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September 16th, 2012:

Why don’t more cities & states have curbside composting

www.EnvironmentalHealthNews.org

Why doesn’t your city have curbside composting? Following San Francisco’s lead, nearly 100 cities now have curbside composting. Keeping food scraps, leaves, tree limbs, and grass clippings out of the municipal waste facilities preserves limited space, and it saves money. Why don’t more cities and states make it easier for us to compost? The answer: Big Trash. Mother Jones . 16 September 2012

Use of RDF in cement kilns

(Hong Kong Government rejected this option)

Environmental and economic advantages associated with the use of RDF in cement kilns Original Research Article
Resources, Conservation and Recycling, Volume 68, November 2012, Pages 21-28
Mustafa Kara

Highlights

► We examine greenhouse gas emission reduction, CO2feasibility upon replacing petroleum coke with RDF. ► Emission measurements made at industrial scale rotary cement kiln. ► It is shown that there is 9.50USD/h CO2emission saving in petroleum coke. ► 94USD/h real saving will be achieved by using RDF. ► This study will be a preliminary preparation for emission trade for Turkey.

end-of-life management of source separated organics

Review and meta-analysis of 82 studies on end-of-life management methods for source separated organics Original Research Article
Waste Management, Available online 7 September 2012, Pages
Jeffrey Morris, H. Scott Matthews, Clarissa Morawski

Highlights

► No management method had lowest environmental effects for all environmental impacts. ► Composting and anaerobic digestion have less climate impact than burning or burying. ► No LCA agreement on aerobic composting versus anaerobic digestion climate impacts. ► No LCA agreement on burning versus burying climate impacts. ► Boundary conditions for offsets affect management method ranking.

Potential of MSW in Brazil

Analysis of the potential of municipal solid waste in Brazil Original Research Article
Environmental Development, Available online 7 September 2012, Pages
F.A.M. Lino, K.A.R. Ismail

Highlights

► The study presents the evaluation and results of the potential of municipal solid waste in Brazil. ► MSW is an instrument to eradicate poverty and ensure environmental sustainability. ► Recycling, besides the financial gain increases the useful life of landfills and reduce the operational costs. ► Solid waste organic matter can be a renewable source for energy generation.

Impact of burning industrial waste – rotary kiln vs. cement kiln


Environmental impact of incineration of calorific industrial waste: Rotary kiln vs. cement kiln
Original Research Article
Waste Management, Volume 32, Issue 10
Pages 1853-1863
Isabel Vermeulen, Jo Van Caneghem, Chantal Block, Wim Dewulf, Carlo Vandecasteele

Highlights

► We model two energy intensive processes that substitute fossil fuel by industrial waste. ► Considered waste streams include automotive shredder residue and meat and bone meal. ► Environmental impact assessment is conducted using two different modeling approaches. ► Methodological choices can influence the outcome and conclusions of the assessment.

Nigeria: solid waste deposits are significant source of contaminants

Solid waste deposits as a significant source of contaminants of emerging concern to the aquatic and terrestrial environments — A developing country case study from Owerri, Nigeria Original Research Article
Science of The Total Environment, Volume 438, 1 November 2012, Pages 94-102
Augustine Arukwe, Trine Eggen, Monika Möder

Highlights

► Solid waste management in developing countries ► Solid waste as a significant source of contaminants of emerging concern ► Contaminant leaching from solid waste to surrounding environment ► Detection of several contaminants of emerging concern and with endocrine-disrupting activities ► Phthalates are the dominant contaminant group with concentrations that are comparable with other countries.

Impact assessment of MSW incineration with auxiliary coal in China


Environmental impact assessment of the incineration of municipal solid waste with auxiliary coal in China
Original Research Article
Waste Management, Volume 32, Issue 10
Pages 1989-1998
Yan Zhao, Wei Xing, Wenjing Lu, Xu Zhang, Thomas H. Christensen

Highlights

► Environmental impacts of waste incineration with excess or adequate coal were modeled. ► Fossil CO2emission from auxiliary coal is the primary contributor to global warming. ► More coal in incinerators yields fewer avoided impacts under new emission standard. ► Waste incineration without coal after source-separation of ash is a promising process. ► Weighted impact profiles based on Chinese political reduction targets are provided.

