Aspects Of Environmental Performance Research Articles

The Influence of Environmental, Social, and Governance Performance Disclosure on Stock Performance

This research aims to evaluate the effect of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance disclosure on the stock performance of companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (BEI) during the 2018-2022 period, using the price earning ratio (PER) as an indicator of stock performance. The research population includes companies listed on the IDX with ESG scores from the Thomson Reuters Eikon Database during the period studied. The research sample of 190 companies was selected using a purposive sampling technique. The data analysis method used is Panel Data Regression Analysis with the help of STATA 14 for Windows software. The research results show that environmental performance partially has a positive and significant influence on stock performance, while social and governance performance has no significant influence. Simultaneously, environmental, social, and governance performance variables influence the company's stock performance. This research implies that companies on the IDX can improve their stock performance by paying attention to environmental performance aspects. Even though social and governance performance does not partially show a significant influence, attention to these three aspects can improve overall stock performance. These findings provide insight to practitioners, regulators, and investors regarding the importance of ESG disclosure in the context of the Indonesian capital market.

Revisiting the nexus between economic growth and environment health: an empirical study on 180 nations.

Sustainability is considered to be one of the biggest issues in the current time. This study aims to understand the role of sustainability further by revisiting the much-debated and intricate relationship between economic growth and environmental performance and to provide guidance to policymakers. Using a large sample of data from 180 countries over the period from 2002 to 2017 a measure that captures the various aspects of environmental performance, the study performs a test of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis, which defines the relationship between economic growth and environmental deterioration. Controlling for several associated macroeconomic and governance variables, the results suggest that for certain regions, viz. Asia, Eastern Europe, and North America, higher economic growth, as proxied by per capita GDP, has a negative association with environmental performance (measured by Environmental Performance Indices, EPI), indicating that the former may prove detrimental to the later. The results suggest a unidirectional relationship between the two variables and are also robust to endogeneity concerns that are often emphasized in the EKC literature. The study documents similar results for lower-income and lower-middle-income countries. Interestingly, the authors also find that small-sized governments in developing nations have a positive association with environmental performance.

Moderasi Kinerja Lingkungan Pada Hubungan Green Accounting Dan Kinerja Ekonomi

This study aims to examine stakeholder theory and legitimacy with the triple bottom line approach on environmental aspects, by examining the direct effect of green accounting on economic performance and the moderating role of environmental performance on the relationship between green accounting and economic performance. A total of 90 data across 15 companies in the mining sector during the six annual report periods were used as sample. This sample were analyzed using an interaction moderation regression model. The results of the study show that the application of green accounting has a positive effect on economic performance, in addition environmental performance is able to quasi-moderate the relationship between green accounting and economic performance. The limitations of this study lies in the limited measurement of the GRI index on environmental performance aspects. Further more the limited scope of the corporate sub-sector put some generalizing issue. Future research is expected to use environmental performance indicators that can generalize results to other company sub-sectors. In addition, cross section data analysis is more relevant which is developed in the moderation of the analysis model.

Existing tools used in the framework of environmental performance

The monitoring and assessment of Environmental Performance constitutes a critical yet complex area of interest in today's world. The exploration of environmental performance is often not understandable to non-experts, as the challenges, barriers, and data collection to monitor environmental performance are often limited by knowledge, acceptance, involvement of the individual as well as from the use of scattered and non-user-friendly monitoring techniques. Since the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, the European Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan a catalytic pathway has been provided for the world's economy and sustainability to harmonize. To provide an even easier pathway regarding the monitoring of these incentives, different assessment tools are being used including Key Performance Indicators, software tools and predictive models, management system and Environmental Standards (ISO 14001, ISO 14031, ISO 37101, ISO 37120, EMAS, Ecolab etc.), providing clear, reliable guidelines and steps concerning the environmental performance of a chosen institution (i.e. Business, city, country etc.). At the same time, the use of software tools for recording and assessing data regarding aspects of environmental performance, can be very beneficial regarding the direct access to data, monitoring of current practice efficiency and effectiveness (i.e. Mobility schedules and air pollution), the extraction and storage of specific historical data, capability of data processing and the creation of reports to be used for the monitoring of the obligations of the country or organization to EU regulations. In this paper, the existing tools for the evaluation and assessment of environmental performance are reviewed, showcasing the plethora of current pathways for choosing valid and reliable monitoring methods for decision-making, in regard to European and local legislations and evaluated using Analytical Hierarchy Process and SWOT analysis.

