WorldWideScience

Sample records for environmental standard review

  1. Environmental Standard Review Plan for the review of license renewal applications for nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'Brien, J.; Kim, T.J.; Reynolds, S.

    1991-08-01

    The Environmental Standard Review Plan for the Review of License Applications for Nuclear Power Plants (ESRP-LR) is to be used by the NRC staff when performing environmental reviews of applications for the renewal of power reactor licenses. The use of the ESRP-LR provides a framework for the staff to determine whether or not environmental issues important to license renewal have been identified and the impacts evaluated and provides acceptance standards to help the reviewers comply with the National Environmental Policy Act

  2. Environmental Standard Review Plan for the review of a license application for a low-level radioactive waste disposal facility: Environmental report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1987-04-01

    The Environmental Standard Review Plan (ESRP) (NUREG-1300) provides guidance to staff reviewers in the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards who perform environmental reviews of environmental reports prepared by applicants in support of license applications to construct and operate new low-level radioactive waste disposal facilities. The individual ESRPs that constitute this document identify the information considered necessary to conduct the review, the purpose and scope of the review, the analysis procedure and evaluation, the formal input to the environmental statement, and the references considered appropriate for each review. The ESRP is intended to ensure quality and uniformity of approach in individual reviews as well as compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. In addition, the ESRP will make information about the environmental component of the licensing process more readily available and thereby will serve to improve the understanding of this process among the public, States and regional compacts, and the regulated community

  3. Standard Review Plan for Environmental Restoration Program Quality Management Plans

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1993-12-01

    The Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office (RL) Manual Environmental Restoration Program Quality System Requirements (QSR) for the Hanford Site, defines all quality requirements governing Hanford Environmental Restoration (ER) Program activities. The QSR requires that ER Program participants develop Quality Management Plans (QMPs) that describe how the QSR requirements will be implemented for their assigned scopes of work. This standard review plan (SRP) describes the ER program participant responsibilities for submittal of QMPs to the RL Environmental Restoration Division for review and the RL methodology for performing the reviews of participant QMPS. The SRP serves the following functions: acts as a guide in the development or revision of QMPs to assure that the content is complete and adequate; acts as a checklist to be used by the RL staff in their review of participant QMPs; acts as an index or matrix between the requirements of the QSR and implementing methodologies described in the QMPs; decreases the time and subjectivity of document reviews; and provides a formal, documented method for describing exceptions, modifications, or waivers to established ER Program quality requirements

  4. Standard review plan for the review of environmental restoration remedial action quality assurance program plans

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1991-09-01

    This plan establishes both the scope of the review and the acceptance criteria to be utilized for the review of Quality Assurance Program Plans (QAPPs) developed in accordance with the requirements of DOE/RL-90-28. DOE/RL-90-28, the Environmental Restoration Remedial Action Quality Assurance Requirements Document (QARD) defines all quality assurance (QA) requirements governing activities that affect the quality of the Environmental Restoration Remedial Action (ERRA) program at the Hanford Site. These requirements are defined in three parts, Part 1 of Quality Management and Administration tasks, Part 2 for Environmental Data Operations, and Part 3 of the Design and Construction of items, systems, and facilities. The purpose of this document is to identify the scope of the review by the DOE Field Office, Richland staff, and establish the acceptance criteria (Parts 1, 2, and 3) that the DOE Field Office, Richland staff will utilize to evaluate the participant QAPPs. Use of the standard review plan will (1) help ensure that participant QAPPs contain the information required by DOE/RL-90-28, (2) aid program participant and DOE Field Office, Richland staff is ensuring that the information describing the participant's QAPP is complete, (3) help persons regarding DOE/RL- 90-28 to locate information, and (4) contribute to decreasing the time needed for the review process. In addition, the Standard Review Plan (SRP) ensures the quality and uniformity of the staff reviews and presents a well-defined base from which to evaluate compliance of participant quality programs against DOE/RL-90-28

  5. 77 FR 49057 - Categorical Exclusion From Further Environmental Review for Standard Terminal Arrival Route...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-08-15

    ... Environmental Review for Standard Terminal Arrival Route Procedures for Ronald Reagan Washington National... Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). As required by the National Environmental Policy Act, an...), TRUPS1 (RNAV), and NUMMY. Location: Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). This project...

  6. Environmental standards and project construction: A review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mason, P.F.; Thornberry, H.L.

    1991-01-01

    In the past decade, changes have occurred in the area of environmental regulation. This paper identifies the typical environmental standards applicable to project construction, recent environmental regulatory issues and trends, and identifies new environmental issues which must be considered in project construction. These include (1) handling hazardous chemicals in the workplace, (2) construction at formerly utilized sites, (3) disposal of debris, construction materials and hazardous waste, and (4) training and experience of construction personnel in environmental issues

  7. Environmental standard review plan for ES Section 7.1.1. Environmental impacts of postulated accidents involving releases of radioactive materials to groundwater

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1985-11-01

    Environmental Standard Review Plan (ESRP) 7.1.1 provides guidance to the staff for preparation of environmental assessments of ''Radiological Impacts - Releases to Groundwater,'' an input to the staff's environmental statement which addresses the groundwater pathway consequences from postulated reactor core-melt accidents. The ESRP lists the type of information which should be collected, references that may be useful, and provides a procedure for uniform staff review of applicant analyses. The ESRP is applicable to both Construction Permit and Operating License Stage reviews

  8. A basic study for development of environmental standard review plan of Nuclear Power Plant

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chung, Chang Hyun; Cho, Jae Seon; You, Young Woo [Seoul Nationl Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)] (and others)

    1999-12-15

    In this study is performed a basic study to be ready for the development and detail analysis of NUREG-1555 ESRP. As a fundamental research for literature survey and development of draft review plan, review and translation of NUREG-1555 published by NRC, and which is applied to licensing procedure of Nuclear Power Plants are included. These provided the basic information for the developments of the environmental standard review plan.

  9. The new international standard ISO 14001: 2004 environmental management system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oheba, Jamal Basher

    2006-01-01

    ISO 14001 is one standard in the ISO 14000 series of standards developed by International Organization of Standardization (ISO). Since it was published in 19096, it has rapidly become the most important environmental standard in the world. ISO 14001 is an environmental management system (EMS) that can be classified into environmental technologies provides a systematic procedure to all kind of organizations to prevent pollutions, protect environment and to improve their overall environmental performance. This new standard ISO 14001 2004 was published on November 15, 2004. It cancels and replaced the old ISO 14001-1996. Because the important of the previous standard for our local industries, firms, ...etc, this paper presents ISO 14001 concepts, issues, benefits and focuses on the stages of implementation to achieve ISO 14001-2004 certification which includes general requirements environmental policy, planning (objectives, targets ..), implementation and operations, checking and management review ...etc and presents how to apply isotop time saver software to design records, and to save time to implement ISO 14001 2004 and finally a conclusion is provided.(Author)

  10. Review of operating room ventilation standards

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Melhado, M.D.A.; Hensen, J.L.M.; Loomans, M.G.L.C.

    2006-01-01

    This article reviews standards applied to operating room ventilation design used by European, South and North American countries. Required environmental parameters are compared with regard to type of surgery, and ventilation system. These requirements as well as their relation to infection control

  11. NASA Space Flight Human-System Standard Human Factors, Habitability, and Environmental Health

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holubec, Keith; Connolly, Janis

    2010-01-01

    This slide presentation reviews the history, and development of NASA-STD-3001, NASA Space Flight Human-System Standard Human Factors, Habitability, and Environmental Health, and the related Human Integration Design Handbook. Currently being developed from NASA-STD-3000, this project standard currently in review will be available in two volumes, (i.e., Volume 1 -- VCrew Health and Volume 2 -- Human Factors, Habitability, and Environmental Health) and the handbook will be both available as a pdf file and as a interactive website.

  12. Environmental standards provide competitive advantage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chynoweth, E.; Kirshner, E.

    1993-01-01

    Quality organizations are breaking new ground with the development of international standards for environmental management. These promise to provide the platform for chemical companies wanting to establish their environmental credibility with a global audience. open-quotes It will be similar to auditing our customers to ISO 9000 close-quote, says the environmental manager for a European chemical firm. open-quote We will only want to deal with people who have got their environmental act together. And we'll be in a better competitive positions close-quote. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO;Geneva) has set up a taskforce to develop an environmental management standard, which is expected to be completed by the mid-1990s. Observers think the ISO standard will draw heavily on the British Standard Institute's (BSI;London) environmental management standard, BS7750, which will likely be the first system adopted in the world. Published last year, BS7750 has been extensively piloted in the UK (CW, Sept. 30, 1992, p. 62) and is now set to be revised before being offically adopted by BSI. The UK's Chemical Industries Association (CIA;London) is anxious to prevent a proliferation of standards, and its report on BS7750 pilot projects calls for an approach integrating quality, environment, and health and safety. But standard setters, including ISO, appear to be moving in the opposite direction. In the US, the American national Standards Institute (ANSI;Washington) has started work on an environmental management standard

  13. Review of standards and guidelines pertinent to DOE's Remedial Action programs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soldat, J.K.; Denham, D.H.

    1985-01-01

    A number of radiological standards, guidelines, and dose criteria have been promulgated that may be relevant to the Department of Energy's (DOE) Remedial Action programs. Some of these are being applied to remedial actions undertaken by DOE to ensure that health and safety aspects are adequately addressed. Pacific Northwest Laboratory staff reviewed existing and proposed environmental radiological standards and criteria for their applicability to DOE's Remedial Action Programs. National and international environmental standards and criteria, and studies conducted by other DOE contractors were reviewed. The review indicated that there is a lack of uniformity between the dose guidelines developed by the various agencies. A uniform dose standard is needed for DandD, at least as an upper limit with application of the ALARA philosophy. 33 references, 5 tables

  14. 78 FR 37325 - License Renewal of Nuclear Power Plants; Generic Environmental Impact Statement and Standard...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-06-20

    ... Nuclear Power Plants; Generic Environmental Impact Statement and Standard Review Plans for Environmental... for Nuclear Power Plants, Supplement 1: Operating License Renewal'' (ESRP). The ESRP serves as a guide... published a final rule, ``Revisions to Environmental Review for Renewal of Nuclear Power Plant Operating...

  15. Review of standards and guidelines pertinent to DOE's remedial action programs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soldat, J.K.; Denham, D.H.

    1984-10-01

    A number of radiological standards, guidelines, and dose criteria have been promulgated that may be relevant to the Department of Energy's (DOE) Remedial Action programs. Some of these will be applied to remedial actions undertaken by DOE to ensure that health and safety aspects will be adequately addressed. Pacific Northwest Laboratory staff are reviewing and evaluating existing and proposed environmental radiological standards and criteria for their applicability. National and international environmental standards and criteria, and studies conducted by other DOE contractors are being evaluated. The aim of the review is to identify gaps in these standards and guidelines and to recommend further development as necessary. This paper provides a summary of the standards and guidelines evaluated for applicability to DOE's Remedial Action programs. 33 references, 5 tables

  16. Environmental Review Records

    Data.gov (United States)

    Department of Housing and Urban Development — HUD’s Environmental Review Records page houses environmental reviews made publicly available through the HUD Environmental Review Online System (HEROS). This...

  17. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and its role in environmental standards

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mattson, R.J.

    1976-01-01

    The NRC and its predecessors in the Atomic Energy Commission represent considerable experience in environmental standards setting. The Atomic Energy Act of 1954, the 1970 Supreme Court decision on Federal pre-emption of radiation standards, the Calvert Cliffs decision of 1971, the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, and the Appendix I ''as low as reasonably achievable'' decision of 1975, to name a few of our landmarks, are representative of the scars and the achievements of being in a role of national leadership in radiation protection. The NRC, through a variety of legislative authorities, administrative regulations, regulatory guides, and national consensus standards regulates the commercial applications of nuclear energy. The purposes of regulation are the protection of the environment, public health and safety, and national security. To understand NRC's responsibilities relative to those of other Federal and state agencies concerned with environmental protection, we will briefly review the legislative authorities which underlie our regulatory program. Then we will examine the intent or the spirit of that program as embodied in our system of regulations, guides, and standards. Finally we will speak to what's happening today and what we see in the future for environmental standards

  18. Environmental radiation standards

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kocher, D.C.

    1987-01-01

    This document contains an outline of an oral presentation on environmental radiation standards presented to the American Nuclear Societies' Topical Conference on Population Exposure from the Nuclear Fuel Cycle. The paper contains several definitions, a summary of current radiation exposure limits; and numerous proposed changes to current standards. 7 figs

  19. Environmental standards as strategic outcomes: A simple model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bhattacharya, Rabindra N.; Pal, Rupayan

    2010-01-01

    This paper analyses the strategic nature of choice of environmental standards considering both local and global pollution under alternative regimes of international trade. It also compares and contrasts the strategic equilibrium environmental standards and levels of pollution, local and global, with the world optimum levels. It shows that, in case of open economies, environmental standards can be either strategic substitutes or strategic complements. On the contrary, in case of closed economies, environmental standards are always strategic substitutes. It also shows that the strategic equilibrium environmental standards in case of open economies are higher than the world optimum in certain situations. Whereas, in absence of international trade, countries set, in equilibrium, lower environmental standards than the world optimum. (author)

  20. US EPA's experiences implementing environmental safety standards at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant - 16103

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peake, R. Thomas; Byrum, Charles; Feltcorn, Ed; Lee, Raymond; Joglekar, Rajani; Ghose, Shankar; Eagle, Mike

    2009-01-01

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or the Agency) developed environmental standards for the disposal of defense-related transuranic wastes for the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE or the Department) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). EPA implements these standards for WIPP, which has been in operation for over ten years. The general environmental standards are set forth in the Agency's 40 CFR Part 191 Environmental Radiation Protection Standards for the Management and Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel, High-Level and Transuranic Radioactive Wastes [1]. These standards are implemented by site-specific compliance criteria [2]. The WIPP Land Withdrawal Act requires DOE to submit a re-certification application every five years after the initial receipt of waste. DOE submitted the latest WIPP re-certification application in March 2009. For re-certification, DOE must identify changes that have occurred over the previous five years and analyze their impact on the potential long-term performance of the repository. Once EPA determines that the re-certification application is complete, the Agency has six months to review the application and make a final decision. During this review, EPA solicits and incorporates public comment where appropriate. During the first re-certification in 2004, several stakeholder groups brought up issues (e.g., karst) that were addressed in the original certification. EPA has received comments again raising some of these same issues for the 2009 re-certification. In addition, DOE must submit proposed changes to the WIPP repository to EPA for review and approval. This paper describes selected issues of concern to WIPP and highlights interactions between EPA as the regulatory authority and DOE as the implementing organization. In general EPA's experience points out the importance of communication, documentation and the regulator's responsibility in determining 'how much is enough'. (authors)

  1. Environmental performance reviews. Estonia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1996-01-01

    This review of Estonia is the first environmental performance review (EPR) carried out under the auspices of the ECE Committee on Environmental Policy. This pilot ECE study builds, inter alia, on the experience gained in the preparation of pilot environmental performance reviews of Poland and Bulgaria, which were carried out in 1994-1995 by OECD in cooperation with ECE. The report focuses on capacity building; air, water, waste, and nature management; the integration of environmental and economic policies both generally and more specifically within the energy sector; and cooperation of Estonia with the international community. The review examines the current situation, recent and likely future trends, pressures, policy responses and their effectiveness. The principal conclusions and recommendations for improving Estonia's environmental performance are brought together in the concluding chapter.

  2. Environmental performance reviews. Croatia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1999-01-01

    The Environmental Performance Review of Croatia began with the preparatory mission in June 1998. This report was prepared on the basis of the team's review mission to Croatia in March 1999. Its draft was submitted to the ECE Committee on Environmental Policy at its annual session in Geneva on 22 September 1999. A high-level delegation from Croatia attended this evaluation, which was prepared in-depth by two reviewing countries, the Netherlands and Slovakia. At the end of its evaluation, the Committee approved the recommendations as set out in this report. The review of Croatia's environmental performance identified a number of strengths and weaknesses in the implementation of environmental policy and management. The systematic and professional preparation of environmental management measures in the State Directorate for the Protection of Nature and the Environment is often impressive. However, their implementation and enforcement suffer from a lack of institutional weight and cooperation throughout State institutions. Therefore, improving the cooperation with all key partners is an important task. Furthermore, greater involvement of the general public in environmental management might help to strengthen the overall recognition and results of environmental management. Finally, the review also found impediments to better performance with regard to remediation of the environmental consequences of the war - a problem that can be successfully dealt with only if sufficient funds are allocated for that work

  3. Environmental protection standards - from the point of view of systems analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Becker, K

    1978-11-01

    A project of the International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Laxenburg castle near Vienna is reviewed where standards for environmental protection are interpreted from the point of view of systems analysis. Some examples are given to show how results are influenced not only by technical and economic factors but also by psychological and political factors.

  4. Environmental protection standards - from the point of view of systems analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Becker, K.

    1978-01-01

    A project of the International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Laxenburg castle near Vienna is reviewed where standards for environmental protection are interpreted from the point of view of systems analysis. Some examples are given to show how results are influenced not only by technical and economic factors but also by psychological and political factors. (orig.) [de

  5. Environmental performance reviews. Latvia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1999-01-01

    The ECE Committee on Environmental Policy included the Environmental Performance Review of Latvia in its work programme in May 1997. The review team prepared a report on the environmental performance of Latvia before, during and after the review mission in Riga in April 1998. The report by the review team, including draft recommendations for the solution of existing problems in national environmental policy and management, was submitted for evaluation to the ECE Committee on Environmental Policy at its annual session in Geneva, on 1 October 1998. A high-level delegation from Latvia attended this session. It was headed by the State Minister for Environmental Protection and also included representatives of the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Welfare. The evaluation by the Committee was based on the in-depth preparation by two reviewing countries, Portugal and Ukraine. At the end of its evaluation, the Committee agreed on a final set of recommendations for inclusion in this publication. The consideration of the EPR report confirmed the strategy that has been applied to Latvian environmental policy and management during the transition period. The inherited acute environmental problems have been tackled essentially on a case by case basis. The long-term solution of the problems will have to be accompanied also by strategic orientations for environmental policy. The development of such orientations in co-operation with both governmental and non-governmental partners is a need also related to the efforts by Latvia to approach European practices of environmental management. The Latvian Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development is fully aware of the considerable resources that are required at all levels for the full transformation to such practices

  6. Environmental performance reviews. Slovenia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1997-01-01

    The ECE Committee on Environmental Policy for the Environmental Performance Review of Slovenia prepared a report on the environmental performance of Slovenia before, during and after the review mission in Ljubljana in November 1996. The Slovene partners in discussion with the review team did not spare time or effort in responding to the queries and requests made. The review mission could therefore benefit from optimal cooperation with Slovene institutions. The report by the review team, including draft recommendations for the solution of existing problems in national environmental policy and management, was submitted for evaluation by the ECE Committee on Environmental Policy at its fourth annual session in Geneva, on 26 May 1997. A high-level delegation from Slovenia attended this session. It was headed by the Minister of the Environment and also included the State Secretaries for Agriculture, Forest and Food, Economic Affairs, Environment, Physical Planning, Transport and Communications, and other delegates. The evaluation by the Committee was based on the in-depth preparation by two reviewing countries, the Netherlands and Poland. At the end of its evaluation, the Committee agreed on a final set of recommendations, replacing the draft recommendations of the review team for inclusion in this publication

  7. Lean environmental management integration system for sustainability of ISO 14001:2004 standard implementation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Perumal Puvanasvaran

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: The purpose of this study is to present a model for integrating Lean Principles with ISO 14001 Environmental Management System.Design/methodology/approach: To achieve the objective of the study, the methodology used in this study is based on preliminary literature review of ISO 14001 standards and Lean Principles as well as certain case reports from various proponents and authors of ISO 14001 and Lean as noted in various articles and journals and some books.Findings and Originality/value: The findings of this study are a new model called Lean Environmental Management Integration System (LEMIS has been developed and leads to the creation of these measurement standards for evaluating the organization, making its environmental efforts more realistic, focused and attainable.Research limitations/implications: Future research should be conducted case studies in this direction are required to be conducted for examining the feasibility of amalgamation and implementing ISO 14001:2004 standards with the philosophy of Lean Principles to enable the achievement of world class standards.Practical implications: This model helps to eliminate any wasteful processes in the organization’s implementation of the ISO 14001 standard thus leading to higher environmental performance.  Integrating the standard with Lean principles through LEMIS model helps to specify these performance measures making the standard achieve sustainability and continual improvement.Originality/value: This study presents a unique approach of integrating the two main models, namely Lean Principles and ISO 14001 Environmental Management System, as a single framework benefiting contemporary organizations.

  8. Memorandum on standards for environmental hygiene 1976

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1978-01-01

    This report from the Dutch Ministry of Health is an advisory document on the influence of the memorandum on Standards for Environmental Hygiene 1976. It is a result of discussions between the Committee for Radiation Hygiene and the Commission for Toxicology. The environmental hygiene standards are defined and the difference between 150 standards and legal standards explained. Comments are given on the concepts that the memorandum covers and advice is given on the enforcement of such standards. This document deals with air and surface water pollution, radiation effects and toxicological standards. The difficulty in fixing maximum permissible doses for specific damaging agents is discussed. (C.F.)

  9. Standardized Cost Structure for the Environmental Industry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Skokan, B.; Melamed, D.; Guevara, K.; Mallick, P.; Bierman, G.; Marshall, H.E.

    2006-01-01

    The underlying key to developing successful estimates, tracking project costs, and utilizing historical project cost information is the development of standardized and well-defined hierarchical listing of cost categories. Committees within the U.S. Federal agencies have pioneered efforts toward developing the Environmental Cost Element Structure (ECES), which is key in achieving these goals. The ECES was developed using an iterative process with input from federal agencies and industry. Experts from several disciplines participated including engineers, cost estimators, project/program managers, and contract personnel. The ECES benefits from an intense analytical effort, the knowledge gained from the maturation of the environmental industry, and incorporation of past user's experiences. Building upon this foundation, the E06 committee of the ASTM International has now fully developed and published a standard (ASTM 2150-04) that provides standardized cost categories with complete cost category definitions. This standard affords environmental and nuclear D and D project managers the opportunity to have a well defined hierarchical listing of their estimates and actual costs, readily adapted to performing summations and roll-ups, supported by a multi-level dictionary specifically defining the content of the cost elements as well as the summations. Owing to the dynamic nature of the environmental technologies, efforts need to be made to continue to update this standard by adding new technologies and methods as they are developed and employed in the field. Lastly, the Environmental Cost Element Structure that is embodied in this standard also presents opportunities to develop historical cost databases and comprehensive life cycle cost estimates and standardized cost estimating tools. (authors)

  10. Environmental standard review plans for the environmental review of construction permit applications for nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1979-05-01

    Information is presented concerning environmental descriptions; plant description; environmental impacts of construction; environmental impacts of station operation; environmental measurements and monitoring programs; environmental impacts of postulated accidents involving radioactive materials; the need for the plant; alternatives to the project; and evaluation of the proposed action

  11. Environmental radiation protection standards

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Richings, L.D.G.; Morley, F.; Kelley, G.N.

    1978-04-01

    The principles involved in the setting of radiological protection standards are reviewed, and the differences in procedures used by various countries in implementing them are outlined. Standards are taken here to mean the specific numerical limits relating to radiation doses to people or to amounts of radioactive material released into the environment. (author)

  12. 24 CFR 583.230 - Environmental review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Environmental review. 583.230... § 583.230 Environmental review. (a) Activities under this part are subject to HUD environmental regulations in part 58 of this title, except that HUD will perform an environmental review in accordance with...

  13. 24 CFR 582.230 - Environmental review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Environmental review. 582.230... Environmental review. (a) Activities under this part are subject to HUD environmental regulations in part 58 of this title, except that HUD will perform an environmental review in accordance with part 50 of this...

  14. Activities of HPS standards committee in environmental remediation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stencel, J.R.

    1994-01-01

    The Health Physics Society (HPS) develops American National Standards in the area of radiation protection using methods approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Two of its sections, Environmental Health Physics and Contamination Limits, have ongoing standards development which are important to some environmental remediation efforts. This paper describes the role of the HPS standards process and indicates particular standards under development which will be of interest to the reader. In addition, the authors solicit readers to participate in the voluntary standards process by either joining active working groups (WG) or suggesting appropriate and relevant topics which should be placed into the standards process

  15. 24 CFR 594.28 - Environmental reviews.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Environmental reviews. 594.28... Grant Amounts § 594.28 Environmental reviews. (a) For all proposed actions or activities that are not considered categorically excluded under 24 CFR 50.20, HUD will perform the appropriate environmental reviews...

  16. 1988 Monitoring Activities Review (MAR) of the environmental monitoring program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1989-03-01

    The EGandG Idaho Environmental Monitoring (EM) Unit is responsible for coordinating and conducting environmental measurements of radioactive and hazardous contaminants around facilities operated by EGandG Idaho. The EM Unit has several broad program objectives, which include complying with regulatory standards and developing a basis for estimating future impacts of operations at EGandG Idaho facilities. To improve program planning and to provide bases for technical improvement of the monitoring program, the EGandG Environmental Monitoring organization has regularly used the Monitoring Activities Review (MAR) process since 1982. Each MAR is conducted by a committee of individuals selected for their experience in the various types of monitoring performed by the EM organization. Previous MAR studies have focused on procedures for all currently monitored media except biota. Biotic monitoring was initiated following the last MAR. This report focuses on all currently monitored media, and includes the first review of biotic monitoring. The review of biotic monitoring has been conducted at a level of detail consistent with initial MAR reports for other parts of the Waste Management Program Facilities Environmental Monitoring Program. The review of the biotic monitoring activities is presented in Section 5.5 of this report. 21 refs., 7 figs., 4 tabs

  17. Improvements done at Heavy Water Plant (Manuguru) to increase the standards of environmental protection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rama Rao, V.V.S.; Gupta, R.V.; Pandey, B.L.

    1997-01-01

    The Heavy Water Plant at Manuguru is designed to produce 185 MTY of nuclear grade heavy water based on bithermal H 2 S-H 2 O exchange process and handles large inventory of H 2 S gas (about 400 MT). As H 2 S gas is very toxic, corrosive and hazardous in nature, extreme care has been taken in the design of plant, selection of equipment and materials adhering to stringent fabrication procedures and codes to ensure the production of heavy water in a safe manner. This paper highlights the improvements done at Heavy Water Plant (Manuguru) to increase the standards of environmental protection. The safety assessment of a hazardous plant is a continuous process. Apart from the extreme care taken in the design, construction, commissioning and operation of the plant, review of each and every safety related unusual occurrence by various levels of review committees as stipulated and speedy implementation of the recommendations goes in a long way in increasing the standards of environmental protection

  18. Environmental radiation standards and risk limitation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kocher, D.C.

    1987-01-01

    The Environmental Protection Agency and Nuclear Regulatory Commission have established environmental radiation standards for specific practices which correspond to limits on risk to the public that vary by several orders of magnitude and often are much less than radiation risks that are essentially unregulated, e.g., risks from radon in homes. This paper discusses a proposed framework for environmental radiation standards that would improve the correspondence with limitation of risk. This framework includes the use of limits on annual effective dose equivalent averaged over a lifetime, rather than limits on dose equivalent to whole body or any organ for each year of exposure, and consideration of exposures of younger age groups as well as adults; limits on annual effective dose equivalent averaged over a lifetime no lower than 0.25 mSv (25 mrem) per practice; maintenance of all exposures as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA); and establishment of a generally applicable de minimis dose for public exposures. Implications of the proposed regulatory framework for the current system of standards for limiting public exposures are discussed. 20 refs

  19. 24 CFR 598.405 - Environmental review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Environmental review. 598.405...-Designation Requirements § 598.405 Environmental review. Where any EZ's strategic plan or any revision thereof proposes the use of HUD EZ Grant Funds for activities that are not excluded from environmental review under...

  20. 7 CFR 1942.105 - Environmental review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 13 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Environmental review. 1942.105 Section 1942.105... § 1942.105 Environmental review. FmHA or its successor agency under Public Law 103-354 must conduct and document an environmental review for each proposed project in accordance with subpart G of part 1940 of...

  1. OECD environmental performance reviews: Poland

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2003-06-01

    The review surveys the environmental conditions and environmental progress of Poland. It found that although most environmental targets were met Poland still faces challenges in complying with EU environmental laws. Topics covered are: environmental management; air, water and waste management; nature and biodiversity; economy and environment; sectoral integration: transport; and international co-operation. Top issues for conformity include pollution prevention, waste water treatment, waste management, biodiversity and landscape conservation, and climate protection. The review outlines 46 recommendations for the country to take in order to improve its environmental situation. Task areas include progressing toward meeting international environmental commitments and integrating environmental considerations in to economic policies through means such as improved rice signals, subsidy removal, and fiscal reforms.

  2. 24 CFR 983.58 - Environmental review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Environmental review. 983.58... DEVELOPMENT PROJECT-BASED VOUCHER (PBV) PROGRAM Selection of PBV Owner Proposals § 983.58 Environmental review. (a) HUD environmental regulations. Activities under the PBV program are subject to HUD environmental...

  3. Environmental assessment. Energy efficiency standards for consumer products

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McSwain, Berah

    1980-06-01

    The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 requires DOE to prescribe energy efficiency standards for 13 consumer products. The Consumer Products Efficiency Standards (CPES) program covers: refrigerators and refrigerator-freezers, freezers, clothes dryers, water heaters, room air conditioners, home heating equipment, kitchen ranges and ovens, central air conditioners (cooling and heat pumps), furnaces, dishwashers, television sets, clothes washers, and humidifiers and dehumidifiers. This Environmental Assessment evaluates the potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts expected as a result of setting efficiency standards for all of the consumer products covered by the CPES program. DOE has proposed standards for eight of the products covered by the Program in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR). DOE expects to propose standards for home heating equipment, central air conditioners (heat pumps only), dishwashers, television sets, clothes washers, and humidifiers and dehumidifiers in 1981. No significant adverse environmental or socioeconomic impacts have been found to result from instituting the CPES.

  4. RAMESES publication standards: meta-narrative reviews

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wong Geoff

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Meta-narrative review is one of an emerging menu of new approaches to qualitative and mixed-method systematic review. A meta-narrative review seeks to illuminate a heterogeneous topic area by highlighting the contrasting and complementary ways in which researchers have studied the same or a similar topic. No previous publication standards exist for the reporting of meta-narrative reviews. This publication standard was developed as part of the RAMESES (Realist And MEta-narrative Evidence Syntheses: Evolving Standards project. The project's aim is to produce preliminary publication standards for meta-narrative reviews. Methods We (a collated and summarized existing literature on the principles of good practice in meta-narrative reviews; (b considered the extent to which these principles had been followed by published reviews, thereby identifying how rigor may be lost and how existing methods could be improved; (c used a three-round online Delphi method with an interdisciplinary panel of national and international experts in evidence synthesis, meta-narrative reviews, policy and/or publishing to produce and iteratively refine a draft set of methodological steps and publication standards; (d provided real-time support to ongoing meta-narrative reviews and the open-access RAMESES online discussion list so as to capture problems and questions as they arose; and (e synthesized expert input, evidence review and real-time problem analysis into a definitive set of standards. Results We identified nine published meta-narrative reviews, provided real-time support to four ongoing reviews and captured questions raised in the RAMESES discussion list. Through analysis and discussion within the project team, we summarized the published literature, and common questions and challenges into briefing materials for the Delphi panel, comprising 33 members. Within three rounds this panel had reached consensus on 20 key publication standards, with an

  5. 40 CFR 35.2113 - Environmental review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Environmental review. 35.2113 Section 35.2113 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GRANTS AND OTHER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Grants for Construction of Treatment Works § 35.2113 Environmental review. (a...

  6. 24 CFR 92.352 - Environmental review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Environmental review. 92.352... Development HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM Other Federal Requirements § 92.352 Environmental review. (a) General. The environmental effects of each activity carried out with HOME funds must be assessed in...

  7. 7 CFR 1709.17 - Environmental review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 11 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Environmental review. 1709.17 Section 1709.17... AGRICULTURE ASSISTANCE TO HIGH ENERGY COST COMMUNITIES General Requirements § 1709.17 Environmental review. (a.... (b) Applicants must address environmental aspects of their projects in the grant application in...

  8. 78 FR 14773 - U.S. Environmental Solutions Toolkit-Landfill Standards

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-03-07

    ...--Landfill Standards AGENCY: International Trade Administration, DOC. ACTION: Notice and Request for Comment... or services relevant to landfill environmental standards. The Department of Commerce continues to..., Web site address, contact information, and landfill environmental standards category of interest from...

  9. Preliminary standard review guide for Environmental Restoration/Decontamination and Decommissioning safety analyses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ellingson, D.R.

    1993-06-01

    The review guide is based on the shared experiences, approaches, and philosophies of the Environmental Restoration/Decontamination and Decommissioning (ER/D ampersand D) subgroup members. It is presented in the form of a review guide to maximize the benefit to both the safety analyses practitioner and reviewer. The guide focuses on those challenges that tend to be unique to ER/D ampersand D cleanup activities. Some of these experiences, approaches, and philosophies may find application or be beneficial to a broader spectrum of activities such as terminal cleanout or even new operations. Challenges unique to ER/D ampersand D activities include (1) consent agreements requiring activity startup on designated dates; (2) the increased uncertainty of specific hazards; and (3) the highly variable activities covered under the broad category of ER/D ampersand D. These unique challenges are in addition to the challenges encountered in all activities; e.g., new and changing requirements and multiple interpretations. The experiences in approaches, methods, and solutions to the challenges are documented from the practitioner and reviewer's perspective, thereby providing the viewpoints on why a direction was taken and the concerns expressed. Site cleanup consent agreements with predetermined dates for restoration activity startup add the dimension of imposed punitive actions for failure to meet the date. Approval of the safety analysis is a prerequisite to startup. Actions that increase expediency are (1) assuring activity safety; (2) documenting that assurance; and (3) acquiring the necessary approvals. These actions increase the timeliness of startup and decrease the potential for punitive action. Improvement in expediency has been achieved by using safety analysis techniques to provide input to the line management decision process rather than as a review of line management decisions. Expediency is also improved by sharing the safety input and resultant decisions with

  10. 24 CFR 1006.350 - Environmental review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Environmental review. 1006.350... DEVELOPMENT NATIVE HAWAIIAN HOUSING BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM Program Requirements § 1006.350 Environmental review. (a) In order to ensure that the policies of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C...

  11. Can Environmental Law be standardized

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sendler, H.

    1981-01-01

    The author makes basic considerations on standardizability both in Constitutional Law and in simple Legislative Law. He discusses in detail a key issue of Environmental Law, namely the standardization of the right of third parties affected to file suit. In painstaking detail work one has to differentiate between standards having and not having an effect which protects third parties, and how far the protection of third parties goes. The limits to standardizability are reached with the use of undetermined legal terms. The shortcomings of standardizability for the legislator could and should be made up for by the statutory power which has to reify standards in a way which could guarantee efficient execution. (HSCH) [de

  12. 40 CFR 262.103 - What is the scope of the laboratory environmental management standard?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... environmental management standard? 262.103 Section 262.103 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... University Laboratories XL Project-Laboratory Environmental Management Standard § 262.103 What is the scope of the laboratory environmental management standard? The Laboratory Environmental Management Standard...

  13. Environmental accounting in Spain: structured review process and theoretical analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fabricia Silva da Rosa

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available One way to perceive and understand the level of development of environmental accounting is to study the main features of its publications. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to identify and analyze the profile of Spanish publications in accounting journals. To this end, 15 journals were selected and analyzed 74 articles in the period 2001 to 2010. The results show that the peak years of publication are 2001, 2003 and 2006, and authors with more articles in the sample are Moneva Abadía, Larrinaga González, Fernández Cuesta and Archel Domench. In terms of methodology, the works of review, case studies and content analysis, addressing standardization issues, fundamentals of environmental accounting, environmental sustainability indicators and reporting.

  14. 40 CFR 35.925-8 - Environmental review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Environmental review. 35.925-8 Section 35.925-8 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GRANTS AND OTHER FEDERAL... Environmental review. (a) That, if the award is for step 2, step 3, or step 2=3, the requirements of the...

  15. Impact of standards and certification on environmental impairment liability insurance programs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gulledge, W.P.

    1993-01-01

    Environmental impairment liability (EIL) insurance is available for petroleum storage tank and other environmental exposures. Recent standards and performance criteria for leak detection for underground storage tanks (USTs) and other technical standards for USTs have been both a benefit and an interference to risk-based underwriting of storage tank EIL insurance programs. Insurance underwriters and state financial responsibility program administrators are confronted with confusing information to manage these environmental risks. Standards and certification are also key issues for site assessment programs. Recent activities from ASTM and the Institute for Environmental Auditing (IEA) have addressed the need to increase the professional stature of site assessments and environmental management. Reaction and acceptance of these efforts by the users have been mixed. Ultimately, these efforts will greatly impact insurance coverage for environmental risks

  16. Environmental health impacts of tobacco farming: a review of the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lecours, Natacha; Almeida, Guilherme E G; Abdallah, Jumanne M; Novotny, Thomas E

    2012-03-01

    To review the literature on environmental health impacts of tobacco farming and to summarise the findings and research gaps in this field. A standard literature search was performed using multiple electronic databases for identification of peer-reviewed articles. The internet and organisational databases were also used to find other types of documents (eg, books and reports). The reference lists of identified relevant documents were reviewed to find additional sources. The selected studies documented many negative environmental impacts of tobacco production at the local level, often linking them with associated social and health problems. The common agricultural practices related to tobacco farming, especially in low-income and middle-income countries, lead to deforestation and soil degradation. Agrochemical pollution and deforestation in turn lead to ecological disruptions that cause a loss of ecosystem services, including land resources, biodiversity and food sources, which negatively impact human health. Multinational tobacco companies' policies and practices contribute to environmental problems related to tobacco leaf production. Development and implementation of interventions against the negative environmental impacts of tobacco production worldwide are necessary to protect the health of farmers, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries. Transitioning these farmers out of tobacco production is ultimately the resolution to this environmental health problem. In order to inform policy, however, further research is needed to better quantify the health impacts of tobacco farming and evaluate the potential alternative livelihoods that may be possible for tobacco farmers globally.

  17. Improving global environmental management with standard corporate reporting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kareiva, Peter M.; McNally, Brynn W.; McCormick, Steve; Miller, Tom; Ruckelshaus, Mary

    2015-01-01

    Multinational corporations play a prominent role in shaping the environmental trajectory of the planet. The integration of environmental costs and benefits into corporate decision-making has enormous, but as yet unfulfilled, potential to promote sustainable development. To help steer business decisions toward better environmental outcomes, corporate reporting frameworks need to develop scientifically informed standards that consistently consider land use and land conversion, clean air (including greenhouse gas emissions), availability and quality of freshwater, degradation of coastal and marine habitats, and sustainable use of renewable resources such as soil, timber, and fisheries. Standardization by itself will not be enough—also required are advances in ecosystem modeling and in our understanding of critical ecological thresholds. With improving ecosystem science, the opportunity for realizing a major breakthrough in reporting corporate environmental impacts and dependencies has never been greater. Now is the time for ecologists to take advantage of an explosion of sustainability commitments from business leaders and expanding pressure for sustainable practices from shareholders, financial institutions, and consumers. PMID:26082543

  18. Improving global environmental management with standard corporate reporting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kareiva, Peter M; McNally, Brynn W; McCormick, Steve; Miller, Tom; Ruckelshaus, Mary

    2015-06-16

    Multinational corporations play a prominent role in shaping the environmental trajectory of the planet. The integration of environmental costs and benefits into corporate decision-making has enormous, but as yet unfulfilled, potential to promote sustainable development. To help steer business decisions toward better environmental outcomes, corporate reporting frameworks need to develop scientifically informed standards that consistently consider land use and land conversion, clean air (including greenhouse gas emissions), availability and quality of freshwater, degradation of coastal and marine habitats, and sustainable use of renewable resources such as soil, timber, and fisheries. Standardization by itself will not be enough--also required are advances in ecosystem modeling and in our understanding of critical ecological thresholds. With improving ecosystem science, the opportunity for realizing a major breakthrough in reporting corporate environmental impacts and dependencies has never been greater. Now is the time for ecologists to take advantage of an explosion of sustainability commitments from business leaders and expanding pressure for sustainable practices from shareholders, financial institutions, and consumers.

  19. Pretreatment technologies for industrial effluents: Critical review on bioenergy production and environmental concerns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prabakar, Desika; Suvetha K, Subha; Manimudi, Varshini T; Mathimani, Thangavel; Kumar, Gopalakrishnan; Rene, Eldon R; Pugazhendhi, Arivalagan

    2018-07-15

    The implementation of different pretreatment techniques and technologies prior to effluent discharge is a direct result of the inefficiency of several existing wastewater treatment methods. A majority of the industrial sectors have known to cause severe negative effects on the environment. The five major polluting industries are the paper and pulp mills, coal manufacturing facilities, petrochemical, textile and the pharmaceutical sectors. Pretreatment methods have been widely used in order to lower the toxicity levels of effluents and comply with environmental standards. In this review, the possible environmental benefits and concerns of adopting different pretreatment technologies for renewable energy production and product/resource recovery has been reviewed and discussed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Environmental politics in the US: a study of state sulfur dioxide standards

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Davis, M.

    2005-01-01

    What determines the environmental regulatory regime of a country or region? This paper addresses the question in detail, using the US and its widely varying environmental policies as the case study. What factors lead some US states to pass strict environmental regulations, while others are content with the baseline standards required at the national level? This work outlines the state environmental choice as a trade-off between the desires of consumers (who want better environmental quality) and of producers (who want less restrictive environmental standards). A rational state legislator maximises her chances of being re-elected by balancing these two competing forces when setting environmental policy. I test this model by directly analysing the state decision to adopt more restrictive sulfur dioxide regulations than those required by the federal government under the Environmental Protection Agency's ''National Ambient Air Quality Standards'' program. The statistical results suggest that legislators weigh the relative influence of consumer and producer groups when setting sulfur dioxide standards, in addition to accounting for meteorological influences that affect the cost of compliance with stricter environmental regulations. Limited evidence is also provided to support an inverted-U shaped relationship between income levels and environmental regulations. (author)

  1. Environmental performance reviews: Spain

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2004-10-01

    The second OECD Review of Spain's environmental performance reviews Spain's progress in the context of OECD environmental strategy for the first decade of the 21st century in relation to its own policy objectives. It praises a number of achievements such as in commitments to climate change policies and developments of cogeneration and renewable energy sources. Although emissions of sulphur dioxide from the energy sector have fallen since 1990 they are still high when measured per capita and per unit of GDP. The OECD recommends further control of emissions of SOx, NOx, VOCs and NH{sub 3}. Subsidies such as compulsory purchase of domestic coal by electricity producers are set to increase. The report recommends the phasing out of environmental subsidies (which has begun) and making use of economic instruments to encourage efficient resource management and reduction of pollutants. Greenhouse gas emissions increased by 38% between 1990 and 2002 and the outlook for the next few years is pessimistic. 39 figs., 31 tabs.

  2. Environmentally relevant approaches to assess nanoparticles ecotoxicity: A review

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bour, Agathe; Mouchet, Florence; Silvestre, Jérôme; Gauthier, Laury [Université de Toulouse (France); UPS, INP (France); EcoLab (Laboratoire d’écologie fonctionnelle et environnement) (France); ENSAT, Avenue de l’Agrobiopôle, F-31326 Castanet-Tolosan (France); CNRS (France); EcoLab (Laboratoire d’écologie fonctionnelle et environnement), F-31326 Castanet-Tolosan (France); Pinelli, Eric, E-mail: pinelli@ensat.fr [Université de Toulouse (France); UPS, INP (France); EcoLab (Laboratoire d’écologie fonctionnelle et environnement) (France); ENSAT, Avenue de l’Agrobiopôle, F-31326 Castanet-Tolosan (France); CNRS (France); EcoLab (Laboratoire d’écologie fonctionnelle et environnement), F-31326 Castanet-Tolosan (France)

    2015-02-11

    Highlights: • Integrated ecotoxicity of NPs from organism to community level is reviewed. • Trophic chains allow determining the implication of trophic route in NP toxicity. • The use of microcosms and mesocosms allows studies at larger scale. • Data concerning NP fate and effects in environmental conditions are lacking. - Abstract: Despite the increasing production and use of nanoparticles (NPs), there is a lack of knowledge about their environmental fate and ecotoxicity. Studies in environmentally relevant conditions are necessary to better assess these parameters, but such studies are rather rare. The present work represents first time that studies on engineered NPs using environmentally relevant exposure methods have been reviewed. These exposure methods differ from standardized protocols and can be classified into three groups: experimental trophic chains that allow study of the trophic route, multi-species exposures under laboratory conditions that allow for complex but controlled exposure and outdoor exposures that are more similar to environmentally realistic conditions. The majority of studies of micro- or mesocosms have focused on NP partitioning and bioaccumulation. The other major parameter that has been studied is NP ecotoxicity, which has been assessed in single species, in single species via the trophic route, and at the community level. The induction of biochemical defense systems, immunomodulation, effects on growth and reproduction, behavioral alterations and mortality have been used as indicators of major toxicity, depending on the species studied. The major effects of NPs on both microbial and algal communities include modifications of community compositions and diversities, decreased biomass and changes in community activities.

  3. Environmentally relevant approaches to assess nanoparticles ecotoxicity: A review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bour, Agathe; Mouchet, Florence; Silvestre, Jérôme; Gauthier, Laury; Pinelli, Eric

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Integrated ecotoxicity of NPs from organism to community level is reviewed. • Trophic chains allow determining the implication of trophic route in NP toxicity. • The use of microcosms and mesocosms allows studies at larger scale. • Data concerning NP fate and effects in environmental conditions are lacking. - Abstract: Despite the increasing production and use of nanoparticles (NPs), there is a lack of knowledge about their environmental fate and ecotoxicity. Studies in environmentally relevant conditions are necessary to better assess these parameters, but such studies are rather rare. The present work represents first time that studies on engineered NPs using environmentally relevant exposure methods have been reviewed. These exposure methods differ from standardized protocols and can be classified into three groups: experimental trophic chains that allow study of the trophic route, multi-species exposures under laboratory conditions that allow for complex but controlled exposure and outdoor exposures that are more similar to environmentally realistic conditions. The majority of studies of micro- or mesocosms have focused on NP partitioning and bioaccumulation. The other major parameter that has been studied is NP ecotoxicity, which has been assessed in single species, in single species via the trophic route, and at the community level. The induction of biochemical defense systems, immunomodulation, effects on growth and reproduction, behavioral alterations and mortality have been used as indicators of major toxicity, depending on the species studied. The major effects of NPs on both microbial and algal communities include modifications of community compositions and diversities, decreased biomass and changes in community activities

  4. Amendments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's public health and environmental radiation protection standards for Yucca Mountain, Nevada (40 CFR PART 197) - 16156

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Clark, Raymond L.; Czyscinski, Kenneth; Rosnick, Reid J.; Schultheisz, Daniel

    2009-01-01

    In 2001, as directed by the Energy Policy Act of 1992, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued public health and environmental radiation protection standards for the proposed repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Several parties sued the Agency on numerous aspects of the rule. A Federal Court upheld EPA on all counts except for the compliance period associated with the individual-protection standard, which the Agency had limited to 10,000 years for a number of technical and policy reasons. However, the National Academy of Sciences WAS) had recommended that the standard be set for the time of peak risk, within the limits imposed by the long-term stability of the geologic environment, which NAS estimated at 1 million years. EPA's standards required that the Department of Energy (DOE) project doses to the time of peak dose but did not apply a compliance standard to these longer term projections. The Court ruled that EPA's 10,000-year compliance period was inconsistent with the NAS recommendation. This aspect of the rule was vacated and remanded to the Agency for revision. In 2005, EPA proposed amendments to the standards. Following public hearings and a public review period, the final amendments were issued in September 2008. This paper discusses the new requirements. (authors)

  5. Compliance determination procedures for environmental radiation protection standards for uranium recovery facilities 40 CFR part 190

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1982-03-01

    Uranium Milling operations are licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and by some States in agreement with the Commission. The radiation dose to any individual from the operation of facilities within the uranium fuel cycle is limited to levels set by the Environmental Protection Agency. These levels are contained in the EPA Environmental Radiation Protection Standards for Nuclear Power Operations, in Part 190 of Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR Part 190). This report describes the procedures used within NRC's Uranium Recovery Licensing Branch for evaluating compliance with these regulations for uranium milling operations. The report contains descriptions of these procedures, dose factors for evaluating environmental measurement data, and guidance to the NRC staff reviewer

  6. Comparisons of ANSI standards cited in the NRC standard review plan, NUREG-0800 and related documents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ankrum, A.R.; Bohlander, K.L.; Gilbert, E.R.; Pawlowski, R.A.; Spiesman, J.B.

    1995-11-01

    This report provides the results of comparisons of the cited and latest versions of ANSI standards cited in the NRC Standard Review Plan for the Review of Safety Analysis Reports for Nuclear Power Plants (NUREG 0800) and related documents. The comparisons were performed by Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories in support of the NRC's Standard Review Plan Update and Development Program. Significant changes to the standards, from the cited version to the latest version, are described and discussed in a tabular format for each standard. Recommendations for updating each citation in the Standard Review Plan are presented. Technical considerations and suggested changes are included for related regulatory documents (i.e., Regulatory Guides and the Code of Federal Regulations) citing the standard. The results and recommendations presented in this document have not been subjected to NRC staff review

  7. Comparisons of ASTM standards cited in the NRC standard review plan, NUREG-0800 and related documents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ankrum, A.R.; Bohlander, K.L.; Gilbert, E.R.; Pawlowski, R.A.; Spiesman, J.B.

    1995-10-01

    This report provides the results of comparisons of the cited and latest versions of ASTM standards cited in the NRC Standard Review Plan for the Review of Safety Analysis Reports for Nuclear Power Plants (NUREG 0800) and related documents. The comparisons were performed by Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories in support of the NRC's Standard Review Plan Update and Development Program. Significant changes to the standards, from the cited version to the latest version, are described and discussed in a tabular format for each standard. Recommendations for updating each citation in the Standard Review Plan are presented. Technical considerations and suggested changes are included for related regulatory documents (i.e., Regulatory Guides and the Code of Federal Regulations) citing the standard. The results and recommendations presented in this document have not been subjected to NRC staff review

  8. Use of benefit-cost analysis in establishing Federal radiation protection standards: a review

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Erickson, L.E.

    1979-10-01

    This paper complements other work which has evaluated the cost impacts of radiation standards on the nuclear industry. It focuses on the approaches to valuation of the health and safety benefits of radiation standards and the actual and appropriate processes of benefit-cost comparison. A brief historical review of the rationale(s) for the levels of radiation standards prior to 1970 is given. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) established numerical design objectives for light water reactors (LWRs). The process of establishing these numerical design criteria below the radiation protection standards set in 10 CFR 20 is reviewed. EPA's 40 CFR 190 environmental standards for the uranium fuel cycle have lower values than NRC's radiation protection standards in 10 CFR 20. The task of allocating EPA's 40 CFR 190 standards to the various portions of the fuel cycle was left to the implementing agency, NRC. So whether or not EPA's standards for the uranium fuel cycle are more stringent for LWRs than NRC's numerical design objectives depends on how EPA's standards are implemented by NRC. In setting the numerical levels in Appendix I to 10 CFR 50 and 40 CFR 190 NRC and EPA, respectively, focused on the costs of compliance with various levels of radiation control. A major portion of the paper is devoted to a review and critique of the available methods for valuing health and safety benefits. All current approaches try to estimate a constant value of life and use this to vaue the expected number of lives saved. This paper argues that it is more appropriate to seek a value of a reduction in risks to health and life that varies with the extent of these risks. Additional research to do this is recommended. (DC)

  9. Use of benefit-cost analysis in establishing Federal radiation protection standards: a review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Erickson, L.E.

    1979-10-01

    This paper complements other work which has evaluated the cost impacts of radiation standards on the nuclear industry. It focuses on the approaches to valuation of the health and safety benefits of radiation standards and the actual and appropriate processes of benefit-cost comparison. A brief historical review of the rationale(s) for the levels of radiation standards prior to 1970 is given. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) established numerical design objectives for light water reactors (LWRs). The process of establishing these numerical design criteria below the radiation protection standards set in 10 CFR 20 is reviewed. EPA's 40 CFR 190 environmental standards for the uranium fuel cycle have lower values than NRC's radiation protection standards in 10 CFR 20. The task of allocating EPA's 40 CFR 190 standards to the various portions of the fuel cycle was left to the implementing agency, NRC. So whether or not EPA's standards for the uranium fuel cycle are more stringent for LWRs than NRC's numerical design objectives depends on how EPA's standards are implemented by NRC. In setting the numerical levels in Appendix I to 10 CFR 50 and 40 CFR 190 NRC and EPA, respectively, focused on the costs of compliance with various levels of radiation control. A major portion of the paper is devoted to a review and critique of the available methods for valuing health and safety benefits. All current approaches try to estimate a constant value of life and use this to vaue the expected number of lives saved. This paper argues that it is more appropriate to seek a value of a reduction in risks to health and life that varies with the extent of these risks. Additional research to do this is recommended

  10. Environmental Quality Standards in the EC-Water Framework Directive

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jirka, Gerhard H.; Burrows, Richard; Larsen, Torben

    2004-01-01

    The "combined approach" in the new EC-Water Framework Directive(WFD) consisting of environmental quality standards in addition to emission limit values promises improvements in the quality characteristics of surface water. However, the specification of where in the water body the environmental...... quality standards apply is missing in the WFD. The omission will limit its administrative implementation. A clear mixing zone regulation is needed so that the quality objectives of the WFD are not jeopardized. This need is demonstrated using the examples of point source discharges into rivers and coastal...

  11. ISO 14000 - the International Environmental Management Standard: Potential impacts on environmental management and auditing in the electric power generation industry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gauntlett, S.B.; Pierce, J.L.; Pierce, J.L.

    1995-01-01

    In the framework of environmental management, the concept of voluntary environmental compliance auditing is not in itself a new development. Environmentally conscious firms have for more than a decade, undertaken voluntary audits to help achieve and maintain compliance with environmental regulations and to help identify and correct unregulated or poorly regulated environmental hazard. The firms undertaking the audits were motivated by a desire to mitigate legal and financial risks and/or the desire to be a highly responsible member of the corporate community. Much of the early attention to environmental auditing was in the chemical process industries. Today, there are four current trends affecting environmental auditing: (1) the practice is becoming widespread in all industry groups in both large and small firms; (2) environmental management and audit methodolgies and approaches are being codified in the form of written national and International standards; (3) environmental management programs and in-house audits are increasingly being certified by independent auditors (who are not associated with regulatory agencies); and (4) the certifications are being viewed as marketing and public relations tools. The adoption of ISO 14000 is destined to become the most significant development in international environmental management and auditing. International standards for the development of Environmental Management Systems and the execution of environmental audits do not currently exist. Individual countries, such as England and France, have national standards. One multi-national standard currently exists--the European Economic Community's Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS). The United States does not have a national environmental management and auditing standard

  12. 28 CFR 91.58 - Timing of the environmental review process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES Environmental Impact Review Procedures for VOI/TIS Grant Program Environmental Review... anticipated environmental impacts, an environmental impact statement should be initiated. (c) Design phase... projects under construction, OJP will work with the States to determine what environmental analysis has...

  13. Environmental performance reviews. Republic of Moldova

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1998-01-01

    This environmental performance review document for Moldova presents assessments of existing environmental policies; management of air, water and land pollutions originating from various sources including energy production and utilization. It also contains policy recommendations foe implementation by Moldovan Government

  14. Cracking Advanced Encryption Standard-A Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jashnil Kumar

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Password protection is a major security concern the world is facing today. While there are many publications available that discuss ways to protect passwords and data how widely user from around the world adhere to these rules are unknown. The novelty of this study is that this is the first time a review is done on software tools that can be used to crack Advanced Encryption Standards. Firstly the study does a review on top 10 software tools that are available to crack Advanced Encryption Standards. After which an analysis on two software tools was performed to see how long each software tool took to crack a password. The result of the study gives Advanced Encryption Standard researcher Network security researcher and the general public helpful information on how to strengthen advanced encryption standards and strengthen passwords that are hard for the software tools discussed above to crack.

