Transboundary Movements Research Articles

Risk perceptions and preventive preparedness toward anthrax re-emergence within the lens of one health in Northcentral Nigeria.

Anthrax has re-emerged in domestic ruminants in Nigeria with public health concerns. This study assessed stakeholders' perceptions and preventive preparedness toward further resurgence and spread at the human-animal-environment interface. A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Nigeria. Descriptive and analytical statistical analyses were performed at 95% confidence levels. All the 384 recruited stakeholders responded. The majority (96.2%) of animal health practitioners (AHPs) and 56.7% of pastoralists were aware of the recent anthrax re-emergence in Nigeria (p < 0.001). Noteworthy, 88.5% of the AHPs and 32.2% of pastoralists mentioned that anthrax has an environmental component in its transmission to humans and animals. From the environmental perspective, 87.7% of AHPs and 24.0% of pastoralists significantly perceived that soil and aerosol contamination with anthrax spores are highly plausible explanation routes for its re-emergence. Extreme weather events (high rainfall, flooding, winds, and drought) (p = 0.001); grazing of livestock on pastures grown on contaminated soil (p < 0.001), transboundary movement and trade of animals (p = 0.001); introduction of new animals into the herds without quarantine (p = 0.001); and bioterrorism (p < 0.001) were more likely to influence the re-emergence and spread of anthrax. To tackle gaps in knowledge and risk perceptions, and address the socio-economic and anthropogenic drivers, cooperation and collaborations through the lens of the One Health approach are needed. The partnership will promote an integrated disease surveillance system from planning to implementation for the realization of elimination or reduction of the burden of anthrax and other zoonoses in Nigeria and contribute to achieving food safety, food security, and public and ecosystem health.

Winged odyssey: Profiling bacterial vistas in migratory avifauna via 16S rRNA sequencing

Avian migration is an intrinsic biological phenomenon that involves trans-boundary movements to evade adverse ecological circumstances. During migration, avian gut bacterial taxa may serve as a potential source of bacterial dissemination via fecal contamination at stop-over sites. Therefore, bacterial taxa composition as well as diversities were investigated employing 16S rRNA sequencing in fecal samples collected from flocks of seven migratory avian species visiting southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The analysis revealed that Grus virgo exhibits the highest alpha diversity, followed by Aythya ferina while G. grus reflects lowest diversity among all the migratory avian fecal samples. The findings depicted significant variations in the bacterial beta diversities of migratory avifauna. At phylum level, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteriota showed the highest relative abundance in Plegadis falcinellus, Chlamydotis undulata and Aythya ferina respectively. Further exploration within phyla elucidates finer-scale taxonomic differences at the family and genus levels. This study identified potential pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, Proteus, Clostridium sensu stricto 1, Fusobacterium and Escherichia that offers valuable insight into the microbiological hazards associated with migratory birds. Although pathogenicity was not directly assessed, the observed relative abundance of opportunistic bacterial genera suggests continuous surveillance of gut bacterial community during migration to safeguard avian biodiversity and mitigate escalating threats of infection emergence and dissemination.

CURRENT TRENDS AND COUNTERMEASURES OF INTERNATIONAL WASTE TRADE BETWEEN CHINA AND UKRAINE

It has been proved in the article that with the development of the global economy and the advancement of the industrialization process, the amount of waste has been increasing, and the international trade of waste is becoming increasingly active. As an important trading partner, exchanges and cooperation between Ukraine and China in the field of waste are of great significance. However, the study of the current situation and problems of the two countries in this respect has shown that waste trade had also brought a series of problems and challenges, which need to be further studied and discussed. It has been appeared to become significance to further promote economic cooperation and environmental protection between the two sides. The authors believe that international waste trade carries significant environmental risks because improper management of imported waste can lead to soil, water and air pollution, which negatively affects the health of the population and the ecosystem. The article examines current trends and measures to counter the international waste trade between China and Ukraine. It has been emphasized that waste trade has a significant economic impact hence it is important to understand how these processes affect the country's economy, in particular, the development of the industry of waste processing and innovative technologies. This study contributes to the strengthening of international cooperation in the field of environmental protection and helps to establish effective mechanisms for joint solutions to problems related to waste trade. China's refusal to import certain types of waste significantly has changed the global market and affected many countries, including Ukraine. Further analysis of these changes will help to understand their consequences and find optimal solutions for adaptation to new conditions. Given the growing international movement of waste, it is important to analyse and improve legal and regulatory mechanisms that ensure control and prevent illegal trade, which can lead to environmental and economic problems. The main aspects of this trade have been analysed, including its scale, the types of waste exported and imported, as well as the legislative and regulatory mechanisms of both countries. Particular attention has been paid to the latest international and national initiatives aimed at reducing environmental risks associated with transboundary movement of waste.

