Coal mining on the Highveld has historically served, and continues to serve as an indissoluble cog in South Africa’s development. The study contends that the inherent speculative character of coal as a finite resource results in bearing costs beyond the financial sphere. These costs at some stage of the mine life-cycle have to be accounted for. By using a Polanyian interpretation of double movement and crisis, the study argues that the manner in which natural factors such as coal have historically been inscribed in the production process, alongside labour and technology, to a large degree determine the character of productive relations in a particular society. More fundamentally, it is argued, this interaction between capital, society and nature determines the extent to which the State is able to perform its role of counter-movement against the over-exploitation of society and nature. This is demonstrated by situating the development of a former coal mining village, Rietspruit colliery, within the necessary historical phase of South African development – as hinged upon the accessibility and availability of coal, in particular from the Witbank coalfield. It is however, in a post-coal mining context that the study alludes to the unintended social costs arising from coal-led development, arguing social costs and inequality as evident at Rietspruit colliery, as effectively institutionalised. This is due to the historic function of the State vis-à-vis facilitating mineral extraction. On this basis, the study calls into question recent sustainable development discourse such as the Department of Minerals and Energy’s Sustainable Development through Mining (2009) (SDM) initiative. The study argues the notion of mineral extraction and coal mining in particular, serving as the means de jour for achieving sustainable development, as flawed. This is illustrated at Rietspruit colliery by reflecting upon the manner in which a post-mining sustainability plan was implemented. The core issue concerns the dis-embedding of social costs related to mining, including mine closure, from the necessary historical, socio-political and socio-ecological context. Compounded by a poorly enforced regulatory environment, this approach views mine closure, including the social aspects of mine closure, in a de-politicised, technocratic manner of rationalising closure as cost-effectively as possible. It is here that the utility of the socio-ecological approach is made evident, by opening up the discursive space for social justice discourses relating to the social costs of coal mining, to find common ground with discourses concerned with environmental activism. / Thesis (M.Dev.Studies)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

With increased public environmental awareness and support for environmental protection, business success is becoming more dependant on environmental performance. Many large companies have acknowledged this and are engaged in corporate environmentalism to work towards the goal of ecological sustainability. The small business sector has an equally important role to play in sustainable development since their combined impact on the environment is significant. The extent to which the small business sector in South Africa has adopted a pro-environmental attitude however, has not been established. This research therefore attempts to ascertain the level of environmental awareness and practice within small business. To achieve this aim, a questionnaire was used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data from a sample population of small businesses in Edenvale, Gauteng. The sample population represented a variety of economic sectors. The quantitative data was analysed statistically by calculating the percentage of respondents or responses and by performing a test of proportions. The qualitative data was used to clarify the findings. The results suggested that the overall level of environmental awareness and practice within the small businesses was very low. Environmental issues were not considered to be a part of the business agenda as small business managers were unaware of the environmental impacts of their business activities. Moreover, there was a lack of both environmental pressures and information. The majority of the small businesses were therefore environmentally inactive. A small proportion of the businesses were environmentally reactive in that they had started to address environmental issues. This was however, only in response to environmental pressures and not through their own volition. Furthermore, unless subjected to environmental pressures or given incentives, the small businesses were not planning to integrate environmental practices into their business activities in the future. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1998.

The emission of trace metals (TMs) into boreal forest regions of the northern hemisphere is an important environmental issue due to their potential detrimental impacts on these sensitive ecosystems. One of the foremost factors controlling metal cycling is the chemistry of the overlying organic forest floor of the forest soil. In this thesis we examine the chemistry of forest floor horizons of podzolic soils. Our goal is to improve our ability to predict the partitioning of metals between the soil solid and solution phases. / We developed a standard protocol to produce solutions that resemble lysimeter solutions from podzolic soils using air-dried samples. We hypothesized that the stabilization point of the electrical conductivity (EC) of the soil solution is indicative of the point in which soluble salts and organic material precipitated during sampling and storage are removed from the soil particle surfaces. Solutions produced by leaching the soils, once the EC of wash solutions had stabilized, were comparable to lysimeter solutions from the area where samples were collected with respect to the concentrations of divalent cations, pH, EC and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). The applicability of this procedure to trace metal partitioning in forest floors was explored. Laboratory extractions produced partition coefficients (log Kd) similar to observed lysimeter solutions ranging from 3.4 to 3.9 for Cd, 3.4 to 3.9 for Cu, 3.4 to 4.1 for Ni, 4.1 to 5.2 for Pb and 3.2 to 3.5 for Zn. According to a semi-mechanistic regression model based on observed lysimeter concentrations, the metal concentrations in solution were appropriate relative to known factors that influence metal partitioning in soils: pH, the concentrations of total metals and DOC. / While chemical characteristics of soils have been consistently observed to play important roles in the partitioning and toxicity of metals we wished to place the importance of the chemical characteristics of soil on mobility and toxicity in context. We interpreted field data that had been collected from transects established with distance from two point source emitters in Rouyn PQ, and Sudbury ON. Canada find developed equations that predict dissolved metal concentrations from total metal concentrations, soil pH, soil organic matter (SOM), and DOC contents. We integrated these equations into a simple box model that calculates changes in the concentration of metals in the organic and upper mineral horizons and includes a loop for vegetative return of metals to the forest floor.

