per day, of which 29% are both organic and inorganic. Though more than half of the respondents (53.6%) had positive attitude towards waste management, only 29.1% practiced waste management. The study reveals that there is no proper management of domestic waste except in few households that segregate waste. The study identified several elements as determinants of waste management practice. Female respondents were less likely to practice waste management (AOR 0.45; 95% Cl 0.29, 0.79), household size also determined respondents practice (AOR 0.26; Cl 0.09, 0.77). Practice of recycling (AOR 0.03; Cl 0.02, 0.08), distance to dumpsite (AOR 0.45; Cl 0.20, 0

  3. Alcohol-related problems: emergency physicians' current practice and attitudes.

    PubMed

    O'Rourke, Maria; Richardson, Lynne D; Wilets, Ilene; D'Onofrio, Gail

    2006-04-01

    To determine whether emergency physicians' (EPs) attitudes affect their support and practice of brief intervention in the Emergency Department (ED), EPs completed an anonymous survey. EPs were asked about their attitudes toward patients with alcohol problems, current ED screening, use of brief intervention, and barriers to use of brief intervention. Chi-square analysis was used and a step-wise regression model was constructed. Respondents reported a high prevalence of patients with alcohol-related problems: 18% in a typical shift. Eighty-one percent said it is important to advise patients to change behavior; half said using a brief intervention is important. Attending physicians had significantly less alcohol education than residents, but were significantly more likely to support the use of brief intervention. Support was not associated with gender, race, census, hours of education, or personal experience. EPs who felt that brief intervention was an integral part of their job were more likely to use it in their daily practice.

  4. Transforming nursing education: a review of current curricular practices in relation to Benner's latest work.

    PubMed

    Handwerker, Sarah M

    2012-09-12

    Current societal and healthcare system trends highlight the need to transform nursing education to prepare nurses capable of outstanding practice in the 21st century. Patricia Benner and colleagues urged nurse educators to transform their practice in the 2010 publication Educating Nurses, A Call to Radical Transformation. Frequently utilized pedagogical frameworks in nursing education include behaviorism and constructivism. Much of the structure and basis for instruction and evaluation can be found rooted in these philosophies. By first exploring both behaviorism and constructivism and then relating their use in nursing education to the call to transform, educators can be encourage to examine current practice and possibly modify aspects to include more rich experiential learning.

  5. Critical Ethical Issues in Online Counseling: Assessing Current Practices with an Ethical Intent Checklist

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shaw, Holly E.; Shaw, Sarah F.

    2006-01-01

    The authors used a 16-item Ethical Intent Checklist, developed from the American Counseling Association's (1999) Ethical Standards for Internet Online Counseling, to assess the current practices of 88 online counseling Web sites. Results showed fewer than half of online counselors were following the accepted practice on 8 of the 16 items. Online…

  6. Research challenges in municipal solid waste logistics management.

    PubMed

    Bing, Xiaoyun; Bloemhof, Jacqueline M; Ramos, Tania Rodrigues Pereira; Barbosa-Povoa, Ana Paula; Wong, Chee Yew; van der Vorst, Jack G A J

    2016-02-01

    During the last two decades, EU legislation has put increasing pressure on member countries to achieve specified recycling targets for municipal household waste. These targets can be obtained in various ways choosing collection methods, separation methods, decentral or central logistic systems, etc. This paper compares municipal solid waste (MSW) management practices in various EU countries to identify the characteristics and key issues from a waste management and reverse logistics point of view. Further, we investigate literature on modelling municipal solid waste logistics in general. Comparing issues addressed in literature with the identified issues in practice result in a research agenda for modelling municipal solid waste logistics in Europe. We conclude that waste recycling is a multi-disciplinary problem that needs to be considered at different decision levels simultaneously. A holistic view and taking into account the characteristics of different waste types are necessary when modelling a reverse supply chain for MSW recycling. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Management of solid waste

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thompson, W. T.; Stinton, L. H.

    1980-04-01

    Compliance with the latest regulatory requirements addressing disposal of radioactive, hazardous, and sanitary solid waste criteria in the selection, design, and operation of solid waste management facilities. Due to the state of flux of these regulatory requirements from EPA and NRC, several waste management options were of solid waste. The current regulatory constraints and the design and operational requirements for construction of both storage and disposal facilities for use in management of DOE-ORO solid waste are highlighted. Capital operational costs are included for both disposal and storage options.

  8. Importance of patient education on home medical care waste disposal in Japan

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

    Ikeda, Yukihiro, E-mail: yuyu@med.kindai.ac.jp

    Highlights: • Attached office nurses more recovered medical waste from patients’ homes. • Most nurses educated their patients on how to store home medical care waste in their homes and on how to separate them. • Around half of nurses educated their patients on where to dispose of their home medical care waste. - Abstract: To determine current practices in the disposal and handling of home medical care (HMC) waste, a questionnaire was mailed to 1965 offices nationwide. Of the office that responded, 1283 offices were analyzed. Offices were classified by management configuration: those attached to hospitals were classified asmore » ”attached offices” and others as “independent offices”. More nurses from attached offices recovered medical waste from patients’ homes than those from independent offices. Most nurses educated their patients on how to store HMC waste in their homes (79.3% of total) and on how to separate HMC waste (76.5% of total). On the other hand, only around half of nurses (47.3% from attached offices and 53.2% from independent offices) educated their patients on where to dispose of their HMC waste. 66.0% of offices replied that patients had separated their waste appropriately. The need for patient education has emerged in recent years, with education for nurses under the diverse conditions of HMC being a key factor in patient education.« less

  9. Greenhouse gases emissions from waste management practices using Life Cycle Inventory model.

    PubMed

    Chen, Tsao-Chou; Lin, Cheng-Fang

    2008-06-30

    When exploring the correlation between municipal solid waste management and green house gas emission, the volume and physical composition of the waste matter must be taken into account. Due to differences in local environments and lifestyles the quantity and composition of waste often vary. This leads to differences in waste treatment methods and causes different volumes of greenhouse gases (GHGs), highlighting the need for local research. In this study the Life Cycle Inventory method was used with global warming indicator GHGs as the variables. By quantifying the data and adopting a region-based approach, this created a model of household MSWM in Taipei City, a metropolitan region in Taiwan. To allow analysis and comparison a compensatory system was then added to expand the system boundary. The results of the analysis indicated that out of all the solid waste management sub-models for a function unit, recycling was the most effective method for reducing GHG emissions while using kitchen food waste as swine feeding resulted in the most GHG emissions. As for the impact of waste collection vehicles on emissions, if the efficiency of transportation could be improved and energy consumption reduced, this will help solid waste management to achieve its goal of reducing GHG emissions.

  10. Accelerator-driven Transmutation of Waste

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Venneri, Francesco

    1998-04-01

    Nuclear waste from commercial power plants contains large quantities of plutonium, other fissionable actinides, and long-lived fission products that are potential proliferation concerns and create challenges for the long-term storage. Different strategies for dealing with nuclear waste are being followed by various countries because of their geologic situations and their views on nuclear energy, reprocessing and non-proliferation. The current United States policy is to store unprocessed spent reactor fuel in a geologic repository. Other countries are opting for treatment of nuclear waste, including partial utilization of the fissile material contained in the spent fuel, prior to geologic storage. Long-term uncertainties are hampering the acceptability and eventual licensing of a geologic repository for nuclear spent fuel in the US, and driving up its cost. The greatest concerns are with the potential for radiation release and exposure from the spent fuel for tens of thousands of years and the possible diversion and use of the actinides contained in the waste for weapons construction. Taking advantage of the recent breakthroughs in accelerator technology and of the natural flexibility of subcritical systems, the Accelerator-driven Transmutation of Waste (ATW) concept offers the United States and other countries the possibility to greatly reduce plutonium, higher actinides and environmentally hazardous fission products from the waste stream destined for permanent storage. ATW does not eliminate the need for, but instead enhances the viability of permanent waste repositories. Far from being limited to waste destruction, the ATW concept also brings to the table new technologies that could be relevant for next-generation power producing reactors. In the ATW concept, spent fuel would be shipped to the ATW site where the plutonium, transuranics and selected long-lived fission products would be destroyed by fission or transmutation in their first and only pass through the

  11. Practice of using human excreta as fertilizer and implications for health in Nghean Province, Vietnam.

    PubMed

    Phuc, P D; Konradsen, F; Phuong, P T; Cam, P D; Dalsgaard, A

    2006-01-01

    The ancient practice of applying latrine wastes to agricultural land has maintained soil fertility in Vietnam for several centuries but may be associated with health risks if the wastes are inadequately treated before usage. This study aimed at investigating the perceptions and handling practices using latrine wastes as fertilizers in a community in central Vietnam. Information was collected through structured questionnaire interviews administered to 75 farming households, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. The majority (64%) of households had a single vault latrine, a possession that was associated with low income (chi2= 12.45; p < 0.05). Most households (85%) used latrine waste in agriculture that was composted before usage (98%). Households often mixed the composted excreta with kitchen ashes and powdered lime likely to increase pH and pathogen die-off. About 28% of households that were applying latrine waste as fertilizer composted three to six months, and only 11 (18%) households composted human excreta for more than the recommended six months. Households with double vault latrines were 7.8 (chi2= 9.4; p<0.05) times more likely to compost human excreta more than six months as compared with households having single vault latrine. Most farmers distributed the latrine wastes with bare hands (66%) because of convenience during application. Respondents with a high educational level used protective gloves more often when distributing latrine wastes in the fields compared to respondents with a low educational level (chi2 = 7.6; p<0.05). If any negative health impacts of latrine waste use in agriculture are to be reduced, then it is suggested that sustainable interventions should take into consideration farmers current excreta-use practices.

  12. Physiotherapy in upper abdominal surgery - what is current practice in Australia?

    PubMed

    Patman, Shane; Bartley, Alice; Ferraz, Allex; Bunting, Cath

    2017-01-01

    Upper abdominal surgery (UAS) has the potential to cause post-operative pulmonary complications (PPCs). In the absence of high-quality research regarding post-operative physiotherapy management, consensus-based best practice guidelines formulated by Hanekom et al. (2012) are available to clinicians providing recommendations for post-UAS treatment. Such best practice guidelines have recommended that physiotherapists should be using early mobilisation and respiratory intervention to minimise risk of PPCs. However, recent evidence supports the implementation of mobilisation as a standalone treatment in PPC prevention, though the diversity in literature poses questions regarding ideal current practice. This project aimed to document and report the assessment measures and interventions physiotherapists are utilising following UAS, establishing whether current management is reflective of best practice guidelines and recent evidence. An online survey was completed by 57 experienced Australian physiotherapists working with patients following UAS (35% survey response rate, 63% completion rate). On day one following UAS, when a patient's condition is not medically limited, most physiotherapists routinely mobilise. Additionally, routine chest treatment continues to be implemented, with only 23% ( n  = 11/47) of physiotherapists mobilising patients without accompanying specific respiratory intervention. Variability of screening tools used to identify post-operative patients at high risk of PPC development was evident. Patient-dependent factors such as 'fatigue' and 'non-compliance' were among those identified as barriers to treatment, all influencing the commencement of treatment. Physiotherapists indicated that early mobilisation away from the bedside was the preferred post-operative treatment within the UAS patient population. Many continue to perform routine respiratory interventions despite recent literature suggesting it may provide no additional benefit to preventing

  13. DWPF Safely Dispositioning Liquid Waste

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

    None

    2016-01-05

    The only operating radioactive waste glassification plant in the nation, the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) converts the liquid radioactive waste currently stored at the Savannah River Site (SRS) into a solid glass form suitable for long-term storage and disposal. Scientists have long considered this glassification process, called “vitrification,” as the preferred option for treating liquid radioactive waste.

  14. Current CFD Practices in Launch Vehicle Applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kwak, Dochan; Kiris, Cetin

    2012-01-01

    The quest for sustained space exploration will require the development of advanced launch vehicles, and efficient and reliable operating systems. Development of launch vehicles via test-fail-fix approach is very expensive and time consuming. For decision making, modeling and simulation (M&S) has played increasingly important roles in many aspects of launch vehicle development. It is therefore essential to develop and maintain most advanced M&S capability. More specifically computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been providing critical data for developing launch vehicles complementing expensive testing. During the past three decades CFD capability has increased remarkably along with advances in computer hardware and computing technology. However, most of the fundamental CFD capability in launch vehicle applications is derived from the past advances. Specific gaps in the solution procedures are being filled primarily through "piggy backed" efforts.on various projects while solving today's problems. Therefore, some of the advanced capabilities are not readily available for various new tasks, and mission-support problems are often analyzed using ad hoc approaches. The current report is intended to present our view on state-of-the-art (SOA) in CFD and its shortcomings in support of space transport vehicle development. Best practices in solving current issues will be discussed using examples from ascending launch vehicles. Some of the pacing will be discussed in conjunction with these examples.

  15. Autopsy in Islam and current practice in Arab Muslim countries.

    PubMed

    Mohammed, Madadin; Kharoshah, Magdy A

    2014-03-01

    Autopsy, or post-mortem examination, is the dissection of a dead body. It is performed for many reasons. Attitudes toward dead bodies vary with religious beliefs and cultural and geographical backgrounds. We have carried out an extensive literature review to determine the Islamic view and current practice of Autopsy, in at least four Arab countries which published their experiences. Several research articles have studied the history of Islamic Autopsy as well as the current situation and legal debates about it. The overwhelming conclusion is that data is lacking. More must be published from Arabic Muslim countries and more research done to correct misconceptions. We also recommend more application of non-invasive Autopsy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

  16. Solid-waste management in Jalandhar city and its impact on community health

    PubMed Central

    Puri, Avinash; Kumar, Manoj; Johal, Eonkar

    2008-01-01

    In this study, solid-waste management practices were evaluated in order to find out its link with occurrence of vector-borne disease. Strategies for solid-waste management were employed as practical model to solve the problems regarding pollution which is originated by solid-waste. PMID:20040983

  17. Fuels from pyrolysis of waste plastic

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    A large quantity of carbon containing materials, such as waste plastic, used tires, food waste, and biomass end up in landfills. These materials represent a rich energy source that is currently untapped or underutilized. Municipal solid waste is comprised of 12% waste plastic, but only a small fract...