Functionalizing building envelopes for greening and solar energy: Between theory and the practice in Egypt

The building sector is one of the most resource-intensive industries. In Egypt, buildings consume 60% of electricity, produce 8% of CO2 emissions, and anthropize agricultural land, peri-urban and urban landscapes. To compensate for these consumption patterns, building envelopes can become productive in terms of greening and energy production. This encompasses the implementation of productive building systems that include (a) greening systems such as building-integrated vegetation and agriculture systems and (b) solar energy systems such as building-applied and integrated photovoltaics. For Egypt, the transformation toward more productive buildings still lacks a holistic understanding of their status and implementation requirements. This paper undergoes a comprehensive analysis of the two systems’ classifications, benefits, challenges, and implementation aspects based on a thorough assessment of 121 studies and 20 reports addressing them. This is coupled with a contextual analysis using questionnaires (n = 35) and semi-structured interviews (n = 13) with Egyptian experts and suppliers. Results showed that a large variety of systems is studied in literature and exists in the local market. Among the most purchased productive building systems in the Egyptian market, according to experts, are hydroponics (selected by 75% of respondents), planter boxes/pots (50%), roof-mounted photovoltaic panels (95%), and solar water heaters (55%). The main benefits of greening and solar energy systems are identified as enjoying the greenery view (95%) and reducing energy expenses (100%), respectively. The high initial cost was considered the main barrier for both systems. Multiple commonalities between the two systems in terms of spatial and environmental applicability aspects (e.g., accessibility and safety, net useable area, sun exposure, wind exposure) and environmental performance aspects (e.g., energy demand and emissions reduction, heat flow reduction) were identified. Lastly, we highlight the importance of analyzing integrated solutions that make use of the identified synergies between the systems and maximize the production potentials.

Material flow cost accounting (MFCA) for the circular economy: An empirical study of the triadic relationship between MFCA, environmental performance, and the economic performance of Japanese companies

The purpose of this study is to address the question of whether material flow cost accounting (MFCA) can contribute to the circular economy. Because MFCA is an environmental management accounting tool that simultaneously assesses company material and financial flows, it is expected to contribute to the circular economy by assisting companies to achieve both environmental and economic goals through resource efficiency. In short, the expected linkages between MFCA, company environmental and economic goals, and the circular economy are inputs, outputs, and outcomes. However, there is a lack of consensus regarding its potential, perhaps because of the scarcity of studies, with most being models and case studies without readily generalizable results. To address this gap, we analyze the triadic relationship between MFCA, environmental performance, and economic performance using a two-stage regression of data from Japanese listed companies. The main findings are as follows. Companies that implement MFCA more proactively are more likely to improve their environmental performance in terms of energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and waste produced. In turn, those that improve their environmental performance are also more likely to improve their productivity, while those that specifically improve environmental performance in terms of waste produced are also more likely to increase in profitability. Consequently, because MFCA can improve several aspects of environmental performance by saving resources, it can improve productivity by improving a range of environmental performance indicators. In particular, MFCA can improve company productivity and thereby profit, at least by reducing the amount of waste produced. This supports the view that MFCA is an effective tool to contribute to the circular economy.

