Waste In Rural Areas Research Articles

Production and reuse of waste in rural area with high density of greenhouse

Agricultural activities cause the production of considerable amounts of waste sometimes dangerous that must be properly handled to avoid negative impacts on rural areas and on agroecosystems. The estimation of qualitative and quantitative characteristics of agricultural waste products and the capacity of rural land of transposing organic matter deriving from the processes of composting, is a key point for the planning and management of the waste integrated cycle. The aims of this study are the evaluation of the quantities of various types of agricultural waste on territorial scale, the amount of compost that can be used in rural areas affected by different cultures and the effectiveness of community composter in the treatment of vegetable agricultural waste for the production of green composted soil. These assessments were carried out in an area of study characterized by a high spatial density of greenhouses. The methodological procedure used is based on the use of agricultural waste production coefficients and maximum application rates of compost for cultivation. The results show the role and potential of the agricultural areas in the waste cycle from production to the potential reuse of recovered material.

Production and reuse of waste in rural area with high density of greenhouse

Agricultural activities cause the production of considerable amounts of waste sometimes dangerous that must be properly handled to avoid negative impacts on rural areas and on agroecosystems. The estimation of qualitative and quantitative characteristics of agricultural waste products and the capacity of rural land of transposing organic matter deriving from the processes of composting, is a key point for the planning and management of the waste integrated cycle. The aims of this study are the evaluation of the quantities of various types of agricultural waste on territorial scale, the amount of compost that can be used in rural areas affected by different cultures and the effectiveness of community composter in the treatment of vegetable agricultural waste for the production of green composted soil. These assessments were carried out in an area of study characterized by a high spatial density of greenhouses. The methodological procedure used is based on the use of agricultural waste production coefficients and maximum application rates of compost for cultivation. The results show the role and potential of the agricultural areas in the waste cycle from production to the potential reuse of recovered material.

Distributed Recycling of Post-Consumer Plastic Waste in Rural Areas

ABSTRACTAlthough the environmental benefits of recycling plastics are well established and most geographic locations within the U.S. offer some plastic recycling, recycling rates are often low. Low recycling rates are often observed in conventional centralized recycling plants due to the challenge of collection and transportation for high-volume low-weight polymers. The recycling rates decline further when low population density, rural and relatively isolated communities are investigated because of the distance to recycling centers makes recycling difficult and both economically and energetically inefficient. The recent development of a class of open source hardware tools (e.g. RecycleBots) able to convert post-consumer plastic waste to polymer filament for 3-D printing offer a means to increase recycling rates by enabling distributed recycling. In addition, to reducing the amount of plastic disposed of in landfills, distributed recycling may also provide low-income families a means to supplement their income with domestic production of small plastic goods. This study investigates the environmental impacts of polymer recycling. A life-cycle analysis (LCA) for centralized plastic recycling is compared to the implementation of distributed recycling in rural areas. Environmental impact of both recycling scenarios is quantified in terms of energy use per unit mass of recycled plastic. A sensitivity analysis is used to determine the environmental impacts of both systems as a function of distance to recycling centers. The results of this LCA study indicate that distributed recycling of HDPE for rural regions is energetically favorable to either using virgin resin or conventional recycling processes. This study indicates that the technical progress in solar photovoltaic devices, open-source 3-D printing and polymer filament extrusion have made distributed polymer recycling and upcycling technically viable.

Mobile Gasification Units for Sustainable Electricity Production in Rural Areas: The SMARt-CHP Project

This paper presents a 5 kW th biomass gasification pilot unit along with experimental results concerning producer gas composition. A chemical equilibrium mathematical model is also introduced and a comparison of measured and calculated results is presented. The experience gained from the unit operation led to the idea of manufacturing a mobile gasification unit able to utilize agricultural wastes in rural areas of Greece. In this project, called SMARt-CHP, the biomass gasifier coupled to an internal combustion engine will be extensively used under real world conditions for combined heat and power production, using different types of residues (wine prunings, corn stalks, etc.) characteristic of agriculture in Northern Greece. The main aims of SMARt-CHP are to attempt to demonstrate how logistics and biomass availability problems can be addressed, to inform the general public about the particular environmental issues, concerns, and opportunities in decentralized bioenergy production from agricultural residues, and to promote the applicability of a mature technology, bridging the gap between technology development and application.

Household Solid Waste Characteristics and Management in Rural Communities

Globally there is a lack of knowledge about waste generation and composition in rural areas because these types of studies have been conducted mainly in big cities. This leaves the local sanitation authorities without information to properly plan its operations. Generally, characterization studies are carried out by using the technique of sampling taking at home level. This method requires human, material and economic resources that sometimes are limited for local sanitation authorities. This paper presents the results of a characterization study obtained by direct analysis of household solid waste generated in two rural communities in northern Mexico. The research also outlines a procedure for estimating the waste generation rate when financial constraints prevent the development of a characterization study at home level. This study attempts to fill the information gap on the generation and composition of solid waste in rural areas. The results indicate a waste generation of 0.631 kg/cap/day in San Quintin and 1.047 kg/cap/day in Vicente Guerrero. The specific weights of the uncompacted SW were respectively 145 kg/m 3 and 123 kg/m 3 . The specific weight of the compacted SW was 229 kg/m 3 in San Quintin. Statistically, the composition of waste between these two rural communities differs in one fraction.

