The purpose of my thesis is primarily to describe the system of the waste management instruments and their role in the environmental protection and to analyse if the system is working well and is able to reach the outlined binding goals in the future. Due to the planned legislative changes the attention is paid to the individual sources of law. Although I focused more on the national law, I did not forget to mention the international and European law either. In the partial conclusions and in the finale of the thesis itself I summarize and generalize acquired knowledge and try to indicate some of the weak spots in the waste legislation.

The bioreactor landfill is an emerging concept for solid waste management that has gained significant attention in the last decade. This technology employs specific operational practices to enhance the microbial decomposition processes in landfills. However, the unsupervised management and lack of operational guidelines for the bioreactor landfill, specifically leachate manipulation and recirculation processes, usually results in less than optimal system performance. Therefore, these limitations have led to the development of SMART (Sensor-based Monitoring and Remote-control Technology), an expert control system that utilizes real-time monitoring of key system parameters in the management of bioreactor landfills. SMART replaces conventional open-loop control with a feedback control system that aids the human operator in making decisions and managing complex control issues. The target from this control system is to provide optimum conditions for the biodegradation of the refuse, and also, to enhance the performance of the bioreactor in terms of biogas generation. SMART includes multiple cascading logic controllers and mathematical calculations through which the quantity and quality of the recirculated solution are determined. The expert system computes the required quantities of leachate, buffer, supplemental water, and nutritional amendments in order to provide the bioreactor landfill microbial consortia with their optimum growth requirements. Soft computational methods, particularly fuzzy logic, were incorporated in the logic controllers of SMART so as to accommodate the uncertainty, complexity, and nonlinearity of the bioreactor landfill processes. Fuzzy logic was used to solve complex operational issues in the control program of SMART including: (1) identify the current operational phase of the bioreactor landfill based on quantifiable parameters of the leachate generated and biogas produced, (2) evaluate the toxicological status of the leachate based on certain parameters that directly contribute to or indirectly indicates bacterial inhibition, and (3) predict biogas generation rates based on the operational phase, leachate recirculation, and sludge addition. The later fuzzy logic model was upgraded to a hybrid model that employed the learning algorithm of artificial neural networks to optimize the model parameters. SMART was applied to a pilot-scale bioreactor landfill prototype that incorporated the hardware components (sensors, communication devices, and control elements) and the software components (user interface and control program) of the system. During a one-year monitoring period, the feasibility and effectiveness of the SMART system were evaluated in terms of multiple leachate, biogas, and waste parameters. In addition, leachate heating was evaluated as a potential temperature control tool in bioreactor landfills. The pilot-scale implementation of SMART demonstrated the applicability of the system. SMART led to a significant improvement in the overall performance of the BL in terms of methane production and leachate stabilization. Temperature control via recirculation of heated leachate achieved high degradation rates of organic matter and improved the methanogenic activity.

In this diploma thesis is being explored the possibility of using tradable permits in waste management as an efficient tool for motivating and guiding market participants. Waste in the world each year is increasing and burdensome for the economy in terms of the cost of disposal or storage, and for the environment in terms of expanding the number of landfills. The European Union has set mandatory guidelines through a specific quantitative value of natural resources in the field of waste management, which Member States are obliged to respect. These include a minimum percentage return and recycling of packaging materials, or the maximum amount of biodegradable waste that can be stored in landfills. The Directive also set the exact dates of compliance with those commitments. The goal of the diploma thesis is to critically analyze existing knowledge and experience in using tools of tradable permits. On the economic analysis follows the discussion options for wider application of this instrument in the regulation of waste management.

The Master Thesis outlines planning and valuation of solid waste incinerator with energy recovery. The focus of due diligence, made before valuation, is on the assessment of the input data in regard to current and future market situation. The beginning of the thesis explains the valuation process with methods used later on. The two subsequent parts describe respectively current market situation and define data for valuation process made in Excel sheet attached. Before concluding the outcomes are compared with other possibilities with changes in financing structure.

