Under den senaste tiden har man tagit upp plastbärkassars negativa miljöpåverkan, i EU men även lokalt i Borås. EU anser att plastpåsar är skadliga för miljön och har tagit fram direktiv som gör att alla medlemsstater måste vidta åtgärder för att begränsa förbrukningen av plastpåsar. För att man ska kunna fatta rätt beslut krävs det att man ökar kunskapen om vilka åtgärder som krävs och vilka åtgärder som är mest effektiva för att minska förbrukningen.I detta examensarbete är syftet att jämföra plastpåsars miljöpåverkan mot bärkassar i olika material samt att se över hur plastpåsar hanteras idag, presentera en metod för att utföra en insamling av plastpåsar för återvinning i Borås och utreda om det är miljömässigt lönsamt. Resultaten visar att bestämandet av en bärkasses miljöpåverkan är en mycket komplex fråga då väldigt många faktorer måste vägas in. Vi ser även att införandet av ett separat återvinningssystem för plastpåsar inte är det ultimata då det skulle försvåra logistiken samt kräva komprimering av plastpåsarna för att minska deras volym. Det befintliga återvinningssystemet för plast där man blandar hårdplast och mjukplast är mera lämpligt att använda då det ger en tätare blandning. / The negative environmental impact of plastic bags has recently been brought up in the EU but also locally in Borås. The EU considers that plastic bags are hurtful for the environment and has developed directive to reduce the consumption of plastic bags which all member states must follow. In order to be able to make the correct decisions it is necessary to have the accurate information of what measures are necessary to reduce consumption. In this thesis, the aim is to compare the environmental impact of plastic bags compared to bags in various materials and to review how plastic bags are managed today, present a method for how to collect plastic bags for recycling in Borås and investigate whether it is environmentally viable. The results show that the determination of the environmental impact of different bags is a very complex issue because so many factors must be considered. We also see that the introduction of a separate recycling system for plastic bags is not the ultimate method when it would complicate logistics and require compression, to reduce their volume. The existing recycling system for plastic which blends hard plastic and soft plastic, is more convenient to use as it provides a denser mixture.