Molecular characterization of peste des petits ruminants virus and Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae in small ruminants in northern Mauritania, 2023.

Global eradication of peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is planned for 2030 by international animal health organizations in collaboration with national partners. As the deadline approaches, it is fundamental that the PPR status in each country is determined. In addition, the identification of other pathogens of small ruminants that share common geographical locations and can produce similar clinical signs is also important for differential diagnosis. With this in mind, 37 samples collected from goats and sheep presenting respiratory symptoms in Mauritania in 2023 were screened for the presence of PPR virus, Capripoxvirus, Pasteurella multocida and Mycoplasma capricolum subspecies capripneumoniae (Mccp) using a one-step multiplex RT-qPCR assay. None of the samples were positive for Capripoxvirus or P. multocida. Nine of them were positive for PPRV and sequence analysis of a segment of the PPRV nucleoprotein revealed that they belonged to lineage IV and were similar to viruses recently identified in Côte D'Ivoire, Guinea, and Niger indicating transboundary movement. The full genome of one representative virus was also generated. Mccp was identified in eight samples and multi-locus sequence analysis (MLSA) identified them as belonging to MLSA Group 3 together with Mccps identified in China, Tajikistan, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. This is the first time that such a study has been undertaken in Mauritania and the data generated should be of interest to those involved in the management of goat diseases in Mauritania and neighbouring countries.

A stochastic modeling study of quarantine strategies against foot-and-mouth disease risks through cattle trades across the Thailand-Myanmar border

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is an important endemic disease in livestock in Southeast Asia. Transboundary movement of animals may result in the transnational disease spread. A major cattle market is located at the Thailand-Myanmar border, where most cattle imported from Myanmar are traded. In this study, we built a stochastic susceptible-exposed-infectious-recovered (SEIR) model to investigate the effectiveness of a private animal quarantine service center in preventing FMDV from entering the major cattle market. We computed with different parameters and found that, with 50 % vaccine effectiveness, the risk of releasing infected cattle to the market per batch was generally low during the quarantine period of 21 and 28 days, with the risk ranging from 0.071 to 0.078 and 0.032 to 0.036, respectively. Despite the best scenario, the zero-risk state is difficult to attain. The sensitivity analysis highlights that the percentage of immune animals before entering the quarantine centers and the vaccine effectiveness are important factors. In conclusion, the 21-day quarantine period mitigates the risk of FMDV introduction into the cattle market. This control measure should be rigorously maintained to sustainably prevent FMDV outbreaks through transboundary animal movements, especially among countries in FMD-endemic regions.

Unveiling underutilized public data on Canadian industrial pollutant transfers and disposals