Fundação Araucária; CAPES / As indústrias alimentícias utilizam considerável volume de água para suprir a demanda de processos. Devido a isso, observa-se um grande volume gerado de efluentes que necessitam ser tratados para garantir o destino final adequado. Tendo em vista a crescente escassez de água, procedimentos de racionalização do uso da água e o reúso de efluentes tratados surgem como soluções para estes problemas. A aplicação de processos de separação por membranas no tratamento de efluentes da indústria alimentícia para reúso apresenta-se como um processo de tratamento avançado apropriado. Deste modo, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a utilização dos processos de separação por membranas como tratamento avançado de águas residuárias agroindustriais provindas de um abatedouro e frigorífico de suínos, da região oeste do Paraná, visando à possibilidade de reúso destes efluentes. Para isso, foi necessário: realizar a caracterização físico-química dos efluentes agroindustriais; avaliar o emprego de microfiltração, ultrafiltração, e microfiltração seguida de ultrafiltração em diferentes condições operacionais de pressão aplicada à membrana, e avaliar a qualidade do efluente obtido pelos processos de separação com membranas, considerando o atendimento das exigências técnicas, legais e sanitárias para diferentes usos industriais. Os resultados mostraram que os processos de separação por membranas apresentaram, de uma maneira geral, uma sensível melhora na qualidade do efluente final quando comparados com o atual sistema de pós-tratamento empregado pela indústria (flotador físico-químico), que promove eficiências de remoção nas faixas oscilantes de 3% a 29%, 44% a 70%, 40% a 46% e 50% a 58,5%, aproximadamente, para os parâmetros sólidos totais voláteis, turbidez, nitrogênio amoniacal e DQO, respectivamente. A microfiltração apresentou as seguintes faixas de eficiência de remoção, aproximadas: sólidos totais voláteis (51% - 64%), turbidez (83% - 99%), nitrogênio amoniacal (21% - 24%) e DQO (64% - 72%). A ultrafiltração apresentou as seguintes faixas de eficiência de remoção, aproximadas: sólidos totais voláteis (23% - 51%), turbidez (87% - 99%), nitrogênio amoniacal (54% - 69%) e DQO (77% - 85%). A realização do ensaio de microfiltração seguido de ultrafiltração nas melhores condições experimentais investigadas obteve resultados satisfatórios na remoção de aproximadamente 97% para a turbidez, 17% para os sólidos totais voláteis, 67% para a DQO, 38% para o nitrogênio amoniacal, 96% a 99,95% para os coliformes termotolerantes e 93 a 99,69% para os coliformes termorresistentes. Com o aumento da pressão para a microfiltração e ultrafiltração foi obtido maior fluxo permeado e melhor qualidade do efluente final. Embora os efluentes tenham proporcionado distintos valores de fluxo permeado, foram obtidas curvas de desempenho bastante semelhantes, caracterizando-se por uma queda do fluxo permeado nos primeiros minutos de filtração, seguido de um período onde ocorre declínio gradual, com uma tendência ao equilíbrio. De acordo com os requisitos físico-químicos e microbiológicos mínimos exigidos para o reúso de efluentes tratados, a microfiltração e a ultrafiltração atenderam alguns dos parâmetros monitorados, alcançando a qualidade exigida para o reúso em torres de resfriamento, lavagem de pisos, irrigação de áreas verdes, lavagem de veículos, proteção contra incêndio e descarga sanitária. / The food industry uses large volumes of water to meet the demand processes. Because of this, there is a large volume of generated waste that need to be addressed to ensure proper final destination. In view of the growing scarcity of water, the use rationalization of procedures of the water and the reuse of treated effluent arise as solutions to these problems. Application of separation processes by membranes in the treatment of wastewater for reuse food industry presents itself as an appropriate advanced treatment process. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the use of membrane separation processes as advanced treatment of agroindustrial wastewater stemmed from a swine slaughterhouse, the western region of Paraná, aiming at the possibility of recycling these effluents. For this it was necessary: to define the physical-chemical characterization of the agro-industrial effluents; evaluate the use of microfiltration, ultrafiltration, microfiltration and ultrafiltration then under different conditions of pressure applied to the membrane, and evaluate the quality of the effluent obtained by separation processes with membranes, considering the care of the technical, legal and health requirements for different uses industrial. The results showed that membrane separation processes presented in a general way a considerable improvement in final effluent quality compared with the current tertiary treatment system used by the industry (physicochemical flotation) which promotes removal efficiencies in oscillating ranges from 3% to 29%, 44% to 70%, 40% to 46%, 50% to 58.5%, approximately, for the parameters: total volatile solids, turbidity, ammonia nitrogen and COD, respectively. Microfiltration