The work reported involves the evaluation of technologies and management systems applied to Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). The study focuses on Mexico City, which with a population of approximately 9 million inhabitants and an estimated daily generation of 13,000 tonnes of waste, is encountering extreme waste management issues. The structures and public policies designed to provide waste management services have proved inadequate in relation to high rates of population growth and intensive business activities. The significant increase in demand has led the government of Mexico City to base public services on rudimentary techniques using obsolete equipment. The research approaches the problem through the analysis of several different aspects: (1) a comprehensive literature review of waste management including technologies and legal frameworks; (2) a general overview of the main demographic, geographic and economic aspects of Mexico City; (3) an extensive analysis of historic and future waste generation profiles and composition of waste in Mexico City; (4) an evaluation of the current status of the waste management system, including programmes, plans, facilities and infrastructure; and (5) a comparative study of the waste management system of Mexico City and the systems of selected international cities. The evaluation resulted in the identification of the following significant issues: (1) limitations in legislation related to waste management and environmental laws; (2) high population growth and increasing business activity, which contribute escalating generation of MSW; (3) ineffective public policies focused on waste management; (4) significant gaps in low levels of recycling activities; (5) obsolescence of equipment, infrastructure and facilities; (6) lack of diversification in treatment methods for MSW; and (7) failure to exploit market opportunities in the waste management sector. In addition to the evaluation of the system in Mexico City, the analysis of waste management systems in selected international cities allowed the author to identify key factors in order to develop integrated proposals. The analysis highlighted significant aspects including: legal frameworks, the participation of the private sector, waste hierarchy, and guiding principles for plans and programmes. The information enabled the design of a proposed development plan of a comprehensive waste management system in Mexico City through two main proposals. Firstly, an integrated programme for waste management in Mexico City was developed to provide feasible long-term strategies in the field of waste management. The specific objectives, goals, actions, responsibilities and time scales were defined in order to provide concrete activities under specific fields of operation. Secondly, a project to obtain funding for technology transfer structured according to technical, market and economic studies, was elaborated. The guide is aimed to exemplify an investment project through the analysis of a feasibility study related to generation of energy from biogas in a controlled landfill in Mexico City. The process may be adapted to the acquisition of technology in different sectors of the waste management process.

The University of Manchester Greg BlackThesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of EngineeringIrradiated Graphite Waste: Analysis and Modelling of Radionuclide Production with a View to Long Term Disposal23rd June 2014The UK has predominantly used graphite moderator reactor designs in both its research and civil nuclear programmes. This material will become activated during operation and, once all reactors are shutdown, will represent a waste legacy of 96,000 tonnes [1]. The safe and effective management of this material will require a full understanding of the final radiological inventory. The activity is known to arise from impurities present in the graphite at start of life as well as from contamination products transported from other components in the reactor circuit. The process is further complicated by radiolytic oxidation which leads to considerable weightloss of the graphite components. A comprehensive modelling methodology has been developed and validated to estimate the activity of the principle radionuclides of concern, 3H, 14C, 36Cl and 60Co. This methodology involves the simulation of neutron flux using the reactor physics code WIMS, and radiation transport code MCBEND. Activation calculations have been performed using the neutron activation software FISPACT. The final methodology developed allows full consideration of all processes which may contribute to the final radiological inventory of the material. The final activity and production pathway of each radionuclide has been researched in depth, as well as operational parameters such as the effect of changes in flux, fuel burnup, graphite weightloss and irradiation time. Methods to experimentally determine the activity, and distribution of key radionuclides within irradiated graphite samples have been developed in this research using a combination of both gamma spectroscopy and autoradiography. This work has been externally validated and provides confidence in the accuracy of the final modelling predictions. This work has been undertaken as part of the EU FP7 EURATOM Project: CARBOWASTE, and was funded by the Office for Nuclear Regulation.

The aim of this thesis is to suggest the right solution for the current situation of a disposal dump located close to the town of Lány in Middle Bohemia. There are two possible solutions how to continue with the project, either leaving the current state of the disposal dump or building an integrated centre for mechanical -- biological treatment of the waste. Taking into account economical calculations and other factors like time factor, investment amount, expected year profit, payback period, changes in european legislation and others, I have deciced to suggest one more solution. In my opinion the most efficient way for solving the situation is using financial support from Operational Programme Environment in a field Waste Management Improvement and buy composting and sorting line .