  18. Goal setting practice in chronic low back pain. What is current practice and is it affected by beliefs and attitudes?

    PubMed

    Gardner, Tania; Refshauge, Kathryn; McAuley, James; Hübscher, Markus; Goodall, Stephen; Smith, Lorraine

    2018-01-18

    Goal setting, led by the patient, is promising as an effective treatment for the management of chronic low back pain (CLBP); however, little is known about current practice. The aims of the study were to explore (1) current goal setting practice in CLBP among physiotherapists; (2) perceived barriers to goal setting in CLBP; and (3) relationship between clinician's attitudes and beliefs and goal setting practice. A cross-sectional observational survey. The majority of respondents used goal setting with the main aim of facilitating self-management. The greatest number of goals were set with 50% therapist/50% patient involvement. The most common perceived barriers to goal setting related to time constraints and lack of skill and confidence. A higher biomedical score for treatment orientation of the therapist was associated with a lower patient involvement score. Goal setting is common practice for CLBP and is perceived as a high priority. It is more often a collaboration between therapist and patient rather than patient-led with treatment orientation of the physiotherapist a predictor of patient involvement. Education of healthcare professionals needs to include better understanding of chronic pain to orient them away from a biomedical treatment approach, as well as to enhance skills in facilitating patient involvement in goal setting.

  19. Technology-neutral green procurement in practice - an example from Swedish waste management.

    PubMed

    Arvidsson, Anders; Stage, Jesper

    2012-05-01

    Green public procurement has been criticized for its excessive reliance on detailed technology specifications, which can distort incentives in the short term and discourage innovation in the longer term. Economists therefore tend to prefer technology-neutral procurement, which rewards outcomes rather than technologies. However, technology-neutral procurement can also be problematic in practice. The present study investigated green public procurement of waste management, a rapidly growing field. In one of the most sophisticated models for technology-neutral procurement applied in Sweden in recent years, different environmental impacts were assigned weights, but no weight was given to the particular technology employed. Even here, however, potential inefficiencies were found where the scoring rule could have led to arbitrary, and presumably unwanted, outcomes. Explicitly assigning monetary surcharges to desirable and undesirable environmental effects may be a better way to reach environmental targets.

  20. A novel process for preparing fireproofing materials from various industrial wastes.

    PubMed

    Su, Yi; Wang, Lei; Zhang, Fu-Shen

    2018-05-09

    In the current study, the possibility of incorporating various industrial wastes into fireproofing materials was investigated. It was found that the newly developed materials showed excellent air sealing and fireproofing performance, with air permeability coefficients 3 to 4 orders of magnitude smaller than traditional fire prevention materials. The influence of different parameters on the air permeability was investigated, and the air sealing mechanisms were clarified through microstructure analysis. In addition, the workability and mechanical properties of the fireproofing materials for practical application in coal mine were studied. The new materials derived from industrial wastes had a compact and monolithic structure, and the excellent air tightness could be attributed to the pozzolanic activity of the industrial wastes and the film-forming property of organic polymers. Among the industrial wastes examined, a special coal fly ash with high pozzolanic activity and little free calcium oxide derived the best product with air permeability coefficient, tensile strength and breaking elongation of 4.17 × 10 -8  m 2 /s, 2.14 MPa and 48.90%, respectively. This study provides an economical, environmentally friendly and promising approach for industrial wastes recycling. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Evaluation of resource recovery from waste incineration residues--the case of zinc.

    PubMed

    Fellner, J; Lederer, J; Purgar, A; Winterstetter, A; Rechberger, H; Winter, F; Laner, D

    2015-03-01

    Solid residues generated at European Waste to Energy plants contain altogether about 69,000 t/a of Zn, of which more than 50% accumulates in air pollution control residues, mainly boiler and filter ashes. Intensive research activities aiming at Zn recovery from such residues recently resulted in a technical scale Zn recovery plant at a Swiss waste incinerator. By acidic leaching and subsequent electrolysis this technology (FLUREC) allows generating metallic Zn of purity>99.9%. In the present paper the economic viability of the FLUREC technology with respect to Zn recovery from different solid residues of waste incineration has been investigated and subsequently been categorised according to the mineral resource classification scheme of McKelvey. The results of the analysis demonstrate that recovery costs for Zn are highly dependent on the costs for current fly ash disposal (e.g. cost for subsurface landfilling). Assuming current disposal practice costs of 220€/ton fly ash, resulting recovery costs for Zn are generally higher than its current market price of 1.6€/kg Zn. With respect to the resource classification this outcome indicates that none of the identified Zn resources present in incineration residues can be economically extracted and thus cannot be classified as a reserve. Only for about 4800 t/a of Zn an extraction would be marginally economic, meaning that recovery costs are only slightly (less than 20%) higher than the current market price for Zn. For the remaining Zn resources production costs are between 1.5 and 4 times (7900 t/a Zn) and 10-80 times (55,300 t/a Zn) higher than the current market value. The economic potential for Zn recovery from waste incineration residues is highest for filter ashes generated at grate incinerators equipped with wet air pollution control. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. A survey of current practice of vascular surgeons in venous disease management.

    PubMed

    Bush, Ruth L; Gloviczki, Peter

    2013-01-01

    Acute venous thromboembolism and chronic venous diseases are common conditions that affect a large proportion of the United States population. The diagnosis of venous disease has improved, and the treatment options have rapidly evolved over the past decade. To date, it is unclear to what extent vascular surgeons have become involved in the modern management of venous disorders. This survey was undertaken to explore the current interest and practice of vascular surgeons in the contemporary care of venous disease. A survey was administered via a web-based platform to active and candidate members of the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS). The survey included 30 questions investigating the characteristics of venous surgeons and scope of venous practice. Open-ended questions were also included for commentary. A total of 1879 surveys were sent to SVS members nationwide, and 385 members participated (response rate of 20.5%). The participants were mostly men (89.6%) with 37.7% practicing in an academic setting and 59.2% in private practice. The respondents treated superficial veins (92.9%) and deep veins (85.8%) in clinical practice, with 89.9% having their own vascular laboratory. A wide spectrum of interventions for superficial (91.9%), deep (85.8%), and perforator veins (52.7% endovenous, 19.4% subfascial endoscopic perforator surgery) are being performed by respondents. Only 26.2% had learned endovenous thermal ablation in their training program; however, over 96% of those performing venous interventions utilized this technique. Overall, the majority (85.5%) devoted 50% or less of practice to venous disorders. Respondents indicated that limitations to expansion of vein practices mainly involved challenges with third party payers, local competition, and existing large volumes of arterial interventions needing to be performed. Despite the widespread incorporation of venous disease into current vascular practices, 66.1% are not members of the American Venous Forum (AVF

  3. Working on Waste.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomas, Sue; Moen, Dave

    This guide provides background information and youth activities for youth leaders and classroom teachers interested in integrating waste management issues into current educational programming. Five parts suggest ideas for action that youth can take at home, in their group, or in the community to solve waste management problems. Part 1 introduces…

  4. DWPF Safely Dispositioning Liquid Waste

    ScienceCinema

    None

    2018-06-21

    The only operating radioactive waste glassification plant in the nation, the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) converts the liquid radioactive waste currently stored at the Savannah River Site (SRS) into a solid glass form suitable for long-term storage and disposal. Scientists have long considered this glassification process, called “vitrification,” as the preferred option for treating liquid radioactive waste.

  5. Emission from open burning of municipal solid waste in India.

    PubMed

    Kumari, Kanchan; Kumar, Sunil; Rajagopal, Vineel; Khare, Ankur; Kumar, Rakesh

    2017-07-27

    Open burning of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is a potential non-point source of emission, which causes greater concern especially in developing countries such as India. Lack of awareness about environmental impact of open burning, and ignorance of the fact, i.e. 'Open burning is a source of emission of carcinogenic substances' are major hindrances towards an appropriate municipal solid waste management system in India. The paper highlights the open burning of MSW practices in India, and the current and projected emission of 10 major pollutants (dioxin, furans, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides, benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and 1-hexene) emitted due to the open burning of MSW. Waste to Energy potential of MSW was also estimated adopting effective biological and thermal techniques. Statistical techniques were applied to analyse the data and current and projected emission of various pollutants were estimated. Data pertaining to population, MSW generation and its collection efficiency were compiled for 29 States and 7 Union Territories. Thereafter, emission of 10 pollutants was measured following methodology prescribed in Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change guideline for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, 2006. The study revealed that people living in Metropolitan cities are more affected by emissions from open burning.

  6. Solid waste production and its management in dental clinics in Gorgan, northern Iran.

    PubMed

    Nabizadeh, R; Faraji, H; Mohammadi, A A

    2014-10-01

    Waste produced in dental clinics has been the topic of investigations for many years. These waste materials have important health impacts and are hazardous to humans and the environment. To investigating solid waste production and its management in dental clinics in Gorgan, northern Iran. In this cross-sectional study, 45 of 143 public dental practices and 5 of 25 private dental practices were selected and studied. From each clinic, 3 samples were taken and analyzed at the end of successive working days (Tuesday and Wednesday). Samples were manually sorted into 50 components. The measured components were then classified on the basis of their characteristics, hazard potentials, and WHO classification. The total annual amount of dental waste produced in public and private dental practices in Gorgan was 12 015.1 and 3135.0 kg, respectively. Production percentages of infectious, domestic, chemical and pharmaceutical, and toxic waste in public dental practices were 38.4%, 33.7%, 6.6%, and 0.6%, respectively. The percentages for private practices were 8.7%, 10.6%, 1.1%, and 0.1%, respectively. Dental waste management in Gorgan is inadequate; dental waste is not properly segregated, collected, and disposed, as demanded by the WHO. Employees in dentist offices must be trained in correct handling of waste products and the associated risks.

  7. Expanding worldwide urban solid waste recycling: The Brazilian social technology in waste pickers inclusion.

    PubMed

    Rutkowski, Jacqueline E; Rutkowski, Emília W

    2015-12-01

    'If an integrated urban waste management system includes the informal recycling sector (IRS), there is a good chance that more solid waste is recycled' is common sense. However, informal integration brings additional social, environmental, and economic benefits, such as reduction of operational costs and environmental impacts of landfilling. Brazil is a global best practice example in terms of waste picker inclusion, and has received international recognition for its recycling levels. In addition to analysing the results of inclusive recycling approaches, this article evaluates a selection of the best Brazilian inclusive recycling practices and summaries and presents the resulting knowledge. The objective is to identify processes that enable the replication of the inclusion of the informal recycling sector model as part of municipal solid waste management. Qualitative and quantitative data have been collected in 25 Brazilian cities that have contracted waste pickers co-operatives for door-to-door selective collection of recyclables. Field data was collected in action research projects that worked with waste pickers co-operatives between 2006 and 2013. The Brazilian informal recycling sector integration model improves municipal solid waste recycling indicators: it shows an increase in the net tonness recycled, from 140 to 208 t month(-1), at a much lower cost per tonne than conventional selective collection systems. Inclusive systems show costs of US$35 per tonne of recyclables collected, well below the national average of US$195.26. This inclusive model improves the quality of collected material and the efficiency of municipal selective collection. It also diminishes the negative impacts of informal recycling, by reducing child labour, and by improving the conditions of work, occupational health and safety, and uncontrolled pollution. Although treating the Brazilian experience as a blueprint for transfer of experience in every case is unrealistic, the results

  8. Impact of an intervention programme on knowledge, attitude and practice of healthcare staff regarding pharmaceutical waste management, Gaza, Palestine.

    PubMed

    Tabash, M I; Hussein, R A; Mahmoud, A H; El-Borgy, M D; Abu-Hamad, B A

    2016-09-01

    To assess knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of healthcare staff regarding pharmaceutical waste management; and to determine the impact of an educational programme on the KAP survey items. Pre-post-test intervention study. The pre-intervention phase was performed using a sample of 530 out of 1500 healthcare workers. A predesigned interview questionnaire was used to assess KAP. Next, an educational programme was designed and offered to a subsample of 69 healthcare workers. KAP were re-assessed for the programme attendees using the same interview questionnaire, both immediately (post-test) and six months after the end of the programme (follow-up test). The parametric paired sample t-test was used to assess the difference between pre-test and follow-up test results. Poor knowledge and poor practice levels (scores 50%) detected in the pre-intervention phase were found to improve to satisfactory levels (scores ≥75%) in the follow-up phase. Attitude was found to be positive (score ≥75%) in all phases of the study. The educational programme led to a significant improvement in KAP of healthcare staff regarding pharmaceutical waste management (P<0.001). Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  9. Hazardous Waste Certification Plan: Hazardous Waste Handling Facility, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory

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

    Not Available

    1992-02-01

    The purpose of this plan is to describe the organization and methodology for the certification of hazardous waste (HW) handled in the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL) Hazardous Waste Handling Facility (HWHF). The plan also incorporates the applicable elements of waste reduction, which include both up-front minimization and end- product treatment to reduce the volume and toxicity of the waste; segregation of the waste as it applies to certification; and executive summary of the Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP) for the HWHF and a list of the current and planned implementing procedures used in waste certification. The plan provides guidance frommore » the HWHF to waste generators, waste handlers, and the Systems Group Manager to enable them to conduct their activities and carry out their responsibilities in a manner that complies with several requirements of the Federal Resource Conservation and Resource Recovery Act (RCRA), the Federal Department of Transportation (DOT), and the State of California, Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 22.« less

