Pollution Prevention Project Research Articles

LyondellBasell is getting green bonds

LyondellBasell Industries is launching a public offering of green bonds. The principal of the bonds will be $500 million and will bear a 5.625% interest rate. The proceeds from the bonds will go toward circular economy, renewable energy, pollution prevention, and energy efficiency projects. Green bonds have become popular as a way to connect chemical companies with investors interested in backing sustainability. In March, Air Products raised more than $1.3 billion in two bond offerings that it intends to use for low-carbon ammonia and sustainable aviation fuels, and Eastman Chemical closed a $500 million green bond offering.

Model Construction of Water Pollution Prevention Project Based on Small Sample Learning and Data Fusion

Model Construction of Water Pollution Prevention Project Based on Small Sample Learning and Data Fusion

Technical Design of Water Pollution Prevention Project Based on Particle Swarm Optimization

Technical Design of Water Pollution Prevention Project Based on Particle Swarm Optimization

Evaluation of Water Pollution Prevention and Control Project in the South-to-North Water Diversion Project Based on Machine Learning

Evaluation of Water Pollution Prevention and Control Project in the South-to-North Water Diversion Project Based on Machine Learning

PPP Mode of Water Pollution Prevention and Control Project Based on BP Neural Network

PPP Mode of Water Pollution Prevention and Control Project Based on BP Neural Network

Evaluation on Water Pollution Prevention Project Based on 3D Virtual Technology from the Perspective of Cloud Computing

Evaluation on Water Pollution Prevention Project Based on 3D Virtual Technology from the Perspective of Cloud Computing

Data Mining Water Pollution Prevention Project

Data Mining Water Pollution Prevention Project

Construction of Water Pollution Prevention and Control Project of Urban Sewage System Based on Feature Selection Algorithm and Machine Learning

Construction of Water Pollution Prevention and Control Project of Urban Sewage System Based on Feature Selection Algorithm and Machine Learning

Key Points of Acoustic Consultation for Highway Noise barrier Design Optimization

Noise barrier treatment is a traffic noise pollution prevention project. Many domestic residents along high-grade highways are densely distributed and there are many sensitive points in the acoustic environment. Traffic noise will have a large environmental impact along the route. The design of the noise barrier from the EIA stage to the construction stage is inconsistent with the actual situation. Therefore, in order to improve and optimize the noise reduction measures along the line and reasonably control the cost of the noise barrier project, many should be optimized. We shoud clarify the noise barrier installation location, scale, acoustic material technical requirements, standards, and engineering cost estimates, focusing on the principle of no reduction in noise reduction, strong operability, and economical practicality, in order to highlight the purpose of reducing costs and increasing efficiency.

Approaches and policies for promoting industrial park recycling transformation (IPRT) in China: Practices and lessons

Industrial park recycling transformation (IPRT) was one of the major circular economy construction demonstration programs in the 12th Five-Year Plan issued by the China State Council in 2012. It comprised of 7 major tasks to transform traditionally high resource and energy intensive production into high efficiency and low pollutant production. By 2017, 129 industrial parks had been approved for IPRT by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). This paper presents a thorough review on IPRT content, policies, and practices, with some lessons and suggestions for further development. Six types of projects were supported by national funds, which included industrial chain extension and complementary projects; water conversion and recycling projects; energy saving projects; pollution prevention projects; platform construction projects; and infrastructure construction sharing projects. Case studies show success for each case. However, deficiencies in industrial development, management, policy-making, and information sharing also emerged. Two suggestions were put forward. First, investment should be diverted from traditional industries to new industries. Past cases have shown that traditional industries have a greater risk of obsolescence. Failure in one park has already created a cascading effect on other enterprises in the park. Secondly, the government-led model should be transformed into a government and market co-led model. The government could establish more effective incentive and restraint mechanisms to attract participation from enterprises and/or social capital. Information sharing platforms, for example, benefit enterprises by increasing awareness for circular economy projects to both private and public actors.

Problems and Countermeasures about Social Capital’s Participating in Water Pollution Control PPP Project

In order to improve the quality and efficiency of water pollution prevention and control project, the State encouraged social capital to participate in water pollution prevention and control PPP projects. But there are some problems in the field, including a low rate of return on investment, the imperfect investment environment and so on which hinder the participation of social capital in these PPP projects. So we need to perfect the social capital investment return mechanism, and establish a fair and safe investment environment and take other measures.

The Impact of Pollution Prevention on Toxic Environmental Releases from U.S. Manufacturing Facilities.