A new approach towards waste management in a mining environment is developed and applied. This dissertation specifically studies the storage and management of tailings in the platinum industry as well as the associated environmental impacts. The product is an alteration of conventional tailings storage methodologies, to a sustainable design strategy in order to minimise environmental impact and optimise social and natural conditions. Factors influencing Tailings Disposal Facility design is: geo-technical stability, public safety, economic considerations, visual impact, water, soil and air pollution, local social context and end land use goals. Each are discussed from an environmental and social impact point of view in order to arrive at a sustainable landform (Tailings Disposal Facility) design. / Dissertation (ML (Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Architecture / unrestricted

Magister Artium - MA / Solid waste management in South Africa has been focussing on the technical issues of waste disposal with little attention paid to the social and economic aspects of households. It is important to find out the impact of the attitude and perception of households on solid waste management, especially in low-income areas to be able to deal with the deplorabe domestic solid waste management in such areas. The quantity of solid waste generated in low-income areas is often assumed to be less than the solid waste generated in high-income neighbourhoods. In most of the townships of low-income households in Cape Town, the residents live next to mountains of solid waste which is not the case in middle and high income areas. This clearly has a negative effect on the environment and human health. Tafelsig is one of the low-income Cape Flats townships where the open spaces and green areas are dumping areas. The small yard that people own is often unclean. The aim of the study was to examine how households residing in the low-income neighbourhood (Tafelsig, Mitchell's Plain) view domestic solid waste and its management. The study explored the perceptions, attitudes and behaviour of these households towards the production and management of sold waste. Issues relating to the degradation of their environment and to solid waste mismanagement were also examined. / South Africa

The industry of sugar cane improvement represents a traditional sector and fundamental to Brazil’s economy, agribusiness is dedicated primarily to produce sugar and alcohol. In Sergipe, the improvement of sugar cane is one of the main economic activities, and production is concentrated in six sugar cane plants located in the state. It is known that during alcohol production and sugar, these industries also generate wastes which are of great economic importance, such as bagasse and vinasse. However these residues when they are destined improperly can cause environmental damage, so it is necessary to adopt waste management in order to meet the aspirations of sustainable development. This theme is of great importance once the issues relating to the reuse of waste occupy now a significant portion of investments by economic sectors, including sugar cane plants. In addition it includes to economic factors, social, cultural, political and environmental aspects. Based on the paper presents theoretical reference, a literature that demonstrates the importance of the sugar cane agro-industrial sector in the context of sustainable development, and address the Environmental Management System ISO 14001 and the main waste generated by the agroindustrial activity. The results showed that sergipanas sugar cane plants have not adopted yet the policy of managing its waste, aiming at sustainability. Therefore, the management plan developed in this work will be important to this industry segment in Sergipe perfect their waste management practices, contributing to environmental preservation. / A indústria de beneficiamento de cana-de-açúcar representa um setor tradicional e fundamental para a economia do Brasil, esta agroindústria dedica-se, prioritariamente, a produção de açúcar e álcool. Em Sergipe, o beneficiamento da cana-de-açúcar é uma das principais atividades econômicas, sendo que a produção está concentrada em seis usinas localizadas no Estado. Sabe-se que durante a produção de álcool e açúcar, essas indústrias também geram resíduos que são de grande importância econômica, a exemplo do bagaço e da vinhaça. Entretanto estes resíduos quando descartados, de maneira inadequada, podem causar prejuízos ambientais, por isso é preciso adotar a gestão dos resíduos com o objetivo de atender os anseios do desenvolvimento sustentável. Este tema é de grande relevância uma vez que as questões relativas ao reaproveitamento de resíduos ocupam hoje uma significativa parcela dos investimentos dos setores econômicos, inclusive das usinas de cana, bem como, engloba, além dos fatores econômicos, aspectos sociais, culturais, políticos e ambientais. Nesse contexto, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo principal a elaboração de um plano de gestão ambiental para a agroindústria canavieira em Sergipe, considerando as exigências da legislação ambiental e os aspectos do desenvolvimento sustentável. Com base no levantamento bibliográfico que demonstra a importância do setor agroindustrial canavieiro no contexto do desenvolvimento sustentável, além de tratar do Sistema de Gestão Ambiental ISO 14001 e dos principais resíduos gerados por essa atividade agroindustrial, foi possível detectar que as usinas sergipanas ainda não adotam a política da gestão dos seus resíduos, visando à sustentabilidade. Logo, neste trabalho foi proposto um plano de gestão que, quando implantado no segmento industrial em Sergipe em estudo, possibilitará o aperfeiçoamento das práticas de manejo dos resíduos, contribuindo com a preservação ambiental e consequentemente a implantação do desenvolvimento sustentável.