  10. Gaseous emissions from management of solid waste: a systematic review

    PubMed Central

    Pardo, Guillermo; Moral, Raúl; Aguilera, Eduardo; del Prado, Agustín

    2015-01-01

    The establishment of sustainable soil waste management practices implies minimizing their environmental losses associated with climate change (greenhouse gases: GHGs) and ecosystems acidification (ammonia: NH3). Although a number of management strategies for solid waste management have been investigated to quantify nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) losses in relation to varied environmental and operational conditions, their overall effect is still uncertain. In this context, we have analyzed the current scientific information through a systematic review. We quantified the response of GHG emissions, NH3 emissions, and total N losses to different solid waste management strategies (conventional solid storage, turned composting, forced aerated composting, covering, compaction, addition/substitution of bulking agents and the use of additives). Our study is based on a meta-analysis of 50 research articles involving 304 observations. Our results indicated that improving the structure of the pile (waste or manure heap) via addition or substitution of certain bulking agents significantly reduced nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) emissions by 53% and 71%, respectively. Turned composting systems, unlike forced aerated composted systems, showed potential for reducing GHGs (N2O: 50% and CH4: 71%). Bulking agents and both composting systems involved a certain degree of pollution swapping as they significantly promoted NH3 emissions by 35%, 54%, and 121% for bulking agents, turned and forced aerated composting, respectively. Strategies based on the restriction of O2 supply, such as covering or compaction, did not show significant effects on reducing GHGs but substantially decreased NH3 emissions by 61% and 54% for covering and compaction, respectively. The use of specific additives significantly reduced NH3 losses by 69%. Our meta-analysis suggested that there is enough evidence to refine future Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) methodologies from solid waste

  11. Gaseous emissions from management of solid waste: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Pardo, Guillermo; Moral, Raúl; Aguilera, Eduardo; Del Prado, Agustín

    2015-03-01

    The establishment of sustainable soil waste management practices implies minimizing their environmental losses associated with climate change (greenhouse gases: GHGs) and ecosystems acidification (ammonia: NH3 ). Although a number of management strategies for solid waste management have been investigated to quantify nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) losses in relation to varied environmental and operational conditions, their overall effect is still uncertain. In this context, we have analyzed the current scientific information through a systematic review. We quantified the response of GHG emissions, NH3 emissions, and total N losses to different solid waste management strategies (conventional solid storage, turned composting, forced aerated composting, covering, compaction, addition/substitution of bulking agents and the use of additives). Our study is based on a meta-analysis of 50 research articles involving 304 observations. Our results indicated that improving the structure of the pile (waste or manure heap) via addition or substitution of certain bulking agents significantly reduced nitrous oxide (N2 O) and methane (CH4 ) emissions by 53% and 71%, respectively. Turned composting systems, unlike forced aerated composted systems, showed potential for reducing GHGs (N2 O: 50% and CH4 : 71%). Bulking agents and both composting systems involved a certain degree of pollution swapping as they significantly promoted NH3 emissions by 35%, 54%, and 121% for bulking agents, turned and forced aerated composting, respectively. Strategies based on the restriction of O2 supply, such as covering or compaction, did not show significant effects on reducing GHGs but substantially decreased NH3 emissions by 61% and 54% for covering and compaction, respectively. The use of specific additives significantly reduced NH3 losses by 69%. Our meta-analysis suggested that there is enough evidence to refine future Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) methodologies from solid waste

  12. Toxic Overload: The Waste Disposal Dilemma.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Knox, Robert J.

    1991-01-01

    The role of the Environmental Protection Agency as ombudsman concerning waste disposal is examined with respect to both the current options of source reduction and recycling as pollution prevention, and alternative approaches that expand upon these current options, particularly with respect to toxic and medical waste. (JJK)

  13. Hospital waste management in developing countries: A mini review.

    PubMed

    Ali, Mustafa; Wang, Wenping; Chaudhry, Nawaz; Geng, Yong

    2017-06-01

    Health care activities can generate different kinds of hazardous wastes. Mismanagement of these wastes can result in environmental and occupational health risks. Developing countries are resource-constrained when it comes to safe management of hospital wastes. This study summarizes the main issues faced in hospital waste management in developing countries. A review of the existing literature suggests that regulations and legislations focusing on hospital waste management are recent accomplishments in many of these countries. Implementation of these rules varies from one hospital to another. Moreover, wide variations exist in waste generation rates within as well as across these countries. This is mainly attributable to a lack of an agreement on the definitions and the methodology among the researchers to measure such wastes. Furthermore, hospitals in these countries suffer from poor waste segregation, collection, storage, transportation and disposal practices, which can lead to occupational and environmental risks. Knowledge and awareness regarding proper waste management remain low in the absence of training for hospital staff. Moreover, hospital sanitary workers, and scavengers, operate without the provision of safety equipment or immunization. Unsegregated waste is illegally recycled, leading to further safety risks. Overall, hospital waste management in developing countries faces several challenges. Sustainable waste management practices can go a long way in reducing the harmful effects of hospital wastes.

  14. Rules and management of biomedical waste at Vivekananda Polyclinic: A case study

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

    Gupta, Saurabh; Boojh, Ram; Mishra, Ajai

    Hospitals and other healthcare establishments have a 'duty of care' for the environment and for public health, and have particular responsibilities in relation to the waste they produce (i.e., biomedical waste). Negligence, in terms of biomedical waste management, significantly contributes to polluting the environment, affects the health of human beings, and depletes natural and financial resources. In India, in view of the serious situation of biomedical waste management, the Ministry of Environment and Forests, within the Government of India, ratified the Biomedical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, in July 1998. The present paper provides a brief description of the biomedicalmore » waste (Management and Handling) Rules 1998, and the current biomedical waste management practices in one of the premier healthcare establishments of Lucknow, the Vivekananda Polyclinic. The objective in undertaking this study was to analyse the biomedical waste management system, including policy, practice (i.e., storage, collection, transportation and disposal), and compliance with the standards prescribed under the regulatory framework. The analysis consisted of interviews with medical authorities, doctors, and paramedical staff involved in the management of the biomedical wastes in the Polyclinic. Other important stakeholders that were consulted and interviewed included environmental engineers (looking after the Biomedical Waste Cell) of the State Pollution Control Board, and randomly selected patients and visitors to the Polyclinic. A general survey of the facilities of the Polyclinic was undertaken to ascertain the efficacy of the implemented measures. The waste was quantified based on random samples collected from each ward. It was found that, although the Polyclinic in general abides by the prescribed regulations for the treatment and disposal of biomedical waste, there is a need to further build the capacity of the Polyclinic and its staff in terms of providing state

  15. Biostabilization of landfill waste

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

    Hansen, D.L.

    1995-06-01

    In November 1991, the city of Albany, N.Y., together with the principals of Landfill Service Corp. (Apalachin, N.Y.), proposed to demonstrate the successful practice of biostabilized solid waste placement in the newly constructed, double-composite-lined Interim Landfill located in the city of Albany. The small landfill covers just 12 acres and is immediately adjacent to residential neighbors. The benefits of this biostabilization practice include a dramatic improvement in the orderliness of waste placement, with significant reduction of windblown dust and litter. The process also reduces the presence of typical landfill vectors such as flies, crows, seagulls, and rodents. The physically andmore » biologically uniform character of the stabilized waste mass can result in more uniform future landfill settlement and gas production properties. This can allow for more accurate prediction of post-closure conditions and reduction or elimination of remedial costs attendant to post-closure gross differential settlement.« less

  16. Current practice in continuous renal replacement therapy: An epidemiological multicenter study.

    PubMed

    Tomasa Irriguible, T M; Sabater Riera, J; Poch López de Briñas, E; Fort Ros, J; Lloret Cora, M J; Roca Antònio, J; Navas Pérez, A; Ortiz Ballujera, P; Servià Goixart, L; González de Molina Ortiz, F J; Rovira Anglès, C; Rodríguez López, M; Roglan Piqueras, A

    2017-05-01

    The aim of the study is to ascertain the most relevant aspects of the current management of renal replacement therapy (RRT) in critically ill patients, and to analyze renal function recovery and mortality in patients undergoing RRT. A non-interventional three-month observational study was made in 2012, with a follow-up period of 90 days, in 21 centers in Catalonia (Spain). Demographic information, severity scores and clinical data were obtained, as well as RRT parameters. patients aged ≥ 16 years admitted to Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and subjected to RRT. A total of 261 critically ill patients were recruited, of which 35% had renal dysfunction prior to admission. The main reason for starting RRT was oliguria; the most widely used RRT modality was hemodiafiltration; and the median prescribed dose at baseline was 35mL/kg/h. The median time of RRT onset from ICU admission was one day. The mortality rate at 30 and 90 days was 46% and 54%, respectively, and was associated to greater severity scores and a later onset of RRT. At discharge, 85% of the survivors had recovered renal function. Current practice in RRT in Catalonia abides with the current clinical practice guidelines. Mortality related to RRT is associated to later onset of such therapy. The renal function recovery rate at hospital discharge was 85% among the patients subjected to RRT. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y SEMICYUC. All rights reserved.

  17. Public perception of hazardousness caused by current trends of municipal solid waste management

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

    Al-Khatib, Issam A., E-mail: ikhatib@birzeit.edu; Kontogianni, Stamatia; Abu Nabaa, Hendya

    Highlights: • Contribution to the scientific literature by examining the relationship between concern for the environment and waste disposal in the frame of household waste treatment mechanism specifically in developing countries. • The awareness of the citizens satisfaction level and the local existing capacities in developing countries significantly contribute to decision making on MSW management sustainability in Palestine and other developing countries when applied. • Identification of the differences and similarities among DC resulting to failures or success in WM field. - Abstract: Municipal solid waste (MSW) piling up is becoming a serious problem in all developing countries (DC) asmore » a result of inequitable waste collection and treatment. Citizens’ collaboration is partly based on understanding their views and their active involvement in MSW planning; on the other hand the assessment of the perception of hazardousness related with MSW is considered rather important as well since the identification of the weak points of the applied MWM strategy is eased and the level of required training is determined. Researchers implemented a case study in the West Bank (WB) and Gaza Strip (GS) regions of Palestine, taking into consideration previous researches in other developing countries. They reached to safe and useful conclusions regarding the parameters which mean the greatest in the waste management field as far as DC are concerned. Lack of skilled manpower, irregular collection services, inadequate equipment used for waste collection, inadequate legal provisions, and resource constraints are additional factors that are confirmed to be challenging the waste management scenarios in all DCs today. The research takes those factors under consideration but focuses on the educational gap and the results revealed interesting trends a significant relationship between respondent’s educational attainment and their awareness of hazardous waste (hazard

  18. Knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of 'teaching laboratory' technicians towards laboratory safety and waste management: a pilot interventional study.

    PubMed

    El-Gilany, A-H; El-Shaer, S; Khashaba, E; El-Dakroory, S A; Omar, N

    2017-06-01

    A quasi-experimental study was performed on 20 technicians working in the Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt. The knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of laboratory technicians was measured before and two months after enrolling them in an intervention programme about laboratory best practice procedures. The programme addressed laboratory safety and medical waste management. The assessment was performed using a validated Arabic self-administered questionnaire. Pre- and post-intervention scores were compared using non-parametric tests. There are significant increases in the scores of KAP after implementation of the training programme. Copyright © 2017 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Case study: apparel industry waste management: a focus on recycling in South Africa.

    PubMed

    Larney, M; van Aardt, A M

    2010-01-01

    The need for effective apparel waste management is motivated by the increasing cost and decreasing availability of landfill space and the dwindling of natural resources. The aim of this study was to identify the current solid waste disposal and recycling practices of the apparel industry in South Africa and to determine their attitude and willingness towards recycling, their perception of the feasibility thereof, barriers to recycling and marketing strategies that would be appropriate for products made from recycled materials. A structured questionnaire was mailed to apparel manufacturers in South Africa. The results indicated that most apparel manufacturers use landfills to dispose of their waste, while approximately half recycle some of the waste. They are fairly positive towards recycling, with consideration of economical feasibility. Phi-coefficients show no practically significant relationship between company size and the use of recycled materials. The most important barriers to recycling are lack of equipment and technology, lack of material to recycle and lack of consumer awareness. Marketing strategies for recycled products are recommended. It is concluded that consumer awareness and knowledge regarding recycled apparel products should be developed in order to ensure a market and that apparel manufacturers should be encouraged to recycle more extensively, in order to ensure that resources will not be exhausted unnecessarily and the environment will be preserved optimally.

  20. Polyethylene recycling: Waste policy scenario analysis for the EU-27.

    PubMed

    Andreoni, Valeria; Saveyn, Hans G M; Eder, Peter

    2015-08-01

    This paper quantifies the main impacts that the adoption of the best recycling practices together with a reduction in the consumption of single-use plastic bags and the adoption of a kerbside collection system could have on the 27 Member States of the EU. The main consequences in terms of employment, waste management costs, emissions and energy use have been quantified for two scenarios of polyethylene (PE) waste production and recycling. That is to say, a "business as usual scenario", where the 2012 performances of PE waste production and recycling are extrapolated to 2020, is compared to a "best practice scenario", where the best available recycling practices are modelled together with the possible adoption of the amended Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive related to the consumption of single-use plastic bags and the implementation of a kerbside collection system. The main results show that socio-economic and environmental benefits can be generated across the EU by the implementation of the best practice scenario. In particular, estimations show a possible reduction of 4.4 million tonnes of non-recycled PE waste, together with a reduction of around €90 million in waste management costs in 2020 for the best practice scenario versus the business as usual scenario. An additional 35,622 jobs are also expected to be created. In environmental terms, the quantity of CO2 equivalent emissions could be reduced by around 1.46 million tonnes and the net energy requirements are expected to increase by 16.5 million GJ as a consequence of the reduction in the energy produced from waste. The main analysis provided in this paper, together with the data and the model presented, can be useful to identify the possible costs and benefits that the implementation of PE waste policies and Directives could generate for the EU. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Good governance in national solid waste management policy (NSWMP) implementation: A case study of Malaysia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wee, Seow Ta; Abas, Muhamad Azahar; Mohamed, Sulzakimin; Chen, Goh Kai; Zainal, Rozlin

    2017-10-01

    The National Solid Waste Management Policy (NSWMP) was introduced in 2007 under the Act 672. The execution of NSWMP involves stakeholders from various government agencies and a collaboration with the private sectors. Despite the initiatives taken by the stakeholders, the objectives of NSWMP failed to materialise. One of the major constraints is weak governance among stakeholders with regards to the NSWMP implementation. This paper will explore the good governance practices implemented by the stakeholders. Identifying the current good governance practices implemented by the stakeholders is crucial as it will serve as a guideline to improve good governance practice in the future. An exploratory research approach is applied in this study through in-depth interviews with several government agencies and concessionaires involved in the NSWMP implementation. A total of six respondents took part in this study. The findings of this study show that there are several good governance practices implemented in policy promotion, participation of stakeholders, and capacity enhancement programme for the staff. This study also proposed some points on good governance practices in the context of policy promotion and staff development. A paradigm shift by the stakeholders is imperative so as to enhance the good governance practice in NSWMP implementation towards an efficient solid waste management in Malaysia.

