scholarly journals Protection of the public in a large-scale radiation accident: mitigation of negative social consequences of protective actions. Part 1. Interpretation of dose characteristics of emergency

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2(св)) ◽  
pp. 20-30
Author(s):  
Yu. O. Konstantinov
Keyword(s):  
Chernobyl Accident ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Statistical Characteristics ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Radiation Accident ◽  
Protective Actions ◽  
Public Exposure ◽  
Social Damage

The protective actions which were carried out with the purpose to reduce public exposure to radiation derived from the accidents at Chernobyl and Fukushima-1 nuclear power plants have caused negative consequences of social – psychological both social-economic character and medical nonradiological consequences. The corresponding damage put to the population of involved territories and to the entire society has considerably exceeded hypothetical benefit of aversion of radiation exposure. In the present study some possible ways of aprioristic maintenance of mitigation of the social damage accompanying realization of anti-radiation protective actions at large-scale radiation accident are considered. For the characteristic of total amount of the damage caused by protective actions, the scale of radiation and social protection in terms of a population of officially involved territories is accepted. The analysis of decisions on protection of the population in the Russian Federation against consequences of Chernobyl accident shows that at concrete radiation situation scales of protective actions differ more than on the order of magnitude, depending on criteria of decision-making and their administrative realization. Another factor that determines the scale of the accident is the degree of conservatism in the assessment of the radiation situation. The analysis of results of individual dosimetric examination of inhabitants of the western districts of the Bryansk region has shown steady values of statistical characteristics of distribution of the individual doses of an external and internal radiation caused by Chernobyl accident, according to which the value of 95% quantile of distribution in 2–3 times exceeds the average value at an examined sample of the population. Thus, application of the concept of “representative person» leads to overestimation of projected doses concerning to those corresponding to stochastic radiation effects. The results of such overestimation are expansion of scales of protective actions, prolongation of emergency, increase in accompanying social damage. As one of the ways to maintain aprioristic mitigation of social damage accompanying protective actions, the following position is offered. At a stage of an emergency, when there is enough information to consider, that the maximal public exposure to radiation will not achieve thresholds of deterministic effects, the decisions on protective actions violating normal human beings and socioeconomic functioning of territory is justified to accept on the basis of doses for the average person, instead of those for the most exposed people.

scholarly journals Solid recovered fuel as coal substitute in the electricity generation sector

2005 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 17-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Kakaras ◽  
Panagiotis Grammeus ◽  
Michails Agraniotis ◽  
Willy Derichs ◽  
Hans-Peter Schiffer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Municipal Solid Waste ◽  
Solid Waste ◽  
Brown Coal ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Waste Treatment ◽  
Future Application ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Combustion Tests

According to the 1999/31 EC Directive, municipal solid waste should not be disposed for landfill from 2005. In this way, more environmental friendly waste management options are promoted towards the volume reduction and limitation of negative consequences. In this context, attention is focused on the utilization of solid recovered fuels derived from the waste treatment as coal substitute in large-scale power plants. Such activities are realized within an EU-funded project RECOFUEL, in which the solid recovered fuels co-combustion with brown coal is demonstrated in two commercial-scale PF-boilers at R WE Power's power plant site in Weisweiler, Germany. During testing the thermal share of solid recovered fuels in the overall thermal input was adjusted to some 2%, resulting into a feeding rate of about 2 x 12.5 tons per hour. NTUA-LSB in cooperation with IVD-University of Stuttgart, Germany, is responsible for the boiler measurements and the characterization of boilers operational behavior. Among the main activities are the technology transfer of co-combustion practice in the Balkan countries and the perspectives of its future application in the Greek region, with respect to the special characteristics of the Greek brown coal and municipal solid waste. Co-combustion tests of brown coal and solid recovered fuels, that have been taken place up to now, have been successfully performed and the strict European emission limits are kept. The waste quantities in Greece that can be utilized are estimated in 200,000 Mg/year while their utilization in existing thermal plants is expected to bring savings of 3% lignite use and avoidance of up to 200,000 Mg CO2 per year.

