With the rapid and large increase of waste quantities, China, surpassed the USA as the world’s largest municipal solid waste (MSW) generator since 2004. The phenomena and critical issues of MSWM in China inspired this paper to investigate and analyse the MSWM in an urban area of China. Comparing with the increasing rates of MSW generation, little has been done concerning the municipal solid waste management (MSWM). Not only the local government and authorities are responsible for the MSWM, but also the individuals are playing a significant role in MSWM. An integrated waste management system should be built in order to improve the holistic MSW system and reduce the waste production. The aim of the study is to investigate and analyse the current status and problems of MSWM in an urban area of China and to analyse to what extent a viable reduction of the MSW can be implemented and management systems to be improved in the near future. In this study, two case studies of Shanghai and Linköping are employed and compared to explore the challenges and potentials for improving the MSWM system in China. The result indicated that inadequate facilities and infrastructure, less advanced technology, insufficient public participation, low awareness of environmental protection, problems in policy and laws are the major barriers for the improvement of MSWM. Involving international environmental cooperation activities, planning a sustainable and comprehensive policy and framework for MSWM, introducing economic incentive approaches, promoting the capacities of waste management technologies, raising public environmental awareness are believed to be viable solutions to improve the MSWM system in China.

On May 2011, the Environmental Protection Administration launched a policy to cut the use of disposable cups. This policy obliges non-alcoholic beverage stores to give customers incentives for bringing their own cups or recycling disposable cups. Because college students often buy take-out non-alcoholic beverage, this study aimed to explore how psychological variables might affect their intent to bringing their own cups. Results from this study may provide some suggestions for the policy above. This study started with a focus group interview with 31 college students. This interview gave me a preliminary understanding of students¡¦ intent to bring their own cups and the related psychological factors. I then combined the findings from this interview and literature review to design the framework and questionnaire for this study. Following Kotler and Lee¡¦s (2008) concept of social marketing, the questionnaire was mainly designed to assess five variables: policy incentive, benefit of bringing own cups, cost of bringing own cups, convenience in buying cups, and convenience in washing cups. A convenience sample of 197 students in National Sun Yat-sen University participated. The results suggest the higher the profit or the lower the cost for bringing own cups, the stronger will be students¡¦ intent to do so. However, the other three variables had no significant effect. In addition, the analysis showed female students were more intended to bring their own cups than male students did. Students from different departments also differed in their intent, but the differences were small. Based on these findings, several policy recommendations were proposed.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references.

