The environmental aspect of recycling end-of-life vehicles

2019 ◽  
Vol 127 ◽  
pp. 25-35
Author(s):  
Ewa Sylwia Kamińska
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Recovery Rate ◽  
Functional Unit ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Environmental Aspect ◽  
Balance Analysis ◽  
Potential Level ◽  
Significant Mass

In Poland every year, about 600,000 cars are processed by the vehicle dismantling stations, which entails the necessity of utilizing a significant mass of the waste. Entrepreneurs running the disassembling stations are required to obtain a 95% recovery rate and 85% recycling of the weight of vehicles brought into the company during the year. The article presents the results of the eco-balance analysis of utilizing waste from end-of-life vehicles (ELV). The calculations were carried out following the assumptions of the LCA method, based on the ReCiPe2016 procedure. The potential level of environmental impacts is analyzed in 23 environmental categories, included in three groups, defining effects on human health, ecosystems, and resources. The results were presented as environmental points [Pt], which reflect the potential level of environ-mental burdens exerted by the analyzed object. The limits of the tested system include utilization pro-cesses of the waste from vehicles. One end-of-life vehicle was assumed as a functional unit. Particular attention has been paid to the emissions into the air that adversely affects human health and climate change. The results of the analysis showed that the properly conducted car utilization process brings environmental benefits above all in terms related to human health.

scholarly journals Carbon footprint of an EUR-sized wooden and a plastic pallet

2020 ◽  
Vol 158 ◽  
pp. 03001
Author(s):  
Ivan Deviatkin ◽  
Mika Horttanainen
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Sequestration ◽  
Service Life ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Carbon Footprint ◽  
Functional Unit ◽  
Essential Element ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Alternative Management ◽  
Cradle To Gate

Pallets are an essential element of existing logistics worldwide. Pallets are simple in structure, yet they can be made of different materials, in varying dimensions, and be marketed via alternative management systems. This paper examines a carbon footprint, an indicator of impact on climate change, of a widely used EUR-size (1200 mm × 800 mm) pallet made of wood or plastic using the data from previously published literature. The study is geographically representative of Finland, while time and technological representativeness depend on the studies reviewed. On average, the production of a wooden pallet, i.e. cradle-to-gate, has a partial carbon footprint of 5.0 kg CO2-eq. and of -34 kg CO2-eq. if accounting for carbon sequestration in wood. Manufacturing of a virgin plastic pallet releases 62 kg CO2-eq. Given the functional unit of 1000 customer trips and service life of 20 times for a wooden pallet and 66 times for a plastic pallet, the cradle-to-grave impacts of the wooden and the plastic pallets are 17 kg CO2-eq. and 1790 kg CO2-eq., respectively when the pallets are incinerated at the end-of-life, or 0.34 kg CO2-eq. per one wooden pallet and 120 kg CO2-eq. per one plastic pallet.

scholarly journals The Effects of US State-Level Energy and Environmental Policies on Clean Tech Innovation and Employment

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ross Gittell ◽  
Josh Stillwagon
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Policy ◽  
State Level ◽  
Environmental Policies ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Level Energy ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Employment Benefits ◽  
Technology Industry ◽  
Change Policy

<p>This paper explores the influence of US state-level policies meant to address climate change on clean technology industry development. The largest influence of climate change policies is identified as being on energy research employment. Only some policies seem to contribute positively to clean tech employment while other policies appear to discourage employment growth. The magnitudes of the short term effects, even when statistically significant, are modest. Negative impacts on employment are identified for several mandate-oriented, so called command and control, policies including vehicle greenhouse gas standards, energy efficiency resource standards, and renewable portfolio standards with the former two having increasing negative effects over time. The findings suggest that climate change policy advocates should be careful to not assume that there will be positive clean tech employment benefits from state-level energy and environmental policies. Instead, the benefits from these policies may derive primarily from other considerations beyond the scope of this paper, including health and environmental benefits and reduction of dependence on foreign energy sources.</p>

scholarly journals Simulating Agroforestry Adoption in Rural Indonesia: The Potential of Trees on Farms for Livelihoods and Environment

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 385
Author(s):  
Beatrice Nöldeke ◽  
Etti Winter ◽  
Yves Laumonier ◽  
Trifosa Simamora
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Scenario ◽  
Agroforestry System ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Change Scenario ◽  
Trees On Farms ◽  
Agroforestry Adoption ◽  
Mitigate Climate Change ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

In recent years, agroforestry has gained increasing attention as an option to simultaneously alleviate poverty, provide ecological benefits, and mitigate climate change. The present study simulates small-scale farmers’ agroforestry adoption decisions to investigate the consequences for livelihoods and the environment over time. To explore the interdependencies between agroforestry adoption, livelihoods, and the environment, an agent-based model adjusted to a case study area in rural Indonesia was implemented. Thereby, the model compares different scenarios, including a climate change scenario. The agroforestry system under investigation consists of an illipe (Shorea stenoptera) rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) mix, which are both locally valued tree species. The simulations reveal that farmers who adopt agroforestry diversify their livelihood portfolio while increasing income. Additionally, the model predicts environmental benefits: enhanced biodiversity and higher carbon sequestration in the landscape. The benefits of agroforestry for livelihoods and nature gain particular importance in the climate change scenario. The results therefore provide policy-makers and practitioners with insights into the dynamic economic and environmental advantages of promoting agroforestry.

