Flemish Region Of Belgium Research Articles

Practical experiences on applying substance flow analysis in Flanders: bookkeeping and static modelling of chromium

Substance flow analysis is one of the analytical tools applied in the research field of industrial ecology. This paper presents practical experiences on implementing substance flow analysis to support integrated environmental policy in the Flemish region of Belgium. We have studied the case of chromium flows within the regional economic system, within the regional ecosystem and among these interdependent systems. During the project, a bookkeeping account and a static model were constructed. Origin analyses and sensitivity analyses were used and calculations on the effects of potential policy measures were carried out. The analyses and calculations show that many difficulties exist in connection with the substance being studied on the one hand and the region under investigation on the other. The contribution as well as the practical difficulties and limitations of applying substance flow analysis are presented.

Het effect van verkiezingsuitgaven : Een verkennend onderzoek op basis van de aangiften bij de lokale verkiezingen van 8 oktober 2000

Since 1989 candidates in Belgian elections have to declare their campaign expenses, but there is a widespread doubt as to the validity of the declared expenses as an indicator of the real cost of the campaign . After the 2000 local elections, data were collected concerning the campaign expenses of 2762 candidates spread over 134 municipalities in the Flemish region of Belgium. An analysis relating the declared expenses to a number of predictor variables reveals a sensible and systematic pattern, which can be interpreted as an indirect indication of their validity. There is a limit on spending, but the research shows that, on average, the candidates only spend 25% of what they are allowed to. Controlling for a number of relevant background variables, the campaign expenditures were found to have a substantial effect on the preference votes for the candidates.

CERVICAL CYTOLOGICAL SCREENING AND HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS DNA TESTING IN FLANDERS

The causal relationship between genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cervical dysplasia/ carcinoma has been recognised for some time.The aim of this study was to document the occurrence and distribution of HPV infection in the five provinces of the Flemish region in Belgium and to correlate the HPV DNA test results with the cytological results on simultaneously performed thin layer preparations of cervical cells.Out of a total screened group of 105107 samples, 1978 samples with cytological abnormalities were tested for HPV DNA using the MY09/MY11 consensus PCR.The mean age of the whole group was 36.9 years. The LSIL group, with a mean age of 33.6 years, was significantly younger than the other groups. There was no significant difference in HPV prevalence among the provinces. In four out of five provinces the HPV prevalence reached 100% in high-grade lesions. There is a significant increase in predominance of high-risk HPV types, with increasing abnormal cytology (17.9% WNL < 51.1% ASCUS < 83.8 % LSIL < 97.2% HSIL). Three peaks of HPV DNA positivity were observed, a first at 22 yrs (82%), a second at 47 yrs (60%) and a third in women older than 65 yrs (52%).These results shed more light on HPV prevalence in Flanders and show that the MY09/MY11 consensus primer based detection system is very suitable for the detection of HPV infections in Flanders.

Integrated Chain Management by Applying Substance Flow Analysis in the Flemish Region of Belgium

Substance flow analysis is an analytical tool in the scientific field of industrial ecology, a possible operationalisation of the concept of industrial metabolism.1 In this concept, an analogy is drawn between the economy and environment on a material level: the economy's “metabolism”, in terms of materials mobilisation, use and excretion to create “technomass”, is compared to the use of materials in the biosphere to create biomass. The economy is viewed only in terms of its material flow. The policy area most closely related to this concept is integrated chain management. Economic chains from cradle to grave are the subjects of regulation. This paper presents the implementation of substance flow analysis in the Flemish region of Belgium. In Belgium, there exists up to now relatively little or no experience with the use of substance flow analysis. In this context, the Flemish Government, more specific the competent Flemish minister for the Science and technological innovation policy supported a project regarding substance flow analysis on heavy metals.

The Suicide Prevention Policy of a Mental Health Centre

The purpose of this paper is to present the suicide prevention policy implemented by the Mental Health Centre in Brussels. The policy focuses on the quality of the help offered and on the efficacy of the services provided by the network of providers in mental health and social care. Goals of the policy are to optimise the care offered to clients at risk from suicidal behaviour; develop networks to enable follow-up with at-risk patients; lend support to and to share relevant knowledge with other caregivers; advocate suicide prevention issues within local networks; facilitate postvention; participate in regional and (international suicide prevention activities. The policy development started at the end of 1997, as a concerted strategy of all Mental Health Centres in the Flemish region of Belgium. An initial review of the policy recommended the implementation of guidelines, in all the Mental Health Centres, to deal with at-risk patients, improving the networks between inpatient and outpatient care and the co...

Integrating the ecodesign concept in small and medium‐sized enterprises, Experiences in the Flemish region of Belgium

In Belgium, small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) are not very aware of the possibility of integrating the life cycle concept in the development of products. “Ecodesign” is more a topic of interest for larger companies. In this context, the Flemish Government, more specifically the Public Waste Agency of the Flemish Region (OVAM), launched a demonstration project, which aimed to check whether SMEs are capable of taking account of the environmental aspects of their products over the entire life cycle and creating more environment‐friendly products. The results of this project in the participating companies were fairly positive. However, the project also showed that there are several factors that influence the failure or success of ecodesign in a company. To screen the ecodesign potential of a company, the Flemish Institute for Technological Research (Vito) developed a tool, called the “Quick Scan”. Another conclusion of the demonstration project was that a very important success factor for an ecodesign project is the tool the company applies to analyse the environmental impacts of the product over the entire life cycle. Anticipating this problem, Vito developed a selection scheme that allows a company to select the most appropriate tool for the environmental analysis of their products, based on a number of criteria.