För att uppnå en hållbar utveckling krävs en omställning från den linjära ekonomin med sin avfallsgenerering till en mer cirkulär sådan där resurser inte utarmas utan används i en takt där de hinner förnyas och återskapas. En konsekvens av den ohållbara resursförbrukningen är att avfallsmängderna i världen ökar vilket bidrar till den ohållbara utvecklingen och bör således undvikas. För att lösa detta problem kan man arbeta avfallsförebyggande, det vill säga minska avfallsmängderna och dess negativamiljöeffekter innan avfallet uppkommer. Enligt avfallshierarkin som anger en prioriteringsordning utifrån vad som är bäst sett ur ett miljöperspektiv ska avfall i första hand förebyggas, därefter återanvändas, återvinnas, energiutvinnas och om inget av ovanstående alternativ är möjliga, deponeras. Rapporten har som syfte att sammanställa incitament, hinder, avfallsförebyggande metoder och utvärderande mätmetoder kopplade till avfallsförebyggande åtgärder och är en förstudie till ett större projekt som genomförs av IVL Svenska Miljöinstitutet. För att uppnå syftet har en litteraturstudie gjorts för insamling av material. Utöver litteraturstudien har intervjuer som IVL genomfört med aktörer som redan påbörjat ett avfallsförebyggande arbete använts som material. De intervjuade aktörerna är Ikea, JM, Avfall Sverige, Kretslopp och vatten samt Uppsala kommun. Resultatet sammanställer fyra olika typer av incitament: institutionella, ekonomiska, uppsatta mål och övriga incitament. Identifierade hinder grupperas också in i fyra olika typer: mål- och intressekonflikter, ekonomiska hinder, organisatoriska hinder och informativa hinder. Mätmetoder som lyfts för att utvärdera avfallsförebyggande åtgärder är direkt kvantifiering, kostnadsanalys, användande av indikatorer samt resursproduktivitetsförhållanden. Avfallsförebyggande metoder inkluderar i denna rapport product-service system (PSS), återanvändning, ekodesign och beteendeförändringar. Olika aktörer som arbetar avfallsförebyggande lyfts i ett exempelkapitel. I analysen kopplas metoderna samman med de utvalda aktörernas avfallsförebyggande arbete. Direkt kvantifiering visade sig vara en vanligt förekommande mätmetod och en vanligt förekommande avfallsförebyggande metod är beteendeförändringar. Ekonomiska incitament lyfts som särskilt viktiga och behovet av uppskalning och spridning av det avfallsförebyggande arbetet bedöms vara ett viktigt hinder att överbrygga. / To reach a sustainable development there is a need to convert from the linear economy with its waste generation to a more circular economy where natural resources are not depleted but are consumed in a sustainable rate so that the resources are given time to be renewed. One of the consequences of the unsustainable consumption of natural resources is that the amounts of waste is increasing in the world which contributes to the unsustainable development and should therefore be avoided. A solution to this problem is to work with waste prevention, which means to reduce the amounts of waste and its negative environmental effects before the waste is generated. According to the waste hierarchy, which is an order of priority decided by what is best in an environmental point of view, waste should primary be prevented, thereafter it should be reused, recycled, used for energy recovery and, if none of the other options are possible, be disposed. The objective of this report is to compile incentives, obstacles, methods and measuring methods for waste prevention. The report is a pilot study/pre-study for a bigger project by the Swedish environment institution (IVL). To reach the aim material has been collected from a literature study. Besides the literature study, the report also uses material from interviews held by IVL. The interviewees are actors who have already started preventing their waste and these are Ikea, JM, Avfall Sverige, Kretslopp och vatten and Uppsala kommun. In the result the incentives have been divided into four parts: institutional incentives, economic incentives, goals and other incentives. The obstacles are also divided into four parts: conflicts of interests and aims, economic obstacles, organisatory obstacles and informative obstacles. The measuring methods found in the material are direct quantification, cost analysis, indicators and resource productivity ratios. Waste prevention methods in this report includes PSS, reuse, ecodesign and behavioural changes. Also, some examples of actors who are preventing waste are presented. In the analysis the methods are connected to the chosen actors’ waste prevention. The most common method to prevent waste is, according to the result of the report, behavioural changes. The most common method for measuring waste prevention in the result is direct quantification. Economic incentives seem to be of significant importance and the need of spreading and upscaling of waste prevention is an important obstacle to tackle.