ABSTRACT Over 50 nations worldwide have Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTRs), including Canada’s National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI), which comprise large public datasets of chemical releases to air, water, and land and also transfers to various on and off-site waste management practices. These inventories aim to support a myriad of audiences in pollution-related decision-making. While the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) framed a role for PRTRs as indicators for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12 - the sound management of chemicals and wastes, research to date has focused only on air and water releases, omitting vast PRTR data on pollutant transfers to waste management. For Canada’s NPRI, 30 years of waste management transfers data on 250+ chemicals has been collected but rarely used in environmental research. Here we show how this overlooked NPRI data may be used to inform snapshots and trends in progress towards SDG 12 using the OECD’s framework. Results show that over 28 million (M) tonnes (t) of NPRI pollutants have been transferred from industrial facilities to various waste management practices from 2006 to 2021, of which ~10M t were transferred off-site for waste management operations both within and outside Canada. Time trends show pollutant transfer quantities are increasing, driven by on-site disposals to tailings and waste rock management (of mainly phosphorous, manganese and other metals) and underground injection (of mainly hydrogen sulphide). New route maps reveal that interprovincial and international pollutant transfers are common, and that chain of custody analyses is a burgeoning opportunity but hampered by data limitations. The findings create a state of the knowledge launching point for mainstreaming the use of this overlooked data from both Canada’s NPRI and PRTRs around the world, to better track both national and international progress towards sound management of chemicals in waste and SDG 12. Implications: Pollutant transfers and disposals data has not previously been widely used in environmental research. This paper shows how it can be, in the context of SDG 12. Doing so can inspire uptake by researchers and a range of other public users, both strengthening the justification for collecting this data, and bolstering public participation in environmental decision-making from a local to global scale. Doing so also provides the foundation for more in-depth analysis on the domestic and international transboundary movement of Canadian industrial pollutants in waste in the lens of SDG 12 – a topic that was beyond scope here but addressed elsewhere.

CARICOM as the Coordination Mechanism for Caribbean Small Island Developing States Participating in the Global Plastics Treaty Negotiations

Abstract The specific processes involved in the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) role as a coordination mechanism for its Member States, composed of Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS), participating in multilateral environmental agreement (MEA) negotiations are sparsely documented within academic literature. CARICOM Member States have increasingly suffered from the transboundary movement and deposition of plastic litter on their coastlines. The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) convened in November 2022 to develop an international legally binding instrument to manage plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. Known as the global plastics treaty, Caribbean SIDS face inequities in their ability to adequately prepare and participate in this negotiation forum. CARICOM’s history of addressing environmental issues, notably through its participation in MEAs, has positioned CARICOM as a significant negotiating bloc in MEA meetings. This study classifies CARICOM’s systematic coordination processes for preparing its Member States for MEA negotiations and assesses opportunities, challenges and limitations for CARICOM to serve as the coordination mechanism for preparing its Member States for the ongoing global plastics treaty negotiations.

A case study of surface ozone source contributions in the Seoul metropolitan area using the adjoint of CMAQ

ABSTRACT To quantitatively investigate the transboundary behaviors and source attributions of ozone (O3) and its precursor species over East Asia, we utilize the adjoint technique in the CMAQ modeling system (the CMAQ adjoint). Our focus is on the Seoul Metropolitan Area (SMA) in South Korea, which is the receptor region of this study. We examine the contributions of both local and transported emissions to an O3 exceedance episode observed on June 3, 2019, estimating up to four days in advance. By using the CMAQ adjoint, we can determine the sensitivity of O3 remaining in the SMA to changes in O3 precursor emissions (emissions-based sensitivity) and concentrations (concentrations-based sensitivity) along the long-range transport pathways and emission source regions overseas. These include Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH), Shandong, Yangtze River Delta (YRD), and Central China. CMAQ adjoint-derived source attributions suggest that overseas precursor emissions and O3 contributed significantly to the O3 exceedance event in SMA. The emissions-based sensitivities revealed that precursor emissions originating from Shandong, YRD, Central China, and BTH contributed 11.42 ppb, 4.28 ppb, 1.24 ppb, 0.9 ppb, respectively, to the O3 exceedance episode observed in the SMA. Meanwhile, Korean emissions contributed 31.1 ppb. Concentrations-based sensitivities indicated that 19.3 ppb of contributions originated in regions beyond eastern China and directly affected the O3 level in the SMA in the form of background O3. In addition to capturing the transboundary movements of air parcels between the source and receptor regions, we performed HYSPLIT backward trajectory analyses. The results align with the trajectories of O3 and its precursors that we obtained from the adjoint method. This study represents a unique effort in employing the adjoint technique to examine the impacts of regional O3 on South Korea, utilizing a combination of emissions-based and concentrations-based sensitivities. Implications: This research brings to light the critical role of both local and regional precursor emissions in contributing to an ozone (O3) exceedance event in the Seoul Metropolitan Area (SMA), South Korea. Utilizing the CMAQ adjoint technique, a novel approach in the context of South Korea’s O3 investigations, we were able to delineate the quantitative contributions of different regions, both within South Korea and from overseas areas such as Beijing, Shandong, Shanghai, and Central China. Importantly, the results underscore the substantial influence of transboundary pollutant transport, emphasizing the need for international collaboration in addressing air quality issues. As metropolitan areas around the globe grapple with similar challenges, the methodology and insights from this study offer a potent tool and framework for regions seeking to understand and mitigate the impacts of O3 on human health and the environment. By integrating different sensitivity types, coupled with HYSPLIT backward trajectory analyses, this research equips policymakers with comprehensive data to design targeted interventions, emphasizing the significance of collaborative efforts in tackling regional air pollution challenges. However, it’s important to note the limitation of this study, which is a case study conducted over a short time period. This constraint may impact the generalizability of the findings and suggests a need for further research to validate and expand upon these results.