Key tools to accelerate fulfilment of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive in the Flemish region of Belgium

The EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD) has been transposed in 1992. The whole area of the Flemish region was designated as a sensitive area. This implies nutrient removal for all works in agglomerations of more than 10,000 population equivalent (PE). Thanks to an accelerated investment programme, which is in a final phase now, the wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) will fulfil treatment in 2005. Key tools for a quick and economic execution of the programme are standardisation for new WWTP's and increasing computerisation for retrofitting existing WWTPs. The UWWTD also stipulates the reuse of treated wastewater and sludge. Strategies are explained.

Methods and Results of Estimating Light Pollution in the Flemish Region of Belgium

In the Flemish region of Belgium, yearly environmental reports (MIRA) are made on the status and evolution of the environment and its policy. Since 1996 light pollution and light impediment are among the topics considered. By using indicators which can be compared in the different reports it is possible to estimate the evolution of light pollution and light impediment. Suggested changes in lighting policies could save the Flemish region as much as 18 million EURO per year.

Can technology lead to a competitive advantage? A case study of Flanders using european patent data

The study tries to analyze regional technological capabilities, linking technological positions to economic strength of the region. To measure this link, we correlate the EPO patent data with trade data to assess the degree to which technological advantages are translated into comparative advantages for the Flemish region in Belgium. The analysis for Flanders provides some interesting insights. Following the skewed distribution of firms, the technological areas in which Flanders is able to build, a strong position are very specific: printing technology, weaving technology, photography and recently also telecommunications. Weak positions are outspoken in car technology. Linking these strengths and weaknesses in technological areas to economic activity revealed an important mismatch between both. Most of the Flemish patents are in sectors without any comparative advantage, while most of the sectors where Flanders does hold a comparative advantage, like chemicals and pharmaceuticals, do not show strong technological advantages in terms of patents. Given the mismatch that was detected between technological positions and economic advantages, it is of crucial importance to better understand the (missing) links between the various actors in the regional innovation system. The analysis points out two important issues. The large and growing number of foreign applications to Belgian/Flemish inventors and the large number of subsidiaries of foreign firms among Belgian/Flemish applications illustrate the pervasiveness of the foreign dimension in the Belgian/Flemish technological landscape. Also very specific to the Belgian/Flemish situation, is the limited importance of universities or research centers in terms of patenting activities.

Liability for Contaminated Land: Lessons From the Dutch Experience

Civil liability for environmental damage is currently very much the centre of attention. Many countries and international organizations have recently adopted rules in this field or are in the process of doing so. Almost without exception, these rules concentrate on creating a liability regime for damage caused by pollution that is the result of incidents which took place before their entry into force. The problem of damage that is the result of so-called historic pollution — primarily cases of soil contamination — was mostly left outside the range of these regulations. Until recently that is. Last year specific legislation on liability in cases of historic soil contamination was adopted in the Flemish region of Belgium and in the United Kingdom. Other countries like, for example, Denmark are studying the subject. The Netherlands has much greater experience with this type of legislation. It goes back to the Interim Soil Clean-up Act of 1983. The experiences with this act are reflected in a new legal regime for cleaning up contaminated land that came into force in 1994. The objective of this article is to reflect on these Dutch experiences.

Validation of the quality of life in depression scale in a population of adult depressive patients aged 60 and above

The aim of this study is to evaluate the validity of the Dutch version of the Quality of Life in Depression Scale (QLDS) in a population of depressive patients aged 60 years and over, who were seen on an outpatient basis by psychiatrists in the Flemish region of Belgium. A sample of severely depressive patients was followed during an eight-week medical treatment. During this period, each patient was evaluated four times with the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and with the QLDS. We observed that the QLDS was very sensitive to the failing of the quality of life in depressive states. The QLDS was also a very good measure of change during the improvement of depressives states. Furthermore, the scale appears to be very homogeneous across the depressive states range. The results are very encouraging, and constitute strong corroboration of the construct validity of the scale.

New Strategies to Combat Long‐term Unemployment in Belgium

Describes the active policy that has been developed during the last few years at national level and at the level of the Flemish Region in Belgium by public bodies and social partners to combat long‐term unemployment. First, analyses the quantitative and qualitative aspects of unemployment in Belgium. Draws attention mainly to the specific guidance and training actions which are geared to the needs of the long‐term unemployed. Other important aspects are (1) the financing mechanisms to reintegrate the groups at risk in the labour market, (2) the collaboration between the major public organization for vocational training for adults in the Flemish Community and the industrial sectors, and voluntary organizations, and (3) supportive actions for individuals. For each measure, provides a picture of the results.