published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management

Hong Kong is a densely populated area located in the south-eastern coast of China. The volume of food waste generated surges with the substantial economic and population growth. In Hong Kong, there are currently 3,584 tonnes of food waste produced daily which are mainly disposed at landfills. The existing landfills, however, are expected to be full in the coming 5 years. The food waste problem is therefore urgent and significant. As a response, the Policy Address 2014 puts forward a package of waste management measures and calls for the implementation of “reduction first” approach. This study reviews the past efforts of food waste management and looks specifically at source reduction. Consumerism promotes the progressive purchasing of food products without the consideration of the adverse environmental impacts. The consumer behaviors driven by consumerist lifestyles boosted the food waste quantity. The meanings and relationships of food waste, source reduction, sustainable waste management, consumerism and consumer behaviors are therefore analyzed to illustrate the sustainable food waste management. The principles affecting consumer behavior, household behavior and C&I sector behavior on both supply and demand sides are especially studied to understand the situation. Making reference to overseas experience and a best practice framework, this research study focuses on the attitudes, difficulties and decision making of the Hong Kong residents, foodservice suppliers, the Government and NGOs on food waste issues. Literature review, questionnaire survey, in-depth interviews and site visits were conducted to understand consumer behavior. A collection of government policies and other stakeholders’ initiatives was reviewed and analyzed. These include: A food waste & yard waste plan for Hong Kong, Food Wise Hong Kong Campaign, volume-based waste charging scheme, voluntary garbage sorting, OWTF infrastructure, Green lunch charter and Community Green Stations. The green groups have organized food waste reduction programs, food donation activities and light banquet campaigns to promote right-size food purchase and sustainable lifestyles in Hong Kong. Food waste-to-energy approach is more preferred than composting and animal feed production in Hong Kong. Other relevant measures learned from Taiwan can be the environmental awards, food waste recycling industry, financial funding and university researches. The study found that there are insufficient environmental policies and laws, inadequate financial incentives and low level of environmental CSR to promote food waste reduction. Limited collaboration among stakeholders, weak environmental education in the formal curriculum and consumerist lifestyles are also the reasons of the food waste problem. The study concludes that the food waste source reduction is achievable. The Government should improve the existing environmental policies and laws to promote sustainable lifestyles. A combination of measures should be implemented. Waste charging, Food Wise Hong Kong Campaign, food donation, social mobilization, OWTF infrastructure, environmental education and publicity, community green stations and right-size food purchase should work together to solve the problem. / published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 60-67).

Noise emission is a major drawback of the positive displacement machine. The noise source can be divided into structure borne noise source (SBNS) and fluid borne noise source (FBNS). Passive techniques such as valve plate optimization have been used for noise reduction of axial piston machines. However, passive techniques are only effective for limited operating conditions or at least need compromises in design. In this paper, active vibration control of swash plate is investigated for vibration and noise reduction over a wide range of operating conditions as an additional method to passive noise reduction techniques. A 75cc pump has been modified for implementation of active vibration control using the swash plate. One tri-axial acceleration sensor and one angle sensor are installed on the swash plate and a high speed servovalve is used for the swash plate actuation. The multi-frequency two-weight least mean square (LMS) filter synthesizes the servovalve input signal to generate a destructive interference force which minimizes the swash plate vibration. An experimental test setup has been realized using Labview field-programmable gate array (FPGA) via cRIO. Simulation and experimental studies are conducted to investigate the possibility of active vibration control.