Model Triple Bottom Menuju Kinerja Keuangan

The study conducted to identify effect of Sustainability Report, Environmental Performance-GRI200, Economic Performance-GRI300, and Social Performance-GRI400 related to Return on Assets in organizations included in the ASSRAT nominations for 2017-2019 both together and individually. Judgment sampling sampling method. The sample of this research is 20 corporate entities included in the ASSRAT nomination and registered on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) with a sample of 60 data. The type of data is secondary from sources of financial information and annual reports. Multiple linear regression analysis method. The findings of this study are based on the results of the f test, the independent variable has a simultaneous effect on Return on Assets. Partially Environmental Performance- GRI 200 and Economic Performance- GRI 300 have a positive impact on Return on Assets, Companies that are included in the ASSRAT nomination pay more attention to aspects of the company's Economic Performance so that the old Corporate Relations paradigm is still adopted by companies that are nominated by ASSRAT. Companies in the ASSRAT nomination do not only pay attention to profits but also pay attention to aspects of environmental performance so that they can improve the company's image in the eyes of stakeholders.

A Comprehensive Evaluation Method for Industrial Sewage Treatment Projects Based on the Improved Entropy-TOPSIS

Sewage treatment and reuse have always been hot issues in both the business and academic communities in all nations around the world. In order to solve the difficulties in accurate quantization and objective evaluation of industrial sewage treatment projects, this paper proposed a comprehensive industrial sewage treatment project evaluation method based on the improved entropy–TOPSIS method. First, this paper constructed an evaluation indicator system for sewage treatment projects from the four aspects of environmental performance, economic performance, managerial performance and social performance. Second, it made a modification to the experts’ experience-based grading using the entropy weight method and determined the weight of the indicators in a more objective and more accurate manner. Third, this work improved the traditional TOPSIS method and simplified the calculations with regard to the traditional TOPSIS-based comprehensive evaluation. Finally, by taking the example of evaluating industrial sewage treatment projects of the China Water Affairs Group in Q city (ChongQing), China, this paper verified the feasibility and practicability of the proposed comprehensive industrial sewage treatment project evaluation system and method.

Understanding Computational Methods for Solar Envelopes Based on Design Parameters, Tools, and Case Studies: A Review

The increasing population density in urban areas simultaneously impacts the trend of energy consumption in building sectors and the urban heat island (UHI) effects of urban infrastructure. Accordingly, passive design strategies to create sustainable buildings play a major role in addressing these issues, while solar envelopes prove to be a relevant concept that specifically considers the environmental performance aspects of a proposed building given their local contexts. As significant advances have been made over the past decades regarding the development and implementation of computational solar envelopes, this study presents a comprehensive review of solar envelopes while specifically taking into account design parameters, digital tools, and the implementation of case studies in various contextual settings. This extensive review is conducted in several stages. First, an investigation of the scope and procedural steps of the review is conducted to frame the boundary of the topic to be analyzed within the conceptual framework of solar envelopes. Second, comparative analyses between categorized design methods in parallel with a database of design parameters are conducted, followed by an in-depth discussion of the criteria for the digital tools and case studies extracted from the selected references. Third, knowledge gaps are identified, and the future development of solar envelopes is discussed to complete the review. This study ultimately provides an inclusive understanding for designers and architects regarding the progressive methods of the development of solar envelopes during the conceptual design stage.

Information to support strategic campus management in universities

PurposeThis paper aims to underpin the importance of the availability (or absence) of campus management information (CMI) in supporting universities’ goals.Design/methodology/approachFour perspectives of campus management were used to develop a structured survey enquiring campus managers about universities’ goals, finances, users and spaces. Its descriptive analysis distinguishes two domains: campus strategy and CMI.FindingsA total of 14 participant universities in nine countries provided substantial data, increasing the available CMI in each of the four perspectives compared with previous research. Three goal-related patterns driving the strategies of universities and their campuses were identified across competitive, social, economic and environmental performance aspects. Accordingly, particular CMI is discussed.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper’s overarching approach in four perspectives challenged the collection of data, which needed to be retrieved from different departments in the organisation, with different domains (human resources, finance, facilities and organisational strategy), lingo and accountability cultures.Originality/valueThese findings improve the current understanding of university campuses as strategic resources enabling a variety of university goals and missions in today’s knowledge-based economy, society and cities. Moreover, the authors discuss that a more structural approach to collecting CMI may benefit universities to identify critical aspects of campus management supporting their strategies from which performance indicators can be derived and shared among campus managers with similar strategies to make better future decisions.