  15. Environmental monitoring standardization of effluent from nuclear fuel cycle facilities in China

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gao Mili

    1993-01-01

    China has established some environmental monitoring standards of effluent from nuclear fuel cycle facilities. Up to date 33 standards have been issued; 10 to be issued; 11 in drafting. These standards cover sampling, gross activities measurement, analytical methods and management rules and so on. They involve with almost all nuclear fuel cycle facilities and have formed a complete standards system. By the end of the century, we attempt to draft a series of analytical and determination standards in various environmental various medium, they include 36 radionuclides from nuclear fuel cycle facilities. (3 tabs.)

  16. OECD environmental performance reviews: Czech Republic

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2005-10-11

    This book presents the results of a peer review of the Czech Republic's environmental policies and programmes. It systematically covers air, water, and waste management; nature and biodiversity management; the environmental/economic interface; the environmental/social interface; and international co-operation. It includes extensive statistical information as well as specific recommendations in each of the topics covered. 7 refs., 34 figs., 34 tabs.

  17. A review of environmental monitoring using solid state dosemeters, and guidelines for technical procedures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Piesch, E.; Burgkhardt, B.

    1983-01-01

    The practical aspects of environmental programmes using thermoluminescence and photoluminescence dosemeter systems are reviewed. The review discusses developments in national and international standards, and discusses the optimisation of the read-out technique, routine calibration procedures and the treatment of random and systematic errors. The paper discusses the problems of measuring man-made dose contributions with low random errors, the estimation of this contribution being based on the interpretation of field results, taking into account the contribution of natural background radiation and of transit exposures. (author)

  18. 40 CFR 131.20 - State review and revision of water quality standards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY STANDARDS Procedures for Review and Revision of Water Quality Standards § 131.20 State review and revision of water quality standards. (a) State review. The State shall... reviewing applicable water quality standards and, as appropriate, modifying and adopting standards. Any...

  19. Institutionalizing environmental protection through self-regulation: the case of environmental standards adoption in Lithuania.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bileisis, Mantas; Misiune, Ieva

    2017-04-01

    The impacts of human activity in the environment have a global dimension, but there are no effective global governance instruments to enforce environmental standards. At the same time, many national governments lack incentives to pursue strict environmental policies. In this context, self-regulation is seen as an alternative venue to address environmental challenges. This work aims to identify factors that influence companies to engage in environmental self-regulation? For this aim in March 2015 a survey of 482 companies was conducted. The target group were companies operating in Lithuania that hold ISO14001 certificates - one of the most prolific instruments for self-regulation. The questionnaire was designed to test assumptions developed in new institutionalist literature which claim that common practices can emerge through isomorphism.- The results showed that the main motive for environmental self-regulation is the desire to improve company image, rather than protecting the environment per se. Another important finding was that the main source of pressure to adopt self-regulation was based less on the perceived demands but the customers. Rather the driver for the adoption was a feeling of a need no to fall behind industry leaders. Thus, normative isomorphism is the main mechanism through which environmental self-regulation proliferates. We claim for a rapid proliferation of environmental self-regulation perceived industry leaders need to be identified and they need to be persuaded that environmental standards are key for the development of the industry. However, this also raises questions of sustainability. Few industries have long standing leaders, and through successful investment and technological development new actors can arise and this may risk stalling or even reversing self-regulation.

  20. Review of the Commission program for standardization of nuclear power plants and recommendations to improve standardization concepts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1978-02-01

    This is a report of a staff study describing the need and utility of specific changes to the Commission's standardization program. The various matters considered in the study include: (1) A discussion of industry use to date of the standardization program. (2) A discussion of the experience to date with each of the standardization concepts. (3) A review of public comments on the standardization program and the staff response to each principal comment. (4) A review of the need for standardization considering the likely number of license applications to be submitted in the coming years. (5) A discussion of the reference system concept, including review of applicable experience and recommended changes to the concept. (6) A discussion of the duplicate plant concept, including review of applicable experience and recommended changes to the concept. (7) A discussion of the manufacturing license concept, including review of applicable experience and recommended changes to the concept. (8) A discussion of the replicate plant concept, including review of applicable experience and recommended changes to the concept. (9) A discussion of the effective periods for approved designs under all four standardization concepts. (10) A description of continuing staff activities related to the standardization program

  1. A review on test procedure, energy efficiency standards and energy labels for room air conditioners and refrigerator-freezers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mahlia, T.M.I.; Saidur, R. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

    2010-09-15

    Air conditioners and refrigerator-freezers are major energy users in a household environment and hence efficiency improvement of these appliances can be considered as an important step to reduce their energy consumption along with environmental pollution prevention. Energy efficiency standards and labels are commonly used tools to reduce the energy uses for household appliances for many countries around the world. The first step towards adopting energy efficiency standards is to establish a test procedure for rating and testing of an appliance. It may be mentioned that an energy test procedure is the technical foundation for energy efficiency standards, energy labels, and other related programs. This paper reviews requirements and specifications of various international test standards for testing and rating of room air conditioners and refrigerators. A review on the development of the energy efficiency standards has been provided as well. Finally, energy labels that provide some useful information for identifying energy efficient products have been reviewed for these appliances. It may be stated that the review will be useful for the developing countries who wish to develop these energy savings strategies. It is also expected to be useful to revise the existing strategies for a few selected countries who already implemented these strategies earlier. (author)

  2. Interagency Review of the Department of Energy Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1992-01-01

    This report presents the findings of the Interagency Requirements Review of the Department of Energy (DOE) Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (ERWM) Program. The review was requested by Admiral Watkins to help determine the FY 1993 funding levels necessary to meet all legal requirements. The review was undertaken by analysts from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Army Corps of Engineers, reporting to an Interagency Group (IAG) of senior Administration officials concerned with environmental cleanup issues. The purpose of the study was to determine the level of finding needed in FY 1993 for each ERWM Field Office to comply with all Federal, State, and local government legal requirements; all DOE Orders that establish standards for environment, safety and health (ES and H) management; and for prudent investments in other discretionary and management activities such as upgrading administrative buildings, information systems, etc. The study also reviewed the cost estimates supporting the ERWM proposed budget, including direct costs (labor, equipment) and indirect costs (administrative, landlord services, contractor overhead). The study did not analyze whether the Federal/State legal requirements and DOE Orders were necessary or whether the proposed clean-up remedies represent the most cost effective alternatives available

  3. Social responsibility standards and global environmental accountability : a developing country perspective

    OpenAIRE

    Bhanu Murthy, K.V.

    2007-01-01

    This paper argues that accountability, responsibility and governance go hand in hand. Evolving standards is a part of governance. Unless such a global perspective is adopted “Social Responsibility and the implications for Developing Countries”, which is the theme for this workshop, cannot be unraveled. The purpose of this paper is to highlight how Social Responsibility Standards and their relation to environmental sustainability cannot be addressed without relating it to Global Environmental ...

  4. 78 FR 26356 - Notice of Environmental Site Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-05-06

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Notice of Environmental Site Review York Haven Power Company, LLC Project No. 1888-030. Exelon Generation Company, LLC Project No. 405-106. Exelon Generation Company, LLC Project No. 2355-018. On May 21, 22, and 23, 2013, Commission staff will hold an environmental site review for the...

  5. 36 CFR 223.218 - Consistency with plans, environmental standards, and other management requirements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ..., environmental standards, and other management requirements. 223.218 Section 223.218 Parks, Forests, and Public... Special Forest Products § 223.218 Consistency with plans, environmental standards, and other management... with applicable land management plans. Each contract, permit, or other authorizing instrument shall...

  6. 40 CFR 6.201 - Coordination with other environmental review requirements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Coordination with other environmental review requirements. 6.201 Section 6.201 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... EFFECTS ABROAD OF EPA ACTIONS EPA's NEPA Environmental Review Procedures § 6.201 Coordination with other...

  7. Environmental radiation protection standards for Yucca Mountain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Clark, R.L.

    1996-01-01

    The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been given the responsibility of setting site-specific health and safety standards for the potential repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The same legislation that gave the Agency that responsibility, mandated a study by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to provide input into the bases for the EPA standards. The NAS has completed and presented a report to the Agency; this paper summarizes the report's recommendations and conclusions. Following receipt of the report, the Agency opened a comment period and held public meetings to gather comments; the major issues from the comments are summarized. Based upon the report from NAS and the public comments, EPA has started formulating proposed standards which will be known as 40 CFR Part 197. It is planned for the proposal of 40 CFR Part 197 to occur in the summer of 1996

  8. The development of STS payload environmental engineering standards

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bangs, W. F.

    1982-01-01

    The presently reported effort to provide a single set of standards for the design, analysis and testing of Space Transportation System (STS) payloads throughout the NASA organization must be viewed as essentially experimental, since the concept of incorporating the diverse opinions and experiences of several separate field research centers may in retrospect be judged too ambitious or perhaps even naive. While each STS payload may have unique characteristics, and the project should formulate its own criteria for environmental design, testing and evaluation, a reference source document providing coordinated standards is expected to minimize the duplication of effort and limit random divergence of practices among the various NASA payload programs. These standards would provide useful information to all potential STS users, and offer a degree of standardization to STS users outside the NASA organization.

  9. Standard protocol for conducting pre-operational environmental surveillance around nuclear facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hegde, A.G.; Verma, P.C.; Rajan, M.P.

    2009-02-01

    This document presents the standard procedures for evaluation of site specific environmental transfer factors around NPP sites. The scope of this document is to provide standard protocol to be followed for conducting pre-operational environmental surveillance around nuclear facilities. Such surveillances have been proposed to be carried out by university professionals under DAE-BRNS projects. This document contains a common methodology in terms of sampling, processing, measurements and analysis of elemental/radionuclides, while keeping the site specific requirements also in place. (author)

  10. Standard protocol for conducting pre-operational environmental surveillance around nuclear facilities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hegde, A G; Verma, P C; Rajan, M P [Health Safety and Environment Group, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai (India)

    2009-02-15

    This document presents the standard procedures for evaluation of site specific environmental transfer factors around NPP sites. The scope of this document is to provide standard protocol to be followed for conducting pre-operational environmental surveillance around nuclear facilities. Such surveillances have been proposed to be carried out by university professionals under DAE-BRNS projects. This document contains a common methodology in terms of sampling, processing, measurements and analysis of elemental/radionuclides, while keeping the site specific requirements also in place. (author)

  11. Status of existing federal environmental risk-based standards applicable to Department of Energy operations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bilyard, G.R.; Jonas, R.J.; Wallo, A. III

    1991-01-01

    When conducting its environmental restoration, waste management, and decontamination and decommissioning activities, the US Department of Energy (DOE) must comply with a myriad of regulatory procedures and environmental standards. An assessment of the status of existing federal standards that may be applied to chemical and radioactive substances on DOE sites found substantial gaps and inconsistencies among the existing standards, and technical issues associated with the application of those standards. Of 271 chemical and radioactive substances found to be important across environmental media at the Hanford, Savannah River, and Oak Ridge Sites, 96 (35%) are unregulated by federal regulations and are not covered by DOE guidelines, 48 (18%) are covered by single federal standards or DOE guidelines, and 127 (47%) are covered by multiple regulations or DOE guidelines. Inconsistencies and technical issues among standards include the promulgation of different standards under different regulations for a given substance in an environmental medium, the application of standards for purposes other than originally intended, and the inability to meet standards because of technical limitations. Given the lack of a complete, consistent set of standards or generic procedures for determining applicable standards, and given the existence of inconsistencies and technical issues among the existing set of standards, DOE may be faced with lengthy negotiations of standards on a case-by-case basis. Such negotiations could result in inconsistent cleanup levels, high costs, potential delays, and missed regulatory milestones

  12. The impact of environmental conditions on human performance: A critical review of the literature. Volume 2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Echeverria, D.; Barnes, V.; Bittner, A.

    1994-09-01

    The Battelle Human Affairs Research Centers (HARC) conducted a comprehensive review of the technical literature regarding the impact of environmental conditions on human performance applicable to nuclear power plant workers. The environmental conditions considered were vibration, noise, heat, cold, and light. Research staff identified potential human performance deficits along a continuum of increasing occupational exposure, ranging from deficits that occur at low exposures to deficits that occur at high exposures. Specific deficits were included in the review if scientists demonstrated the exposure caused an effect, using sound methodology. The levels associated with each deficit were then compared to the protection afforded by existing occupational exposure standards. Volume 2 presents several conclusions regarding the applicability of the research literature to environmental conditions in nuclear power plants. The findings presented suggest that occupational standards for vibration, noise, and heat, which were developed to protect health, are inadequate for preventing deficits in cognitive or motor performance in tasks likely to be performed in nuclear power plants. Also, there is little information in the literature on simultaneous conditions; for example, the effects of simultaneous exposure to heat and noise on cognition require more research. As many exposures in nuclear power plants will be simultaneous, this limitation should be kept in mind when using Volume 1

  13. A review and evaluation of the Draft EPA standard (40 CFR 191)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ortiz, N.R.; Chu, M.S.Y.; Siegel, M.D.; Wahi, K.K.

    1984-01-01

    The Environmental Protection Agency's proposed rule for the management and disposal of high-level waste (Draft Standard, 40 CFR 191), was reviewed and analyzed using the risk assessment methodology developed at Sandia National Laboratories. The methodology was exercised on hypothetical repository systems in basalt, bedded salt, and tuff. Among the issues addressed were achievability, release limits, uncertainty, and compliance. The proposed release limits were also analyzed in terms of their relationship to the health effects. The uncertainty in the input parameters of the deterministic models was taken into account in calculating releases to the accessible environment. Extentions to an existing compliance-assessment methodolog are suggested that would allow one to incorporate the uncertainty associated with the frequency of occurrence of scenarios. The results indicate that, in general, the standards are achievable and the release limits are sufficiently conservative

  14. Decommissioning standards

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Crofford, W.N.

    1980-01-01

    EPA has agreed to establish a series of environmental standards for the safe disposal of radioactive waste through participation in the Interagency Review Group on Nuclear Waste Management (IRG). One of the standards required under the IRG is the standard for decommissioning of radioactive contaminated sites, facilities, and materials. This standard is to be proposed by December 1980 and promulgated by December 1981. Several considerations are important in establishing these standards. This study includes discussions of some of these considerations and attempts to evaluate their relative importance. Items covered include: the form of the standards, timing for decommissioning, occupational radiation protection, costs and financial provisions. 4 refs

  15. Modelling transport of waste material leachate in soils in support of environmental standards

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Eijkeren JCH; Aalbers TG; de Wilde PGM

    1992-01-01

    In the Netherlands a process of defining environmental standards is going on. These standards serve to protect the environment at the one hand, and to stimulate the reuse of rest-materials, e.g. ash from blast-furnaces, as building materials at the other hand. In order to come to an environmental

  16. Radiation-protection standards and waste management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rowe, W.D.

    1976-01-01

    This paper reviews some of the difficult questions to be addressed in the development of fundamental environmental criteria and standards for radioactive waste management. A short discussion is included of the need to develop more precise definitions of terminology, better conceptualization of long-term problems, and new concepts to express risks from waste management and to evaluate the ability of proposed technical alternatives to control such risks. EPA's plans to develop fundamental environmental criteria and generally applicable environmental radiation-protection standards for waste disposal are summarized. Finally, the principal projects in EPA's planned near-future programs are reviewed in the areas of high-level waste, transuranic solid waste, low-level waste, residual decommissioning waste, ocean disposal, and wastes containing natural radioactivity

  17. Investigations on international standardization of environmental management systems. 3; Kankyo kanri system no kokusai hyojunka ni kansuru chosa. 3

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1996-03-01

    Japan as an ISO member country identifies the state of discussions in the environmental management standard deliberation committee at ISO. Investigations were performed on international standardization of environmental management systems for the purpose of participating and cooperating in preparing and establishing international standards related to environmental management, and playing part in working, solving and improving environmental problems. Under the circumstances that environmental problems are drawing worldwide interest, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has been carrying out since 1993 deliberations on environmental management standards to institutionalize environmental management rules to check effects of business activities on the environment. The International Organization for Standardization/Environmental Management Technical Committee (ISO/TC207) was installed, at which series number of 1400 order was allotted for environmental management related standards, and major standards have come to a final stage of standard formulation at the TC207 Oslo conference in June 1995. In Japan, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry has established an environmental management standard deliberation committee composed of people of experience or academic standing to advance discussions on how the environmental management should be in business entities through deliberations on ISO standards.

  18. CSR Standards in Supply Chain Contracts: A Critical Review of the Legal Literature

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Valkanou, Theodora; Mitkidis, Katerina

    2018-01-01

    with respect to the sensitive topic of social and environmental conditions in international supply chains. This paper presents a critical account of the ways the incorporation of CSR standards in supply chain contracts has been addressed through the lenses of contract law and regulatory doctrine. Legal...... conducted empirical research in order to comprehend the operation of CSR standards in supply chain contracts in practice. The present article documents and critically reviews the different streams of legal scholarship in this area with a view to reaching conclusions on whether (further) exploration by legal......An intensive rise of private regulatory governance within the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arena has preoccupied legal scholars for over a decade now. The role of supply chain contracts as means to regulate CSR issues has gradually gained momentum in legal scholarship, especially...

  19. Environmental performance reviews: Canada

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2004-09-01

    OECD's comprehensive 2004 report on Canada's environmental policies and programmes systematically examines policy related to air, water, and nature/biodiversity as well as the interface between environmental policy and economic policy, social policy, and specific sectors. It finds that while Canada has made satisfactory progress since 1985, there are still significant challenges, and the report makes specific recommendations for more use of economic instruments and use of the polluter and user pays principles, rationalising water governance, strengthening nature protection, reducing energy intensity, implementing climate change policies, reviewing environmentally related taxes, and implementing marine and aid commitments. Coal provides about 20% of Canada's electric power. Most direct subsidisation of the fossil fuel supply industries (upstream oil, gas and coal) has been reduced. The report recommends subsidies to the mining industry for exploration should also be phased out. Recent measurements indicate emissions of mercury are increasing, mainly due to long-range transboundary air pollution from coal-burning plants. 42 figs., 24 tabs.

  20. Environmental review process: The U.S. experience

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Russo, T.N.

    1993-01-01

    The environmental review process used by the United States Federal Energy Regulatory Commission was discussed. The process has enabled the Commission to assess proposed small hydropower projects, but in the view of the author the Commission has done so at considerable cost and time to developers. Principal reasons for the delays and additional costs were examined, and ways were suggested that developers, agencies, regulators and other stakeholders could facilitate the siting of small hydropower projects without sacrificing the quality of the environmental review process. The highly duplicative nature of the environmental review process for hydropower projects was highlighted. The Commissions's power to regulate hydropower was claimed to have become severely eroded and the Energy Policy Act of 1992 did not significantly improve the process. Conflicts between developers, federal and state agencies, and the Commission over jurisdiction and interpretation of statutes continue to cause siting delays, which could render many projects financially infeasible. A more proactive Federal Energy Regulatory Commission was suggested to work with developers, agencies, Indian tribes and non-government organizations to resolve disputes. 1 tab

  1. Review of Research on Environmental Public Relations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grunig, James E.

    1977-01-01

    Reviews existing knowledge on the behavior of public relations practitioners in environmental problems, public concern and media coverage of pollution and deterioation of the natural environment. Available from: Public Relations Review, Ray Hiebert, Dean, College of Journalism, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742. (MH)

  2. Comparisons of ANS, ASME, AWS, and NFPA standards cited in the NRC standard review plan, NUREG-0800, and related documents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ankrum, A.R.; Bohlander, K.L.; Gilbert, E.R.; Spiesman, J.B.

    1995-11-01

    This report provides the results of comparisons of the cited and latest versions of ANS, ASME, AWS and NFPA standards cited in the NRC Standard Review Plan for the Review of Safety Analysis Reports for Nuclear Power Plants (NUREG 0800) and related documents. The comparisons were performed by Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories in support of the NRC's Standard Review Plan Update and Development Program. Significant changes to the standards, from the cited version to the latest version, are described and discussed in a tabular format for each standard. Recommendations for updating each citation in the Standard Review Plan are presented. Technical considerations and suggested changes are included for related regulatory documents (i.e., Regulatory Guides and the Code of Federal Regulations) citing the standard. The results and recommendations presented in this document have not been subjected to NRC staff review

  3. Delivering environmental benefit from the use of Environmental Quality Standards: why we need to focus on implementation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merrington, Graham; Peters, Adam; Whitehouse, Paul; Clarke, Robin; Merckel, Dan

    2018-02-01

    The UK has adopted a broader approach to the introduction of Environmental Quality Standard (EQS) for the aquatic environment than many other jurisdictions around the world, with a greater focus on the implementation of scientifically derived standards. This follows the publication of a report by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution in 1998 which drew attention to the need to recognise that whilst an EQS is often just viewed as a numerical value, it also has other important characteristics that need to be recognised if it is to be a practical and effective regulatory tool. One of the aspects that has not always been recognised was that of implementation assessment, i.e. the steps needed to ensure that a standard actually delivers environmental benefit or improvements. In many jurisdictions, there is considerable technical and sometimes political emphasis on the numerical value of the EQS (e.g. the critical concentration in an environmental matrix like water), including the method of derivation, the scrutiny of the reliability and relevance of the ecotoxicity test data and extensive deliberations of unquantified uncertainties in relation to the choice of assessment factor. The regulatory value of an EQS only comes through a comparison against a measured environmental concentration, yet only relatively limited regulatory effort has historically been expended on this component of the classic environmental risk assessment paradigm. For example, there needs to be an acceptable (i.e. small) uncertainty in the EQS, an appropriate analytical method and detection limit in the correct matrix, a method to deliver a comparison with the EQS and a robust statistical method to draw unbiased conclusions about environmental risk. In addition, we argue that there is a case for checking the consequences of introducing a standard against field data, wherever possible. This validation of the EQS rarely happens currently. We explain what implementation assessment is and why

  4. Environmental correlates of physical activity and dietary behaviours among young people: a systematic review of reviews.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Vet, E; de Ridder, D T D; de Wit, J B F

    2011-05-01

    An extensive body of research exists on environmental influences on weight-related behaviours in young people. Existing reviews aimed to synthesize this body of work, but generally focused on specific samples, behaviours or environmental influences and integration of findings is lacking. Hereto, we reviewed 18 reviews representing 671 unique studies, aiming to identify what environmental factors do and do not affect physical activity and dietary behaviours in children and adolescents. Eleven reviews focused exclusively on physical activity, six on diet, and one review focused on both physical activity and dietary behaviours with only small overlap in included studies. Physical activity was more consistently related to school and neighbourhood characteristics than to interpersonal and societal environments. In contrast, interpersonal factors played a pronounced role in dietary behaviours; no school, neighbourhood or societal factors were consistently related to dietary behaviours. This review of reviews adds to the literature by providing a comprehensive synthesis of factors related to physical activity and dietary behaviours that could be targeted in interventions. Moreover, by identifying factors that are unrelated to physical activity and dietary behaviours, this review may help to narrow the scope of future studies and environmental interventions. © 2010 The Authors. obesity reviews © 2010 International Association for the Study of Obesity.

  5. Standard review plan on antitrust reviews. Final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lambe, W.M.; Davis, M.J.

    1997-12-01

    This standard review plan describes the procedures used by NRC staff to implement the antitrust review and enforcement provisions in Sections 105 and 186 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and replaces NUREG-0970. These procedures are principally derived from the Commission's Rules and Regulations in 10 CFR Sections 2.101, 2.102, Part 2-Appendix A, Section X, 50.33a, 50.80, 50.90, and 52.77. These procedures set forth the steps and criteria the staff uses in antitrust reviews of construction permit applications, operating license applications, combined construction permit/operating license applications, combined construction permit/operating license applications, and applications for approval of the transfer of construction permits, operating licenses, and combined licenses. In addition, the procedures describe how the staff enforces compliance with antitrust conditions appended to licenses

  6. Environmental compliance assessment review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hilliday, G.H.

    1991-01-01

    During the period 1972-1991, The United States Congress passed stringent environmental statues which the Environment Protection Agency implemented via regulations. The statues and regulations contain severe civil and criminal penalties. Civil violations resulted in fines, typically payable by the company. The act of willfully and knowingly violating the permit conditions or regulations can result in criminal charges being imposed upon the responsible part, i.e., either the company or individual. Criminal charges can include fines, lawyer fees, court costs and incarceration. This paper describes steps necessary to form an effective Environmental Compliance Assessment Review [CAR] program, train field and engineering personnel and perform a CAR audit. Additionally, the paper discusses the findings of a number of Exploration and Production [E and P] field audits

  7. Environmental radioactive intercomparison program and radioactive standards program

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dilbeck, G. [Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory, Las Vegas, NV (United States)

    1993-12-31

    The Environmental Radioactivity Intercomparison Program described herein provides quality assurance support for laboratories involved in analyzing public drinking water under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Regulations, and to the environmental radiation monitoring activities of various agencies. More than 300 federal and state nuclear facilities and private laboratories participate in some phase of the program. This presentation describes the Intercomparison Program studies and matrices involved, summarizes the precision and accuracy requirements of various radioactive analytes, and describes the traceability determinations involved with radioactive calibration standards distributed to the participants. A summary of program participants, sample and report distributions, and additional responsibilities of this program are discussed.

  8. Standard protocol for evaluation of environmental transfer factors around NPP sites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hegde, A.G.; Verma, P.C.; Rao, D.D.

    2009-01-01

    This document presents the standard procedures for evaluation of site specific environmental transfer factors around NPP sites. The scope of this document is to provide standard protocol to be followed for evaluation of environmental transfer factors around NPP sites. The studies on transfer factors are being carried out at various NPP sites under DAE-BRNS projects for evaluation of site specific transfer factors for radionuclides released from power plants. This document contains a common methodology in terms of sampling, processing, measurements and analysis of elemental/radionuclides, while keeping the site specific requirements also in place. (author)

  9. Standard review plan for dry cask storage systems. Final report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1997-01-01

    The Standard Review Plan (SRP) For Dry Cask Storage Systems provides guidance to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff in the Spent Fuel Project Office for performing safety reviews of dry cask storage systems. The SRP is intended to ensure the quality and uniformity of the staff reviews, present a basis for the review scope, and clarification of the regulatory requirements. Part 72, Subpart B generally specifies the information needed in a license application for the independent storage of spent nuclear fuel and high level radioactive waste. Regulatory Guide 3.61 {open_quotes}Standard Format and Content for a Topical Safety Analysis Report for a Spent Fuel Dry Storage Cask{close_quotes} contains an outline of the specific information required by the staff. The SRP is divided into 14 sections which reflect the standard application format. Regulatory requirements, staff positions, industry codes and standards, acceptance criteria, and other information are discussed.

  10. Standard review plan for dry cask storage systems. Final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1997-01-01

    The Standard Review Plan (SRP) For Dry Cask Storage Systems provides guidance to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff in the Spent Fuel Project Office for performing safety reviews of dry cask storage systems. The SRP is intended to ensure the quality and uniformity of the staff reviews, present a basis for the review scope, and clarification of the regulatory requirements. Part 72, Subpart B generally specifies the information needed in a license application for the independent storage of spent nuclear fuel and high level radioactive waste. Regulatory Guide 3.61 open-quotes Standard Format and Content for a Topical Safety Analysis Report for a Spent Fuel Dry Storage Caskclose quotes contains an outline of the specific information required by the staff. The SRP is divided into 14 sections which reflect the standard application format. Regulatory requirements, staff positions, industry codes and standards, acceptance criteria, and other information are discussed

  11. Environmental Measurements Laboratory program review, December 1983

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Volchok, H.L.; de Planque, G.

    1984-03-01

    This volume contains all of the written material that was submitted to the panel of Reviewers in advance of a Program Review conducted by the US Department of Energy, Office of Health and Environmental Research at the Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML) December 7-9, 1983. In addition to a general introduction there are nineteen papers grouped into the five broad program categories covering all of the scientific and engineering projects of the Laboratory: Natural Radioactivity and Radiation, Anthropogenic Radioactivity and Radiation, Non-nuclear, Quality Assurance, and Development and Support. These short articles, for the most part, focus on the rationale for EML's involvement in each project, emphasizing their relevance to the EML and Department of Energy missions. Project results and their interpretation were presented at the Review and can be found in the material referenced in this volume

  12. Setting and Reviewing Standards to Control Lead (Pb) Pollution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lead (Pb) standards are part of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), which limit air pollution to protect health and the environment. Standards are periodically reviewed and updated, and air quality across the U.S. is measured against them.

  13. Assigment of environmental aspect and impacts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hanzelová Marcela

    2001-12-01

    Full Text Available Environmental management system (EMS is a part of the management system that includes the organizational structure, planning activities, responsibilities, practices, procedures, processes and resources for developing, implementing, achieving, reviewing and maintaining the environmental policy. The EMS provides the order and consistency for organizations to adress environmental cocerns through the allocation of resources, assignment of responsibilities, and the ongoing evaluation of practices, procedures and processes. The ISO 14001 requires the implementation of the EMS in accordance with defined, internationally recognized standards. The ISO standard specifies requirements for establishing an environmental policy, determining environmental aspects & impacts of products (activities services, planning environmental objectives and measurable targets, implementation & operation of programs to meet objectives and targets, checking &corrective action, and management review. The Environmental aspect is an element of organization’s activities, product or services that can interact with the environment. A significant environmental aspect is that with a significant environmental impact. The environmental impact is any change to the environment, whether adverse or beneficial wholly or partially resulting from an oranization’s activities, products or services.

  14. Using SWE Standards for Ubiquitous Environmental Sensing: A Performance Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joaquín Huerta

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Although smartphone applications represent the most typical data consumer tool from the citizen perspective in environmental applications, they can also be used for in-situ data collection and production in varied scenarios, such as geological sciences and biodiversity. The use of standard protocols, such as SWE, to exchange information between smartphones and sensor infrastructures brings benefits such as interoperability and scalability, but their reliance on XML is a potential problem when large volumes of data are transferred, due to limited bandwidth and processing capabilities on mobile phones. In this article we present a performance analysis about the use of SWE standards in smartphone applications to consume and produce environmental sensor data, analysing to what extent the performance problems related to XML can be alleviated by using alternative uncompressed and compressed formats.

  15. 40 CFR 131.21 - EPA review and approval of water quality standards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY STANDARDS Procedures for Review and Revision of Water Quality Standards § 131.21 EPA review and approval of water quality standards. (a) After the State submits its... analysis. (b) The Regional Administrator's approval or disapproval of a State water quality standard shall...

  16. Cracking Advanced Encryption Standard-A Review

    OpenAIRE

    Jashnil Kumar; Mohammed Farik

    2017-01-01

    Password protection is a major security concern the world is facing today. While there are many publications available that discuss ways to protect passwords and data how widely user from around the world adhere to these rules are unknown. The novelty of this study is that this is the first time a review is done on software tools that can be used to crack Advanced Encryption Standards. Firstly the study does a review on top 10 software tools that are available to crack Advanced Encryption Sta...

  17. Status of existing federal environmental risk-based standards applicable to Department of Energy operations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bilyard, G.R.

    1991-09-01

    When conducting its environmental restoration, waste management, and decontamination and decommissioning activities, the US Department of Energy (DOE) must comply with a myriad of regulatory procedures and environmental standards. This paper assesses the status of existing federal risk-based standards that may be applied to chemical and radioactive substances on DOE sites. Gaps and inconsistencies among the existing standards and the technical issues associated with the application of those standards are identified. Finally, the implications of the gaps, inconsistencies, and technical issues on DOE operations are discussed, and approaches to resolving the gaps, inconsistencies, and technical issues are identified. 6 refs

  18. THE IMPACT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS (EMSs AND ISO 14001 STANDARDS ON CORPORATE PERFORMANCE: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dajana Grandic

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available This paper is based on the systematic literature review method and investigates the impacts of the EMS and ISO 14001 Standards towards corporate performance. Two units are considered through the methodology of research; firm size and market orientation. The evidence comes from the analysed dataset of 19 papers. Aggregated search results show that global firms orientated towards export have a higher probability to achieve product and process innovation than companies who focus primarily on regional and local markets due to higher competition in the global market. Moreover, firms who adopted EMS and ISO 14001 standard have a greater impact on performance, a positive influence on innovation and commitment to the environment related to company targets than those firms who did not apply it. The results of this research could be interesting for both investors and academics to know how the voluntary adoption of these two standards affects corporate performance.

  19. Recommendations to the NRC for review criteria for alternative methods of low-level radioactive waste disposal: Environmental monitoring and surveillance programs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Denham, D.H.; Stenner, R.D.; Eddy, P.A.; Jaquish, R.E.; Ramsdell, J.V. Jr.

    1988-07-01

    Licensing of a facility for low-level radioactive waste disposal requires the review of the environmental monitoring and surveillance programs. A set of review criteria is recommended for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff to use in each monitoring phase---preoperational, operational, and post operational---for evaluating radiological and selected nonradiological parameters in proposed environmental monitoring and surveillance programs at low-level waste disposal facilities. Applicable regulations, industry standards, and technical guidance on low-level radioactive waste are noted throughout the document. In the preoperational phase, the applicant must demonstrate that the environmental monitoring program identifies radiation levels and radionuclide concentrations at the site and also provides adequate basic data on the disposal site. Data recording and statistical analyses for this phase are addressed

  20. 76 FR 65653 - New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-10-24

    ... current within their review cycle, there are also multiple standards in different phases of the review... Rock Plants NN 04/16/1982 (47FR16589) 10/17/2000 3 4 (65FR61760) Polymeric Coating of Supporting VVV 09... whether review of a particular NSPS is necessary during the review cycle. A listing of any NSPS for which...

  1. Standard Review Plan Maintenance Program implementing procedures document

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1996-11-01

    The implementing Procedures Document (IPD) was developed by the Inspection Program Projects Branch, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, with assistance from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, for the Standard Review Plan Maintenance Program (SRP-MP). The SRP-MP was established to maintain the Standard Review Plan (SRP) on an on-going basis. The IPD provides guidance, including an overall approach and procedures, for SRP-MP tasks. The objective of the IPD is to ensure that modifications to SRP need to reflect current NRC requirements and guidance are identified and that a consistent methodology is used to develop and revise SRP sections

  2. SOCIAL CONTROL IN THE STATE SYSTEM OF INCENTIVES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES IN ACRE: REPORT ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE OF IMPLEMENTATION AND OPERATION OF THE LOCAL STANDARDS COMMITTEE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ayri Saraiva Rando

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available The social control, the participation and the transparency are important aspects in the policies of incentives and payment for environmental services. The State Commission for Validation and Monitoring - CEVA is the college responsible for ensuring transparency and exert the social control of the State System of Incentives for Environmental Services in Acre - SISA. This article discusses the difficulty in ensuring the transparency in relation to the provided steps in the implementation of social and environmental standards for REDD +, therefore, it is intended to monitor the level of transparency of this commission from the comparison of the provided publications in the guidance document of the International Initiative for the implementation of the mentioned standards with the made publications. The methods used are literature review and documentary survey. Against expected results, the article in question provides a complementary effort to the project of institutionalization of social and environmental standards for REDD + in SISA, with respect to the publication and transparency in the implementation process of the safeguards in this state.

  3. ASTM standards for fire debris analysis: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stauffer, Eric; Lentini, John J

    2003-03-12

    The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) recently updated its standards E 1387 and E 1618 for the analysis of fire debris. The changes in the classification of ignitable liquids are presented in this review. Furthermore, a new standard on extraction of fire debris with solid phase microextraction (SPME) was released. Advantages and drawbacks of this technique are presented and discussed. Also, the standard on cleanup by acid stripping has not been reapproved. Fire debris analysts that use the standards should be aware of these changes.

  4. Does environmental economics produce aeroplanes without engines? On the need for an environmental social science

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Folmer, Henk; Johansson-Stenman, Olof

    In this paper we first critically review conventional environmental economics. We conclude that the standard theory offers too narrow a perspective for many real world problems and that many theories are not empirically tested. Consequently, environmental economics is at risk of producing aeroplanes

  5. Empirical research on international environmental migration: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Obokata, Reiko; Veronis, Luisa; McLeman, Robert

    2014-01-01

    This paper presents the findings of a systematic review of scholarly publications that report empirical findings from studies of environmentally-related international migration. There exists a small, but growing accumulation of empirical studies that consider environmentally-linked migration that spans international borders. These studies provide useful evidence for scholars and policymakers in understanding how environmental factors interact with political, economic and social factors to influence migration behavior and outcomes that are specific to international movements of people, in highlighting promising future research directions, and in raising important considerations for international policymaking. Our review identifies countries of migrant origin and destination that have so far been the subject of empirical research, the environmental factors believed to have influenced these migrations, the interactions of environmental and non-environmental factors as well as the role of context in influencing migration behavior, and the types of methods used by researchers. In reporting our findings, we identify the strengths and challenges associated with the main empirical approaches, highlight significant gaps and future opportunities for empirical work, and contribute to advancing understanding of environmental influences on international migration more generally. Specifically, we propose an exploratory framework to take into account the role of context in shaping environmental migration across borders, including the dynamic and complex interactions between environmental and non-environmental factors at a range of scales.

  6. A review on the risk management terminology for the use in standards

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Yong Hee; Lee, Jung Woon

    2001-03-01

    This technical report describes a result of reviews on the risk management terminology for the use in standards. Experiences in related technical fields and their definitions are reviewed according to the concepts and operational definitions of risk terminologies. It results into a draft standard for KS in the fields of product safety. Quality Assurance, Industrial and Occupational Safety, Financial Management and Risk Management, and others may show many different definitions for their own technical purpose. A draft KS standard for risk terminology must be revised and enhanced to be adopted to the product safety. However, this review does not provide a strict guide for use in the operational definitions of risk terms, but does provide a common base among application areas. The result of this review is submitted to Korea Standard Association in form of a draft KS standards, KS X 0000 : 2001 (ISO TBD : 1999), titled as ' Risk management terminology - Guidelines for use in standards '

  7. Encouraging pro-environmental behaviour : An integrative review and research agenda

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Steg, L.; Vlek, C.A.J.

    Environmental quality strongly depends on human behaviour patterns. We review the contribution and the potential of environmental psychology for understanding and promoting pro-environmental behaviour A general framework is proposed, comprising: (1) identification of the behaviour to be changed, (2)

  8. Environmental issues affecting CCT development

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Reidy, M. [U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC (United States)

    1997-12-31

    While no final legislative schedule has been set for the new Congress, two issues with strong environmental ramifications which are likely to affect the coal industry seem to top the list of closely watched debates in Washington -- the Environmental Protection Agency`s proposed new ozone and particulate matter standards and utility restructuring. The paper discusses the background of the proposed standards, public comment, the Congressional review of regulations, other legislative options, and utility restructuring.

  9. Environmental concentrations of engineered nanomaterials: Review of modeling and analytical studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gottschalk, Fadri; Sun, TianYin; Nowack, Bernd

    2013-01-01

    Scientific consensus predicts that the worldwide use of engineered nanomaterials (ENM) leads to their release into the environment. We reviewed the available literature concerning environmental concentrations of six ENMs (TiO 2 , ZnO, Ag, fullerenes, CNT and CeO 2 ) in surface waters, wastewater treatment plant effluents, biosolids, sediments, soils and air. Presently, a dozen modeling studies provide environmental concentrations for ENM and a handful of analytical works can be used as basis for a preliminary validation. There are still major knowledge gaps (e.g. on ENM production, application and release) that affect the modeled values, but over all an agreement on the order of magnitude of the environmental concentrations can be reached. True validation of the modeled values is difficult because trace analytical methods that are specific for ENM detection and quantification are not available. The modeled and measured results are not always comparable due to the different forms and sizes of particles that these two approaches target. -- Highlights: •Modeled environmental concentrations of engineered nanomaterials are reviewed. •Measured environmental concentrations of engineered nanomaterials are reviewed. •Possible validation of modeled data by measurements is critically evaluated. •Different approaches in modeling and measurement methods complicate validation. -- Modeled and measured environmental concentrations of engineered nanomaterials are reviewed and critically discussed

  10. 36 CFR 1237.18 - What are the environmental standards for audiovisual records storage?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... standards for audiovisual records storage? 1237.18 Section 1237.18 Parks, Forests, and Public Property NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION RECORDS MANAGEMENT AUDIOVISUAL, CARTOGRAPHIC, AND RELATED RECORDS MANAGEMENT § 1237.18 What are the environmental standards for audiovisual records storage? (a...

  11. Bench-to-bedside review: human subjects research--are more standards needed?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, David T; Hadian, Mehrnaz

    2006-01-01

    There are many controversial issues surrounding ethics in study design and conduct of human subjects research. In this review we briefly touch on the origin of ethics in clinical research and how the current regulations and standards came into practice. We then discuss current controversies regarding informed consent, conflicts of interest, institutional review boards, and other relevant issues such as innovative procedures and quality improvement projects. The question of whether we need more standards is a very important yet challenging one to which there is no simple answer. We address this question by reviewing and commenting on relevant literature. We conclude that what is needed are not more standards per se, but rather refinement and uniformity of current standards, and their interpretation and application both to protect human subjects and to advance medicine.

  12. Retro-fitting of tank farm to comply with new environmental standards

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rinne, N.F.

    1993-01-01

    Trans Mountain Enterprises transports jet fuel via an NPS 6 pipeline from refineries in the Vancouver area and the Company's marine terminal to a tank farm located at the Vancouver International Airport. The pipeline operates on a nearly continual basis and delivers product into tankage before releasing it to the airlines for distribution to the aircraft. Constructed in 1967 on Sea Island at the mouth of the Fraser River, the tank farm is situated on land leased from the Government of Canada and managed by the transportation agency, Transport Canada. The presence of wild life areas and a large salmon fishery combine to make the island a sensitive environmental area. The five above-ground storage tanks provide a combined storage volume of approximately 45,000 bbls. An operational spill at the tank farm in the fall of 1981 precipitated a two year clean up of the underlying soils and groundwater around the site. Although Trans Mountain assumed that the site was satisfactorily remediated by 1983 it was not until 1989 when Trans Mountain proposed an improvement to the tank bay containment area did it become aware of changing environmental and facility standards being adopted by Transport Canada. Following three years of negotiations with Transport Canada and their environmental advisors, Environment Canada, Trans Mountain completed a unique design to bring the site into compliance with Transport Canada's current standards for the Vancouver International Airport. The liner design was complicated by recent changes in the environmental standards for soil and groundwater at the site. These new changes were being adopted by Environment Canada during the design phase of this project

  13. Application for review, Section 61, Environmental Bill of Rights

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grinspun, D.; Forman, G.; Hutton, A.; Muter, M.; Stewart, K.; Wilkins, H.

    2006-01-01

    Health and environmental groups have filed a request with the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Energy to review its government policies on transboundary smog, mercury emissions and climate change in light of the abandonment of plans to close all of the province's highly polluting coal-fired power plants by 2009. The groups have requested that the Ministries identify the measures that will be taken to eliminate the health, social and environmental impacts caused by this decision. The representatives of Ontario's registered nurses, physicians, community groups and environment groups want to know how the decision will affect Ontario's compliance with the terms of the Ozone Annex to the 1991 United States-Canada Air Quality Agreement, Ontario's compliance with the proposed Canada Wide Standard on Mercury, and efforts to combat climate change. Concerns that the government has weakened its position in dealing with the United States over transboundary smog were expressed. Smog, climate change and mercury pollution pose significant risks to the health of Ontarians. The original plan to replace coal-fired generation was the single largest greenhouse gas reduction initiative in Canada. It was argued that the abandonment of that plan represents a major challenge in meeting Kyoto targets. refs

  14. Hydrazine reagents as derivatizing agents in environmental analysis--a critical review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vogel, M; Büldt, A; Karst, U

    2000-04-01

    Hydrazine reagents are a well-known group of derivatizing agents for the determination of aldehydes and ketones in liquid and gaseous samples. Within this article, the most important hydrazine reagents are critically summarized, and their major applications in different fields, including environmental analysis, food chemistry and industrial analysis are introduced. As 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) is the basic reagent for several international standard procedures, its properties are discussed in detail. Particular focus is directed on the chemistry of the hydrazine reagents, and chemical interferences are considered. Recent methods for the determination of various oxidants using hydrazine reagents are presented as well. Due to limited space, this review does not cover the related field of carbohydrate analysis, although many chemical aspects are similar.

  15. Improving diet sustainability through evolution of food choices: review of epidemiological studies on the environmental impact of diets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perignon, Marlène; Vieux, Florent; Soler, Louis-Georges; Masset, Gabriel; Darmon, Nicole

    2017-01-01

    The Food and Agriculture Organization defines sustainable diets as nutritionally adequate, safe, healthy, culturally acceptable, economically affordable diets that have little environmental impact. This review summarizes the studies assessing, at the individual level, both the environmental impact and the nutritional quality or healthiness of self-selected diets. Reductions in meat consumption and energy intake were identified as primary factors for reducing diet-related greenhouse gas emissions. The choice of foods to replace meat, however, was crucial, with some isocaloric substitutions possibly increasing total diet greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, nutritional adequacy was rarely or only partially assessed, thereby compromising the assessment of diet sustainability. Furthermore, high nutritional quality was not necessarily associated with affordability or lower environmental impact. Hence, when identifying sustainable diets, each dimension needs to be assessed by relevant indicators. Finally, some nonvegetarian self-selected diets consumed by a substantial fraction of the population showed good compatibility with the nutritional, environmental, affordability, and acceptability dimensions. Altogether, the reviewed studies revealed the scarcity of standardized nationally representative data for food prices and environmental indicators and suggest that diet sustainability might be increased without drastic dietary changes. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute.

  16. Draft CSA standard on environmental risk assessments at class I nuclear facilities and uranium mines and mills

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hart, D.; Garisto, N.; Parker, R.; Kovacs, R.; Thompson, B.

    2012-01-01

    The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) is preparing a draft Standard on environmental risk assessments (ERAs) at Class I nuclear facilities and uranium mines and mills (CSA N288.6). It is being prepared by a technical subcommittee of the CSA N288 Technical Committee, including experts from across the nuclear industry, government and regulatory authorities, and environmental service providers, among others. It addresses the design, implementation, and management of environmental risk assessment programs, and is intended to standardize practice across the industry. This paper outlines the scope of the draft Standard and highlights key features. It is under development and subject to change. (author)

  17. A Study on the Environmental Standard of Sediment on the Bottom of the Water

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Chang Hee; Yoo, Hye Jin [Korea Environment Institute, Seoul (Korea)

    2000-12-01

    Sediment on the bottom of the water has been considered one of the water pollutants in the environmental management of Korea so treated as a management on pollutants, as you can see the examples in the dragging operation in the polluted sea area. To healthily maintain and conserve the water ecosystem including bottom living things in the water, sediment on the bottom of the water should be recognized as the independent medium, which should maintain the certain quality like the water, the atmosphere, and soil, rather than the source of water pollution. Such recognition means that the management of sediment on the bottom of the water should change the fragmentary goal, centered the post management focusing on the water management, to the ecosystematic goal including the bottom living things. In a point of the view, this study has a great significance to suggest not only the final goal for the management of sediment on the bottom of the water but also the necessity of developing the environmental standard of the sediment on the bottom of the water, which is a standard of the management or judgment in the actual managing the sediment on the bottom of the water - an estimation on the pollution of sediment, a removal of the polluted sediment, a purification of sediment, and an abandonment of the dragged sediment -, and the development measures. Considering the situation that even the basic scheme related to the management of sediment is not prepared in the Government level, the concept of the environmental standard of sediment, the foreign example of the environmental standard of sediment, the current state of the domestic sediment pollution, and the development scheme of the environmental standard in this study must be the important foundation to establish the management system of sediment in the Government level. 121 refs., 10 figs., 45 tabs.

  18. Cone penetrometer demonstration standard startup review checklist

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    KRIEG, S.A.

    1998-01-01

    Startup readiness for the Cone Penetrometer Demonstration in AX Tank Farm will be verified through the application of a Standard Startup Review Checklist. This is a listing of those items essential to demonstrating readiness to start the Cone Penetrometer Demonstration in AX Tank Farm

  19. 24 CFR 1000.18 - What environmental review requirements apply?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false What environmental review requirements apply? 1000.18 Section 1000.18 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and... HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT NATIVE AMERICAN HOUSING ACTIVITIES General § 1000.18 What environmental...

  20. Environmental assessment in support of proposed voluntary energy conservation standard for new residential buildings

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hadley, D.L.; Parker, G.B.; Callaway, J.W.; Marsh, S.J.; Roop, J.M.; Taylor, Z.T.

    1989-06-01

    The objective of this environmental assessment (EA) is to identify the potential environmental impacts that could result from the proposed voluntary residential standard (VOLRES) on private sector construction of new residential buildings. 49 refs., 15 tabs.

  1. Estimating the Pollution Risk of Cadmium in Soil Using a Composite Soil Environmental Quality Standard

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Biao; Zhao, Yongcun

    2014-01-01

    Estimating standard-exceeding probabilities of toxic metals in soil is crucial for environmental evaluation. Because soil pH and land use types have strong effects on the bioavailability of trace metals in soil, they were taken into account by some environmental protection agencies in making composite soil environmental quality standards (SEQSs) that contain multiple metal thresholds under different pH and land use conditions. This study proposed a method for estimating the standard-exceeding probability map of soil cadmium using a composite SEQS. The spatial variability and uncertainty of soil pH and site-specific land use type were incorporated through simulated realizations by sequential Gaussian simulation. A case study was conducted using a sample data set from a 150 km2 area in Wuhan City and the composite SEQS for cadmium, recently set by the State Environmental Protection Administration of China. The method may be useful for evaluating the pollution risks of trace metals in soil with composite SEQSs. PMID:24672364

  2. Defining new standards on citizen participation in the Chilean environmental assessment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pilar Moraga Sariego

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The Law 19,300 on the General Bases of the Environment (1994 provided the first legal framework for environmental protection in the country, in the context of the Rio Summit held two years earlier. Following the recommendations of OECD to strengthen environmental institutions (2005, the legislator passed Law No. 20,417 introducing environmental reform (2010 and Law No. 20,600 creating the Environmental Tribunals (2012. The first one extends the scope of citizen participation in the environmental impact assessment system, however, it is the jurisprudential work of the Second Environmental Court that will make it possible to understand the real scope of the legislative amendment. This specialized judiciary develops new standards of citizen participation in the framework of the project of the State Railway Company. This is a broad interpretation of the principle with a view to a real and not only formal application of it, which contributes to the strengthening of this institution in relation to the principle of access to information and justice in environmental matters.

  3. A review of the quantum current standard

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaneko, Nobu-Hisa; Nakamura, Shuji; Okazaki, Yuma

    2016-01-01

    The electric current, voltage, and resistance standards are the most important standards related to electricity and magnetism. Of these three standards, only the ampere, which is the unit of electric current, is an International System of Units (SI) base unit. However, even with modern technology, relatively large uncertainty exists regarding the generation and measurement of current. As a result of various innovative techniques based on nanotechnology and novel materials, new types of junctions for quantum current generation and single-electron current sources have recently been proposed. These newly developed methods are also being used to investigate the consistency of the three quantum electrical effects, i.e. the Josephson, quantum Hall, and single-electron tunneling effects, which are also known as ‘the quantum metrology triangle’. This article describes recent research and related developments regarding current standards and quantum-metrology-triangle experiments. (topical review)

  4. The advantages of using standardized review procedures in certifying type B radioactive material packages

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Easton, E.P.; Faille, S.

    2004-01-01

    This paper presents the advantages of adopting well-documented standardized review practices for reviewing Type B package designs. The US experience using standardized review plans and guidance has shown them to be a valuable tool in achieving more consistent and efficient package reviews, in training and qualifying technical reviewers, and in enhancing public and industry understanding of the package certification process. In addition, the standardized review practices, as living documents, have proven to be an effective method of incorporating new technical advances into the review process, and have provided a vehicle to make that knowledge widely available to fellow reviewers, the public and industry. Canada implemented a new internal review process in early 2003 to standardize the review of applications for certification of Type B Packages. Based on the similarity of these approaches, the United States and Canada have started discussions on a A North American System for the unilateral approval of Type B (U) packages. This initiative is looking into how each country is currently reviewing transportation package applications to see if agreement can be reached on accepting Type B certifications on a reciprocal basis, i.e., without additional review. Based on the experience in Canada and the United States, the authors believe that the use of standardized review processes, coupled with the knowledge and experience resident in IAEA's Transportation Advisory Material (TS-G-1.1) and series of TECDOCS, could also be used to develop a standard internationally accepted review process that could enhance the acceptance of unilateral approvals for Type B packages

  5. The advantages of using standardized review procedures in certifying type B radioactive material packages

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Easton, E.P. [United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States); Faille, S. [Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, Ottawa (Canada)

    2004-07-01

    This paper presents the advantages of adopting well-documented standardized review practices for reviewing Type B package designs. The US experience using standardized review plans and guidance has shown them to be a valuable tool in achieving more consistent and efficient package reviews, in training and qualifying technical reviewers, and in enhancing public and industry understanding of the package certification process. In addition, the standardized review practices, as living documents, have proven to be an effective method of incorporating new technical advances into the review process, and have provided a vehicle to make that knowledge widely available to fellow reviewers, the public and industry. Canada implemented a new internal review process in early 2003 to standardize the review of applications for certification of Type B Packages. Based on the similarity of these approaches, the United States and Canada have started discussions on a A North American System for the unilateral approval of Type B (U) packages. This initiative is looking into how each country is currently reviewing transportation package applications to see if agreement can be reached on accepting Type B certifications on a reciprocal basis, i.e., without additional review. Based on the experience in Canada and the United States, the authors believe that the use of standardized review processes, coupled with the knowledge and experience resident in IAEA's Transportation Advisory Material (TS-G-1.1) and series of TECDOCS, could also be used to develop a standard internationally accepted review process that could enhance the acceptance of unilateral approvals for Type B packages.

  6. Tourism and environmental research: a review

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pearce, D G

    1985-01-01

    This paper reviews the nature and scope of research into the environmental impact of tourism, the role such research may play in tourist development and conservation and the constraints which may be encountered. Research in this field is characterized by a wide spectrum of generally complex interrelationships and impacts. In recent years there has been a growing call from policy-makers for environmental guidelines, indicators and other research but as yet a few immediate solutions to their problems and answers to their request are to hand. The complexity of the issues involved and other difficulties have also limited the extent to which research has been fed into the decision-making process.

  7. Environmental Methods Review: Retooling Impact Assessment for the New Century

    Science.gov (United States)

    1998-03-01

    Environmental Assessment Research Council. Netherlands, Commission for Environmental Impact Assessment. 1993. Year book of the Commission for Environmental...professional standards. Currently. the main avenues to obtain information in order to maintain or improve competence include: • journals. books ...World Wide Web • professional associations and networks such as IAIA. All of these. however. rely on using the expertise of others secondhand . Who

  8. Measurement of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in environmental matrix standard reference materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stapleton, H.; Schantz, M.; Wise, S. (National Institute of Standards and Technology)

    2004-09-15

    Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a class of emerging contaminants of concern as many studies have now demonstrated that these compounds are bioaccumulative, persistent and increasing in concentration in the environment. PBDEs are being detected in almost every environmental sample examined, and they have even been measured in samples collected in the Arctic, further demonstrating their persistence and potential for long range transport. More and more studies are continuing to examine the fate and transport of these flame retardant compounds in environmental samples and as such, reference materials are needed to provide quality control on these measurements. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) supports a national Standard Reference Material (SRM) program for measurement of organic contaminants such as PCBs, PAHs and chlorinated pesticides in environmental matrices. This current study was undertaken to provide reference measurements for PBDEs in selected SRMs that are currently used by various laboratories throughout the United States. These SRMs include matrices such as marine mammal blubber, lake trout tissue, mussel tissue, sediment, house dust and human serum. We report here reference values for 22 PBDE congeners that have been quantified in these seven types of SRMs.