had the following removal efficiency ranges, approximate: total volatile solids (51% - 64%), turbidity (83% - 99%), ammonia nitrogen (21% - 24%) and COD (64% - 72%). Ultrafiltration showed the following removal efficiency ranges, approximate: total volatile solids (23% - 51%), turbidity (87% - 99%), ammonia nitrogen (54% - 69%) and COD (77% - 85%). The completion of the test microfiltration followed by ultrafiltration under the best experimental conditions investigated achieved satisfactory results in the removal of approximately 97% for the turbidity, 17% total volatile solids, 67% for COD, 38% for ammonia nitrogen, 96% to 99.95% for thermotolerant and 93 to 99.69% for the heat-resistant coliforms coliforms. With increasing pressure to microfiltration and ultrafiltration permeate flux was increased and better quality of the final effluent. Although the effluents have provided separate permeate flow rates, very similar performance curves were obtained, characterized by a drop in permeate flux during the first minute filtration followed by a period where there is a gradual decline, with a tendency toward equilibrium. According to the physicochemical requirements and minimum microbiological required for the reuse of treated wastewater, microfiltration and ultrafiltration attended some of the monitored parameters, achieving the required quality for reuse in cooling towers, floor washing, irrigation of green areas , washing vehicles, fire protection and sanitary discharge.

O presente trabalho tem por objetivo caracterizar os abatedouros de frango da microrregião de Pato Branco, analisando as interfaces de suas características organizacionais, de inovação tecnológica e uso da água, considerando o modelo de gestão ambiental de Produção Mais Limpa. Para seu desenvolvimento, adotou-se a metodologia de análise multicasos, com abordagem predominantemente qualitativa. Como instrumentos de coleta de dados em campo foram utilizados questionários semiestruturados aplicados na forma de entrevista, compostos por questões abertas e fechadas, além de observações. Os questionários foram formulados a partir da adaptação de perguntas do Questionário de Pesquisa e Inovação – PINTEC 2011. Os resultados indicam que o setor é composto por empresas de médio-grande porte, de formação Ltda, S/A e Cooperativa. Tais empresas processam em média 12.051 toneladas de carne de frango ao mês na forma de produto in natura (carcaça inteira) e de valor agregado (cortes, miúdos e embutidos) destinando 61% de sua produção para o mercado interno e 39% para o externo. Analisando o período de 2010 a 2012 foi observado que duas das três empresas apresentaram atividades de inovação tecnológica em produtos e processos (TPP), sendo que uma focou mais em produtos e a outra mais em processos, apresentando características de inovação tanto incrementais como radicais nas atividades desenvolvidas. Analisando as inovações TPP, constata-se que estão diretamente relacionadas ao uso da água e a minimização e reciclagem de resíduos, sendo elas inovações no aproveitamento da gordura abdominal; à aquisição de máquinas e equipamentos para a automatização e/ou ampliação dos processos de automatização; a modificações no layout para melhor captação de resíduos; a práticas de controle da água (travas e estranguladores de registro e hidrômetro; bicos aspersores; reuso da água); e ao aproveitamento total dos resíduos orgânicos resultantes do processo produtivo. Essas ações tiveram como retorno para as organizações: a minimização de efluente gerado; a redução no uso da água no processo produtivo; e uma maior margem de lucro na reciclagem dos resíduos para fabricação de farinha e óleo do que com sua revenda a terceiros. Pode-se concluir que os abatedouros de frango da microrregião de Pato Branco conseguiram incorporar as premissas do modelo de Produção Mais Limpa às práticas de uso da água e de inovação tecnológica, conciliando ganhos econômicos com benefícios ambientais. / This study aims to characterize the chicken slaughterhouses of Pato Branco microregion, analyzing the interfaces of their organizational characteristics, technological innovation and use of water, considering the environmental model of Cleaner Production. For its development, it was adopted the methodology of multicase analysis with a predominantly qualitative approach. As tools for collecting data in the field, semi structured questionnaires consisting of open and closed questions were applied by interview, as well as observations. The questionnaires were formulated based on the adaptation of questions from the Research and Innovation Questionnaire - PINTEC 2011. The results indicate that the sector is composed of medium- large - sized companies, formed by limited-liability company, corporation and a cooperative. Such companies processed on average 12,051 tonnes of chicken per month, being processed in natura meat (whole carcass) and value added products (cuts, offals and processed mixed meat) allocating 61 % of its production to domestic market and 39 % for foreign market. Looking at the period from 2010 to 2012 was observed that two of the three companies showed technological