  2. Public perception of hazardousness caused by current trends of municipal solid waste management.

    PubMed

    Al-Khatib, Issam A; Kontogianni, Stamatia; Abu Nabaa, Hendya; Alshami, Ni'meh; Al-Sari', Majed I

    2015-02-01

    Municipal solid waste (MSW) piling up is becoming a serious problem in all developing countries (DC) as a result of inequitable waste collection and treatment. Citizens' collaboration is partly based on understanding their views and their active involvement in MSW planning; on the other hand the assessment of the perception of hazardousness related with MSW is considered rather important as well since the identification of the weak points of the applied MWM strategy is eased and the level of required training is determined. Researchers implemented a case study in the West Bank (WB) and Gaza Strip (GS) regions of Palestine, taking into consideration previous researches in other developing countries. They reached to safe and useful conclusions regarding the parameters which mean the greatest in the waste management field as far as DC are concerned. Lack of skilled manpower, irregular collection services, inadequate equipment used for waste collection, inadequate legal provisions, and resource constraints are additional factors that are confirmed to be challenging the waste management scenarios in all DCs today. The research takes those factors under consideration but focuses on the educational gap and the results revealed interesting trends a significant relationship between respondent's educational attainment and their awareness of hazardous waste (hazard perception); the results will indicate the measure taking required to avoid accidents occurred in those regions (burns from toxics, cuts from sharps, etc). National policy and legislation development based on the research outcomes will ensure equitable and accessible services are in place in order to move towards a healthier environment. Specialized health education and training programs on national scale are also needed to enhance awareness on hazardous waste. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Municipal Solid Waste - Sustainable Materials Management

    EPA Science Inventory

    The MSW DST was initially developed in the 1990s and has evolved over the years to better account for changes in waste management practices, waste composition, and improvements in decision support tool design and functionality. The most recent version of the tool is publicly ava...

  4. The Current Landscape of Transitions of Care Practice Models: A Scoping Review.

    PubMed

    Rochester-Eyeguokan, Charmaine D; Pincus, Kathleen J; Patel, Roshni S; Reitz, Shirley J

    2016-01-01

    Transitions of care (TOC) are a set of actions to ensure patient coordination and continuity of care as patients transfer between different locations or levels. During transitions associated with chronic or acute illness, vulnerable patients may be placed at risk with fragmented systems compromising their health and safety. In addition, poor care transitions also have an enormous impact on health care spending. The primary objective of this scoping review is to summarize the current landscape of practice models that deliver TOC services in the United States. The secondary objective is to use the information to characterize the current state of best practice models. A search of the PubMed, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Web of Science, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, National Center for Biotechnology Information at the U.S. National Library of Medicine, and Cochrane Library databases (January 1, 2000-April 13, 2015) for articles pertaining to TOC models, limited to U.S. studies published in the English language with human subjects, gleaned 1362 articles. An additional 26 articles were added from the gray literature. Articles meeting inclusion criteria underwent a second review and were categorized into four groups: background information, original TOC research articles not evaluating practice model interventions, original TOC research articles describing practice models, and systematic or Cochrane reviews. The reviewers met weekly to discuss the challenges and resolve disagreements regarding literature reviews with consensus before progressing. A total of 188 articles describing TOC practice models met the inclusion criteria. Despite the strengths of several quality TOC models, none satisfied all the components recommended by leading experts. Multimodal interventions by multidisciplinary teams appear to represent a best practice model for TOC to improve patient outcomes and reduce readmissions, but one size does not fit all

  5. State of Practice for Emerging Waste Conversion Technologies

    EPA Science Inventory

    New technologies to convert municipal and other waste streams into fuels and chemical commodities, termed conversion technologies, are rapidly developing. Conversion technologies are garnering increasing interest and demand due primarily to alternative energy initiatives. These t...

  6. Pattern of medical waste management: existing scenario in Dhaka City, Bangladesh

    PubMed Central

    Hassan, M Manzurul; Ahmed, Shafiul Azam; Rahman, K Anisur; Biswas, Tarit Kanti

    2008-01-01

    Background Medical waste is infectious and hazardous. It poses serious threats to environmental health and requires specific treatment and management prior to its final disposal. The problem is growing with an ever-increasing number of hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic laboratories in Dhaka City, Bangladesh. However, research on this critical issue has been very limited, and there is a serious dearth of information for planning. This paper seeks to document the handling practice of waste (e.g. collection, storage, transportation and disposal) along with the types and amount of wastes generated by Health Care Establishments (HCE). A total of 60 out of the existing 68 HCE in the study areas provided us with relevant information. Methods The methodology for this paper includes empirical field observation and field-level data collection through inventory, questionnaire survey and formal and informal interviews. A structured questionnaire was designed to collect information addressing the generation of different medical wastes according to amount and sources from different HCE. A number of in-depth interviews were arranged to enhance our understanding of previous and existing management practice of medical wastes. A number of specific questions were asked of nurses, hospital managers, doctors, and cleaners to elicit their knowledge. The collected data with the questionnaire survey were analysed, mainly with simple descriptive statistics; while the qualitative mode of analysis is mainly in narrative form. Results The paper shows that the surveyed HCE generate a total of 5,562 kg/day of wastes, of which about 77.4 per cent are non-hazardous and about 22.6 per cent are hazardous. The average waste generation rate for the surveyed HCE is 1.9 kg/bed/day or 0.5 kg/patient/day. The study reveals that there is no proper, systematic management of medical waste except in a few private HCE that segregate their infectious wastes. Some cleaners were found to salvage used sharps

  7. Investigating influences on current community pharmacy practice at micro, meso, and macro levels.

    PubMed

    Hermansyah, Andi; Sainsbury, Erica; Krass, Ines

    The nature of Australian community pharmacy is continually evolving, raising the need to explore the current situation in order to understand the potential impact of any changes. Although community pharmacy has the potential to play a greater role in health care, it is currently not meeting this potential. To investigate the nature of the contemporary practice of community pharmacy in Australia and examine the potential missed opportunities for role expansion in health care. In-depth semi-structured interviews with a wide-range of key stakeholders within and beyond community pharmacy circles were conducted. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed for emerging themes. Twenty-seven key informants across Eastern half of Australia were interviewed between December 2014 and August 2015. Several key elements of the current situation representing the social, economic and policy context of community pharmacy have been identified. These elements operate interdependently, influence micro, meso and macro levels of community pharmacy operation and are changing in the current climate. Community pharmacy has untapped potential in primary health care, but it has been slow to change to meet opportunities available in the current situation. As the current situation is complex, interrelated and dynamic with often unintended and unpredictable consequences, this paper suggests that policy makers to consider the micro, meso and macro levels of community pharmacy operation when making significant policy changes. The framework proposed in this study can be a helpful tool to analyze the processes operating at these three levels and their influences on practice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Staff Perception on Biomedical or Health Care Waste Management: A Qualitative Study in a Rural Tertiary Care Hospital in India

    PubMed Central

    Joshi, Rita; Shah, Harshada; Sharma, Megha; Pathak, Ashish; Macaden, Ragini; Stålsby Lundborg, Cecilia

    2015-01-01

    Background Health care or biomedical waste, if not managed properly, can be of high risk to the hospital staff, the patients, the community, public health and the environment, especially in low and middle income settings where proper disposal norms are often not followed. Our aim was to explore perceptions of staff of an Indian rural tertiary care teaching hospital on hospital waste management. Method A qualitative study was conducted using 10 focus group discussions (FGDs), with different professional groups, cleaning staff, nurses, medical students, doctors and administrators. The FGD guide included the following topics: (i) role of Health Care Waste Management (HCWM) in prevention of health care associated infections, (ii) awareness of and views about HCWM-related guidelines/legislation, (iii) current HCWM practices, (iv) perception and preparedness related to improvements of the current practices, and (v) proper implementation of the available guidelines/legislation. The FGDs were recorded, transcribed verbatim, translated to English (when conducted in Hindi) and analysed using content analysis. Results Two themes were identified: Theme (A), ‘Challenges in integration of HCWM in organizational practice,’ with the categories (I) Awareness and views about HCWM, (II) Organizational practices regarding HCWM, and (III) Challenges in Implementation of HCWM; and Theme (B), ‘Interventions to improve HCWM,’ with three categories, (I) Educational and motivational interventions, (II) Organizational culture change, and (III) Policy-related interventions. Conclusion A gap between knowledge and actual practice regarding HCWM was highlighted in the perception of the hospital staff. The participants suggested organizational changes, training and monitoring to address this. The information generated is relevant not merely to the microsystem studied but to other institutions in similar settings. PMID:26023783

  9. Waste Generator Instructions: Key to Successful Implementation of the US DOE's 435.1 for Transuranic Waste Packaging Instructions (LA-UR-12-24155) - 13218

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

    French, David M.; Hayes, Timothy A.; Pope, Howard L.

    In times of continuing fiscal constraints, a management and operation tool that is straightforward to implement, works as advertised, and virtually ensures compliant waste packaging should be carefully considered and employed wherever practicable. In the near future, the Department of Energy (DOE) will issue the first major update to DOE Order 435.1, Radioactive Waste Management. This update will contain a requirement for sites that do not have a Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) waste certification program to use two newly developed technical standards: Contact-Handled Defense Transuranic Waste Packaging Instructions and Remote-Handled Defense Transuranic Waste Packaging Instructions. The technical standards aremore » being developed from the DOE O 435.1 Notice, Contact-Handled and Remote-Handled Transuranic Waste Packaging, approved August 2011. The packaging instructions will provide detailed information and instruction for packaging almost every conceivable type of transuranic (TRU) waste for disposal at WIPP. While providing specificity, the packaging instructions leave to each site's own discretion the actual mechanics of how those Instructions will be functionally implemented at the floor level. While the Technical Standards are designed to provide precise information for compliant packaging, the density of the information in the packaging instructions necessitates a type of Rosetta Stone that translates the requirements into concise, clear, easy to use and operationally practical recipes that are waste stream and facility specific for use by both first line management and hands-on operations personnel. The Waste Generator Instructions provide the operator with step-by-step instructions that will integrate the sites' various operational requirements (e.g., health and safety limits, radiological limits or dose limits) and result in a WIPP certifiable waste and package that can be transported to and emplaced at WIPP. These little known but widely productive

  10. What gets measured gets managed: A new method of measuring household food waste.

    PubMed

    Elimelech, Efrat; Ayalon, Ofira; Ert, Eyal

    2018-03-22

    The quantification of household food waste is an essential part of setting policies and waste reduction goals, but it is very difficult to estimate. Current methods include either direct measurements (physical waste surveys) or measurements based on self-reports (diaries, interviews, and questionnaires). The main limitation of the first method is that it cannot always trace the waste source, i.e., an individual household, whereas the second method lacks objectivity. This article presents a new measurement method that offers a solution to these challenges by measuring daily produced food waste at the household level. This method is based on four main principles: (1) capturing waste as it enters the stream, (2) collecting waste samples at the doorstep, (3) using the individual household as the sampling unit, and (4) collecting and sorting waste daily. We tested the feasibility of the new method with an empirical study of 192 households, measuring the actual amounts of food waste from households as well as its composition. Household food waste accounted for 45% of total waste (573 g/day per capita), of which 54% was identified as avoidable. Approximately two thirds of avoidable waste consisted of vegetables and fruit. These results are similar to previous findings from waste surveys, yet the new method showed a higher level of accuracy. The feasibility test suggests that the proposed method provides a practical tool for policy makers for setting policy based on reliable empirical data and monitoring the effectiveness of different policies over time. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Wastewater and Hazardous Waste Survey, Homestead AFB Florida.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-03-01

    tank into the sanitary sewer. 16. Bilge waste from the Water Survival School is currently placed in 55-gallon drums and stored on site. At the time...plant. W0’I; • ,. =% . Fiue5. AGE Accumulation Site , 30 7. A disposal contract for waste bilge water is needed for the Water Survival School. Currently...eliminate all pesticide wastes from S this shop. 16. The Water Survival School can possibly eliminate bilge water waste by having Civil Engineering

  12. Examining Current Beliefs, Practices and Barriers about Technology Integration: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hsu, Pi-Sui

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to examine the current beliefs, practices and barriers concerning technology integration of Kindergarten through Grade Six teachers in the midwestern United States. The three data collection methods were online surveys with 152 teachers as well as interviews and observations with 8 teachers. The findings…

  13. Physical space and its impact on waste management in the neonatal care setting

    PubMed Central

    Manzi, Sean

    2014-01-01

    This paper reports an investigation intended to obtain some understanding of how the working environment might influence the practice and knowledge of those involved in the management of healthcare waste. The National Health Service (NHS) has a continuing waste problem, and the way it manages waste harms the environment and consumes resources. It has been estimated that the carbon footprint of the NHS in England is approximately 20 million tons of CO2e. It has been suggested that better waste segregation could lead to more effective recycling, saving up to 42,000 tonnes of CO2. This qualitative study employed non-participant observation and semi-structured interviews. The interviews were carried out with the key informants within the participating neonatal intensive care unit. Findings from this study indicate that space and the physical arrangement of the environment are significant and influential factors in clinical practice. Where the clinical environment is not supportive, poor infection control and waste management practice is likely to occur. However, proximity of staff caused by a lack of physical space might facilitate situated learning and a collective development of knowledge in practice. The implementation of sustainable waste management practices would be more likely to succeed in an environment that facilitates correct waste segregation. PMID:28989373

  14. Municipal solid waste in Brazil: A review.

    PubMed

    Alfaia, Raquel Greice de Souza Marotta; Costa, Alyne Moraes; Campos, Juacyara Carbonelli

    2017-12-01

    The production of municipal solid waste (MSW) represents one of the greatest challenges currently faced by waste managers all around the world. In Brazil, the situation with regard to solid waste management is still deficient in many aspects. In 2015, only 58.7% of the MSW collected in Brazilian cities received appropriate final disposal. It was only as late as 2010 that Brazil established the National Policy on Solid Waste (NPSW) based on the legislation and programmes established in the 1970s in more developed countries. However, the situation with regard to MSW management has changed little since the implementation of the NPSW. Recent data show that, in Brazil, disposal in sanitary landfills is practically the only management approach to MSW. Contrary to expectations, despite the economic recession in 2015 the total annual amount of MSW generated nationwide increased by 1.7%, while in the same period the Brazilian population grew by 0.8% and economic activity decreased by 3.8%. The article describes the panorama with regard to MSW in Brazil from generation to final disposal and discusses the issues related to the delay in implementing the NPSW. The collection of recyclable material, the recycling process, the application of reverse logistics and the determination of the gravimetric composition of MSW in Brazil are also addressed in this article. Finally, a brief comparison is made between MSW management in Brazil and in other countries, the barriers to developing effective waste disposal systems are discussed and some recommendations for future MSW management development in Brazil are given.