The complementarity of green supply chain management practices and the impact on environmental performance

Although the importance of integrating different Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) activities has been highlighted in the literature, the potential interdependencies between these practices and their performance impacts have not been investigated. The purpose of this study is to examine the collective impact of internal and external GSCM practices on two aspects of environmental performance: environmental impact and environmental cost savings. GSCM is proposed as a collective competency, combining four distinct, but interrelated, sets of practices: environmental management systems, eco design, source reduction and external environmental practices. Using survey data from 138 Omani manufacturing firms and Structural Equation Modelling, we find strong empirical support for the complementarity of GSCM practices. We find a strong positive relationship between the level of collective GSCM competency and the environmental impact achieved. Our findings support the belief that complementarities between GSCM practices lead to better performance. Managers should therefore focus on implementing bundles of GSCM practices rather than searching for individual best practices. We find an indirect, mediated influence on environmental cost savings, which is consistent with previous results in other emerging market contexts.

Socially Responsible Investing: Data-Driven Decision Making

Socially responsible investing (SRI) is an investment process that screens investment opportunities based on ethical, social, corporate governance, or environmental. SRI has been growing rapidly; total U.S.-domiciled SRI-managed assets increased from $3.74 trillion in 2012 to $6.57 trillion in 2014. The growth of SRI puts it in a position to encourage sustainability as such firms have better access to capital markets. Unfortunately, while financial performance indicators have become standardized, social and environmental performance ratings have not. As the prominence of SRI grows, so does the number of metrics available to evaluate corporate social performance: there were 21 ratings in 2000 and that number grew to 108 by 2012. The complexity of environmental and social performance contributes to the proliferation of rating metrics. Different aspects of environmental performance might be important to different rating schemes. For instance, one rating could place emphasis on greenhouse gas emissions, while another rating could focus on water usage. The heterogeneity of such ratings creates a situation in which the results of an assessment of environmental performance can differ based on which criteria are used. This case examines this phenomenon. This case study examines 13 publicly traded chemical companies in order to understand the various measures and dimensions of corporate environmental performance. Students are presented with real-world data on corporate environmental performance (including pollutants released and third-party corporate social responsibility ratings) and asked to incorporate environmental and social performance into investing decisions. This case highlights some of the challenges of evaluating corporate environmental performance. This includes the positive correlation between environmental strengths and concerns. That is to say, firms that tend to have significant environmental issues, tend also to invest in sustainable practices. Thus looking only at environmental strengths might present a misleading picture of firm corporate environment performance. A companion teaching note is available upon request from the authors.

Guest Editorial: An Environmental Perspective on Risk Management and Water

Guest editorial There is no denying that the oil and gas industry, as well as the agencies that regulate its activities, have significantly improved many aspects of environmental performance in recent years. Standards and practices have changed, in some cases drastically, leading to risk reductions in a number of areas. Despite this progress, there is always more to be done to identify and manage risks associated with oil and gas development. As industry continues to evolve through technical advances, so should leading practices and regulations. This is particularly important given that the broader public is increasingly aware of and concerned about potential impacts on the environment and their communities from development, especially where those impacts involve water. Fortunately, improved understanding of risks and newly emerging risk control options make continual improvement possible. Where should industry and its technical advisers concentrate at this juncture? A number of noteworthy, long-awaited reports on the environmental impacts of oil and gas development have been published over the past year or are awaiting publication. To a significant degree, these reports coalesce into a few major areas of concern, and endeavor to provide guidance on how governments and industry can achieve additional risk reductions to minimize or eliminate potential impacts on water. The Reports US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “Assessment of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas on Drinking Water Resources,” Draft, June 2015 The EPA report highlights potential vulnerabilities to drinking water and confirmed pollution events. Vulnerabilities include (1) inadequately cased or cemented wells resulting in belowground migration of gases and liquids, (2) inadequately treated waste water discharged into drinking water resources, and (3) spills of hydraulic fracturing fluids, flowback, and produced water. Given these vulnerabilities and knowledge gaps highlighted by EPA, industry should not take too much comfort in the widely reported conclusion that the EPA found no evidence of widespread, systemic impacts. California Council on Science and Technology (CCST), SB4 Commissioned Report for the California Natural Resources Agency, “An Independent Scientific Assessment of Well Stimulation in California,” July 2015 The CCST summary report contains an appendix summarizing the “most concerning risk issues” including (1) the number and toxicity of chemicals in hydraulic fracturing and acid stimulation fluids, (2) hydraulic fracturing in reservoirs with a long history of oil and gas production, (3) spills and leaks, (4) beneficial use of produced water, and (5) disposal of water in percolation pits.