  9. WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region: A Systematic Review on Environmental Noise and Annoyance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rainer Guski

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: This paper describes a systematic review and meta-analyses on effects of environmental noise on annoyance. The noise sources include aircraft, road, and rail transportation noise as well as wind turbines and noise source combinations. Objectives: Update knowledge about effects of environmental noise on people living in the vicinity of noise sources. Methods: Eligible were published studies (2000–2014 providing comparable acoustical and social survey data including exposure-response functions between standard indicators of noise exposure and standard annoyance responses. The systematic literature search in 20 data bases resulted in 62 studies, of which 57 were used for quantitative meta-analyses. By means of questionnaires sent to the study authors, additional study data were obtained. Risk of bias was assessed by means of study characteristics for individual studies and by funnel plots to assess the risk of publication bias. Main Results: Tentative exposure-response relations for percent highly annoyed residents (%HA in relation to noise levels for aircraft, road, rail, wind turbine and noise source combinations are presented as well as meta-analyses of correlations between noise levels and annoyance raw scores, and the OR for increase of %HA with increasing noise levels. Quality of evidence was assessed using the GRADE terminology. The evidence of exposure-response relations between noise levels and %HA is moderate (aircraft and railway or low (road traffic and wind turbines. The evidence of correlations between noise levels and annoyance raw scores is high (aircraft and railway or moderate (road traffic and wind turbines. The evidence of ORs representing the %HA increase by a certain noise level increase is moderate (aircraft noise, moderate/high (road and railway traffic, and low (wind turbines. Strengths and Limitations: The strength of the evidence is seen in the large total sample size encompassing the included studies (e

  10. The improvement of environmental performances by applying ISO 14001 standard: A case study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Živković Snežana

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the analysis of the advantages of applying ISO 14001 system in an environmental protection management system. The environmental protection management system which is not licensed, i.e., compatible with the principles and standard pre-conditions considerably increases the plausibility for ecological risk. There are some issues that remain to be solved in the areas which are not expressed by financial values only but also have a non-financial character with the aim of expanding markets, company image improvement and improvement of the environmental performance indicators. By improving a company’s environmental management system efficiency we expect to achieve the minimization and elimination of damaging influences on the environment which are the consequence of company’s activities. A case study in the Oil Refinery Belgrade (RNB analyses the implementation of the standard ISO 14001:2004 into its environment protection management system, particularly emphasizing the company’s own way of evaluating the environment aspects with the aim of establishing results of ecological performances indicators improvement. The average values of the first ecological indicator of the plant, the total amount of the waste waters in m3 per a ton of product, clearly show the downturn trend, which is confirmed by the proportional reduction of the second ecological plant indicator, that is by the flocculants consumption (Al2(SO43, Na2CO3 in kg per m3 of the waste water of the Oil Refinery of Belgrade for the given period 2008-2010. Case study RNB confirms the improvement of environmental performances using the ISO 14001 standard.

  11. Environmentally responsible behavior of nature-based tourists: A review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lee, T.H.

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available This study assesses the conceptualization of environmentally responsible behavior and methods for measuring such behavior based on a review of previous studies. Four major scales for the extent to which an individual’s behavior is responsible behavior are discussed. Various theoretical backgrounds and cultures provide diverse conceptualizations of environmentally responsible behavior. Both general and site-specific environmentally responsible behavior has been identified in the past studies. This study also discusses the precedents of environmentally responsible behavior and with a general overview; it provides insight into improving future research on this subject.

  12. A comparison of ISO 14001 to other related environmental management systems and tools

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    White, S.E.; Byron, D.F.; Livingston, B.L.

    1995-08-01

    Efficient environmental management is of increasing priority for the industrial sector. The achievement of ISO 14001 certification will demonstrate that the environmental management system meets or exceeds industry standards since this standard will be the accepted international measure of environmental management. A review of published environmental management systems and tools was conducted to ensure all aspects of environmental management are covered in the establishment or formalization of an environmental management system. The objective of this effort is to compare the ISO 14001 standard with other environmental management systems and tools

  13. Calculations supporting evaluation of potential environmental standards for Yucca Mountain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Duguid, J.O.; Andrews, R.W.; Brandstetter, E.; Dale, T.F.; Reeves, M.

    1994-04-01

    The Energy Policy Act of 1992, Section 801 (US Congress, 1992) provides for the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to contract the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to conduct a study and provide findings and recommendations on reasonable standards for the disposal of high-level wastes at the Yucca Mountain site. The NAS study is to provide findings and recommendations which include, among other things, whether a health-based standard based on dose to individual members of the public from releases to the accessible environment will provide a reasonable standard for the protection of the health and safety of the public. The EPA, based upon and consistent with the findings and recommendations of the NAS, is required to promulgate standards for protection of the public from releases from radioactive materials stored or disposed of in a repository at the Yucca Mountain site. This document presents a number of different ''simple'' analyses of undisturbed repository performance that are intended to provide input to those responsible for setting appropriate environmental standards for a potential repository at the Yucca Mountain site in Nevada. Each of the processes included in the analyses has been simplified to capture the primary significance of that process in containing or isolating the waste from the biosphere. In these simplified analyses, the complex waste package interactions were approximated by a simple waste package ''failure'' distribution which is defined by the initiation and rate of waste package ''failures''. Similarly, releases from the waste package and the engineered barrier system are controlled by the very near field environment and the presence and rate of advective and diffusive release processes. Release was approximated by either a simple alteration-controlled release for the high solubility radionuclides and either a diffusive or advective-controlled release for the solubility-limited radionuclides

  14. Pragmatics of policy: the compliance of dutch environmental policy instruments to European union standards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kruitwagen, Sonja; Reudink, Melchert; Faber, Albert

    2009-04-01

    Despite a general decrease in Dutch environmental emission trends, it remains difficult to comply with European Union (EU) environmental policy targets. Furthermore, environmental issues have become increasingly complex and entangled with society. Therefore, Dutch environmental policy follows a pragmatic line by adopting a flexible approach for compliance, rather than aiming at further reduction at the source of emission. This may be politically useful in order to adequately reach EU targets, but restoration of environmental conditions may be delayed. However, due to the complexity of today's environmental issues, the restoration of environmental conditions might not be the only standard for a proper policy approach. Consequently this raises the question how the Dutch pragmatic approach to compliance qualifies in a broader policy assessment. In order to answer this question, we adapt a policy assessment framework, developed by Hemerijck and Hazeu (Bestuurskunde 13(2), 2004), based on the dimensions of legitimacy and policy logic. We apply this framework for three environmental policy assessments: flexible instruments in climate policy, fine-tuning of national and local measures to meet air quality standards, and derogation for the Nitrate Directive. We conclude with general assessment notes on the appliance of flexible instruments in environmental policy, showing that a broad and comprehensive perspective can help to understand the arguments to put such policy instruments into place and to identify trade-offs between assessment criteria.

  15. Critical comments on the US Environmental Protection Agency Standards 40 CFR 191

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pflum, C.G.; Van Konynenburg, R.A.; Krishna, P.

    1993-01-01

    This paper is about the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ''Environmental Standards for the Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel, High-Level and Transuranic Wastes,'' 40 CFR 191. These standards regulate the disposal of radioactive wastes in geologic repositories. Currently, two repository sites are under investigation: The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site, located near Carlsbad, New Mexico, may become the repository for defense-generated transuranic waste (TRU); and the Yucca Mountain site, located near Las Vegas, Nevada, may become the repository for spent reactor fuel and a small amount of reprocessing waste (hereinafter called high-level radioactive waste or HLW). The paper was written for readers who have an interest in 40 CFR 191 but do not have the time or inclination to ponder the technical details

  16. Remedial action standards for inactive uranium processing sites (40 cfr 192). Draft environmental impact statement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1980-12-01

    The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing standards for disposing of uranium mill tailings from inactive processing sites and for cleaning up contaminated open land and buildings. These standards were developed pursuant to the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-604). This Act requires EPA to promulgate standards to protect the environment and public health and safety from radioactive and nonradioactive hazards posed by uranium mill tailings at designated inactive processing sites. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement examines health, technical, cost, and other factors relevant to determining standards. The proposed standards for disposal of the tailings piles cover radon emissions from the tailings to the air, protection of surface and ground water from radioactive and nonradioactive contaminants, and the length of time the disposal system should provide a reasonable expectation of meeting these standards. The proposed cleanup standards limit indoor radon decay product concentrations and gamma radiation levels and the residual radium concentration of contaminated land after cleanup

  17. Typological review of environmental performance metrics (with illustrative examples for oil spill response).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seager, Thomas P; Satterstrom, F Kyle; Linkov, Igor; Tuler, Seth P; Kay, Rebecca

    2007-07-01

    An intensification of interest in environmental assessment during the last 2 decades has driven corporate efforts to better document environmental goals, improve environmental management systems, and increase awareness of the environmental and ecological effects of business operations. This trend has been motivated partly by regulatory requirements (such as the Toxics Release Inventory in the United States) and partly by the inclination of some large manufacturing firms to embrace a broader social and environmental mission characterized as "sustainability" or "ecoefficiency." Moreover, the importance of measurable objectives in the US government has been recognized at least since the Government Performance Results Act of 1993, which was intended to both improve the efficiency of government and the confidence of the American public in government managers. However, in management of environmental crises - such as catastrophic oil or chemical spills - development of measurable performance standards has lagged. Consequently, government spill managers are unable to define success in terms that are easily communicated to public and other stakeholder groups, and they could be disadvantaged in their efforts to deploy response resources with maximum efficiency. In this paper, we present a typological review of environmental assessment measures and summarize some of the current practices and strategic goals among federal agencies with regard to oil and chemical spills. A general approach to organizing metrics for oil spill response, restoration, and recovery is also presented. The results could improve planning efforts and communication among different federal, state, and local agencies and public or stakeholder groups involved in spill management.

  18. Peer Review of Assessment Network: Supporting Comparability of Standards

    Science.gov (United States)

    Booth, Sara; Beckett, Jeff; Saunders, Cassandra

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: This paper aims to test the need in the Australian higher education (HE) sector for a national network for the peer review of assessment in response to the proposed HE standards framework and propose a sector-wide framework for calibrating and assuring achievement standards, both within and across disciplines, through the establishment of…

  19. 22 CFR 216.9 - Bilateral and multilateral studies and concise reviews of environmental issues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... reviews of environmental issues. 216.9 Section 216.9 Foreign Relations AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL... environmental issues. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these procedures, the Administrator may... United States is a member or participant; or (b) Concise reviews of the environmental issues involved...

  20. Review of ANSI [American National Standards Institute] N13.11: A status report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sims, C.S.

    1988-01-01

    In 1983, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) issued the dosimetry standard titled ''Personnel Dosimetry Performance -- Criteria for Testing'' as ANSI N13.11. This standard forms the basis for the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) which has become familiar to dosimeter processors in recent years. This standard is particularly important because the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requires that all licensees have personnel dosimetry devices processed by processors that are NVLAP accredited. This standard is currently undergoing review and modifications are going to be made. This paper contains a brief history of the events leading to the development of ANSI N13.11 - 1983, information concerning the present standard and associated performance test results, and the selection of the review group. Following that, the status of the review is presented and statements regarding the future outlook for the standard are made. 10 refs., 5 tabs

  1. 77 FR 59607 - Black Canyon Hydro, LLC; Notice of Environmental Site Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-09-28

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 14110-001] Black Canyon Hydro, LLC; Notice of Environmental Site Review On Wednesday, October 3, 2012, at 3 p.m., Commission staff will be participating in an environmental site review for the proposed Black Canyon Hydroelectric Project. All interested participants should mee...

  2. Bench-to-bedside review: Human subjects research – are more standards needed?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, David T; Hadian, Mehrnaz

    2006-01-01

    There are many controversial issues surrounding ethics in study design and conduct of human subjects research. In this review we briefly touch on the origin of ethics in clinical research and how the current regulations and standards came into practice. We then discuss current controversies regarding informed consent, conflicts of interest, institutional review boards, and other relevant issues such as innovative procedures and quality improvement projects. The question of whether we need more standards is a very important yet challenging one to which there is no simple answer. We address this question by reviewing and commenting on relevant literature. We conclude that what is needed are not more standards per se, but rather refinement and uniformity of current standards, and their interpretation and application both to protect human subjects and to advance medicine. PMID:17184560

  3. 75 FR 9878 - Draft Principles and Standards Sections of the “Economic and Environmental Principles and...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-03-04

    ... COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY Draft Principles and Standards Sections of the ``Economic and... the ``Economic and Environmental Principles and Guidelines for Water and Related Land Resources... may be accessed at the Internet addresses indicated: ``Economic and Environmental Principles and...

  4. A comparative review of accident studies from recent environmental impact statements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mueller, C.; Folga, S.; Nabelssi, B.

    1996-01-01

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has recently prepared or is in the process of preparing a number of programmatic and site-specific environmental impact statements (EISs). This study was conducted for the purpose of reviewing the self-consistency of programmatic alternatives, associated relative impacts, and supporting data, methods, and assumptions in EISs prepared for related activities. The following EISs, which deal with waste management issues, are reviewed in this paper (the parenthetical acronyms are referred to in Table 1): (1) Final Environmental Impact Statement, Savannah River Site Waste Management, DOE/EIS-0217, Vol. II, July 1995. (SRS WM-EIS), (2) Draft Waste Management Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Managing Treatment, Storage, and Disposal of Radioactive and Hazardous Waste, DOE/EIS-0200-D, Vol. IV, Aug. 1995. (WM PEIS), (3) Final Environmental Impact Statement, Interim Management of Nuclear Materials at the Savannah River Site. DOE/EIS-0220, Oct. 1995. (IMNM EIS), (4) Department of Energy Programmatic Spent Nuclear Fuel Management and Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Programs Environmental Impact Statement, DOE/EIS-0203-F, April 1995. (INEL Site-Wide-EIS), (5) Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Disposition of Surplus Highly Enriched Uranium, DOE/EIS-0240-D, Oct. 1995. (HEU Disposition EIS), (6) Final Environmental Impact Statement, Safe Interim Storage of Hanford Tank Wastes, Hanford Site, Richland, Washington, DOE/EIS-0212, Oct. 1995. (SIS EIS). This study compares the facility accident analysis approaches used in these EISs vis-a-vis the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) guidance developed by DOE (Recommendations for the Preparation of Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements, Office of NEPA Oversight). The purpose of the comparative review of these approaches with NEPA guidance is to identify potential preferred paths for future EISs

  5. Environmental impact of power generation: a review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lima-e-Silva, Pedro Paulo de

    1996-01-01

    The increasing worldwide concern about the planet health is reflected in the willing-to-pay behavior in face of environmentally sound products (the case of American unleaded gasoline) and also in the recently approved international standards as ISO-14000. Considering this, a comparison between major energy sources, like Hydro, Thermal and Nuclear electricity, strictly in terms of environmental impact, becomes relevant. this paper intends to trace a critical analysis of the actual environmental impact occurred in the last 20 years, comparing it with the imagined impact that was foreseen 20 years ago, and making some comments about the future. What one sees nowadays is quite a different situation as it was seen by the environmentalists in Brazil at that time (1976). The cost of land around rivers has increased significantly; social problem with flooding land is even critical in several areas; forests are given higher value than ever; the CO 2 yield has become a world concern, as SOx and NOx as well; C H4 released from flooded forests is a powerful greenhouse gas; the safety of Nuclear Power Plants are still questioned, as well whether or not the uranium reserves are going to support an increasing demand for more 20 years; new standards in public acceptance of pollution has been established. A greater dose of rationale should be put into this discussion. (author)

  6. Environmental risk factors for autism: an evidence-based review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Modabbernia, Amirhossein; Velthorst, Eva; Reichenberg, Abraham

    2017-01-01

    According to recent evidence, up to 40-50% of variance in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) liability might be determined by environmental factors. In the present paper, we conducted a review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of environmental risk factors for ASD. We assessed each review for quality of evidence and provided a brief overview of putative mechanisms of environmental risk factors for ASD. Current evidence suggests that several environmental factors including vaccination, maternal smoking, thimerosal exposure, and most likely assisted reproductive technologies are unrelated to risk of ASD. On the contrary, advanced parental age is associated with higher risk of ASD. Birth complications that are associated with trauma or ischemia and hypoxia have also shown strong links to ASD, whereas other pregnancy-related factors such as maternal obesity, maternal diabetes, and caesarian section have shown a less strong (but significant) association with risk of ASD. The reviews on nutritional elements have been inconclusive about the detrimental effects of deficiency in folic acid and omega 3, but vitamin D seems to be deficient in patients with ASD. The studies on toxic elements have been largely limited by their design, but there is enough evidence for the association between some heavy metals (most important inorganic mercury and lead) and ASD that warrants further investigation. Mechanisms of the association between environmental factors and ASD are debated but might include non-causative association (including confounding), gene-related effect, oxidative stress, inflammation, hypoxia/ischemia, endocrine disruption, neurotransmitter alterations, and interference with signaling pathways. Compared to genetic studies of ASD, studies of environmental risk factors are in their infancy and have significant methodological limitations. Future studies of ASD risk factors would benefit from a developmental psychopathology approach, prospective design, precise exposure

  7. Fish bioaccumulation and biomarkers in environmental risk assessment : a review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Oost, Ron; Beyer, Jonny; Vermeulen, Nico P E

    In this review, a wide array of bioaccumulation markers and biomarkers, used to demonstrate exposure to and effects of environmental contaminants, has been discussed in relation to their feasibility in environmental risk assessment (ERA). Fish bioaccumulation markers may be applied in order to

  8. Chromium: a review of environmental and occupational toxicology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bencko, V

    1985-01-01

    The following topics are covered in this brief review on the environmental and occupational toxicology of chromium: occurrence, production and uses of chromium and chromium compounds; experimental toxicology; chromium toxicity for man; hygienic and ecologic aspects of chromium contamination of the environment. The review provides a conclusive evidence which suggests that chromium, especially its hexavalent form, is both toxic and carcinogenic, but its trivalent form is physiologically essential in the metabolism of insulin. It is also emphasized that among the major sources of environmental chromium today are the cement industry and the increasingly widespread use of chromium compounds added as an anticorrosion admixture to a variety of cooling systems, e.g. in large power plants, which may greatly contribute to the overall pollution of outdoor air at the sites.

  9. Chromium: a review of environmental and occupational toxicology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bencko, V

    1985-01-01

    The following topics are covered in this brief review on the environmental and occupational toxicology of chromium: occurrence, production and uses of chromium and chromium compounds; experimental toxicology; chromium toxicity for man; hygienic and ecologic aspects of chromium contamination of the environment. The review provides a conclusive evidence which suggests that chromium, especially its hexavalent form, is both toxic and carcinogenic, but its trivalent form is physiologically essential in the metabolism of insulin. It is also emphasized that among the major sources of environmental chromium today are the cement industry and the increasingly widespread use of chromium compounds added as an anticorrosion admixture to a variety of cooling systems, e.g. in large power plants, which may greatly contribute to the overall pollution of outdoor air at the sites. 108 references.

  10. 40 CFR 78.12 - Standard of review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ...) APPEAL PROCEDURES § 78.12 Standard of review. (a) On appeal of a decision of the Administrator prior to... properly issued or should be issued. (b) On appeal of a decision of the Administrator not covered by paragraph (a) of this section, the Administrator shall have the burden of going forward to show the rational...

  11. Occupational and environmental risk factors for chronic rhinosinusitis: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sundaresan, Agnes S; Hirsch, Annemarie G; Storm, Margaret; Tan, Bruce K; Kennedy, Thomas L; Greene, J Scott; Kern, Robert C; Schwartz, Brian S

    2015-11-01

    Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a prevalent and disabling paranasal sinus disease, with a likely multifactorial etiology potentially including hazardous occupational and environmental exposures. We completed a systematic review of the occupational and environmental literature to evaluate the quality of evidence of the role that hazardous exposures might play in CRS. We searched PubMed for studies of CRS and following exposure categories: occupation, employment, work, industry, air pollution, agriculture, farming, environment, chemicals, roadways, disaster, and traffic. We abstracted information from the final set of articles across 6 primary domains: study design; population; exposures evaluated; exposure assessment; CRS definition; and results. We identified 41 articles from 1080 manuscripts: 37 occupational risk papers, 1 environmental risk paper, and 3 papers studying both categories of exposures. None of the 41 studies used a CRS definition consistent with current diagnostic guidelines. Exposure assessment was generally dependent on self-report or binary measurements of exposure based on industry of employment. Only grain, dairy, and swine operations among farmers were evaluated by more than 1 study using a common approach to defining CRS, but employment in these settings was not consistently associated with CRS. The multiple other exposures did not meet quality standards for reporting associations or were not evaluated by more than 1 study. The current state of the literature allows us to make very few conclusions about the role of hazardous occupational or environmental exposures in CRS, leaving a critical knowledge gap regarding potentially modifiable risk factors for disease onset and progression. © 2015 ARS-AAOA, LLC.

  12. Fluorine--a current literature review. An NRC and ATSDR based review of safety standards for exposure to fluorine and fluorides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prystupa, Jeff

    2011-02-01

    A review of the literature of the element fluorine and its bonded-form, fluoride, was undertaken. Generally regarded as safe, an expanding body of literature reveals that fluoride's toxicity has been unappreciated, un-scrutinized, and hidden for over 70 years. The context for the literature search and review was an environmental climate-change study, which demonstrated widespread fluoride contamination by smokestack emissions from coal-fired electricity-generating plants. The objective of this review is to educate and inform regarding the ubiquitous presence and harmful nature of this now ever-present corrosive and reactive toxin. Methods include examination of national health agency reviews, primarily the National Research Council (NRC), Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry (ATSDR), standard medical toxicology references, text books, as well as reports and documents from both private and public research as well as consumer-based NGOs. Study criteria were chosen for relevancy to the subject of the toxicity of fluoride. Fluoride is the extreme electron scavenger, the most corrosive of all elements, as well as the most-reactive. Fluoride appears to attack living tissues, via several mechanisms. Fluoride renders strong evidence that it is a non-biological chemical, demonstrating no observed beneficial function or role in organic chemistry, beyond use as a pesticide or insecticide. Fluorine has a strong role to play in industry, having been utilized extensively in metals, plastics, paints, aluminium, steel, and uranium production. Due to its insatiable appetite for calcium, fluorine and fluorides likely represent a form of chemistry that is incompatible with biological tissues and organ system functions. Based on an analysis of the affects of fluoride demonstrated consistently in the literature, safe levels have not been determined nor standardized. Mounting evidence presents conflicting value to its presence in biological settings and applications. Evidence

  13. A Peer Review of the RPII Environmental Monitoring Programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mitchell, P.; Hunt, J.; Ledgerwood, K.; Nielsen, S.; O'Donnell, C

    2009-12-01

    The RPII has since the early 1980s carried out an environmental monitoring programme covering radioactivity in air, food and water. The primary focus of this programme has been the assessment of human exposure and the protection of human health. The programme aims to meet Irish and European Union legal requirements, other national and international commitments and to support the RPII's advisory and information provision functions. In 2009 the RPII had the scope and effectiveness of its monitoring programme reviewed by an international peer group. This report provides the background to the review; an overview of the documents provided to the peer group for conduction of the review; and the comments and recommendations by the peer group. The key objectives of the review was to consider whether the RPII environmental monitoring programme is meeting the stated aims and objectives and to provide recommendations for improvement if required. This exercise is part of a continual process of review and improvement of the RPII's monitoring programme. It addresses both continuous monitoring and project based elements of the programme. It was designed to be conducted at a strategic rather than an operational level

  14. Free Trade and Labour and Environmental Standards in MERCOSUR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María Belén Olmos Giupponi

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available The main argument put forward in the article is that MERCOSUR accommodated the protection of human rights as non-trade issues in its institutional framework, analysing the conflict between the protection of human rights and trade issues at the sub-regional level. In order to give a complete and clear picture of these developments, the paper examines member states' constitutional provisions and the implementation of MERCOSUR labour and environmental standards before national courts.

  15. Use of a Concentration Game for Environmental Chemistry Class Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nowosielski, Danica A.

    2007-01-01

    The concentration game can be used as a complete class or a portion of it to help reinforce the material being presented or for review sessions. An environmental chemistry class review is presented with the use of the concentration game.

  16. 24 CFR 970.13 - Environmental review requirements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    .... Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq., or a disaster that has been... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Environmental review requirements. 970.13 Section 970.13 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban...

  17. Standard Review Plan for the review of safety analysis reports for nuclear power plants, updates. Irregular repts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1980-01-01

    The Standard Review Plan (SRP) is prepared for the guidance of staff reviewers in the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation in performing safety reviews of applications to construct or operate nuclear power plants. The principal purpose of the SRP is to assure the quality and uniformity of staff reviews, and to present a well-defined base from which to evaluate proposed changes in the scope and requirements of reviews. It is also a purpose of the SRP to make information about regulatory matters widely available and to improve communication and understanding of the staff review process by interested members of the public and the nuclear power industry. The Standard Review Plan is written so as to cover a variety of site conditions and plant designs. Each section is written to provide the complete procedure and all acceptance criteria for all of the areas of review pertinent to that section. However, for any given application, the staff reviewers may select and emphasize particular aspects of each SRP section as is appropriate for the application

  18. 78 FR 78998 - 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: HUD Environmental Review Online System (HEROS)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-12-27

    ... Information Collection: HUD Environmental Review Online System (HEROS) AGENCY: Office of Community Planning... Information Collection Title of Information Collection: HUD Environmental Review Online System (HEROS). OMB... online tool called the HUD Environmental Review Online System (HEROS), which will allow users to complete...

  19. Approaches to environmental public health: Bogotá and Medellín. Literature review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lina María Rincón Forero

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Environmental health is closely related with the prevention of diseases due to the fact that: physical, environmental, chemical, biological and social factors can inuence the outcome. Due to the tremendous growth and notorious increase in contamination, the national and regional government has been forced to intervene. They have tailored specic plans according to the city that is being affected, in order to better the population’s situation. Objective: To evaluate and compare the environmental health policies in Bogota and Medellin to determine their impact on the population. Materials and methods: A systematic review of literature was conducted in the cities of Bogotá and Medellín, about the impact and context of environmental health programs, to do that a search for articles and compilation of public policies was conducted by consulting various databases in the last decade. Results: We found that it is possible to obtain some quantitative results on the degree of pollution and changes in these over time intervention as development plans available in the city of Medellin. The available data for the city of Bogotá are unclear or nonexistent and therefore no proper monitoring for these. Conclusions: deciency is observed in the follow according to standards established by OMS because no continuity is given to the various projects by the change in administration. It is necessary to conduct a comparative analysis of environmental health programs and sustainable development through qualitative study.

  20. A review of mathematical models in economic environmental problems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nahorski, Z.; Ravn, H.F.

    2000-01-01

    The paper presents a review of mathematical models used,in economic analysis of environmental problems. This area of research combines macroeconomic models of growth, as dependent on capital, labour, resources, etc., with environmental models describing such phenomena like natural resources...... exhaustion or pollution accumulation and degradation. In simpler cases the models can be treated analytically and the utility function can be optimized using, e.g., such tools as the maximum principle. In more complicated cases calculation of the optimal environmental policies requires a computer solution....

  1. The new Basic Safety Standards Directive and its implications for environmental monitoring

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Janssens, Augustin; Necheva, Christina; Tanner, Vesa; Turai, István

    2013-01-01

    Monitoring of levels of radioactivity in the environment is enshrined in Chapter 3 of the Euratom Treaty, in particular its Articles 35 and 36. These requirements in primary law have had an important impact on the importance of monitoring in Europe but have not been worked out in much detail in secondary legislation. The consolidation and revision of the Basic Safety Standards Directive was an opportunity for doing so. The requirements in Directive 96/29/Euratom had remained rather general. Now, more specific text is introduced on the establishment of discharge authorisations for radioactive effluents, and on monitoring these discharges. Requirements on estimation of public exposures and on environmental monitoring programmes have largely been copied from the old basic safety standards (BSS), however. The main novelty of the new BSS is the introduction of exposure situations, as defined by the ICRP in Publication 103 (2007). Environmental monitoring as part of the management of an emergency exposure situation is now addressed more clearly. As for existing exposure situations, indoor exposure to radon requires extensive surveys of indoor air or soil concentrations, and precise requirements are made on the management of residues from industries processing naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) as well as on the monitoring of building materials. Although the BSS do not address specific monitoring issues, studies have been undertaken on effluents from hospitals and on long-term management of uranium mining areas. The proposal for the new Basic Safety Standards Directive is examined in the light of experience of the accident at Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant disabled by the terrible tsunami on 11 March 2011. The arrangements for information exchange in a normal situation and in an emergency exposure situation need to be looked at from this perspective as well as from the perspective of smaller incidents such as the release of 131 I in Hungary in autumn

  2. Environmental policy without costs? A review of the Porter hypothesis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Braennlund, Runar; Lundgren, Tommy. e-mail: runar.brannlund@econ.umu.se

    2009-03-15

    This paper reviews the theoretical and empirical literature connected to the so called Porter Hypothesis. That is, to review the literature connected to the discussion about the relation between environmental policy and competitiveness. According to the conventional wisdom environmental policy, aiming for improving the environment through for example emission reductions, do imply costs since scarce resources must be diverted from somewhere else. However, this conventional wisdom has been challenged and questioned recently through what has been denoted the 'Porter hypothesis'. Those in the forefront of the Porter hypothesis challenge the conventional wisdom basically on the ground that resources are used inefficiently in the absence of the right kind of environmental regulations, and that the conventional neo-classical view is too static to take inefficiencies into account. The conclusions that can be made from this review is (1) that the theoretical literature can identify the circumstances and mechanisms that must exist for a Porter effect to occur, (2) that these circumstances are rather non-general, hence rejecting the Porter hypothesis in general, (3) that the empirical literature give no general support for the Porter hypothesis. Furthermore, a closer look at the 'Swedish case' reveals no support for the Porter hypothesis in spite of the fact that Swedish environmental policy the last 15-20 years seems to be in line the prerequisites stated by the Porter hypothesis concerning environmental policy

  3. Environmental impact of energy standards - Perspectives for Swiss building; Umweltwirkungen von Energiestandards. Perspektiven fuer den Gebaeudepark Schweiz

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dettli, R.; Baur, M.; Philippen, D. [Econcept AG, Zuerich (Switzerland); Frischknecht, R.; Faist Emmenegger, M. [ESU-Services GmbH, Uster (Switzerland)

    2006-12-15

    This comprehensive final report for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) deals with the effects energy standards have in the environmental area. First of all, the buildings examined, system limits and reference parameters and indicators are defined. The standards examined, types of building and energy systems used are dealt with, as are energy performance figures and Swiss standards such as SIA 380/1, MuKEn, Minergie and Minergie-P. The environmental loading caused by building activities is discussed both in general as well as for various particular standards. The influence of various factors such as the use of heat pumps, the electricity mix used and buildings with oil heating is discussed. The results for new and refurbished buildings are examined and future developments in the Swiss residential buildings area and their environmental impact are discussed. A comprehensive annex completes the report.

  4. Physical environmental correlates of childhood obesity: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunton, G F; Kaplan, J; Wolch, J; Jerrett, M; Reynolds, K D

    2009-07-01

    Increasing rates of childhood obesity in the USA and other Western countries are a cause for serious public health concern. Neighborhood and community environments are thought to play a contributing role in the development of obesity among youth, but it is not well understood which types of physical environmental characteristics have the most potential to influence obesity outcomes. This paper reports the results of a systematic review of quantitative research examining built and biophysical environmental variables associated with obesity in children and adolescents through physical activity. Literature searches in PubMed, PsychInfo and Geobase were conducted. Fifteen quantitative studies met the inclusion criteria for this systematic review. The majority of studies were cross-sectional and published after 2005. Overall, few consistent findings emerged. For children, associations between physical environmental variables and obesity differed by gender, age, socioeconomic status, population density and whether reports were made by the parent or child. Access to equipment and facilities, neighborhood pattern (e.g. rural, exurban, suburban) and urban sprawl were associated with obesity outcomes in adolescents. For most environmental variables considered, strong empirical evidence is not yet available. Conceptual gaps, methodological limitations and future research directions are discussed.

  5. Environmental effects of postfire logging: literature review and annotated bibliography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    James D. McIver; Lynn Starr

    2000-01-01

    The scientific literature on logging after wildfire is reviewed, with a focus on environmental effects of logging and removal of large woody structure. Rehabilitation, the practice of planting or seeding after logging, is not reviewed here. Several publications are cited that can be described as “commentaries,” intended to help frame the public debate. We review 21...

  6. [Study of self-reported health of people living near point sources of environmental pollution: a review. First part: health indicators].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daniau, C; Dor, F; Eilstein, D; Lefranc, A; Empereur-Bissonnet, P; Dab, W

    2013-08-01

    Epidemiological studies have investigated the health impacts of local sources of environmental pollution using as an outcome variable self-reported health, reflecting the overall perception interviewed people have of their own health. This work aims at analyzing the advantages and the results of this approach. A first step focused on describing the indicators. The literature on indicators of self-reported health was reviewed, leading to a discussion on data collection, selection of health effects, data processing, and construction of indicators. The literature review concerned 51 articles. The use of self-reported health indicators allowed the studies to take into account the health concerns and complaints of populations exposed to environmental pollution. Various indicators of self-reported health were used in the studies. They measured physical, psychological and general dimensions of health. Standardized questionnaires were used less often than ad hoc questionnaires (78% of studies) developed to fit the needs of a given study. Three standardized questionnaires were used more frequently: the MOS Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) to measure general health perceptions, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), and the Symptoms Checklist (SCL-90) to measure psychological distress. The choice of self-reported health indicators is a compromise between specificity of the studied health issues within a given environment and standardization of the questionnaires used to measure them. Such standardization is necessary to ensure the validity and the reliability of the information collected across time and situations. The psychometric properties of the measuring questionnaires are rarely estimated or verified when they are used. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  7. Student Collaboration and Standards-Based Music Learning: A Literature Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cangro, Richard

    2016-01-01

    This article is a review of relevant literature on collaborative, standards-based music learning. The review is organized as follows: (a) historical perspective, (b) collaborative music learning, (c) collaboration and creating, (d) collaboration and performing, (e) collaboration and responding, and (f) conclusions. In an effort to bridge the gap…

  8. The international development of forensic science standards - A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson-Wilde, Linzi

    2018-04-16

    Standards establish specifications and procedures designed to ensure products, services and systems are safe, reliable and consistently perform as intended. Standards can be used in the accreditation of forensic laboratories or facilities and in the certification of products and services. In recent years there have been various international activities aiming at developing forensic science standards and guidelines. The most significant initiative currently underway within the global forensic community is the development of International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards. This paper reviews the main bodies working on standards for forensic science, the processes used and the implications for accreditation. This paper specifically discusses the work of ISO Technical Committee TC272, the future TC272 work program for the development of forensic science standards and associated timelines. Also discussed, are the lessons learnt to date in navigating the complex environment of multi-country stakeholder deliberations in standards development. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Research-based standards for accessible housing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Helle, Tina; Iwarsson, Susanne; Brandt, Åse

    Since standards for accessible housing seldom are manifestly based on research and vary cross nationally, it is important to examine if there exists any scientific evidence, supporting these standards. Thus, one aim of this study was to review the literature in search of such scientific evidence...... data on older citizens and their housing environment in Sweden, Germany and Latvia (n=1150), collected with the Housing Enabler instrument. Applying statistical simulation we explored how different national standards for housing design influenced the prevalence of common environmental barriers. Kaplan...... by the database search (n= 2,577), resulting in the inclusion of one publication. Contacts to leading researchers in the field identified five publications. The hand search of 22 journals led to one publication. We have exemplified how the prevalence of common environmental problems in housing environments...

  10. Book Review : Social and Environmental Accounting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lee C. Moerman

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available This edited 4 volume set comprises a selection of published papers in the field of social and environmentalaccounting, and is the latest series of books to emerge from the Centre for Social and EnvironmentalAccounting Research (CSEAR at the University of St Andrews, Scotland. The editors are: Rob Gray,Professor of Social and Environment Accounting and Director of CSEAR; Jan Bebbington, Professor ofAccounting and Sustainable Development and Director of the St Andrews Sustainability Institute; and SueGray, Research Fellow and Administrator of CSEAR. The books trace 40 years of development of social andenvironmental accounting (SEA through the reproduction of 80 key articles across the four volumes. Thepublication coincides with concerns and reporting challenges driven largely by the increase in size andinfluence of the corporate entity and global capitalism (Gray, Bebbington & Gray 2010. The editorsintertwine two strands of thought: the need for corporations to expand the scope of responsibility andaccountability relationships; and the consideration of sustainability in the face of environmental uncertainty.Social and environmental accounting; SEA; Book reviewsThis journal

  11. Review of the standard model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Treille, D.

    1992-01-01

    The goal of this review is not to make one more celebration of the accuracy of LEP results, but rather to put them in a broader perspective. This set of measurements are compared with what they could and should be in the future if the various options available at LEP are exploited properly, and show that much is left to be done. Then various classes of non-LEP results are discussed which are already remarkable and still prone to improvements, which bring complementary information on the Standard Model, by probing it in widely different domains of applicability. (author) 46 refs.; 29 figs.; 12 tabs

  12. Environmental Stewardship: A Conceptual Review and Analytical Framework

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bennett, Nathan J.; Whitty, Tara S.; Finkbeiner, Elena; Pittman, Jeremy; Bassett, Hannah; Gelcich, Stefan; Allison, Edward H.

    2018-04-01

    There has been increasing attention to and investment in local environmental stewardship in conservation and environmental management policies and programs globally. Yet environmental stewardship has not received adequate conceptual attention. Establishing a clear definition and comprehensive analytical framework could strengthen our ability to understand the factors that lead to the success or failure of environmental stewardship in different contexts and how to most effectively support and enable local efforts. Here we propose such a definition and framework. First, we define local environmental stewardship as the actions taken by individuals, groups or networks of actors, with various motivations and levels of capacity, to protect, care for or responsibly use the environment in pursuit of environmental and/or social outcomes in diverse social-ecological contexts. Next, drawing from a review of the environmental stewardship, management and governance literatures, we unpack the elements of this definition to develop an analytical framework that can facilitate research on local environmental stewardship. Finally, we discuss potential interventions and leverage points for promoting or supporting local stewardship and future applications of the framework to guide descriptive, evaluative, prescriptive or systematic analysis of environmental stewardship. Further application of this framework in diverse environmental and social contexts is recommended to refine the elements and develop insights that will guide and improve the outcomes of environmental stewardship initiatives and investments. Ultimately, our aim is to raise the profile of environmental stewardship as a valuable and holistic concept for guiding productive and sustained relationships with the environment.

  13. Environmental Stewardship: A Conceptual Review and Analytical Framework.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bennett, Nathan J; Whitty, Tara S; Finkbeiner, Elena; Pittman, Jeremy; Bassett, Hannah; Gelcich, Stefan; Allison, Edward H

    2018-04-01

    There has been increasing attention to and investment in local environmental stewardship in conservation and environmental management policies and programs globally. Yet environmental stewardship has not received adequate conceptual attention. Establishing a clear definition and comprehensive analytical framework could strengthen our ability to understand the factors that lead to the success or failure of environmental stewardship in different contexts and how to most effectively support and enable local efforts. Here we propose such a definition and framework. First, we define local environmental stewardship as the actions taken by individuals, groups or networks of actors, with various motivations and levels of capacity, to protect, care for or responsibly use the environment in pursuit of environmental and/or social outcomes in diverse social-ecological contexts. Next, drawing from a review of the environmental stewardship, management and governance literatures, we unpack the elements of this definition to develop an analytical framework that can facilitate research on local environmental stewardship. Finally, we discuss potential interventions and leverage points for promoting or supporting local stewardship and future applications of the framework to guide descriptive, evaluative, prescriptive or systematic analysis of environmental stewardship. Further application of this framework in diverse environmental and social contexts is recommended to refine the elements and develop insights that will guide and improve the outcomes of environmental stewardship initiatives and investments. Ultimately, our aim is to raise the profile of environmental stewardship as a valuable and holistic concept for guiding productive and sustained relationships with the environment.

  14. 42 CFR 137.294 - What is the typical IHS environmental review process for construction projects?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... SELF-GOVERNANCE Construction Nepa Process § 137.294 What is the typical IHS environmental review... impact on the environment, and therefore do not require environmental impact statements (EIS). Under current IHS procedures, an environmental review is performed on all construction projects. During the IHS...

  15. Technical standardization of oil well abandonment: a review of current standards and technologies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suzart, J. Walter P.; Pessoa, Laudemar; Paiva, Maria [Halliburton Energy Services (HES), Duncan, OK (United States)

    2008-07-01

    The objective of this study is to provide a new methodology for well abandonment. This practice is becoming more and more important because of the increasing number of production fields being abandoned. We strongly recommend a study of cement slurries properties for specific use in temporary and permanent abandonment plugs based on the estimation of the cement slurry hardened when placed in the well. By using specific additives, it is possible to achieve very stable slurries. For example, when permeability is reduced, formation fluid migration can be blocked and chemical reactions between the fluid and the slurry may be inhibited. With this objective, we present a laboratory investigation model and an example of slurry testing recommendation. During the abandonment operation, all records of the well characteristics should be maintained to include the reason for the abandonment, and location of fresh water, brine, and hydrocarbon zones that may exist. This documentation will also allow the analysis of solutions for the problems that originally caused the abandonment of the well. This data could be important for future use by environmental protection commissions to reopen or to drill an adjacent well. Given the high price of oil, it may now be economically feasible to reopen the well, if the reason for abandonment was low productivity. This way, a critical analysis of the current conditions of well and field abandonment in the country is presented. Based on this information, a review of the current standards is suggested. (author)

  16. Standard review plan for the review and evaluation of emergency plans for research and test reactors. Technical report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bates, E.F.; Grimes, B.K.; Ramos, S.L.

    1982-05-01

    This document provides a Standard Review Plan for the guidance of the NRC staff to assure that complete and uniform reviews are made of research and test reactor emergency plans. The report is organized under ten planning standards which correspond to the guidance criteria in Draft II of ANSI/ANS 15.16 as endorsed by Revision 1 to Regulatory Guide 2.6. The applicability of the items under each planning standard is indicated by subdivisions of the steady state thermal power levels at which the reactors are licensed to operate. Standard emergency classes and example action levels for research and test reactors which should initiate these classes are given in an Appendix

  17. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF A HEALTH TECHNOLOGY: A SCOPING REVIEW.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polisena, Julie; De Angelis, Gino; Kaunelis, David; Gutierrez-Ibarluzea, Iñaki

    2018-06-13

    The Health Technology Expert Review Panel is an advisory body to Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) that develops recommendations on health technology assessments (HTAs) for nondrug health technologies using a deliberative framework. The framework spans several domains, including the environmental impact of the health technology(ies). Our research objective was to identify articles on frameworks, methods or case studies on the environmental impact assessment of health technologies. A literature search in major databases and a focused gray literature search were conducted. The main search concepts were HTA and environmental impact/sustainability. Eligible articles were those that described a conceptual framework or methods used to conduct an environmental assessment of health technologies, and case studies on the application of an environmental assessment. From the 1,710 citations identified, thirteen publications were included. Two articles presented a framework to incorporate environmental assessment in HTAs. Other approaches described weight of evidence practices and comprehensive and integrated environmental impact assessments. Central themes derived include transparency and repeatability, integration of components in a framework or of evidence into a single outcome, data availability to ensure the accuracy of findings, and familiarity with the approach used. Each framework and methods presented have different foci related to the ecosystem, health economics, or engineering practices. Their descriptions suggested transparency, repeatability, and the integration of components or of evidence into a single outcome as their main strengths. Our review is an initial step of a larger initiative by CADTH to develop the methods and processes to address the environmental impact question in an HTA.

  18. Consensus values for NIST biological and environmental Standard Reference Materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roelandts, I.; Gladney, E.S.

    1998-01-01

    The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST, formerly the National Bureau of Standards or NBS) has produced numerous Standard Reference Materials (SRM) for use in biological and environmental analytical chemistry. The value listed on the ''NIST Certificate of Analysis'' is the present best estimate of the ''true'' concentration of that element and is not expected to deviate from that concentration by more than the stated uncertainty. However, NIST does not certify the elemental concentration of every constituent and the number of elements reported in the NIST programs tends to be limited.Numerous analysts have published concentration data on these reference materials. Major journals in analytical chemistry, books, proceedings and ''technical reports'' have been surveyed to collect these available literature values. A standard statistical approach has been employed to evaluate the compiled data. Our methodology has been developed in a series of previous papers. Some subjective criteria are first used to reject aberrant data. Following these eliminations, an initial arithmetic mean and standard deviation (S.D.) are computed from remaining data for each element. All data now outside two S.D. from the initial mean are dropped and a second mean and S.D. recalculated. These final means and associated S.D. are reported as ''consensus values'' in our tables. (orig.)

  19. Regulatory standards applicable or relevant to the independent Hanford environmental surveillance and oversight program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    King, S.E.; Hendrickson, P.L.; Siegel, M.R.; Woodruff, M.G.; Belfiglio, J.; Elliott, R.W.

    1990-03-01

    The authors reviewed federal and state statutes and regulations, as well as Department of Energy (DOE) orders and other guidance material, for potential applicability to the environmental surveillance program conducted for the Hanford site by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL). There are no federal or state statutes or regulations which are directly applicable to the environmental surveillance program. However, other regulatory schemes, while not directly applicable to the environmental surveillance program, are important insofar as they are indicative of regulatory concern and direction. Because of the evolving nature of environmental regulations, this area needs to be closely monitored for future impact on environmental surveillance activities. 9 refs.,

  20. Standard review plan for applications for sealed source and device evaluations and registrations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1996-11-01

    The purpose of this document is to provide the reviewer of a request for a sealed source or device safety evaluation with the information and materials necessary to make a determination that the product is acceptable for licensing purposes. It provides the reviewer with a listing of the applicable regulations and industry standards, policies affecting evaluation and registration, certain administrative procedures to be followed, and information on how to perform the evaluation and write the registration certificate. Standard review plans are prepared for the guidance of the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards staff responsible for the review of a sealed source or device application. This document is made available to the public as part of the Commission's policy to inform the nuclear industry and the general public of regulatory procedures and policies. Standard review plans are not substitutes for regulatory guides or the Commission's regulations and compliance with them is not required

  1. Standard review plan for applications for sealed source and device evaluations and registrations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1996-11-01

    The purpose of this document is to provide the reviewer of a request for a sealed source or device safety evaluation with the information and materials necessary to make a determination that the product is acceptable for licensing purposes. It provides the reviewer with a listing of the applicable regulations and industry standards, policies affecting evaluation and registration, certain administrative procedures to be followed, and information on how to perform the evaluation and write the registration certificate. Standard review plans are prepared for the guidance of the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards staff responsible for the review of a sealed source or device application. This document is made available to the public as part of the Commission`s policy to inform the nuclear industry and the general public of regulatory procedures and policies. Standard review plans are not substitutes for regulatory guides or the Commission`s regulations and compliance with them is not required.

  2. Assessing and Enhancing Environmental Sustainability: A Conceptual Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Little, John C; Hester, Erich T; Carey, Cayelan C

    2016-07-05

    While sustainability is an essential concept to ensure the future of humanity and the integrity of the resources and ecosystems on which we depend, identifying a comprehensive yet realistic way to assess and enhance sustainability may be one of the most difficult challenges of our time. We review the primary environmental sustainability assessment approaches, categorizing them as either being design-based or those that employ computational frameworks and/or indicators. We also briefly review approaches used for assessing economic and social sustainability because sustainability necessitates integrating environmental, economic, and social elements. We identify the collective limitations of the existing assessment approaches, showing that there is not a consistent definition of sustainability, that the approaches are generally not comprehensive and are subject to unintended consequences, that there is little to no connection between bottom-up and top-down approaches, and that the field of sustainability is largely fragmented, with a range of academic disciplines and professional organizations pursuing similar goals, but without much formal coordination. We conclude by emphasizing the need for a comprehensive definition of sustainability (that integrates environmental, economic, and social aspects) with a unified system-of-systems approach that is causal, modular, tiered, and scalable, as well as new educational and organizational structures to improve systems-level interdisciplinary integration.

  3. [Genomics basis of Arthrobacter spp. environmental adaptability– A review].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xinjian; Zhang, Guangzhi; Yang, Hetong

    2016-04-04

    Arthrobacter species are found ecologically diverse and can survive in various environments. Many strains of these species have metabolic versatility and can degrade many environmental pollutants. Arthrobacter species are thought to play important roles in catabolism of environmental pollutants in nature. In recent years, the genomes of many Arthrobacter strains have been sequenced, which provides comprehensive information to clarify the molecular mechanisms related to environmental adaptability of Arthrobacter species. These genomics findings revealed several features that are commonly observed in Arthrobacter strains allowing for survival under stressful conditions. These include an array of genes associated with sigma factors and responses to oxidative, osmotic, starvation and temperature stresses. The genomics basis of their environmental adaptability are reviewed, which is expected to provide useful information for applying Arthrobacter strains in pollution remediation and shed some light on other bacterial environmental adaptability researches.

  4. Why and how to implement an environmental management system based on ISO 14001 standard

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andrei, Veronica; Glodeanu, Florin; Rotaru, Ion

    1999-01-01

    The Ministry of Waters, Forests and Environmental Protection, the national environmental authority, licenses both subsidiaries of our company, Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) and Pitesti Nuclear Fuel Manufacturing Plant. As these nuclear facilities are designed, built and operated at the level of the international standards, the licensing process did not involve any difficulties related to the environmental impact, from technical point of view. Concerning future environmental licences including here those for other future nuclear facilities as Dry Spent Fuel Storage Facility and Unit 2, some changes should be expected for the licensing process. First of all the environmental impact assessment of any other new nuclear facility will have to consider the Unit 1 environmental impact assessment as point of start. One of the most important aspects should be how to demonstrate the conformance with environmental objectives or targets. (authors)

  5. Environmentally-induced cracking of zirconium alloys - a review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cox, B.

    1990-01-01

    The general field of environmentally-induced cracking of zirconium alloys has been reviewed and the phenomena that are observed and the progress in understanding the mechanisms are summarized. The details of the industrially important pellet-clad interaction failures of nuclear reactor fuel have been left for a companion review, and only observations on the mechanism are summarized briefly here. It is concluded that in the zirconium alloy system, by virtue of the physical peculiarities of the system, it is easier to reach unambiguous conclusions about the environmental cracking mechanisms that are operating than with other systems. Thus, chemical dissolution in either liquid or vapour phase is thought to be the principal mechanism for intergranular cracking, while adsorption-induced embrittlement is thought to be the most common transgranular quasi-cleavage process. Hydrogen embrittlement in this system can be identified because it requires precipitated hydride that gives characteristic fractography when cracked. Only in a few instances does stress-corrosion cracking appear to proceed by a hydride cracking mechanism. (orig.)

  6. 78 FR 31315 - Kraft Pulp Mills NSPS Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-05-23

    ... Kraft Pulp Mills NSPS Review; Proposed Rule #0;#0;Federal Register / Vol. 78 , No. 100 / Thursday, May...-OAR-2012-0640; FRL-9815-9] RIN 2060-AR64 Kraft Pulp Mills NSPS Review AGENCY: Environmental Protection... performance standards for kraft pulp mills. These revised standards include particulate matter emission limits...

  7. Environmental auditing and the role of the accountancy profession: a literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Moor, Philippe; de Beelde, Ignace

    2005-08-01

    This review of the literature on environmental auditing and the potential role of accountants distinguishes between compliance audits and audits of the environmental management system. After an extensive introduction to the concept, this review focuses on the similarities and differences between an environmental audit and a financial statement audit. The general approach to both types of audits is similar, except that environmental audits are largely unregulated. Both audits place an emphasis on the evaluation of control systems, which is an argument in favor of external auditors playing a role in environmental audits. Another argument for including external accountants is their code of ethics. However, these professionals seem to be reluctant to enter the field of environmental auditing. It is argued that this reluctance is because of a lack of generally accepted principles for conducting environmental audits. If external accountants are engaged in environmental auditing, they should be part of multidisciplinary teams that also include scientists and engineers to avoid a too strong focus on procedures. Rather than treating these audits as totally different, it is proposed that there be a move towards integrated, or even universal, audits.

  8. Standard review plan for the review and evaluation of emergency plans for research and test reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1983-10-01

    This document provides a Standard Review Plan to assure that complete and uniform reviews are made of research and test reactor radiological emergency plans. The report is organized under ten planning standards which correspond to the guidance criteria in American National Standard ANSI/ANS 15.16 - 1982 as endorsed by Revision 1 to Regulatory Guide 2.6. The applicability of the items under each planning standard is indicated by subdivisions of the steady-state thermal power levels at which the reactors are licensed to operate. Standard emergency classes and example action levels for research and test reactors which should initiate these classes are given in an Appendix. The content of the emergency plan is as follows: the emergency plan addresses the necessary provisions for coping with radiological emergencies. Activation of the emergency plan is in response to the emergency action levels. In addition to addressing those severe emergencies that will fall within one of the standard emergency classes, the plan also discusses the necessary provisions to deal with radiological emergencies of lesser severity that can occur within the operations boundary. The emergency plan allows for emergency personnel to deviate from actions described in the plan for unusual or unanticipated conditions

  9. Pilot test of ANSI draft standard N13.29 environmental dosimetry -- Performance criteria for testing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klemic, G.; Shebell, P.; Monetti, M.; Raccah, F.; Sengupta, S.

    1998-09-01

    American National Standards Institute Draft N13.29 describes performance tests for environmental radiation dosimetry providers. If approved it would be the first step toward applying the types of performance testing now required in personnel dosimetry to environmental radiation monitoring. The objective of this study was to pilot test the draft standard, before it undergoes final balloting, on a small group of dosimetry providers that were selected to provide a mix of facility types, thermoluminescent dosimeter designs and monitoring program applications. The first phase of the pilot test involved exposing dosimeters to laboratory photon, beta, and x-ray sources at routine and accident dose levels. In the second phase, dosimeters were subjected to ninety days of simulated environmental conditions in an environmental chamber that cycled through extremes of temperature and humidity. Two out of seven participants passed all categories of the laboratory testing phase, and all seven passed the environmental test phase. While some relatively minor deficiencies were uncovered in the course of the pilot test, the results show that draft N13.29 describes useful tests that could be appropriate for environmental dosimetry providers. An appendix to this report contains recommendations that should be addressed by the N13.29 working group before draft N13.29 is submitted for balloting

  10. Overview of EPA's environmental standards for the land disposal of LLW and NARM waste - 1988

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gruhlke, J.M.; Galpin, F.L.; Holcomb, W.F.

    1988-01-01

    The Environmental Protection Agency program to develop proposed generally applicable environmental standards for land disposal of low-level radioactive waste (LLW) and certain naturally occurring and accelerator-produced radioactive wastes has been completed. The elements of the proposed standards include the following: (a) exposure limits for predisposal management and storage operations, (b) criteria for other regulatory agencies to follow in specifying wastes that are below regulatory concern; (c) postdisposal exposure limits, (d) groundwater protection requirements, and (e) qualitative implementation requirements. In addition to covering those radioactive wastes subject to the Atomic Energy Act, the Agency also intends to propose a standard to require the disposal of high concentration, naturally occurring and accelerator-produced radioactive materials wastes exceeding 2 nCi/g, excluding a few consumer items, in regulated LLW disposal facilities

  11. book review promoting environmental education in south african

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    (1987) analysis of the evolution of environmental studies in England offers ... his studic., of geography, biology and rural studk~. (Part Two) to provide the empirical data required to examine each hypothesis. In this paper, I review these generalisable .... education in the nineteenth century, where emphasis was increasingly ...

  12. Environmental considerations for international projects in coastal waters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ryan, P.J.; Kubanis, S.A.