  15. Current practice and views of neurologists on the transition from pediatric to adult care.

    PubMed

    Oskoui, Maryam; Wolfson, Christina

    2012-12-01

    To describe the current practice and views of neurologists on transitioning patients from pediatric to adult care, a cross-sectional study of all pediatric and adult neurologists in the province of Quebec, Canada, was conducted. The response rate was 73% for pediatric and 49% for adult neurologists. Most pediatric neurologists do not have a patient transition program or policy in place. Although a transfer summary is commonly provided, critical information is often lacking. Nearly half of neurologists believed that patients experience a gap in care during the transition process, and most agreed that the transition process is often poorly coordinated, highlighting patient, family, and health care factors. Current practice does not follow existing consensus statements for transition of care with respect to timing, communication, and preparation, and many pediatric neurologists experience difficulty in finding an appropriate adult health care provider for their patients. Neurologists reported many challenges in the current transition of care process.

  16. Application countermeasures of non-incineration technologies for medical waste treatment in China.

    PubMed

    Chen, Yang; Ding, Qiong; Yang, Xiaoling; Peng, Zhengyou; Xu, Diandou; Feng, Qinzhong

    2013-12-01

    By the end of 2012, there were 272 modern, high-standard, centralized medical waste disposal facilities operating in various cities in China. Among these facilities nearly 50% are non-incineration treatment facilities, including the technologies of high temperature steam, chemical disinfection and microwave. Each of the non-incineration technologies has its advantages and disadvantages, and any single technology cannot offer a panacea because of the complexity of medical waste disposal. Although non-incineration treatment of medical waste can avoid the release of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans, it is still necessary to decide how to best meet the local waste management needs while minimizing the impact on the environment and public health. There is still a long way to go to establish the sustainable application and management mode of non-incineration technologies. Based on the analysis of typical non-incineration process, pollutant release, and the current tendency for technology application and development at home and abroad, this article recommends the application countermeasures of non-incineration technologies as the best available techniques and best environmental practices in China.

  17. Application of Life Cycle Assessment on Electronic Waste Management: A Review

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xue, Mianqiang; Xu, Zhenming

    2017-04-01

    Electronic waste is a rich source of both valuable materials and toxic substances. Management of electronic waste is one of the biggest challenges of current worldwide concern. As an effective and prevailing environmental management tool, life cycle assessment can evaluate the environmental performance of electronic waste management activities. Quite a few scientific literatures reporting life cycle assessment of electronic waste management with significant outcomes have been recently published. This paper reviewed the trends, characteristics, research gaps, and challenges of these studies providing detailed information for practitioners involved in electronic waste management. The results showed that life cycle assessment studies were most carried out in Europe, followed by Asia and North America. The research subject of the studies mainly includes monitors, waste printed circuit boards, mobile phones, computers, printers, batteries, toys, dishwashers, and light-emitting diodes. CML was the most widely used life cycle impact assessment method in life cycle assessment studies on electronic waste management, followed by EI99. Furthermore, 40% of the reviewed studies combined with other environmental tools, including life cycle cost, material flow analysis, multi-criteria decision analysis, emergy analysis, and hazard assessment which came to more comprehensive conclusions from different aspects. The research gaps and challenges including uneven distribution of life cycle assessment studies, life cycle impact assessment methods selection, comparison of the results, and uncertainty of the life cycle assessment studies were examined. Although life cycle assessment of electronic waste management facing challenges, their results will play more and more important role in electronic waste management practices.

  18. Application of Life Cycle Assessment on Electronic Waste Management: A Review.

    PubMed

    Xue, Mianqiang; Xu, Zhenming

    2017-04-01

    Electronic waste is a rich source of both valuable materials and toxic substances. Management of electronic waste is one of the biggest challenges of current worldwide concern. As an effective and prevailing environmental management tool, life cycle assessment can evaluate the environmental performance of electronic waste management activities. Quite a few scientific literatures reporting life cycle assessment of electronic waste management with significant outcomes have been recently published. This paper reviewed the trends, characteristics, research gaps, and challenges of these studies providing detailed information for practitioners involved in electronic waste management. The results showed that life cycle assessment studies were most carried out in Europe, followed by Asia and North America. The research subject of the studies mainly includes monitors, waste printed circuit boards, mobile phones, computers, printers, batteries, toys, dishwashers, and light-emitting diodes. CML was the most widely used life cycle impact assessment method in life cycle assessment studies on electronic waste management, followed by EI99. Furthermore, 40% of the reviewed studies combined with other environmental tools, including life cycle cost, material flow analysis, multi-criteria decision analysis, emergy analysis, and hazard assessment which came to more comprehensive conclusions from different aspects. The research gaps and challenges including uneven distribution of life cycle assessment studies, life cycle impact assessment methods selection, comparison of the results, and uncertainty of the life cycle assessment studies were examined. Although life cycle assessment of electronic waste management facing challenges, their results will play more and more important role in electronic waste management practices.

  19. Emergency room management of ureteral calculi: current practices.

    PubMed

    Phillips, Elizabeth; Kieley, Sam; Johnson, Elizabeth B; Monga, Manoj

    2009-06-01

    To evaluate current practice patterns in U.S. emergency departments (EDs) for the diagnosis, treatment, and counseling of patients with ureteral calculi. Hospital-based ED physicians were invited by e-mail to participate in a Survey-Monkey survey. E-mails were delivered in March 2008 by Direct Medical Data using a listserv provided by the American Medical Association. Of the e-mails sent, 173 e-mails were opened, and 135 physicians responded. Physicians were compensated with a $10 Amazon.com gift card. Ninety percent of ED physicians use noncontrast CT as their initial imaging modality, and 63% use alpha-blockers for medical expulsive therapy. Only 13% of evaluated EDs have guidelines for the management of renal colic, and only 58% of these guidelines that recommend the use of an alpha-blocker. Alpha-blocker use was more common with physicians who have been practicing fewer than 5 years (81%) compared with those with more than 10 years of experience (56%). The majority of physicians used ketorolac and morphine to achieve effective analgesia. Although the average responses concerning the chance of spontaneous stone passage for stones 4 mm (44%) were close to evidence-based values, great variation in the answers was noted (standard deviations: 12% and 22%, respectively). Indeed, 38% of respondents stated that stones 95% chance of passage. Twenty-eight percent of ED physicians would arrange follow-up with a primary care physician, while the remainder would arrange follow-up with a urologist. This study establishes a need for educational opportunities for ED physicians in the management of renal colic. The development of collaborative practice guidelines between urology and emergency medicine associations may be warranted.

  20. Bioremediation of cooking oil waste using lipases from wastes

    PubMed Central

    do Prado, Débora Zanoni; Facanali, Roselaine; Marques, Márcia Mayo Ortiz; Nascimento, Augusto Santana; Fernandes, Célio Junior da Costa; Zambuzzi, William Fernando

    2017-01-01

    Cooking oil waste leads to well-known environmental impacts and its bioremediation by lipase-based enzymatic activity can minimize the high cytotoxic potential. In addition, they are among the biocatalysts most commercialized worldwide due to the versatility of reactions and substrates. However, although lipases are able to process cooking oil wastes, the products generated from this process do not necessarily become less toxic. Thus, the aim of the current study is to analyze the bioremediation of lipase-catalyzed cooking oil wastes, as well as their effect on the cytotoxicity of both the oil and its waste before and after enzymatic treatment. Thus, assessed the post-frying modification in soybean oil and in its waste, which was caused by hydrolysis reaction catalyzed by commercial and home-made lipases. The presence of lipases in the extracts obtained from orange wastes was identified by zymography. The profile of the fatty acid esters formed after these reactions was detected and quantified through gas chromatography and fatty acids profile compared through multivariate statistical analyses. Finally, the soybean oil and its waste, with and without enzymatic treatment, were assessed for toxicity in cytotoxicity assays conducted in vitro using fibroblast cell culture. The soybean oil wastes treated with core and frit lipases through transesterification reaction were less toxic than the untreated oils, thus confirming that cooking oil wastes can be bioremediated using orange lipases. PMID:29073166

  1. Bioremediation of cooking oil waste using lipases from wastes.

    PubMed

    Okino-Delgado, Clarissa Hamaio; Prado, Débora Zanoni do; Facanali, Roselaine; Marques, Márcia Mayo Ortiz; Nascimento, Augusto Santana; Fernandes, Célio Junior da Costa; Zambuzzi, William Fernando; Fleuri, Luciana Francisco

    2017-01-01

    Cooking oil waste leads to well-known environmental impacts and its bioremediation by lipase-based enzymatic activity can minimize the high cytotoxic potential. In addition, they are among the biocatalysts most commercialized worldwide due to the versatility of reactions and substrates. However, although lipases are able to process cooking oil wastes, the products generated from this process do not necessarily become less toxic. Thus, the aim of the current study is to analyze the bioremediation of lipase-catalyzed cooking oil wastes, as well as their effect on the cytotoxicity of both the oil and its waste before and after enzymatic treatment. Thus, assessed the post-frying modification in soybean oil and in its waste, which was caused by hydrolysis reaction catalyzed by commercial and home-made lipases. The presence of lipases in the extracts obtained from orange wastes was identified by zymography. The profile of the fatty acid esters formed after these reactions was detected and quantified through gas chromatography and fatty acids profile compared through multivariate statistical analyses. Finally, the soybean oil and its waste, with and without enzymatic treatment, were assessed for toxicity in cytotoxicity assays conducted in vitro using fibroblast cell culture. The soybean oil wastes treated with core and frit lipases through transesterification reaction were less toxic than the untreated oils, thus confirming that cooking oil wastes can be bioremediated using orange lipases.

  2. The Role of Permissive and Induced Hypotension in Current Neuroanesthesia Practice.

    PubMed

    Soghomonyan, Suren; Stoicea, Nicoleta; Sandhu, Gurneet S; Pasternak, Jeffrey J; Bergese, Sergio D

    2017-01-01

    Induced hypotension (IH) had been used for decades in neurosurgery to reduce the risk for intraoperative blood loss and decrease blood replacement. More recently, this method fell out of favor because of concerns for cerebral and other end-organ ischemia and worse treatment outcomes. Other contributing factors to the decline in its popularity include improvements in microsurgical technique, widespread use of endovascular procedures, and advances in blood conservation and transfusion protocols. Permissive hypotension (PH) is still being used occasionally in neurosurgery; however, its role in current anesthesia practice remains unclear. Our objective was to describe contemporary utilization of IH and PH (collectively called PH) in clinical practice among members of the Society for Neuroscience in Anesthesiology and Critical Care (SNACC). A questionnaire was developed and distributed among SNACC members that addressed practice patterns related to the use of PH. The responses were analyzed based on the number of individuals who responded to each specific question. Of 72 respondents, 67.6% reported over 10 years of clinical experience, while 15.5% reported 5-10 years of post-training experience. The respondents admitted to providing anesthesia for 300 (median) neurosurgical cases per year. PH was applied most commonly during open interventions on cerebral aneurysms (50.8%) and arteriovenous malformations (46%). Seventy-three percent of respondents were not aware of any complications in their practice attributable to PH. PH is still being used in neuroanesthesia practice by some providers. Further research is justified to clarify the risks and benefits of PH in modern neuroanesthesia practice.