scholarly journals Understanding the host-microbe interactions using metabolic modeling

Microbiome ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jack Jansma ◽  
Sahar El Aidy
Keyword(s):  
Human Health ◽  
Flux Balance Analysis ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Flux Balance ◽  
Interaction Field ◽  
In Silico Simulation ◽  
Balance Analysis ◽  
Microbe Interactions ◽  
Host Microbe Interactions ◽  
Genome Scale

AbstractThe human gut harbors an enormous number of symbiotic microbes, which is vital for human health. However, interactions within the complex microbiota community and between the microbiota and its host are challenging to elucidate, limiting development in the treatment for a variety of diseases associated with microbiota dysbiosis. Using in silico simulation methods based on flux balance analysis, those interactions can be better investigated. Flux balance analysis uses an annotated genome-scale reconstruction of a metabolic network to determine the distribution of metabolic fluxes that represent the complete metabolism of a bacterium in a certain metabolic environment such as the gut. Simulation of a set of bacterial species in a shared metabolic environment can enable the study of the effect of numerous perturbations, such as dietary changes or addition of a probiotic species in a personalized manner. This review aims to introduce to experimental biologists the possible applications of flux balance analysis in the host-microbiota interaction field and discusses its potential use to improve human health.

scholarly journals Climate Change and Health Preparedness in Africa: Analysing Trends in Six African Countries

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 4672
Author(s):  
Samuel Kwasi Opoku ◽  
Walter Leal Filho ◽  
Fudjumdjum Hubert ◽  
Oluwabunmi Adejumo
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Climate Change ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
African Countries

Climate change is a global problem, which affects the various geographical regions at different levels. It is also associated with a wide range of human health problems, which pose a burden to health systems, especially in regions such as Africa. Indeed, across the African continent public health systems are under severe pressure, partly due to their fragile socioeconomic conditions. This paper reports on a cross-sectional study in six African countries (Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Namibia, Ethiopia, and Kenya) aimed at assessing their vulnerabilities to climate change, focusing on its impacts on human health. The study evaluated the levels of information, knowledge, and perceptions of public health professionals. It also examined the health systems’ preparedness to cope with these health hazards, the available resources, and those needed to build resilience to the country’s vulnerable population, as perceived by health professionals. The results revealed that 63.1% of the total respondents reported that climate change had been extensively experienced in the past years, while 32% claimed that the sampled countries had experienced them to some extent. Nigerian respondents recorded the highest levels (67.7%), followed by Kenya with 66.6%. South Africa had the lowest level of impact as perceived by the respondents (50.0%) when compared with the other sampled countries. All respondents from Ghana and Namibia reported that health problems caused by climate change are common in the two countries. As perceived by the health professionals, the inadequate resources reiterate the need for infrastructural resources, medical equipment, emergency response resources, and technical support. The study’s recommendations include the need to improve current policies at all levels (i.e., national, regional, and local) on climate change and public health and to strengthen health professionals’ skills. Improving the basic knowledge of health institutions to better respond to a changing climate is also recommended. The study provides valuable insights which may be helpful to other nations in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Water Security and Human Health in Relation to Climate Change

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Ravishankar Kumar ◽  
Prafulla Kumar Sahoo ◽  
Sunil Mittal
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Water Security

scholarly journals A Transdisciplinary Approach to Address Climate Change Adaptation for Human Health and Well-Being in Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 4258
Author(s):  
Caradee Yael Wright ◽  
Candice Eleanor Moore ◽  
Matthew Chersich ◽  
Rebecca Hester ◽  
Patricia Nayna Schwerdtle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Climate Change Adaptation ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Well Being ◽  
World Health ◽  
Economic Policies ◽  
Comprehensive Health ◽  
African Context

The health sector response to dealing with the impacts of climate change on human health, whether mitigative or adaptive, is influenced by multiple factors and necessitates creative approaches drawing on resources across multiple sectors. This short communication presents the context in which adaptation to protect human health has been addressed to date and argues for a holistic, transdisciplinary, multisectoral and systems approach going forward. Such a novel health-climate approach requires broad thinking regarding geographies, ecologies and socio-economic policies, and demands that one prioritises services for vulnerable populations at higher risk. Actions to engage more sectors and systems in comprehensive health-climate governance are identified. Much like the World Health Organization’s ‘Health in All Policies’ approach, one should think health governance and climate change together in a transnational framework as a matter not only of health promotion and disease prevention, but of population security. In an African context, there is a need for continued cross-border efforts, through partnerships, blending climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction, and long-term international financing, to contribute towards meeting sustainable development imperatives.

Major climate change-induced risks to human health in South Africa

2021 ◽  
pp. 110973
Author(s):  
Caradee Y. Wright ◽  
Thandi Kapwata ◽  
David Jean du Preez ◽  
Bianca Wernecke ◽  
Rebecca M. Garland ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Human Health
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