The role of biocompatible coatings of biomaterials for creation of direct and appropriate chemical bounding between bioimplant and bone tissue.

Background and Objective: Nowadays, the surface modification of biomaterials to increase biocompatibility and improve other aspects of environmental performance is widely prevalent and is developing. Biological host response depends on the primary interactions of biological and biomaterials systems at the molecular surfaces. Therefore, the surface properties at the atomic scale influence on compatibility and optimal performance of the material in body. The present study aims to survey the most common surface modification techniques of biomaterials focusing on the surface coating techniques and their applications in bone tissue engineering and tissue repairing field. Furthermore, the process and features of biomaterial surface coating in complex superficial modification of biomaterials as a representation of biomaterials interfaces with the biological environment are discussed. Finally, the potential applications and advantages of these techniques in repairing damaged tissues in neurosurgery and orthopedic surgery are presented. Methods: In this review article, the most common and important methods of surface modification of biomaterials (thermal spray, electrophoresis, pulsed laser deposition, electrochemical, biomimetic, sputtering, Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), and, Sol–Gel techniques) which the reputable manufacture companies of biomaterial are applying and many published articles in the biomaterial field (since 2004 up to now). Furthermore, the potential applications and current positions of these methods in bone tissue engineering and effective factors for an optimal tissue repairing using biomaterial surface coating are presented. Results indicated: The Sol-gel method is suitable for obtaining nanoscale structures. Plasma spraying method has a high-speed balance and is the only commercially available method. The pulsed laser coating method can be used in multilayer coatings and structures with a fixed Stoichiometric. The electrophoresis coating methods are able to coat relatively complex shapes with precise control over coating thickness. In recent years, several coating methods such as electrochemical, biomimetic, sputtering, and CVD have been proposed and used by researchers some of them with good satisfactory results. Conclusions: Findings of our survey show that surface modification of biomaterials can keep the crucial physical properties of the biomaterials unchanged which is an important feature in biological reactions. The main advantages of biomaterial surface modification including surface coating can be presented as follows: Reducing protein adsorption: Biomaterials sometimes need to have the lowest protein adsorption, otherwise, will cause uncontrolled immune responses. Lack of cellular coherency Cellular absorption: Biomaterials that are used as replacement tissue cells must have high capability for cell absorption and also should facilitate their growth process. Reducing Clot formation: Biomaterials that are used as blood implants should have the lowest capacity of clot formation. High coherency to bacteria Reducing friction and grinding

The use of Farm Business Survey data to compare the environmental performance of organic and conventional farms

This paper considers two main questions: Is it possible to use Farm Business Survey (FBS) data to derive well-established environmental indicators and can these FBS derived indicators also provide a reasonable comparison of the environmental performance of organic and conventional farms? The results suggest that the indicators can be obtained from FBS data and that the majority of the indicators provided meaningful results, despite some data limitations within the FBS dataset. The comparison of organic with conventional FBS data in the UK suggests that organic farms have lower fertiliser and crop protection costs (as would be expected) but that differences in feed costs, stocking density and cropping diversity were dependent upon farm type. This research confirms that FBS data can be used to derive indirect environmental indicators which are able to identify significant differences between farm types and management systems. These indicators are also likely to be applicable at EU level through their use within the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN), which collates farm economic data across the EU. This is of interest to researches and policy-makers who could use FADN data to track some aspects of environmental performance across many countries and track changes over time. These results may also be useful to farm consultants and managers who could potentially use a similar approach in using individual farm financial information to benchmark some aspects of farm environmental performance.