  3. Current State of Environmental Education in Mexico: A Study on Practices, Audiences, Settings, and Topics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marcos-Iga, Jose; Shaw, William

    2011-01-01

    Environmental education in Mexico takes many forms and plays a wide variety of roles. Through an online survey, we addressed the need to present a wider picture on the current state of environmental education practices in Mexico: Who is engaging in environmental education practices, how important is it for their organization, who are they…

  4. Solid waste management in primary healthcare centers: application of a facilitation tool 1

    PubMed Central

    Moreira, Ana Maria Maniero; Günther, Wanda Maria Risso

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Objectives: to propose a tool to facilitate diagnosis, formulation and evaluation of the Waste Management Plan in Primary Healthcare Centers and to present the results of the application in four selected units. Method: descriptive research, covering the stages of formulation /application of the proposed instrument and the evaluation of waste management performance at the units. Results: the tool consists in five forms; specific indicators of waste generation for outpatients healthcare units were proposed, and performance indicators that give scores for compliance with current legislation. In the studied units it is generated common waste (52-60%), infectious-sharps (31-42%) and recyclable (5-17%). The average rates of generation are: 0,09kg of total waste/outpatient assistance and 0,09kg of infectious-sharps waste/outpatient procedure. The compliance with regulations, initially 26-30%, then reached 30-38% a year later. Conclusion: the tool showed to be easy to use, bypassing the existence of a complex range of existing regulatory requirements, allowed to identify non-conformities, pointed out corrective measures and evaluated the performance of waste management. In this sense, it contributes to decision making and management practices relating to waste, tasks usually assigned to nurses. It is recommended that the tool be applied in similar healthcare units for comparative studies, and implementation of necessary adaptations for other medical services. PMID:27556874

  5. Transition of Care in Adolescents With Cerebral Palsy: A Survey of Current Practices.

    PubMed

    Bolger, Ashlee; Vargus-Adams, Jilda; McMahon, Mary

    2017-03-01

    Transition of care from pediatric to adult health care providers for youth with special needs (including cerebral palsy [CP]) is of current interest because these individuals are now living well into adulthood. Studies have attempted to identify barriers to transition, ideal timing for transition of care, and key elements for successful transition programs. These studies often encompass a wide range of diagnoses, and results cannot be fully applied to those with CP. To identify and describe current transition-of-care (TOC) practices and beliefs among physician providers of adolescents with CP in multidisciplinary CP clinics. Descriptive survey. Multidisciplinary CP clinics in the United States. Physician leaders in the aforementioned CP clinics. Respondents completed an electronic survey. Responses were deidentified and reported in aggregate by the use of descriptive statistics. Electronic survey addressing 3 domains: demographics of clinics, current opinions/practices related to TOC processes, and perceived barriers to successful TOC. Fifteen surveys were sent with 11 returned (response rate = 73%). TOC practices varied among clinics surveyed. Fifty-five percent of clinics had a structured transition program, but only one transitioned 100% of their patients to adult providers by 22 years of age. Only one clinic had an absolute upper age limit for seeing patients, and 36% of clinics accepted new patients older than 21 years. No respondent was "completely satisfied" with their transition process, and only one respondent was "moderately satisfied." The majority of respondents felt the ideal care setting for adults with CP was a comprehensive, multidisciplinary adult-focused clinic in an adult hospital/clinic with primarily adult providers. They noted the top 3 perceived barriers to successful TOC were limited adult providers willing to accept CP patients, concern about the level of care in the adult health care system, and lack of financial resources. Current TOC

  6. Tank Waste Retrieval Lessons Learned at the Hanford Site

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

    Dodd, R.A.

    EPA approval of an exception to the waste retrieval criteria for a specific tank. Tank waste retrieval has been conducted at the Hanford Site over the last few decades using a method referred to as Past Practice Hydraulic Sluicing. Past Practice Hydraulic Sluicing employs large volumes of DST supernatant and water to dislodge, dissolve, mobilize, and retrieve tank waste. Concern over the leak integrity of SSTs resulted in the need for tank waste retrieval methods capable of using smaller volumes of liquid in a more controlled manner. Retrieval of SST waste in accordance with HFFACO requirements was initiated at the Hanford Site in April 2003. New and innovative tank waste retrieval methods that minimize and control the use of liquids are being implemented for the first time. These tank waste retrieval methods replace Past Practice Hydraulic Sluicing and employ modified sluicing, vacuum retrieval, and in-tank vehicle techniques. Waste retrieval has been completed in seven Hanford Site SSTs (C-106, C-103, C-201, C-202, C-203, C-204, and S-112) in accordance with HFFACO requirements. Three additional tanks are currently in the process of being retrieved (C-108, C-109 and S-102) Preparation for retrieval of two additional SSTs (C-104 and C-110) is ongoing with retrieval operations forecasted to start in calendar year 2008. Tank C-106 was retrieved to a residual waste volume of 470 ft{sup 3} using oxalic acid dissolution and modified sluicing. An Appendix H exception request for Tank C-106 is undergoing review. Tank C-103 was retrieved to a residual volume of 351 ft{sup 3} using a modified sluicing technology. This approach was successful at reaching the TPA limits for this tank of less than 360 ft{sup 3}and the limits of the technology. Tanks C-201, C-202, C-203, and C-204 are smaller (55,000 gallon) tanks and waste removal was completed in accordance with HFFACO requirements using a vacuum retrieval system. Residual waste volumes in each of these four tanks were less

  7. Science/Society Case Study. Solid Wastes: Diamonds in the Rough?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moore, John W., Ed.; Moore, Elizabeth A., Ed.

    1976-01-01

    Expounds on the current solid waste disposal problems of the United States and current methods of waste disposal. Includes a description of the use of solid waste in power generating plants. A bibliography of suggested readings is provided. (CP)

  8. A practical method to calculate the R1 index of waste-to-energy facilities.

    PubMed

    Viganò, Federico

    2018-03-01

    According to Directive 98/2008/EC, the operation carried out by an incinerator of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is classified either as energy recovery (R1) or as disposal (D10) depending on the result achieved by the application of the R1 formula. In 2011 the DG Environment of the European Commission (EC) issued some non-binding guidelines on the interpretation of such a formula that clarified many aspects related to its application. A point not fully clarified by the EC guidelines is the determination of the energy contained in the treated waste (E W ). For this term of the formula, reference is made to the indirect method for the calculation of boiler thermal efficiency, as defined by the norm EN 12952-15. However, the application of such a norm to an entire year of operation of a Waste-to-Energy (WtE) boiler is not immediate. Therefore, a practical method for the calculation of the E W term has been developed in the framework of a collaboration between the MatER Study Centre and the Lombardy Region (Italy). The method is based on: (i) the identification of the most reliable data available from the Distributed Control System (DCS) of the plant; (ii) the definition of a control volume around the boiler(s) also based on the availability of data; (iii) the closure of the mass balance for such a control volume; (iv) the energy balance of the same control volume that gives, thus, the E W term of the R1 formula. The method has been applied in 2015-2016 to nine plants, generating a number of interesting data reported and discussed in this work, such as R1 index values, Lower Heating Values (LHV) of the treated wastes, main sources of energy losses in WtE boilers, etc. For one case study, discussed in detail in this work, the law of propagation of uncertainties has been applied according to the ISO/IEC Guide 98-3, leading to the assessment of the accuracy of the method, which resulted in ±2.4% with a confidence level of circa 95%. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All

  9. Extensive Reading in EFL Classroom at Secondary Schools in Bangladesh: Current Practices and Future Possibilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haider, Md. Zulfeqar; Akhter, Elina

    2012-01-01

    Extensive reading is being practiced in many EFL and ESL classrooms as an effective means for developing learners' reading as well as other related skills. This paper is based on a small-scale study that explores the current practices and future possibilities of using extensive reading in the EFL classrooms at the junior secondary schools in…

  10. Development and validation of a building design waste reduction model.

    PubMed

    Llatas, C; Osmani, M

    2016-10-01

    Reduction in construction waste is a pressing need in many countries. The design of building elements is considered a pivotal process to achieve waste reduction at source, which enables an informed prediction of their wastage reduction levels. However the lack of quantitative methods linking design strategies to waste reduction hinders designing out waste practice in building projects. Therefore, this paper addresses this knowledge gap through the design and validation of a Building Design Waste Reduction Strategies (Waste ReSt) model that aims to investigate the relationships between design variables and their impact on onsite waste reduction. The Waste ReSt model was validated in a real-world case study involving 20 residential buildings in Spain. The validation process comprises three stages. Firstly, design waste causes were analyzed. Secondly, design strategies were applied leading to several alternative low waste building elements. Finally, their potential source reduction levels were quantified and discussed within the context of the literature. The Waste ReSt model could serve as an instrumental tool to simulate designing out strategies in building projects. The knowledge provided by the model could help project stakeholders to better understand the correlation between the design process and waste sources and subsequently implement design practices for low-waste buildings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. The ISB model (infrastructure, service, behaviour): a tool for waste practitioners.

    PubMed

    Timlett, R; Williams, I D

    2011-06-01

    In response to the EU Landfill Directive and the challenge of mitigating climate change, the UK government (nationally and locally) must develop strategies and policies to reduce, recycle, compost and recover waste. Best practice services that yield high recycling rates, such as alternate weekly collections, are now largely mainstream in suitable areas. However, national recycling performance is short of what is needed; policy makers must look for innovative ways to meet challenging recycling targets. Increasingly, local authorities are using behaviour change interventions to encourage the public to recycle; these tend to be based on the premise that an individuals' behaviour is predetermined by their values. In practice, this has led to a host of initiatives that attempt to change individuals' behaviour without addressing situational barriers. In this paper, we argue that that a behaviour-centric approach has limited effectiveness. Using an analysis of the literature and studies that investigated recycling participation in the city of Portsmouth, we have identified three significant clusters that can facilitate effective recycling: infrastructure, service and behaviour (ISB). We present the ISB model - a tool that can be used by waste practitioners when planning interventions to maximise recycling to better understand the situation and context for behaviour. Analysis using the ISB model suggests that current best practice, "business as usual" interventions could realistically achieve a national recycling rate of 50%. If the UK is to move towards zero waste, policy makers must look "upstream" for interventions that change the situational landscape. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. An examination of current stroke rehabilitation practice in Peru: Implications for interprofessional education.

    PubMed

    McDonald, Cody L; Fuhs, Amy K; Kartin, Deborah

    2018-05-01

    This study aimed to better understand current clinical practice of rehabilitation professionals in Lima, Peru, and to explore the existence of and potential for interprofessional collaboration. A secondary purpose was to assess rehabilitation professionals' agreement with evidence-based stroke rehabilitation statements and confidence performing stroke rehabilitation tasks prior to and following an interprofessional stroke rehabilitation training. Current clinical practice for rehabilitation professionals in Peru differs from high-income counties like the United States, as physical therapists work with dysphagia and feeding, prosthetist orthotists serve a strictly technical role, and nurses have a limited role in rehabilitation. Additionally, while opportunity for future interprofessional collaboration within stroke rehabilitation exists, it appears to be discouraged by current health system policies. Pre- and post-training surveys were conducted with a convenience sample of 107 rehabilitation professionals in Peru. Survey response options included endorsement of professionals for rehabilitation tasks and a Likert scale of agreement and confidence. Training participants largely agreed with evidence-based stroke rehabilitation statements. Differences in opinion remained regarding the prevalence of dysphagia and optimal frequency of therapy post-stroke. Substantially increased agreement post-training was seen in favour of early initiation of stroke rehabilitation and ankle foot orthosis use. Participants were generally confident performing traditional profession-specific interventions and educating patients and families. Substantial increases were seen in respondents' confidence to safely and independently conduct bed to chair transfers and determine physiological stability. Identification of key differences in rehabilitation professionals' clinical practice in Peru is a first step toward strengthening the development of sustainable rehabilitation systems and

  13. Antidepressants during pregnancy: Guideline adherence and current practice amongst Dutch gynaecologists and midwives.

    PubMed

    Molenaar, Nina M; Brouwer, Marlies E; Duvekot, Johannes J; Burger, Huibert; Knijff, Esther M; Hoogendijk, Witte J; Bockting, Claudi L H; de Wolf, G S; Lambregtse-van den Berg, Mijke P

    2018-06-01

    prescription rates of antidepressants during pregnancy range from 2-3% in The Netherlands to 6.2% in the USA. Inconclusive evidence about harms and benefits of antidepressants during pregnancy leads to variation in advice given by gynaecologists and midwives. The objective was to investigate familiarity with, and adherence to the Dutch multidisciplinary guideline on Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) use during pregnancy by gynaecologists and midwives in the Netherlands. an online survey was developed and send to Dutch gynaecologists and midwives. The survey consisted mainly of multiple-choice questions addressing guideline familiarity and current practice of the respondent. Also, caregiver characteristics associated with guideline adherence were investigated. a total of 178 gynaecologists and 139 midwives responded. Overall familiarity with the Dutch guideline was 92.7%. However, current practice and advice given to patients by caregivers differed substantially, both between gynaecologists and midwives as well as within both professions. Overall guideline adherence was 13.9%. Multivariable logistic regression showed that solely caregiver profession was associated with guideline adherence, with gynaecologists having a higher adherence rate (OR 2.10, 95%CI 1.02-4.33) than midwives. although reported familiarity with the guideline is high, adherence to the guideline is low, possibly resulting in advice to patients that is inconsistent with guidelines and unwanted variation in current practice. further implementation of the recommendations as given in the guideline should be stimulated. Additional research is needed to examine how gynaecologists and midwives can be facilitated to follow the recommendations of the clinical guideline on SSRI use during pregnancy. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Oak Ridge Reservation Waste Management Plan

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

    Turner, J.W.

    1995-02-01

    This report presents the waste management plan for the Oak Ridge Reservation facilities. The primary purpose is to convey what facilities are being used to manage wastes, what forces are acting to change current waste management systems, and what plans are in store for the coming fiscal year.

  15. Transboundary hazardous waste management. Part I: Waste management policy of importing countries.

    PubMed

    Fan, Kuo-Shuh; Chang, Tien Chin; Ni, Shih-Piao; Lee, Ching-Hwa

    2005-12-01

    Mixed metal-containing waste, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) containing capacitors, printed circuit boards, steel mill dust and metal sludge were among the most common wastes exported from Taiwan. Before the implementation of the self-monitoring model programme of the Basel Convention (secretariat of the Basel Convention 2001) in the Asia region, Taiwan conducted a comprehensive 4-year follow-up project involving government authorities and the waste disposal facilities of the importing countries. A total of five countries and nine plants were visited in 2001-2002. The following outcomes can be drawn from these investigations. The Chinese government adopts the strategies of 'on-site processing' and 'relative centralization' on the waste management by tightening permitting and increasing site inspection. A three-level reviewing system is adopted for the import application. The United States have not signed the Basel Convention yet; the procedures of hazardous waste import rely on bilateral agreements. Importers are not required to provide official notification from the waste exporting countries. The operation, administration, monitoring and licensing of waste treatment plants are governed by the state environmental bureau. Finland, France and Belgium are members of the European Union. The procedures and policies of waste import are similar. All of the documents associated with transboundary movement require the approval of each government involved. Practically, the notification forms and tracking forms effectively manage the waste movement.