The improvement of environmental impacts from production and consumption is an important sustainability target for Belgium, defined in federal and regional strategies for sustainable development. In order to monitor the implementation of sustainability targets a framework that can consistently link production and consumption and assess multiple environmental impacts such as climate change or resource use is needed. The most recognised method for the quantification of environmental impacts of product systems is life cycle assessment (LCA). Most LCAs focusing on production and consumption activities are carried out at national level. However, when regional differences in production and/or consumption structure exist, which is the case for Belgium, the use of more regionalised datasets and assessments seems more appropriate. This PhD thesis develops a multi-regional environmentally extended input-output model (EE-MRIOM) that can account for regional variation in production and consumption patterns and analyse environmental impacts of products from life cycle perspective. The model analysis three Belgian regions (Brussels, Flanders, Wallonia with a special focus on the latter) and their connections via trade flows with the rest of the world. The regional input-output tables (IOTs) of Belgium were linked to a global input-output database (EXIOBASE) and integrated into the LCA framework. The initial regional environmental data on major air emissions were extended by resource use and other emission data, so that a wide spectrum of potential environmental impacts can be analysed. The model represents all economic activities in 2003, 2007 and 2010 with a higher resolution in environmentally important sectors (e.g. energy, construction products, waste).The analysis of environmental impacts from production and consumption perspective confirms the relevance of the life cycle thinking approach, as, for example only 10 % of Walloon household environmental impacts are direct impacts and only 20 % of the Walloon production-related impacts occur on the regional territory. The results show that certain environmental impacts of production have decreased due to the economic crises and structural changes, while environmental impacts from household consumption have increased during the same period. Therefore, we conclude that only the joint improvement from production and consumption perspective will effectively reduce environmental impacts and particular efforts from the consumer side are needed. The regional comparison of impact intensities indicates significant regional variation for production, at economy scale, but also at product level. However, the results do not suggest a systematically lower or higher environmental impact intensity for a certain region. From the household consumption perspective, the results indicate low regional variation when comparing environmental impacts on a per habitant basis. Based on the results from the regional comparison of impact intensities, we conclude that there is no universal concept that could be transferred from one region to the other to improve environmental impacts. Instead, product-specific best cases at a regional scale must be identified in order to propose improvement options. For the Walloon region ‘priority products’, i.e. products or services that contribute significantly to a certain impact category in terms of total impact and impact intensities, are identified with the developed EE-MRIOM. Further model applications are demonstrated in this work such as comparative assessment within a priority sector, detailed sector analysis and scenario analysis to support the policy-making process. The developed model helps to identify most efficient measures to reduce environmental impacts from production and consumption perspective and suggests further methodological developments. / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / In front of the current and growing demand for natural resources, especially of the water resources, it seeks to find a way to minimize the impacts caused by the anthropic interference in areas of riparian vegetation. These environments have an important functionality to the ecosystems belonging and surrounding due to the fact of this vegetation possesses intrinsic characteristics and adapted to the hydro and ecological environment. The rivers barring for water use as an energy source (study subject of this work) cause various impacts to the environment, one of the major is the alteration of the natural regime of pulses and often, the reducing the downstream flow of the works. The flow reduction in certain stretches of the waterway, besides requiring an in-depth study about the impacts caused by the reduction of the downstream water level of the utilization section, it becomes essential to the vegetation analysis, soil and local geology. These related factors to the morphophysiological characteristics of the different species found in these locations will determine if the current ecosystem, observed in natural altimetric quotes previously found in the area of riparian vegetation, will be able to adapt to the lower quotes checked after implementation of the barring, in other words, in the stretch of reduced flow (SRF). For determination and differentiation of the vegetation it was necessary the study and development of a methodology of analysis by quotes. This analysis was performed using the points method that consisted of a classification and identification by functional character of the existing plants in three sampling units (SU's) located in the SRF of the hydroelectric unit Passo São João town of Roque Gonzales-RS. Furthermore, were performed the gathering of soil samples in the different quotes of the three SU's for physical and chemical analysis. Thus, it was possible to determine that the soil variable (physical and chemical characteristics), has no significant variation by quotes gap and therefore, are not considered necessary for studies of adaptive variations of the vegetation established there. However, in front of this fact and of the generated results, one can strengthen the hypothesis that the hydrological variable is directly responsible for the adaptive variation of the vegetal species in these areas. / Diante da atual e crescente demanda por recursos naturais, em especial dos recursos hídricos, busca-se uma forma de minimizar os impactos causados pela interferência antrópica em áreas de vegetação ribeirinha. Estes ambientes possuem uma importante funcionalidade aos ecossistemas pertencentes e circundantes devido ao fato desta vegetação possuir características intrínsecas e adaptadas ao meio hidro ecológico. O barramento de rios para utilização da água como fonte energética (objeto de estudo deste trabalho) causa vários impactos ao meio ambiente, um dos principais é a alteração do regime natural de pulsos e, muitas vezes, a redução da vazão a jusante das obras. A redução da vazão em determinados trechos do curso d´agua, além de necessitar um estudo aprofundado a respeito dos impactos causados pela redução do nível de água a jusante da seção de aproveitamento, torna-se indispensável a análise da vegetação, solo e geologia local. Estes fatores relacionados com as características morfofisiológicas das diferentes espécies encontradas nestes locais determinarão se o ecossistema atual, observado nas cotas altimétricas naturais anteriormente encontradas na área de vegetação ribeirinha, terá condições de se adaptar às cotas inferiores verificadas após a implantação do barramento, ou seja, no trecho de vazão reduzida (TVR). Para determinação e diferenciação da vegetação foi necessário o estudo e desenvolvimento de uma metodologia de análise por cotas. Esta análise foi realizada pelo método de pontos que consistiu em uma classificação e identificação por caracteres funcionais das plantas existentes em três unidades amostrais (UA‟s) locadas no TVR da UHE Passo São João, município de Roque Gonzales-RS. Além disso, foram realizadas coletas de amostras de solo nas diferentes cotas das três UA‟s para análise física e química. Desta forma, foi possível determinar que a variável solo (características físicas e químicas), não possuem variação significativa por intervalo de cotas e, portanto, não são consideradas necessárias para estudos de variações adaptativas da vegetação ali estabelecida. Contudo, diante deste fato e dos resultados gerados, pode-se fortalecer a hipótese de que a variável hidrológica é, de forma direta, responsável pela variação adaptativa das espécies vegetais destas áreas.