    1994-01-01

    From the industrial revolution until the late 1960s, development and the environment were largely viewed as mutually exclusive. In the late 1960s a change in public awareness and attitude emerged, and since the U.N Conference on the Human Environment in 1972 there has been a significant change in the global perception of the relationship between the environment and development. Recognition that renewable resources, such as forests, atmospheric oxygen, and soil, can be harvested indefinitely through sound management practices has led to the current focus on sustainable development. When the National Environmental Policy Act was adopted in 1969, a comprehensive environmental management process was set in place. The impact of these regulations was felt by different industries at different levels, with the initial brunt being borne by the power industry, followed by the petroleum industry. In recent years the mining industry has been heavily impacted. Although industry has been increasingly regulated in the US since 1969, development in many other countries was not subject to environmental review or regulation. In recent years, however, this picture has changed dramatically. Currently, most other industrialized, and many developing countries have environmental laws, regulations, and review processes in place. For example, Indonesia, Thailand, Republic of China, Ecuador, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, and Russia all have environmental laws, standards, and/or review requirements applicable to petroleum and other industrial developments. Most Western European and Pacific Rim countries have environmental standards and review processes in place. In Eastern Europe, Asia and South America, about half of the countries have regulations, and in Africa a small but growing number of countries have some level of environmental regulation

  13. Review of orders and regulations requiring environmental protection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kelly, E.; Cunningham, R.; Michael, D.

    1996-01-01

    With the increased awareness of and interest in potential ecological risks associated with past, current, and future Department of Energy (DOE) activities, DOE's Defense Programs (DP) Office of Technical and Environmental Support sponsored a study to (1) evaluate the effectiveness of the current compliance-driven environmental protection and assessment efforts relative to ecological concerns; (2) explore the need for a more focused, integrated approach to address ecological impacts; and (3) identify the requirements for an integrated approach. The study explored four questions. (a) Which federal regulations and DOE orders either explicitly require ecological assessments or implicitly require them through environmental protection language? (b) What currently is being done at selected DOE facilities to implement these regulations and orders? (c) What are private sector industries doing in terms of ecological risk assessments and how do industry approaches and issues compare with those of DOE? (d) What, if anything, in addition to current efforts is needed to ensure the protection of ecological resources associated with DOE facilities, to support defensible decision making, and to improve efficiency? The results of this study are presented in a report titled open-quotes Integrated, Comprehensive Ecological Impact Assessments In Support of Department of Energy Decision Makingclose quotes. This report is a companion document to that report. This report provides a more detailed discussion of the document reviews of the relevant environmental protection regulations and current and pending DOE orders. The main goal of the document reviews was to understand existing requirements for ecological data collection and impact assessments

  14. WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region: A Systematic Review on Environmental Noise and Adverse Birth Outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J; Ristovska, Gordana; Dadvand, Payam

    2017-10-19

    Introduction: Three recent systematic reviews suggested a relationship between noise exposure and adverse birth outcomes. The aim of this review was to evaluate the evidence for the World Health Organization (WHO) noise guidelines and conduct an updated systematic review of environmental noise, specifically aircraft and road traffic noise and birth outcomes, such as preterm birth, low birth weight, being small for gestational age and congenital malformations. Materials and methods : We reviewed again all the papers on environmental noise and birth outcomes included in the previous three systematic reviews and conducted a systematic search on noise and birth outcomes to update previous reviews. Web of Science, PubMed and Embase electronic databases were searched for papers published between June 2014 (end date of previous systematic review) and December 2016 using a list of specific search terms. Studies were also screened in the reference list of relevant reviews/articles. Further inclusion and exclusion criteria for the studies provided by the WHO expert group were applied. Risk of bias was assessed according to criteria from the Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment scale for case-control and cohort studies. Finally, we applied the GRADE principles to our systematic review in a reproducible and appropriate way for judgment about quality of evidence. Results: In total, 14 studies are included in this review, six studies on aircraft noise and birth outcomes, five studies (two with more or less the same population) on road traffic noise and birth outcomes and three related studies on total ambient noise that is likely to be mostly traffic noise that met the criteria. The number of studies on environmental noise and birth outcomes is small and the quality of evidence generally ranges from very low to low, particularly in case of the older studies. The quality is better for the more recent traffic noise and birth outcomes studies. As there were too few studies, we did

  15. WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region: A Systematic Review on Environmental Noise and Adverse Birth Outcomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark J. Nieuwenhuijsen

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Three recent systematic reviews suggested a relationship between noise exposure and adverse birth outcomes. The aim of this review was to evaluate the evidence for the World Health Organization (WHO noise guidelines and conduct an updated systematic review of environmental noise, specifically aircraft and road traffic noise and birth outcomes, such as preterm birth, low birth weight, being small for gestational age and congenital malformations. Materials and methods: We reviewed again all the papers on environmental noise and birth outcomes included in the previous three systematic reviews and conducted a systematic search on noise and birth outcomes to update previous reviews. Web of Science, PubMed and Embase electronic databases were searched for papers published between June 2014 (end date of previous systematic review and December 2016 using a list of specific search terms. Studies were also screened in the reference list of relevant reviews/articles. Further inclusion and exclusion criteria for the studies provided by the WHO expert group were applied. Risk of bias was assessed according to criteria from the Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment scale for case-control and cohort studies. Finally, we applied the GRADE principles to our systematic review in a reproducible and appropriate way for judgment about quality of evidence. Results: In total, 14 studies are included in this review, six studies on aircraft noise and birth outcomes, five studies (two with more or less the same population on road traffic noise and birth outcomes and three related studies on total ambient noise that is likely to be mostly traffic noise that met the criteria. The number of studies on environmental noise and birth outcomes is small and the quality of evidence generally ranges from very low to low, particularly in case of the older studies. The quality is better for the more recent traffic noise and birth outcomes studies. As there were too few

  16. Nursing competency standards in primary health care: an integrative review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Halcomb, Elizabeth; Stephens, Moira; Bryce, Julianne; Foley, Elizabeth; Ashley, Christine

    2016-05-01

    This paper reports an integrative review of the literature on nursing competency standards for nurses working in primary health care and, in particular, general practice. Internationally, there is growing emphasis on building a strong primary health care nursing workforce to meet the challenges of rising chronic and complex disease. However, there has been limited emphasis on examining the nursing workforce in this setting. Integrative review. A comprehensive search of relevant electronic databases using keywords (e.g. 'competencies', 'competen*' and 'primary health care', 'general practice' and 'nurs*') was combined with searching of the Internet using the Google scholar search engine. Experts were approached to identify relevant grey literature. Key websites were also searched and the reference lists of retrieved sources were followed up. The search focussed on English language literature published since 2000. Limited published literature reports on competency standards for nurses working in general practice and primary health care. Of the literature that is available, there are differences in the reporting of how the competency standards were developed. A number of common themes were identified across the included competency standards, including clinical practice, communication, professionalism and health promotion. Many competency standards also included teamwork, education, research/evaluation, information technology and the primary health care environment. Given the potential value of competency standards, further work is required to develop and test robust standards that can communicate the skills and knowledge required of nurses working in primary health care settings to policy makers, employers, other health professionals and consumers. Competency standards are important tools for communicating the role of nurses to consumers and other health professionals, as well as defining this role for employers, policy makers and educators. Understanding the content

  17. 24 CFR 1000.20 - Is an Indian tribe required to assume environmental review responsibilities?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Is an Indian tribe required to assume environmental review responsibilities? 1000.20 Section 1000.20 Housing and Urban Development... § 1000.20 Is an Indian tribe required to assume environmental review responsibilities? (a) No. It is an...

  18. Low vs Standard Pressures in Gynecologic Laparoscopy: a Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kyle, Esther B; Maheux-Lacroix, Sarah; Boutin, Amélie; Laberge, Philippe Y; Lemyre, Madeleine

    2016-01-01

    The optimal intraperitoneal pressure during laparoscopy is not known. Recent literature found benefits of using lower pressures, but the safety of doing abdominal surgery with low peritoneal pressures needs to be assessed. This systematic review compares low with standard pneumoperitoneum during gynecologic laparoscopy. We searched Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library for randomized controlled trials comparing intraperitoneal pressures during gynecologic laparoscopy. Two authors reviewed references and extracted data from included trials. Risk ratios, mean differences, and standard mean differences were calculated and pooled using RevMan5. Of 2251 studies identified, three were included in the systematic review, for a total of 238 patients. We found a statistically significant but modest diminution in postoperative pain of 0.38 standardized unit based on an original 10-point scale (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.67 to -0.08) during the immediate postoperative period when using low intraperitoneal pressure of 8 mm Hg compared with ≥ 12 mm Hg and of 0.50 (95% CI, -0.80 to -0.21) 24 hours after the surgery. Lower pressures were associated with worse visualization of the surgical field (risk ratio, 10.31; 95% CI, 1.29-82.38). We found no difference between groups over blood loss, duration of surgery, hospital length of stay, or the need for increased pressure. Low intraperitoneal pressures during gynecologic laparoscopy cannot be recommended on the behalf of this review because improvement in pain scores is minimal and visualization of the surgical field is affected. The safety of this intervention as well as cost-effectiveness considerations need to be further studied.

  19. Determination of technetium-99 in environmental samples: A review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shi Keliang; Hou Xiaolin; Roos, Per; Wu Wangsuo

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► The source term, physicochemical properties, environmental distribution and behaviour of 99 Tc are presented. ► Various sample pre-treatment and pre-concentration techniques of technetium are discussed. ► Chemical separation and purification techniques for 99 Tc in environmental samples are reviewed. ► Measurement techniques for 99 Tc in environmental level and automated analytical methods are reviewed. ► The reported analytical methods of 99 Tc are critically compared to provide overall information. - Abstract: Due to the lack of a stable technetium isotope, and the high mobility and long half-life, 99 Tc is considered to be one of the most important radionuclides in safety assessment of environmental radioactivity as well as nuclear waste management. 99 Tc is also an important tracer for oceanographic research due to the high technetium solubility in seawater as TcO 4 − . A number of analytical methods, using chemical separation combined with radiometric and mass spectrometric measurement techniques, have been developed over the past decades for determination of 99 Tc in different environmental samples. This article summarizes and compares recently reported chemical separation procedures and measurement methods for determination of 99 Tc. Due to the extremely low concentration of 99 Tc in environmental samples, the sample preparation, pre-concentration, chemical separation and purification for removal of the interferences for detection of 99 Tc are the most important issues governing the accurate determination of 99 Tc. These aspects are discussed in detail in this article. Meanwhile, the different measurement techniques for 99 Tc are also compared with respect to advantages and drawbacks. Novel automated analytical methods for rapid determination of 99 Tc using solid extraction or ion exchange chromatography for separation of 99 Tc, employing flow injection or sequential injection approaches are also discussed.

  20. A Systematic Review of Children's Environmental Health in Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Froes Asmus, Carmen I R; Camara, Volney M; Landrigan, Philip J; Claudio, Luz

    2016-01-01

    In the region of the Americas, approximately 100,000 children under the age of 5 years die each year due to environmental hazards. Brazil, due to its large size and wide range of environmental challenges, presents numerous hazards to children's health. The aim of this study was to systematically review the scientific literature that describes children's exposures to environmental pollutants in Brazil and their effects on Brazilian children's health. A systematic review of the scientific literature was performed without language restrictions and time of publication (years). The literature search was conducted in the following key resources: PubMed (MEDLINE), Scopus and Web of Science with the MeSH Terms: Environmental exposure AND Brazil (filters: Human, Child [birth to 18 years] and Affiliation Author). The Virtual Health Library was also employed to access the databases Scielo and Lilacs. The search strategy was [DeCS Terms]: Child OR adolescent AND Environmental exposure AND Brazil. Health effects in children associated with exposure to environmental pollutants in Brazil were reported in 74 studies, during the period between 1995 and 2015. The most frequently cited effect was hospital admission for respiratory causes including wheezing, asthma, and pneumonia among children living in areas with high concentrations of air pollutants. A broad spectrum of other health effects possibly linked to pollutants also was found such as prematurity, low birth weight, congenital abnormality (cryptorchidism, hypospadia, micropenis), poor performance in tests of psychomotor and mental development, and behavioral problems. Exposure to pesticides in utero and postnatally was associated with a high risk for leukemia in children Brazil for stricter monitoring of pollutant emissions and for health surveillance programs especially among vulnerable populations such as pregnant women and young children. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Realist review of policy intervention studies aimed at reducing exposures to environmental hazards in the United States

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dorie E. Apollonio

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Exposure to pollution is a significant risk to human health. However few studies have attempted to identify the types of policy interventions that can reduce the health risks of pollution exposure in the United States. The study objective was to conduct a realist review of policy interventions conducted or aimed at reducing chemical exposures in humans or the environment where exposure was measured. Methods A systematic literature search identified published articles that assessed policy interventions using exposure data. Two coders independently extracted data from the studies, assessing methods, context, details of interventions, outcomes, and risks of bias. Data were analyzed iteratively and manually to identify the most effective and transferrable types of interventions. The reasons for variability in the success of different interventions were explored. Results The review found that regulatory interventions that eliminate point sources of pollution appeared to reduce exposure to environmental hazards. Regular monitoring to provide environmental and human exposure data helped assess compliance with the regulatory standards. Educational and economic interventions were less successful. Conclusions Although some types of regulatory interventions appear to reduce exposures, our findings are limited by the nature of existing interventions, the weaknesses of the study designs used in the literature, and the lack of details on implementation. Information on contextual factors that influence implementation would assist with future reviews and could help identify effective interventions.

  2. Environmental context-dependent memory: a review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, S M; Vela, E

    2001-06-01

    To address questions about human memory's dependence on the coincidental environmental contexts in which events occur, we review studies of incidental environmental context-dependent memory in humans and report a meta-analysis. Our theoretical approach to the issue stems from Glenberg's (1997) contention that introspective thought (e.g., remembering, conceptualizing) requires cognitive resources normally used to represent the immediate environment. We propose that if tasks encourage processing of noncontextual information (i.e., introspective thought) at input and/or at test, then both learning and memory will be less dependent on the ambient environmental contexts in which those activities occur. The meta-analysis showed that across all studies, environmental context effects were reliable, and furthermore, that the use of noncontextual cues during learning (overshadowing) and at test (outshining), as well as mental reinstatement of appropriate context cues at test, all reduce the effect of environmental manipulations. We conclude that environmental context-dependent memory effects are less likely to occur under conditions in which the immediate environment is likely to be suppressed.

  3. Does disinfection of environmental surfaces influence nosocomial infection rates? A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dettenkofer, Markus; Wenzler, Sibylle; Amthor, Susanne; Antes, Gerd; Motschall, Edith; Daschner, Franz D

    2004-04-01

    To review the evidence on the effects of disinfection of environmental surfaces in hospitals (as compared with cleaning without use of disinfectants) on the occurrence of nosocomial infections. Systematic review of experimental and nonexperimental intervention studies dealing with environmental disinfection or cleaning in different health care settings. A total of 236 scientific articles were identified. None described a meta-analysis, systematic review, or randomized controlled trial. Only 4 articles described completed cohort studies matching the inclusion criteria. None of these studies showed lower infection rates associated with routine disinfection of surfaces (mainly floors) versus cleaning with detergent only. Disinfectants may pose a danger to staff, patients, and the environment and require special safety precautions. However, targeted disinfection of certain environmental surfaces is in certain instances an established component of hospital infection control. Given the complex, multifactorial nature of nosocomial infections, well-designed studies that systematically investigate the role of surface disinfection are required.

  4. Application of operating experience in environmental qualification program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, S.Y.; Wise, R.

    2000-01-01

    Environmental qualification (EQ) of equipment related to nuclear safety has been carried out in the nuclear community since the 70's. It started with electrical equipment and then expanded to include mechanical equipment. During this evolutionary process, the methods used for EQ have gone through a long period of refinement and clarification. Prior to 1971, qualification for equipment in licensed nuclear power plants was based on the use of electrical components of commonly accepted high industrial quality without the benefit of specific environmental qualification standards. Between 1971 and 1974, most plants used the criteria of IEEE Standard 323-1971 as the basis for demonstrating qualification. Also during this period related 'daughter' standards, mainly by IEEE, became available which addressed qualification for specific equipment items. After July 1974, plants were required to meet the more comprehensive guidelines specified in IEEE Standard 323-1974 and the related 'daughter' standards. IEEE Standard 323-1974 later evolved into IEEE Standard 323-1983. For nuclear power plants built in Ontario during the 70's, i.e. Pickering B and Bruce B, has included the environmental qualification requirements in their respective nuclear safety design guides. It is now recognized that they are not up to the current EQ standards. Darlington, constructed during the 80's, implemented the environmental qualification program in its project. An Environmental Qualification (EQ) Program is now under way in Ontario Power Generation (OPG) to formally implement the Environmental Qualification for Bruce B, Pickering B, and Pickering A and to preserve the Qualification for Darlington G.S. This paper makes a thorough a review of the standard methods used in the past by utilities for environmental qualification. These methods include type testing, analysis, and operating experience. Both type testing and analysis have been clearly defined in standards listed in References [2] to [6] and

  5. Making standards work

    OpenAIRE

    Stigzelius, Ingrid

    2009-01-01

    Social and environmental standards can function as tools for companies that want to improve their conduct in social and environmental areas in the supply chain. However, relatively little attention has been given to how the adoption of social and environmental standards may influence the actual business practices in the supply chain. The overall aim of this thesis is to examine the institutional context surrounding the adoption of social and environmental standards and how these standards inf...

  6. Standard Review Plan Update and Development Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1992-05-01

    This implementing procedures document (IPD) was prepared for use in implementing tasks under the standard review plan update and development program (SRP-UDP). The IPD provides comprehensive guidance and detailed procedures for SRP-UDP tasks. The IPD is mandatory for contractors performing work for the SRP-UDP. It is guidance for the staff. At the completion of the SRP-UDP, the IPD will be revised (to remove the UDP aspects) and will replace NRR Office Letter No. 800 as long-term maintenance procedures

  7. Standard Review Plan Update and Development Program

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1992-05-01

    This implementing procedures document (IPD) was prepared for use in implementing tasks under the standard review plan update and development program (SRP-UDP). The IPD provides comprehensive guidance and detailed procedures for SRP-UDP tasks. The IPD is mandatory for contractors performing work for the SRP-UDP. It is guidance for the staff. At the completion of the SRP-UDP, the IPD will be revised (to remove the UDP aspects) and will replace NRR Office Letter No. 800 as long-term maintenance procedures.

  8. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Environmental Report 2016

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rosene, Crystal [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

    2017-09-21

    The purposes of the Environmental Report 2016 are to record LLNL’s compliance with environmental standards and requirements, describe LLNL’s environmental protection and remediation programs, and present the results of environmental monitoring. Specifically, the report discusses LLNL’s EMS; describes significant accomplishments in pollution prevention; presents the results of air, water, vegetation, and foodstuff monitoring; reports radiological doses from LLNL operations; summarizes LLNL’s activities involving special status wildlife, plants, and habitats; and describes the progress LLNL has made in remediating groundwater contamination. Environmental monitoring at LLNL, including analysis of samples and data, is conducted according to documented standard operating procedures. Duplicate samples are collected and analytical results are reviewed and compared to internal acceptance standards. This report is prepared for DOE by LLNL’s Environmental Functional Area (EFA). Submittal of the report satisfies requirements under DOE Order 231.1B, “Environment, Safety and Health Reporting,” and DOE Order 458.1, “Radiation Protection of the Public and Environment.” The report is distributed in electronic form and is available to the public at https://saer.llnl.gov/, the website for the LLNL annual environmental report. Previous LLNL annual environmental reports beginning with 1994 are also on the website.

  9. Integrating TOM into environmental projects, Angela B. Quinlan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Caldwell, J.A.

    1992-01-01

    Responsible and cost-effective waste management and environmental restoration are best achieved when the principles and procedures of Total Quality Management are made an integral part of the process. By describing three case histories, we explore and explain techniques for using TQM in environmental projects. Key aspects considered include: quality measurement systems; establishing and maintaining standard operating procedures; management and technical peer review; the use of Quality Improvement Teams; Roadmapping (a new procedure that the US Department of Energy is incorporating into environmental restoration programs); and the role of audit teams in document production. The three case histories covered include: The Department of Energy's Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project on which Roadmapping and Quality Improvement Teams have led to significant changes in procedures; the EPA ARCS program on which adoption of project management Standard Operating Procedures enhanced cost and schedule control; the Jacobs Engineering TQM program that emphasizes performance measurement and management and project technical peer review

  10. 77 FR 32628 - Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC; Notice of Environmental Onsite Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-06-01

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. PF12-6-000] Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC; Notice of Environmental Onsite Review On June 13 and 14, 2012, the Office of Energy Projects (OEP) staff will conduct site visits of the proposed Line MB Loop Extension Project. The purpose of the onsite review is to review...

  11. Compilation of elemental concentration data for NBS Biological and Environmental Standard Reference Materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gladney, E.S.

    1980-07-01

    Concentration data on up to 76 elementals in 19 NBS Standard Reference Materials have been collected from 325 journal articles and technical reports. These data are summarized into mean +- one standard deviation values and compared with available data from NBS and other review articles. Data are presented on the analytical procedures employed and all raw data are presented in appendixes

  12. Harmonization of IEEE323 and IEC60780 standards For Environmental Qualificaiton of Electric Equipment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Jong Seog

    2009-01-01

    IEEE323 standard has been widely used for the qualification of electric equipment in Asian pacific area while IEC6070 has been mostly used in European area. Since each plant use different standard for environmental qualification, manufacturer has to perform the qualification test twice in accordance with each standard. Problem also can be happened in the plant site when they are going to purchase equipment qualified by different qualification standard which are not used in his plant. The need of harmonization of each standard has been raised several years and it is known that some studies are in progress by IEEE committee. KEPRI has a plan of comparing EQ relative standards of IEEE, IEC and RCC in 2009. In this paper, brief comparing result between IEEE323 and IEC60780 and the proper harmonization method is introduced

  13. The impact of Canada's environmental review process on new uranium mine developments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Whillans, R.T.

    1997-01-01

    Canada introduced and environmental assessment process in the mid 1970s. It was designed to ensure that the environmental consequences of all project proposals with federal government involvement were assessed for potential adverse effects early in the planning stage. In 1984, a Guidelines Order was approved to clarify the rules, responsibilities and procedures of the environmental Assessment and Review Process (EARP) that had evolved informally under earlier Cabinet directives. In 1989/1990, the Federal Court of Appeal effectively converted the Guidelines Order into a legal requirement for rigorous application. The Supreme Court of Canada upheld the constitutionally of the EARP Guidelines Order in 1992. Canada became the world's leading producer and exporter of uranium during the late 1980s. Since then, the Canadian public has become sensitized to numerous issues concerning environmental degradation, from the Chernobyl accident to ozone depletion. In 1991, during this period of increasing awareness, the Atomic Energy Control Board, the federal nuclear regulator, referred six new Saskatchewan uranium mining projects for environmental review, pursuant to the EARP Guidelines Order. The public review process provided an extremely valuable focus on aspects of these developments that needed to be addressed by proponents and regulators. It has helped to demonstrate that new uranium mining projects are being developed in a responsible manner, after full consideration has been given to the potential impacts and public concerns associated with these facilities. 4 figs, 1 tab

  14. Environmental Application, Fate, Effects, and Concerns of Ionic Liquids: A Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amde, Meseret; Liu, Jing-Fu; Pang, Long

    2015-11-03

    Ionic liquids (ILs) comprise mostly of organic salts with negligible vapor pressure and low flammability that are proposed as replacements for volatile solvents. ILs have been promoted as "green" solvents and widely investigated for their various applications. Although the utility of these chemicals is unquestionable, their toxic effects have attracted great attention. In order to manage their potential hazards and design environmentally benign ILs, understanding their environmental behavior, fate and effects is important. In this review, environmentally relevant issues of ILs, including their environmental application, environmental behavior and toxicity are addressed. In addition, also presented are the influence of ILs on the environmental fate and toxicity of other coexisting contaminants, important routes for designing nontoxic ILs and the techniques that might be adopted for the removal of ILs.

  15. 76 FR 30970 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Standard on...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-05-27

    ... for OMB Review; Comment Request; Standard on the Control of Hazardous Energy-- Lockout/Tagout ACTION... Hazardous Energy--Lockout/Tagout,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for... of Collection: Standard on the Control of Hazardous Energy-- Lockout/Tagout. OMB Control Number: 1218...

  16. 48 CFR 52.223-16 - IEEE 1680 Standard for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false IEEE 1680 Standard for the... CONTRACT CLAUSES Text of Provisions and Clauses 52.223-16 IEEE 1680 Standard for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products. As prescribed in 23.706(b)(1), insert the following clause: IEEE...

  17. 75 FR 6413 - Office of New Reactors; Proposed Revision to Standard Review Plan, Section 14.3.12 on Physical...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-02-09

    ... Standard Review Plan, Section 14.3.12 on Physical Security Hardware Inspections, Tests, Analyses, and.... SUMMARY: The NRC is soliciting public comment on NUREG-0800, ``Standard Review Plan for the Review of Safety Analysis Reports for Nuclear Power Plants,'' on a proposed Revision 1 to Standard Review Plan (SRP...

  18. Worker Safety and Health Issues Associated with the DOE Environmental Cleanup Program: Insights From the DOE Laboratory Directors' Environmental and Occupational/Public health Standards Steering Group

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    M.C. Edelson; Samuel C. Morris; Joan M. Daisey

    2001-01-01

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Laboratory Directors' Environmental and Occupational/Public Health Standards Steering Group (or ''SSG'') was formed in 1990. It was felt then that ''risk'' could be an organizing principle for environmental cleanup and that risk-based cleanup standards could rationalize clean up work. The environmental remediation process puts workers engaged in cleanup activities at risk from hazardous materials and from the more usual hazards associated with construction activities. In a real sense, the site remediation process involves the transfer of a hypothetical risk to the environment and the public from isolated contamination into real risks to the workers engaged in the remediation activities. Late in its existence the SSG, primarily motivated by its LANL representative, Dr. Harry Ettinger, actively investigated issues associated with worker health and safety during environmental remediation activities. This paper summarizes the insights noted by the SSG. Most continue to be pertinent today

  19. International Review of Frameworks for Standard Setting & Labeling Development

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhou, Nan [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Khanna, Nina Zheng [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Fridley, David [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Romankiewicz, John [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

    2012-09-01

    As appliance energy efficiency standards and labeling (S&L) programs reach a broader geographic and product scope, a series of sophisticated and complex technical and economic analyses have been adopted by different countries in the world to support and enhance these growing S&L programs. The initial supporting techno-economic and impact analyses for S&L development make up a defined framework and process for setting and developing appropriate appliance efficiency standards and labeling programs. This report reviews in-depth the existing framework for standards setting and label development in the well-established programs of the U.S., Australia and the EU to identify and evaluate major trends in how and why key analyses are undertaken and to understand major similarities and differences between each of the frameworks.

  20. Reviewing the narrative of the double standard Europe concerning collective minority rights

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Molbæk-Steensig, Helga

    2015-01-01

    , I will review whether this narrative has root in a real double standard. Second, I will look into why either the narrative or the double standard has been established, and finally whether it is a reasonable policy or narrative to cultivate. The article will start out with an introduction...

  1. A Review of Standards of Practice for Beginning Teaching. ACER Policy Briefs. Issue 4

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ingvarson, Lawrence; Kleinhenz, Elizabeth

    2003-01-01

    This paper aims to provide a critical review and comparison of the following sets of standards of practice for teachers: (1) The Victorian Interim Teacher Class Standards (ITCS), especially Interim Teacher Class Standards for Beginning Teachers; (2) Professional Standards for Teachers; (3) The National Competencies for Beginning Teaching; (4) The…

  2. 78 FR 13675 - Federal Acquisition Regulation; Submission for OMB Review; Cost Accounting Standards Administration

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-02-28

    ...; Submission for OMB Review; Cost Accounting Standards Administration AGENCY: Department of Defense (DOD... collection requirement concerning cost accounting standards administration. A notice was published in the...- 0129, Cost Accounting Standards Administration by any of the following methods: Regulations.gov : http...

  3. An analysis of the intent of environmental standards in the U.S. that apply to waste disposed at the Nevada Test Site

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hechanova, A.E.; Mattingly, B.T.; Gitnacht, D.

    2001-01-01

    This paper contains a discussion on the application of U.S. regulatory standards for transuranic waste disposed at the Nevada Test Site. Application of current compliance requirements and regulatory guidance defined for a generic disposal system, although satisfying the 'letter of the law,' is shown to be incompatible with the 'intent of the law' based on a thorough review of the preamble and background documents supporting the regulation. Specifically, the standards that apply to transuranic waste disposal were derived assuming deep geologic disposal and much larger and more hazardous waste forms: irradiated nuclear reactor fuel and high-level radioactive waste. Therefore, key assumptions that underpin the analyses used to justify the standards (e.g., the ground water pathway being considered the only major release mechanism) are inconsistent with the nature of the radionuclide inventory and the intermediate depth of waste emplacement in Greater Confinement Disposal boreholes at the Nevada Test Site. The authors recommend that site specific performance metrics be determined to foster an analysis which is transparent and consistent with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency intent in developing the standards for a generic disposal system. (authors)

  4. Nutrition standards for away-from-home foods in the USA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohen, D A; Bhatia, R

    2012-07-01

    Away-from-home foods are regulated with respect to the prevention of food-borne diseases and potential contaminants, but not for their contribution to dietary-related chronic diseases. Away-from-home foods have more calories, salt, sugar and fat, and include fewer fruits and vegetables than recommended by national nutrition guidelines. Thus, frequent consumption of away-from-home foods contributes to obesity, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. In light of this, many localities are already adopting regulations or sponsoring programs to improve the quality of away-from-home foods. We review the rationale for developing nutritional performance standards for away-from-home foods in light of limited human capacity to regulate intake or physiologically compensate for a poor diet. We offer a set of model performance standards to be considered as a new area of environmental regulation. Models for voluntary implementation of consumer standards exist in the environmental domain and may be useful templates for implementation. Implementing such standards, whether voluntarily or via regulations, will require addressing a number of practical and ideological challenges. Politically, regulatory standards contradict the belief that adults should be able to navigate dietary risks in away-from-home settings unaided. © 2012 The Authors. obesity reviews © 2012 International Association for the Study of Obesity.

  5. 78 FR 277 - Section 610 Review of NPDES Permit Regulation and Effluent Limitations Guidelines Standards for...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-03

    ..., Section 610 Review of NPDES Permit Regulation and Effluent Limitations Guidelines Standards for..., FRL-9764-8] Section 610 Review of NPDES Permit Regulation and Effluent Limitations Guidelines Standards for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs); Extension of Comment Period AGENCY...

  6. Review of Evidence of Environmental Impacts of Animal Research and Testing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katherine Groff

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Millions of animals are used in research and toxicity testing, including in drug, medical device, chemical, cosmetic, personal care, household, and other product sectors, but the environmental consequences are yet to be adequately addressed. Evidence suggests that their use and disposal, and the associated use of chemicals and supplies, contribute to pollution as well as adverse impacts on biodiversity and public health. The objective of this review is to examine such evidence. The review includes examinations of (1 resources used in animal research; (2 waste production in laboratories; (3 sources of pollution; (4 impacts on laboratory workers’ health; and (5 biodiversity impacts. The clear conclusion from the review is that the environmental implications of animal testing must be acknowledged, reported, and taken into account as another factor in addition to ethical and scientific reasons weighing heavily in favor of moving away from allowing and requiring animal use in research and testing.

  7. 75 FR 71122 - Erie Boulevard Hydropower L.P.; Notice of Scoping Meetings and Environmental Site Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-11-22

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 7518-012--New York] Erie Boulevard Hydropower L.P.; Notice of Scoping Meetings and Environmental Site Review November 15, 2010. Commission staff will be conducting two public scoping meetings and an environmental site review in support...

  8. Book review: Environmental flows: A definitive guide

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunham, Jason B.

    2014-01-01

    It is no secret that rivers have become one of our most important and imperiled resources around the globe. Guidance on how to manage rivers is urgently needed. Thankfully, a new book written by Dr. Angela Arthington: “Environmental Flows: Saving Rivers in the Third Millenium” takes a detailed look at rivers and how we can understand, manage, and restore them. This book is a very broad and comprehensive overview, organized into a series of 22 relatively concise chapters, beginning with an overview of the value of rivers and their current state of imperilment. This chapter sets the stage for understanding the range and magnitude of the challenges we face in saving rivers. For the purposes of this review, I partitioned my discussion of the book into several sections comprising a series of chapters that I felt addressed major themes related to environmental flows.

  9. Review of environmental physics activities in Egypt

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Comsan, M.N.H.

    2005-01-01

    Efforts and activities in Egypt serving the environment went back to 1962. At that time simultaneously were established the Atomic Fallout Laboratory at the premises of Atomic Energy Establishment in Inshas, and the A ir Pollution Unit w ithin the premises of the National Research Centre in Dokki. Recent activities include: radiation monitoring, atmospheric physics, renewable energy pollution control, environmental impact, etc.The article aims at reviewing environmental physics activities in Egypt ; both on governmental and non-governmental scales.The environment is one of the most vital axes of development, so the deterioration of the environment represents a major danger threatening social and economic development, the sustainability of natural resources, and human health.Recognizing this major importance and necessity of the protection of environment and its vital role in our lives, governments all over the globe began to take larger steps towards a better and healthier environment

  10. Communication about environmental health risks: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fitzpatrick-Lewis, Donna; Yost, Jennifer; Ciliska, Donna; Krishnaratne, Shari

    2010-11-01

    Using the most effective methods and techniques for communicating risk to the public is critical. Understanding the impact that different types of risk communication have played in real and perceived public health risks can provide information about how messages, policies and programs can and should be communicated in order to be most effective. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify the effectiveness of communication strategies and factors that impact communication uptake related to environmental health risks. A systematic review of English articles using multiple databases with appropriate search terms. Data sources also included grey literature. Key organization websites and key journals were hand searched for relevant articles. Consultation with experts took place to locate any additional references.Articles had to meet relevance criteria for study design [randomized controlled trials, clinical controlled trials, cohort analytic, cohort, any pre-post, interrupted time series, mixed methods or any qualitative studies), participants (those in community-living, non-clinical populations), interventions (including, but not limited to, any community-based methods or tools such as Internet, telephone, media-based interventions or any combination thereof), and outcomes (reported measurable outcomes such as awareness, knowledge or attitudinal or behavioural change). Articles were assessed for quality and data was extracted using standardized tools by two independent reviewers. Articles were given an overall assessment of strong, moderate or weak quality. There were no strong or moderate studies. Meta-analysis was not appropriate to the data. Data for 24 articles were analyzed and reported in a narrative format. The findings suggest that a multi-media approach is more effective than any single media approach. Similarly, printed material that offers a combination of information types (i.e., text and diagrams) is a more effective than just a single type, such

  11. Communication about environmental health risks: A systematic review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ciliska Donna

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Using the most effective methods and techniques for communicating risk to the public is critical. Understanding the impact that different types of risk communication have played in real and perceived public health risks can provide information about how messages, policies and programs can and should be communicated in order to be most effective. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify the effectiveness of communication strategies and factors that impact communication uptake related to environmental health risks. Methods A systematic review of English articles using multiple databases with appropriate search terms. Data sources also included grey literature. Key organization websites and key journals were hand searched for relevant articles. Consultation with experts took place to locate any additional references. Articles had to meet relevance criteria for study design [randomized controlled trials, clinical controlled trials, cohort analytic, cohort, any pre-post, interrupted time series, mixed methods or any qualitative studies, participants (those in community-living, non-clinical populations, interventions (including, but not limited to, any community-based methods or tools such as Internet, telephone, media-based interventions or any combination thereof, and outcomes (reported measurable outcomes such as awareness, knowledge or attitudinal or behavioural change. Articles were assessed for quality and data was extracted using standardized tools by two independent reviewers. Articles were given an overall assessment of strong, moderate or weak quality. Results There were no strong or moderate studies. Meta-analysis was not appropriate to the data. Data for 24 articles were analyzed and reported in a narrative format. The findings suggest that a multi-media approach is more effective than any single media approach. Similarly, printed material that offers a combination of information types (i.e., text and

  12. Federal environmental standards of potential importance to operations and activities at US Department of Energy sites. Draft

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fowler, K.M.; Bilyard, G.R.; Davidson, S.A.; Jonas, R.J.; Joseph, J.

    1993-06-01

    The US Department of Energy (DOE) is now engaged in a program of environmental restoration nationwide across its 45 sites. It is also bringing its facilities into compliance with environmental regulations, decontaminating and decommissioning unwanted facilities, and constructing new waste management facilities. One of the most difficult questions that DOE must face in successfully remediating its inactive waste sites, decontaminating and decommissioning its inactive facilities, and operating its waste management facilities is: ``What criteria and standards should be met?`` Acceptable standards or procedures for determining standards will assist DOE in its conduct of ongoing waste management and pending cleanup activities by helping to ensure that those activities are conducted in compliance with applicable laws and regulations and are accepted by the regulatory community and the public. This document reports on the second of three baseline activities that are being conducted as prerequisites to either the development of quantitative standards that could be used by DOE, or consistent procedures for developing such standards. The first and third baseline activities are also briefly discussed in conjunction with the second of the three activities.

  13. Environmental Education and K-12 Student Outcomes: A Review and Analysis of Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ardoin, Nicole M.; Bowers, Alison W.; Roth, Noelle Wyman; Holthuis, Nicole

    2018-01-01

    Many practitioners and researchers describe academic and environmental benefits of environmental education for kindergarten through twelfth grade (K-12) students. To consider the empirical underpinnings of those program descriptions, we systematically analyzed the peer-reviewed literature (1994-2013), focusing on outcomes of environmental…

  14. Determination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in environmental standard reference materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stapleton, Heather M.; Schantz, Michele M.; Wise, Stephen A. [National Institute of Standards and Technology, Analytical Chemistry Division, Gaithersburg, MD (United States); Keller, Jennifer M.; Kucklick, John R. [National Institute of Standards and Technology, Analytical Chemistry Division, Hollings Marine Laboratory, Charleston, SC (United States); Leigh, Stefan D. [National Institute of Standards and Technology, Statistical Engineering Division, Gaithersburg, MD (United States)

    2007-04-15

    Standard reference materials (SRMs) are valuable tools in developing and validating analytical methods to improve quality assurance standards. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has a long history of providing environmental SRMs with certified concentrations of organic and inorganic contaminants. Here we report on new certified and reference concentrations for 27 polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners in seven different SRMs: cod-liver oil, whale blubber, fish tissue (two materials), mussel tissue and sediment (two materials). PBDEs were measured in these SRMs, with the lowest concentrations measured in mussel tissue (SRM 1974b) and the highest in sediment collected from the New York/New Jersey Waterway (SRM 1944). Comparing the relative PBDE congener concentrations within the samples, we found the biota SRMs contained primarily tetrabrominated and pentabrominated diphenyl ethers, whereas the sediment SRMs contained primarily decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE 209). The cod-liver oil (SRM 1588b) and whale blubber (SRM 1945) materials were also found to contain measurable concentrations of two methoxylated PBDEs (MeO-BDEs). Certified and reference concentrations are reported for 12 PBDE congeners measured in the biota SRMs and reference values are available for two MeO-BDEs. Results from a sediment interlaboratory comparison PBDE exercise are available for the two sediment SRMs (1941b and 1944). (orig.)

  15. Electrochemical Aptasensors for Food and Environmental Safeguarding: A Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Geetesh Kumar Mishra

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Food and environmental monitoring is one of the most important aspects of dealing with recent threats to human well-being and ecosystems. In this framework, electrochemical aptamer-based sensors are resilient due to their ability to resolve food and environmental contamination. An aptamer-based sensor is a compact analytical device combining an aptamer as the bio-sensing element integrated on the transducer surface. Aptamers display many advantages as biorecognition elements in sensor development when compared to affinity-based (antibodies sensors. Aptasensors are small, chemically unchanging, and inexpensive. Moreover, they offer extraordinary elasticity and expediency in the design of their assemblies, which has led to innovative sensors that show tremendous sensitivity and selectivity. This review will emphasize recent food and environmental safeguarding using aptasensors; there are good prospects for their performance as a supplement to classical techniques.

  16. Revision of AESJ standard 'the code of implemnetation of periodic safety review of nuclear power plants'

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hirano, Masashi; Narumiya, Yoshiyuki

    2010-01-01

    The Periodic Safety Review (PSR) was launched in June 1992, when the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy issued a notification that required licensees to conduct comprehensive review on the safety of each existing nuclear power plant (NPP) once approximately every ten years based on the latest technical findings for the purpose of improving the safety of the NPP. In 2006, the Standard Committee of the Atomic Energy Society of Japan established the first version of 'The Standard of Implementation for Periodic Safety Review of Nuclear Power Plants: 2006'. Taking into account developments in safety regulation of PSR after the issuance of the first version, the Standard Committee has revised the Standard. This paper summarizes background on PSR, such developments are major contents of the Standard as well as the focal points of the revision. (author)

  17. Environmental Education in Pre-Service Teacher Training: A Literature Review of Existing Evidence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Álvarez-García, Olaya; Sureda-Negre, Jaume; Comas-Forgas, Rubén

    2015-01-01

    The importance of pre-service teacher training regarding environmental education (EE) has been vastly demonstrated. This systematic review examined the existing evidence from studies evaluating and analysing the relationship between EE, including environmental competences and pre-service primary school teacher training. The literature review…

  18. 44 CFR 10.8 - Determination of requirement for environmental review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... integrated into the decision-making process. Environmental impact statements will be prepared for all major Agency actions (see 40 CFR 1508.18) significantly (see 40 CFR 1508.27) affecting the quality of the human... regulations or standards requiring action or attention; (vii) Actions with the potential to affect special...

  19. Environmental and Anthropogenic Factors Influencing Salamanders in Riparian Forests: A Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hannah L. Clipp

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Salamanders and riparian forests are intimately interconnected. Salamanders are integral to ecosystem functions, contributing to vertebrate biomass and complex food webs in riparian forests. In turn, these forests are critical ecosystems that perform many environmental services, facilitate high biodiversity and species richness, and provide habitat to salamander populations. Due to the global decline of amphibians, it is important to understand, as thoroughly and holistically as possible, the roles of environmental parameters and the impact of human activities on salamander abundance and diversity in riparian forests. To determine the population responses of salamanders to a variety of environmental factors and anthropogenic activities, we conducted a review of published literature that compared salamander abundance and diversity, and then summarized and synthesized the data into general patterns. We identify stream quality, leaf litter and woody debris, riparian buffer width, and soil characteristics as major environmental factors influencing salamander populations in riparian forests, describe and explain salamander responses to those factors, and discuss the effects of anthropogenic activities such as timber harvest, prescribed fires, urbanization, road construction, and habitat fragmentation. This review can assist land and natural resource managers in anticipating the consequences of human activities and preparing strategic conservation plans.

  20. The influence of farmer demographic characteristics on environmental behaviour: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burton, Rob J F

    2014-03-15

    Many agricultural studies have observed a relationship between farmer demographic characteristics and environmental behaviours. These relationships are frequently employed in the construction of models, the identification of farmer types, or as part of more descriptive analyses aimed at understanding farmers' environmental behaviour. However, they have also often been found to be inconsistent or contradictory. Although a considerable body of literature has built up around the subject area, research has a tendency to focus on factors such as the direction, strength and consistency of the relationship - leaving the issue of causality largely to speculation. This review addresses this gap by reviewing literature on 4 key demographic variables: age, experience, education, and gender for hypothesised causal links. Overall the review indicates that the issue of causality is a complex one. Inconsistent relationships can be attributed to the presence of multiple causal pathways, the role of scheme factors in determining which pathway is important, inadequately specified measurements of demographic characteristics, and the treatment of non-linear causalities as linear. In addition, all demographic characteristics were perceived to be influenced (to varying extents) by cultural-historical patterns leading to cohort effects or socialised differences in the relationship with environmental behaviour. The paper concludes that more work is required on the issue of causality. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Environmental Sciences Division Toxicology Laboratory standard operating procedures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kszos, L.A.; Stewart, A.J.; Wicker, L.F.; Logsdon, G.M.

    1989-09-01

    This document was developed to provide the personnel working in the Environmental Sciences Division's Toxicology Laboratory with documented methods for conducting toxicity tests. The document consists of two parts. The first part includes the standard operating procedures (SOPs) that are used by the laboratory in conducting toxicity tests. The second part includes reference procedures from the US Environmental Protection Agency document entitled Short-Term Methods for Estimating the Chronic Toxicity of Effluents and Receiving Waters to Freshwater Organisms, upon which the Toxicology Laboratory's SOPs are based. Five of the SOPs include procedures for preparing Ceriodaphnia survival and reproduction test. These SOPs include procedures for preparing Ceriodaphnia food (SOP-3), maintaining Ceriodaphnia cultures (SOP-4), conducting the toxicity test (SOP-13), analyzing the test data (SOP-13), and conducting a Ceriodaphnia reference test (SOP-15). Five additional SOPs relate specifically to the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) larval survival and growth test: methods for preparing fathead minnow larvae food (SOP-5), maintaining fathead minnow cultures (SOP-6), conducting the toxicity test (SOP-9), analyzing the test data (SOP-12), and conducting a fathead minnow reference test (DOP-14). The six remaining SOPs describe methods that are used with either or both tests: preparation of control/dilution water (SOP-1), washing of glassware (SOP-2), collection and handling of samples (SOP-7), preparation of samples (SOP-8), performance of chemical analyses (SOP-11), and data logging and care of technical notebooks (SOP-16)

  2. Environmental Sustainability and Energy-Efficient Supply Chain Management: A Review of Research Trends and Proposed Guidelines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Piera Centobelli

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper conducts a structured review on the topic of energy efficiency and environmental sustainability in the supply chain management context to define research trends on the topic and identify research gaps. The review is carried out using the largest databases of peer-reviewed literature (Scopus and Web of Science. A sample of 122 papers focusing on the topic of energy-efficient and sustainable supply chain management was selected and analyzed through descriptive and content analysis. The review highlights that despite there is a growing research trend on the topic, different research gaps remain to be covered. These gaps concern the factors influencing energy efficiency and environmental sustainability initiatives, the classification of energy efficiency and environmental sustainability initiatives, the impact of energy efficiency and environmental sustainability on supply chain performance, the customer perspective in sustainable and energy-efficient supply chain, and the different technologies supporting the energy efficiency and environmental sustainability initiatives. The research gaps and the research questions identified offer the opportunity to identify areas of investigation to design future research directions and propose guidelines in the field of supply chain management.

  3. Standard Review Plan for the review of a license application for a low-level radioactive waste disposal facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-04-01

    The Standard Review Plan (SRP) (NUREG-1200) provides guidance to staff reviewers in the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards who perform safety reviews of applications to construct and operate low-level radioactive waste disposal facilities. The SRP ensures the quality and uniformity of the staff reviews and presents a well-defined base from which to evaluate proposed changes in the scope and requirements of the staff reviews. The SRP makes information about the regulatory licensing process widely available and serves to improve the understanding of the staff's review process by interested members of the public and the industry. Each individual SRP addresses the responsibilities of persons performing the review, the matters that are reviewed, the Commission's regulations and acceptance criteria necessary for the review, how the review is accomplished, the conclusions that are appropriate, and the implementation requirements

  4. National Incident Management System (NIMS) Standards Review Panel Workshop Summary Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stenner, Robert D.; Kirk, Jennifer L.; Stanton, James R.; Shebell, Peter; Schwartz, Deborah S.; Judd, Kathleen S.; Gelston, Gariann M.

    2006-02-07

    The importance and need for full compliant implementation of NIMS nationwide was clearly demonstrated during the Hurricane Katrina event, which was clearly expressed in Secretary Chertoff's October 4, 2005 letter addressed to the State's governors. It states, ''Hurricane Katrina was a stark reminder of how critical it is for our nation to approach incident management in a coordinated, consistent, and efficient manner. We must be able to come together, at all levels of government, to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from any emergency or disaster. Our operations must be seamless and based on common incident management doctrine, because the challenges we face as a nation are far greater than capabilities of any one jurisdiction.'' The NIMS is a system/architecture for organizing response on a ''national'' level. It incorporations ICS as a main component of that structure (i.e., it institutionalizes ICS in NIMS). In a paper published on the NIMS Website, the following statements were made: ''NIMS represents a core set of doctrine, principles, terminology, and organizational processes to enable effective, efficient and collaborative incident management at all levels. To provide the framework for interoperability and compatibility, the NIMS is based on a balance between flexibility and standardization.'' Thus the NIC is challenged with the need to adopt quality SDO generated standards to support NIMS compliance, but in doing so maintain the flexibility necessary so that response operations can be tailored for the specific jurisdictional and geographical needs across the nation. In support of this large and complex challenge facing the NIC, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) was asked to provide technical support to the NIC, through their DHS Science and Technology ? Standards Portfolio Contract, to help identify, review, and develop key standards for NIMS compliance. Upon

  5. Automated negotiation in environmental resource management: Review and assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eshragh, Faezeh; Pooyandeh, Majeed; Marceau, Danielle J

    2015-10-01

    Negotiation is an integral part of our daily life and plays an important role in resolving conflicts and facilitating human interactions. Automated negotiation, which aims at capturing the human negotiation process using artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques, is well-established in e-commerce, but its application in environmental resource management remains limited. This is due to the inherent uncertainties and complexity of environmental issues, along with the diversity of stakeholders' perspectives when dealing with these issues. The objective of this paper is to describe the main components of automated negotiation, review and compare machine learning techniques in automated negotiation, and provide a guideline for the selection of suitable methods in the particular context of stakeholders' negotiation over environmental resource issues. We advocate that automated negotiation can facilitate the involvement of stakeholders in the exploration of a plurality of solutions in order to reach a mutually satisfying agreement and contribute to informed decisions in environmental management along with the need for further studies to consolidate the potential of this modeling approach. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Standard review plan for reviewing safety analysis reports for dry metallic spent fuel storage casks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1988-01-01

    The Cask Standard Review Plan (CSRP) has been prepared as guidance to be used in the review of Cask Safety Analysis Reports (CSARs) for storage packages. The principal purpose of the CSRP is to assure the quality and uniformity of storage cask reviews and to present a well-defined base from which to evaluate proposed changes in the scope and requirements of reviews. The CSRP also sets forth solutions and approaches determined to be acceptable in the past by the NRC staff in dealing with a specific safety issue or safety-related design area. These solutions and approaches are presented in this form so that reviewers can take consistent and well-understood positions as the same safety issues arise in future cases. An applicant submitting a CSAR does not have to follow the solutions or approaches presented in the CSRP. However, applicants should recognize that the NRC staff has spent substantial time and effort in reviewing and developing their positions for the issues. A corresponding amount of time and effort will probably be required to review and accept new or different solutions and approaches

  7. Standards for the preparation and writing of Psychology review articles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luis Fernández-Ríos

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The synthesis of bibliographical resources addressing a topic is an interesting subject for research. It is included as part of literature reviews. The aim of this theoretical study is to establish a series of standards for planning, preparing and writing Psychology review articles. With this aim, the study suggests a set of guidelines for the structuring and justification of content for these types of articles: organisation of the article, background understanding of the topic, literature review, style and understanding of argumentative structure, theoretical and practical relevance of conclusions, the critical and interdisciplinary perspectives of the article, recommendations for future research and what the article can bring to the future advancement of the discipline. The work concludes on the relevance of the study undertaken and accepts the importance of undertaking the necessary reviews from the interdisciplinary perspective of building psychological understanding.

  8. Passing the panda standard: a TAD off the mark?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belton, Ben; Murray, Francis; Young, James; Telfer, Trevor; Little, David C

    2010-02-01

    Tilapia, a tropical freshwater fish native to Africa, is an increasingly important global food commodity. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), a major environmental nongovernmental organization, has established stakeholder dialogues to formulate farm certification standards that promote "responsible" culture practices. As a preface to its "tilapia aquaculture dialogue," the WWF for Nature commissioned a review of potential certification issues, later published as a peer-reviewed article. This article contends that both the review and the draft certification standards subsequently developed fail to adequately integrate critical factors governing the relative sustainability of tilapia production and thereby miss more significant issues related to resource-use efficiency and the appropriation of ecosystem space and services. This raises a distinct possibility that subsequent certification will promote intensive systems of tilapia production that are far less ecologically benign than existing widely practiced semi-intensive alternatives. Given the likely future significance of this emergent standard, it is contended that a more holistic approach to certification is essential.

  9. Potential NICU Environmental Influences on the Neonate's Microbiome: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartz, Lacey E; Bradshaw, Wanda; Brandon, Debra H

    2015-10-01

    To identify how the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) environment potentially influences the microbiome high-risk term and preterm infants. Electronic databases utilized to identify studies published in English included PubMed, Google Scholar, Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and BioMedSearcher. Date of publication did not limit inclusion in the review. Two hundred fifty articles were assessed for relevance to the research question through title and abstract review. Further screening resulted in full review of 60 articles. An in-depth review of all 60 articles resulted in 39 articles that met inclusion criteria. Twenty-eight articles were eliminated on the basis of the type of study and subject of interest. Studies were reviewed for information related to environmental factors that influence microbial colonization of the neonatal microbiome. Environment was later defined as the physical environment of the NICU and nursery caregiving activities. Studies were characterized into factors that impacted the infant's microbiome—parental skin, feeding type, environmental surfaces and caregiving equipment, health care provider skin, and antibiotic use. Literature revealed that various aspects of living within the NICU environment do influence the microbiome of infants. Caregivers can implement strategies to prevent environment-associated nosocomial infection in the NICU such as implementing infection control measures, encouraging use of breast milk, and decreasing the empirical use of antibiotics.

  10. Worker Safety and Health Issues Associated with the DOE Environmental Cleanup Program: Insights From the DOE Laboratory Directors' Environmental and Occupational/Public health Standards Steering Group

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    M.C. Edelson; Samuel C. Morris; Joan M. Daisey

    2001-03-01

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Laboratory Directors' Environmental and Occupational/Public Health Standards Steering Group (or ''SSG'') was formed in 1990. It was felt then that ''risk'' could be an organizing principle for environmental cleanup and that risk-based cleanup standards could rationalize clean up work. The environmental remediation process puts workers engaged in cleanup activities at risk from hazardous materials and from the more usual hazards associated with construction activities. In a real sense, the site remediation process involves the transfer of a hypothetical risk to the environment and the public from isolated contamination into real risks to the workers engaged in the remediation activities. Late in its existence the SSG, primarily motivated by its LANL representative, Dr. Harry Ettinger, actively investigated issues associated with worker health and safety during environmental remediation activities. This paper summarizes the insights noted by the SSG. Most continue to be pertinent today.

  11. Changes in Attitudes, Beliefs and Behaviour: A Critical Review of Research into the Impacts of Environmental Education Initiatives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gralton, Anna; Sinclair, Mark; Purnell, Ken

    2004-01-01

    This paper reviews research literature on the impact of environmental education initiatives on learners' attitudes, beliefs and behaviours. The review focuses on initiatives involving learners of all ages and school-aged learners in particular. The review shows two things. There is some evidence that environmental education initiatives are…

  12. Ash contents of foodstuff samples in environmental radioactivity analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oikawa, Shinji; Ohta, Hiroshi; Hayano, Kazuhiko; Nonaka, Nobuhiro

    2004-01-01

    Statistical data of the ash content in various environmental samples obtained from an environmental radioactivity survey project commissioned by the Japanese government of Science and Technology Agency (at present Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Sciences and Technology) during the past 10 years are expressed for establishing a standard of ash content in environmental samples based on radioactivity analysis. The ash content for some kinds of environmental samples such as dietary food, milk, Japanese radish, spinach, fish, green tea and potato was reviewed in the light of statistical and stochastic viewpoints. For all of the samples reviewed in this paper, the coefficient of variation varied from 4.7% for milk to 36.3% for cabbage. Dietary food and milk samples were reviewed more than 1900 and 1400 samples, respectively. Especially, ash content of dietary food depended mainly on the dietary culture reflected on the period. However it showed an almost invariant distribution within 18.7% of coefficient of variation during the past 10 years. Pretreatment of environmental samples especially ashing processes are important from the viewpoint on environmental radioactivity analysis, which is one of the especial fields in analytical chemistry. Statistical reviewed data obtained in this paper may be useful for sample preparation. (author)

  13. Role of Environmental Chemicals in Obesity: A Systematic Review on the Current Evidence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roya Kelishadi

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to systematically review the experimental and human studies on obesogenic chemicals and their mechanisms of action to provide a comprehensive view on the multifactorial aspects of obesity. The literatures were searched in available databases. The relevant papers were selected in three phases. After quality assessment, two reviewers extracted the data while another checked their extracted data. In this review, we summarized information regarding environmental chemicals that can be associated with obesity. Most evidence comes from experimental and laboratory studies; however a growing number of human studies also support the role of obesogenic chemicals. The current evidence proposes that the systemic responses to exposure to environmental factors could potentially increase the risk of excess weight. The effects of exposure to these chemicals are of crucial importance during developmental phases of life, when preprogramming for an adipogenic outcome may occur. By considering the adverse transgenerational effects of obesogen chemicals on human health, the global obesity epidemic should be considered as a multifactorial complex disorder necessitating the emphasis of public health interventions for environmental protection.