The Necessity and Ways of Legitimation of Large-scale Private Property in Russia: Raising a Problem

2007 ◽  
pp. 4-26
Author(s):  
G. Yavlinsky
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Private Property ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Specific Nature ◽  
Considerable Part ◽  
Russian People ◽  
National Importance ◽  
Historical Tradition ◽  
Special Rules ◽  
Economic Assets

Results of privatization campaign in 1990’s continue to meet strong opposition from a very considerable part of Russian people and authorities actually refuse to consider the rights of private owners legitimate and not subject to violation. One of the reasons for this, besides historical tradition, is a specific nature of Russian privatization of 1990’s. The article brings to discussion a set of measures aimed at overcoming its negative consequences. While insisting on the need to honor all previous government obligations and commitments, the paper proposes a one-time special tax (windfall tax) to be levied on those who benefited most from privatization deals that were not just and fair, and special rules to be set for the use and sale of economic assets of national importance. The author also considers possible ways to legitimize private property, as well as chances to achieve а broad public consensus on this issue in Russia.

Social inequality in the evolution of human societies

2019 ◽  
pp. 98-120
Author(s):  
Georgi Derluguian
Keyword(s):  
Social Inequality ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Mass Violence ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Tangible Assets ◽  
Transition To Agriculture ◽  
New Institutions ◽  
High Level ◽  
Political Economic

The author develops ideas about the origin of social inequality during the evolution of human societies and reflects on the possibilities of its overcoming. What makes human beings different from other primates is a high level of egalitarianism and altruism, which contributed to more successful adaptability of human collectives at early stages of the development of society. The transition to agriculture, coupled with substantially increasing population density, was marked by the emergence and institutionalisation of social inequality based on the inequality of tangible assets and symbolic wealth. Then, new institutions of warfare came into existence, and they were aimed at conquering and enslaving the neighbours engaged in productive labour. While exercising control over nature, people also established and strengthened their power over other people. Chiefdom as a new type of polity came into being. Elementary forms of power (political, economic and ideological) served as a basis for the formation of early states. The societies in those states were characterised by social inequality and cruelties, including slavery, mass violence and numerous victims. Nowadays, the old elementary forms of power that are inherent in personalistic chiefdom are still functioning along with modern institutions of public and private bureaucracy. This constitutes the key contradiction of our time, which is the juxtaposition of individual despotic power and public infrastructural one. However, society is evolving towards an ever more efficient combination of social initiatives with the sustainability and viability of large-scale organisations.

A Different Kind of Animal

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Boyd
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Cultural Adaptation ◽  
Dominant Species ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Unique Combination ◽  
Essential Ingredient ◽  
Princeton University

Human beings have evolved to become the most dominant species on Earth. This astonishing transformation is usually explained in terms of cognitive ability—people are just smarter than all the rest. But this book argues that culture—our ability to learn from each other—has been the essential ingredient of our remarkable success. The book shows how a unique combination of cultural adaptation and large-scale cooperation has transformed our species and assured our survival—making us the different kind of animal we are today. The book is based on the Tanner Lectures delivered at Princeton University, featuring challenging responses across the chapters.

STUDY OF ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN RELATION TO THEIR GENDER AND ACADEMIC STREAM

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 262-265
Author(s):  
Dr.Navdeep Kaur
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Education ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Environmental Awareness ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
School Students ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Stages Of Learning ◽  
The Masses