The evaluation of the costs involved in a production process becomes an increasingly essential tool for making decisions. In rice production there are several factors that may affect, directly or indirectly, the productivity and profitability. Besides the natural factors, like soil and climate, the choice of cultivar, the infra-structure and management system of the field, the logistic, and others, will be directly associated with the expected return of the investment. Besides these factors, is unthinkable to accomplish any activity without worry about an environmentally safe technology and production. The general objective of this dissertation is: search and compare the costs of production, productivity and environmental impacts between the systems of rice cultivars: Conventional, Clearfield and hybrid . Thus, the study started from the needs of a rice producer in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul State (Brazil) to know the production costs, productivity and environmental impacts associated with three types of rice cultivar systems most commonly used today, the Conventional Rice IRGA 417, IRGA 422 CL Clearfield System and the hybrid Arize 1003. Through unstructured interviews with the producer and the agronomist, observation "in loco" and documentary research lead to the production costs to be obtained for the goal of comparison in the diverse steps needed to the rice field production to facilitate data analysis and achieve the proposed goals. The results obtained allowed the producer the correct verification of which cultivar showed the highest efficiency in technical, economical end environmental subjects. / O levantamento dos custos envolvidos em um processo produtivo torna-se cada vez mais ferramenta imprescindível para a tomada de decisões. Na produção de arroz existem diversos fatores que podem afetar, direta ou indiretamente, a produtividade e a rentabilidade da atividade. Além dos fatores naturais como o solo e clima, a escolha da cultivar, a infra estrutura, o sistema de condução da lavoura e a logística, entre outros, estão associados diretamente ao retorno esperado do investimento. Além desses fatores, não se pode imaginar qualquer atividade sem a preocupação com tecnologia e produção ecologicamente correta. O objetivo geral desta dissertação é: apurar e comparar custos de produção, produtividade e impactos ambientais entre os sistemas de cultivo de arroz: Convencional, Clearfield e híbrido . Sendo assim, o estudo partiu da necessidade de um orizicultor da região central do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (Brasil) de conhecer os custos de produção, a produtividade e os impactos ambientais associados aos três tipos de sistemas de cultivo de arroz mais usados atualmente: o Arroz Convencional (IRGA 417), Sistema Clearfield (IRGA 422 CL) e o híbrido (Arize 1003). Através de entrevistas não estruturadas com o produtor e o agrônomo, observação in loco e pesquisa documental foram apurados os custos de produção a fim de compará-los nas diversas fases necessárias para o cultivo do arroz visando facilitar a análise dos dados e alcançar os objetivos propostos. Os resultados apurados permitiram ao produtor a correta verificação de qual cultivar apresentou maior eficiência técnica, econômica e ambiental.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This present work has as main objective to engage in the environmental and social im'pacts analysis caused bu the construction of the Dona Francisca hidroelectric power plant situated in the central region of the Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Initially, the work is based on reports of social impacts of the Dona Francisca hidroelectric power plant, to comprehend how the individuals that had chosen the rellocation based on great lot amount are studied and understood. Complementing this first analysis and the bibliographical review of authors that study general sociology, as Antony Giddens, Ignacy Sachs, Ulrich Beck and Amartya Sen to complement the same theories. These authors will help me to scope the tools used to analyse the social and environmental studies by stugying the effected individuals. The rationality was captured based on a structured questionário containing closed and opened questions. The closed questions part consisted in a description of the structual issue and social phenomenon that surroud the ressetled and its community. The opened questions explored issues that demanded a recall from the ressetlement, by considering the current social and economical life and also a projection of their future. The data showed that considering both closed and opened questions, it is clear some reflection points about the object. It was used the approach of Amartya Sen to make an analytical cleavage of the impacts in their lifes. The data demonstrated that in a general way, the individuals dont fit in the theory of human developing from Amartya Sen. Considering that, it is possible to comprehend that the ressetled individuals chase development trough the economical activities. The research demonstrates through epistemological data that it is necessessary to strengthen the social and environmental studies by using cases that exist already. These type of word would improve some solutions to those individuals. / Este trabalho tem por finalidade analisar os impactos socioambientais causados em decorrência da construção da Usina Hidrelétrica Dona Francisca, situada na região central do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Esse trabalho conta inicialmente com a leitura detalhada dos relatórios de impacto ambiental, da usina em questão, para compreender como os indivíduos que escolheram o reassentamento por grandes lotes, são compreendidos pelos estudos. Complementando essa primeira análise, juntamente com a revisão bibliográfica dos autores que teorizam sobre uma sociologia geral, como Anthony Giddens, e através de autores selecionados para complementar a idéia do mesmo, como Ignacy Sachs, Ulrich Beck, Amartya Sen. Esses autores serão utilizados no empreendimento desse trabalho, que visa um refinamento das ferramentas utilizadas pelos estudos de impacto ambiental. Refinamento que é alcançado pelo pesquisador através da análise da racionalidade dos indivíduos que vivem nos reassentamentos. A compreensão é direcionada sobre as alterações e os impactos socioambientais que eles sentiram e que convivem, dez anos após o reassentamento. Alguns aspectos da racionalidade foram obtidos a partir de um questionário estruturado contendo perguntas fechadas e abertas. A parte fechada consistiu em uma descrição de questões estruturais e de fenômenos sociais que circundam o reassentado e sua comunidade. A parte aberta contou com questões que exigiam do entrevistado um exercício de rememoração do processo de reassentamento, através de sua situação social e econômica atual. Além disso, contou com uma atividade de projeção do que espera para seu futuro, frente suas expectativas de qualidade de vida. Constatou-se com essa pesquisa que a parte fechada, analisada descritivamente através do SPSS, e a parte aberta complementaram-se de modo a deixar claro alguns pontos de reflexão sobre o objeto. Utilizando a abordagem de Amartya Sen para realizar a clivagem analítica dos impactos socioambientais na qualidade de vida dos reassentados, foi possível compreender que os indivíduos analisados, de forma geral, não se encaixam na idealização de desenvolvimento humano de Amartya Sen. Sobretudo é possível compreender que outras formas de buscar o desenvolvimento, que não a econômica são pouco apontadas como saídas para seus problemas. A pesquisa assinala através do recorte epistemológico dado, o que é necessário fortalecer nos estudos de impacto ambiental, utilizando para isso, casos já existentes e análise dos problemas socioambientais, partindo do entendimento de quem o vive. A utilização deste saber local, juntamente com o resgate histórico das práticas sociais e econômicas no local de origem desses indivíduos são recursos mínimos para serem contemplados na formatação de medidas mitigadoras para indivíduos que vivem situações semelhantes.