Defect engineering modulated MoSe2 cathode achieves highly effective photo-responsive zinc ion battery

Photo-responsive batteries coupled with solar energy collection, conversion, and storage are promising power sources for the next generation. Dual-function photocathode with high photo-responsive characteristics and energy storage capacity to simultaneously collect and store solar energy is an ideal technological tool. However, low photoelectric conversion efficiency, carrier recombination, and poor electrical conductivity have restricted the development of dual-functional photocathodes. Herein, molybdenum selenide with selenium vacancies (named as MoSe2-VSe) is designed as a photocathode for photo-responsive zinc ion batteries. The specific capacity increased from 186.2 mAh g−1 to 234.7 mAh g−1 under visible light (1 Sun) of 0.1 A g−1. At the current density of 0.1 A g−1, the photoelectric conversion efficiency reaches 0.58 %. Notably, the photo-responsive Zn-ion battery exhibits a photo self-charging voltage of 0.98 V after 6 h illumination. The results show that the photocathode with Se vacancies can promote electron transboundary movement, reduce carrier recombination, and decrease the diffusion barrier of zinc ions. This work presents an encouraging and effective strategy for designing dual-function photocathodes and lays the foundation for the development of photo-responsive batteries.

Plastic pollution as waste colonialism in Aotearoa (New Zealand)

The international discourse around waste colonialism has highlighted the often imbalanced power dynamics evident in the transboundary movement of waste. While plastic pollution as a form of waste colonialism has been explored in some overseas contexts, its impact and resonance in Aotearoa (New Zealand) remains poorly understood. This study addresses this gap through interviews with several specialists in the fields of plastic pollution, zero waste, circular economic development, and Indigenous sovereignty. Taking a full life-cycle approach to understanding plastic pollution, this study explores the interconnections between plastics, power, and people to better understand how Aotearoa could holistically respond to the plastic pollution crisis. The study found that colonial governmental and economic systems have enabled a widespread disconnection between plastic consumption and its socio-ecological consequences. Plastic pollution as waste colonialism also perpetuates significant inequities for Aotearoa’s most disenfranchised communities, including Māori, Pasifika, and low-income households. This demonstrates the need for genuine representation of these communities in all relevant decision-making contexts and holistic, systemic transformation to address plastic pollution as waste colonialism.

Regulatory Capture in Transboundary Waste Dumping: (Lack of) Accountability in the Global North–South Context

By showcasing Sri Lanka’s repatriation of hazardous hospital waste to the United Kingdom, this paper explores how the transboundary movement of waste management business model functions in the Global South. It builds on a framework that integrates the market and legal modes of accountability, regulatory capture, and an ethic of accountability. Data were collected using online ethnography and an interpretive case study method. The study demonstrates how the adherence to market and legal modes of accountability and the violation of an ethic of accountability have created loopholes for actors to capture regulatory and institutional provisions, making the transboundary waste management business redundant in the Global South. The traditional business model pursued in waste management has proved inadequate in realizing reciprocal societal rights and responsibilities and promoting public well-being. This has resulted in an erosion of public trust in government and state agencies. Thus, we argue that accountability-based accounting and the ethic of accountability can potentially mitigate the opportunities for regulatory capture, serve the public interests, and protect the ecosystem.