innovation activities in product and process (TPP), one focusing on products while the other focusing on processes, presenting both incremental and radical features of innovation to the performed activities. Analyzing the TPP innovations, some are directly related to water use and minimizing and recycling waste, being these innovations in the use of abdominal fat, the acquisition of machinery and equipment for automation and/or expansion of automation processes, changes in layout for better capturing of waste; practices in water control (locks and registration chokes and hydrometer; sprinkle nozzles, water reuse) and the total use of organic waste resulting from the production process. These actions had as a return for organizations: minimization of generated effluent, reduction in water use in the production process; higher profit margin in the recycling of waste for the manufacture of flour and oil to resale to third parties. It can be concluded that the chicken slaughterhouses of Pato Branco microregion succeeded to incorporate the assumptions of the Cleaner Production model to practices of water use and technological innovation concealing economic gains to environmental benefits.

O presente trabalho tem por objetivo caracterizar os abatedouros de frango da microrregião de Pato Branco, analisando as interfaces de suas características organizacionais, de inovação tecnológica e uso da água, considerando o modelo de gestão ambiental de Produção Mais Limpa. Para seu desenvolvimento, adotou-se a metodologia de análise multicasos, com abordagem predominantemente qualitativa. Como instrumentos de coleta de dados em campo foram utilizados questionários semiestruturados aplicados na forma de entrevista, compostos por questões abertas e fechadas, além de observações. Os questionários foram formulados a partir da adaptação de perguntas do Questionário de Pesquisa e Inovação – PINTEC 2011. Os resultados indicam que o setor é composto por empresas de médio-grande porte, de formação Ltda, S/A e Cooperativa. Tais empresas processam em média 12.051 toneladas de carne de frango ao mês na forma de produto in natura (carcaça inteira) e de valor agregado (cortes, miúdos e embutidos) destinando 61% de sua produção para o mercado interno e 39% para o externo. Analisando o período de 2010 a 2012 foi observado que duas das três empresas apresentaram atividades de inovação tecnológica em produtos e processos (TPP), sendo que uma focou mais em produtos e a outra mais em processos, apresentando características de inovação tanto incrementais como radicais nas atividades desenvolvidas. Analisando as inovações TPP, constata-se que estão diretamente relacionadas ao uso da água e a minimização e reciclagem de resíduos, sendo elas inovações no aproveitamento da gordura abdominal; à aquisição de máquinas e equipamentos para a automatização e/ou ampliação dos processos de automatização; a modificações no layout para melhor captação de resíduos; a práticas de controle da água (travas e estranguladores de registro e hidrômetro; bicos aspersores; reuso da água); e ao aproveitamento total dos resíduos orgânicos resultantes do processo produtivo. Essas ações tiveram como retorno para as organizações: a minimização de efluente gerado; a redução no uso da água no processo produtivo; e uma maior margem de lucro na reciclagem dos resíduos para fabricação de farinha e óleo do que com sua revenda a terceiros. Pode-se concluir que os abatedouros de frango da microrregião de Pato Branco conseguiram incorporar as premissas do modelo de Produção Mais Limpa às práticas de uso da água e de inovação tecnológica, conciliando ganhos econômicos com benefícios ambientais. / This study aims to characterize the chicken slaughterhouses of Pato Branco microregion, analyzing the interfaces of their organizational characteristics, technological innovation and use of water, considering the environmental model of Cleaner Production. For its development, it was adopted the methodology of multicase analysis with a predominantly qualitative approach. As tools for collecting data in the field, semi structured questionnaires consisting of open and closed questions were applied by interview, as well as observations. The questionnaires were formulated based on the adaptation of questions from the Research and Innovation Questionnaire - PINTEC 2011. The results indicate that the sector is composed of medium- large - sized companies, formed by limited-liability company, corporation and a cooperative. Such companies processed on average 12,051 tonnes of chicken per month, being processed in natura meat (whole carcass) and value added products (cuts, offals and processed mixed meat) allocating 61 % of its production to domestic market and 39 % for foreign market. Looking at the period from 2010 to 2012 was observed that two of the three companies showed technological innovation activities in product and process (TPP), one focusing on products while the other focusing on processes, presenting both incremental and radical features of innovation to the performed activities. Analyzing the TPP innovations, some are directly related to water use and minimizing and