Labeling scheme for agricultural plastic wastes in Europe

Introduction The extensive and expanding use of plastics in agriculture results in increased accumulation of plastic waste in rural areas. The majority of this waste is left on the field or burnt uncontrollably by the farmers releasing harmful substances affecting human health, the safety of the farming products and the environment. Materials and Methods Specific key scientific challenges have been set to be resolved in the framework of this project through integrated pre-normative research activities that are associated with the characterization of the stream, meeting the specs, expanding the specs of the disposal processes by defining the technical requirements and limits for achieving technical and economically feasible solutions for each disposal option. Results A holistic environmentally sound waste management scheme that minimizes the costs and maximizes the revenues by transforming the agricultural plastic waste streams into labeled guaranteed quality commodities freely traded in an open market has been developed by the LabelAgriWaste project. Discussion Pilot tests have been run to optimise the scheme parameters and quantify the potential, the efficiency and the impact of the LabelAgriWaste scheme. The proposed solutions to the unresolved problems are expected to be achieved through the implementation of the LabelAgriWaste scheme. Conclusion The labeling management scheme proposed is designed to be technically feasible, economic and able to satisfy the geographic diversity and the various technical requirements of the major stakeholders throughout Europe, including farmers, plastics producers, recyclers and industrial facilities utilizing alternative fuels for energy production.

The Dark Side of Light: Managing Non-biodegradable Wastes in Bhutan's Rural Areas

While rural electrification brings economic, health, educational, and environmental benefits, it also creates persistent wastes that can have negative implications for human and environmental health. The rural development and environmental management intellectual communities have not worked together sufficiently to manage the nonbiodegradable waste products of rural development. In the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan—a nation noted for its vast forests and positive environmental record—the most challenging wastes to manage are those that follow rural electrification: spent light bulbs and fluorescent lights, and small appliances. Based on 6 months of field research in Bhutan, this paper proposes a depot and circuit rider system for the management of non-biodegradable wastes in rural areas.

Management of agricultural nonpoint source pollution in China: current status and challenges

Water quality in China shows an overall trend of deterioration in recent years. Nonpoint source pollution from agricultural and rural regions is the leading source of water pollution. The agricultural nonpoint source pollutants are mainly from fertilization of cropland, excessive livestock and poultry breeding and undefined disposal of daily living wastes in rural areas. Agricultural nonpoint sources contribute the main source of pollution to most watersheds in China, but they are ignored in management strategy and policy. Due to the lack of full understanding of water pollution control and management and the lack of perfect water quality standard systems and practical legislative regulations, agricultural nonpoint source pollution will become one of the biggest challenges to the sustainable development of rural areas and to society as a whole. The system for agricultural nonpoint source pollution control in China should include an appropriate legislation and policy framework, financing mechanisms, monitoring system, and technical guidelines and standards. The management of agricultural nonpoint source pollution requires multidisciplinary approaches that will involve a range of government departments, institutions and the public.

Confronting the Problem of Backyard Burning: The Case for a National Ban

Backyard burning of domestic waste in rural areas of the United States has quietly emerged as a serious waste management issue due to increasing levels of synthetic chemicals in domestic waste. Several recent U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) studies have found per unit emissions to contain high concentrations of hor monally active organochlorine compounds, indicating a clear public health threat. W hile urban to rural migration has contributed to pressure on local and state policymakers to ban the practice, rising rural waste disposal costs have created greater incentives to burn in areas where it is still legal. Currently there is no federal regulation of backyard burning, resulting in a patchwork of protection at the state and local levels. Recent events in New York suggest that state-level bans are difficult to achieve. In part this is because the public health impacts of burning are almost impossible to empirically measure. In order to provide all U.S. citizens with equal protection of the law, a national ban under Rural Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) authority is needed.

Ecological Waste Treatment and Utilization Systems on Low-Cost, Energy-Saving/Generating and Resources Recoverable Technology for Water Pollution Control in China

Various ecological waste treatment and utilization systems (EWTUS) available in urban and rural areas in China are described, among which are land treatment and utilization systems (LTUS), eco-pond systems mainly consisting of macrohydrophytes-growing ponds, fish ponds and duck/geese ponds, and comprehensive circulation eco–systems for the treatment and utilization of wastes in rural areas, such as semi–closed eco–system in fish ponds, “rice–fish” and “rice–azolla–fish” symbiotic systems, recycling eco–systems with methane-generating digesters as central link, and comprehensive recycling eco–systems with digesters and eco–ponds as central link. In the various EWTUS, the sewage and wastewaters and other wastes are utilized and converted into various forms of recoverable resources and/or energy, while they are being purified to good quality effluents, meeting their respective discharge standards, and hence acceptable to receiving waters.