  14. Review of environmental enrichment for broiler chickens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riber, A B; van de Weerd, H A; de Jong, I C; Steenfeldt, S

    2018-02-01

    Welfare problems are commonly found in both conventional and organic production of broiler chickens. In order to reduce the extent of welfare problems, it has been suggested to provide stimulating, enriched environments. The aim of the present paper is to provide a review of the effect on behavior and welfare of the different kinds of environmental enrichments in the production of broilers that have been described in the scientific literature. Environmental enrichment is defined as an improvement of the environment of captive animals, which increases the behavioral opportunities of the animal and leads to improvements of the biological function. This definition has been broadened to include practical and economic aspects, as any enrichment strategy that adversely affects the health of animals or that has too many economic or practical constraints will never be implemented on commercial farms and thus never benefit animals. Environmental enrichment for broilers often has the purpose of satisfying behavioral needs and/or stimulating the broilers to an increased level of activity, which among others will reduce the occurrence of leg problems. Potentially successful environmental enrichments for broiler chickens are elevated resting-places, panels, barriers, and bales of straw ("point-source enrichment"), as well as covered verandas and outdoor ranges ("complex enriched environments"). Many of the ideas for environmental enrichment for broilers need to be further developed and studied, preferably in commercial trials, with respect to the use, the effect on behavior and on other welfare aspects such as leg health, and the interaction with genotype, production system, stocking density, light, and flock size. In addition, information on the practical application and the economics of the production system is often lacking, although it is important for application in practice. © 2017 Poultry Science Association Inc.

  15. A benefit-cost methodology for developing environmental standards for uranium mill tailings disposal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leiter, A.J.

    1982-01-01

    This paper describes a method for using benefit-cost analysis in developing generally applicable environmental standards for uranium mill tailings disposal. Several disposal alternatives were selected which consist of different combinations of control measures. The resulting cost and benefit estimations allow the calculation of the incremental cost of obtaining incremental benefits of radiation protection. The overall benefit of a disposal alternative is expressed in terms of an index which is based on weighting factors assigned to individual benefits. The results show that some disposal alternatives have higher costs while providing no additional benefit than other alternatives. These alternatives should be eliminated from consideration in developing standards

  16. 13 CFR 134.708 - What is the standard of review?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false What is the standard of review? 134.708 Section 134.708 Business Credit and Assistance SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION RULES OF PROCEDURE GOVERNING CASES BEFORE THE OFFICE OF HEARINGS AND APPEALS Rules of Practice for Appeals From Women...

  17. Environmental Biotechnology in China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Shuang Jiang; Liu, Lei; Chaudhry, Muhammad Tausif; Wang, Lei; Chen, Ying Guang; Zhou, Qi; Liu, He; Chen, Jian

    Environmental biotechnology has emerged as an important measure to tackle the environmental pollution as China experiences great economic success. Over the past decade, much emphasis has been paid to the following fields in environmental biotechnology: microbial degradation of toxic and organic chemicals, bio-treatment of wastewater, waste recycling. The Chinese researchers have done a lot of work to understand the natural degradation processes for organic and toxic compounds and finally to clean these compounds from polluted environments. For the treatment of wastewater, many new processes were proposed and optimized to meet the more strict effluent standards in China. Finally, more and more attention has been paid to the reuse of discharged wastes. In this chapter we review the development in the above fields.

  18. A review on energy efficiency standards and labels: present status and implementation possibilities in malaysia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T.M.I. Mahlia,

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available This article is a review on energy efficiency standards  and labels for household electrical appliances around the world. Through the review of other country experiences on energy efficiency standards and labels, we attempt to identify savings possibilities in Malaysian households. The implementation possibilities of standards and labels for various household electrical appliances in Malaysia are also examined. It is found that various household appliances in Malaysia offer some potential in reducing electricity consumption. Finally, it is concluded that there are many advantages for Malaysia to implement the standards and labels for household electrical appliances as soon as possible in order to reduce electricity  bills  and energy  consumption  in Malaysian  households.

  19. Recent Progress in Biosensors for Environmental Monitoring: A Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Justino, Celine I L; Duarte, Armando C; Rocha-Santos, Teresa A P

    2017-12-15

    The environmental monitoring has been one of the priorities at the European and global scale due to the close relationship between the environmental pollution and the human health/socioeconomic development. In this field, the biosensors have been widely employed as cost-effective, fast, in situ, and real-time analytical techniques. The need of portable, rapid, and smart biosensing devices explains the recent development of biosensors with new transduction materials, obtained from nanotechnology, and for multiplexed pollutant detection, involving multidisciplinary experts. This review article provides an update on recent progress in biosensors for the monitoring of air, water, and soil pollutants in real conditions such as pesticides, potentially toxic elements, and small organic molecules including toxins and endocrine disrupting chemicals.

  20. Comparison of ISO 9000 and recent software life cycle standards to nuclear regulatory review guidance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Preckshot, G.G.; Scott, J.A.

    1998-01-01

    Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is assisting the Nuclear Regulatory Commission with the assessment of certain quality and software life cycle standards to determine whether additional guidance for the U.S. nuclear regulatory context should be derived from the standards. This report describes the nature of the standards and compares the guidance of the standards to that of the recently updated Standard Review Plan

  1. Book Review: Jessica F Green, Rethinking Private Authority: Agents and Entrepreneurs in Global Environmental Governance

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Keremis, Anestis

    2017-01-01

    Book review of "Rethinking Private Authority: Agents and Entrepreneurs in Global Environmental Governance" by Jessica F Green. Princeton,NJ and Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2014.215 pp., £16.95 (p/b), ISBN 9780691157597......Book review of "Rethinking Private Authority: Agents and Entrepreneurs in Global Environmental Governance" by Jessica F Green. Princeton,NJ and Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2014.215 pp., £16.95 (p/b), ISBN 9780691157597...

  2. Environmental chemicals and DNA methylation in adults: a systematic review of the epidemiologic evidence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Current evidence supports the notion that environmental exposures are associated with DNA-methylation and expression changes that can impact human health. Our objective was to conduct a systematic review of epidemiologic studies evaluating the association between environmental chemicals with DNA met...

  3. GIS measured environmental correlates of active school transport: A systematic review of 14 studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Faulkner Guy

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Emerging frameworks to examine active school transportation (AST commonly emphasize the built environment (BE as having an influence on travel mode decisions. Objective measures of BE attributes have been recommended for advancing knowledge about the influence of the BE on school travel mode choice. An updated systematic review on the relationships between GIS-measured BE attributes and AST is required to inform future research in this area. The objectives of this review are: i to examine and summarize the relationships between objectively measured BE features and AST in children and adolescents and ii to critically discuss GIS methodologies used in this context. Methods Six electronic databases, and websites were systematically searched, and reference lists were searched and screened to identify studies examining AST in students aged five to 18 and reporting GIS as an environmental measurement tool. Fourteen cross-sectional studies were identified. The analyses were classified in terms of density, diversity, and design and further differentiated by the measures used or environmental condition examined. Results Only distance was consistently found to be negatively associated with AST. Consistent findings of positive or negative associations were not found for land use mix, residential density, and intersection density. Potential modifiers of any relationship between these attributes and AST included age, school travel mode, route direction (e.g., to/from school, and trip-end (home or school. Methodological limitations included inconsistencies in geocoding, selection of study sites, buffer methods and the shape of zones (Modifiable Areal Unit Problem [MAUP], the quality of road and pedestrian infrastructure data, and school route estimation. Conclusions The inconsistent use of spatial concepts limits the ability to draw conclusions about the relationship between objectively measured environmental attributes and AST. Future

  4. Review of Evidence of Environmental Impacts of Animal Research and Testing

    OpenAIRE

    Katherine Groff; Eric Bachli; Molly Lansdowne; Theodora Capaldo

    2014-01-01

    Millions of animals are used in research and toxicity testing, including in drug, medical device, chemical, cosmetic, personal care, household, and other product sectors, but the environmental consequences are yet to be adequately addressed. Evidence suggests that their use and disposal, and the associated use of chemicals and supplies, contribute to pollution as well as adverse impacts on biodiversity and public health. The objective of this review is to examine such evidence. The review in...

  5. Photon activation analysis using internal standards: some studies of the analysis of environmental materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Masumoto, K; Yagi, M

    1986-01-01

    The authors report the application of the internal standard method to the simultaneous determination of trace elements in environmental reference materials. The standard soil material used was IAEA CRM Soil-5. The power plant fly ash reference used was NBS SRM-1633a. Fifteen target elements, including As, Ba and Ce, were determined. Internal standards were supplied by six elements, including Na and Mg. Although there were several interfering elements, their effect could be eliminated by utilizing more than one gamma-ray peak and carrying out appropriate corrections. The values determined for most of the target elements were well within the certified range. Measured concentrations were of the orders of 10 to 1000 ..mu..g/g. 6 references, 2 figures, 5 tables.

  6. Defining criteria for good environmental journalism and testing their applicability: An environmental news review as a first step to more evidence based environmental science reporting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rögener, Wiebke; Wormer, Holger

    2017-05-01

    While the quality of environmental science journalism has been the subject of much debate, a widely accepted benchmark to assess the quality of coverage of environmental topics is missing so far. Therefore, we have developed a set of defined criteria of environmental reporting. This instrument and its applicability are tested in a newly established monitoring project for the assessment of pieces on environmental issues, which refer to scientific sources and therefore can be regarded as a special field of science journalism. The quality is assessed in a kind of journalistic peer review. We describe the systematic development of criteria, which might also be a model procedure for other fields of science reporting. Furthermore, we present results from the monitoring of 50 environmental reports in German media. According to these preliminary data, the lack of context and the deficient elucidation of the evidence pose major problems in environmental reporting.

  7. Environmental dynamics of metal oxide nanoparticles in heterogeneous systems: A review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joo, Sung Hee; Zhao, Dongye

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Influence of contaminants on the mobility of metal oxide nanoparticles (MNPs). • Synergistic effects of MNPs in the presence of contaminants. • Effect of environmental factors on the transformed MNPs. • Research direction on the toxicity modeling assessment of heterogeneous systems. - Abstract: Metal oxide nanoparticles (MNPs) have been used for many purposes including water treatment, health, cosmetics, electronics, food packaging, and even food products. As their applications continue to expand, concerns have been mounting about the environmental fate and potential health risks of the nanoparticles in the environment. Based on the latest information, this review provides an overview of the factors that affect the fate, transformation and toxicity of MNPs. Emphasis is placed on the effects of various aquatic contaminants under various environmental conditions on the transformation of metal oxides and their transport kinetics – both in homogeneous and heterogeneous systems – and the effects of contaminants on the toxicity of MNPs. The presence of existing contaminants decreases bioavailability through hetero-aggregation, sorption, and/or complexation upon an interaction with MNPs. Contaminants also influence the fate and transport of MNPs and exhibit their synergistic toxic effects that contribute to the extent of the toxicity. This review will help regulators, engineers, and scientists in this field to understand the latest development on MNPs, their interactions with aquatic contaminants as well as the environmental dynamics of their fate and transformation. The knowledge gap and future research needs are also identified, and the challenges in assessing the environmental fate and transport of nanoparticles in heterogeneous systems are discussed.

  8. Environmental dynamics of metal oxide nanoparticles in heterogeneous systems: A review

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Joo, Sung Hee, E-mail: s.joo1@miami.edu [Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, University of Miami, 1251 Memorial Dr. McArthur Engineering Building, Coral Gables, FL 33146-0630 (United States); Zhao, Dongye [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 238 Harbert Engineering Center, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849 (United States)

    2017-01-15

    Highlights: • Influence of contaminants on the mobility of metal oxide nanoparticles (MNPs). • Synergistic effects of MNPs in the presence of contaminants. • Effect of environmental factors on the transformed MNPs. • Research direction on the toxicity modeling assessment of heterogeneous systems. - Abstract: Metal oxide nanoparticles (MNPs) have been used for many purposes including water treatment, health, cosmetics, electronics, food packaging, and even food products. As their applications continue to expand, concerns have been mounting about the environmental fate and potential health risks of the nanoparticles in the environment. Based on the latest information, this review provides an overview of the factors that affect the fate, transformation and toxicity of MNPs. Emphasis is placed on the effects of various aquatic contaminants under various environmental conditions on the transformation of metal oxides and their transport kinetics – both in homogeneous and heterogeneous systems – and the effects of contaminants on the toxicity of MNPs. The presence of existing contaminants decreases bioavailability through hetero-aggregation, sorption, and/or complexation upon an interaction with MNPs. Contaminants also influence the fate and transport of MNPs and exhibit their synergistic toxic effects that contribute to the extent of the toxicity. This review will help regulators, engineers, and scientists in this field to understand the latest development on MNPs, their interactions with aquatic contaminants as well as the environmental dynamics of their fate and transformation. The knowledge gap and future research needs are also identified, and the challenges in assessing the environmental fate and transport of nanoparticles in heterogeneous systems are discussed.

  9. Social anxiety disorder: A review of environmental risk factors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christina A Brook

    2008-03-01

    Full Text Available Christina A Brook, Louis A SchmidtDepartment of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, CanadaAbstract: Social anxiety disorder (SAD is a debilitating and chronic illness characterized by persistent fear of one or more social or performance situations, with a relatively high lifetime prevalence of 7% to 13% in the general population. Although the last two decades have witnessed enormous growth in the study of biological and dispositional factors underlying SAD, comparatively little attention has been directed towards environmental factors in SAD, even though there has been much ongoing work in the area. In this paper, we provide a recent review and critique of proposed environmental risk factors for SAD, focusing on traditional as well as some understudied and overlooked environmental risk factors: parenting and family environment, adverse life events, cultural and societal factors, and gender roles. We also discuss the need for research design improvements and considerations for future directions.

  10. Review of the environmental impact of nuclear energy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El-Hinnawi, E.E.

    1977-01-01

    Nuclear power is one of the alternative sources for meeting the increasing world requirements for energy production. The world's nuclear electrical power production has been increasing at a rapid rate and is expected to reach about 620 GWe by 1985 and about 3300 GWe by the year 2000. This continuing increase would be impossible without an equivalent expansion of available fuel supplies, enrichment capacity, fuel fabrication capacity, irradiated fuel reprocessing capacity, and finally appropriate facilities for dealing with the nuclear wastes which will arise in due course. The present report reviews the environmental impacts encountered at each step of the nuclear fuel cycle which consists of the processes of mining and milling of uranium ores, conversion to fuel material and fabrication of fuel elements, reactor design and operation, reprocessing of spent fuel, and disposal of radioactive wastes. It also includes a review of the environmental impact of transportation of radioactive material between installations handling different steps of the cycle. Although the environmental impacts arising at certain stages in the nuclear fuel cycle are similar to some of those encountered in the fossil-fuel cycle (for example, the ecological effects of strip mining of ores and/or thermal discharges), there are some unique impacts related to nuclear power generation. Perhaps the most important of these is the radioactivity released from the decay products of nuclear fission. Although most of the radionuclides released into the environment are of local or regional concern, because their half-lives are short compared to the time involved in their dispersion, some radionuclides have long half-lives and can, therefore, become widely distributed. This has been the main focus of public concern and debate with respect to the expansion in nuclear power utilisation, in spite of the strict regulations and safety measures undertaken

  11. Review of four major environmental effects monitoring programs in the oil sands region

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lott, E.O.; Jones, R.K.

    2010-10-01

    The lack of knowledge on current environmental effects monitoring programs for the mineable oil sands region generates a low public confidence in environment health monitoring and reporting programs for the oil sands operations. In 2010, the Oil Sands Research and Information Network (OSRIN) supervised a study reviewing the major environmental effects monitoring programs that are underway in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. Four main environmental effects monitoring and reporting organizations existing in the oil sands area were engaged to describe their programs through this study: Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI), Cumulative Environmental Management Association (CEMA), Regional Aquatic Monitoring Program (RAMP), Wood Buffalo Environmental Association (WBEA). These different organizations have specific roles in providing information, data and understanding of ecosystem effects. A one page visual summary of environmental effects monitoring in the oil sands area resulted from the information received from these organizations and detailed fact sheets were presented for each one of the programs. The report of this study also presents seven other environmental monitoring initiatives or organizations such as Alberta Environment and Environment Canada environmental effects monitoring program. The main observation that emerged from the review was the lack of detailed understanding shown by the stakeholders regarding the monitoring activities performed in the oil sands area. There is a lack of communication of the different programs that are conducted in the region. The study also pointed out that no efforts were put in cross-linking the various programs to be assured that every concerns related to environmental effects associated with oil sands operations were addressed. A better understanding of environmental effects and an improvement in public confidence in the data and its interpretation would probably be observed with the establishment of a

  12. The hazardous priority substances in Italy: National rules and environmental quality standard in marine environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maggi, Chiara; Onorati, Fulvio; Lamberti, Claudia Virno; Cicero, Anna Maria

    2008-01-01

    Article number 16 of the Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC) lays down the community strategy for establishment of harmonised quality standards for the priority substances and other substances posing a significant risk to the aquatic environment. In order to achieve the protection objectives of the Directive 2000/60/EC, the Italian Ministry of the Environment proposed the quality standards for surface water, sediments and biota related to the priority substances listed in the decision No. 2455/2001/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of November 20 (2001) [Decision N. 2455/2001/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 November 2001. The list of priority substances in the field of water policy and amending Directive 2000/60/EC. Official Journal of the European Communities, 15.12.2001, p. 5]. Particularly, for the protection of the marine environment, the proposed Italian rules state that, from 1 January 2021, the concentrations of the hazardous priority substances in Italian marine and lagoon waters must be near the natural background for natural substances, like metals, and near zero for the anthropogenic one. According to Directive 2000/60/EC, the Italian Ministry of Environment issued in 2003 Decree 367 in which has derived 160 Environmental Quality Standard (EQS) for water and 27 Environmental Quality Objective (EQO) for sediment of marine coastal area, lagoons and coastal ponds. Biota quality standards have still to be fixed. The paper illustrates the criteria applied for the definition of the quality standards and some comments are presented

  13. Standard Review Plan for the review of safety analysis reports for nuclear power plants, Revision No. 7 to Section 9

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1978-03-01

    Revision No. 1 to Section 9 of the Standard Review Plan incorporates changes that have been developed since the original issuance in September 1975, many of which are editorial in nature, to reflect current staff practice in the review of safety analysis reports for nuclear power plants

  14. 49 CFR 520.21 - Preparation of environmental reviews, negative declarations, and notices of intent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Preparation of environmental reviews, negative declarations, and notices of intent. 520.21 Section 520.21 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PROCEDURES FOR CONSIDERING ENVIRONMENTAL...

  15. Implementation of the ISO 14001: 2004 standard at the Florida Bebidas facilities in Coyol of Alajuela

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Picado Jimenez, Susana Melissa

    2014-01-01

    The partial implementation of the ISO 14001: 2004 standard is carried out at the company Florida Bebidas located in Coyol of Alajuela. A bibliographical study is initiated of the documentation that the Company has in others of its facilities on the subject, to comply with the stipulated in the environmental policy of the company. The implementation of the standard is planned by defining the priority environmental aspects according to the objectives, goals and environmental programs to fulfill the new period of the company. The responsibilities of those involved were defined. The documentation is elaborated, including the procedures, instructions for monitoring and measurement, records required by the standard, operational control, preparation and response to environmental emergencies. The verification of the management system is reviewed together with the legal evaluation. Environmental indicators are improved and significant environmental risks are identified to establish the pertinent measures and to reduce the risk index. The importance of implementing ISO 14001: 2004 to the control of procedures is determined, and the records created to follow up on each outstanding environmental aspect. The strict use of each of the established records is recommended to continue the process of standard implementing. (author) [es

  16. Environmental impact analysis: the first five years of the National Environmental Policy Act in the USA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thorold, O

    1975-11-01

    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 was the first comprehensive law to subject decisions to an assessment of total environmental consequence and instill environmental attitudes throughout government. All agencies must submit impact projections of proposed as well as alternative actions. Twenty-one states have passed similar legislation. A review of the Act's provisions for oversight, court action, timing, content, and commenting procedures is followed by a five-year evaluation. Because NEPA is generally felt to be a realistic approach to decision making and not a substitute for other kinds of environmental control, Mr. Thorold feels the American experience has been positive and is worth modifying for other countries. The Act lacked a ''grandfather clause,'' which caused a difficult transition period while agencies coped with both new and existing projects and developed standards for identifying and reviewing impacts. As agencies recognized that delays from lawsuits often resulted from inadequate impact statements, the quality improved to meet the strict guidelines of the Council on Environmental Quality. Joint efforts of agencies, universities, consulting firms, and private groups have cooperated to improve environmental forecasting and promote full communication. The costs of preparing statements and those of abandoned projects are felt to be conservative when compared to the costs of pursuing inappropriate projects. (21 references) (DCK)

  17. Hanford site tank waste remediation system programmatic environmental review report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haass, C.C.

    1998-01-01

    The US Department of Energy (DOE) committed in the Tank Waste Remediation System (TWRS) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Record of Decision (ROD) to perform future National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis at key points in the Program. Each review will address the potential impacts that new information may have on the environmental impacts presented in the TWRS EIS and support an assessment of whether DOE's plans for remediating the tank waste are still pursuing the appropriate plan for remediation or whether adjustments to the program are needed. In response to this commitment, DOE prepared a Supplement Analysis (SA) to support the first of these reevaluations. Subsequent to the completion of the SA, the Phase IB negotiations process with private contractors resulted in several changes to the planned approach. These changes along with other new information regarding the TWRS Program have potential implications for Phase 1 and Phase 2 of tank waste retrieval and waste storage and/or disposal that may influence the environmental impacts of the Phased Implementation alternative. This report focuses on identifying those potential environmental impacts that may require NEPA analysis prior to authorization to begin facility construction and operations

  18. analysis of the environmental and socio-economic impact of noise

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Dr Obe

    Interest in noise control studies is only recent in Nigeria. ... standards for environmental pollution by the Federal ... heaters, gas flare system, reactors, water injection plants, pumps ..... review of health effects of aircraft noise. Aust. NZ J. Public ...

  19. Characteristics and environmental aspects of slag: a review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piatak, Nadine M.; Parsons, Michael B.; Seal, Robert R.

    2015-01-01

    Slag is a waste product from the pyrometallurgical processing of various ores. Based on over 150 published studies, this paper provides an overview of mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of different types of slag and their environmental consequences, particularly from the release of potentially toxic elements to water. This chapter reviews the characteristics of both ferrous (steel and blast furnace Fe) and non-ferrous (Ag, Cu, Ni, Pb, Sn, Zn) slag. Interest in slag has been increasing steadily as large volumes, on the order of hundreds of millions of tonnes, are produced annually worldwide. Research on slag generally focuses on potential environmental issues related to the weathering of slag dumps or on its utility as a construction material or reprocessing for secondary metal recovery. The chemistry and mineralogy of slag depend on the metallurgical processes that create the material and will influence its fate as waste or as a reusable product.

  20. Final environmental impact statement for standards for the control of byproduct materials from uranium ore processing (40 CFR 192). Volume 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1983-09-01

    The Environmental Protection Agency is establishing public health and environmental standards (40 CFR 192) for uranium and thorium mill tailings at licensed mill sites under the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 (PL. 95-604). Mills are currently located in Colorado, New Mexico, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. These standards are issued to reduce and control the hazards associated with uranium and thorium mill Tailings. Controls are required both during the operational period of mills and for disposal of the tailings piles, to assure environmentally sound, long-term protection of public health and stabilization of the tailings

  1. Review of international standards related to the design for control rooms on nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kitamura, Masashi; Yoshikawa, Hidekazu; Fujita, Yushi

    2005-01-01

    The improvement of Human-Machine Interface (HMI) design for control rooms on nuclear power plants (NPP) has been accomplished world wide, especially after the TMI-2 accident. The design process and guidelines are standardized in IEC60964 and supplemental standards as international standard. However, technological update is required due to the increased use of computerized control and monitoring equipment and systems in control rooms on NPP in recent years. Standards are becoming more important for computerized control rooms because there is more freedom to design than conventional hardware based system. For computerized control rooms, standards for hardware and software of HMI systems should be also considered. Standards and guidelines for computerized control rooms on NPP have been developed recently in each body such as IEC, ISO, and IEEE etc. Therefore, reviewing these standards and guidelines related to control rooms design of NPP can be useful not only for revision of the international standards such as IEC60964, but also for users of the standards and guidelines. In this paper, we reviewed the international standards related to the design for control rooms, in the two aspects of HMI design and hardware and software design, considering the undergoing revision work and their application. (author)

  2. Improving the review of standard operating procedures: a novel electronic system for compounding pharmacies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brensel, Robert; Brensel, Scott; Ng, Amy

    2013-01-01

    Since the New England Compounding Center disaster in 2012, the importance of following correct procedures during every phase of customized pharmacy has been a focus of governmental interest and action as well as public scrutiny. Many pharmacies rely on the rote review of standard operating procedures to ensure that staff members understand and follow protocols that ensure the safety and potency of all compounds prepared, but that approach to continuing education can be cumbersome and needlessly time-consuming. In addition, documenting and retrieving evidence of employee competence can be difficult. In this article, we describe our use of online technology to improve our methods of educating staff about the full range of standard operating procedures that must be followed in our pharmacy. The system we devised and implemented has proven to be effective, easy to update and maintain, very inexpensive, and user friendly. Its use has reduced the time previously required for a read-over review of standard operating procedures from 30 or 40 minutes to 5 or 10 minutes in weekly staff meetings, and we can now easily document and access proof of employees' comprehension of that content. It is our hope that other small compounding pharmacies will also find this system of online standard operating procedure review helpful.

  3. Comparing Short Dental Implants to Standard Dental Implants: Protocol for a Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rokn, Amir Reza; Keshtkar, Abbasali; Monzavi, Abbas; Hashemi, Kazem; Bitaraf, Tahereh

    2018-01-18

    Short dental implants have been proposed as a simpler, cheaper, and faster alternative for the rehabilitation of atrophic edentulous areas to avoid the disadvantages of surgical techniques for increasing bone volume. This review will compare short implants (4 to 8 mm) to standard implants (larger than 8 mm) in edentulous jaws, evaluating on the basis of marginal bone loss (MBL), survival rate, complications, and prosthesis failure. We will electronically search for randomized controlled trials comparing short dental implants to standard dental implants in the following databases: PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Scopus, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ClinicalTrials.gov with English language restrictions. We will manually search the reference lists of relevant reviews and the included articles in this review. The following journals will also be searched: European Journal of Oral Implantology, Clinical Oral Implants Research, and Clinical Implant Dentistry and Related Research. Two reviewers will independently perform the study selection, data extraction and quality assessment (using the Cochrane Collaboration tool) of included studies. All meta-analysis procedures including appropriate effect size combination, sub-group analysis, meta-regression, assessing publication or reporting bias will be performed using Stata (Statacorp, TEXAS) version 12.1. Short implant effectiveness will be assessed using the mean difference of MBL in terms of weighted mean difference (WMD) and standardized mean difference (SMD) using Cohen's method. The combined effect size measures in addition to the related 95% confidence intervals will be estimated by a fixed effect model. The heterogeneity of the related effect size will be assessed using a Q Cochrane test and I2 measure. The MBL will be presented by a standardized mean difference with a 95% confidence interval. The survival rate of implants, prostheses failures, and complications will be reported using a risk

  4. Monitoring Activities Review action report for the Environmental Monitoring Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wilhelmsen, R.N.; Wright, K.C.

    1990-12-01

    To improve program planning and to provide bases for technical improvement of the monitoring program, the EG ampersand G Environmental Monitoring (EM) organization has regularly used the Monitoring Activities Review (MAR) process since 1982. Each MAR is conducted by a committee of individuals selected for their experience in the various types of monitoring performed by the EM organization. An MAR of the Environmental Monitoring Program was conducted in 1988. This action report identifies and discusses the recommendations of this MAR committee. This action report also identifies the actions already taken by the EM Unit in response to these recommendations, as well as the actions and schedules to be taken. 10 refs

  5. 7 CFR 1940.316 - Responsible officials for the environmental review process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... submitted to the approval official for final determinations. The SEC will review the assessment and provide... adequacy of the assessment or the recommendations reached, the State Director, whether or not the approving... Law 103-354 official responsible for executing the environmental impact determination and...

  6. Critical Review of Commercial Secondary Lithium-Ion Battery Safety Standards

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Harry P.; Chapin, Thomas, J.; Tabaddor, Mahmod

    2010-09-01

    The development of Li-ion cells with greater energy density has lead to safety concerns that must be carefully assessed as Li-ion cells power a wide range of products from consumer electronics to electric vehicles to space applications. Documented field failures and product recalls for Li-ion cells, mostly for consumer electronic products, highlight the risk of fire, smoke, and even explosion. These failures have been attributed to the occurrence of internal short circuits and the subsequent thermal runaway that can lead to fire and explosion. As packaging for some applications include a large number of cells, the risk of failure is likely to be magnified. To address concerns about the safety of battery powered products, safety standards have been developed. This paper provides a review of various international safety standards specific to lithium-ion cells. This paper shows that though the standards are harmonized on a host of abuse conditions, most lack a test simulating internal short circuits. This paper describes some efforts to introduce internal short circuit tests into safety standards.

  7. The reasonable woman standard: a meta-analytic review of gender differences in perceptions of sexual harassment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blumenthal, J A

    1998-02-01

    Courts and legislatures have begun to develop the "reasonable woman standard" (RWS) as a criterion for deciding sexual harassment trials. This standard rests on assumptions of a "wide divergence" between the perceptions of men and women when viewing social-sexual behavior that may be considered harassing. Narrative reviews of the literature on such perceptions have suggested that these assumptions are only minimally supported. To test these assumptions quantitatively, a meta-analytic review was conducted that assessed the size, stability, and moderators of gender differences in perceptions of sexual harassment. The effect of the actor's status relative to the target also was evaluated meta-analytically, as one alternative to the importance of gender effects. Results supported the claims of narrative reviews for a relatively small gender effect, and draw attention to the status effect. In discussing legal implications of the present findings, earlier claims are echoed suggesting caution in establishing the reasonable woman standard, and one alternative to the RWS, the "reasonable victim standard," is discussed.

  8. Evidence for the Existing American Nurses Association-Recognized Standardized Nursing Terminologies: A Systematic Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tastan, Sevinc; Linch, Graciele C. F.; Keenan, Gail M.; Stifter, Janet; McKinney, Dawn; Fahey, Linda; Dunn Lopez, Karen; Yao, Yingwei; Wilkie, Diana J.

    2014-01-01

    Objective To determine the state of the science for the five standardized nursing terminology sets in terms of level of evidence and study focus. Design Systematic Review. Data sources Keyword search of PubMed, CINAHL, and EMBASE databases from 1960s to March 19, 2012 revealed 1,257 publications. Review Methods From abstract review we removed duplicate articles, those not in English or with no identifiable standardized nursing terminology, and those with a low-level of evidence. From full text review of the remaining 312 articles, eight trained raters used a coding system to record standardized nursing terminology names, publication year, country, and study focus. Inter-rater reliability confirmed the level of evidence. We analyzed coded results. Results On average there were 4 studies per year between 1985 and 1995. The yearly number increased to 14 for the decade between 1996–2005, 21 between 2006–2010, and 25 in 2011. Investigators conducted the research in 27 countries. By evidence level for the 312 studies 72.4% were descriptive, 18.9% were observational, and 8.7% were intervention studies. Of the 312 reports, 72.1% focused on North American Nursing Diagnosis-International, Nursing Interventions Classification, Nursing Outcome Classification, or some combination of those three standardized nursing terminologies; 9.6% on Omaha System; 7.1% on International Classification for Nursing Practice; 1.6% on Clinical Care Classification/Home Health Care Classification; 1.6% on Perioperative Nursing Data Set; and 8.0% on two or more standardized nursing terminology sets. There were studies in all 10 foci categories including those focused on concept analysis/classification infrastructure (n = 43), the identification of the standardized nursing terminology concepts applicable to a health setting from registered nurses’ documentation (n = 54), mapping one terminology to another (n = 58), implementation of standardized nursing terminologies into electronic health

  9. Calcium polysulphide, its applications and emerging risk of environmental pollution-a review article.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dahlawi, Saad Mohammed; Siddiqui, Samreen

    2017-01-01

    Easy availability, preparation technique, and economic value make calcium polysulphide (CaS x ) a very useful inorganic chemical for various field and industrial applications. In this article, disparate applications of CaS x solution have been reviewed to suggest potential and future consolidation. This article also encompasses the physiochemical properties and production of CaS x solution, with critical appraisal on research focusing on CaS x application in agriculture industries and removal of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) from the environment. The kinetics of CaS x , technical issues associated with optimization of its dosage and environmental fate is also discussed in detail. This study covers almost all of the peer-reviewed research that has been performed since 1914. Some of the critiques in this article include the lack of integration between the exposure effect and the efficiency of treatment method, effects of oxidizing environments on the long-term performance of CaS x solution, and kinetics of CaS x solution with the PTEs. The working model of CaS x with PTEs is still system dependent, and therefore cannot be used with other applications. The kinetics of CaS x is described in detail with various phase stoichiometric reactions. Environmental fate is discussed based on applications, government reports, peer-reviewed articles and kinetics of CaS x , which provides a clear picture of emerging contaminants in the environment in relation to the insect resistance and ecotoxicology. Real time, lab based research articles are needed to identify toxicity limits of CaS x in environment in order to describe its effective permissible limit in environmental system. This review article provides a risk assessment of environmental pollution by CaS x based on its physicochemical characteristic, stoichiometry, kinetics, field, and industrial applications.

  10. WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region: A Systematic Review on Environmental Noise and Cognition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, Charlotte; Paunovic, Katarina

    2018-02-07

    This systematic review assesses the quality of the evidence across individual studies on the effect of environmental noise (road traffic, aircraft, and train and railway noise) on cognition. Quantitative non-experimental studies of the association between environmental noise exposure on child and adult cognitive performance published up to June 2015 were reviewed: no limit was placed on the start date for the search. A total of 34 papers were identified, all of which were of child populations. 82% of the papers were of cross-sectional design, with fewer studies of longitudinal or intervention design. A range of cognitive outcomes were examined. The quality of the evidence across the studies for each individual noise source and cognitive outcome was assessed using an adaptation of GRADE methodology. This review found, given the predominance of cross-sectional studies, that the quality of the evidence across studies ranged from being of moderate quality for an effect for some outcomes, e.g., aircraft noise effects on reading comprehension and on long-term memory, to no effect for other outcomes such as attention and executive function and for some noise sources such as road traffic noise and railway noise. The GRADE evaluation of low quality evidence across studies for some cognitive domains and for some noise sources does not necessarily mean that there are no effects: rather, that more robust and a greater number of studies are required.

  11. Environmental effects of exploratory drilling offshore Canada : environmental effects monitoring data and literature review : final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hurley, G.; Ellis, J.

    2004-10-01

    This study examined pertinent environmental effects monitoring (EEM) information and data associated with offshore exploratory and development drilling in Canada. Two approaches were used: (1) a review of scientific literature was conducted to provide a synthesis of knowledge concerning interactions between exploratory drilling and the environment; and (2) a review of pertinent Canadian EEM data was conducted to evaluate interactions between exploratory drilling and the environment. Virtually all the east coast Canadian data reviewed in the study related to the effects of multiple wells. Although the effects of drilling waste were a primary focus, the effects of accidental discharges, lights and flaring, atmospheric emissions and noise emissions were also considered. Changes in the diversity and abundance of benthic organisms were detected within 1000 metres of many drill sites. The fine particles in drilling wastes contributed to the environmental effects observed around drilling platforms, and elevated body burden concentrations of drill waste indicators were detected over larger scales in a wide range of taxonomic groups. The results of laboratory and field studies suggested a lower potential for toxicity on commercial finfish and shellfish species. However, it was observed that measuring the effects of elevated concentrations of contaminants remained a challenge due to high levels variability in literature studies. A precautionary approach to the management of seismic surveys was recommended. It was concluded that the potential cumulative impacts of exploration drilling should be considered in the context of other anthropogenic activities. 138 refs., 6 tabs.

  12. Environmental occurrence of arsenic in Colombia: A review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alonso, David L.; Latorre, Sergio; Castillo, Elianna; Brandão, Pedro F.B.

    2014-01-01

    The international literature on the presence of arsenic (As) in Latin America does not disclose the true magnitude of the presence of As in Colombia. In this paper, we summarize the literature on As occurrence in Colombia. The data reveal that As is present in matrices such as soil, sediments and water and in the food chain. Some of the As concentrations exceed the limits specified by national and international regulations. Arsenic higher concentrations are associated with mining regions (e.g., soils, up to 148 mg/kg; sediments, up to 1400 mg/kg) and agricultural areas (e.g., vegetables, up to 5.40 mg/kg; irrigation water, up to 255 μg/L), and underscore the potential human and environmental risks associated with the presence of As in the country. This review highlights the importance of focusing research on understanding the occurrence, origin and distribution of As in Colombia to better understand its environmental and public health impact. -- Highlights: • Information about arsenic (As) studies in Colombia is provided. • Occurrence of As in Colombia. • Compilation help to increase knowledge of As presence in Latin America. • Need for more research on the occurrence, origin, distribution, speciation and remediation of As in Colombia. -- This review communicates the untold story of arsenic in Colombia and draws attention to the need for more rigorous research on the metalloid. It also contributes to the information available on As in Latin America

  13. The ecological limits of hydrologic alteration (ELOHA): A new framework for developing regional environmental flow standards

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poff, N.L.; Richter, B.D.; Arthington, A.H.; Bunn, S.E.; Naiman, R.J.; Kendy, E.; Acreman, M.; Apse, C.; Bledsoe, B.P.; Freeman, Mary C.; Henriksen, J.; Jacobson, R.B.; Kennen, J.G.; Merritt, D.M.; O'Keeffe, J. H.; Olden, J.D.; Rogers, K.; Tharme, R.E.; Warner, A.

    2010-01-01

    The flow regime is a primary determinant of the structure and function of aquatic and riparian ecosystems for streams and rivers. Hydrologic alteration has impaired riverine ecosystems on a global scale, and the pace and intensity of human development greatly exceeds the ability of scientists to assess the effects on a river-by-river basis. Current scientific understanding of hydrologic controls on riverine ecosystems and experience gained from individual river studies support development of environmental flow standards at the regional scale. 2. This paper presents a consensus view from a group of international scientists on a new framework for assessing environmental flow needs for many streams and rivers simultaneously to foster development and implementation of environmental flow standards at the regional scale. This framework, the ecological limits of hydrologic alteration (ELOHA), is a synthesis of a number of existing hydrologic techniques and environmental flow methods that are currently being used to various degrees and that can support comprehensive regional flow management. The flexible approach allows scientists, water-resource managers and stakeholders to analyse and synthesise available scientific information into ecologically based and socially acceptable goals and standards for management of environmental flows. 3. The ELOHA framework includes the synthesis of existing hydrologic and ecological databases from many rivers within a user-defined region to develop scientifically defensible and empirically testable relationships between flow alteration and ecological responses. These relationships serve as the basis for the societally driven process of developing regional flow standards. This is to be achieved by first using hydrologic modelling to build a 'hydrologic foundation' of baseline and current hydrographs for stream and river segments throughout the region. Second, using a set of ecologically relevant flow variables, river segments within the

  14. Implementation of energy efficiency standards of household refrigerator/freezer in China: Potential environmental and economic impacts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tao, Jing; Yu, Suiran

    2011-01-01

    Due to the rapid economic development, living standards in China are improving fast. Chinese families are having more household electrical appliances, among which refrigerators are indispensable. Energy consumption of refrigerators is huge in China and causes environmental concerns. China has issued the national energy efficiency standards of household refrigerators, GB12021.2-2003 and GB12021.2-2008 to promote high-efficiency refrigerator production and use. This study evaluated the impacts of the standards on the environment, manufacturers and consumers over a long-term period of 2003-2023. It first evaluated the potential electricity conservation and GHG emission reduction resulting from energy efficiency improvements driven by the standards. Next, manufacturers' technological and economic concerns about complying with the standards were discussed. Some efficiency improving design options were considered and the resulting increases in manufacturing cost and retail price were estimated. The return of consumers from invest in efficiency was analyzed based on lifecycle cost saving of the improved models. The economical viability of the standards was then evaluated by national consumer costs and benefits. Results showed that the considered efficiency standards will potentially save a cumulative total of 588-1180 TWh electricity, and reduce emission of 629-1260 million tons of CO 2 , 4.00-8.04 million tons of SO x and 2.37-4.76 million tons of NO x by 2023, depending on sale share of models by efficiency. In a more environmentally optimal case (75% sale share of high-efficiency models), the national consumer benefits are 121 billion RMB (discounted), with the benefit/cost ratio of consumer's expenditure being 1.45:1. However, the preference to high-efficiency models is substantial influenced by consumer's expectation on return from the additional cost on efficiency.

  15. Krsko Nuclear Power Plant's Environmental Management System in Compliance with ISO 14001:2004

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kusar, A.; Kavsek, D.

    2010-01-01

    Krsko Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) pays special attention to environmental protection and practices environmental safety in all plant processes and management. In 2008, Krsko NPP introduced the Environmental Management System in compliance with ISO 14001:2004 standard. The plant management announced the Environmental policy which is a part of the business strategy of Krsko NPP which is an eco-friendly company. The Policy is a commitment of the plant management and all staff to act in compliance with requirements of ISO 14001:2004. The standard served as a basis for developing some new documentation such as Environmental Management System Quality Manual, Environmental planning procedures identifying legal and other requirements, Register of environmental aspects, Register of legal and other requirements etc. When establishing the Register of environmental aspects, all possible environmental impacts of the plant were carefully reviewed and estimated. Following the introduction and certification audit in October and December 2008 of Bureau Veritas Certification, Krsko NPP was awarded certificate ISO 14001:2004 attesting conformity of its Environmental Management System with this standard. The Environmental Certificate means that Krsko NPP will promote a positive environmental culture and maintain a safe, healthy and environmentally-sound workplace for all its employees, contractors and visitors.(author).

  16. The Impact of Environmental Design on Teamwork and Communication in Healthcare Facilities: A Systematic Literature Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gharaveis, Arsalan; Hamilton, D Kirk; Pati, Debajyoti

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this systematic review is to investigate the current knowledge about the impact of healthcare facility design on teamwork and communication by exploring the relevant literature. Teamwork and communication are behavioral factors that are impacted by physical design. However, the effects of environmental factors on teamwork and communication have not been investigated extensively in healthcare design literature. There are no published systematic reviews on the current topic. Searches were conducted in PubMed and Google Scholar databases in addition to targeted design journals including Health Environmental Research & Design, Environment and Behavior, Environmental Psychology, and Applied Ergonomics. Inclusion criteria were (a) full-text English language articles related to teamwork and communication and (b) involving any healthcare built environment and space design published in peer-reviewed journals between 1984 and 2017. Studies were extracted using defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. In the first phase, 26 of the 195 articles most relevant to teamwork and 19 studies of the 147 were identified and reviewed to understand the impact of communication in healthcare facilities. The literature regarding the impact of built environment on teamwork and communication were reviewed and explored in detail. Eighteen studies were selected and succinctly summarized as the final product of this review. Environmental design, which involves nurses, support staff, and physicians, is one of the critical factors that promotes the efficiency of teamwork and collaborative communication. Layout design, visibility, and accessibility levels are the most cited aspects of design which can affect the level of communication and teamwork in healthcare facilities.

  17. Standard Review Plan for the review of financial assurance mechanisms for decommissioning under 10 CFR Parts 30, 40, 70, and 72

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1989-08-01

    Standard Review Plan (SRP) for the Review of Financial Assurance Mechanisms for Decommissioning under 10 CFR Parts 30, 40, 70 and 72, is prepared for the guidance of Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff reviewers in performing reviews of applications from material licensees affected by the decommissioning regulations established June 27, 1988 (53FR24018). The principal purpose of the SRP is to assure the quality and uniformity of staff reviews and to present a base from which to evaluate the financial assurance aspects of the applications. The SRP identifies who performs the review, the matters that are reviewed, the basis for the review, how the review is performed, and the conclusions that are sought

  18. Cell-based in vitro models in environmental toxicology: a review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Poteser Michael

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available An analysis of biological effects induced by environmental toxins and exposure-related evaluation of potential risks for health and environment represent central tasks in classical biomonitoring. While epidemiological data and population surveys are clearly the methodological frontline of this scientific field, cellbased in vitro assays provide information on toxin-affected cellular pathways and mechanisms, and are important sources for the identification of relevant biomarkers. This review provides an overview on currently available in vitro methods based on cultured cells, as well as some limitations and considerations that are of specific interest in the context of environmental toxicology. Today, a large number of different endpoints can be determined to pinpoint basal and specific toxicological cellular effects. Technological progress and increasingly refined protocols are extending the possibilities of cell-based in vitro assays in environmental toxicology and promoting their increasingly important role in biomonitoring.

  19. Environmental occurrence of arsenic in Colombia: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alonso, David L; Latorre, Sergio; Castillo, Elianna; Brandão, Pedro F B

    2014-03-01

    The international literature on the presence of arsenic (As) in Latin America does not disclose the true magnitude of the presence of As in Colombia. In this paper, we summarize the literature on As occurrence in Colombia. The data reveal that As is present in matrices such as soil, sediments and water and in the food chain. Some of the As concentrations exceed the limits specified by national and international regulations. Arsenic higher concentrations are associated with mining regions (e.g., soils, up to 148 mg/kg; sediments, up to 1400 mg/kg) and agricultural areas (e.g., vegetables, up to 5.40 mg/kg; irrigation water, up to 255 μg/L), and underscore the potential human and environmental risks associated with the presence of As in the country. This review highlights the importance of focusing research on understanding the occurrence, origin and distribution of As in Colombia to better understand its environmental and public health impact. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Measurement of Henry's Law Constants Using Internal Standards: A Quantitative GC Experiment for the Instrumental Analysis or Environmental Chemistry Laboratory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ji, Chang; Boisvert, Susanne M.; Arida, Ann-Marie C.; Day, Shannon E.

    2008-01-01

    An internal standard method applicable to undergraduate instrumental analysis or environmental chemistry laboratory has been designed and tested to determine the Henry's law constants for a series of alkyl nitriles. In this method, a mixture of the analytes and an internal standard is prepared and used to make a standard solution (organic solvent)…

  1. Review and environmental impact assessment of green technologies for base courses in bituminous pavements

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anthonissen, Joke, E-mail: joke.anthonissen@uantwerpen.be [Faculty of Applied Engineering, University of Antwerp, Rodestraat 4, 2000 Antwerp (Belgium); Van den bergh, Wim, E-mail: wim.vandenbergh@uantwerpen.be [Faculty of Applied Engineering, University of Antwerp, Rodestraat 4, 2000 Antwerp (Belgium); Braet, Johan, E-mail: johan.braet@uantwerpen.be [Department Engineering Management, Faculty of Applied Economics, University of Antwerp, Prinsstraat 13, 2000 Antwerp (Belgium)

    2016-09-15

    This paper provides a critical review of different approaches applied in the Belgian asphalt sector in order to reduce the environmental impact of bituminous road construction works. The focus is on (1) reusing reclaimed asphalt pavement, (2) reducing the asphalt production temperature, and (3) prolonging the service life of the pavement. Environmental impact assessment of these methods is necessary to be able to compare these approaches and understand better the ability to reduce the environmental impact during the life cycle of the road pavement. Attention should be drawn to the possible shift in environmental impact between various life cycle stages, e.g., raw material production, asphalt production, or waste treatment. Life cycle assessment is necessary to adequately assess the environmental impact of these approaches over the entire service life of the bituminous pavement. The three approaches and their implementation in the road sector in Flanders (region in Belgium) are described and the main findings from life cycle assessment studies on these subjects are discussed. It was found from the review that using reclaimed asphalt pavement in new bituminous mixtures might yield significant environmental gains. The environmental impact of the application of warm mix asphalt technologies, on the other hand, depends on the technique used. - Highlights: • Recycling, lower production temperature and durability of asphalt are investigated. • The use of RAP in new asphalt mixtures yields significant environmental advantages. • It would be beneficial to allow RAP in asphalt mixtures for wearing courses. • The use of particular additives might counteract the environmental gain from WMA. • The service life and the environmental data source influence the LCA results.

  2. Review and environmental impact assessment of green technologies for base courses in bituminous pavements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anthonissen, Joke; Van den bergh, Wim; Braet, Johan

    2016-01-01

    This paper provides a critical review of different approaches applied in the Belgian asphalt sector in order to reduce the environmental impact of bituminous road construction works. The focus is on (1) reusing reclaimed asphalt pavement, (2) reducing the asphalt production temperature, and (3) prolonging the service life of the pavement. Environmental impact assessment of these methods is necessary to be able to compare these approaches and understand better the ability to reduce the environmental impact during the life cycle of the road pavement. Attention should be drawn to the possible shift in environmental impact between various life cycle stages, e.g., raw material production, asphalt production, or waste treatment. Life cycle assessment is necessary to adequately assess the environmental impact of these approaches over the entire service life of the bituminous pavement. The three approaches and their implementation in the road sector in Flanders (region in Belgium) are described and the main findings from life cycle assessment studies on these subjects are discussed. It was found from the review that using reclaimed asphalt pavement in new bituminous mixtures might yield significant environmental gains. The environmental impact of the application of warm mix asphalt technologies, on the other hand, depends on the technique used. - Highlights: • Recycling, lower production temperature and durability of asphalt are investigated. • The use of RAP in new asphalt mixtures yields significant environmental advantages. • It would be beneficial to allow RAP in asphalt mixtures for wearing courses. • The use of particular additives might counteract the environmental gain from WMA. • The service life and the environmental data source influence the LCA results.

  3. Standard Review Plan for the review of a license application for a low-level radioactive waste disposal facility. Revision 3

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1994-04-01

    The Standard Review Plan (SRP) (NUREG-1200) provides guidance to staff reviewers in the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards who perform safety reviews of applications to construct and operate low-level radioactive waste disposal facilities. The SRP ensures the quality and uniformity of the staff reviews and presents a well-defined base from which to evaluate proposed changes in the scope and requirements of the staff reviews. The SRP makes information about the regulatory licensing process widely available and serves to improve the understanding of the staff`s review process by interested members of the public and the industry. Each individual SRP addresses the responsibilities of persons performing the review, the matters that are reviewed, the Commission`s regulations and acceptance criteria necessary for the review, how the review is accomplished, the conclusions that are appropriate, and the implementation requirements.

  4. Comparison of IEEE383-2003 and IEC60505-2004 standards for harmonization of environmental qualification procedure of electric cable

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Jong Seog; Jeong, Sun Chul; Park, Kyung Heum; Jang, Kyung Nam

    2010-01-01

    Needs for harmonization of international equipment qualification(EQ) standards have been raised several years due to purchasing problem of nuclear equipment supplied from abroad country. To meet the regulatory requirement of domestic nuclear power plant, manufacturers have to qualify their equipment in accordance with each standard such as IEEE, IEC and RCC-E. Double qualification increase the equipment cost, which result in high construction cost. Even the unification of each standard have been discussed several years, we have got the long way to go yet. Comparison and harmonization of each international standard will give help to purchase the equipment qualified by not endorsed standard. Environmental qualification, seismic qualification and EMI/EMC qualification are major targets for harmonization. Since concern about cable qualification of 60 years life has been raised recently, harmonization of cable qualification standard also needs to be discussed. KEPRI launched a project for harmonization of EQ relative standards such as IEEE, IEC and RCC-E. A study for harmonization of IEEE323 and IEC60780 is known in progress by IEEE committee. In this paper, harmonization of international standards for cable qualification will be discussed. IEEE383 standard is qualification standard for electric cable broadly used in Asian pacific area while IEC60505 is mostly used in European area. Since these two standards have different requirements for environmental qualification of cable, problem can be happened in the plant site when they purchase cable qualified by not endorsed standard. IEEE383-2003 and IEC60505-2004 is the latest version of each standard. Comparison results and recommendations for harmonization of these two standards are introduced herein

  5. Systematic assessment of environmental risk factors for bipolar disorder: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bortolato, Beatrice; Köhler, Cristiano A; Evangelou, Evangelos; León-Caballero, Jordi; Solmi, Marco; Stubbs, Brendon; Belbasis, Lazaros; Pacchiarotti, Isabella; Kessing, Lars V; Berk, Michael; Vieta, Eduard; Carvalho, André F

    2017-03-01

    The pathophysiology of bipolar disorder is likely to involve both genetic and environmental risk factors. In our study, we aimed to perform a systematic search of environmental risk factors for BD. In addition, we assessed possible hints of bias in this literature, and identified risk factors supported by high epidemiological credibility. We searched the Pubmed/MEDLINE, EMBASE and PsycInfo databases up to 7 October 2016 to identify systematic reviews and meta-analyses of observational studies that assessed associations between putative environmental risk factors and BD. For each meta-analysis, we estimated its summary effect size by means of both random- and fixed-effects models, 95% confidence intervals (CIs), the 95% prediction interval, and heterogeneity. Evidence of small-study effects and excess of significance bias was also assessed. Sixteen publications met the inclusion criteria (seven meta-analyses and nine qualitative systematic reviews). Fifty-one unique environmental risk factors for BD were evaluated. Six meta-analyses investigated associations with a risk factor for BD. Only irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) emerged as a risk factor for BD supported by convincing evidence (k=6; odds ratio [OR]=2.48; 95% CI=2.35-2.61; P<.001), and childhood adversity was supported by highly suggestive evidence. Asthma and obesity were risk factors for BD supported by suggestive evidence, and seropositivity to Toxoplasma gondii and a history of head injury were supported by weak evidence. Notwithstanding that several environmental risk factors for BD were identified, few meta-analyses of observational studies were available. Therefore, further well-designed and adequately powered studies are necessary to map the environmental risk factors for BD. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Standard Review Plan for the review of safety analysis reports for nuclear power plants: LWR edition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1987-06-01

    The Standard Review Plan (SRP) is prepared for the guidance of staff reviewers in the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation in performing safety reviews of applications to construct or operate nuclear power plants. The principal purpose of the SRP is to assure the quality and uniformity of staff reviews and to present a well-defined base from which to evaluate proposed changes in the scope and requirements of reviews. It is also a purpose of the SRP to make information about regulatory matters widely available and to improve communication and understanding of the staff review process by interested members of the public and the nuclear power industry. The safety review is primarily based on the information provided by an applicant in a Safety Analysis Report (SAR). The SAR must be sufficiently detailed to permit the staff to determine whether the plant can be built and operated without undue risk to the health and safety of the public. The SAR is the principal document in which the applicant provides the information needed to understand the basis upon which this conclusion has been reached. The individual SRP sections address, in detail, who performs the review, the matters that are reviewed, the basis for review, how the review is accomplished, and the conclusions that are sought. The safety review is performed by 25 primary branches. One of the objectives of the SRP is to assign the review responsibilities to the various branches and to define the sometimes complex interfaces between them. Each SRP section identifies the branch that has the primary review responsibility for that section. In some review areas the primary branch may require support, and the branches that are assigned these secondary review responsibilities are also identified for each SRP section

  7. The proposed combustion standards and DOE thermal treatment systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McFee, J.; Hinman, M.B.; Eaton, D.; NcNeel, K.