recycling waste, being these innovations in the use of abdominal fat, the acquisition of machinery and equipment for automation and/or expansion of automation processes, changes in layout for better capturing of waste; practices in water control (locks and registration chokes and hydrometer; sprinkle nozzles, water reuse) and the total use of organic waste resulting from the production process. These actions had as a return for organizations: minimization of generated effluent, reduction in water use in the production process; higher profit margin in the recycling of waste for the manufacture of flour and oil to resale to third parties. It can be concluded that the chicken slaughterhouses of Pato Branco microregion succeeded to incorporate the assumptions of the Cleaner Production model to practices of water use and technological innovation concealing economic gains to environmental benefits.

In 1993, facing a future of escalating land-use controversies and a less than sympathetic public attitude towards mining, major corporations in the British Columbia mining industry and the provincial government invested in a public education project: Vancouver's Science World's Mine Games exhibit. This thesis will examine two pedagogical highlights of the Mine Games exhibit promoted by Science World and its sponsors. They are the interactivity of the exhibit (as evidenced by the hands-on stations and the computer games) and the decision-making or 'consensus-building' process experienced in the simulated town-meeting, Hotseat! One of the virtues of an exhibition that explicitly makes a case for its merits and attempts to tell an important story is that it encourages debate and makes possible the suggestion of other stories. In this thesis, I critique Mine Games on the claims it has made for itself. The thesis adopts a comparative approach, contrasting the pedagogical goals and content of the Mine Games exhibit with school based mining curriculum. I argue that the narrative and museological conventions of the exhibit reveal the story of Mine Games for what it is — a specific, comedic story that excludes other stories. Hidden under the facade of high-tech displays and computer games is a traditional approach used both in schools and museums to exercise control and deliver a non-threatening message: environmental controversies are resolvable, all it takes is reasoned compromise. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

This study identifies the Indonesian policies that established large scale, export oriented and externally controlled (LEE)industrialization from the perspective of local people in the industrializing area, the planning that implemented these policies in Central Java and the ways in which the local people's lives are being affected. It identifies the links between the policy and the planning, and between the planning and the impacts. This study is based on data gathered from provincial, municipal and local planners, affected people, factory owners, and workers. LEE industrial development has often been successful in terms of its contribution to Regional Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and to the creation of low wage employment opportunities. However, this success has been accompanied by significant economic, social and environmental impacts on local people. The economic impacts include loss of livelihood and jobs, and decrease of family income. The social impacts comprise the weakening of community cohesion and the disruption of the people's daily lives. The environmental impacts include floods, lack of clean water, water pollution, and air pollution. The impacts of LEE industrialization have been documented by various studies including this one. What has not been adequately analyzed and documented is the process that produces the impacts. This study helps to fill the gap. It concludes that the impacts stem from the following factors. The national development emphasizes large scale and export oriented industrialization. The top-down development planning ensures that this policy is supported at the provincial level regardless of local conditions, needs and priorities. The arbitrary nature of provincial decision-making provides for no popular input. Impact assessment studies fail to provide the information necessary for planners, decision-makers and ideally the local leaders about the likely impacts of industrialization. The way the responsible government agencies solve environmental problems tends to protect factory interests. The impacts are exacerbated by a lack of adequate monitoring and enforcement of environmental regulations. The thesis concludes that substantive policy reform and process restructuring are required to achieve sound planning for industrial development. If quality of life is to be protected and enhanced, industrial policies should be reoriented to strengthening existing local economic activities; and planning restructured to enable local planners and affected people to be fully involved at all stages including impact management. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

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