  16. New Mexicans debate nuclear waste disposal

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

    Lepkowski, W.

    1979-01-01

    A brief survey of the background of the Waste Isolation Plant (WIPP) at Carlsbad, New Mexico and the forces at play around WIPP is presented. DOE has plans to establish by 1988 an underground repository for nuclear wastes in the salt formations near Carlsbad. Views of New Mexicans, both pro and con, are reviewed. It is concluded that DOE will have to practice public persuasion to receive approval for the burial of wastes in New Mexico.

  17. Food flows in the United Kingdom: The potential of surplus food redistribution to reduce waste.

    PubMed

    Facchini, Elisa; Iacovidou, Eleni; Gronow, Jan; Voulvoulis, Nikolaos

    2017-12-07

    The increasing amount of food waste generated as a direct consequence of its excessive production, mismanagement, and wasteful behaviors represents a real challenge in promoting resource efficiency. In the United Kingdom (UK), the lack of robust mass flow data hinders the ability both to understand and address food waste challenges and to devise long-term sustainable prevention strategies. In recognition of these challenges, this paper seeks to (i) provide insights into the UK's annual estimates of food mass flows, including imports, exports, distribution, consumption, surplus food production, and final disposal; and (ii) scrutinize the uptake and redistribution of surplus food as a potential food waste prevention strategy. Evidence collected from several enterprises and community-led initiatives in the UK, and London specifically, supports that there is an increasing potential of making a shift towards food redistribution and reuse. Further analysis has shown that the outreach of food redistribution initiatives in the UK is currently limited, possibly because redistribution efforts remain largely fragmented and independent from each other. It is concluded that a national commitment could be instrumental in encouraging the roll-out of this practice, and governmental support through fiscal incentives could lead to the development of a larger and coherent surplus food redistribution system, ultimately enabling food waste prevention and recovery of food's multidimensional value. This paper deals with the topical issue of the increasing amount of food waste generated as a direct consequence of excessive production, mismanagement, and wasteful behavior, representing a real challenge in achieving sustainability and resource efficiency. Currently, only a small fraction of food is redistributed back into the system. Yet, a considerable fraction of food waste generated is edible; thus, better planning, storage, and coordination amongst the different stakeholders in the food

  18. Liquid secondary waste: Waste form formulation and qualification

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

    Cozzi, A. D.; Dixon, K. L.; Hill, K. A.

    The Hanford Site Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF) currently treats aqueous waste streams generated during site cleanup activities. When the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) begins operations, including Direct Feed Low Activity Waste (DFLAW) vitrification, a liquid secondary waste (LSW) stream from the WTP will need to be treated. The volume of effluent for treatment at the ETF will increase significantly. The powdered salt waste form produced by the ETF will be replaced by a stabilized solidified waste form for disposal in Hanford’s Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF). Washington River Protection Solutions is implementing a Secondary Liquid Waste Immobilizationmore » Technology Development Plan to address the technology needs for a waste form and solidification process to treat the increased volume of waste planned for disposal at the IDF. Waste form testing to support this plan is composed of work in the near term to provide data as input to a performance assessment (PA) for Hanford’s IDF. In 2015, three Hanford Liquid Secondary Waste simulants were developed based on existing and projected waste streams. Using these waste simulants, fourteen mixes of Hanford Liquid Secondary Waste were prepared and tested varying the waste simulant, the water-to-dry materials ratio, and the dry materials blend composition.1 In FY16, testing was performed using a simulant of the EMF process condensate blended with the caustic scrubber—from the Low Activity Waste (LAW) melter—, processed through the ETF. The initial EMF-16 simulant will be based on modeling efforts performed to determine the mass balance of the ETF for the DFLAW.2 The compressive strength of all of the mixes exceeded the target of 3.4 MPa (500 psi) to meet the requirements identified as potential IDF Waste Acceptance Criteria in Table 1 of the Secondary Liquid Waste Immobilization Technology Development Plan.3 The hydraulic properties of the waste forms tested (hydraulic

  19. Estrogenicity and Nutrient Concentration of Surface Waters Surrounding a Large Confinement Dairy Operation Using Best Management Practices for Land Application of Animal Wastes

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The impact of a confinement dairy operation (> 2,000 head) using best management practices for land application of animal wastes, on estrogenic activity (E-Screen), estrogens, and nutrients of associated surface waters and tile drain runoff were evaluated. Farm tile drain and creek samples were col...

  20. Current Faculty Development Practices for Alternative Delivery Systems in Christian Higher Education Institutions: A Qualitative Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yates, Steven Lowell

    2009-01-01

    This research study was an investigation of current faculty development practices for alternative delivery systems. Attention was given to faculty development in general as well as specific facets of faculty development for alternative delivery systems. Future or intended faculty development practices were pursued, along with factors that…

  1. State of Practice for Emerging Waste Conversion Technologies

    EPA Science Inventory

    RTI International (RTI) was contracted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Research and Development to conduct research to prepare a “State of Practice” report to support State and local decision-makers on the subject of emerging waste conversion technolo...

  2. Development of an analytical method for quantitative comparison of the e-waste management systems in Thailand, Laos, and China.

    PubMed

    Liang, Li; Sharp, Alice

    2016-11-01

    This study employed a set of quantitative criteria to analyse the three parameters; namely policy, process, and practice; of the respective e-waste management systems adopted in Thailand, Laos, and China. Questionnaire surveys were conducted to determine the current status of the three parameters in relation to mobile phones. A total of five, three, and six variables under Policy (P 1 ), Process (P 2 ), and Practice (P 3 ), respectively, were analysed and their weighted averages were calculated. The results showed that among the three countries surveyed, significant differences at p<0.01 were observed in all the P 1 , P 2 , and P 3 variables, except P 305 (sending e-waste to recovery centres) and P 306 (treating e-waste by retailers themselves). Based on the quantitative method developed in this study, Laos' e-waste management system received the highest scores in both P 1 average (0.130) and P 3 average (0.129). However, in the combined P total , China scored the highest (0.141), followed by Laos (0.132) and Thailand (0.121). This method could be used to assist decision makers in performing quantitative analysis of complex issues associating with e-waste management in a country. © The Author(s) 2016.

  3. EPA office of solid waste (OSW) report to Congress

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

    Derkics, D.

    1996-12-31

    An EPA Office of Solid Waste Report to Congress is presented in outline form. The following topics are discussed: special waste chronology; statutory hazardous waste exemption; 1988 report to Congress findings; 1993 regulatory determination; current (1996), regulatory status of fossil fuel combustion wastes; co-management study; Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) activities; EPRI coal ash field study sites; oil ash total combustion; fossil fuel combustion; current EPA activities; and Federal Register Notice.

  4. Toward a more materialistic medicine: the value of authentic materialism within current and future medical practice.

    PubMed

    Leder, Drew; Krucoff, Mitchell W

    2011-09-01

    Modern medicine is often accused by diverse critics of being "too materialistic" and therefore insufficiently holistic and effective. Yet, this critique can be misleading, dependent upon the ambiguous meanings of "materialism." The term can refer to the prevalence of financial concerns in driving medical practice. Alternatively, it can refer to "mechanistic materialism," the patient viewed as a body-machine. In each case, this article shows that this represents not authentic "materialism" at play, but a focus upon high-level abstractions. "Bottom-line" financial or diagnostic numbers can distract practitioners from the embodied needs of sick patients. In this sense, medical practice is not materialist enough. Through a series of clinical examples, this article explores how an authentic materialism would look in current and future practice. The article examines the use of prayer/comfort shawls at the bedside; hospitals and nursing homes redesigned as enriched healing environments; and a paradigmatic medical device--the implantable cardioverter defibrillator--as it might be presented to patients, in contrast to current practice.

  5. The challenge of risk characterization: current practice and future directions.

    PubMed Central

    Gray, G M; Cohen, J T; Graham, J D

    1993-01-01

    Risk characterization is perhaps the most important part of risk assessment. As currently practiced, risk characterizations do not convey the degree of uncertainty in a risk estimate to risk managers, Congress, the press, and the public. Here, we use a framework put forth by an ad hoc study group of industry and government scientists and academics to critique the risk characterizations contained in two risks assessments of gasoline vapor. After discussing the strengths and weaknesses of each assessment's risk characterization, we detail an alternative approach that conveys estimates in the form of a probability distribution. The distributional approach can make use of all relevant scientific data and knowledge, including alternative data sets and all plausible mechanistic theories of carcinogenesis. As a result, this approach facilitates better public health decisions than current risk characterization procedures. We discuss methodological issues, as well as strengths and weaknesses of the distributional approach. PMID:8020444

  6. Solid waste management in Asian countries: a review of solid waste minimisation (3'r) towards low carbon

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ali, N. E.; Sion, H. C.

    2014-02-01

    The amount of solid-waste generated in Asian countries has increased tremendously, mainly due to the improvement in living standards, rapid developments in technology, growth in economy and population in the cities. Solid waste management is a global issue and major challenge facing Asian countries and neglecting its management may have negative consequences on the environment. Waste composition data proves the developed countries to have generated more recyclable materials while developing countries produce more organic and less recyclable waste such as paper, plastic and aluminium. In this regard, increase in number of landfills and disposal sites, will have an impact on GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions and pollutants to air and water. Alternative methods should therefore be taken to reduce the volume of waste. Most Asian countries have adopted the 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) concept in order to reduce solid waste and their governments have implemented laws and regulations in order to support this. Implementation of 3R is the major contributor to the solid waste minimization and it can improve the quality of environmental sustainability and reduction of carbon dioxide emission in to the atmosphere. Based on our review, most of the countries practicing the 3R concept in tandem with laws and regulations perform better than those that just practice the 3R concept without any laws and regulations. The paper suggests that every country must focus on the laws and regulations relating to solid waste minimization so that it could be easily implemented as outlined.

  7. Health Risks Awareness of Electronic Waste Workers in the Informal Sector in Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Ohajinwa, Chimere M; Van Bodegom, Peter M; Vijver, Martina G; Peijnenburg, Willie J G M

    2017-08-13

    Insight into the health risk awareness levels of e-waste workers is important as it may offer opportunities for better e-waste recycling management strategies to reduce the health effects of informal e-waste recycling. Therefore, this study assessed the knowledge, attitude, and practices associated with occupational health risk awareness of e-waste workers compared with a control group (butchers) in the informal sector in Nigeria. A cross-sectional study was used to assess health risk awareness of 279 e-waste workers (repairers and dismantlers) and 221 butchers from the informal sector in three locations in Nigeria in 2015. A questionnaire was used to obtain information on socio-demographic backgrounds, occupational history, knowledge, attitude, and work practices. The data was analysed using Analysis of Variance. The three job designations had significantly different knowledge, attitude, and practice mean scores ( p = 0.000), with butchers consistently having the highest mean scores. Only 43% of e-waste workers could mention one or more Personal Protective Equipment needed for their job compared with 70% of the butchers. The health risk awareness level of the e-waste workers was significantly lower compared with their counterparts in the same informal sector. A positive correlation existed between the workers' knowledge and their attitude and practice. Therefore, increasing the workers' knowledge may decrease risky practices.

  8. Health Risks Awareness of Electronic Waste Workers in the Informal Sector in Nigeria

    PubMed Central

    Van Bodegom, Peter M.; Vijver, Martina G.

    2017-01-01

    Insight into the health risk awareness levels of e-waste workers is important as it may offer opportunities for better e-waste recycling management strategies to reduce the health effects of informal e-waste recycling. Therefore, this study assessed the knowledge, attitude, and practices associated with occupational health risk awareness of e-waste workers compared with a control group (butchers) in the informal sector in Nigeria. A cross-sectional study was used to assess health risk awareness of 279 e-waste workers (repairers and dismantlers) and 221 butchers from the informal sector in three locations in Nigeria in 2015. A questionnaire was used to obtain information on socio-demographic backgrounds, occupational history, knowledge, attitude, and work practices. The data was analysed using Analysis of Variance. The three job designations had significantly different knowledge, attitude, and practice mean scores (p = 0.000), with butchers consistently having the highest mean scores. Only 43% of e-waste workers could mention one or more Personal Protective Equipment needed for their job compared with 70% of the butchers. The health risk awareness level of the e-waste workers was significantly lower compared with their counterparts in the same informal sector. A positive correlation existed between the workers’ knowledge and their attitude and practice. Therefore, increasing the workers’ knowledge may decrease risky practices. PMID:28805712

  9. International online survey to assess current practice in equine anaesthesia.

    PubMed

    Wohlfender, F D; Doherr, M G; Driessen, B; Hartnack, S; Johnston, G M; Bettschart-Wolfensberger, R

    2015-01-01

    Multicentre Confidential Enquiries into Perioperative Equine Fatalities (CEPEF) have not been conducted since the initial CEPEF Phases 1-3, 20 years ago. To collect data on current practice in equine anaesthesia and to recruit participants for CEPEF-4. Online questionnaire survey. An online questionnaire was prepared and the link distributed internationally to veterinarians possibly performing equine anaesthesia, using emails, posters, flyers and an editorial. The questionnaire included 52 closed, semiclosed and open questions divided into 8 subgroups: demographic data, anaesthetist, anaesthesia management (preoperative, technical equipment, monitoring, drugs, recovery), areas of improvements and risks and motivation for participation in CEPEF-4. Descriptive statistics and Chi-squared tests for comparison of categorical variables were performed. A total of 199 questionnaires were completed by veterinarians from 14 different countries. Of the respondents, 43% worked in private hospitals, 36% in private practices and 21% in university teaching hospitals. In 40 institutions (23%) there was at least one diplomate of the European or American colleges of veterinary anaesthesia and analgesia on staff. Individual respondents reported routinely employ the following anaesthesia monitoring modalities: electrocardiography (80%), invasive arterial blood pressures (70%), pulse oximetry (60%), capnography (55%), arterial blood gases (47%), composition of inspired and expired gases (45%) and body temperature (35%). Drugs administered frequently or routinely as part of a standard protocol were: acepromazine (44%), xylazine (68%), butorphanol (59%), ketamine (96%), diazepam (83%), isoflurane (76%), dobutamine (46%), and, as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, phenylbutazone (73%) or flunixin meglumine (66%). Recovery was routinely assisted by 40%. The main factors perceived by the respondents to affect outcome of equine anaesthesia were the preoperative health status of the