Environmental Impact Assessment is one of internationally recognised tools providing environmental protection. Purpose of the assessment is to identify and comprehensively evaluate environmental impact of a project with participation of the public, professionals and administrative bodies, prior to the realisation of the project. Information gained through this process is then used as a basis for decision making in procedures granting development or other consents. The thesis aims to analyse in particular the Czech environmental impact assessment law with emphasis on its recent amendment and reasons of its implementation.

The subject of this dissertation is the process of the Environmental Impact Assessment in relation to the respective European legislation. The dissertation aims at providing a comprehensive analysis of the current Environmental Impact Assessment legislation, including its historical, international and European contexts. The dissertation proceeds in five chapters. Chapter One outlines the general characteristics of the Environmental Impact Assessment procedure and the principles that govern it. Chapter Two examines the development of the Environmental Impact Assessment process in international law, with emphasis on the Aarhus Convention. Chapter Three focuses on the anchoring of the procedure in European law. The core part, then, is Chapter Four, which delineates the separate phases of the Environmental Impact Assessment process as defined in Czech legislation. In the last chapter, the expected changes in the concept of the Environmental Impact Assessment are sketched.

Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) represent about 90% of global businesses. SMEs account, on the average, for about 50% of gross domestic product (GDP) of all countries and up to 60% of employment. In South Africa, SMEs account for about 91% of all formally registered business entities, contributing to about 57% of the GDP and providing about 60% of all formal employment. However, SMEs are said to contribute up to 70% of all industrial pollution globally. SMEs individually perceive little or no impact on the environment and may attempt to relieve themselves of environmental responsibility. Although, the environmental footprint of individual SMEs may be small, collectively they contribute substantially to environmental damage globally. Research on environmental activities of SMEs is rare and mostly neglected. This research attempts to close this gap by exploring the understanding, practices, barriers and motivation for environmental practices by SMEs in South Africa. This research was realised through semi-structured interviews of nine SMEs located in Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu Natal. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / pagibs2014 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / MBA / Unrestricted

The topic of this thesis is Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). This is a very significant cross-sectional and preventive environmental protection tool. Its purpose is to identify as soon as possible any probable averse environmental impacts of presented project proposals. The whole process is led by a competent state offices. Necessary expert participants of the procedure are so-called "authorized persons" supplying specific technical studies on which the impact assessment is made. Another important factor, public participation, helps to improve efficiency of the EIA process. The whole procedure results in so-called Statement, which should define necessary conditions for the implementation of the project in effort to minimize negative impacts. If the project proposal is unacceptable under any circumstances it can not be given a consent to implement it and the statement must reject it. Conclusions formulated in the Statement serve as a basis for administrative decisions on project approval. Given the considerable breadth of the thesis topic it is focused on several key tasks, namely to provide a comprehensive explanation of the legal development of the EIA process, to analyze its current legislation and mapping legal rules of public participation in the EIA process. The following section...

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MSc (Soil Science))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Plant Production and Soil Science / unrestricted