Substance flow analyses of phthalates and nonylphenols in stormwater

The occurrence of nonylphenol and several phthalates in water environments is highly undesired because of their negative effects on aquatic organisms. The objectives of this study were to identify emission sources of phthalates, nonylphenol and its ethoxylates (NP/EOs) in urban stormwater, and to quantify the substance fluxes from the source to the stormwater system, using the methodology of substance flow analysis (SFA). The SFA, applied on an urban motorway area, showed that phthalates are mainly emitted from vehicles and coated roofing material, whereas the major NP/EOs sources are vehicles and concrete. It was estimated that approximately 4.1 kg of four selected phthalates and more than 400 g of NP/EOs are emitted annually to stormwater in the studied area. The SFA approach presented in this study, using factors that express the emission rate of a specific substance from a specific source, could be applied in urban catchments of various character to estimate fluxes of water contaminants.

POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF COMBINING ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT TOOLS IN A LOCAL AUTHORITY CONTEXT

Today, there are many environmental management tools available to support integration of environmental perspectives in decision-making processes. However, a single tool is seldom the answer to all queries. This paper shows potential benefits of using a combination of different environmental management tools in a local authority context. Three environmental management tools used in Swedish local authorities are examined — Substance Flow Analyses (SFA), Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), and Environmental Management Systems (EMSs) — from mainly a theoretical point-of-view. The tools are positioned according to their key characteristics, and their individual contribution to environmental management in local authorities is explored. For the local authorities, a combination of tools allows decision-makers to integrate experience from individual projects to overall environmental management, which helps decision-makers to deal with some of the challenges that different environmental management situations require.