If Beijing want to win friends in Hong Kong, they could clean up the air

SCMP

Submitted by admin on Sep 16th 2012, 12:00am

Sport›China

RIGHT FIELD

Tim Noonan

Forget patriotic lessons, the gents up north could win respect by cutting HK emissions and moving marathon to the city centre

It’s been such a contentious spell around here recently that I feel compelled to have a quick word with my good friends up in Beijing. Gents, I know you have a tough job taking care of 1.3 billion people, and while I certainly can’t say I approve of everything you do, there are a few things I do approve of. I just need a moment or two to come up with them. In the meantime, I have a proposition for you that should help engender the love and respect you so desperately desire from the people of Hong Kong.

The best news is that it’s a sporting proposition and I know how patriotic you guys get over your sport.

But first, whose idea was this forced implementation of a “moral and national” education of mainland history for the people of Hong Kong that conveniently omits a couple of particularly revolting incidents like the Cultural Revolution and Tiananmen Square?

Guys, no matter what your sycophants on the ground here may tell you, you can’t force the people of Hong Kong to like you. The genie is out of the bottle and it ain’t going back in. We have a relatively free press around here and as such a free mind, so when thousands took to the streets over the past few weeks to protest, it could not have been a shock.

Honestly, why not just roll the tanks through the middle of town because it would probably be less threatening than the mandatory teaching of a “moral and national” education? Naturally the outrage was swift and unified, so your boy here decided to shelve national education for now. But here is what you must know; since the people of Hong Kong are the only ones in China who are allowed to publicly protest, they seem to have adopted this fiduciary right to speak up for their brothers and sisters on the mainland who cannot.

Now what could possibly be more patriotic than that? They have a lot of love for the country, just not for the people who run it. But all that could change in a heartbeat and not just for Hong Kong but also for the world in general, which is growing increasingly nervous over your economic and military might. Why not make a profound and significant difference in a completely unthreatening and benign manner?

The way to Hong Kong people’s hearts is through their lungs. We have a first-world economy and third-world air, which is completely unacceptable.

Last year the Hong Kong government had a budget surplus of close to US$10 billion to go along with accumulated reserves of US$300 billion.

You think with that kind of money on hand we would be able to breathe the air around here. But no, because at Hong Kong’s core we have an odious property cartel that is greed personified. There is, according to my friend Mike Kilburn at Civic Exchange, “a moral failure” among the city’s elite to clean the air.

This is where you come in, Beijing. You guys announce that you are going to take US$1 billion out of the swelling reserves to pay for the mandatory change over to catalytic converters on every single bus, mini bus and light goods delivery vehicle – the primary source of urban spew – and then sit back as the sky gets bluer and the streets get truer.

Now the all-important sporting angle comes in when you decide that you need to advertise this thing. Call it the “China Clean Air Initiative,” not Hong Kong – call it China because you are the cats responsible for this. You then make the long overdue move to bring the Hong Kong marathon out of the boondocks and highways of western Kowloon and stick it smack dab in the middle of the city. Tokyo and New York can find a way to run a race through the heart of the city but we can’t? Get over yourselves for one Sunday morning a year Hong Kong and take a detour. One of the most stunning urban vistas in the world with palatable air and blue skies deserves to be front row centre. Now sell this thing hard, Beijing. World-class athletes can run through the city so there should be no worries about walking. Come breathe our fresh air and why not do a little shopping while you’re here.

I don’t see a single possible downside to this thing and even though it’s my idea, I’m happy to let the politicians and property boys take credit for it. So Beijing, if you want to force an education on the people here, start with a clean air education. Believe me, the world will take notice. And, most importantly, the people of Hong Kong will be getting a “moral and national” education they will never forget.

Topics:

Clean Air

Beijing

Sport


Source URL (retrieved on Sep 16th 2012, 7:19am): http://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/1037811/if-beijing-want-win-friends-hong-kong-they-could-clean-air