Variability of limestone knapping methods in Middle Palaeolithic levels M and Ob of Abric Romaní (Barcelona, Spain)

This paper presents the limestone reduction sequences documented in levels M and Ob at Abric Romaní from a technological point of view. At level M, a recurrent knapping system has been identified, resulting in the frequency of pseudo-Levallois blanks. At archaeolevel Ob, the presence of Levallois methods are observed in association with this knapping system. In both cases, retouched tools are rare and dominated by notches and denticulates. Although it is not well-known the degree of similarity and difference between the two levels in relation to occupational patterns is not well understood, Neanderthals employed more opportunistic knapping strategies, investing less time and energy in the procurement of raw materials including for chert. In level Ob, although limestone is still collected in the local fluvial deposits, differences in raw material procurement have been identified for chert. Results show the plasticity and versality that Neanderthals had and how they took advantage of the different abiotic resources they had around them. In this paper, we discuss the limestone technology at Abric Romaní in the context of the Iberian Peninsula.

Adapting the ESSENZ Method to Assess Company-Specific Criticality Aspects

In times of increasing awareness of limited resources, companies are becoming especially interested in criticality assessments. Based on the existing approaches of ESSENZ (integrated method to assess resource efficiency) and SCARCE (approach is to enhance the assessment of critical resource use at the country level), a method called CS-ESSENZ (company-specific ESSENZ) has been developed to measure the company-specific aspects of criticality and social impact in supply chains for abiotic resources. These comprise 20 categories and corresponding indicators, based on 19 ESSENZ and 25 SCARCE categories. Eleven of these indicators were modified, four were newly developed (e.g., economic importance), and the last five were applied as they are in ESSENZ or SCARCE. CS-ESSENZ was tested using the case study of a smartphone, demonstrating the method’s applicability as well as generating additional information on company-specific improvement potential. The results for supply risk showed that 29 out of 58 ESSENZ hotspots showed high, and 12 showed medium, improvement potential from the company perspective. CS-ESSENZ enables companies to obtain specific information on criticality and social aspects in their supply chains and points out areas for improvement, e.g., with respect to purchasing strategies for cobalt.

Social and recreational value of waves: application of the Zonal Travel Cost Method with surfers from Icaraí beach (Caucaia, Ceará, Brazil)

This article presents the results of an analysis of the social and recreational value of waves at Icaraí Beach, located in Caucaia municipality, Ceará, Northeast Brazil. The evaluation of the wave resource followed the Zonal Travel Cost Method, a fundamental tool for obtaining economic estimates ​​of ecosystem services that are not subject to market forces. The method provides a valuation of unique abiotic resources that underpin tourism, sporting and recreational economies. For data collection, 50 questionnaires with open and closed questions were administered from February to July 2019 to a specific audience, the local surfers. The social value of Icaraí’s surf break is strongly related to the surfers' familiarity with the beach, as well as in the perception of the wave resource as a profitable attraction for the local economy. It is estimated that the economic benefit of the surf break at Icaraí Beach is US$ 288,364 per annum, which is spent by 1,185 surfers, averaging US$ 1.37 for each surf trip. In summary, the values ​​reflect economic benefits for the municipality of Caucaia and can assist decision-making processes, contributing to the protection and maintenance of the beach by incorporating wave resources into an effective coastal management strategy. Keywords: Value of waves. Surfers. Surfing. Cost of Travel Method. Coastal Management.

Integrated LCA and OPEN LCA-CML baseline analysis on environmental impact associated with the plastic packaging waste management system of Rubavu city Rwanda

Over the past few decades, the life cycle assessment (LCA) has been established as a critical tool for evaluating environmental issues of chemical processes and material cycles. Plastic bottles are the most used materials for packaging beverages and other liquids. In Rubavu, wasted plastic bottles end their lives in Rutagara. This is an open dumpsite that is home to all of the different types of generated waste of Rubavu city, and its management is alarming. This study analyses the impact on the environment associated with the existing plastic bottle waste pathways in Rubavu, Rwanda, from the cradle to the grave perspective until the other process in Nairobi Kenya, as an extended process. Questionnaires, Interviews, Literature: scientific papers, government reports and internet websites were used through this study to get both primary and secondary data. Open LCA CML (baseline) method was applied to analyze the environmental impacts caused by plastic bottles during their management, focusing on its parameters conspicuously: acidification potential, climate change (GWP100), depletion of abiotic resources (elements, ultimate reserves), depletion of abiotic resources (fossil fuels), eutrophication (generic), freshwater aquatic ecotoxicity( FAETP inf), human toxicity (HTP inf), marine aquatic ecotoxicity (MAETP inf), ozone layer depletion (ODP steady-state), photochemical oxidation (high NOx), terrestrial ecotoxicity (TETP inf). Two alternatives to these were also analysed: sanitary landfill, and recycling, described as scenarios 1 and 2. In this framework, the result of LCA shows that the use of landfill was found to have the highest adverse environmental effects, and this process has resulted in high global warming potential due to plastic bottle packaging waste decomposition effects as they release methane and ethylene, which contributes significantly to the greenhouse gases.