What would be the impact on the rabies risk of reducing the waiting period before dogs are imported? A modelling study based on the European Union legislation.

Lyssavirus rabies (RABV) is responsible for a major zoonotic infection that is almost always lethal once clinical signs appear. Rabies can be (re)introduced into rabies-free areas through transboundary dog movements, thus compromising animal and human health. A number of measures have been implemented to prevent this happening, one of which is the waiting period (WP) after anti-rabies vaccination and serological testing. This WP ensures that antibodies assessed through the serological test are due to the vaccine, not to infection. Indeed, if antibodies are due to RABV infection, the dog should display clinical signs within this WP and would not therefore be imported. Within a framework of quantitative risk assessment, we used modelling approaches to evaluate the impact of this WP and its duration on the risk of introducing rabies via the importation of dogs into the European Union. Two types of models were used, a classical stochastic scenario tree model and an individual-based model, both parameterised using scientific literature or data specifically applicable to the EU. Results showed that, assuming perfect compliance, the current 3-month waiting period was associated with a median annual number of 0.04 infected dogs imported into the EU. When the WP was reduced, the risk increased. For example, for a 1-month WP, the median annual number of infected dogs imported was 0.17 or 0.15 depending on the model, which corresponds to a four-fold increase. This in silico study, particularly suitable for evaluating rare events such as rabies infections in rabies-free areas, provided results that can directly inform policymakers in order to adapt regulations linked to rabies and animal movements.

Investigation of Efforts and Problems in Implementing the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Wastes and Their Disposal in Nigeria

Pollution from toxic chemicals and hazardous waste from domestic and international sources are among the environmental challenges that Nigeria is facing. It is against this background that the country ratified the Basel Convention on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes. This project was designed to discuss Nigeria's efforts in implementing and complying with the Convention. It relied on secondary sources of information such as published articles and books. The study finds that there is a potential threat to human health and the environment posed by the importation of used consumer electronics such as televisions, laptop computers, music systems, and mobile phones. The study results also show that there is a significant amount of waste that is dumped illegally over international borders and improperly managed, which is detrimental to the country's ecology, economic expansion, and public health. Heavy metals are introduced into the environment as a consequence of the unregulated disposal of hazardous waste and electronic trash that occurs across international borders. While the prevention of waste or its reduction should be of the utmost importance, waste treatment and disposal should be prioritized so that they are carried out as close as possible to its point of origin. It was also discovered that there is continuous sensitization of the people who have been dumping electronic garbage about the repercussions of their acts, and new regulations and legislation have been enacted to prevent this from happening again in the future. There is a need to strengthen institutions and effectively implement the laws to adequately protect human health and the environment against the adverse effects of waste.

Molecular identification of cattle ticks in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana: a high occurrence of Rhipicephalus microplus.

Ticks are competent vectors of a wide range of pathogens. They are of veterinary and public health importance as they affect both animal and human health. Transhumance and the transboundary movements of cattle within the West African Sub-region have facilitated the spread of ticks which threatens the introduction of invasive species. Currently, Rhipicephalus microplus have been identified in the Upper East Region of Ghana which could mean a wider distribution of the species across the country due to livestock trade. This study focused on three sites in the Greater Accra Region, which serves as the gateway to receiving most of the cattle transported from the northern regions of Ghana. Ticks were sampled from August 2022 in the wet season to January 2023 in the dry season. Three tick genera were identified: Amblyomma (19.5%), Hyalomma (1.1%), and Rhipicephalus (79.3%) from the 1,489 feeding ticks collected from cattle. Furthermore, Rhipicephalus microplus, Hyalomma rufipes and Amblyomma variegatum were identified molecularly using primers that target the mitochondrial COI gene. There was a significant association between the tick species and seasons (p < 0.001). Finding R. microplus in this study indicates the extent of the spread of this invasive tick species in Ghana and highlights the need for efficient surveillance systems and control measures within the country.

Scanning the Horizon for Environmental Applications of Genetically Modified Viruses Reveals Challenges for Their Environmental Risk Assessment.