Environmental performance in the hotel sector: the case of the Western Canary Islands

The appropriate management of environmental factors in the business world is a question of considerable interest to the scientific world, since studies increasingly reveal that such management has important competitive implications for the firm. One of the questions on which there does not yet exist sufficient consensus in the literature is how to evaluate the environmental behavior of companies, as a prior step of being able to establish the implications of such behavior for other aspects of management such as efficiency, productivity or, in the final analysis, the economic performance of the organization. This need to have an available valid and reliable measurement instruments is especially important in the case of the services sector, much less analyzed than the industrial sector. In the latter it is much more feasible to obtain objective indicators of company environmental performance. The fundamental objective of the present study is consequently to develop and validate a measurement instrument to evaluate environmental performance in the hotel sector. This sector, while under analyzed, has productive processes which generate an evident environmental impact. The study begins with an extensive review of the literature on company environmental performance, to delimit the scope of this concept. On the basis of this review, the authors develop a measurement instrument capable of confirming the validity of that construct. The Rasch model is applied in the empirical analysis, to a sample of 187 hotel establishments in one of the most internationally important tourist destinations, the Western Canary Islands (Spain). The results confirm the content validity of the environmental performance construct. Other important results identify the frequency of achievement of excellence in the distinct aspects of environmental performance for hotel firms and suggest the need to expand the delimitation of the construct.

A choice experiment to estimate the effect of green experience on preferences and willingness-to-pay for green building attributes

As the number and complexities of green building developments are mainly driven by market demands, understanding of end-user behaviors towards their development eventually should play a crucial role on determining their successes. However, very few studies have been attempted to explore end-user behaviors towards green building development. This study successfully applied discrete choice experiments to reveal whether residents with green experience will have different preference and willingness-to-pay values for enhancements on various aspects of environmental performance in green buildings. Generally, both green and conventional residents had strong preferences and were willing to pay more for improving various aspects of environmental performance in green residential developments. They are found to be willing to pay more for energy conservation, than indoor air quality improvement, noise level reduction, landscape area enlargement, or water conservation. No significant differences are found in the preferences between green and conventional residents for energy conservation, indoor air quality improvement, indoor noise reduction, or water conservation, However, green residents were found to be willing to pay significantly less than the conventional residents for enlarging the landscape area within a residential development, despite it was perceived by green residents as one of the major elements that differentiate a green from a conventional development.

ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CROATIAN RETAILING

As the population as well as their consumption continues to increase, the increasing stress has been made on environmental responsibility of companies at the local and global level. Therefore, severe stress is putting on the limited available resource base and it is resulting in mounting waste discharges to the environment. As the most crucial link between suppliers and consumers, retailing could contribute in effecting the global shift to corporate environmental responsibility. Retailers can control and manage their own environmental and social impacts through implementing environmental management systems for energy/water conservation, waste management, logistics, recycling programs, etc. They can influence their suppliers to produce in a more sustainable manner and encourage them to develop eco-friendly products. Additionally, they can encourage consumers to purchase eco-friendly products as well as provide advice on the use and disposal of the products and offer facilities and services such as take-back systems for batteries, reusable bags, etc. Retail companies have realized the importance of the environment, as increasingly reflected in their strategies and daily business operations. Therefore, an increasing number of retailers are publishing Sustainability Reports in addition to their annual reports. The main purpose of the paper is to explore aspects of environmental responsibility in the Croatian retail industry. These include reducing energy consumption, waste management and recycling, carbon dioxide emissions, etc. As there is a lack of literature on the environmental performance in the Croatian retailing, the goals of the paper are also to bridge a gap in the research literature about the environmental issues and to give a brief description of the situation in the Croatian retailing. The research is based on secondary (desk) and primary (field) research. Within the framework of secondary research, the relevant domestic and foreign literature with the topic of environmental responsibility was used. Within the framework of primary research, the study on the sample of 60 retailing managers was conducted. Statistical data analysis was done using SPSS 13.0. The research instrument was a questionnaire containing questions related to the environmental area focused on recycling programs, energy consumption and emissions, water consumption, waste, health and safety of children, genetically modified food, packaging, etc. The findings of the papers suggest that some retail companies have made significant improvements in environmental responsibility, but others still demonstrate mediocre environmental responsibility. They acknowledge that they are indirectly responsible for the environmental impacts of the produce and products in which they trade. For this reason all of them implement HACCP system of Food security management which provides health food across all supply chain. Also, they have waste management strategies in place. The findings reveal that the process of retailing internationalization and media coverage increased efforts of retail companies operating on the Croatian market to demonstrate environmental responsible behaviours. The results indicate that retailers are concerned about investigated aspects of environmental performance but there is still room for improvement.