Regionalized Strategies for Food Loss and Waste Management in Spain under a Life Cycle Thinking Approach

Food loss and waste (FLW) has become a central concern in the social and political debate. Simultaneously, using FLW as a bioenergy source could significantly contribute to closing the carbon cycle by reintroducing energy into the food supply chain. This study aims to identify best strategies for FLW management in each of the 17 regions in Spain, through the application of a Life Cycle Assessment. To this end, an evaluation of the environmental performance over time between 2015 and 2040 of five different FLW management scenarios implemented in a framework of (i) compliance and (ii) non-compliance with the targets of the Paris Agreement was performed. Results revealed savings in the consumption of abiotic resources in those regions in which thermal treatment has a strong presence, although their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in a scenario of compliance with climate change targets are higher. In contrast, scenarios that include anaerobic digestion and, to a lesser extent those applying aerobic composting, present lower impacts, including climate change, suggesting improvements of 20–60% in non-compliance and 20–80% in compliance with Paris Agreement targets, compared to the current scenarios.

Geosites of interest as a geopheritage of Jalisco, Mexico. Progress

Conserving the geological heritage in Jalisco implies, identifying, classifying and substantiating the importance of geosites in Jalisco and its subsequent dissemination through geotourism. The above can contribute to the creation of geo-park (s), according to the definition and methodology of UNESCO, with the consequent economic benefit to the inhabitants of these regions. The disclosure of geological information encourages an appreciation and care of abiotic resources (rocks, minerals, fossils, morphology, soil and water), especially prior to productive activities, minimizing their damage or avoiding building in areas with geological hazards. Jalisco has a great geodiversity, compared to other states, its history begins approximately 200 million years ago, recorded in the Sierra Madre del Sur and in the Jalisco Block, the most recent volcanic and tectonic activity is recorded in the Volcanic Belt Mexican. The previous provinces, together with the Sierra Madre Occidental and the Central Plateau, contain a wide range of rocks, fossil areas of economic and cultural importance (most of 70 places) and relate the geological history and its dynamics. Geothermal activity, is present in 400 locations.

Reinventing exergy as indicator for resource depletion impacts in LCA

While resource aspects are gaining increasing importance for the sustainability assessment of new technologies, the question of how to assess the depletion of abiotic resources is still controversially discussed. Different methodologies exist for their quantification within life cycle assessment (LCA). Among them, thermodynamic approaches have the advantage of considering aspects of absolute quantity (reserves or amount of a substance contained in total in earth’s crust) and of quality (concentration of the target element in the mined resource), making them a potentially appealing approach for assessing resource depletion. However, existing approaches are either far from the original thermodynamic idea of exergy or far too complex and not applicable for resource accounting. This work briefly discusses the suitability of exergy-based approaches for resource assessment, and then suggests a simple but comprehensive methodology for quantifying resource depletion related with the concept of chemical concentration exergy (MDPces). It provides a calculation approach for quantifying the MDPces and estimates the corresponding values for some representative key metals.

Socio-economic impacts of the exploitation of the marshes of Kayanza province in the Northern Burundi: case of marshes of the average Ruvubu and its tributaries

The wetlands whose marshes are currently under pressure from the growing population require a consequent increase in production. The marshes are now agricultural reserves coveted because, firstly, the scarcity of arable land, of the other problems of erosion and soil fertility decline affecting land in hills uphill. The mostly poor people resort to these marginal lands, to the suppression of fallows and to afforestation. This results in overexploitation that accelerates the degradation of soil and biological and abiotic resources. However, farmers do not have the knowledge and technologies to enable them to sustainably manage wetlands. The results of this study show that the population of our study area is largely dependent on marshes for drinking and irrigation water supply, building and basketry materials, and plant species to feed the farm animals. The majority of farmers have a portion of land in the marshes. The main crops are currently leguminous and tuberous plants with rice and beans which are successively the most productive crops. The majority exploit the marshes in both dry and rain seasons. The marshes provide 78% of the farmers with an average income between 0 and $ 30 per plot/season. The income is very low given the needs of farmers. These activities have resulted in the disappearance of the original fauna and vegetation of these marshes more than 13 years ago. The results of the study led us to conclude that these marshes were dominated by Cyperus papyrus . The draining of marshes has led to the drying up of springs, the loss of many animal and plant species.

Economic and environmental consequences of implementing an EU model for collecting and separating wastes system in Lebanon

In this study, we examine the economic and environmental significance associated with the implementation of an EU waste-separated collection scheme in a developing context – Lebanon. Two scenarios, S1 and S2, representing different intensities of source segregation were analysed. In S1, the average source segregation intensity reached 25% and 13% for the Italian test area and Lebanese test area, respectively. In S2, source segregation intensity increased to 48% and 68% for the Italian and Lebanese test areas, respectively. Passing from S1 to S2 increased collection costs significantly, up to 44% with greater increases in the Italian test area where labour cost is higher. In both areas, environmental impacts decreased with greater source segregation intensity. Savings in the climate change impact and stratospheric ozone depletion potential were lower under the Lebanese test area in comparison with the Italian test area. In contrast, savings in freshwater eutrophication and acidification impact were lower for the Italian test area. The increase in the source segregation intensity resulted in maximum savings for the depletion of abiotic resources, 74% to 77% and 79% to 80% in a developing and developed context, respectively.