Environmental Impact

Nos últimos 50 anos, a Amazônia Brasileira, conhecida como a última fronteira do capital natural, foi alvo dos interesses, das políticas e dos planejamentos públicos e privados. Dentre estes estão os mega-projetos de mineração, cuja magnitude acaba por suscitar intensos impactos e conflitos sócio-espaciais no entorno mineral. Neste mesmo lugar, os atores atingidos reagem às transformações sofridas. Neste estudo buscou-se compreender os processos de gênese e expansão das lutas e dos movimentos sociais populares em conflito com as empresas mineradoras e a possibilidade ou não de entendê-los seja enquanto tensões entre “atingidos por mineração” e empresas mineradoras, seja enquanto conflitos ambientais ou territoriais. Como estudo de caso selecionou-se dois projetos de exploração mineral no Baixo Amazonas: o da Mineração Rio do Norte, situado no município de Oriximiná – PA desde 1976; e o Projeto Juruti da ALCOA, em processo de instalação no município de Juruti – PA. Identificou-se que os conflitos não se resumem ao âmbito ambiental, pois a disputa por terra, como estratégia de controle territorial, colocam-nos também na perspectiva do fundiário-territorial. Além disso, constatou-se que os movimentos populares são um produto dos conflitos deflagrados na relação contraditória e dialética com as corporações mineradoras.

This paper presents the results of ground vibration measurements carried out in Hisarcik Boron open pit mine located on the west side of central Anatolia near Kütahya province in Turkey. Within the scope of this study to predict peak particle velocity (PPV) level for this site, ground vibration components were measured for 304 shots during bench blasting. In blasting operations, ANFO (blasting agent), gelatin dynamite (priming), and delay electric detonators (firing) were used as explosives. Parameters of scaled distance (charge quantity per delay and the distance between the source and the station) were recorded carefully and the ground vibration components were measured for all blast events using two different types of vibration monitors (one White Mini-Seis and one Instantel Minimate Plus Model). The absolute distances between shot points and monitor stations were determined using GPS. The equation of square root scaled distance extensively used in the literature was taken into consideration for the prediction of PPV. Then, the data pairs of scaled distance and particle velocity obtained from the 565 event records were analyzed statistically. At the end of statistical evaluation of the data pairs, an empirical relation which gives 50% prediction line with a reasonable correlation coefficient was established between PPV and scaled distance.

The environmental impact of the tanning industry is generally significant with outputs of wastes, i.e. high concentrations of organics, salts and heavy metals (chromium compounds), both in solid and liquid form, as a result. In order to bring the tanning industry more in line with present environmental thinking, various methods have been devised to reduce impacts. The underlying study proposes a modification of the method for unhairing-liming of hides where the unhairing-liming liquids are reused several times after being recharged by reduced quantities of chemicals. The study, therefore, aims at reducing both the economic and environmental costs of the unhairing-liming process. Experiments were carried out at lab scale with a simulation apparatus designed for the purpose. Life cycle assessment was used to evaluate the net environmental benefits of the modified method. The present value approach was used to evaluate the economic feasibility of the modified method. The quality of the...

a DIIAR c/o Polo of Como, Politecnico of Milan, Piazza Leonardo Da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, Italy ludovico.biagi@polimi.it b DIMeC, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via Vignolese 905/B, 41100 Modena, Italy (marco.dubbini, capra.alessandro, cristina.castagnetti)@unimore.it c Department of Mathematics, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 213/B, 41100 Modena, Italy francesco.unguendoli@unimore.it

Among numerous techniques for the hydrogen production without harmful emissions, especially avoiding the carbon dioxide emissions, hydrogen technologies driven by geothermal energy represent an attractive solution. This paper is interested in the process by which the electricity generated from geothermal power plant that is operated using CO 2 as heat transmission fluid is exploited for hydrogen production through water electrolysis. A numerical simulation is used to evaluate the potential for hydrogen production and to estimate the levelized cost of electrolytic hydrogen. We also present a brief analysis of environmental issues, including the carbon tax. The results show that the process has a good potential for geothermal hydrogen production, is capable of producing about 22 kg/h of electrolytic hydrogen for the geothermal source of carbon dioxide mass flow rate of 40 kg/s and a temperature of 296 K. In economic regard, the electric energy system costs are the major component of t...

Significant recent attention has been given to quantifying the environmental impacts of international trade. However, the United States, despite being the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases and having large recent growth in international trade, has seen little analysis. This work uses a multi-country input-output model of the US and its seven largest trading partners (Canada, China, Mexico, Japan, Germany, the UK, and Korea) to analyze the environmental effects of changes to US trade structure and volume from 1997 to 2004. ...

The Philippines is a country that is both largely dependent on marine resources for its people's socio-cultural and economic activities, yet also highly vulnerable to extreme weather events caused by climate change. Recognizing this, a Climate Change Adaptation Project, with support from the Norwegian Trust Fund, studied three coastal communities in three (3) different provinces in the Bicol region, widely known to lie in the so-called 'Philippine typhoon belt'. The project sought to establish a community-based adaptation strategy in pilot sites by providing guidance on setting appropriate policies, climate proofing livelihoods with adaptation measures, and institutionalizing science-based-decision support systems. The project also sought to develop a replicable template that can be used by and adapted to all other similar sites in the Philippines. The project had four major components: (1) policy and legislation, (2) vulnerability assessment, (3) bio-physical adaptation...

A consensus of the Workgroup on Community and Socioeconomic Issues was that improving and sustaining healthy rural communities depends on integrating socioeconomic development and environmental protection. The workgroup agreed that the World Health ...