The release of novel genetically modified (GM) virus applications into the environment for agricultural, veterinary, and nature-conservation purposes poses a number of significant challenges for risk assessors and regulatory authorities. Continuous efforts to scan the horizon for emerging applications are needed to gain an overview of new GM virus applications. In addition, appropriate approaches for risk assessment and management have to be developed. These approaches need to address pertinent challenges, in particular with regard to the environmental release of GM virus applications with a high probability for transmission and spreading, including transboundary movements and a high potential to result in adverse environmental effects. However, the current preparedness at the EU and international level to assess such GM virus application is limited. This study addresses some of the challenges associated with the current situation, firstly, by conducting a horizon scan to identify emerging GM virus applications with relevance for the environment. Secondly, outstanding issues regarding the environmental risk assessment (ERA) of GM virus applications are identified based on an evaluation of case study examples. Specifically, the limited scientific information available for the ERA of some applications and the lack of detailed and appropriate guidance for ERA are discussed. Furthermore, considerations are provided for future work that is needed to establish adequate risk assessment and management approaches.

Global health concern on the rising dengue and chikungunya cases in the American regions: Countermeasures and preparedness.

Severe morbidity and mortality due to seasonal infectious diseases are common global public health issues. Vector-borne viral illnesses like dengue and chikungunya overload the healthcare systems leading to critical financial burden to manage them. There is no effective drug or vaccine currently available to control these two diseases. The review was formulated by incorporating relevant reports on chikungunya and dengue in the Americas regions through a comprehensive search of literature that were available on dedicated scientific publication portals such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science. The strategies of public health administrations to control largely the mosquito vectors during tropical monsoon seem to be effective. Yet, it seems practically impossible to completely eliminate them. The mosquito vector disseminates the virus via transovarian route thereby internalising the virus through generations, a reason behind reappearing and recurring outbreaks. The numerous factors associated with industrialisation, urbanisation, population density, and easy transboundary movements appear to have contributed to the spread of vectors from an endemic region to elsewhere. The article made a state-of-affair comprehensive analysis of the rising dengue and chikungunya cases in the tropics, particularly the tropical Americas, as a human health concern, the countermeasures undertaken and the overall preparedness. The viral transmission is a hard situation to tackle as the vector survives in diverse temperature and ecology, is resistant to insecticides, and the unavailability of drugs. Better vector-control measures and improved understanding of the reemerging arboviral infections could offer an extended reaction time to counter outbreaks, and minimise associated morbidity/mortality.

Border fences reduce potential for transboundary migration of Marco Polo Sheep (Ovis ammon polii) in the Pamir Plateau

Border fences have severely impeded the transboundary migration of a number of large mammals worldwide, with central Asia being one of the most impacted. The Marco Polo sheep (Ovis ammon polii), an iconic species of Pamir, is threatened in its transboundary movement by increasing border fencing among their five distributed countries, including Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. In this study, by building ensemble species distribution models, we found that eastern Tajikistan had the largest suitable Macro Polo sheep habitat (about 42 % of the total suitable habitat), followed by China (about 32 %). We used least-cost paths to identify 51 ecological corridors including 5 transboundary ecological corridors, which may be important to maintain connectivity in both domestic and transboundary regions. To assess the potential barrier effect of border fences, we assessed four scenarios (30, 40, 50 and 60°) corresponding to the upper limit of the slope for the construction of fences. In areas too steep for fencing, these could be used by wild sheep to cross barriers or borders and may represent migration or movement routes, defined as natural passages. In the most pessimistic Scenario 60, only 25 migratory passages along the border fences were identified, compared to 997 in the most optimistic scenario (Scenario 30), indicating a strong negative effect of intensive border fencing on the transboundary movement of Marco Polo sheep. The establishment of transnational conservation parks, and ensuring permeability is maintained in key areas, could have a positive impact on the connectivity and persistence of Marco Polo sheep populations, and provide important lessons for other large migratory mammals in transboundary regions.

