Post-disaster waste management with carbon tax policy consideration

Disasters cause substantial damage around the world. This causes serious environmental and economic burden on normal living conditions, reconstruction and general waste collection processes. Within this context, waste management has emerged as a critical issue in responding to a disaster. Thus, this paper addresses post disaster waste management strategies adopted in developing countries and applicability of best global practices in respect of challenges encountered. Comprehensive literature review and field survey among national level institutes in Sri Lanka were conducted to gather information and semi‐structured interviews were used as a method of data collection. The findings revealed that strategies, issues and challenges are varying according to type of disaster, magnitude, location, country etc. Further, poor implementation of prevailing rules and regulations; poor standards of local expertise and capacities, inadequate funds, lack of communication and coordination are identified as key issues encountered. Santruka Stichines nelaimes visame pasaulyje pridaro daug žalos. Tai labai pasunkina aplinkosaugine ir ekonomine situacija iprastomis gyvenimo salygomis, atstatant aplinka ir vykdant bendruosius atlieku rinkimo procesus. Šiame kontekste atlieku tvarkymas išryškejo kaip esmine problema, reaguojant i stichine nelaime. Taigi šiame darbe nagrinejamos atlieku tvarkymo po stichiniu nelaimiu strategijos, taikomos besivystančiose šalyse, ir geriausiu pasauliniu praktiku taikymas, imantis kilusiu iššūkiu. Siekiant surinkti informacija, išsamiai apžvelgta literatūra ir tiesiogiai ištirtos Šri Lankos valstybines institucijos, o duomenims rinkti pasitelktas pusiau struktūriniu interviu metodas. Iš rezultatu aišku, kad strategijos, problemos ir iššūkiai skiriasi priklausomai nuo stichines nelaimes pobūdžio, masto, vietos, valstybes ir pan. Be to, nustatyta, kad pagrindines problemos yra prastas visuotiniu taisykliu ir reglamentu taikymas, prasti vietines patirties standartai ir menkos galimybes, lešu trūkumas, komunikacijos ir koordinavimo trūkumas.

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Proposal for a national inventory adjustment for trade in the presence of border carbon adjustment: Assessing carbon tax policy in Japan

Energy Policy ◽

10.1016/j.enpol.2013.09.016 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 63 ◽

pp. 1098-1110 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Xin Zhou ◽

Takashi Yano ◽

Satoshi Kojima

Keyword(s):

Tax Policy ◽

Carbon Tax ◽

National Inventory

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Externalities and Internalisation of Radioactive Waste Producing Activities: The Analogy With Environmental Practices

Volume 2: Mgmt. Low/Interm. Level Waste; Spent Fuel; Economics/Analyses for Waste Mgmt.; Radiological Characterization/Application Release Criteria; Panel Sessions; Solid Waste Reduction/Treatment; Current Activities in Central/Eastern Europe; Environmental Remediation Technology; LL/ILW; HLW/Spent Fuel; Chernobyl; D&D Waste; Performance Assessment; MOX and Spent UOX; D&D Nuclear Reactors; Decommissioning of Other Nuclear Facilities ◽

10.1115/icem2001-1135 ◽

2001 ◽

Author(s):

Pierre L. Kunsch

Keyword(s):

Radioactive Waste ◽

Waste Management ◽

Co2 Emissions ◽

Nuclear Waste ◽

Carbon Tax ◽

Radioactive Material ◽

Electricity Production ◽

Radioactive Waste Management ◽

Medicine Research ◽

Polluter Pays Principle

Abstract All human activities generate negative externalities, in particular the use of radioactive material for electricity production and radioisotope applications. Both activities produce radioactive waste, which can, therefore, be considered as being specific externalities. The purpose of the paper is to investigate these externalities and to identify appropriate internalisation instruments. Analogue cases in environmental management are discussed. In general the nuclear externalities are not internalised in the management costs charged by Radioactive Waste agencies (RAWA). The paper explores the possibility of having an internalisation of all costs as requested by the strict application of the Polluter Pays Principle. In the case of electricity production a comparison is made between the externalities attributed to nuclear waste and those in relation with CO2-emissions from the combustion of fossil fuel. A brief overview is given on the evaluation approach in ExternE (“Externalities of Energy”). The evaluations are the basis for the design of a carbon tax applicable to fossil fuels for reducing CO2-emissions. A similar tax could be charged on radioactive waste management. Beyond the internalisation objective, the tax proceeds could finance the technological R&D for improving the conditions of storage and disposal, and provide compensations to local residents in the vicinity of nuclear waste management facilities. The management of spent radioisotope equipment in medicine, research, or industry is shown to have similar features to the management of packages, spent electrical appliances, and the disposal of batteries. In general the price of management of the spent material is not included in the purchase price. In case of spent radioisotope equipment, the externality mainly represents the risk of this material becoming a hazard for the public health. It is recommended to internalise the full costs of management to eliminate this risk. Moreover spent material should be registered and RAWA should maintain detailed inventories on their national territories. In order to induce the free return of spent material to the RAWA, deposit refund systems could be set in place as in the package or battery market. A surcharge is paid by purchase, which is refunded to the buyers when they return the product for recycling or proper disposal. The paper concludes by describing lessons and possible implications of the previously discussed environmental tax or surcharge systems on the way the Polluter-Pays Principle is applied in radioactive waste management.

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