Between 1991 and 2012, the facilities that reported to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) Program conducted 370,000 source reduction projects. We use this data set to conduct the first quasi-experimental retrospective evaluation of how implementing a source reduction (pollution prevention) project affects the quantity of toxic chemicals released to the environment by an average industrial facility. We use a differences-in-differences methodology, which measures how implementing a source reduction project affects a facility's releases of targeted chemicals, relative to releases of (a) other untargeted chemicals from the same facility, or (b) the same chemical from other facilities in the same industry. We find that the average source reduction project causes a 9-16% decrease in releases of targeted chemicals in the year of implementation. Source reduction techniques vary in effectiveness: for example, raw material modification causes a large decrease in releases, while inventory control has no detectable effect. Our analysis suggests that in aggregate, the source reduction projects carried out in the U.S. since 1991 have prevented between 5 and 14 billion pounds of toxic releases.

Understanding environmental-operations integration: The case of pollution prevention projects

To achieve environmentally sound manufacturing processes, environmental management (EM) and operations management (OM) need to be implemented in an integrated manner. The literature characterizing the relationship between EM and OM has broadly investigated the positive effects of environmental practices on plant performance, but has paid little attention to their implementation. However, there is not a unique way to implement EM–OM, and different levels of integration might be attained. We draw on the contingency approach and project management literature to study how and under what conditions EM–OM might be integrated. Based on the analysis of six pollution prevention projects at three large multinational firms, we find that EM–OM integration is contingent upon the degree of project uncertainty and project complexity.

Estimation of the residual total mercury in marine sediments of Minamata Bay after a pollution prevention project

To estimate the current contamination levels in Minamata Bay, the vertical and horizontal distributions of mercury in the sediment were investigated. Sediment core samples were collected in 2002, 2006, 2008, and 2010 at 12 locations by gravity core sampling in Minamata Bay and Fukuro Bay, which is located in the southern part of Minamata Bay. The average total mercury concentrations during each year in the surface sediment were 2.47–3.34 and 3.50–4.66mgkg−1 for Minamata Bay and Fukuro Bay, respectively; significant variation in the values was not observed during the study period. The total mercury concentration in Fukuro Bay increased with increasing depth and reached a maximum at 8–14cm from the surface and decreased with increasing depth in the deeper layer. In Minamata Bay, the total mercury concentration did not change significantly from the surface to a depth of 10cm and the values were considerably higher than the background level. In the lower layers of the long cores taken from both areas, the total mercury concentration decreased with depth, and the deepest layers exhibited relatively uniform low values. These values can be considered to represent the background concentration in the absence of anthropogenic influence. The depth of the sediment affected by the effluent was estimated to be 20±7cm and 33±4cm for Minamata Bay and Fukuro Bay, respectively. Furthermore, it was estimated from the average concentration and volume of the contaminated layer that approximately 1ton of discharged mercury remained in the sediment of the two bays.

Lean and green in action: interdependencies and performance of pollution prevention projects

Abstract As manufacturing plants strive to achieve more environmentally sound operations, management teams must undertake pollution prevention projects that do not hamper manufacturing results. In these projects, firms often adopt both lean and green practices. The literature has provided some evidence of the synergistic interaction of lean practices and green practices to improve plant performance. However, few studies provide a thorough and in-depth examination of such processes' interactions. Using a case study methodology, this paper aims to discern how the two sets of practices interact and how they yield maximum synergy in improving both operational and environmental performance. Based on the analysis of three pollution-prevention projects undertaken by two manufacturing plants of two large multinational firms, we find that lean and green practices may be implemented either sequentially or simultaneously, generating sequential or reciprocal interdependencies, respectively. The latter case is more likely to be associated with the involvement of external suppliers and, ultimately, with higher operational performance.

Application of multi-criteria decision analysis in design of sustainable environmental management system framework

Abstract Proactive environmental management initiatives such as pollution prevention, cleaner production and sustainability are inherently multi-objective processes that require joint considerations of environmental, industrial, economic and social criteria in all stages of decision making. The success of such initiatives, however, depends on the solidity and the relevance of their strategic frameworks. This paper proposes strategic positioning of pollution prevention and clean production projects via design of a sustainable environmental management system (SEMS) that is responsive to regulatory requirements, and is relevant to industry culture and business structure. Built on the traditional and familiar environmental management system platform and the requirements of the multi-criteria decision making models ELECTRE III, the SEMS is capable of supporting design and implementation of defensible solutions to environmental problems industry face today according to sustainability criteria. The ELECTRE III model was selected as an integral part of the framework due to its ease of application, flexibility in design and selection of performance criteria, and capability to identify the best management solutions by giving an order of preference to multiple alternatives. The proposed SEMS framework is also in line with the Rio+20 sustainable development goals, objectives and guidelines that call for action and result-oriented strategies and institutional frameworks that could account for multiple stakeholders' key issues while suggesting environmental solutions according to the three dimensions of sustainable development. A case study that demonstrates the management of waste streams at a manufacturer of energy drinks and diet bars is provided to demonstrate how the SEMS can be designed and implemented.