Strategies for reducing the carbon footprint of copper: New technologies, more recycling or demand management?

Existing approaches to reducing environmental impacts along the metal production and consumption chain are focused largely at the plant scale for primary production, rather than considering the whole metal cycle. As such, many opportunities for systemic improvements are overlooked. This paper develops an approach to designing preferred futures for entire metal cycles that deliver reduced carbon footprints. Dynamic material flow models in Visual Basic ® are used to provide life-cycle-impact-assessment indicators, which help identify key intervention points along the metal cycle. This analysis also identifies which actors or agents along the value chain are responsible for, or can influence, behaviour which affects environmental performance. With this information, it is possible to evaluate different scenarios for transition paths to achieve reduced impact. These scenarios consider combinations of new technology, increased metal recycling and demand management strategies. A case study for the copper cycle in the USA shows that to meet a CO 2 reduction target of 60% by 2050, innovative technologies for primary processing of mined ore will play a limited role, due to their increasing impacts in the future associated with mining ever lower ore grades. To compensate for this whilst meeting demand projections, recycling of old scrap would be required to increase from 18% to 80%, requiring extensive collaboration between primary and secondary producers. An alternate scenario which focuses on demand reduction for copper by 1% per year, meets the CO 2 target whilst only requiring an increase in the recycling rate from 18% to 36%. Together, these suggest that there is merit in examining the ‘metal-in-use’ stage of the metal value chain more closely in order to achieve targeted reductions in CO 2. The approach also highlights the inherent trade-offs between different aspects of environmental performance which are required when pursuing CO 2 reduction targets.

Toxics reduction in ten large companies, why and how

Environmental management can be directed to the various aspects of environmental performance. As toxics are a main concern for companies toxics reduction has to be one of these aspects. To achieve a substantial reduction in toxics, companies should develop a strategy with clear targets, a program, an evaluating procedure for toxics reduction and integrate the toxics reduction in all components of the environmental management system (EMS). Monitoring, including materials accounting of toxic chemical use and byproduct generation, and requirements for the purchased products and raw materials, should be part of the activities. The toxics reduction strategy should be extended to the whole field of potential impacts of toxics, the general environment, the working environment and products. The aim of this survey is to find out why and how companies are reducing toxics (releases and use) and to which extent companies fulfil the requirements mentioned for a substantial reduction of toxics. All but one of the studied companies mentioned compliance (with environmental regulation) as one of the reasons for toxics reduction, product (safety) was mentioned by four companies and the working environment was mentioned twice. Six of the studied companies have substantial programs for toxics reduction. That compliance is a reason for toxics reduction is reflected in the programs for toxics reduction mainly focussing on toxic release reduction. The programs for toxics reduction were very different in complexity, varying from a black list to the execution of a complex program. The ‘why’ and the ‘how’ of toxics reduction seems to be strongly related. Most companies fulfil only a limited part of the requirements for a substantial toxics reduction. Only one company was found that met most of the requirements.