Role of winds and air masses in the transport of non-local Pinus sp. pollen at an urban location in North India: A statistical perspective

Airborne pollen is not uniformly spread in the urban environment. They are influenced by vegetation, weather parameters (mainly wind speed and direction) and the built environment. Pinus sp. Pollen was reported in the aerobiological load of Chandigarh, a non-native species. Therefore, the study investigates Pinus sp. Pollen potential source and origin. The current study examined the effect of local wind direction and the transboundary air mass movement on the temporal distribution pattern of Pinus sp., which was recorded in a city located in Indo-Gangetic Plains, India. An integrated platform having HYSPLIT, GIS and statistical analysis were used to explain the aerobiological load of Pinus sp. Pollen based on spatial and temporal variability in an urban environment. The comprehensive circular statistical analysis was found to be complementary to cluster trajectories at 10 m height, contrary to regional trajectories. This revealed that Pinus sp. Pollen originated from potential sources close to Chandigarh and were unrelated to the regional air mass transmission scale. One possible source area for Pinus sp. Pollen might be Kasauli and Solan, which is well-documented in the literature. There are also evidence that suggests that long-range transport of allergic pollen sp. Could enhance the exposure and public health risk. Hence, there is a need to understand the dispersal pattern of long-range transport of Pinus sp. Pollen and other allergic pollen sp. Under varying urban meteorological conditions.

E-Waste: a Concise Update on Global Movement, Impacts, Management, and Site Remediation

The rapid rise of electronic waste (e-waste) worldwide has become a public health concern. Wealthy countries are disposing of their e-waste to other countries taking advantage of their less stringent environmental laws and regulations. China used to receive large amounts of e-waste through Hong Kong (a free port) but banned the entry of e-waste in 2013. Salvaging or recycling different parts of the e-waste using primitive and uncontrolled techniques generated a wide range of toxic chemicals (mainly heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants). Most studies concerning the environmental and health impacts of the emitted toxic chemicals were conducted in China. The principal aim of this short article is to review the various environmental problems and health impacts of e-waste recycling, policies, management, and remediation of contaminated sites. Out of the primitive methods used for recycling, the two most destructive ones causing harm to the environment and human health are (1) Open-burning of e-waste for disposing of the salvaged e-waste and (2) Acid-stripping of electronic boards for collecting precious metals (gold, silver, platinum). There is sufficient evidence showing the associations between the toxic chemicals in different media (i.e., water, soil/sediment, air) and local food items (i.e., fish, meat, vegetables), linking with body burdens (hair, milk, placenta) of workers and residents. The epidemiological data further demonstrated the abrupt rise of several significant diseases (i.e., respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, malignant tumors) in Taizhou (China), one of the two e-waste recycling sites. Effective policies and vigorous enforcement in managing e-waste are essential. International cooperation is necessary to prohibit the transboundary movement of e-waste. Sites contaminated by e-waste recycling contain incredibly high concentrations of toxic pollutants, which should be removed using excavation, degradation (via microbes, nanoparticles, biochar), soil washing, etc. Planting appropriate plants with associated rhizospheric microbes would achieve longer-term stability.

The Trend of Plastic Recycling Policies in Japan on the Current Legal Regulation of Transboundary Movements of Plastic Waste

Since China’s import ban on solid waste in 2017 and the entry into force of “Plastic Amendment” to the Basel Convention, global plastic waste trading has entered a new historical stage that transboundary movements of plastic waste is no longer regarded as a wise approach for many developed countries. Due to the fact that China, a traditional plastic-importing country, no longer accepts plastic waste after 2021, and the strict regulations on cross-border plastic transactions under the amendment to the Basel Convention, the circulation of plastic waste is increasingly restricted, making it imperative for the world to build a new plastic disposal system to deal with the immediate crisis. As a traditional plastic-export country in Asia, Japan faces domestic plastic overstocking crisis as well. However, as a well-known environmentally-friendly country, Japan’s new policies and legal perfection implemented thereafter have triggered concerns. Regulations through the whole process including production, use, recycling of plastic have clearly specified the responsibilities of main bodies, and the macro control of product production standards sets a unified supervision system at the national level. The valuable experience of this “Japanese Model” can provide some references for China’s future improvements of domestic plastic waste management.