    1997-01-01

    Under the provisions of the Clean Air Act (CAA) concerning emission of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the proposed Revised Standards for Hazardous Waste Combustors on April 19, 1996 (EPA, 1996). These standards would apply to the existing Department of Energy (DOE) radioactive and mixed waste incinerators, and may be applied to several developing alternatives to incineration. The DOE has reviewed the basis for these regulations and prepared extensive comments to present concerns about the bases and implications of the standards. DOE is now discussing compliance options with the EPA for regulation of radioactive and mixed waste thermal treatment systems

  8. Technical Review of Law Enforcement Standards and Guides Relative to Incident Management

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stenner, Robert D.; Salter, R.; Stanton, J. R.; Fisher, D.

    2009-03-24

    In an effort to locate potential law enforcement-related standards that support incident management, a team from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) contacted representatives from the National Institute of Standards-Office of Law Enforcement Standards (NIST-OLES), National Institute of Justice (NIJ), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Secret Service, ASTM International committees that have a law enforcement focus, and a variety of individuals from local and regional law enforcement organizations. Discussions were held with various state and local law enforcement organizations. The NIJ has published several specific equipment-related law enforcement standards that were included in the review, but it appears that law enforcement program and process-type standards are developed principally by organizations that operate at the state and local level. Input is provided from state regulations and codes and from external non-government organizations (NGOs) that provide national standards. The standards that are adopted from external organizations or developed independently by state authorities are available for use by local law enforcement agencies on a voluntary basis. The extent to which they are used depends on the respective jurisdictions involved. In some instances, use of state and local disseminated standards is mandatory, but in most cases, use is voluntary. Usually, the extent to which these standards are used appears to depend on whether or not jurisdictions receive certification from a “governing” entity due to their use and compliance with the standards. In some cases, these certification-based standards are used in principal but without certification or other compliance monitoring. In general, these standards appear to be routinely used for qualification, selection for employment, and training. In these standards, the term “Peace Officer” is frequently used to refer to law enforcement personnel. This technical review of national law

  9. Environmental chemicals in human milk: a review of levels, infant exposures and health, and guidance for future research

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    LaKind, Judy S.; Amina Wilkins, A.; Berlin, Cheston M.

    2004-01-01

    The aim of this review is to introduce the reader to various science and policy aspects of the topic of environmental chemicals in human milk. Although information on environmental chemicals in human milk has been available since the 1950s, it is only relatively recently that public awareness of the issue has grown. This review on environmental chemicals in human milk provides a resource summarizing what is currently known about levels and trends of environmental chemicals in human milk, potential infant exposures, and benefits of breast-feeding relative to the risks of exposures to environmental chemicals. The term 'environmental chemicals', as it pertains to human milk, refers to many classes of exogenous chemicals that may be detected in human milk. For example, pharmaceutical agents and alcohol are environmental chemicals that have been found in human milk. Other chemicals, such as heavy metals and volatile organic compounds, have also been detected in human milk. Most research on environmental chemicals in human milk has concentrated on persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals. In this review, a description of human milk is provided, including a brief review of endogenous substances in human milk. Determinants of levels of PBTs are discussed, as are models that have been developed to predict levels of PBTs in human milk and associated body burdens in breast-feeding infants. Methodologies for human milk sampling and analysis, and concepts for consideration in interpretation and communication of study results, as developed by the Technical Workshop on Human Milk Surveillance and Research for Environmental Chemicals in the United States are described. Studies which have compared the health risks and benefits associated with breast-feeding and formula-feeding are discussed

  10. The Economic Impact on the Construction Industry of Additional Demands Caused by New Environmental Protection Standards (1972)

    Science.gov (United States)

    New facilities and additions to existing facilities will be required to meet the EPA's new (early 1970s) environmental quality standards. The report examines extent of these additional demands for construction and their economic impacts.

  11. Environmental assessment in support of proposed interim energy conservation voluntary performance standards for new non-federal residential buildings: Volume 7

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1989-09-01

    The objective of this environmental assessment (EA) is to identify the potential environmental impacts that could result from the proposed voluntary residential standard (VOLRES) on private sector construction of new residential buildings. In this report, the scope, objectives, and approach of this EA are presented.

  12. Determination of 237Np in environmental and nuclear samples: A review of the analytical method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thakur, P.; Mulholland, G.P.

    2012-01-01

    A number of analytical methods has been developed and used for the determination of neptunium in environmental and nuclear fuel samples using alpha, ICP–MS spectrometry, and other analytical techniques. This review summarizes and discusses development of the radiochemical procedures for separation of neptunium (Np), since the beginning of the nuclear industry, followed by a more detailed discussion on recent trends in the separation of neptunium. This article also highlights the progress in analytical methods and issues associated with the determination of neptunium in environmental samples. - Highlights: ► Determination of Np in environmental and nuclear samples is reviewed. ► Various analytical methods used for the determination of Np are listed. ► Progress and issues associated with the determination of Np are discussed.

  13. Review of Sodium and Plutonium related Technical Standards in Trans-Uranium Fuel Fabrication Facilities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jang, Misuk; Jeon, Jong Seon; Kang, Hyun Sik; Kim, Seoung Rae [NESS, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-10-15

    In this paper, we would introduce and review technical standards related to sodium fire and plutonium criticality safety. This paper may be helpful to identify considerations in the development of equipment, standards, and etc., to meet the safety requirements in the design, construction and operating of TFFF, KAPF and SFR. The feasibility and conceptual designs are being examined on related facilities, for example, TRU Fuel Fabrication Facilities (TFFF), Korea Advanced Pyro-process Facility (KAPF), and Sodium Cooled Fast Reactor (SFR), in Korea. However, the safety concerns of these facilities have been controversial in part because of the Sodium fire accident and Plutonium related radiation safety caused by transport and handling accident. Thus, many researches have been performed to ensure safety and various documents including safety requirements have been developed. In separating and reducing the long-lived radioactive transuranic(TRU) in the spent nuclear fuel, reusing as the potential energy of uranium fuel resources and reducing the high level wastes, TFFF would be receiving the attention of many people. Thus, people would wonder whether compliance with technical standards that ensures safety. For new facility design, one of the important tasks is to review of technical standards, especially for sodium and Plutonium because of water related highly reactive characteristics and criticality hazard respectively. We have introduced and reviewed two important technical standards for TFFF, which are sodium fire and plutonium criticality safety, in this paper. This paper would provide a brief guidance, about how to start and what is important, to people who are responsible for the initial design to operation of TFFF.

  14. Review of Sodium and Plutonium related Technical Standards in Trans-Uranium Fuel Fabrication Facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jang, Misuk; Jeon, Jong Seon; Kang, Hyun Sik; Kim, Seoung Rae

    2016-01-01

    In this paper, we would introduce and review technical standards related to sodium fire and plutonium criticality safety. This paper may be helpful to identify considerations in the development of equipment, standards, and etc., to meet the safety requirements in the design, construction and operating of TFFF, KAPF and SFR. The feasibility and conceptual designs are being examined on related facilities, for example, TRU Fuel Fabrication Facilities (TFFF), Korea Advanced Pyro-process Facility (KAPF), and Sodium Cooled Fast Reactor (SFR), in Korea. However, the safety concerns of these facilities have been controversial in part because of the Sodium fire accident and Plutonium related radiation safety caused by transport and handling accident. Thus, many researches have been performed to ensure safety and various documents including safety requirements have been developed. In separating and reducing the long-lived radioactive transuranic(TRU) in the spent nuclear fuel, reusing as the potential energy of uranium fuel resources and reducing the high level wastes, TFFF would be receiving the attention of many people. Thus, people would wonder whether compliance with technical standards that ensures safety. For new facility design, one of the important tasks is to review of technical standards, especially for sodium and Plutonium because of water related highly reactive characteristics and criticality hazard respectively. We have introduced and reviewed two important technical standards for TFFF, which are sodium fire and plutonium criticality safety, in this paper. This paper would provide a brief guidance, about how to start and what is important, to people who are responsible for the initial design to operation of TFFF

  15. Regulations, guidelines, standards, and policies pertaining to decontamination and decommissioning activities: A literature review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cowgill, M.G.

    1993-09-01

    A literature review has been conducted of the existing rules, regulations, and guidelines pertaining to the decontamination and decommissioning of nuclear facilities. Included in the survey are US Government documents, national (industrial) standards, international standards and guidelines, and the regulations issued by various national governments, such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and Germany

  16. Environmental change and enteric zoonoses in New Zealand: a systematic review of the evidence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lal, Aparna; Lill, Adrian W T; Mcintyre, Mary; Hales, Simon; Baker, Michael G; French, Nigel P

    2015-02-01

    To review the available evidence that examines the association between climatic and agricultural land use factors and the risks of enteric zoonoses in humans and consider information needs and possible pathways of intervention. The electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science and Embase and government websites were searched systematically for published literature that investigated the association of climatic and/or agricultural exposures with the incidence of the four most common enteric zoonotic diseases in New Zealand (campylobacteriosis, salmonellosis, cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis). Results The 16 studies in the review demonstrated significant associations between climate, agricultural land use and enteric disease occurrence. The evidence suggests that enteric disease risk from environmental reservoirs is pathogen specific. In some rural regions, environmental pathogen load is considerable, with multiple opportunities for zoonotic transmission. Enteric disease occurrence in NZ is associated with climate variability and agricultural land use. However, these relationships interact with demographic factors to influence disease patterns. Improved understanding of how environmental and social factors interact can inform effective public health interventions under scenarios of projected environmental change. © 2014 Public Health Association of Australia.

  17. Standardized Competencies for Parenteral Nutrition Order Review and Parenteral Nutrition Preparation, Including Compounding: The ASPEN Model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boullata, Joseph I; Holcombe, Beverly; Sacks, Gordon; Gervasio, Jane; Adams, Stephen C; Christensen, Michael; Durfee, Sharon; Ayers, Phil; Marshall, Neil; Guenter, Peggi

    2016-08-01

    Parenteral nutrition (PN) is a high-alert medication with a complex drug use process. Key steps in the process include the review of each PN prescription followed by the preparation of the formulation. The preparation step includes compounding the PN or activating a standardized commercially available PN product. The verification and review, as well as preparation of this complex therapy, require competency that may be determined by using a standardized process for pharmacists and for pharmacy technicians involved with PN. An American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) standardized model for PN order review and PN preparation competencies is proposed based on a competency framework, the ASPEN-published interdisciplinary core competencies, safe practice recommendations, and clinical guidelines, and is intended for institutions and agencies to use with their staff. © 2016 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.

  18. Environmental review of natural gas production in Lake Erie

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'Shea, K.

    2002-01-01

    The water of Lake Erie is used as a source of drinking water for Ontario, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan. An environmental review has been conducted to determine the impact of drilling operations on the overall ecology of the lake. Since 1913, 2000 natural gas wells have been drilled in Lake Erie, of which 550 currently produce gas and account for 75 per cent of Ontario's total gas production. 180 wells are shut-in or suspended and the remaining wells have been abandoned. The gas wells are connected to onshore production facilities by approximately 1,600 km of small diameter pipelines that lie buried near shore or on top of the lake bed. Nearly 90 per cent of the in-lake infrastructure is in water depths of more than 20 metres. Talisman Energy is actively involved with the Canadian Coast Guard, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and the Ministry of Natural Resources to ensure cooperation between regulators and off-shore personnel. The environmental assessment of natural gas production in Lake Erie included a review of regulatory and best management practices, a biophysical overview of the lake, and a review of drilling practices, well completions, handling of waste streams, materials management, operations inspections, wastewater discharge, air emissions, and oil spills. It was revealed that for most drilling programs, cuttings are washed and discharged to the Lake. Ongoing testing will determine the impact that this practice has on benthic populations. The drill muds used for drilling operations are water based, environmentally friendly, and re-used between well locations. For completion programs, all well activities are closed circuit operations. Wells are abandoned through plugging with cement, removing wellheads and casing below the lake bottom. There has been a reported volume of about 23,000 litres of spilled product from 1990 to 2001, of which 68 per cent has come from 3 industrial companies that operate near Lake Erie. The offshore gas

  19. Systematic review: work-related stress and the HSE management standards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brookes, K; Limbert, C; Deacy, C; O'Reilly, A; Scott, S; Thirlaway, K

    2013-10-01

    The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has defined six management standards representing aspects of work that, if poorly managed, are associated with lower levels of employee health and productivity, and increased sickness absence. The HSE indicator tool aims to measure organizations' performance in managing the primary stressors identified by the HSE management standards. The aims of the study are to explore how the HSE indicator tool has been implemented within organizations and to identify contexts in which the tool has been used, its psychometric properties and relationships with alternative measures of well-being and stress. Studies that matched specific criteria were included in the review. Abstracts were considered by two researchers to ensure a reliable process. Full texts were obtained when abstracts met the inclusion criteria. Thirteen papers were included in the review. Using factor analysis and measures of reliability, the studies suggest that the HSE indicator tool is a psychometrically sound measure. The tool has been used to measure work-related stress across different occupational groups, with a clear relationship between the HSE tool and alternative measures of well-being. Limitations of the tool and recommendations for future research are discussed. The HSE indicator tool is a psychometrically sound measure of organizational performance against the HSE management standards. As such it can provide a broad overview of sources of work-related stress within organizations. More research is required to explore the use of the tool in the design of interventions to reduce stress, and its use in different contexts and with different cultural and gender groups.

  20. Department of Energy standard for the performance testing of personnel dosimetry systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1986-12-01

    This standard is intended to be used in the Department of Energy Laboratory Accreditation Program (DOELAP) for personnel dosimetry systems. It is based on the American National Standards Institute's (ANSI) ''Criteria for Testing Personnel Dosimetry Performance,'' ANSI N13.11-1983, recommendations made to DOE in ''Guidelines for the Calibration of Personnel Dosimeters,'' Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL)-4515 and comments received during peer review by DOE and DOE contractor personnel. The recommendations contained in PNL-4515 were based on an evaluation of ANSI N13.11 conducted for the Office of Nuclear Safety, DOE, by PNL. Parts of ANSI N13.11 that did not require modification were used essentially intact in this standard to maintain consistency with nationally recognized standards. Modifications to this standard have resulted from several DOE/DOE contractor reviews and a pilot testing session. An initial peer review by selected DOE and DOE contractor representatives on technical content was conducted in 1983. A review by DOE field offices, program offices, and contractors was conducted in mid-1984. A pilot performance testing session sponsored by the Office of Nuclear Safety was conducted in early 1985 by the Radiological and Environmental Sciences Laboratory, Idaho Falls. Results of the pilot test were reviewed in late 1985 by a DOE and DOE contractor committee. 11 refs., 4 tabs

  1. Review of ExxonMobil Canada's 2008 offshore environmental effects monitoring report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cogswell, A.; Kenchington, E.; Kennedy, E.; Law, B.; Lee, K.; Tremblay, J.; Worcester, T. [Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth, NS (Canada). Maritimes Science; Courtenay, S. [Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Moncton, NB (Canada). Gulf Science; Payne, J. [Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, St. John' s, NL (Canada). Newfoundland and Labrador Science

    2009-07-15

    The environmental effects monitoring (EEM) program for the Sable Offshore Energy Project (SOEP) was designed to evaluate predictions made during its environmental assessment (EA) process. The Oceans, Habitat, and Species at Risk Branch of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada was asked to review ExxonMobil Canada Properties Inc.'s 2008 annual report regarding the EEM for this offshore project. This report reviewed the monitoring results for benthic habitat and fish density; produced water chemistry and toxicity; and mussel hydrocarbon body burden. This report revealed that SOEP's 2008 EEM was consistent with previous reports, but that the monitoring methods used were not particularly meaningful, particularly since they failed to address fish health and fish quality issues. 3 refs.

  2. Oil Well Blowout 3D computational modeling: review of methodology and environmental requirements

    OpenAIRE

    Pedro Mello Paiva; Alexandre Nunes Barreto; Jader Lugon Junior; Leticia Ferraço de Campos

    2016-01-01

    This literature review aims to present the different methodologies used in the three-dimensional modeling of the hydrocarbons dispersion originated from an oil well blowout. It presents the concepts of coastal environmental sensitivity and vulnerability, their importance for prioritizing the most vulnerable areas in case of contingency, and the relevant legislation. We also discuss some limitations about the methodology currently used in environmental studies of oil drift, which considers sim...

  3. The National Energy Technology Laboratory Annual Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 2001

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    National Energy Technology Laboratory

    2002-01-01

    No significant environmental problems were identified at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) sites in Morgantown (MGN), Pittsburgh (PGH), Tulsa (NPTO) and Fairbanks (AEO) during 2001. No radionuclides were released from the sites during 2001. The sites maintain two major environmental programs: waste management, and environmental media and release management. These two programs encompass waste handling, storage, and disposal, waste minimization and pollution prevention, air quality emissions, surface-water discharges, groundwater impacts, industrial wastewater discharges, and spill control procedures. The Morgantown and Pittsburgh sites currently maintain complete monitoring programs for groundwater, stormwater discharge, laboratory wastewater discharge, and meteorological data. In addition, an annual air emissions inventory is prepared. A comprehensive Directives Program aimed at managing environmental, safety, health requirements, and risks was initiated in 1997, continued through subsequent years, and will be completed in 2003. The primary objective of the program is to identify and implement standards that will protect the health and safety of workers, public, and the environment. This program started with a careful and thorough analysis of risks confronting workers and the communities surrounding NETL sites. Following this analysis, requirements and best management practices were evaluated to determine how requirements could best be used to advance the mission of NETL. Teams of subject-matter experts analyzed the work assigned to determine potential hazards and identify ways to remove or control those hazards. In 2001, NETL developed or revised a series of directives in two major areas: safety analysis and review (SAR) processes, and integrated safety management (ISM) directives. SAR directives were issued for research and development (R andD) operations, support operations, and facilities. ISM directives were released on management processes

  4. July 2011 Memorandum: Improving EPA Review of Appalachian Surface Coal Mining Operations Under the Clean Water Act, National Environmental Policy Act, and the Environmental Justice Executive Order

    Science.gov (United States)

    Memorandum: Improving EPA Review of Appalachian Surface Coal Mining Operations Under the Clean Water Act, National Environmental Policy Act, and the Environmental Justice Executive Order, July 21, 2011

  5. The influence of standards and clinical guidelines on prosthetic and orthotic service quality: a scoping review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadeghi-Demneh, Ebrahim; Forghany, Saeed; Onmanee, Pornsuree; Trinler, Ursula; Dillon, Michael P; Baker, Richard

    2017-06-20

    Standards and guidelines are an integral part of prosthetic and orthotic service delivery in the developed world underpinned by an assumption that they lead to improved services. Implementing them has a cost, however, and that cost needs to be justified, particularly in resource-limited environments. This scoping review thus asks the question, "What is the evidence of the impact of standards and guidelines on service delivery outcomes in prosthetics and orthotics?" A structured search of three electronic databases (Medline, Scopus and Web of Science) followed by manual searching of title, abstract and full text, yielded 29 articles. Four categories of papers were identified: Descriptions and Commentaries (17 papers), Guideline Development (7), Guideline Testing (2) and Standards implementation (3). No articles were explicitly designed to assess the impact of standards and guidelines on service delivery outcomes in prosthetics and orthotics. Studies tended to be commentaries on or descriptions of guideline development, testing or implementation of standards. The literature is not sufficiently well developed to warrant the cost and effort of a systematic review. Future primary research should seek to demonstrate whether and how guidelines and standards improve the outcomes for people that require prostheses, orthoses and other assistive devices. Implications for Rehabilitation International Standards and Clinical Guidelines are now an integral part of clinical service provision in prosthetics and orthotics in the developed world. Complying with standards and guidelines has a cost and, particularly in resource-limited environments, it should be possible to justify this in terms of the resulting benefits. This scoping review concludes that there have been no previous studies designed to directly quantify the effects of implementing standards and guidelines on service delivery.

  6. The environmental science and law II. The short development of the environmental science and environmental law

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klinda, J.

    1998-01-01

    This book contains the basic documents about environmental laws and related documents approved in the world and in the Slovak Republic. The system of the environmental laws and organizations in the world and in the Slovak Republic are reviewed. A review of a selected environmental laws of the Slovak Republic are included. The significant world acts (declarations, charters and other documents) are reviewed

  7. Environmental regulation of households. An empirical review of economic and psychological factors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Van den Bergh, Jeroen C.J.M.

    2008-01-01

    The literature on sustainable consumption and environmental regulation of household behavior is dominated by conceptual and normative approaches. As a result, many suggestions lack a firm empirical basis. To overcome this deficiency, econometric studies in three areas of environmentally relevant activities of households are reviewed: residential use of energy, generation of solid waste and recycling, and residential use of water. Next to price and income elasticities, attention is devoted to individual socio-economic features and psychological factors, such as attitudes, knowledge, perceptions and values. Potential psychological determinants and related insights are further examined by discussing a range of representative and illustrative statistical-psychological studies of environmental behavior. One important general finding is that there are very few empirical studies that systematically combine socio-economic and psychological determinants. A range of insights for environmental policy is derived, and research recommendations are offered. (author)

  8. A Scoping Review of Observational Studies Examining Relationships between Environmental Behaviors and Health Behaviors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jayne Hutchinson

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Individual lifestyles are key drivers of both environmental change and chronic disease. We undertook a scoping review of peer-reviewed studies which examined associations between environmental and health behaviors of individuals in high-income countries. We searched EconLit, Medline, BIOSIS and the Social Science Citation Index. A total of 136 studies were included. The majority were USA-based cross-sectional studies using self-reported measures. Most of the evidence related to travel behavior, particularly active travel (walking and cycling and physical activity (92 studies or sedentary behaviors (19 studies. Associations of public transport use with physical activity were examined in 18 studies, and with sedentary behavior in one study. Four studies examined associations between car use and physical activity. A small number included other environmental behaviors (food-related behaviors (n = 14, including organic food, locally-sourced food and plate waste and other health behaviors ((n = 20 smoking, dietary intake, alcohol. These results suggest that research on individual environmental and health behaviors consists largely of studies examining associations between travel mode and levels of physical activity. There appears to be less research on associations between other behaviors with environmental and health impacts, and very few longitudinal studies in any domain.

  9. A review of the methods used by the US Environmental Protection Agency to assess the financial impacts of the repository regulations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pflum, C.G.; Mattson, S.R.; Matthusen, A.C.

    1994-01-01

    All Federal agencies must consider the financial impacts of their regulations. When costs significantly outweigh benefits, the Office of Management and Budget can recommend that Congress not provide the funds needed to implement the regulation. Without funds, the agency is forced to either revise or retract the regulation. This has happened previously with a regulation on uranium mill tailings proposed by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and it could happen again with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations that govern the disposal of high-level radioactive waste (HLW). The EPA (1985, 1992) claims that its regulation: ''Environmental Standards for the Management and Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel, High-Level and Transuranic Radioactive Waste'' (40 CFR Part 191 or standards) does not increase costs above what the US Department of Energy (DOE) would spend anyway or, at most, what the DOE would spend to comply with 10 CFR Part 60: a regulation promulgated by the NRC. This report reviews and disputes the EPA claim. In Chapter 2 a summary of the basis for the EPA claim is presented and in Chapter 3 a critique of the basis of the claim is presented. This critique finds the EPA basis unrealistic, incomplete, and misleading. According to the EPA, a repository at Yucca Mountain would easily meet 40 CFR Part 191 even without the use of special engineered barriers. Because the NRC regulation (10 CFR Part 60) requires engineered barriers, the EPA places the onus for regulatory costs on the NRC. We disagree; the EPA standards drive regulatory costs as much as NRC regulations. The EPA has the higher responsibility for setting the overall standard for safety while the NRC can only implement this standard

  10. State environmental review of a proposed utility independent spent fuel storage installation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sabel, G.; Halstead, R.

    1991-01-01

    This paper describes the environmental review process which was applied by the State of Minnesota to a proposed dry cask storage facility. An environmental analysis of the proposed project is summarized, as are alternatives including other dry storage technologies, increased in-pool storage, transhipment, reprocessing, use of higher burnup fuel and conservation. Public comments and concerns included potential cask failures, health impacts, and the possibility of the site becoming a open-quotes permanentclose quotes storage facility. State intervention in the federal license process is also described

  11. Review of the draft supplement to the WIPP environmental impact statement DOE/EIS-0026-S-2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Neill, R.H.; Channell, J.K.; Spiegler, P.; Chaturvedi, L.

    1997-04-01

    New Mexico Environmental Evaluation Group's (EEG) review of the WIPP Disposal Phase Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS-II) concentrated on the radiological aspects of the Proposed Action, including transportation. The alternatives were reviewed in less detail. Some calculations were checked, mostly for the Proposed Action. Because of time constraints, there was little review of Hazardous Chemicals, Economics, or other Environmental Assessments. SEIS-II was written as a pre-decision document with the Alternatives all plausible and eligible to be selected. Also, the inventory of TRU waste for disposal went well beyond that portion of TRU waste that has been historically considered to be the WIPP inventory. This broadened scope is probably appropriate for an EIS but it is confusing to the reviewer who is aware of the statutory limits of wastes that are allowed to come to WIPP at the present time. EEG has attempted to keep the broadened scope of SEIS-II in mind during their review. The more important issues discussed within are: alternatives; related documents; transportation; questionable assumptions; use of the 75th percentile values; family farm scenario and inhalation doses; modification of BRAGFLO volumes; emplacement of remotely handled TRU wastes; conversion error; and remotely handled TRU casks

  12. Influences of environmental and operational factors on dark fermentative hydrogen production: a review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohammadi, Parviz; Ibrahim, Shaliza; Ghafari, Shahin; Annuar, Mohamad Suffian Mohamad; Vikineswary, Sabaratnam; Zinatizadeh, Ali Akbar

    2012-01-01

    Hydrogen (H 2 ) is one of renewable energy sources known for its non-polluting and environmentally friendly nature, as its end combustion product is water (H 2 O). The biological production of H 2 is a less energy intensive alternative where processes can be operated at ambient temperature and pressure. Dark fermentation by bacterial biomass is one of multitude of approaches to produce hydrogen which is known as the cleanest renewable energy and is thus receiving increasing attention worldwide. The present study briefly reviews the biohydrogen production process with special attention on the effects of several environmental and operational factors towards the process. Factors such as organic loading rate, hydraulic retention time, temperature, and pH studied in published reports were compared and their influences are discussed in this work. This review highlights the variations in examined operating ranges for the factors as well as their reported optimum values. Divergent values observed for the environmental/operational factors merit further exploration in this field. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  13. Influences of environmental and operational factors on dark fermentative hydrogen production: a review

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mohammadi, Parviz [Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ibrahim, Shaliza; Ghafari, Shahin [Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); Annuar, Mohamad Suffian Mohamad; Vikineswary, Sabaratnam [Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); Zinatizadeh, Ali Akbar [Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Razi University, Kermanshah (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Water and Wastewater Research Center (WWRC), Razi University, Kermanshah (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2012-11-15

    Hydrogen (H{sub 2}) is one of renewable energy sources known for its non-polluting and environmentally friendly nature, as its end combustion product is water (H{sub 2}O). The biological production of H{sub 2} is a less energy intensive alternative where processes can be operated at ambient temperature and pressure. Dark fermentation by bacterial biomass is one of multitude of approaches to produce hydrogen which is known as the cleanest renewable energy and is thus receiving increasing attention worldwide. The present study briefly reviews the biohydrogen production process with special attention on the effects of several environmental and operational factors towards the process. Factors such as organic loading rate, hydraulic retention time, temperature, and pH studied in published reports were compared and their influences are discussed in this work. This review highlights the variations in examined operating ranges for the factors as well as their reported optimum values. Divergent values observed for the environmental/operational factors merit further exploration in this field. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  14. Holocene environmental change and archaeology, Yangtze River Valley, China: Review and prospects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Wu

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Holocene environmental change and environmental archaeology are important components of an international project studying the human-earth interaction system. This paper reviews the progress of Holocene environmental change and environmental archaeology research in the Yangtze River Valley over the last three decades, that includes the evolution of large freshwater lakes, Holocene transgression and sea-level changes, Holocene climate change and East Asian monsoon variation, relationship between the rise and fall of primitive civilizations and environmental changes, cultural interruptions and palaeoflood events, as well as relationship between the origin of agriculture and climate change. These research components are underpinned by the dating of lacustrine sediments, stalagmites and peat to establish a chronology of regional environmental and cultural evolution. Interdisciplinary and other environment proxy indicators need to be used in comparative studies of archaeological site formation and natural sedimentary environment in the upper, middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River Valley. Modern technology such as remote sensing, molecular bioarchaeology, and virtual reality, should be integrated with currently used dating, geochemical, sedimentological, and palaeobotanical methods of analysis in environmental archaeology macro- and micro-studies, so as to provide a greater comprehensive insight into Holocene environmental and cultural interaction and change in the Yangtze River Valley area.

  15. 75 FR 39252 - Release of Final Documents Related to the Review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-08

    ... Quality Standards: Scope and Methods Plan for Health Risk and Exposure Assessment and Particulate Matter... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA-HQ-OAR-2007-0492; FRL-9171-8] Release of Final Documents...: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of Availability. SUMMARY: The Office of Air Quality...

  16. Workshop on environmental assessment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watson, E.C.

    1982-07-01

    Objectives of the workshop were: to review and evaluate the state-of-the-art of environmental impact assessments as applied to the regulation of applications of nuclear energy and related ancillary systems; to identify areas where existing technology allows establishing acceptable methods or standard practices that will meet the requirements of the NRC regulations, standards and guides for both normal operations and off-standard conditions including accident considerations; to illuminate topics where existing models or analytical methods are deficient because of unverified assumptions, a paucity of empirical data, conflicting results reported in the literature or a need for observation of operation systems; to compile, analyze and synthesize a prioritized set of research needs to advance the state-of-the-art to the level which will meet all of the requirements of the Commission's regulations, standards and guides; and to develop bases for maintaining the core of regulatory guidance at the optimum level balancing technical capabilities with practical considerations of cost and value to the regulatory process. The discussion held in small group sessions on aquatic, atmospheric, and terrestrial pathways are presented. The following research needs were identified as common to all three groups: validation of models; characterization of source terms; development of screening techniques; basis for de minimis levels of contamination; and updating of objectives for environmental monitoring programs

  17. Standard Review Plan for the review of a license application for a low-level radioactive waste disposal facility: Safety analysis report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1988-01-01

    The Standard Review Plan (SRP) (NUREG-1200) provides guidance to staff reviewers in the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards who perform safety reviews of applications to construct and operate low-level radioactive waste disposal facilities. The SRP ensures the quality and uniformity of the staff reviews and presents a well-defined base from which to evaluate proposed changes in the scope and requirements of the staff reviews. The SRP makes information about the regulatory licensing process widely available and serves to improve the understanding of the staff's review process by interested members of the public and the industry. Each individual SRP addresses the responsibilities of persons performing the review, the matters that are reviewed, the Commission's regulations and acceptance criteria necessary for the review, how the review is accomplished, the conclusions that are appropriate, and the implementation requirements

  18. Standard review plan for the review of a license application for a low-level radioactive waste disposal facility: Safety analysis report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1987-01-01

    The Standard Review Plan (SRP) (NUREG-1200) provides guidance to staff reviewers in the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards who perform safety reviews of applications to construct and operate low-level radioactive waste disposal facilities. The SRP ensures the quality and uniformity of the staff reviews and presents a well-defined base from which to evaluate proposed changes in the scope and requirements of the staff reviews. The SRP makes information about the regulatory licensing process widely available and serves to improve the understanding of the staff's review process by interested members of the public and the nuclear power industry. Each individual SRP addresses the responsibilities of persons performing the review, the matters that are reviewed, the Commission's regulations and acceptance criteria necessary for the review, how the review is accomplished, the conclusions that are appropriate, and the implementation requirements

  19. Environmental fate and quantitative analysis of oilsands naphthenic acids : a review

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McMartin, D. [Regina Univ., SK (Canada). Faculty of Engineering; Peru, K.M.; Headley, J. [Environment Canada, Saskatoon, SK (Canada). National Water Research Inst.

    2006-07-01

    Naphthenic acids (NA) are toxic to aquatic species and mammals. Significant concentrations of NA are found in oil sands tailings ponds. This presentation reviewed some of the analytical tools used by industry and environmentalists to remediate NA. Environmental persistence results were presented, as well as detailed information regarding the origin of NA in tailings ponds. Chemistry and toxicological considerations were examined, and current analytical methods for aquatic sampling were reviewed. Issues concerning photodegradation and phytoremediation were discussed. Details of the environmental effects of NA exposure were presented. Studies investigating the microbial populations required to degrade NA in water were discussed, as well as recent research investigating the phytoremediation of wetlands exposed to NA. It was noted that research is currently being conducted to optimize algae culture for use in phytoremediation methods. However, many of the components of NA are resistant to the biodegradation, photodegradation and phytoremediation methods currently used. It was concluded that further research is needed to complete mass balance studies in riverine systems and to evaluate the cellular level toxicity of NA in plants. refs., tabs., figs.

  20. From Content Knowledge to Community Change: A Review of Representations of Environmental Health Literacy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gray, Kathleen M.

    2018-01-01

    Environmental health literacy (EHL) is a relatively new framework for conceptualizing how people understand and use information about potentially harmful environmental exposures and their influence on health. As such, information on the characterization and measurement of EHL is limited. This review provides an overview of EHL as presented in peer-reviewed literature and aggregates studies based on whether they represent individual level EHL or community level EHL or both. A range of assessment tools has been used to measure EHL, with many studies relying on pre-/post-assessment; however, a broader suite of assessment tools may be needed to capture community-wide outcomes. This review also suggests that the definition of EHL should explicitly include community change or collective action as an important longer-term outcome and proposes a refinement of previous representations of EHL as a theoretical framework, to include self-efficacy. PMID:29518955

  1. Review and assessments of potential environmental, health and safety impacts of MHD technology. Final draft

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1978-01-01

    The purpose of this document is to develop an environmental, health and safety (EH and S) assessment and begin a site - specific assessment of these and socio - economic impacts for the magnetohydrodynamics program of the United States Department of Energy. This assessment includes detailed scientific and technical information on the specific EH and S issues mentioned in the MHD Environmental Development Plan. A review of current literature on impact-related subjects is also included. This document addresses the coal-fired, open-cycle MHD technology and reviews and assesses potential EH and S impacts resulting from operation of commercially-installed technology.

  2. Standard Test Method for Gravimetric Determination of Nonvolatile Residue (NVR) in Environmentally Controlled Areas for Spacecraft

    CERN Document Server

    American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

    2008-01-01

    1.1 This test method covers the determination of nonvolatile residue (NVR) fallout in environmentally controlled areas used for the assembly, testing, and processing of spacecraft. 1.2 The NVR of interest is that which is deposited on sampling plate surfaces at room temperature: it is left to the user to infer the relationship between the NVR found on the sampling plate surface and that found on any other surfaces. 1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. 1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.

  3. 76 FR 23630 - Office of New Reactors; Proposed Revision 2 to Standard Review Plan, Section 1.0 on Introduction...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-04-27

    ... Standard Review Plan, Section 1.0 on Introduction and Interfaces AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC... Revision 2 to Standard Review Plan (SRP), Section 1.0, ``Introduction and Interfaces'' (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML110110573). The Office of New Reactors (NRO...

  4. Redefining the Practice of Peer Review Through Intelligent Automation Part 1: Creation of a Standardized Methodology and Referenceable Database.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reiner, Bruce I

    2017-10-01

    Conventional peer review practice is compromised by a number of well-documented biases, which in turn limit standard of care analysis, which is fundamental to determination of medical malpractice. In addition to these intrinsic biases, other existing deficiencies exist in current peer review including the lack of standardization, objectivity, retrospective practice, and automation. An alternative model to address these deficiencies would be one which is completely blinded to the peer reviewer, requires independent reporting from both parties, utilizes automated data mining techniques for neutral and objective report analysis, and provides data reconciliation for resolution of finding-specific report differences. If properly implemented, this peer review model could result in creation of a standardized referenceable peer review database which could further assist in customizable education, technology refinement, and implementation of real-time context and user-specific decision support.

  5. Performance assessment of select covers and disposal cell compliance with EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] groundwater standards

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1989-06-01

    This document describes the technical approach to the assessment of the performance of a full component topslope cover, three sideslope covers, and hence the way in which a Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project disposal cell complies with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) groundwater protection standards. 4 refs

  6. 40 CFR 13.12 - Interest and charges pending waiver or review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Interest and charges pending waiver or review. 13.12 Section 13.12 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GENERAL CLAIMS COLLECTION STANDARDS Collection § 13.12 Interest and charges pending waiver or review. Interest, penalty...

  7. Environmental Management Assessment of the Fernald Environmental Management Project (FEMP)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1993-04-01

    This report documents the results of the Environmental Management Assessment performed at the Fernald Environmental Management Project (FEMP) in Fernald, Ohio. During this assessment, the activities conducted by the assessment team included review of internal documents and reports from previous audits and assessments; interviews with US Department of Energy (DOE) and FEMP contractor personnel; and inspection and observation of selected facilities and operations. The onsite portion of the assessment was conducted from March 15 through April 1, 1993, by DOE`s Office of Environmental Audit (EH-24) located within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety, and Health (EH-1). EH-24 carries out independent assessments of DOE facilities and activities as part of the EH-1 Environment, Safety, and Health (ES&H) Oversight Audit Program. The EH-24 program is designed to evaluate the status of DOE facilities and activities with respect to compliance with Federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations; compliance with DOE Orders, Guidance and Directives; conformance with accepted industry practices and standards of performance; and the status and adequacy of management systems developed to address environmental requirements. The Environmental Management Assessment of FEMP focused on the adequacy of environmental management systems. Further, in response to requests by the Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (EM) and Fernald Field Office (FN), Quality Assurance and Environmental Radiation activities at FEMP were evaluated from a programmatic standpoint. The results of the evaluation of these areas are contained in the Environmental Protection Programs section in this report.

  8. Environmental Management Assessment of the Fernald Environmental Management Project (FEMP)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1993-04-01

    This report documents the results of the Environmental Management Assessment performed at the Fernald Environmental Management Project (FEMP) in Fernald, Ohio. During this assessment, the activities conducted by the assessment team included review of internal documents and reports from previous audits and assessments; interviews with US Department of Energy (DOE) and FEMP contractor personnel; and inspection and observation of selected facilities and operations. The onsite portion of the assessment was conducted from March 15 through April 1, 1993, by DOE's Office of Environmental Audit (EH-24) located within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety, and Health (EH-1). EH-24 carries out independent assessments of DOE facilities and activities as part of the EH-1 Environment, Safety, and Health (ES ampersand H) Oversight Audit Program. The EH-24 program is designed to evaluate the status of DOE facilities and activities with respect to compliance with Federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations; compliance with DOE Orders, Guidance and Directives; conformance with accepted industry practices and standards of performance; and the status and adequacy of management systems developed to address environmental requirements. The Environmental Management Assessment of FEMP focused on the adequacy of environmental management systems. Further, in response to requests by the Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (EM) and Fernald Field Office (FN), Quality Assurance and Environmental Radiation activities at FEMP were evaluated from a programmatic standpoint. The results of the evaluation of these areas are contained in the Environmental Protection Programs section in this report

  9. Evaluation of Occupational and Environmental Factors in the Assessment of Chronic Cough in Adults: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tarlo, Susan M; Altman, Kenneth W; French, Cynthia T; Diekemper, Rebecca L; Irwin, Richard S

    2016-01-01

    Several recent cough guidelines have advised consideration of occupational or environmental causes for chronic cough, but it is unclear how frequently this recommendation has been routinely applied. Therefore, we undertook a systematic review to address this aspect. Cough guidelines and protocols were reviewed to identify recommendations for assessment of occupational and environmental aspects of chronic cough. The systematic search previously used to identify intervention fidelity to the use of protocols for diagnosis and management of chronic cough in adults was used for this review after extension to June 2015. PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library were searched using the same search terms and inclusion criteria as previously. Papers that met our criteria were then reviewed to identify methods used to assess occupational and environmental aspects of chronic cough and the outcomes of these assessments. Among the 10 general chronic cough guidelines and protocols identified, only the three published since 2006 included details advising detailed occupational and environmental assessments. One additional cough statement focused entirely on occupational cough. Of the 28 cohort studies of patients with chronic cough that specifically noted that they followed guidelines or protocols, none provided details of occupational and environmental assessments. Despite published recommendations, it is not apparent that occupational and environmental causes for chronic cough are addressed in detail during assessments of patients with chronic cough. This leaves open to speculation whether lack of recognition of an occupational cause may delay important preventive measures, put additional workers at risk, and/or be the reason why a chronic cough may remain unexplained. Copyright © 2016 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Monitoring activities review of the Radiological Environmental Surveillance Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ritter, P.D.

    1992-03-01

    The 1992 Monitoring Activities Review (MAR) is directed at the Radiological Environment Surveillance Program (RESP) activities at the Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC) of Idaho Engineering Laboratory (INEL). MAR panelists studied RESP documents and discussed their concerns with Environmental Monitoring Unit (EMU) staff and other panel members. These concerns were subsequently consolidated into a collection of recommendations with supporting discussions. Recommendations focus on specific monitoring activities, as well as the overall program. The MAR report also contains pertinent comments that should not require further action

  11. 76 FR 31381 - Office Of New Reactors; Proposed Revision 4 to Standard Review Plan; Section 8.1 on Electric...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-05-31

    ... Standard Review Plan; Section 8.1 on Electric Power--Introduction AGENCY: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory...,'' on a proposed Revision 4 to Standard Review Plan (SRP), Section 8.1 on ``Electric Power--Introduction,'' (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML111180542). The previous version of...

  12. A protocol for lifetime energy and environmental impact assessment of building insulation materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shrestha, Som S.; Biswas, Kaushik; Desjarlais, Andre O.

    2014-01-01

    This article describes a proposed protocol that is intended to provide a comprehensive list of factors to be considered in evaluating the direct and indirect environmental impacts of building insulation materials, as well as detailed descriptions of standardized calculation methodologies to determine those impacts. The energy and environmental impacts of insulation materials can generally be divided into two categories: (1) direct impact due to the embodied energy of the insulation materials and other factors and (2) indirect or environmental impacts avoided as a result of reduced building energy use due to addition of insulation. Standards and product category rules exist, which provide guidelines about the life cycle assessment (LCA) of materials, including building insulation products. However, critical reviews have suggested that these standards fail to provide complete guidance to LCA studies and suffer from ambiguities regarding the determination of the environmental impacts of building insulation and other products. The focus of the assessment protocol described here is to identify all factors that contribute to the total energy and environmental impacts of different building insulation products and, more importantly, provide standardized determination methods that will allow comparison of different insulation material types. Further, the intent is not to replace current LCA standards but to provide a well-defined, easy-to-use comparison method for insulation materials using existing LCA guidelines. - Highlights: • We proposed a protocol to evaluate the environmental impacts of insulation materials. • The protocol considers all life cycle stages of an insulation material. • Both the direct environmental impacts and the indirect impacts are defined. • Standardized calculation methods for the ‘avoided operational energy’ is defined. • Standardized calculation methods for the ‘avoided environmental impact’ is defined

  13. Environmental triggers in IBD: a review of progress and evidence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ananthakrishnan, Ashwin N; Bernstein, Charles N; Iliopoulos, Dimitrios; Macpherson, Andrew; Neurath, Markus F; Ali, Raja A Raja; Vavricka, Stephan R; Fiocchi, Claudio

    2018-01-01

    A number of environmental factors have been associated with the development of IBD. Alteration of the gut microbiota, or dysbiosis, is closely linked to initiation or progression of IBD, but whether dysbiosis is a primary or secondary event is unclear. Nevertheless, early-life events such as birth, breastfeeding and exposure to antibiotics, as well as later childhood events, are considered potential risk factors for IBD. Air pollution, a consequence of the progressive contamination of the environment by countless compounds, is another factor associated with IBD, as particulate matter or other components can alter the host's mucosal defences and trigger immune responses. Hypoxia associated with high altitude is also a factor under investigation as a potential new trigger of IBD flares. A key issue is how to translate environmental factors into mechanisms of IBD, and systems biology is increasingly recognized as a strategic tool to unravel the molecular alterations leading to IBD. Environmental factors add a substantial level of complexity to the understanding of IBD pathogenesis but also promote the fundamental notion that complex diseases such as IBD require complex therapies that go well beyond the current single-agent treatment approach. This Review describes the current conceptualization, evidence, progress and direction surrounding the association of environmental factors with IBD.

  14. 75 FR 29588 - Office of New Reactors: Proposed NUREG-0800; Standard Review Plan Section 13.6.6, Draft Revision...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-05-26

    ...; Standard Review Plan Section 13.6.6, Draft Revision 0 on Cyber Security Plan AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory... Plants,'' on a proposed Standard Review Plan (SRP) Section 13.6.6 on ``Cyber Security Plan'' (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML093560837). The Office of Nuclear Security...

  15. Environmental review report of an electrical generation facility to be located at the Oaks Sanitary Landfill

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goldstein, D.; Ross, J.; Mountain, D.; Kahal, M.

    1998-05-01

    The Bentech Group, Inc. (Bentech) applied for a certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) to construct and operate an electric generating system at the Oaks Sanitary Landfill in Laytonsville, Maryland. The focus of the environmental review is to evaluate potential impacts of the proposed electric generation system to air quality, noise, terrestrial, ecological, ground water, surface water, socioeconomic, aesthetic, and cultural resources. This document presents the results of the environmental review analysis, and includes the State's recommended license conditions for operating the electric generating system, which the PSC incorporated into the CPCN

  16. Indispensable role of biochar-inherent mineral constituents in its environmental applications: A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Xiaoyun; Zhao, Yinghao; Sima, Jingke; Zhao, Ling; Mašek, Ondřej; Cao, Xinde

    2017-10-01

    Biochar typically consists of both carbon and mineral fractions, and the carbon fraction has been generally considered to determine its properties and applications. Recently, an increasing body of research has demonstrated that mineral components inherent in biochar, such as alkali or alkaline earth metals in the form of carbonates, phosphates, or oxides, could also influence the properties and thus the applications. The review articles published thus far have mainly focused on multiple environmental and agronomic applications of biochar, including carbon sequestration, soil improvement, environmental remediation, etc. This review aims to highlight the indispensable role of the mineral fraction of biochar in these different applications, especially in environmental applications. Specifically, it provides a critical review of current research findings related to the mineral composition of biochar and the effect of the mineral fraction on the physicochemical properties, contaminant sorption, carbon retention and stability, and nutrient bioavailability of biochar. Furthermore, the role of minerals in the emerging applications of biochar, as a precursor for fuel cells, supercapacitors, and photoactive components, is also summarized. Overall, inherent minerals should be fully considered while determining the most appropriate application for any given biochar. A thorough understanding of the role of biochar-bound minerals in different applications will also allow the design or selection of the most suitable biochar for specific applications based on the consideration of feedstock composition, production parameters, and post-treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Development of radiation protection standards at EPA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meyers, S.

    1987-01-01

    Development of EPA radiation protection standards combines the elements of risk assessment and risk management. The process of risk assessment consists of technical evaluation of the source term, environmental transport mechanisms, and biological effects. Engineering evaluations provide data on control options and costs. The risk management process considers the scope of legal authorities and the balancing of costs and benefits of alternatives within the framework of national priorities. The regulatory process provides for substantial public participation and is subject to legal reviews

  18. New standard environmental management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andriola, Luca; Luciani, Roberto

    2006-01-01

    The ISO 14001:2004 standard, like ISO 9001:2000 on quality management, transcends the preventive approach (based on a rigid and more or less adequate process-management model still mainly inspired by traditional production methods) and introduces in its stead a highly flexible approach applicable to any socio-economic activity. It is structured by processes rather than system elements, and is based on the quest for efficacy and ongoing improvement [it

  19. The National Energy Technology Laboratory Annual Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 2001

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    National Energy Technology Laboratory

    2002-10-01

    No significant environmental problems were identified at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) sites in Morgantown (MGN), Pittsburgh (PGH), Tulsa (NPTO) and Fairbanks (AEO) during 2001. No radionuclides were released from the sites during 2001. The sites maintain two major environmental programs: waste management, and environmental media and release management. These two programs encompass waste handling, storage, and disposal, waste minimization and pollution prevention, air quality emissions, surface-water discharges, groundwater impacts, industrial wastewater discharges, and spill control procedures. The Morgantown and Pittsburgh sites currently maintain complete monitoring programs for groundwater, stormwater discharge, laboratory wastewater discharge, and meteorological data. In addition, an annual air emissions inventory is prepared. A comprehensive Directives Program aimed at managing environmental, safety, health requirements, and risks was initiated in 1997, continued through subsequent years, and will be completed in 2003. The primary objective of the program is to identify and implement standards that will protect the health and safety of workers, public, and the environment. This program started with a careful and thorough analysis of risks confronting workers and the communities surrounding NETL sites. Following this analysis, requirements and best management practices were evaluated to determine how requirements could best be used to advance the mission of NETL. Teams of subject-matter experts analyzed the work assigned to determine potential hazards and identify ways to remove or control those hazards. In 2001, NETL developed or revised a series of directives in two major areas: safety analysis and review (SAR) processes, and integrated safety management (ISM) directives. SAR directives were issued for research and development (R&D) operations, support operations, and facilities. ISM directives were released on management processes, such

  20. HEMISPHERIC CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    M.A. Ebadian

    1999-10-31

    The Deactivation and Decommissioning (D&D) Technology Assessment Program (TAP) was developed to provide detailed, comparable data for environmental technologies and to disseminate this data to D&D professionals in a manner that will facilitate the review and selection of technologies to perform decontamination and decommissioning. The objectives for this project include the following: Determine technology needs through review of the Site Technology Coordination Group (STCG) information and other applicable websites and needs databases; Perform a detailed review of industries that perform similar activities as those required in D&D operations to identify additional technologies; Define the technology assessment program for characterization and waste management problem sets; Define the data management program for characterization, dismantlement, and waste management problem sets; Evaluate baseline and innovative technologies under standard test conditions at Florida International University's Hemispheric Center for Environmental Technology (FIU-HCET) and other locations and collect data in the areas of performance, cost, health and safety, operations and maintenance, and primary and secondary waste generation; Continue to locate, verify, and incorporate technology performance data from other sources into the multimedia information system; and Develop the conceptual design for a dismantlement technology decision analysis tool for dismantlement technologies.

  1. 77 FR 59921 - Wisconsin Public Service Corporation; Notice of Environmental Site Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-10-01

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 1940-000 Wisconsin; Project No. 1966-000 Wisconsin] Wisconsin Public Service Corporation; Notice of Environmental Site Review In anticipation of the filing of Notices of Intent (NOI) and Pre- Application Documents for the Grandfather Falls Hydroelectric Project No. 1966 and...

  2. 16 CFR 1021.4 - Overview of environmental review process for CPSC actions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Overview of environmental review process for CPSC actions. 1021.4 Section 1021.4 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION GENERAL... detailed fashion. (See § 1021.10(a), below.) It contains sufficient information to form a basis for...

  3. Environmental Escherichia coli: Ecology and public health implications - A review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jang, Jeonghwan; Hur, Hor-Gil; Sadowsky, Michael J.; Byappanahalli, Muruleedhara; Yan, Tao; Ishii, Satoshi

    2017-01-01

    Escherichia coli is classified as a rod-shaped, Gram-negative bacterium in the family Enterobacteriaceae. The bacterium mainly inhabits the lower intestinal tract of warm-blooded animals, including humans, and is often discharged into the environment through feces or wastewater effluent. The presence of E. coli in environmental waters has long been considered as an indicator of recent fecal pollution. However, numerous recent studies have reported that some specific strains of E. coli can survive for long periods of time, and potentially reproduce, in extra-intestinal environments. This indicates that E. coli can be integrated into indigenous microbial communities in the environment. This naturalization phenomenon calls into question the reliability of E. coli as a fecal indicator bacterium (FIB). Recently, many studies reported that E. coli populations in the environment are affected by ambient environmental conditions affecting their long-term survival. Large-scale studies of population genetics provide the diversity and complexity of E. coli strains in various environments, affected by multiple environmental factors. This review examines the current knowledge on the ecology of E. coli strains in various environments in regards to its role as a FIB and as a naturalized member of indigenous microbial communities. Special emphasis is given on the growth of pathogenic E. coli in the environment, and the population genetics of environmental members of the genus Escherichia. The impact of environmental E. coli on water quality and public health is also discussed.

  4. Occupational and environmental risk factors of adult primary brain cancers: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomes, J; Al Zayadi, A; Guzman, A

    2011-04-01

    The incidence of brain neoplasm has been progressively increasing in recent years in the industrialized countries. One of the reasons for this increased incidence could be better access to health care and improved diagnosis in the industrialized countries. It also appears that Caucasians have a higher incidence than blacks or Hispanics or Asians. A number of risk factors have been identified and described including the genetic, ethnic and age-based factors. Certain occupational and environmental factors are also believed to influence the risk of primary adult brain tumors. Potential occupational and environmental factors include exposure to diagnostic and therapeutic radiations, electromagnetic radiation from cellular phones and other wireless devices, infectious agents, air pollution and residence near landfills and high-voltage power lines and jobs as firefighters, farmers, physician, chemists and jobs in industries such as petrochemical, power generation, synthetic rubber manufacturing, agricultural chemicals manufacturing. The purpose of this systematic review is to examine occupational and environmental risk factors of brain neoplasm. A range of occupational and environmental exposures are evaluated for significance of their relationship with adult primary brain tumors. On the basis of this review we suggest a concurrent evaluation of multiple risk factors both within and beyond occupational and environmental domains. The concurrent approach needs to consider better exposure assessment techniques, lifetime occupational exposures, genotypic and phenotypic characteristics and lifestyle and dietary habits. This approach needs to be interdisciplinary with contributions from neurologists, oncologists, epidemiologists and molecular biologists. Conclusive evidence that has eluded multitude of studies with single focus and single exposure needs to multifaceted and multidisciplinary.

  5. Environmental application of elemental speciation analysis based on liquid or gas chromatography hyphenated to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry-A review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Popp, Maximilian; Hann, Stephan; Koellensperger, Gunda

    2010-01-01

    In recent years the number of environmental applications of elemental speciation analysis using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) as detector has increased significantly. The analytical characteristics, such as extremely low detection limits (LOD) for almost all elements, the wide linear range, the possibility for multi-elemental analysis and the possibility to apply isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) make ICP-MS an attractive tool for elemental speciation analysis. Two methodological approaches, i.e. the combination of ICP-MS with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC), dominate the field. Besides the investigation of metals and metalloids and their species (e.g. Sn, Hg, As), representing 'classic' elements in environmental science, more recently other elements (e.g. P, S, Br, I) amenable to ICP-MS determination were addressed. In addition, the introduction of isotope dilution analysis and the development of isotopically labeled species-specific standards have contributed to the success of ICP-MS in the field. The aim of this review is to summarize these developments and to highlight recent trends in the environmental application of ICP-MS coupled to GC and HPLC.

  6. Environmental reporting as a strategic issue

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Lars Bjørn

    1997-01-01

    Organisations are facing ever increasing demands or pressures from various stakeholder to raise their environmental standards. Raising the environmental standards includes improving and documenting the environmental performance in relation to production processes, products and logistics.This pape...... adresses environmental reporting as an important issue in strategic management, since many of environmental management are related to the availability of environmental information both inside and outside the company.......Organisations are facing ever increasing demands or pressures from various stakeholder to raise their environmental standards. Raising the environmental standards includes improving and documenting the environmental performance in relation to production processes, products and logistics.This paper...

  7. Hanford Site surface environmental surveillance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dirkes, R.L.

    1998-01-01

    Environmental surveillance of the Hanford Site and the surrounding region is conducted to demonstrate compliance with environmental regulations, confirm adherence to US Department of Energy (DOE) environmental protection policies, support DOE environmental management decisions, and provide information to the public. The Surface Environmental Surveillance Project (SESP) is a multimedia environmental monitoring program conducted to measure the concentrations of radionuclides and chemical contaminants in the environment and assess the integrated effects of these contaminants on the environment and the public. The monitoring program includes sampling air, surface water, sediments, soil, natural vegetation, agricultural products, fish, and wildlife. Functional elements inherent in the operation of the SESP include project management, quality assurance/control, training, records management, environmental sampling network design and implementation, sample collection, sample analysis, data management, data review and evaluation, exposure assessment, and reporting. The SESP focuses on those contaminant/media combinations calculated to have the highest potential for contributing to off-site exposure. Results of the SESP indicate that contaminant concentrations in the Hanford environs are very low, generally below environmental standards, at or below analytical detection levels, and indicative of environmental levels. However, areas of elevated contaminant concentrations have been identified at Hanford. The extent of these areas is generally limited to past operating areas and waste disposal sites

  8. Technical Review Guidelines for Environmental Impact Assessments in the Tourism, Energy and Mining Sectors

    Science.gov (United States)

    EPA coordinated a regional collaborative process with Central America and Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) partners to develop Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Technical Review Guidelines for three sectors.