Since its evolution environment has remained both a matter of awe and concern to man. The frontier attitude of the industrialized society towards nature has not only endangered the survival of all other life forms but also threatened the very existence of human life. The realization of such potential danger has necessitated the dissemination of knowledge and skill vis-a-vis environment protection at all stages of learning. Therefore, learners of all stages of learning need to be sensitized with a missionary zeal. This may ensure transformation of students into committed citizens for averting global environment crisis. The advancement of science and technology made the life more and more relaxed and man also became more and more ambitious. With such development, human dependence on environment increased. He consumed more resources and the effect of his activities on the environment became more and more detectable. Environment covers all the things present around the living beings and above the land, on the surface of the earth and under the earth. Environment indicates, in total, all of peripheral forces, pressures and circumstances, which affect the life, nature, behaviour, growth, development and maturation of living beings. Irrational exploitation (not utilization) of natural resources for our greed (not need) has endangered our survival, and incurred incalculable harm. Environmental Education is a science, a well-thought, permanent, lasting and integrated process of equipping learning experiences for getting awareness, knowledge, understanding, skills, values, technical expertise and involvement of learners with desirable attitudinal changes about their relationship with their natural and biophysical environment. Environmental Education is an organized effort to educate the masses about environment, its functions, need, importance, and especially how human beings can manage their behaviour in order to live in a sustainable manner.  The term 'environmental awareness' refers to creating general awareness of environmental issues, their causes by bringing about changes in perception, attitude, values and necessary skills to solve environment related problems. Moreover, it is the first step leading to the formation of responsible environmental behaviour (Stern, 2000). With the ever increasing development by modern man, large scale degradation of natural resources have been occurred, the public has to be educated about the fact that if we are degrading our environment we are actually harming ourselves. To encourage meaningful public participation and environment, it is necessary to create awareness about environment pollution and related adverse effects. This is the crucial time that environmental awareness and environmental sensitivity should be cultivated among the masses particularly among youths. For the awareness of society it is essential to work at a gross root level. So the whole society can work to save the environment.

Waste minimization program in Shuaiba Industrial Area

1999 ◽  
Vol 39 (10-11) ◽  
pp. 289-295
Author(s):  
Saleh Al-Muzaini
Keyword(s):  
Solid Waste ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Industrial Area ◽  
Waste Minimization ◽  
Regulatory Body ◽  
Eastern Sector ◽  
Western Sector ◽  
Petroleum Companies ◽  
The Cost

The Shuaiba Industrial Area (SIA) is located about 50 km south of Kuwait City. It accommodates most of the large-scale industries in Kuwait. The total area of the SIA (both eastern and western sectors) is about 22.98 million m2. Fifteen plants are located in the eastern sector and 23 in the western sector, including two petrochemical companies, three refineries, two power plants, a melamine company, an industrial gas corporation, a paper products company and, two steam electricity generating stations, in addition to several other industries. Therefore, only 30 percent of the land in the SIA's eastern sector and 70 percent of land in the SIA's western sector is available for future expansion. Presently, industries in the SIA generate approximately 204,000 t of solid waste. With future development in the industries in the SIA, the estimated quantities will reach 240,000 t. The Shuaiba Area Authority (SAA), a governmental regulatory body responsible for planning and development in the SIA, has recognized the problem of solid waste and has developed an industrial waste minimization program. This program would help to reduce the quantity of waste generated within the SIA and thereby reduce the cost of waste management. This paper presents a description of the waste minimization program and how it is to be implemented by major petroleum companies. The protocols employed in the waste minimization program are detailed.

Impact of Job Stress and Social Support on Job Satisfaction among Academic Staff

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kumari Kumkum ◽  
R. N. Singh ◽  
Yogershi Rajpoot
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Job Stress ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
The Other ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Four Dimensions

There may be so many negative consequences of stress for human beings and dissatisfaction among employees happens to be one of the major problems. It indicates negative feelings that individuals have regarding their jobs or its facets. On the other hand, social support is assumed to be mitigating the relationship between negative aspects of the work environment and job satisfaction. Job stress is said to be associated with job dissatisfaction as well as experience of strain. In view of the above, this study examined the role of job stress and social support in job satisfaction. The sample consisted of 30 school teachers from different school of Varanasi (U.P.). The job stress, job satisfaction and social support scales were administered on the participants. The responses of the participants were converted into scores for statistical analyses. The scores of participants on the scales were correlated. The findings revealed that job stress led to increased job satisfaction. It is against the proposed hypothesis and it appears as if the social support received by the participants is a factor behind it. Two of the four dimensions of social support were found to exert positive impact on job satisfaction but the other two dimensions were not found to be correlated with it. The findings are thoroughly discussed and interpreted.