  10. Swedish recovered wood waste: linking regulation and contamination.

    PubMed

    Krook, J; Mårtensson, A; Eklund, M; Libiseller, C

    2008-01-01

    In Sweden, large amounts of wood waste are generated annually from construction and demolition activities, but also from other discarded products such as packaging and furniture. A large share of this waste is today recovered and used for heat production. However, previous research has found that recovered wood waste (RWW) contains hazardous substances, which has significant implications for the environmental performance of recycling. Improved sorting is often suggested as a proper strategy to decrease such implications. In this study, we aim to analyse the impacts of waste regulation on the contamination of RWW. The occurrence of industrial preservative-treated wood, which contains several hazardous substances, was used as an indicator for contamination. First the management of RWW during 1995-2004 was studied through interviews with involved actors. We then determined the occurrence of industrial preservative-treated wood in RWW for that time period for each supplier (actor). From the results, it can be concluded that a substantially less contaminated RWW today relies on extensive source separation. The good news is that some actors, despite several obstacles for such upstream efforts, have already today proved capable of achieving relatively efficient separation. In most cases, however, the existing waste regulation has not succeeded in establishing strong enough incentives for less contaminated waste in general, nor for extensive source separation in particular. One important factor for this outcome is that the current market forces encourage involved actors to practice weak quality requirements and to rely on end-of-pipe solutions, rather than put pressure for improvements on upstream actors. Another important reason is that there is a lack of communication and oversight of existing waste regulations. Without such steering mechanisms, the inherent pressure from regulations becomes neutralized.

  11. Food: Too Good to Waste Implementation Guide and Toolkit

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The Food: Too Good to Waste (FTGTW) Implementation Guide and Toolkit is designed for community organizations, local governments, households and others interested in reducing wasteful household food management practices.

  12. Evaluating awareness and practices pertaining to radioactive waste management among scrap dealers in Delhi, India.

    PubMed

    Makkar, Nayani; Chandra, Tany; Agrawal, Prachi; Bansal, Harshit; Singh, Simranjeet; Anand, Tanu; Gupta, Mannan Kumar; Kumar, Rajesh

    2014-01-01

    With nuclear technology rapidly taking the spotlight in the last 50 years, radiation accidents seem to be a harsh reality of the modern world. The Mayapuri Radiation accident of 2010 was the worst radiation accident India has yet dealt with. Two years thereafter, we designed a study to assess the awareness and practices regarding radioactive waste among scrap dealers aiming to assess deficiencies in radiation disaster preparedness. A community based cross-sectional study. The study population consisted of 209 volunteers (from 108 scrap dealerships) including 108 shop-owners and 101 workers segregated as Group A consisting of 54 dealerships in Mayapuri and Group B of 54 dealerships from the rest of the city. Subjects were then interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. Awareness about radioactive waste varied significantly with level of education (p = 0.024), Kuppuswamy's socio-economic scale (p = 0.005), age of the scrap dealer (p = 0.049) and his work experience (p = 0.045). The larger dealerships in Mayapuri were more aware about radioactive waste (p = 0.0004), the accident in 2010 (p = 0.0002), the symbol for radiation hazard (p = 0.016), as well as the emergency guidelines and the agencies to contact in the event of a radiation accident. Our findings seem to signify that while governmental and non-governmental agencies were successful in implementing prompt disaster response and awareness programs, the community continues to be inadequately prepared. These go on to suggest that though concerted awareness and training programs do benefit the affected community, economic and social development is the key to disaster prevention and mitigation.

  13. Evaluating Awareness and Practices Pertaining to Radioactive Waste Management among Scrap Dealers in Delhi, India

    PubMed Central

    Makkar, Nayani; Chandra, Tany; Agrawal, Prachi; Bansal, Harshit; Singh, Simranjeet; Anand, Tanu; Gupta, Mannan Kumar; Kumar, Rajesh

    2014-01-01

    Objectives With nuclear technology rapidly taking the spotlight in the last 50 years, radiation accidents seem to be a harsh reality of the modern world. The Mayapuri Radiation accident of 2010 was the worst radiation accident India has yet dealt with. Two years thereafter, we designed a study to assess the awareness and practices regarding radioactive waste among scrap dealers aiming to assess deficiencies in radiation disaster preparedness. Methodology A community based cross-sectional study. The study population consisted of 209 volunteers (from 108 scrap dealerships) including 108 shop-owners and 101 workers segregated as Group A consisting of 54 dealerships in Mayapuri and Group B of 54 dealerships from the rest of the city. Subjects were then interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. Results Awareness about radioactive waste varied significantly with level of education (p = 0.024), Kuppuswamy's socio-economic scale (p = 0.005), age of the scrap dealer (p = 0.049) and his work experience (p = 0.045). The larger dealerships in Mayapuri were more aware about radioactive waste (p = 0.0004), the accident in 2010 (p = 0.0002), the symbol for radiation hazard (p = 0.016), as well as the emergency guidelines and the agencies to contact in the event of a radiation accident. Conclusions Our findings seem to signify that while governmental and non-governmental agencies were successful in implementing prompt disaster response and awareness programs, the community continues to be inadequately prepared. These go on to suggest that though concerted awareness and training programs do benefit the affected community, economic and social development is the key to disaster prevention and mitigation. PMID:24622341

  14. A Characteristics-Based Approach to Radioactive Waste Classification in Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Djokic, Denia

    The radioactive waste classification system currently used in the United States primarily relies on a source-based framework. This has lead to numerous issues, such as wastes that are not categorized by their intrinsic risk, or wastes that do not fall under a category within the framework and therefore are without a legal imperative for responsible management. Furthermore, in the possible case that advanced fuel cycles were to be deployed in the United States, the shortcomings of the source-based classification system would be exacerbated: advanced fuel cycles implement processes such as the separation of used nuclear fuel, which introduce new waste streams of varying characteristics. To be able to manage and dispose of these potential new wastes properly, development of a classification system that would assign appropriate level of management to each type of waste based on its physical properties is imperative. This dissertation explores how characteristics from wastes generated from potential future nuclear fuel cycles could be coupled with a characteristics-based classification framework. A static mass flow model developed under the Department of Energy's Fuel Cycle Research & Development program, called the Fuel-cycle Integration and Tradeoffs (FIT) model, was used to calculate the composition of waste streams resulting from different nuclear fuel cycle choices: two modified open fuel cycle cases (recycle in MOX reactor) and two different continuous-recycle fast reactor recycle cases (oxide and metal fuel fast reactors). This analysis focuses on the impact of waste heat load on waste classification practices, although future work could involve coupling waste heat load with metrics of radiotoxicity and longevity. The value of separation of heat-generating fission products and actinides in different fuel cycles and how it could inform long- and short-term disposal management is discussed. It is shown that the benefits of reducing the short-term fission

  15. Current best practice in the management of Turner syndrome

    PubMed Central

    Shankar, Roopa Kanakatti; Backeljauw, Philippe F.

    2017-01-01

    Turner syndrome (TS) is characterized by partial or complete loss of the second X-chromosome in phenotypic females resulting in a constellation of clinical findings that may include lymphedema, cardiac anomalies, short stature, primary ovarian failure and neurocognitive difficulties. Optimizing health care delivery is important to enable these individuals achieve their full potential. We review the current best practice management recommendations for individuals with TS focusing on the latest consensus opinion in regard to genetic diagnosis, treatment of short stature, estrogen supplementation, addressing psychosocial issues, as well screening for other comorbidities. A multidisciplinary approach and a well-planned transition to adult follow-up care will improve health care delivery significantly for this population. PMID:29344338

  16. Tribal Decisions-Makers Guide to Solid Waste Management: Chapter 2 - Developing Solid Waste Management Plans

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Solid waste management plans offer a host of benefits for tribes and Alaskan Native villages. Through the preparation of these plans, you can assess your cur-rent and future waste management needs, set priorities, and allocate resources accordingly.

  17. Greening academia: Developing sustainable waste management at Higher Education Institutions

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

    Zhang, N.; Williams, I.D., E-mail: idw@soton.ac.uk; Kemp, S.

    Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are often the size of small municipalities. Worldwide, the higher education (HE) sector has expanded phenomenally; for example, since the 1960s, the United Kingdom (UK) HE system has expanded sixfold to >2.4 million students. As a consequence, the overall production of waste at HEIs throughout the world is very large and presents significant challenges as the associated legislative, economic and environmental pressures can be difficult to control and manage. This paper critically reviews why sustainable waste management has become a key issue for the worldwide HE sector to address and describes some of the benefits, barriers,more » practical and logistical problems. As a practical illustration of some of the issues and problems, the four-phase waste management strategy developed over 15 years by one of the largest universities in Southern England - the University of Southampton (UoS) - is outlined as a case study. The UoS is committed to protecting the environment by developing practices that are safe, sustainable and environmentally friendly and has developed a practical, staged approach to manage waste in an increasingly sustainable fashion. At each stage, the approach taken to the development of infrastructure (I), service provision (S) and behavior change (B) is explained, taking into account the Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental (PESTLE) factors. Signposts to lessons learned, good practice and useful resources that other institutions - both nationally and internationally - can access are provided. As a result of the strategy developed at the UoS, from 2004 to 2008 waste costs fell by around Pounds 125k and a recycling rate of 72% was achieved. The holistic approach taken - recognizing the PESTLE factors and the importance of a concerted ISB approach - provides a realistic, successful and practical example for other institutions wishing to effectively and sustainably manage their waste.« less

  18. Greening academia: developing sustainable waste management at Higher Education Institutions.

    PubMed

    Zhang, N; Williams, I D; Kemp, S; Smith, N F

    2011-07-01

    Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are often the size of small municipalities. Worldwide, the higher education (HE) sector has expanded phenomenally; for example, since the 1960s, the United Kingdom (UK) HE system has expanded sixfold to >2.4 million students. As a consequence, the overall production of waste at HEIs throughout the world is very large and presents significant challenges as the associated legislative, economic and environmental pressures can be difficult to control and manage. This paper critically reviews why sustainable waste management has become a key issue for the worldwide HE sector to address and describes some of the benefits, barriers, practical and logistical problems. As a practical illustration of some of the issues and problems, the four-phase waste management strategy developed over 15 years by one of the largest universities in Southern England--the University of Southampton (UoS)--is outlined as a case study. The UoS is committed to protecting the environment by developing practices that are safe, sustainable and environmentally friendly and has developed a practical, staged approach to manage waste in an increasingly sustainable fashion. At each stage, the approach taken to the development of infrastructure (I), service provision (S) and behavior change (B) is explained, taking into account the Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental (PESTLE) factors. Signposts to lessons learned, good practice and useful resources that other institutions--both nationally and internationally--can access are provided. As a result of the strategy developed at the UoS, from 2004 to 2008 waste costs fell by around £125k and a recycling rate of 72% was achieved. The holistic approach taken--recognizing the PESTLE factors and the importance of a concerted ISB approach--provides a realistic, successful and practical example for other institutions wishing to effectively and sustainably manage their waste. Copyright © 2011

  19. Reliability, Validity, and Factor Structure of the Current Assessment Practice Evaluation-Revised (CAPER) in a National Sample.

    PubMed

    Lyon, Aaron R; Pullmann, Michael D; Dorsey, Shannon; Martin, Prerna; Grigore, Alexandra A; Becker, Emily M; Jensen-Doss, Amanda

    2018-05-11

    Measurement-based care (MBC) is an increasingly popular, evidence-based practice, but there are no tools with established psychometrics to evaluate clinician use of MBC practices in mental health service delivery. The current study evaluated the reliability, validity, and factor structure of scores generated from a brief, standardized tool to measure MBC practices, the Current Assessment Practice Evaluation-Revised (CAPER). Survey data from a national sample of 479 mental health clinicians were used to conduct exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, as well as reliability and validity analyses (e.g., relationships between CAPER subscales and clinician MBC attitudes). Analyses revealed competing two- and three-factor models. Regardless of the model used, scores from CAPER subscales demonstrated good reliability and convergent and divergent validity with MBC attitudes in the expected directions. The CAPER appears to be a psychometrically sound tool for assessing clinician MBC practices. Future directions for development and application of the tool are discussed.

  20. MUNICIPAL WASTE COMBUSTION ASSESSMENT ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The report defines and characterizes types of medical waste, discusses the impacts of burning medical waste on combustor emissions, and outlines important handling and operating considerations. Facility-specific design, handling, and operating practiced are also discussed for municipal waste combustors (MWCs) that reportedly accept medical waste in the U.S., Europe, and Canada. nly very limited data are available on the emission impacts associated with the combustion of medical waste in MWGs. Especially lacking is information needed to fully evaluate the impacts on acid gas, dioxin, and metals emissions, as well as the design and operating requirements for complete destruction of solvents, cytotoxic chemicals, and pathogens. The EPA's Office of Air Quatity Planning and Standards is developing emission standards and guidelines for new and existing MWCs under Sections 111(b) and 111(d) of the Clean Air Act. In support of these regulatory development efforts, the Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory in EPA's Office of Research and Development has conducted an assessment to examine the incineration of medical waste in MWGs from an emission standpoint. Potential worker safety and health problems associated with handling of medical wastes and residues were also identified. information