  9. Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Primary Standards Documents from Current Review - Federal Register Notices

    Science.gov (United States)

    EPA develops and publishes a notice of proposed rulemaking regarding the review of the SO2 national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). A public comment period follows. Taking into account comments received on the proposed rule, EPA issues a final rule.

  10. Applications of capillary electrophoresis with chemiluminescence detection in clinical, environmental and food analysis. A review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lara, Francisco J.; Airado-Rodríguez, Diego; Moreno-González, David; Huertas-Pérez, José F.; García-Campaña, Ana M.

    2016-01-01

    This paper reviews the latest developments and analytical applications of chemiluminescence detection coupled to capillary electrophoresis (CE-CL). Different sections considering the most common CL systems have been included, such as the tris(2,2′-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) system, the luminol and acridinium derivative reactions, the peroxyoxalate CL or direct oxidations. Improvements in instrumental designs, new strategies for improving both resolution and sensitivity, and applications in different fields such as clinical, pharmaceutical, environmental and food analysis have been included. This review covers the literature from 2010 to 2015. - Highlights: • An up-to-date critical review about the evolution of CE-CL is presented. • Tris(2,2′-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) and luminol as the most used CL systems. • Instrumental designs and strategies for improving resolution and sensitivity. • Applications in clinical, pharmaceutical, environmental and food analysis.

  11. 78 FR 46255 - Revisions to Environmental Review for Renewal of Nuclear Power Plant Operating Licenses; Correction

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-07-31

    ... Environmental Review for Renewal of Nuclear Power Plant Operating Licenses; Correction AGENCY: Nuclear... nuclear power plant. Compliance with the provisions of the rule is required by June 20, 2014. This... environmental effect of renewing the operating license of a nuclear power plant. This document is necessary to...

  12. Environmental Accounting as a Tool for Environmental Management ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Environmental Accounting as a Tool for Environmental Management System. ... This paper reviews about the relationship of environmental accounting and environmental ... to legal and regulation requirement, to reduce cost from customer

  13. Environmental protection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klinda, J.; Lieskovska, Z.

    1998-01-01

    In this chapter environmental protection in the Slovak Republic in 1997 are reviewed. The economics of environmental protection, state budget, Slovak state environmental fund, economic instruments, environmental laws, environmental impact assessment, environmental management systems, and environmental education are presented

  14. Radiological health review of the final environmental impact statement. Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. Volumes 1 and 2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1981-01-01

    Pursuant to the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the Department of Energy has provided in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) a comprehensive review of the potential radiological impact of the proposed Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, referred to in the FEIS as, the authorized alternative. The EEG has reviewed this document to determine (a) the changes made in comparison with the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS); (b) the adequacy of the DOE's evaluation of the potential radiological impact; (c) the thoroughness of the DOE's response to the comments of the EEG on the DEIS; and (d) other issues which should be addressed by DOE more fully prior to beginning construction of the WIPP. Based on our review of the FEIS, the Department of Energy has incorporated and addressed the majority of the concerns, questions and recommendations that the EEG provided to them in our August 1979 review of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement on WIPP and the FEIS provides a generally satisfactory evaluation of the potential radiological impact. There are, however, a number of areas that have yet to be adequately treated by DOE and should be acted upon and resolved prior to beginning construction of the WIPP. The more important issues are included and are discussed in more detail in our December 8, 1980 and January 15, 1981 comments on the FEIS

  15. The application of the ISO 14001 environmental management system to small hydropower plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2010-01-01

    The ISO 14000 environmental management standards exist to help organisations minimise how their operations negatively affect the environment and to comply with applicable laws and regulations. More specifically, ISO 14001 is the international specification for an environmental management system (EMS). It specifies requirements for establishing an environmental policy, determining environmental aspects and impacts of products/activities/services, planning environmental objectives and measurable targets, implementation and operation of programs to meet objectives and targets, checking and corrective action, and management review. The overall idea is to establish an organized approach to systematically reduce the impact of the environmental aspects that an organization can control. Tools are available for the analysis of environmental aspects and for the generation of options for improvement. As with ISO 9000 (quality management), certification is performed by third-party organizations. Hydroelectricity enables to generate clean energy with no direct emissions of greenhouse gases and without consuming fossil fuels. However, this activity is implemented within a sensitive natural environment: the watercourses are shared with several users such as the fishermen, the kayakers, farmers and industry. Generating hydroelectricity induces very little discharges into the environment. Conversely, its implementation on the watercourses can alter the flow rates and the ecosystem: leading to disruption in the free passage of fish, change in the hydrodynamics of a watercourse, emission of noise, production of waste, pollution through oil leak, damage inflicted on the landscape, etc. These environmental impacts form the subject of several monitoring and control operations that are designed to limit and preserve the natural environment. Additionally, relations with the water users and the administrations are sometimes difficult and this would require a dialogue to be established to

  16. Management system - correlation study between new IAEA standards and the market standards

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oliveira, Dirceu Paulo de [Centro Tecnologico da Marinha em Sao Paulo (CTMSP), Ipero, SP (Brazil)], e-mail: dirceupo@hotmail.com; Zouain, Desiree Moraes [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)], e-mail: dmzouain@ipen.br

    2009-07-01

    In order to answer the growing concern of society with respect of the aspects that affect the quality of life, international and national regulatory bodies have developed standards that enable organizations to establish management systems for quality, environment and sustainable development, health, safety and social responsibility, among other functions. Within this context it is necessary to structure an integrated management system that promotes interests compatibility of several distinct and complementary functions involved. Considering this vision of the management system integration, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) decided to review the structure of safety standards on Quality Assurance - code and guides 50-C/SGQ1/ 14:1996, publishing, in 2006, IAEA GS-R-3 and IAEA GS-G-3.1 standards, enlarging the management approach of the previous standards, including the possibility of integrating the functions foremost mentioned. This paper presents the results about a correlation study between IAEA management system standards - IAEA GS-R-3: 2006, IAEA GS-G-3.1: 2006 and IAEA DS349 rev. 2007, this latter still a draft standard, with those market management system standards on quality - ISO 9001:2008, environmental - ISO 14001:2004, and occupational health and safety - BS OHSAS 18001:2007, identifying gaps, redundancies and complementarities among their requirements and guidances. The purpose of the study is to provide subsidies that could contribute to the structuring of a management system to nuclear facilities that satisfies, in an integrated manner, the common and complementary requirements and guidances of IAEA and market standards. (author)

  17. Management system - correlation study between new IAEA standards and the market standards

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oliveira, Dirceu Paulo de; Zouain, Desiree Moraes

    2009-01-01

    In order to answer the growing concern of society with respect of the aspects that affect the quality of life, international and national regulatory bodies have developed standards that enable organizations to establish management systems for quality, environment and sustainable development, health, safety and social responsibility, among other functions. Within this context it is necessary to structure an integrated management system that promotes interests compatibility of several distinct and complementary functions involved. Considering this vision of the management system integration, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) decided to review the structure of safety standards on Quality Assurance - code and guides 50-C/SGQ1/ 14:1996, publishing, in 2006, IAEA GS-R-3 and IAEA GS-G-3.1 standards, enlarging the management approach of the previous standards, including the possibility of integrating the functions foremost mentioned. This paper presents the results about a correlation study between IAEA management system standards - IAEA GS-R-3: 2006, IAEA GS-G-3.1: 2006 and IAEA DS349 rev. 2007, this latter still a draft standard, with those market management system standards on quality - ISO 9001:2008, environmental - ISO 14001:2004, and occupational health and safety - BS OHSAS 18001:2007, identifying gaps, redundancies and complementarities among their requirements and guidances. The purpose of the study is to provide subsidies that could contribute to the structuring of a management system to nuclear facilities that satisfies, in an integrated manner, the common and complementary requirements and guidances of IAEA and market standards. (author)

  18. NCI's national environmental research data collection: metadata management built on standards and preparing for the semantic web

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jingbo; Bastrakova, Irina; Evans, Ben; Gohar, Kashif; Santana, Fabiana; Wyborn, Lesley

    2015-04-01

    National Computational Infrastructure (NCI) manages national environmental research data collections (10+ PB) as part of its specialized high performance data node of the Research Data Storage Infrastructure (RDSI) program. We manage 40+ data collections using NCI's Data Management Plan (DMP), which is compatible with the ISO 19100 metadata standards. We utilize ISO standards to make sure our metadata is transferable and interoperable for sharing and harvesting. The DMP is used along with metadata from the data itself, to create a hierarchy of data collection, dataset and time series catalogues that is then exposed through GeoNetwork for standard discoverability. This hierarchy catalogues are linked using a parent-child relationship. The hierarchical infrastructure of our GeoNetwork catalogues system aims to address both discoverability and in-house administrative use-cases. At NCI, we are currently improving the metadata interoperability in our catalogue by linking with standardized community vocabulary services. These emerging vocabulary services are being established to help harmonise data from different national and international scientific communities. One such vocabulary service is currently being established by the Australian National Data Services (ANDS). Data citation is another important aspect of the NCI data infrastructure, which allows tracking of data usage and infrastructure investment, encourage data sharing, and increasing trust in research that is reliant on these data collections. We incorporate the standard vocabularies into the data citation metadata so that the data citation become machine readable and semantically friendly for web-search purpose as well. By standardizing our metadata structure across our entire data corpus, we are laying the foundation to enable the application of appropriate semantic mechanisms to enhance discovery and analysis of NCI's national environmental research data information. We expect that this will further

  19. Standard Review Plan Update and Development Program. Implementing Procedures Document

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1992-05-01

    This implementing procedures document (IPD) was prepared for use in implementing tasks under the standard review plan update and development program (SRP-UDP). The IPD provides comprehensive guidance and detailed procedures for SRP-UDP tasks. The IPD is mandatory for contractors performing work for the SRP-UDP. It is guidance for the staff. At the completion of the SRP-UDP, the IPD will be revised (to remove the UDP aspects) and will replace NRR Office Letter No. 800 as long-term maintenance procedures.

  20. 78 FR 37210 - Parker Knoll Hydro, LLC; Notice of Environmental Site Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-06-20

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 13239-002] Parker Knoll Hydro, LLC; Notice of Environmental Site Review Take notice that the following hydroelectric applications have been filed with Commission and are available for public inspection: a. Type of Application: New Major License. b. Project No.: 13239. c. Date...

  1. Governance of agro-pesticide through private environmental and social standards in the global cut flower chain from Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mengistie, Belay T; Mol, Arthur P J; Oosterveer, Peter

    2017-11-01

    The international cut flower industry is strongly criticized because of its environmental impacts and unsafe working conditions. Increasing certification of cut flowers is used to improve the growers' environmental and social performance. But what is the impact of this private governance instrument on regulating the use of pesticides? This paper assesses the potential of private certification on governing the environmental and social problems from pesticide use along the global cut flower supply chain. We use detailed farm-level data to analyse the environmental and social impacts of flower certification in Ethiopia by comparing different national and international certification schemes. Our analysis does not show significant differences between these different private standards for most environmental and health and safety variables. The Ethiopian cut flower industry remains far from improving its sustainability performance through private certification. However, certification schemes may enable farmers to have access to international markets and keep up their reputation.

  2. RADWASS update. Radioactive Waste Safety Standards Programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Delattre, D.

    2000-01-01

    By the late 1980s, the issue of radioactive wastes and their management was becoming increasingly politically important. The IAEA responded by establishing a high profile family of safety standards, the Radioactive Waste Safety Standards (RADWASS). By this means, the IAEA intended to draw attention to the fact that well-established procedures for the safe management of radioactive wastes already were in place. The programme was intended to establish an ordered structure for safety documents on waste management and to ensure comprehensive coverage of all relevant subject areas. RADWASS documents are categorized under four subject areas - discharges, predisposal, disposal, and environmental restoration. The programme is overseen through a formalized review and approval mechanism that was established in 1996 for all safety standards activities. The Waste Safety Standards Committee (WASSC) is a standing body of senior regulatory officials with technical expertise in radioactive waste safety. To date, three Safety Requirements and seven Safety Guides have been issued

  3. Review of calculational models and computer codes for environmental dose assessment of radioactive releases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strenge, D.L.; Watson, E.C.; Droppo, J.G.

    1976-06-01

    The development of technological bases for siting nuclear fuel cycle facilities requires calculational models and computer codes for the evaluation of risks and the assessment of environmental impact of radioactive effluents. A literature search and review of available computer programs revealed that no one program was capable of performing all of the great variety of calculations (i.e., external dose, internal dose, population dose, chronic release, accidental release, etc.). Available literature on existing computer programs has been reviewed and a description of each program reviewed is given

  4. Review of calculational models and computer codes for environmental dose assessment of radioactive releases

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Strenge, D.L.; Watson, E.C.; Droppo, J.G.

    1976-06-01

    The development of technological bases for siting nuclear fuel cycle facilities requires calculational models and computer codes for the evaluation of risks and the assessment of environmental impact of radioactive effluents. A literature search and review of available computer programs revealed that no one program was capable of performing all of the great variety of calculations (i.e., external dose, internal dose, population dose, chronic release, accidental release, etc.). Available literature on existing computer programs has been reviewed and a description of each program reviewed is given.

  5. EPA STANDARDS NETWORK FACT SHEET: ISO 14000: INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT STANDARDS

    Science.gov (United States)

    This flyer provides an overview of the ISO 14000 series of International standards, supplying a brief history, structure of the Technical Committee (TC) 207, structure of the U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to ISO TC-207, status of the Standards development as of June 1997, w...

  6. Nutrition Standards for Away-from-home Foods in the United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohen, Deborah A.; Bhatia, Rajiv

    2012-01-01

    Away-from-home foods are regulated with respect to the prevention of food-borne diseases and potential contaminants, but not for their contribution to dietary-related chronic diseases. Away-from-home foods have more calories, salt, sugar, and fat and provide fewer fruits and vegetables than recommended by national nutrition guidelines; thus, frequent consumption of away-from-home foods contributes to obesity, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. In light of this, many localities are already adopting regulations or sponsoring programs to improve the quality of away-from-home foods. We review the rationale for developing nutritional performance standards for away-from-home foods in light of limited human capacity to regulate intake or physiologically compensate for a poor diet. We offer a set of model performance standards to be considered as a new area of environmental regulation. Models for voluntary implementation of consumer standards exist in the environmental domain and may be useful templates for implementation. Implementing such standards, whether voluntarily or via regulations, will require addressing a number of practical and ideological challenges. Politically, regulatory standards contradict the belief that adults should be able to navigate dietary risks in away-from-home settings unaided. PMID:22329431

  7. Innovations in Environmental Monitoring Using Mobile Phone Technology – A Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matt Aitkenhead

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, the use of mobile phones and tablets for personal communication has increased dramatically, with over 1 billion smartphones out of a total of 5 billion mobile phones worldwide. The infrastructure and technology underlying these devices has improved to a level where it is now possible to integrate sensor technology directly and use them to acquire new data. Given the available resources and the number of technical challenges that have already been overcome, it would seem a natural progression to use mobile communication technology for field-based environmental monitoring. In this work, we review existing technology for acquiring, processing and reporting on environmental data in the field. The objective is to demonstrate whether or not it is possible to use off-the-shelf technology for environmental monitoring. We show several levels at which this challenge is being approached, and discuss examples of technology that have been produced.

  8. Columbia River System Operation Review final environmental impact statement. Appendix G: Land use and development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1995-11-01

    The System Operation Review (SOR) is a study and environmental compliance process being used by the three Federal agencies to analyze future operations of the system and river use issues. The goal of the SOR is to achieve a coordinated system operation strategy for the river that better meets the needs of all river users. The SOR began in early 1990, prior to the filing of petitions for endangered status for several salmon species under the Endangered Species Act. The comprehensive review of Columbia River operations encompassed by the SOR was prompted by the need for Federal decisions to (1) develop a coordinated system operating strategy (SOS) for managing the multiple uses of the system into the 21st century; (2) provide interested parties with a continuing and increased long-term role in system planning (Columbia River Regional Forum); (3) renegotiate and renew the Pacific Northwest Coordination Agreement (PNCA), a contractual arrangement among the region's major hydroelectric-generating utilities and affected Federal agencies to provide for coordinated power generation on the Columbia River system; and (4) renew or develop new Canadian Entitlement Allocation Agreements. The review provides the environmental analysis required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This technical appendix addresses only the effects of alternative system operating strategies for managing the Columbia River system. The environmental impact statement (EIS) itself and some of the other appendices present analyses of the alternative approaches to the other three decisions considered as part of the SOR

  9. Environmental pollution and risk of psychotic disorders: A review of the science to date.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Attademo, Luigi; Bernardini, Francesco; Garinella, Raffaele; Compton, Michael T

    2017-03-01

    Environmental pollution is a global problem with diverse and substantial public health implications. Although many environmental (i.e., non-genetic) risk factors for schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders have been identified, there has been comparatively little research on pollution as a possible risk factor. This is despite the fact that gene-by-environment interactions and epigenetic mechanisms are now recognized as likely facets of the etiology of schizophrenia, and the fact that pollution could potentially mediate the association between urban birth/upbringing and elevated risk. We conducted a review of the literature to date in order to summarize and synthesize work in this area. We identified 13 research reports and 16 review articles. Based on the extant knowledge in this area and what is known about the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, it is feasible that exposure to xenobiotic heavy metals such as lead and cadmium, constituents of air pollution such as particulate matter and nitrogen and sulfur oxides, organic solvents, and other constituents of environmental pollution could be component causes. Further research-from the cellular to epidemiological levels-is clearly needed. If causation is proven, enhancements of policy intended to reduce human exposure to environmental pollution could reduce the burden of schizophrenia and possibly other mental illnesses. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Personal and social factors that influence pro-environmental concern and behaviour: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gifford, Robert; Nilsson, Andreas

    2014-06-01

    We review the personal and social influences on pro-environmental concern and behaviour, with an emphasis on recent research. The number of these influences suggests that understanding pro-environmental concern and behaviour is far more complex than previously thought. The influences are grouped into 18 personal and social factors. The personal factors include childhood experience, knowledge and education, personality and self-construal, sense of control, values, political and world views, goals, felt responsibility, cognitive biases, place attachment, age, gender and chosen activities. The social factors include religion, urban-rural differences, norms, social class, proximity to problematic environmental sites and cultural and ethnic variations We also recognize that pro-environmental behaviour often is undertaken based on none of the above influences, but because individuals have non-environmental goals such as to save money or to improve their health. Finally, environmental outcomes that are a result of these influences undoubtedly are determined by combinations of the 18 categories. Therefore, a primary goal of researchers now should be to learn more about how these many influences moderate and mediate one another to determine pro-environmental behaviour. © 2014 International Union of Psychological Science.

  11. Environmental measures for Escuintla No. 3 unit thermal power project

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Quisquinay, Carlos; Fabian Rosales, Alejandro [Instituto Nacional de Electrificacion, (Guatemala)

    1997-12-31

    The environmental measures in relation to the project implementation was studied with reference to the Japanese Standards and incorporated in the Implementation Program. This report is prepared however, to review the environmental measures for the project in more detail as to the allowable standards and regulations concerning the measures for the environmental pollution. The authors present the environmental conditions around the Escuintla Power Station in Guatemala; the measures for environmental pollution and evaluation; the measures for prevention of air pollution and diffusion calculations (estimation and assessment of environmental impacts) [Espanol] Las medidas ambientales con relacion a la consolidacion del proyecto, se estudiaron con referencia a los Estandares Japoneses e incorporados en el Programa de Consolidacion. Sin embargo, este reporte ha sido preparado para revisar las medidas ambientales para el proyecto mas detalladamente, con relacion a los estandares y reglamentaciones admisibles concernientes a las medidas de contaminacion ambiental. Los autores presentan las condiciones ambientales en los alrededores de la Central Termoelectrica de Escuintla de Guatemala; las medidas para la prevencion de la contaminacion del aire y los calculos de difusion (estimacion y evaluacion del impacto ambiental)

  12. Environmental measures for Escuintla No. 3 unit thermal power project

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Quisquinay, Carlos; Fabian Rosales, Alejandro [Instituto Nacional de Electrificacion, (Guatemala)

    1996-12-31

    The environmental measures in relation to the project implementation was studied with reference to the Japanese Standards and incorporated in the Implementation Program. This report is prepared however, to review the environmental measures for the project in more detail as to the allowable standards and regulations concerning the measures for the environmental pollution. The authors present the environmental conditions around the Escuintla Power Station in Guatemala; the measures for environmental pollution and evaluation; the measures for prevention of air pollution and diffusion calculations (estimation and assessment of environmental impacts) [Espanol] Las medidas ambientales con relacion a la consolidacion del proyecto, se estudiaron con referencia a los Estandares Japoneses e incorporados en el Programa de Consolidacion. Sin embargo, este reporte ha sido preparado para revisar las medidas ambientales para el proyecto mas detalladamente, con relacion a los estandares y reglamentaciones admisibles concernientes a las medidas de contaminacion ambiental. Los autores presentan las condiciones ambientales en los alrededores de la Central Termoelectrica de Escuintla de Guatemala; las medidas para la prevencion de la contaminacion del aire y los calculos de difusion (estimacion y evaluacion del impacto ambiental)

  13. The Role of Environmental Design in Cancer Prevention, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Survivorship: A Systematic Literature Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gharaveis, Arsalan; Kazem-Zadeh, Mahshad

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this literature review is to provide a better understanding of the impact that environmental design can have on the process of cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. Cancer is considered a chronic disease in the United States, and more than 1.6 million new cases are diagnosed annually. New strategies of cancer care propose patient-centered services to achieve the best outcome, and researchers have found that environmental design can be an important part of improving this care. Searches were conducted in the PubMed and Google Scholar databases as well as in specific healthcare design journals such as Health Environments Research & Design, Environmental Psychology, and Environment and Behavior. The criteria for articles included in the review were (a) English-language articles related to facility design, which addressed (b) the topics of built environment in relation to cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship, and were (c) published in peer-reviewed journals between 2000 and 2017. Finally, 10 articles were selected, and the contents were analyzed. The selected articles demonstrate that environmental design is one of the critical factors for success throughout the whole continuum of cancer care from diagnosis to end-of-treatment. Some of the specific conclusions from the review are that "neighborhood-oriented" design strategies can be beneficial (by providing accessibility to all facilities along the patient's path), that access to nature for patients, staff, and visitors alike is associated with better outcomes, and that provisions for natural lighting and noise reduction are associated with cancer patients' well-being.

  14. Psychological and Physical Environmental Factors in the Development of Incontinence in Adults and Children: A Comprehensive Review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    von Gontard, Alexander; de Jong, Tom P. V. M.; Badawi, Jasmin Katrin; OʼConnell, Kathleen A.; Hanna-Mitchell, Ann T.; Nieuwhof-Leppink, Anka; Cardozo, Linda

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this review was to identify etiological environmental factors related to incontinence in children and adults. A variety of etiological environmental factors for the development of incontinence were identified. In children, these encompass stressful life events and trauma, family

  15. Environmental pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hanif, J.; Hanif, M.I.

    1997-01-01

    The third proceedings of National Symposium on Modern Trends in Contemporary Chemistry was held in Islamabad, Pakistan from February 24-26, 1997. In this symposium more than 220 scientists, engineers and technologist were registered from 11 universities, 17 research organisations and 8 non-governmental organisation including some commercial establishments. The symposium was divided into five technical sessions on hydro spheric pollution, atmospheric pollution, bio spheric pollution, lithospheric pollution and impact assessment and environmental education. Environmental and ecology are so interdependent that any change in the balance due to natural and man made cause may result in a disaster, flood, fire, earthquake, epidemic, population explosion etc. are the natural ways of unbalancing our ecosystem. The scope of this symposium includes: 1) Review the chemistry and the chemical techniques like polarography, coulometry, HPLC, GC-MS, NAA, XRF, AAS, AES etc. involved in the assessment monitoring and control of various pollutions. 2) Propose sampling, transportation, measurement and standardization procedures. 3) Collaboration in scientific data collection. 4) Mutual consultation for management of the pollution problem in a cost effective manner. 5) sharing knowledge and experience with various environmental protection groups both in public and private sector. (A.B.)

  16. The standards forum: Volume 6, Number 3 -- December 1998

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1998-12-01

    This issue contains the following articles: NIST--A call for a national standards strategy; Fourth integrated safety management lessons learned workshop; TSP [Technical Standards Program] publications support moves to headquarters; Comments on the role of the federal government in environmental technology development; Technical standards manager spotlight; Topical committee developments: Quality assurance topical committee plays an active role in the TSP, New DOE accreditation committee targets issues and resolutions at first annual meeting, DOE fire safety committee meeting in New Orleans, Third annual DOE metrology committee meeting coming in March 1999, The biota dose assessment committee providing a major forum and technical resource for DOE, and A performance-based management handbook in the works; DOE technical standards projects initiated; Recently published DOE documents; Non-government standards: American National Standards Institute and American Society for Testing and Materials; Most DOE comments on ISO 17025 upheld by ANSI review committee; and ISO 9000 compliance--Changes in the future.

  17. Environmental pollutants and dysregulation of male puberty--a comparison among species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magnusson, Ulf; Ljungvall, Karl

    2014-04-01

    The scientific literature on altered onset of puberty predominantly involves studies on females. This paper reviews current knowledge on the role of environmental pollutants in dysregulation of male puberty in humans, laboratory rodents and farm animals. The methods used to determine the onset of puberty are well developed in humans and farm animals, and standardized across studies in humans. In laboratory rodents standardized external morphological endpoints are used. There is an increasing weight of evidence from epidemiological studies in humans, as well as from experiments in animals, indicating that environmental pollutants dysregulate puberty in males. Most data are from studies on "classical" persistent environmental pollutants. Assessing the effect of multichemical environmental pollution on dysregulation of puberty in humans is more challenging; further solid epidemiological data would likely contribute most to our understanding, especially if combined with systematically collected field-data from selected wildlife. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Screen-printed electrodes for environmental monitoring of heavy metal ions: a review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barton, John; González García, María Begoña; Hernández Santos, David; Fanjul-Bolado, Pablo; Ribotti, Alberto; Magni, Paolo; McCaul, Margaret; Diamond, Dermot

    2016-01-01

    Heavy metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, zinc and copper are among the most important pollutants because of their non-biodegradability and toxicity above certain thresholds. Here, we review methods for sensing heavy metal ions (HMI) in water samples using screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) as transducers. The review (with 107 refs.) starts with an introduction into the topic, and this is followed by sections on (a) mercury-coated SPEs, (b) bismuth-coated SPEs, (c) gold-coated SPEs (d) chemically modified and non-modified carbon SPEs, (e) enzyme inhibition-based SPEs, and (f) an overview of commercially available electrochemical portable heavy metal analyzers. The review reveals the significance of SPEs in terms of decentralized and of in situ analysis of heavy metal ions in environmental monitoring. (author)

  19. Approaches to Post-disaster Environmental Recovery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehrdad Farrokhi

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Environment and its ecosystems are affected by various natural and man-made disasters. The environmental management in disasters tries to protect ecosystems, sustain development, reduce disaster risk, and adapt to or decrease the impact of climate change. This study aimed to investigate the impact of disasters on the environment and methods of reducing these effects. Materials and Methods: This review study was conducted by searching PubMed, Google Scholar, Elsevier, UNEP, SID, and Magiran databases using keywords of “environment”, “disasters”, “recovery”, and “lessons learned” from 1999 to 2015. Results: Decrease in surface and groundwater resources, pollution of water resources, deforestation, desertification, soil erosion, air pollution and extinction of animal species are among post-disaster environmental damages. As a result of such changes in the environment and ecosystem, water shortage and drought, loss of vegetation, and food insecurity will ensue. Due to these destructive incidents, the people’s ability to provide necessary resources for living decreases and their very lives are threatened. Consequently, they are forced to immigrate to save their lives. Conclusion: Environmental recovery is one of the effective strategies for achieving sustainable development. In this regard, public and private organizations as well as international ones and people should work together. Responsible organizations, the stakeholders at different levels, and the public must be trained in this area and introduced to the latest international standards. Rules and policies should be reviewed and revised in accordance with today’s needs and international standards.

  20. Environmental Escherichia coli: ecology and public health implications-a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jang, J; Hur, H-G; Sadowsky, M J; Byappanahalli, M N; Yan, T; Ishii, S

    2017-09-01

    Escherichia coli is classified as a rod-shaped, Gram-negative bacterium in the family Enterobacteriaceae. The bacterium mainly inhabits the lower intestinal tract of warm-blooded animals, including humans, and is often discharged into the environment through faeces or wastewater effluent. The presence of E. coli in environmental waters has long been considered as an indicator of recent faecal pollution. However, numerous recent studies have reported that some specific strains of E. coli can survive for long periods of time, and potentially reproduce, in extraintestinal environments. This indicates that E. coli can be integrated into indigenous microbial communities in the environment. This naturalization phenomenon calls into question the reliability of E. coli as a faecal indicator bacterium (FIB). Recently, many studies reported that E. coli populations in the environment are affected by ambient environmental conditions affecting their long-term survival. Large-scale studies of population genetics revealed the diversity and complexity of E. coli strains in various environments, which are affected by multiple environmental factors. This review examines the current knowledge on the ecology of E. coli strains in various environments with regard to its role as a FIB and as a naturalized member of indigenous microbial communities. Special emphasis is given on the growth of pathogenic E. coli in the environment, and the population genetics of environmental members of the genus Escherichia. The impact of environmental E. coli on water quality and public health is also discussed. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  1. Psychological and physical environmental factors in the development of incontinence in adults and children : A comprehensive review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Von Gontard, Alexander; De Jong, Tom P V M; Badawi, Jasmin Katrin; O'Connell, Kathleen A.; Hanna-Mitchell, Ann T.; Nieuwhof-Leppink, Anka; Cardozo, Linda

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this review was to identify etiological environmental factors related to incontinence in children and adults. A variety of etiological environmental factors for the development of incontinence were identifi ed. In children, these encompass stressful life events and trauma, family

  2. Efficiency in the execution of environmental standards for hydropower projects; Eficiencia na execucao das normas ambientais para empreendimentos hidreletricos

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nadaud, Gabriela Caiuby Ariani; Young, Carlos Eduardo Frickmann [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), RJ (Brazil)

    2010-07-01

    In the search for greater efficiency in meeting environmental standards related to hydropower projects, this article presents a proposal of indicators that can guide the entrepreneur. From the observation that the mere compliance with legal requirements for obtaining licenses does not minimize the risks of conflicts and their resulting expenses, this methodology of indicators is presented as a tool that allows more efficient compensation measures and consequent social-environmental cost reductions of hydroelectric projects. (author)

  3. Ship breaking or scuttling? A review of environmental, economic and forensic issues for decision support.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Devault, Damien A; Beilvert, Briac; Winterton, Peter

    2017-11-01

    In a globalized world, the world trade fleet plays a pivotal role in limiting transport costs. But, the management of obsolete ships is an acute problem, with most Ship Recycling Facilities (SRF) situated in developing countries. They are renowned for their controversial work and safety conditions and their environmental impact. Paradoxically, dismantlement is paid for by the shipowners in accordance with international conventions therefore it is more profitable for them to sell off ships destined for scrapping. Scuttling, the alternative to scrapping, is assessed in the present review to compare the cost/benefit ratios of the two approaches. Although scrapping provides employment and raw materials - but with environmental, health and safety costs - scuttling provides fisheries and diving tourism opportunities but needs appropriate management to avoid organic and metal pollution, introduction of invasive species and exacerbation of coastal erosion. It is also limited by appropriate bottom depth, ship type and number. The present review inventories the environmental, health, safety, economic, and forensic aspects of each alternative.

  4. European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation Topical Review on Environmental Factors in IBD

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Maaser, Christian; Langholz, Ebbe; Gordon, Hannah

    2017-01-01

    This ECCO Topical Review of the European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation [ECCO] focuses on the role of environmental factors with respect to the development of inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] as well as their influence on the course of established IBD. The objective was to reach expert consensus...... to provide evidence-based guidance for clinical practice....

  5. It's time to set some standards: Environmental classification of freshwater wetlands in New Zealand and their protection from eutrophication

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sorrell, Brian Keith; Clarkson, Beverly

    Most natural resource plans provide protection for lakes and rivers from catchment activities leading to eutrophication. However, they are often silent about wetlands, due to the lack of information available for setting standards, defining reference conditions, and predicting responses to nutrient...... states in New Zealand wetlands, present an environmental classification based on physico-chemical and nutrient data, compare wetlands in New Zealand with those in other temperate regions, and argue for some catchment land use standards to protect wetlands from nutrient enrichment. Our database reveals...... that New Zealand wetlands, like those in other temperate climates, are defined by specific alkalinity and nutrient gradients and that there is a wide range of fertility levels. Using regression tree analysis, we have identified environmental groups of wetlands with significantly distinct nutrient regimes...

  6. Bladder cancer, a review of the environmental risk factors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Letašiová Silvia

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Many epidemiological studies and reviews have been performed to identify the causes of bladder cancer. The aim of this review is to investigate the links between various environmental risk factors and cancer of the bladder. Methods A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Scholar Google and Russian Google databases to identify reviews and epidemiological studies on bladder cancer risk factors associated with the environment published between 1998 and 2010. Only literature discussing human studies was considered. Results Smoking, mainly cigarette smoking, is a well known risk factor for various diseases, including bladder cancer. Another factor strongly associated with bladder cancer is exposure to arsenic in drinking water at concentrations higher than 300 µg/l. The most notable risk factor for development of bladder cancer is occupational exposure to aromatic amines (2-naphthylamine, 4-aminobiphenyl and benzidine and 4,4'-methylenebis(2-chloroaniline, which can be found in the products of the chemical, dye and rubber industries as well as in hair dyes, paints, fungicides, cigarette smoke, plastics, metals and motor vehicle exhaust. There are also data suggesting an effect from of other types of smoking besides cigarettes (cigar, pipe, Egyptian waterpipe, smokeless tobacco and environmental tobacco smoking, and other sources of arsenic exposure such as air, food, occupational hazards, and tobacco. Other studies show that hairdressers and barbers with occupational exposure to hair dyes experience enhanced risk of bladder cancer. For example, a study related to personal use of hair dyes demonstrates an elevated bladder cancer risk for people who used permanent hair dyes at least once a month, for one year or longer. Conclusion Smoking, in particular from cigarettes, exposure to arsenic in drinking water, and occupational exposure to aromatic amines and 4,4'-methylenebis(2-chloroaniline

  7. Towards the proposal of an environmental quality standard for uranium in fresh water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beaugelin-Seiller, K.; Garnier-Laplace, J.; Gilbin, R.

    2009-01-01

    This report presents elements gathered by the IRSN to contribute to the determination of the standard of environmental quality related to uranium. After a presentation of values published by different bodies for the protection of the aquatic environment (water quality criteria), this report describes the determination of the fresh water chronic PNEC (Predicted No Effect Concentration) of uranium: method, available chronic eco-toxicity data and selection principles, PNEC obtained by applying safety factors or by statistical approach, PNEC per bio-availability domain, practical elements for a correct use of a PNEC. It finally proposes a PNEC for fresh water

  8. Micronuclei frequency in children exposed to environmental mutagens: a review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Neri, Monica; Fucic, Aleksandra; Knudsen, Lisbeth E

    2003-01-01

    Cytogenetic monitoring has been traditionally used for the surveillance of populations exposed to genotoxic agents. In recent years sensitivity problems emerged in surveys of populations exposed to low levels of mutagens, and therefore alternative approaches have been explored. Biomonitoring....... The limited number of published papers indicates that the conduct of properly designed studies on the effect of environmental pollutants in children may be difficult. This review confirmed the usefulness of MN assay in biomonitoring studies conducted in children, revealing that in many circumstances...

  9. A review of the environmental survivability of telerobotic control sensor systems for use in nuclear waste tanks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Holcomb, D.E.; Burks, B.L.

    1994-05-01

    This report was prepared by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and funded by the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Technology Development (OTD) Robotics Technology Development Program (RTDP). During the next few years field deployment of remotely operated systems in nuclear waste cleanup operations will increase dramatically as DOE strives to efficiently and safely remediate the many waste storage sites. Typically, the most fragile components in remote systems are the sensors that provide feedback to the operators or to computer control algorithms. The purpose of this review is to determine the availability of environmentally hardened sensors to support control of a manipulator or vehicle system in a waste tank environment. The emphasis of the report is on the environmental ruggedness of currently available sensors. For the purpose of this review a set of nominal requirements for survivability were adopted conditions in the single-shell tanks at Hanford. This report is designed to be a practical guide to the state of the art in commercially available environmentally tolerant sensors for use with robotic systems. It is neither intended to be an exhaustive review of the technical literature on potential measurement techniques nor a complete physical review of the functioning of particular sensor systems. This report is intended to be a living document. As additional, corrected, or updated information is received from sensor manufacturers, it will be incorporated into the report database. The physical report will then be periodically revised and released in updated format. The authors wish to apologize to any sources of environmentally hardened sensors that were omitted during this review and encourage submission of new or updated data

  10. Interim guidance on the Standard Review Plan for the review of financial assurance mechanisms for decommissioning under 10 CFR Parts 30, 40, and 70

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1988-12-01

    Interim Guidance on the Standard Review Plan (SRP) for the Review of Financial Assurance Mechanisms for Decommissioning under 10 CFR Parts 30, 40, and 70 is prepared for the guidance of Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff reviewers in performing reviews of applications from material licensees affected by the decommissioning regulations established June 27, 1988 (53FR24018). The principal purpose of the SRP is to assure the quality and uniformity of staff reviews and to present a base from which to evaluate the financial assurance aspects of the applications. NUREG-1337, identifies who performs the review, the matters that are reviewed, the basis of the review, how the review is performed, and the conclusions that are sought. 3 refs

  11. Monitoring of environmental exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srogi, K

    2007-01-01

    Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a large group of organic compounds with two or more fused aromatic rings. They have a relatively low solubility in water, but are highly lipophilic. Most of the PAHs with low vapour pressure in the air are adsorbed on particles. When dissolved in water or adsorbed on particulate matter, PAHs can undergo photodecomposition when exposed to ultraviolet light from solar radiation. In the atmosphere, PAHs can react with pollutants such as ozone, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide, yielding diones, nitro- and dinitro-PAHs, and sulfonic acids, respectively. PAHs may also be degraded by some microorganisms in the soil. PAHs are widespread environmental contaminants resulting from incomplete combustion of organic materials. The occurrence is largely a result of anthropogenic emissions such as fossil fuel-burning, motor vehicle, waste incinerator, oil refining, coke and asphalt production, and aluminum production, etc. PAHs have received increased attention in recent years in air pollution studies because some of these compounds are highly carcinogenic or mutagenic. Eight PAHs (Car-PAHs) typically considered as possible carcinogens are: benzo(a)anthracene, chrysene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P), dibenzo(a,h)anthracene, indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene and benzo(g,h,i)perylene. In particular, benzo(a)pyrene has been identified as being highly carcinogenic. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has promulgated 16 unsubstituted PAHs (EPA-PAH) as priority pollutants. Thus, exposure assessments of PAHs in the developing world are important. The scope of this review will be to give an overview of PAH concentrations in various environmental samples and to discuss the advantages and limitations of applying these parameters in the assessment of environmental risks in ecosystems and human health. As it well known, there is an increasing trend to use the behavior of pollutants (i.e. bioaccumulation) as well

  12. Environmental Monitoring Plan, United States Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office. Revision 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-01-01

    This report describes environmental monitoring activities at Hanford Reservation. Attention is focused on effluent monitoring and environmental surveillance. All Hanford contractors reviewed potential sources of contamination. A facility effluent monitoring plan was written for each facility with the potential to release significant quantities of hazardous materials, addressing both radiological and nonradiological effluent monitoring. The environmental surveillance program assesses onsite and offsite environmental impacts and offsite human health exposures. The program monitors air, surface water, sediment, agricultural products, vegetation, soil, and wildlife. In addition, independent onsite surveillance is conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of Hanford Site effluent controls in order to comply with applicable environmental standards and regulations

  13. Environmental Monitoring Plan, United States Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office. Revision 1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1994-11-09

    This report describes environmental monitoring activities at Hanford Reservation. Attention is focused on effluent monitoring and environmental surveillance. All Hanford contractors reviewed potential sources of contamination. A facility effluent monitoring plan was written for each facility with the potential to release significant quantities of hazardous materials, addressing both radiological and nonradiological effluent monitoring. The environmental surveillance program assesses onsite and offsite environmental impacts and offsite human health exposures. The program monitors air, surface water, sediment, agricultural products, vegetation, soil, and wildlife. In addition, independent onsite surveillance is conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of Hanford Site effluent controls in order to comply with applicable environmental standards and regulations.

  14. 1984 environmental monitoring report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Day, L.E.; Miltenberger, R.P.; Naidu, J.R.

    1985-04-01

    The environmental monitoring program has been designed to ensure that BNL facilities operate such that the applicable environmental standards and effluent control requirements have been met. A listing, as required by DOE Order 5484.1 of BNL facilities, of environmental agencies and permits is provided in the Environmental Program Information Section 3.0, Table B. Since the aquifer underlying Long Island has been designated a ''sole source'' aquifer, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Drinking Water Standards have been used in the assessment of ground water data. However, the limits prescribed in the regulations are not directly applicable to the monitoring well data since (1) the standards apply to a community water supply system, i.e., one serving more than 25 individuals, and (2) the standards represent an annual average concentration. Since the monitoring wells are not components of the Laboratory's water supply system, the EPA drinking water standards are employed as reference criteria to which the surveillance well data is compared. The standards also serve as guidance levels for any appropriate remedial action. 36 refs., 9 figs., 40 tabs

  15. Standardized Environmental Enrichment Supports Enhanced Brain Plasticity in Healthy Rats and Prevents Cognitive Impairment in Epileptic Rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kouchi, Hayet Y.; Bodennec, Jacques; Morales, Anne; Georges, Béatrice; Bonnet, Chantal; Bouvard, Sandrine; Sloviter, Robert S.; Bezin, Laurent

    2013-01-01

    Environmental enrichment of laboratory animals influences brain plasticity, stimulates neurogenesis, increases neurotrophic factor expression, and protects against the effects of brain insult. However, these positive effects are not constantly observed, probably because standardized procedures of environmental enrichment are lacking. Therefore, we engineered an enriched cage (the Marlau™ cage), which offers: (1) minimally stressful social interactions; (2) increased voluntary exercise; (3) multiple entertaining activities; (4) cognitive stimulation (maze exploration), and (5) novelty (maze configuration changed three times a week). The maze, which separates food pellet and water bottle compartments, guarantees cognitive stimulation for all animals. Compared to rats raised in groups in conventional cages, rats housed in Marlau™ cages exhibited increased cortical thickness, hippocampal neurogenesis and hippocampal levels of transcripts encoding various genes involved in tissue plasticity and remodeling. In addition, rats housed in Marlau™ cages exhibited better performances in learning and memory, decreased anxiety-associated behaviors, and better recovery of basal plasma corticosterone level after acute restraint stress. Marlau™ cages also insure inter-experiment reproducibility in spatial learning and brain gene expression assays. Finally, housing rats in Marlau™ cages after severe status epilepticus at weaning prevents the cognitive impairment observed in rats subjected to the same insult and then housed in conventional cages. By providing a standardized enriched environment for rodents during housing, the Marlau™ cage should facilitate the uniformity of environmental enrichment across laboratories. PMID:23342033

  16. Standardized environmental enrichment supports enhanced brain plasticity in healthy rats and prevents cognitive impairment in epileptic rats.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raafat P Fares

    Full Text Available Environmental enrichment of laboratory animals influences brain plasticity, stimulates neurogenesis, increases neurotrophic factor expression, and protects against the effects of brain insult. However, these positive effects are not constantly observed, probably because standardized procedures of environmental enrichment are lacking. Therefore, we engineered an enriched cage (the Marlau™ cage, which offers: (1 minimally stressful social interactions; (2 increased voluntary exercise; (3 multiple entertaining activities; (4 cognitive stimulation (maze exploration, and (5 novelty (maze configuration changed three times a week. The maze, which separates food pellet and water bottle compartments, guarantees cognitive stimulation for all animals. Compared to rats raised in groups in conventional cages, rats housed in Marlau™ cages exhibited increased cortical thickness, hippocampal neurogenesis and hippocampal levels of transcripts encoding various genes involved in tissue plasticity and remodeling. In addition, rats housed in Marlau™ cages exhibited better performances in learning and memory, decreased anxiety-associated behaviors, and better recovery of basal plasma corticosterone level after acute restraint stress. Marlau™ cages also insure inter-experiment reproducibility in spatial learning and brain gene expression assays. Finally, housing rats in Marlau™ cages after severe status epilepticus at weaning prevents the cognitive impairment observed in rats subjected to the same insult and then housed in conventional cages. By providing a standardized enriched environment for rodents during housing, the Marlau™ cage should facilitate the uniformity of environmental enrichment across laboratories.

  17. The control of environmental tobacco smoke: a policy review.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    McNabola, Aonghus

    2009-02-01

    According to World Health Organisation figures, 30% of all cancer deaths, 20% of all coronary heart diseases and strokes and 80% of all chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are caused by cigarette smoking. Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) exposure has also been shown to be associated with disease and premature death in non-smokers. In response to this environmental health issue, several countries have brought about a smoking ban policy in public places and in the workplace. Countries such as the U.S., France, Italy, Ireland, Malta, the Netherlands, Sweden, Scotland, Spain, and England have all introduced policies aimed at reducing the population exposure to ETS. Several investigations have monitored the effectiveness of these smoking ban policies in terms of ETS concentrations, human health and smoking prevalence, while others have also investigated a number of alternatives to smoking ban policy measures. This paper reviews the state of the art in research, carried out in the field of ETS, smoking bans and Tobacco Control to date and highlights the need for future research in the area.

  18. 75 FR 69709 - Office of New Reactors; Notice of Availability of the Final Staff Guidance; Standard Review Plan...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-11-15

    ... the Final Staff Guidance; Standard Review Plan, Section 13.6.6, Revision 0 on Cyber Security Plan... Reports for Nuclear Power Plants,'' Section 13.6.6, Revision 0 on ``Cyber Security Plan'' (Agencywide... reviews to amendments to licenses for operating reactors or for activities associated with review of...

  19. WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region: A Systematic Review on Environmental Noise and Permanent Hearing Loss and Tinnitus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Śliwińska-Kowalska, Mariola; Zaborowski, Kamil

    2017-09-27

    Background : Hearing loss is defined as worsening of hearing acuity and is usually expressed as an increase in the hearing threshold. Tinnitus, defined as "ringing in the ear", is a common and often disturbing accompaniment of hearing loss. Hearing loss and environmental exposures to noise are increasingly recognized health problems. Objectives : The objective was to assess whether the exposure-response relationship can be established between exposures to non-occupational noise and permanent hearing outcomes such as permanent hearing loss and tinnitus. Methods: Information sources : Computer searches of all accessible medical and other databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus) were performed and complemented with manual searches. The search was not limited to a particular time span, except for the effects of personal listening devices (PLDs). The latter was limited to the years 2008-June 2015, since previous knowledge was summarized by SCENIHR descriptive systematic review published in 2008. Study eligibility criteria: The inclusion criteria were as follows: the exposure to noise was measured in sound pressure levels (SPLs) and expressed in individual equivalent decibel values (L EX,8h ), the studies included both exposed and reference groups, the outcome was a permanent health effect, i.e., permanent hearing loss assessed with pure-tone audiometry and/or permanent tinnitus assessed with a questionnaire. The eligibility criteria were evaluated by two independent reviewers. Study appraisal and synthesis methods: The risk of bias was assessed for all of the papers using a template for assessment of quality and the risk of bias. The GRADE (grading of recommendations assessment, development, and evaluation) approach was used to assess the overall quality of evidence. Meta-analysis was not possible due to methodological heterogeneity of included studies and the inadequacy of data. Results: Out of 220 references identified, five studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria

  20. Guide for environmental radiological surveillance at ERDA installations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Corley, J.P.; Denham, D.H.; Michels, D.E.; Olsen, A.R.; Waite, D.A.

    1977-03-01

    This Guide is intended to: Provide recommended methods, procedures, and performance criteria to bring greater comparability to ERDA environmental monitoring and reporting systems; provide ERDA management, particularly the Headquarters' Division of Safety, Standards, and Compliance (SSC) and field offices, with a broad review of accepted radiological surveillance practices for use in the evaluation of environmental surveillance programs at ERDA facilities; and delineate the capabilities and limitations of the various environmental monitoring systems for radioactivity currently used at ERDA sites, including technical areas where there is either an inadequate basis for procedural selection or where further developmental work may be warranted. The discussion of equipment, measurement techniques, and quality control procedures, although believed to represent current technology, is subject to continuing change as technological improvements become available

  1. Brookhaven National Laboratory site environmental report for calendar year 1989

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miltenberger, R.P.; Royce, B.A.; Chalasani, S.S.; Morganelli, D.; Naidu, J.R.

    1990-12-01

    The environmental monitoring program is conducted by the Environmental Protection Section of the Safety and Environmental Protection (S ampersand EP) Division to determine whether operation of BNL facilities have met the applicable environmental standards and effluent control requirements. This program includes monitoring for both radiological and nonradiological parameters. This report summarizes the data for the external radiation levels; radioactivity in air, rain, potable water, surface water, ground water, soil, vegetation, and aquatic biota; water quality, metals, organics and petroleum products in ground water, surface water and potable water. Analytical results are reviewed by the S ampersand EP staff and when required by permit conditions are transmitted to the appropriate regulatory agencies. The data were evaluated using the appropriate environmental regulatory criteria. Detailed data for the calendar year 1989 are presented. 27 figs

  2. ANSTO's radioactive waste management policy. Preliminary environmental review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Levins, D.M.; Airey, P.; Breadner, B.; Bull, P.; Camilleri, A.; Dimitrovski, L.; Gorman, T.; Harries, J.; Innes, R.; Jarquin, E.; Jay, G.; Ridal, A.; Smith, A.

    1996-05-01

    For over forty years, radioactive wastes have been generated by ANSTO (and its predecessor, the AAEC) from the operation of nuclear facilities, the production of radioisotopes for medical and industrial use, and from various research activities. the quantities and activities of radioactive waste currently at Lucas Heights are very small compared to many other nuclear facilities overseas, especially those in countries with nuclear power program. Nevertheless, in the absence of a repository for nuclear wastes in Australia and guidelines for waste conditioning, the waste inventory has been growing steadily. This report reviews the status of radioactive waste management at ANSTO, including spent fuel management, treatment of effluents and environmental monitoring. It gives details of: relevant legislative, regulatory and related requirements; sources and types of radioactive waste generated at ANSTO; waste quantities and activities (both cumulative and annual arisings); existing practices and procedures for waste management and environmental monitoring; recommended broad strategies for dealing with radioactive waste management issues. Detailed proposals on how the recommendations should be implemented is the subject of a companion internal document, the Radioactive Waste Management Action Plan 1996-2000 which provides details of the tasks to be undertaken, milestones and resource requirements. 44 refs., 2 tabs., 18 figs

  3. Quantifying synergy: a systematic review of mixture toxicity studies within environmental toxicology.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nina Cedergreen

    Full Text Available Cocktail effects and synergistic interactions of chemicals in mixtures are an area of great concern to both the public and regulatory authorities. The main concern is whether some chemicals can enhance the effect of other chemicals, so that they jointly exert a larger effect than predicted. This phenomenon is called synergy. Here we present a review of the scientific literature on three main groups of environmentally relevant chemical toxicants: pesticides, metal ions and antifouling compounds. The aim of the review is to determine 1 the frequency of synergy, 2 the extent of synergy, 3 whether any particular groups or classes of chemicals tend to induce synergy, and 4 which physiological mechanisms might be responsible for this synergy. Synergy is here defined as mixtures with minimum two-fold difference between observed and predicted effect concentrations using Concentration Addition (CA as a reference model and including both lethal and sub-lethal endpoints. The results showed that synergy occurred in 7%, 3% and 26% of the 194, 21 and 136 binary pesticide, metal and antifoulants mixtures included in the data compilation on frequency. The difference between observed and predicted effect concentrations was rarely more than 10-fold. For pesticides, synergistic mixtures included cholinesterase inhibitors or azole fungicides in 95% of 69 described cases. Both groups of pesticides are known to interfere with metabolic degradation of other xenobiotics. For the four synergistic metal and 47 synergistic antifoulant mixtures the pattern in terms of chemical groups inducing synergy was less clear. Hypotheses in terms of mechanisms governing these interactions are discussed. It was concluded that true synergistic interactions between chemicals are rare and often occur at high concentrations. Addressing the cumulative rather than synergistic effect of co-occurring chemicals, using standard models as CA, is therefore regarded as the most important step in

  4. Quantifying synergy: a systematic review of mixture toxicity studies within environmental toxicology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cedergreen, Nina

    2014-01-01

    Cocktail effects and synergistic interactions of chemicals in mixtures are an area of great concern to both the public and regulatory authorities. The main concern is whether some chemicals can enhance the effect of other chemicals, so that they jointly exert a larger effect than predicted. This phenomenon is called synergy. Here we present a review of the scientific literature on three main groups of environmentally relevant chemical toxicants: pesticides, metal ions and antifouling compounds. The aim of the review is to determine 1) the frequency of synergy, 2) the extent of synergy, 3) whether any particular groups or classes of chemicals tend to induce synergy, and 4) which physiological mechanisms might be responsible for this synergy. Synergy is here defined as mixtures with minimum two-fold difference between observed and predicted effect concentrations using Concentration Addition (CA) as a reference model and including both lethal and sub-lethal endpoints. The results showed that synergy occurred in 7%, 3% and 26% of the 194, 21 and 136 binary pesticide, metal and antifoulants mixtures included in the data compilation on frequency. The difference between observed and predicted effect concentrations was rarely more than 10-fold. For pesticides, synergistic mixtures included cholinesterase inhibitors or azole fungicides in 95% of 69 described cases. Both groups of pesticides are known to interfere with metabolic degradation of other xenobiotics. For the four synergistic metal and 47 synergistic antifoulant mixtures the pattern in terms of chemical groups inducing synergy was less clear. Hypotheses in terms of mechanisms governing these interactions are discussed. It was concluded that true synergistic interactions between chemicals are rare and often occur at high concentrations. Addressing the cumulative rather than synergistic effect of co-occurring chemicals, using standard models as CA, is therefore regarded as the most important step in the risk

  5. Site Environmental Report for 1998

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Holland, R.C.

    1999-01-01

    Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) is committed to conducting its operations in an environmentally safe and sound manner. It is mandatory that activities at SNL/California comply with all applicable environmental statutes, regulations, and standards. Moreover, SNL/California continuously strives to reduce risks to employees, the public, and the environment to the lowest levels reasonably possible. To help verify effective protection of public safety and preservation of the environment, SNL/California maintains an extensive, ongoing environmental monitoring program. This program monitors all significant effluents and the environment at the SNL/California site perimeter. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) performs off-site external radiation monitoring for both sites. These monitoring efforts ensure that emission controls are effective in preventing contamination of the environment. As part of SNL/California's Environmental Monitoring Program, an environmental surveillance system measures the possible presence of hazardous materials in groundwater, stormwater, and sewage. The program also includes an extensive environmental dosimetry program, which measures external radiation levels around the Livermore site and nearby vicinity. Each year, the results of the Environmental Monitoring Program are published in this report, the Site Environmental Report. This executive summary focuses on impacts to the environment. Chapter 3, ''Compliance Summary,'' reviews the site's various environmental protection activities and compliance status with applicable environmental regulations. The effluent monitoring and environmental surveillance results for 1998 show that SNL/California operations had no harmful effects on the environment or the public

  6. Site Environmental Report for 1998

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Holland, R.C.