“Community Interests” and the Role of International Law in the Creation of a Global Market for Agricultural Land

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jochen von Bernstorff
Keyword(s):  
International Law ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Food Sovereignty ◽  
Global Market ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Cultural Rights ◽  
Land Grab ◽  
Large Scale Land ◽  
The One

The chapter explores the notion of “community interests” with regard to the global “land-grab” phenomenon. Over the last decade, a dramatic increase of foreign investment in agricultural land could be observed. Bilateral investment treaties protect around 75 per cent of these large-scale land acquisitions, many of which came with associated social problems, such as displaced local populations and negative consequences for food security in Third World countries receiving these large-scale foreign investments. Hence, two potentially conflicting areas of international law are relevant in this context: Economic, social, and cultural rights and the principles of permanent sovereignty over natural resources and “food sovereignty” challenging large-scale investments on the one hand, and specific norms of international economic law stabilizing them on the other. The contribution discusses the usefulness of the concept of “community interests” in cases where the two colliding sets of norms are both considered to protect such interests.

scholarly journals Estimating CO2 Emissions from Large Scale Coal-Fired Power Plants Using OCO-2 Observations and Emission Inventories

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 811
Author(s):  
Yaqin Hu ◽  
Yusheng Shi
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Co2 Emissions ◽  
Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Gaussian Model ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
Emission Inventories ◽  
Bottom Up

The concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) has increased rapidly worldwide, aggravating the global greenhouse effect, and coal-fired power plants are one of the biggest contributors of greenhouse gas emissions in China. However, efficient methods that can quantify CO2 emissions from individual coal-fired power plants with high accuracy are needed. In this study, we estimated the CO2 emissions of large-scale coal-fired power plants using Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) satellite data based on remote sensing inversions and bottom-up methods. First, we mapped the distribution of coal-fired power plants, displaying the total installed capacity, and identified two appropriate targets, the Waigaoqiao and Qinbei power plants in Shanghai and Henan, respectively. Then, an improved Gaussian plume model method was applied for CO2 emission estimations, with input parameters including the geographic coordinates of point sources, wind vectors from the atmospheric reanalysis of the global climate, and OCO-2 observations. The application of the Gaussian model was improved by using wind data with higher temporal and spatial resolutions, employing the physically based unit conversion method, and interpolating OCO-2 observations into different resolutions. Consequently, CO2 emissions were estimated to be 23.06 ± 2.82 (95% CI) Mt/yr using the Gaussian model and 16.28 Mt/yr using the bottom-up method for the Waigaoqiao Power Plant, and 14.58 ± 3.37 (95% CI) and 14.08 Mt/yr for the Qinbei Power Plant, respectively. These estimates were compared with three standard databases for validation: the Carbon Monitoring for Action database, the China coal-fired Power Plant Emissions Database, and the Carbon Brief database. The comparison found that previous emission inventories spanning different time frames might have overestimated the CO2 emissions of one of two Chinese power plants on the two days that the measurements were made. Our study contributes to quantifying CO2 emissions from point sources and helps in advancing satellite-based monitoring techniques of emission sources in the future; this helps in reducing errors due to human intervention in bottom-up statistical methods.

scholarly journals On the Root Causes of the Fukushima Daiichi Disaster from the Perspective of High Complexity and Tight Coupling in Large-Scale Systems

Symmetry ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 414
Author(s):  
Atsuo Murata ◽  
Waldemar Karwowski
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
High Complexity ◽  
Tight Coupling ◽  
Large Scale Systems ◽  
Safety Issues ◽  
Loss Of Coolant ◽  
Station Blackout ◽  
Fukushima Daiichi

This study explores the root causes of the Fukushima Daiichi disaster and discusses how the complexity and tight coupling in large-scale systems should be reduced under emergencies such as station blackout (SBO) to prevent future disasters. First, on the basis of a summary of the published literature on the Fukushima Daiichi disaster, we found that the direct causes (i.e., malfunctions and problems) included overlooking the loss of coolant and the nuclear reactor’s failure to cool down. Second, we verified that two characteristics proposed in “normal accident” theory—high complexity and tight coupling—underlay each of the direct causes. These two characteristics were found to have made emergency management more challenging. We discuss how such disasters in large-scale systems with high complexity and tight coupling could be prevented through an organizational and managerial approach that can remove asymmetry of authority and information and foster a climate of openly discussing critical safety issues in nuclear power plants.

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