Promoting Pollution Prevention in Small Businesses: Costs and Benefits of the “Enviroclub” Initiative

The Enviroclub initiative was developed by three federal government agencies—Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, Environment Canada, and the National Research Council Canada—and launched in 2001 to assist small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in improving their profitability and competitiveness through enhanced environmental performance. An Enviroclub consists of a group of 10 to 15 SMEs involved in training sessions on environmental management and carrying out at least one profitable in-plant pollution prevention project. The objective of this article is to provide a cost-benefit analysis (CBA) of this original initiative in order to inform policy-makers as to the social desirability of such programs. One of the main social benefits of this initiative is to reduce emissions of various pollutants, so that one of our largest challenges is to place a value on these environmental improvements. To do so, we use the “environmental value transfer” method to obtain values from previous relevant studies. We conduct our CBA at three different levels: we consider the costs and benefits first for the whole of society, then from the participating firms' point of view and, finally, from governments' perspective. We conclude that, whichever perspective we choose, the Enviroclub initiative has been highly profitable.

Promoting Pollution Prevention in Small Businesses: Costs and Benefits of the 'Enviroclub' Initiative

The Enviroclub initiative was developed by three federal government agencies - Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, Environment Canada and the National Research Council Canada - and launched in 2001 to assist small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in improving their profitability and competitiveness through enhanced environmental performance. An Enviroclub consists of a group of 10 15 SMEs involved in training sessions on environmental management and carrying out at least one profitable in-plant pollution prevention project. The objective of this article is to provide a cost benefit analysis (CBA) of this original initiative in order to inform policy makers as to the social desirability of such programs. One of the main social benefits of this initiative is to reduce emissions of various pollutants, so that one of our largest challenges is to place a value on these environmental improvements. To do so, we use the “environmental value transfer” method to obtain values from previous relevant studies. We conduct our CBA at three different levels: we consider the costs and benefits first for the whole of society, then from the participating firms’ point of view and, finally, from the governments’ perspective. We conclude that, whichever perspective we choose, the Enviroclub initiative has been highly profitable.

Collaborative Problem Solving Using an Industrial Ecology Approach

SummaryOver the course of ten years, a consortium of stakeholders (the Harbor Consortium) used a collaborative approach to identify viable pollution prevention (P2) strategies for specific contaminants, namely mercury, cadmium, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as well as suspended solids entering the New York/New Jersey Harbor. The project, titled “The New York/New Jersey Harbor Watershed Pollution Prevention and Industrial Ecology Project,” in a very conscious and overt way engaged stakeholders in the process of developing P2 recommendations for the Harbor. The industrial ecology (IE) tools applied by the Harbor Consortium include substance flow analysis (SFA), material flow analysis (MFA), and, to a limited extent, life cycle analysis (LCA) and fate and transport analysis (F&T), to quantify and characterize how the contaminants flow through the regional economy and the Harbor Watershed once released to the environment. The application of these scientific tools to five contaminants at such a large geographical scale, within the context of a broad and inclusive stakeholder process, and with the goal of identifying and implementing pollution prevention strategies, led to a wide range of surprising outcomes and lessons learned. Undertaking this IE research with the key institutions and stakeholders at the table resulted in the identification and the implementation of many P2 opportunities.

The impact of Six Sigma in the performance of a Pollution Prevention program

The diffusion of Pollution Prevention faces organizational barriers as for instance resistance to change, insufficient support from decision-makers, unclear project leadership, insufficient employee accountability and inflexible organizational structures. To understand how to overcome such barriers, the performance of a Pollution Prevention program of a multinational corporation is analyzed. The quantitative analyses of 2096 Pollution Prevention projects conducted between 1995 and 2007 support the conclusion that the performance of the Pollution Prevention program increased after the implementation of the Six Sigma program. Moreover, the analyses of 1906 Pollution Prevention projects and 31,133 Six Sigma projects for cost reduction in 27 countries indicate that in countries where the implementation of Six Sigma is more expressive, pollution is prevented more than in countries with less expressive Six Sigma implementation. In fact, the Six Sigma implementation improved the organizational capability for data based project management. Therefore, comparing six years before and six years after the Six Sigma implementation, the total number of Pollution Prevention projects recognized increased 6.9 times and the total amount of pollution prevented increased by 62%. The qualitative analysis describes how the Six Sigma program interacts with the Pollution Prevention program in the studied company.