    1999-06-01

    Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) is committed to conducting its operations in an environmentally safe and sound manner. It is mandatory that activities at SNL/California comply with all applicable environmental statutes, regulations, and standards. Moreover, SNL/California continuously strives to reduce risks to employees, the public, and the environment to the lowest levels reasonably possible. To help verify effective protection of public safety and preservation of the environment, SNL/California maintains an extensive, ongoing environmental monitoring program. This program monitors all significant effluents and the environment at the SNL/California site perimeter. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) performs off-site external radiation monitoring for both sites. These monitoring efforts ensure that emission controls are effective in preventing contamination of the environment. As part of SNL/California's Environmental Monitoring Program, an environmental surveillance system measures the possible presence of hazardous materials in groundwater, stormwater, and sewage. The program also includes an extensive environmental dosimetry program, which measures external radiation levels around the Livermore site and nearby vicinity. Each year, the results of the Environmental Monitoring Program are published in this report, the Site Environmental Report. This executive summary focuses on impacts to the environment. Chapter 3, ''Compliance Summary,'' reviews the site's various environmental protection activities and compliance status with applicable environmental regulations. The effluent monitoring and environmental surveillance results for 1998 show that SNL/California operations had no harmful effects on the environment or the public.

  7. (No) Limits to Anglo-American Accounting? Reconstructing the History of the International Accounting Standards Committee ; A Review Article

    OpenAIRE

    Botzem, S.; Quack, S.

    2009-01-01

    The development of the current International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) from the earlier International Accounting Standards Committee (IASC) provides insight into many issues of international financial reporting, among them the characteristics of international accounting standards themselves. This article reviews Camfferman and Zeff’s [Camfferman, K., & Zeff, S. A. (2007). Financial reporting and global capital markets. A history of the international accounting standards committee 1973...

  8. The impact of environmental conditions on human performance: A handbood of environmental exposures. Volume 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Echeverria, D.; Barnes, V.; Bittner, A.

    1994-09-01

    A comprehensive review of the technical literature was conducted regarding the impact of environmental conditions on hyman performance applicable to nuclear power plant workers. The environmental conditions considered were vibration, noise, heat, cold, and light. Research staff identified potential human performance deficits (e.g., decreased dexterity, impaired vision, hearing loss, memory deficiency) along a continuum of increasing occupational exposure, ranging from exposures that result in no deficit to exposures that resulted in significant performance problems. Specific deficits were included in the report if there was sound scientific evidence that environmental exposure resulted in those performance deficits. The levels associated with each deficit were then compared to the protection afforded by existing occupational exposure standards. Volume 1 is a handbook for use by NRC inspectors to help them determine the impact of specific environmental conditions on licensee personnel performance. it discusses the units used to measure each condition, discusses the effects of the condition on task performance, presents an example of the assessment of each condition in a nuclear power plant, and discusses potential methods for reducing the effects of

  9. Evaluation of a draft standard on performance specifications for health physics instrumentation: results for environmental tests

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kenoyer, J.L.; Swinth, K.L.; Mashburn, K.R.; Selby, J.M.

    1984-06-01

    Draft ANSI Standard N42.17 on performance specifications for health physics instrumentation is currently being evaluated by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory. Evaluation is performed by testing a cross-section of currently available instruments with testing procedures based on specifications of the standard and then determining the degree of conformance to the various elements of the proposed standard. Data will be presented on the performance of a cross-section of beta-gamma survey instruments under various environmental tests. Test results that will be presented include temperature effects, humidity effects, radio frequency (r.f.) susceptibility, ambient pressure effects, vibration effects, and shock effects. Tests performed to date show that most instruments will meet the temperature, humidity, and ambient pressure tests. A large variability is noted among instruments from the same or different vendors. Preliminary r.f. susceptibility tests have shown large artificial responses at some frequencies for specific instruments. The presentation will also include a discussion of procedures used in the testing and weaknesses identified in the proposed standard

  10. Domestic Compliance with International Environmental Agreements: A Review of Current Literature

    OpenAIRE

    Roginko, A.

    1994-01-01

    This essay is an attempt to review the main determinants of compliance with international environmental commitments at the domestic level, with special attention to: 1) the mechanisms by which states determine whether or not to comply, and the roles actors, other than governments, play in these issues, and 2) regime rules and factors exogenous to the regime that affect variation in compliance, with implications for mechanisms by which compliance can be improved.

  11. Standards, intercomparisons and performance evaluations for low-level and environmental radionuclide mass spectrometry and atom counting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Inn, K.G.W.; McCurdy, D.; Bell III, T.; Loesch, R.; Barss, N.M.; Morton, J.S.; Povinec, P.; Burns, K.; Henry, R.

    2001-01-01

    Because of the demand for higher sensitivity radionuclide measurements, atom counting technology will become an increasingly used modality in geo-and bio-studies, and process control operations. It is anticipated that requests, intercomparisons and performance evaluations services will surge in near future. In anticipation of such requests, the state-of-the-art needed to be assessed for proactive planning purposes. The results of a workshop focused on these issues indicated that there are several ongoing standards, intercomparisons and performance evaluations thrusts which are expected to expand in the future. Furthermore, new projects were planned and the Council on Ionizing Radiation Measurements and Standards (Public and Environmental Radiation Protection subcommittee) ws proposed as an information coordinator. (author)

  12. Systematic review and consensus guidelines for environmental sampling of Burkholderia pseudomallei.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Direk Limmathurotsakul

    Full Text Available Burkholderia pseudomallei, a Tier 1 Select Agent and the cause of melioidosis, is a Gram-negative bacillus present in the environment in many tropical countries. Defining the global pattern of B. pseudomallei distribution underpins efforts to prevent infection, and is dependent upon robust environmental sampling methodology. Our objective was to review the literature on the detection of environmental B. pseudomallei, update the risk map for melioidosis, and propose international consensus guidelines for soil sampling.An international working party (Detection of Environmental Burkholderia pseudomallei Working Party (DEBWorP was formed during the VIth World Melioidosis Congress in 2010. PubMed (January 1912 to December 2011 was searched using the following MeSH terms: pseudomallei or melioidosis. Bibliographies were hand-searched for secondary references. The reported geographical distribution of B. pseudomallei in the environment was mapped and categorized as definite, probable, or possible. The methodology used for detecting environmental B. pseudomallei was extracted and collated. We found that global coverage was patchy, with a lack of studies in many areas where melioidosis is suspected to occur. The sampling strategies and bacterial identification methods used were highly variable, and not all were robust. We developed consensus guidelines with the goals of reducing the probability of false-negative results, and the provision of affordable and 'low-tech' methodology that is applicable in both developed and developing countries.The proposed consensus guidelines provide the basis for the development of an accurate and comprehensive global map of environmental B. pseudomallei.

  13. Environmental Radiation Protection Standards for Management and Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and Transuranic Radioactive Wastes (40 CFR Part 191)

    Science.gov (United States)

    This regulation sets environmental standards for public protection from the management and disposal of spent nuclear fuel, high-level wastes and wastes that contain elements with atomic numbers higher than uranium (transuranic wastes).

  14. A Systematic Review of Environmental Correlates of Obesity-Related Dietary Behaviors in Youth

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Horst, Klazine; Oenema, A.; Ferreira, I.; Wendel-Vos, W.; Giskes, K.; van Lenthe, F.; Brug, J.

    2007-01-01

    There is increasing interest in the role the environment plays in shaping the dietary behavior of youth, particularly in the context of obesity prevention. An overview of environmental factors associated with obesity-related dietary behaviors among youth is needed to inform the development of interventions. A systematic review of observational…

  15. Regulatory analysis for amendments to regulations for the environmental review for renewal of nuclear power plant operating licenses. Final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1996-05-01

    This regulatory analysis provides the supporting information for a proposed rule that will amend the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's environmental review requirements for applications for renewal of nuclear power plant operating licenses. The objective of the proposed rulemaking is to improve regulatory efficiency by providing for the generic evaluation of certain environmental impacts associated with nuclear plant license renewal. After considering various options, the staff identified and analyzed two major alternatives. With Alternative A, the existing regulations would not be amended. This option requires that environmental reviews be performed under the existing regulations. Alternative B is to assess, on a generic basis, the environmental impacts of renewing the operating license of individual nuclear power plants, and define the issues that will need to be further analyzed on a case-by-case basis. In addition, Alternative B removes from NRC's review certain economics-related issues. The findings of this assessment are to be codified in 10 CFR 51. The staff has selected Alternative B as the preferred alternative

  16. Review of Special Standards in Quality Management Systems Audits in Automotive Production

    Science.gov (United States)

    Šurinová, Yulia

    2013-12-01

    Quality management systems (QMS) in automotive industry generally have several differences in comparison with other industrial branches. Different customers have their own specific requirements, including requirements for quality audits. Audits are one of the coretools of quality management to make the PDCA (Plan - Do - Check - Act) cycle work. As a matter of fact, compliance with ISO/TS 16949:2009 requirements is a condition for supplying the automotive industry. However, there are some standards which co-exist together with the ISO 9001 based management systems and technical specification for QMS in automotive ISO/TS16949. Which are those specific standards in automotive industry and what standard to use and why - those are the questions to be answered in this paper. The aim of the paper is to review what standards are used for audits implementation in automotive industry in the Slovak Republic, and why the organizations keep following those "extra" standards even if certification for ISO/TS 16949 is required by all the car makers. The paper is structured as follows: after short introduction to the topic and related terms, presented is our methodology. . In the third section, the achieved results are discussed. And finally, the principal findings of the paper, limitations and conclusions are presented.

  17. Environmental review of options for managing radioactively contaminated carbon steel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1996-10-01

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to develop a strategy for the management of radioactively contaminated carbon steel (RCCS). Currently, most of this material either is placed in special containers and disposed of by shallow land burial in facilities designed for low-level radioactive waste (LLW) or is stored indefinitely pending sufficient funding to support alternative disposition. The growing amount of RCCS with which DOE will have to deal in the foreseeable future, coupled with the continued need to protect the human and natural environment, has led the Department to evaluate other approaches for managing this material. This environmental review (ER) describes the options that could be used for RCCS management and examines the potential environmental consequences of implementing each. Because much of the analysis underlying this document is available from previous studies, wherever possible the ER relies on incorporating the conclusions of those studies as summaries or by reference

  18. [Nuclear energy and environment: review of the IAEA environmental projects].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fesenko, S; Fogt, G

    2012-01-01

    The review of the environmental projects of the International Atomic Energy Agency is presented. Basic IAEA documents intended to protect humans and the Environment are considered and their main features are discussed. Some challenging issues in the area of protection of the Environment and man, including the impact of nuclear facilities on the environment, radioactive waste management, and remediation of the areas affected by radiological accidents, nuclear testing and sites of nuclear facilities are also discussed. The need to maintain the existing knowledge in radioecology and protection of the environment is emphasised.

  19. Cross compliance GAEC standards implemented in Italy: environmental effectiveness and strategic perspectives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paolo Bazzoffi

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available The debate on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP, which is growing at European and National level, is notably and closely linked to the choices of EU related to the financial perspectives for the period 2014-2010. A public consultation on such topic has been started off by the EU Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Cioloş, who has left for the moment the two dossiers aside, giving priority to the identification of the agricultural policy post-2013 objectives. The debate on the new CAP reform, starting from the always ancient but modern general objectives which remained unchanged with the Lisbon Treaty, is now subject to an in-depth analysis and revision to identify new specific objectives in the wider framework of the European strategy 2010 identified by the EU executive body. However, the future outlooks can not neglect the need for stocktaking and what has been learned through the present and recent past experiences. In order to focus the theme of this special issue of the Italian Journal of Agronomy, we must remember that on 26th June 2003, EU farm ministers adopted a fundamental reform of the CAP and introduced a new single payment scheme (SPS, or Single Farm Payment intended to change the way the EU supported its farm sector by removing the link between subsidies and production of specific crops. The Single Farm Payment is linked to meeting environmental, public, animal and plant health and animal welfare standards and the need to keep land in good agricultural and environmental condition. To gain funds from the SPS the Farmer has to cross comply - that is, to farm in an environmentally friendly way. COUNCIL REGULATION (EC No 1782/2003 states that: Member States shall define, at national or regional level, minimum requirements for good agricultural and environmental condition on the basis of the framework set up in Annex IV, taking into account the specific characteristics of the areas concerned, including soil and climatic

  20. Climate change and environmental concentrations of POPs: A review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nadal, Martí; Marquès, Montse; Mari, Montse; Domingo, José L.

    2015-01-01

    In recent years, the climate change impact on the concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) has become a topic of notable concern. Changes in environmental conditions such as the increase of the average temperature, or the UV-B radiation, are likely to influence the fate and behavior of POPs, ultimately affecting human exposure. The state of the art of the impact of climate change on environmental concentrations of POPs, as well as on human health risks, is here reviewed. Research gaps are also identified, while future studies are suggested. Climate change and POPs are a hot issue, for which wide attention should be paid not only by scientists, but also and mainly by policy makers. Most studies reported in the scientific literature are focused on legacy POPs, mainly polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and pesticides. However, the number of investigations aimed at estimating the impact of climate change on the environmental levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is scarce, despite of the fact that exposure to PAHs and photodegradation byproducts may result in adverse health effects. Furthermore, no data on emerging POPs are currently available in the scientific literature. In consequence, an intensification of studies to identify and mitigate the indirect effects of the climate change on POP fate is needed to minimize the human health impact. Furthermore, being this a global problem, interactions between climate change and POPs must be addressed from an international perspective.

  1. Climate change and environmental concentrations of POPs: A review

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nadal, Martí, E-mail: marti.nadal@urv.cat [Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia (Spain); Marquès, Montse; Mari, Montse [Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia (Spain); Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Departament d’Enginyeria Quimica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Avinguda Països Catalans 26, 43007 Tarragona, Catalonia (Spain); Domingo, José L. [Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia (Spain)

    2015-11-15

    In recent years, the climate change impact on the concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) has become a topic of notable concern. Changes in environmental conditions such as the increase of the average temperature, or the UV-B radiation, are likely to influence the fate and behavior of POPs, ultimately affecting human exposure. The state of the art of the impact of climate change on environmental concentrations of POPs, as well as on human health risks, is here reviewed. Research gaps are also identified, while future studies are suggested. Climate change and POPs are a hot issue, for which wide attention should be paid not only by scientists, but also and mainly by policy makers. Most studies reported in the scientific literature are focused on legacy POPs, mainly polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and pesticides. However, the number of investigations aimed at estimating the impact of climate change on the environmental levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is scarce, despite of the fact that exposure to PAHs and photodegradation byproducts may result in adverse health effects. Furthermore, no data on emerging POPs are currently available in the scientific literature. In consequence, an intensification of studies to identify and mitigate the indirect effects of the climate change on POP fate is needed to minimize the human health impact. Furthermore, being this a global problem, interactions between climate change and POPs must be addressed from an international perspective.

  2. Review of U.S. Army Aviation Accident Reports: Prevalence of Environmental Stressors and Medical Conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-10-18

    terminology related to an aforementioned stressor or medical condition. Table 1 presents the identified operational stressor with the keywords extracted...USAARL Report No. 2018-02 Review of U.S. Army Aviation Accident Reports: Prevalence of Environmental Stressors and Medical Conditions By Kathryn...Environmental Stressors and Medical Conditions N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Feltman, Kathryn A. Kelley, Amanda M. Curry, Ian P. Boudreaux, David A. Milam

  3. Guidelines for the Review of Environmental-Related Legislation Regarding the Realisation of the Right to Access to Sufficient Food

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Inge Snyman

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The development of legislation for the progressive realisation of the right to access to sufficient food is labelled as an international and national objective. Section 27(2 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 assigns a compulsory mandate to the South African government to take reasonable legislative and other measures, within its available resources, to achieve the progressive realisation of the right to access to sufficient food. The United Nations' Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO proposes a three-level strategy for the implementation of the right to food on a national legislative level, namely through: constitutional recognition, the implementation of a food framework law and the reviewing of relevant sectoral legislation. This contribution focuses on the last level of legislative provisioning, namely the reviewing of relevant sectoral legislation which influences, or possibly can, influence the realisation of the right to access to sufficient food. The right to access to sufficient food has multidimensional, interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral characteristics and consequently various sectors are involved in the realisation of the right to access to sufficient food. The FAO determines that the intended purpose will be to identify and review all sectoral legislation that might influence the availability, stability, access and adequacy of food, by means of a proposed reviewing process. The suggested reviewing process of the FAO is comprehensive and diverse; therefore the focus of this contribution is based on the reviewing of relevant environmental-related legislation only. The FAO does not make recommendations with regard to the specific aspects that need to be incorporated in environmental-related legislation to contribute to the progressive realisation of the right to access to sufficient food (in other words the aspects against which environmental-related legislation can be evaluated. Therefore this

  4. The Environmental Protection Agency's Safety Standards for Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel: Potential Path Forward in Response to the Report of the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future - 13388

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Forinash, Betsy; Schultheisz, Daniel; Peake, Tom

    2013-01-01

    Following the decision to withdraw the Yucca Mountain license application, the Department of Energy created a Blue Ribbon Commission (BRC) on America's Nuclear Future, tasked with recommending a national strategy to manage the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle. The BRC issued its final report in January 2012, with recommendations covering transportation, storage and disposal of spent nuclear fuel (SNF); potential reprocessing; and supporting institutional measures. The BRC recommendations on disposal of SNF and high-level waste (HLW) are relevant to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which shares regulatory responsibility with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC): EPA issues 'generally applicable' performance standards for disposal repositories, which are then implemented in licensing. For disposal, the BRC endorses developing one or more geological repositories, with siting based on an approach that is adaptive, staged and consent-based. The BRC recommends that EPA and NRC work cooperatively to issue generic disposal standards-applying equally to all sites-early in any siting process. EPA previously issued generic disposal standards that apply to all sites other than Yucca Mountain. However, the BRC concluded that the existing regulations should be revisited and revised. The BRC proposes a number of general principles to guide the development of future regulations. EPA continues to review the BRC report and to assess the implications for Agency action, including potential regulatory issues and considerations if EPA develops new or revised generic disposal standards. This review also involves preparatory activities to define potential process and public engagement approaches. (authors)

  5. Columbia River System Operation Review final environmental impact statement. Appendix P: Canadian Entitlement Allocation Agreements (CEAA)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1995-11-01

    The System Operation Review (SOR) is a study and environmental compliance process being used by the three Federal agencies to analyze future operations of the system and river use issues. The goal of the SOR is to achieve a coordinated system operation strategy for the river that better meets the needs of all river users. This technical appendix addresses only the effects of alternative system operating strategies for managing the Columbia River system. The purpose of this technical appendix is to provide the environmental review necessary to enter into agreements regarding the distribution between Federal and non-Federal project owners with respect to delivery of the Canadian Entitlement obligation to Canada for the period 1998 through 2024

  6. Environmental Risk Factors for Developing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tashi Dendup

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Different elements of the environment have been posited to influence type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM. This systematic review summarizes evidence on the environmental determinants of T2DM identified in four databases. It proposes a theoretical framework illustrating the link between environment and T2DM, and briefly discusses some methodological challenges and potential solutions, and opportunities for future research. Walkability, air pollution, food and physical activity environment and roadways proximity were the most common environmental characteristics studied. Of the more than 200 reported and extracted relationships assessed in 60 studies, 82 showed significant association in the expected direction. In general, higher levels of walkability and green space were associated with lower T2DM risk, while increased levels of noise and air pollution were associated with greater risk. Current evidence is limited in terms of volume and study quality prohibiting causal inferences. However, the evidence suggests that environmental characteristics may influence T2DM prevention, and also provides a reasonable basis for further investigation with better quality data and longitudinal studies with policy-relevant environmental measures. This pursuit of better evidence is critical to support health-orientated urban design and city planning.

  7. Environmental Risk Factors for Developing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dendup, Tashi; Feng, Xiaoqi; Clingan, Stephanie; Astell-Burt, Thomas

    2018-01-01

    Different elements of the environment have been posited to influence type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This systematic review summarizes evidence on the environmental determinants of T2DM identified in four databases. It proposes a theoretical framework illustrating the link between environment and T2DM, and briefly discusses some methodological challenges and potential solutions, and opportunities for future research. Walkability, air pollution, food and physical activity environment and roadways proximity were the most common environmental characteristics studied. Of the more than 200 reported and extracted relationships assessed in 60 studies, 82 showed significant association in the expected direction. In general, higher levels of walkability and green space were associated with lower T2DM risk, while increased levels of noise and air pollution were associated with greater risk. Current evidence is limited in terms of volume and study quality prohibiting causal inferences. However, the evidence suggests that environmental characteristics may influence T2DM prevention, and also provides a reasonable basis for further investigation with better quality data and longitudinal studies with policy-relevant environmental measures. This pursuit of better evidence is critical to support health-orientated urban design and city planning. PMID:29304014

  8. Determination of non-ortho polychlorinated biphenyls in environmental Standard Reference Materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brubaker, W W; Schantz, M M; Wise, S A

    2000-07-01

    The concentrations of three non-ortho ("coplanar") polychlorinated biphenyls, 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (IUPAC PCB 77), 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (IUPAC PCB 126), and 3,3',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (IUPAC PCB 169), were determined in five NIST Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) of environmental and biological interest. The measured levels were approximately between (0.2 to 1.3) ng/g in SRM 1588a (Organics in Cod Liver Oil), (0.3 to 9) ng/g in SRM 1944 (New York/New Jersey Waterway Sediment), (0.2 to 0.4) ng/g in SRM 1945 (Organics in Whale Blubber), (1 to 18) ng/g in SRM 2974 (Organics in Freeze-dried Mussel Tissue [Mytilus edulis]), and (0.1 to 0.4) ng/g in candidate SRM 1946 (Lake Superior Fish Tissue). PCB 169 was present at < 0.1 ng/g in SRMs 1944 and 2974.

  9. 10 CFR 170.21 - Schedule of fees for production and utilization facilities, review of standard referenced design...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Schedule of fees for production and utilization facilities, review of standard referenced design approvals, special projects, inspections and import and export... AMENDED Schedule of Fees § 170.21 Schedule of fees for production and utilization facilities, review of...

  10. Application of objective provision tree to development of standard review plan for sodium-cooled fast reactor nuclear design

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bae, Moo-Hoon; Suh, Namduk; Choi, Yongwon; Shin, Andong [Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, Daejon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-06-15

    A systematic methodology was developed for the standard review plan for sodium-cooled fast reactor nuclear design. The process is first to develop an objective provision tree of sodium-cooled fast reactor for the reactivity control safety function. The provision tree is generally developed by designer to confirm whether the design satisfies the defense-in-depth concept. Then applicability of the current standard review plan of nuclear design for light water reactor to sodium-cooled fast reactor was evaluated and complemented by the developed objective provision tree.

  11. Notes on the Particulate Matter Standards in the European Union and the Netherlands

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hugo Priemus

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available The distribution of Particulate Matter in the atmosphere, resulting from emissions produced by cars, trucks, ships, industrial estates and agricultural complexes, is a topical public health problem that has increased in recent decades due to environmental factors in advanced economies in particular. This contribution relates the health impact caused by concentrations of Particulate Matter (PM in ambient air to the PM standards, the size of the particles and spatial planning. Diverging impacts of PM standards in legal regulation are discussed. The authors present a review of the development of legal PM standards in the European Union, with a specific reference to The Netherlands.

  12. The content of the environmental certificate under the EC Directive on ecological audits

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Falk, H.; Nissen, U.

    1995-01-01

    The environmental certificate is a key item in the regulatory regime of the EC Directive on ecological audits: it represents the essential medium for the public relations activities of an enterprise, and is a major item of review by the environmental expert authorized to assess the environmental performance. The contribution discusses in great detail the definitions and requirements given as well as the room for maneuvre left to the enterprise in laying open and declaring its environmental performance. The article is intended on the one hand to clear up difficulties, and on the other to point to means of further concretization by either national or international standardization. (orig./DG) [de

  13. 77 FR 43405 - Final Standard Review Plan, Branch Technical Position 7-19 on Guidance for Evaluation of...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-07-24

    ... in the Standard Review Plan (SRP), Chapter 7, for those standard reactor designs that have not been... methods: Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2010... search, select ``ADAMS Public Documents'' and then select ``Begin Web- based ADAMS Search.'' For problems...

  14. Effects of environmental contaminants on reptiles: A review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, R.J.

    1980-01-01

    The literature relating to the effects of environmental contaminants on reptiles is reviewed and certain generalizations based on studies of other kinds of vertebrates are presented. Reports of reptilian mortality from pesticide applications are numerous enough to establish the sensitivity of reptiles to these materials. Reports of residue analyses demonstrate the ability of reptiles to accumulate various contaminants. but the significance of the residues to reptilian populations is unknown. A few authors have reported the distribution of residues in reptilian tissues; others have investigated uptake or loss rates. Physiological studies have shown that organochlorines may inhibit enzymes involved in active transport and have correlated the activity of potential detoxifying enzymes with residue levels. There is some suggestion that pesticide residues may interfere with reproduction in oviparous snakes. Needs for future research are discussed.

  15. Evaluation of air quality in environmental impact assessments. Evaluation criteria and standards with a view to effective precautionary care of the environment; Die Bewertung der Luftqualitaet bei Umweltvertraeglichkeitspruefungen. Bewertungsmassstaebe und Standards zur Konkretisierung einer wirksamen Umweltvorsorge

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kuehling, W.; Peters, H.J.

    1994-12-31

    Since the beginning of the debate surrounding the environmental impact statement in Germany, opinion is divided over what yardsticks should be applied in assessing a scheme`s environmental impact, and what consequences they involve for the environment. This book is a comprehensive compilation of air quality standards by substances and objects of protection containing a definition of the term ``active precautionary care of the environment`` as mentioned in section 1 of the act on environmental impact statements (UVPG). The reasons that the book is important for day-to-day work with environmental impact statements lie, for one thing, in its technical relevance and, for the other, in the fact that the proposed assessment criteria are legally unobjectionable. The book stakes out the legal boundaries, points out differentiated criteria for the definition of standards, selects relevant substances, explains the procedure in defining standards and the evaluation grid used, demonstrates how the standards are applied, and contains a tabulated summary. Part two of the book deals with the investigated compounds and groups of compounds. (orig./HP) [Deutsch] Seit der UVP-Debatte in Deutschland ist strittig, welcher Massstab bei der Beurteilung der Umweltvertraeglichkeit einer Massnahme anzulegen ist und wie deren Umweltauswirkungen zu bewerten sind. Mit der vorliegenden Arbeit liegt eine umfassende stoff- und schutzgutorientierte Zusammenstellung von Luftqualitaetsstandards und eine Interpretation des Begriffes ``wirksame Umweltvorsorge`` nach Para. 1 UVPG vor. Die Bedeutung der Arbeit fuer die UVP-Praxis liegt neben der fachwissenschaftlichen Relevanz vor allem auch in der juristischen Absicherung der vorgeschlagenen Bewertungsmassstaebe. (orig./HP)

  16. Reducing domestic exposure to environmental tobacco smoke: a review of attitudes and behaviours.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, E; Courage, C; Rushton, L

    2003-03-01

    This paper reviews research on attitudes and behaviours towards environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), with a special focus on child health and the indoor environment. Research needs and ways forward to encourage reductions in domestic ETS levels are discussed. Published material was identified through online literature searches (Medline, Toxline, Cancerlit, Biosis, Embase, Enviroline, Sociological Abstracts, Social Science Citation Index, Academic Index and Psychinfo). The literature search strategy employed search terms such as "passive smoking" or "environmental tobacco smoke" with "attitude" or "awareness" and other synonyms. Additional publications were identified by citation chasing and expert advice. Focusing on the UK, studies that provided survey-derived data about attitudes and behaviours in relation to ETS exposure in the indoor environment were selected for review. Published studies from other countries were also included when they provided information pertinent to this review. Most people are aware of the health risks associated with ETS exposure, and there is a high level of support for smoking restrictions in public places to protect non-smokers from ETS. However, although there is concern among both non-smoking and smoking parents about children and second-hand smoke, many people allow children to be exposed to ETS in the home. The review suggests that traditional health promotion campaigns have had only limited success in encouraging ETS risk reduction measures in the home. Because ETS is a public health priority, particularly in relation to child health, the barriers to the uptake of such measures need to be explored in detail to inform the future promotion of reductions in domestic levels of ETS.

  17. A critical review of environmental assessment tools for sustainable urban design

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ameen, Raed Fawzi Mohammed; Mourshed, Monjur; Li, Haijiang

    2015-01-01

    Cities are responsible for the depletion of natural resources and agricultural lands, and 70% of global CO 2 emissions. There are significant risks to cities from the impacts of climate change in addition to existing vulnerabilities, primarily because of rapid urbanization. Urban design and development are generally considered as the instrument to shape the future of the city and they determine the pattern of a city's resource usage and resilience to change, from climate or otherwise. Cities are inherently dynamic and require the participation and engagement of their diverse stakeholders for the effective management of change, which enables wider stakeholder involvement and buy-in at various stages of the development process. Sustainability assessment of urban design and development is increasingly being seen as indispensable for informed decision-making. A sustainability assessment tool also acts as a driver for the uptake of sustainable pathways by recognizing excellence through their rating system and by creating a market demand for sustainable products and processes. This research reviews six widely used sustainability assessment tools for urban design and development: BREEAM Communities, LEED-ND, CASBEE-UD, SBTool PT –UP, Pearl Community Rating System (PCRS) and GSAS/QSAS, to identify, compare and contrast the aim, structure, assessment methodology, scoring, weighting and suitability for application in different geographical contexts. Strengths and weaknesses of each tool are critically discussed. The study highlights the disparity in local and international contexts for global sustainability assessment tools. Despite their similarities in aim on environmental aspects, differences exist in the relative importance and share of mandatory vs optional indicators in both environmental and social dimensions. PCRS and GSAS/QSAS are new incarnations, but have widely varying shares of mandatory indicators, at 45.4% and 11.36% respectively, compared to 30% in

  18. A critical review of environmental assessment tools for sustainable urban design

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ameen, Raed Fawzi Mohammed, E-mail: MohammedAmeenRF@cardiff.ac.uk [BRE Centre of Sustainable Construction, School of Engineering, The Parade, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 3AA (United Kingdom); Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Karbala (Iraq); Mourshed, Monjur, E-mail: MourshedM@cardiff.ac.uk [BRE Centre of Sustainable Construction, School of Engineering, The Parade, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 3AA (United Kingdom); Li, Haijiang, E-mail: LiH@cardiff.ac.uk [BRE Centre of Sustainable Construction, School of Engineering, The Parade, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 3AA (United Kingdom)

    2015-11-15

    Cities are responsible for the depletion of natural resources and agricultural lands, and 70% of global CO{sub 2} emissions. There are significant risks to cities from the impacts of climate change in addition to existing vulnerabilities, primarily because of rapid urbanization. Urban design and development are generally considered as the instrument to shape the future of the city and they determine the pattern of a city's resource usage and resilience to change, from climate or otherwise. Cities are inherently dynamic and require the participation and engagement of their diverse stakeholders for the effective management of change, which enables wider stakeholder involvement and buy-in at various stages of the development process. Sustainability assessment of urban design and development is increasingly being seen as indispensable for informed decision-making. A sustainability assessment tool also acts as a driver for the uptake of sustainable pathways by recognizing excellence through their rating system and by creating a market demand for sustainable products and processes. This research reviews six widely used sustainability assessment tools for urban design and development: BREEAM Communities, LEED-ND, CASBEE-UD, SBTool{sup PT}–UP, Pearl Community Rating System (PCRS) and GSAS/QSAS, to identify, compare and contrast the aim, structure, assessment methodology, scoring, weighting and suitability for application in different geographical contexts. Strengths and weaknesses of each tool are critically discussed. The study highlights the disparity in local and international contexts for global sustainability assessment tools. Despite their similarities in aim on environmental aspects, differences exist in the relative importance and share of mandatory vs optional indicators in both environmental and social dimensions. PCRS and GSAS/QSAS are new incarnations, but have widely varying shares of mandatory indicators, at 45.4% and 11.36% respectively, compared to

  19. [Environmental risk factors for schizophrenia: a review].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vilain, J; Galliot, A-M; Durand-Roger, J; Leboyer, M; Llorca, P-M; Schürhoff, F; Szöke, A

    2013-02-01

    . Others, such as obstetrical complications, are grouped (or "composed") in that they include various sub-factors that can influence the development of schizophrenia. The data reviewed clearly demonstrates that environmental factors have an influence on the risk of developing schizophrenia. For certain factors - cannabis, migration, urbanicity, obstetrical complications, seasonality - there is enough evidence to establish an association with the risk of schizophrenia. This association, however, remains weak (especially for seasonality). With the exception of cannabis, no direct link can yet be established. Concerning the three remaining factors - childhood traumas, infectious agents, socio-demographic factors - the available proof is insufficient. One main limitation concerning all environmental factors is the generalization of results due to the fact that the studies were conducted on geographically limited populations. The current state of knowledge does not allow us to determine the mechanisms by which these factors may act. Further research is needed to fill the gaps in our understanding of the subject. In response to this need, a collaborative European project (European Study of Gene-Environment Interactions [EU GEI]) was set-up. This study proposes the analysis of those environmental factors that influence the incidence of schizophrenia in various European countries, in both rural and urban settings, migrant and native populations, as well as their interaction with genetic factors. Copyright © 2011 L'Encéphale, Paris. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  20. A numerical calculation method of environmental impacts for the deep sea mining industry - a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Wenbin; van Rhee, Cees; Schott, Dingena

    2018-03-01

    Since the gradual decrease of mineral resources on-land, deep sea mining (DSM) is becoming an urgent and important emerging activity in the world. However, until now there has been no commercial scale DSM project in progress. Together with the reasons of technological feasibility and economic profitability, the environmental impact is one of the major parameters hindering its industrialization. Most of the DSM environmental impact research focuses on only one particular aspect ignoring that all the DSM environmental impacts are related to each other. The objective of this work is to propose a framework for the numerical calculation methods of the integrated DSM environmental impacts through a literature review. This paper covers three parts: (i) definition and importance description of different DSM environmental impacts; (ii) description of the existing numerical calculation methods for different environmental impacts; (iii) selection of a numerical calculation method based on the selected criteria. The research conducted in this paper provides a clear numerical calculation framework for DSM environmental impact and could be helpful to speed up the industrialization process of the DSM industry.

  1. Are the Dietary Guidelines for Meat, Fat, Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Appropriate for Environmental Sustainability? A Review of the Literature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reynolds, Christian John; Buckley, Jonathan David; Weinstein, Philip; Boland, John

    2014-01-01

    This paper reviews the current literature around the environmental impacts of dietary recommendations. The focus of the review is on collating evidence relating to environmental impacts of the dietary advice found in the World Health Organisation guidelines, and environmental impact literature: reducing the consumption of fat, reducing the consumption of meat-based protein and animal-based foods, and increasing the consumption of fruit and vegetables. The environmental impact of reducing dietary fat intake is unclear, although reducing consumption of the food category of edible fats and oils appears to have little impact. However most, but not all, studies support environmental benefits of a reduced consumption of animal-based foods and increased consumption of fruit and vegetables. In general, it appears that adhering to dietary guidelines reduces impact on the environment, but further study is required to examine the environmental impacts of animal-based foods, and fruit and vegetable intake in depth. PMID:24926526

  2. Crowdsourcing, citizen sensing and Sensor Web technologies for public and environmental health surveillance and crisis management: trends, OGC standards and application examples

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Kamel Boulos, Maged N

    2011-12-21

    Abstract \\'Wikification of GIS by the masses\\' is a phrase-term first coined by Kamel Boulos in 2005, two years earlier than Goodchild\\'s term \\'Volunteered Geographic Information\\'. Six years later (2005-2011), OpenStreetMap and Google Earth (GE) are now full-fledged, crowdsourced \\'Wikipedias of the Earth\\' par excellence, with millions of users contributing their own layers to GE, attaching photos, videos, notes and even 3-D (three dimensional) models to locations in GE. From using Twitter in participatory sensing and bicycle-mounted sensors in pervasive environmental sensing, to creating a 100,000-sensor geo-mashup using Semantic Web technology, to the 3-D visualisation of indoor and outdoor surveillance data in real-time and the development of next-generation, collaborative natural user interfaces that will power the spatially-enabled public health and emergency situation rooms of the future, where sensor data and citizen reports can be triaged and acted upon in real-time by distributed teams of professionals, this paper offers a comprehensive state-of-the-art review of the overlapping domains of the Sensor Web, citizen sensing and \\'human-in-the-loop sensing\\' in the era of the Mobile and Social Web, and the roles these domains can play in environmental and public health surveillance and crisis\\/disaster informatics. We provide an in-depth review of the key issues and trends in these areas, the challenges faced when reasoning and making decisions with real-time crowdsourced data (such as issues of information overload, "noise", misinformation, bias and trust), the core technologies and Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standards involved (Sensor Web Enablement and Open GeoSMS), as well as a few outstanding project implementation examples from around the world.

  3. Crowdsourcing, citizen sensing and sensor web technologies for public and environmental health surveillance and crisis management: trends, OGC standards and application examples

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kamel Boulos Maged N

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract 'Wikification of GIS by the masses' is a phrase-term first coined by Kamel Boulos in 2005, two years earlier than Goodchild's term 'Volunteered Geographic Information'. Six years later (2005-2011, OpenStreetMap and Google Earth (GE are now full-fledged, crowdsourced 'Wikipedias of the Earth' par excellence, with millions of users contributing their own layers to GE, attaching photos, videos, notes and even 3-D (three dimensional models to locations in GE. From using Twitter in participatory sensing and bicycle-mounted sensors in pervasive environmental sensing, to creating a 100,000-sensor geo-mashup using Semantic Web technology, to the 3-D visualisation of indoor and outdoor surveillance data in real-time and the development of next-generation, collaborative natural user interfaces that will power the spatially-enabled public health and emergency situation rooms of the future, where sensor data and citizen reports can be triaged and acted upon in real-time by distributed teams of professionals, this paper offers a comprehensive state-of-the-art review of the overlapping domains of the Sensor Web, citizen sensing and 'human-in-the-loop sensing' in the era of the Mobile and Social Web, and the roles these domains can play in environmental and public health surveillance and crisis/disaster informatics. We provide an in-depth review of the key issues and trends in these areas, the challenges faced when reasoning and making decisions with real-time crowdsourced data (such as issues of information overload, "noise", misinformation, bias and trust, the core technologies and Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC standards involved (Sensor Web Enablement and Open GeoSMS, as well as a few outstanding project implementation examples from around the world.

  4. Crowdsourcing, citizen sensing and sensor web technologies for public and environmental health surveillance and crisis management: trends, OGC standards and application examples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamel Boulos, Maged N; Resch, Bernd; Crowley, David N; Breslin, John G; Sohn, Gunho; Burtner, Russ; Pike, William A; Jezierski, Eduardo; Chuang, Kuo-Yu Slayer

    2011-12-21

    'Wikification of GIS by the masses' is a phrase-term first coined by Kamel Boulos in 2005, two years earlier than Goodchild's term 'Volunteered Geographic Information'. Six years later (2005-2011), OpenStreetMap and Google Earth (GE) are now full-fledged, crowdsourced 'Wikipedias of the Earth' par excellence, with millions of users contributing their own layers to GE, attaching photos, videos, notes and even 3-D (three dimensional) models to locations in GE. From using Twitter in participatory sensing and bicycle-mounted sensors in pervasive environmental sensing, to creating a 100,000-sensor geo-mashup using Semantic Web technology, to the 3-D visualisation of indoor and outdoor surveillance data in real-time and the development of next-generation, collaborative natural user interfaces that will power the spatially-enabled public health and emergency situation rooms of the future, where sensor data and citizen reports can be triaged and acted upon in real-time by distributed teams of professionals, this paper offers a comprehensive state-of-the-art review of the overlapping domains of the Sensor Web, citizen sensing and 'human-in-the-loop sensing' in the era of the Mobile and Social Web, and the roles these domains can play in environmental and public health surveillance and crisis/disaster informatics. We provide an in-depth review of the key issues and trends in these areas, the challenges faced when reasoning and making decisions with real-time crowdsourced data (such as issues of information overload, "noise", misinformation, bias and trust), the core technologies and Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standards involved (Sensor Web Enablement and Open GeoSMS), as well as a few outstanding project implementation examples from around the world.

  5. Crowdsourcing, citizen sensing and sensor web technologies for public and environmental health surveillance and crisis management: trends, OGC standards and application examples

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    'Wikification of GIS by the masses' is a phrase-term first coined by Kamel Boulos in 2005, two years earlier than Goodchild's term 'Volunteered Geographic Information'. Six years later (2005-2011), OpenStreetMap and Google Earth (GE) are now full-fledged, crowdsourced 'Wikipedias of the Earth' par excellence, with millions of users contributing their own layers to GE, attaching photos, videos, notes and even 3-D (three dimensional) models to locations in GE. From using Twitter in participatory sensing and bicycle-mounted sensors in pervasive environmental sensing, to creating a 100,000-sensor geo-mashup using Semantic Web technology, to the 3-D visualisation of indoor and outdoor surveillance data in real-time and the development of next-generation, collaborative natural user interfaces that will power the spatially-enabled public health and emergency situation rooms of the future, where sensor data and citizen reports can be triaged and acted upon in real-time by distributed teams of professionals, this paper offers a comprehensive state-of-the-art review of the overlapping domains of the Sensor Web, citizen sensing and 'human-in-the-loop sensing' in the era of the Mobile and Social Web, and the roles these domains can play in environmental and public health surveillance and crisis/disaster informatics. We provide an in-depth review of the key issues and trends in these areas, the challenges faced when reasoning and making decisions with real-time crowdsourced data (such as issues of information overload, "noise", misinformation, bias and trust), the core technologies and Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standards involved (Sensor Web Enablement and Open GeoSMS), as well as a few outstanding project implementation examples from around the world. PMID:22188675

  6. Environmental Audit of the Coal-Fired Flow Facility (CFFF)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1992-12-01

    The scope of the audit at the CFFF was comprehensive, addressing environmental activities in the technical areas of air; soils, sediments, and biota; surface water/drinking water; groundwater; waste management; toxic and chemical materials; quality assurance; radiation; inactive waste sites; environmental management; and environmental monitoring programs. Specifically assessed was the compliance of CFFF operations and activities with Federal, state, and local regulations; DOE Orders; internal operating standards; and best management practices. Onsite activities included inspection of CFFF facilities and operations; review of site documents; interviews with DOE and contractor personnel, as well as representatives from state regulatory agencies; and reviews of previous appraisals. Using these sources of information, the environmental audit team developed findings, which fell into two general categories: compliance findings and best management practice findings. Each finding also identifies apparent causal factor(s) that contributedto the finding and will assist line management in developing ''root causes'' for implementing corrective actions. The overall conclusion of the audit is that The University of Space Institute's Energy Conversion Research and Development Programs (ECP) management of the CFFF has not kept pace with DOE's increasing expectation for environmental performance. ECP has not applied the same door and formality to environmental compliance and protection activities as they apply to their research and development activities.A total of 31 findings were identified in this audit

  7. Independent technical review of the Sandia National Laboratories Environmental Restoration Project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-11-01

    An Independent Technical Review was conducted of the Environmental Restoration Project. The objective of the review was recommendations, from a commercial perspective, on a systems level path forward to safe, minimum cost and schedule project completion. The work presented represents the consensus analysis and recommendations of thirteen individuals with varied backgrounds, expertise, and experience. The ITR team recommends that the barriers to the opportunity described in the diagnosis be eliminated using an integrated DOE-Sandia system approach. Piecemeal changes will not result in the desired commercial efficiency. DOE needs to operate as the contracting agency for a Major System Acquisition. If it does not, commercial performance will not be achieved regardless of the contractor. Likewise, Sandia needs to establish and implement the necessary project structure and management systems to operate with commercial contractor like efficiency

  8. Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs): a review on environmental contamination in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Jin-Lin; Wong, Ming-Hung

    2013-09-01

    Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) which contain diverse organic groups, such as antibiotics, hormones, antimicrobial agents, synthetic musks, etc., have raised significant concerns in recently years for their persistent input and potential threat to ecological environment and human health. China is a large country with high production and consumption of PPCPs for its economic development and population growth in recent years. This may result in PPCP contamination in different environmental media of China. This review summarizes the current contamination status of different environment media, including sewage, surface water, sludge, sediments, soil, and wild animals, in China by PPCPs. The human body burden and adverse effects derived from PPCPs are also evaluated. Based on this review, it has been concluded that more contamination information of aquatic environment and wildlife as well as human body burden of PPCPs in different areas of China is urgent. Studies about their environmental behavior and control technologies need to be conducted, and acute and chronic toxicities of different PPCP groups should be investigated for assessing their potential ecological and health risks. © 2013.

  9. Menthol cigarettes and the public health standard: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Villanti, Andrea C; Collins, Lauren K; Niaura, Raymond S; Gagosian, Stacey Y; Abrams, David B

    2017-12-29

    Although menthol was not banned under the Tobacco Control Act, the law made it clear that this did not prevent the Food and Drug Administration from issuing a product standard to ban menthol to protect public health. The purpose of this review was to update the evidence synthesis regarding the role of menthol in initiation, dependence and cessation. A systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature on menthol cigarettes via a PubMed search through May 9, 2017. The National Cancer Institute's Bibliography of Literature on Menthol and Tobacco and the FDA's 2011 report and 2013 addendum were reviewed for additional publications. Included articles addressing initiation, dependence, and cessation were synthesized based on study design and quality, consistency of evidence across populations and over time, coherence of findings across studies, and plausibility of the findings. Eighty-two studies on menthol cigarette initiation (n = 46), dependence (n = 14), and cessation (n = 34) were included. Large, representative studies show an association between menthol and youth smoking that is consistent in magnitude and direction. One longitudinal and eight cross-sectional studies demonstrate that menthol smokers report increased nicotine dependence compared to non-menthol smokers. Ten studies support the temporal relationship between menthol and reduced smoking cessation, as they measure cessation success at follow-up. The strength and consistency of the associations in these studies support that the removal of menthol from cigarettes is likely to reduce youth smoking initiation, improve smoking cessation outcomes in adult smokers, and in turn, benefit public health.

  10. Policy development for environmental licensing and biodiversity offsets in Latin America.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Villarroya

    Full Text Available Attempts to meet biodiversity goals through application of the mitigation hierarchy have gained wide traction globally with increased development of public policy, lending standards, and corporate practices. With interest in biodiversity offsets increasing in Latin America, we seek to strengthen the basis for policy development through a review of major environmental licensing policy frameworks in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela. Here we focused our review on an examination of national level policies to evaluate to which degree current provisions promote positive environmental outcomes. All the surveyed countries have national-level Environmental Impact Assessment laws or regulations that cover the habitats present in their territories. Although most countries enable the use of offsets only Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Peru explicitly require their implementation. Our review has shown that while advancing quite detailed offset policies, most countries do not seem to have strong requirements regarding impact avoidance. Despite this deficiency most countries have a strong foundation from which to develop policy for biodiversity offsets, but several issues require further guidance, including how best to: (1 ensure conformance with the mitigation hierarchy; (2 identify the most environmentally preferable offsets within a landscape context; (3 determine appropriate mitigation replacement ratios; and (4 ensure appropriate time and effort is given to monitor offset performance.

  11. Policy development for environmental licensing and biodiversity offsets in Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Villarroya, Ana; Barros, Ana Cristina; Kiesecker, Joseph

    2014-01-01

    Attempts to meet biodiversity goals through application of the mitigation hierarchy have gained wide traction globally with increased development of public policy, lending standards, and corporate practices. With interest in biodiversity offsets increasing in Latin America, we seek to strengthen the basis for policy development through a review of major environmental licensing policy frameworks in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela. Here we focused our review on an examination of national level policies to evaluate to which degree current provisions promote positive environmental outcomes. All the surveyed countries have national-level Environmental Impact Assessment laws or regulations that cover the habitats present in their territories. Although most countries enable the use of offsets only Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Peru explicitly require their implementation. Our review has shown that while advancing quite detailed offset policies, most countries do not seem to have strong requirements regarding impact avoidance. Despite this deficiency most countries have a strong foundation from which to develop policy for biodiversity offsets, but several issues require further guidance, including how best to: (1) ensure conformance with the mitigation hierarchy; (2) identify the most environmentally preferable offsets within a landscape context; (3) determine appropriate mitigation replacement ratios; and (4) ensure appropriate time and effort is given to monitor offset performance.

  12. Neptunium-the neglected actinide: a review of the biological and environmental literature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thompson, R.C.

    1982-01-01

    Data from 89 references relating to the biological and environmental behavior of neptunium are reviewed with particular attention to the potential risks from possible releases of neptunium isotopes by the nuclear industry. The behavior of neptunium differs in many significant respects from that of other transuranic elements. It is more mobile environmentally and more readily absorbed by man, although some of the higher reported values for gastrointestinal absorption appear to have been influenced by the very high mass levels of 237 Np required for experimental study. In studies with experimental animals its ratio of deposition in bone/liver is greater than that of other transuranic elements. Its long-term toxicity in experimental animals is similar to that of other transuranics

  13. Electrokinetic-enhanced bioremediation of organic contaminants: a review of processes and environmental applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gill, R T; Harbottle, M J; Smith, J W N; Thornton, S F

    2014-07-01

    There is current interest in finding sustainable remediation technologies for the removal of contaminants from soil and groundwater. This review focuses on the combination of electrokinetics, the use of an electric potential to move organic and inorganic compounds, or charged particles/organisms in the subsurface independent of hydraulic conductivity; and bioremediation, the destruction of organic contaminants or attenuation of inorganic compounds by the activity of microorganisms in situ or ex situ. The objective of the review is to examine the state of knowledge on electrokinetic bioremediation and critically evaluate factors which affect the up-scaling of laboratory and bench-scale research to field-scale application. It discusses the mechanisms of electrokinetic bioremediation in the subsurface environment at different micro and macroscales, the influence of environmental processes on electrokinetic phenomena and the design options available for application to the field scale. The review also presents results from a modelling exercise to illustrate the effectiveness of electrokinetics on the supply electron acceptors to a plume scale scenario where these are limiting. Current research needs include analysis of electrokinetic bioremediation in more representative environmental settings, such as those in physically heterogeneous systems in order to gain a greater understanding of the controlling mechanisms on both electrokinetics and bioremediation in those scenarios. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  14. Impact of nutrition environmental interventions on point-of-purchase behavior in adults: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seymour, Jennifer D; Yaroch, Amy Lazarus; Serdula, Mary; Blanck, Heidi Michels; Khan, Laura Kettel

    2004-09-01

    Nutrition interventions targeted to individuals are unlikely to significantly shift US dietary patterns as a whole. Environmental and policy interventions are more promising for shifting these patterns. We review interventions that influenced the environment through food availability, access, pricing, or information at the point-of-purchase in worksites, universities, grocery stores, and restaurants. Thirty-eight nutrition environmental intervention studies in adult populations, published between 1970 and June 2003, were reviewed and evaluated on quality of intervention design, methods, and description (e.g., sample size, randomization). No policy interventions that met inclusion criteria were found. Many interventions were not thoroughly evaluated or lacked important evaluation information. Direct comparison of studies across settings was not possible, but available data suggest that worksite and university interventions have the most potential for success. Interventions in grocery stores appear to be the least effective. The dual concerns of health and taste of foods promoted were rarely considered. Sustainability of environmental change was never addressed. Interventions in "limited access" sites (i.e., where few other choices were available) had the greatest effect on food choices. Research is needed using consistent methods, better assessment tools, and longer durations; targeting diverse populations; and examining sustainability. Future interventions should influence access and availability, policies, and macroenvironments.

  15. Environmental health research in Japan - management of environmental risks

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nakamura, Masahisa [Lake Biwa Research Institute (Japan)

    1997-12-31

    Briefly discussed the topics on emerging environmental health risks, their assessment and management, with special emphasis on groundwater management , environmental contamination, source protection, new drinking water and ambient water quality standards; and sophistication in instrumentation in environmental quality measurements, hazards and risk assessment and control, technology development in environmental health risk management.

  16. Environmental health research in Japan - management of environmental risks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Masahisa Nakamura

    1996-01-01

    Briefly discussed the topics on emerging environmental health risks, their assessment and management, with special emphasis on groundwater management , environmental contamination, source protection, new drinking water and ambient water quality standards; and sophistication in instrumentation in environmental quality measurements, hazards and risk assessment and control, technology development in environmental health risk management

  17. The human factors of color in environmental design: A critical review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wise, Barbara K.; Wise, James A.

    1988-01-01

    The literature on environmental color to enhance habitability in the design of Space Station interiors is reviewed. Some 200 studies were examined to determine the relative contributions of the three dimensions of color (hue, saturation, and brightness or lightness) to responses to environmental colorations. Implications of the study for color usage in novel settings and locales include: (1) There are no hard-wired linkages between environmental colors and particular judgmental or emotional states; (2) Perceptual impressions of color applications can, however, affect experiences and performances in settings; (3) Color behavior studies cannot yet specify an optimal color scheme, but instead must consider differing objectives, the relative importance of each, and design features such as the coordination of geometry, color, texture, etc.; (4) Some color-behavior effects are governed by low-level retinal and limbal mechanisms as well as by cognitive processes; and (5) Colors should first be specified in terms of what they are to do instead of what they are. Some exercise of choice is therefore needed to establish a sense of personal competence in the setting, since color must be ultimately be accepted by the people who are to live with it.

  18. Review: Groundwater resources and related environmental issues in China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hao, Aibing; Zhang, Yilong; Zhang, Eryong; Li, Zhenghong; Yu, Juan; Wang, Huang; Yang, Jianfeng; Wang, Yao

    2018-05-01

    As an important component of water resources, groundwater plays a crucial role in water utilization in China and an irreplaceable role in supporting economic and social development, especially in the northern arid and semi-arid plains and basin areas, which are densely populated and relatively short of surface-water resources. This paper comprehensively reviews and discusses the regional hydrogeological conditions, the temporal and spatial distribution of groundwater, the groundwater quality, and the actuality of groundwater exploitation and utilization in China. Meanwhile, aiming at the environmental problems induced by overexploitation to meet the sharply increasing water demand, this paper puts forward the major tasks for the next few years in terms of groundwater exploitation control, conservation and management.

  19. Effects of environmental stressors on histone modifications and their relevance to carcinogenesis: a systematic review.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dik, S.; Scheepers, P.T.J.; Godderis, L.

    2012-01-01

    Carcinogenesis is a complex process involving both genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. The cellular molecular epigenetic machinery, including histone modifications, is associated with changes in gene expression induced by exposure to environmental agents. In this paper, we systematically reviewed

  20. Combining Environmental and Spatial Discount Rates for Valuation of Assets According to International Financial Reporting Standards

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaunzeme Justine Sophia

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Application of discount rate in finance and accounting is founded on the concept of time value of money. Discounted cash flow model is widely used for asset valuation under the International Financial Reporting Standards (in abbreviation, IFRS. The discount rate applied in valuation models normally is the best rate of return that investors would earn alternative investments. With emergence of ecological economics as a separate branch of economics, the concept of ecological (or in other words, environmental discount rate has been elaborated. Muller (2013 in his paper ‘The Discounting Confusion: an Ecological Economics Perspective’, argues that traditional discounting can undermine long-term sustainability of the economy. In his work, Frank G. Muller considered adjusting the traditional discount rate in order to arrive at an environmental discount rate, which would help to ensure the sustainability of the economy. Hannon (2001 and Perrings (2001 in their paper ‘An Introduction to Spatial Discounting’ consider another variation of the discount rate - spatial discount rate. Spatial discount rate represents the rate at which the diffusion of environmental effects of economic activities is discounted over space. By February 2016, neither the application of environmental nor spatial discount rates under IFRS has been considered. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the implications that environmental and spatial discounting would have for the application of discounted cash flow model according to IFRS. The research methods applied are methods of economic analysis and synthesis.