A hierarquia do gerenciamento de resíduos sólidos apresenta-se como a melhor opção global em termos ambientais ao prever práticas de redução na fonte e processos de recuperação material e energética anteriores à disposição final. Suas diretrizes foram incorporadas pela Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos, redefinindo responsabilidades e estratégias em gerenciamento de resíduos sólidos. Aplicada aos resíduos sólidos urbanos (RSU), a hierarquia envolve, além do aspecto ambiental, a análise de viabilidade econômica, aspectos sociais, aspectos de saúde pública, a análise de viabilidade técnica e a motivação política, tornando contextual a tomada de decisão para implementação de estratégias nesse sentido. Dessa forma, esta pesquisa teve como objetivo avaliar a preferência de especialistas por cenários orientados à hierarquia do gerenciamento de RSU em São Carlos/SP utilizando a Metodologia Multicritério de Apoio à Decisão. Inicialmente, foram identificadas, através da revisão da literatura, ações e/ou métodos de tratamento de RSU voltados à hierarquia do gerenciamento de RSU. Posteriormente, foram identificados os critérios de decisão por meio da construção de mapas cognitivos com 6 atores de reconhecida experiência em gerenciamento de RSU no contexto do município. Os mapas cognitivos também restringiram as alternativas de decisão àquelas passíveis de serem empregadas pelo poder público municipal. Com base na avaliação dos mapas, foram selecionados 10 critérios de decisão e construídos 11 cenários (ações potenciais) contemplando as alternativas, compondo o modelo multicritério de apoio à decisão. Os critérios de decisão englobaram aspectos econômicos, ambientais, de saúde pública e sociais. Os cenários foram construídos considerando estratégias de recuperação material (compostagem e reciclagem), recuperação energética (biogás e incineração) e redução na fonte (cobrança de taxas, consumo consciente e incentivo à reutilização). Para avaliação da importância dos critérios utilizou-se a metodologia Delphi, associada ao Analytic Hierarchy Process, envolvendo 18 especialistas que também avaliaram o desempenho dos cenários segundo os objetivos de cada critério. Dentre os critérios, obtiveram as maiores importâncias relativas aqueles relacionados à saúde pública e à recuperação material, sendo os de mais baixa importância relativa os critérios de recuperação energética e de geração de créditos de carbono. O julgamento do modelo multicritério pelos especialistas subsidiou a aplicação dos Métodos Multicritério de Apoio à Decisão Compromise Programming, Cooperative Game Theory, ELECTRE II e PROMETHEE II, disponíveis para apoio à decisão no software MCDA-FEC (UNICAMP). Seus resultados mostraram que os cenários preferidos foram aqueles que conjugaram estratégias de recuperação material e energética, sendo menos preferidos aqueles que previram apenas a incineração, com ou sem recuperação energética. / Waste management hierarchy presents the best global option in environmental terms as it foresees ways of source reduction, material and energy recovery processes, and establishes the final disposition as the last desired option. Its policies were incorporated by the \"Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos\", conditioning resolutions for solid waste management strategies in Brazil. Besides the environmental aspect, applied to municipal solid wastes hierarchy involves evaluation of costs, social impacts, public health criteria, analysis of technical viability and political motivation, contextualizing the decision-maker related to the implementation of strategies in this direction. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate specialists preference for scenarios that were oriented to MSW management hierarchy in Sao Carlos/SP using the Multicriteria Decision Aid methodology. Strategies and/or MSW treatment methods associated with hierarchy\'s policies were initially identified through literature revision. Afterwards, decision criteria were identified through the construction of cognitive maps with 6 experienced people of accepted importance for the MSW management in the city\'s context. Cognitive maps also restricted decision alternatives to those susceptible of being taken by public law in the county. Ten decision criteria were selected and eleven scenarios were constructed based on the alternatives, composing the decision support model for multi-criteria analysis. Decision criteria included economical, environmental, public health and social aspects. Scenarios were composed of material recovery strategies (composting and recycling), energy recovery (biogas and incineration) and source reduction (fee collection, environmental education and reuse incentive). For criteria importance evaluation, Delphi methodology (associated to Analytic Hierarchy Process) was used involving 18 specialists that also evaluated scenarios performance according to each criterion objective. Regarding the criteria, those related to public health and material recovery obtained the highest relative importance, and the lowest relative importance were obtained by criteria of energy recovery and generation of carbon credits. The information obtained by specialists model evaluation supported the application of Multicriteria Decision Aid methods Compromise Programming, Cooperative Game Theory, ELECTRE II and PROMETHEE II, available for decision support in MCDA-FEC software. Its results show that the most preferable scenarios are those conjugate material and energy recovery strategies, and those that use the incineration process are less preferable, with or without energy recovery system.

Submitted by infopei ufba (infopei@ufba.br) on 2016-09-30T14:56:36Z No. of bitstreams: 1 dis_gardenia_o_d_de_azevedo.pdf: 1013545 bytes, checksum: 82f19fc8799e3ed10e5a2c222567863f (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Escola Politécnica Biblioteca (biengproc@ufba.br) on 2017-03-20T15:49:38Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 dis_gardenia_o_d_de_azevedo.pdf: 1013545 bytes, checksum: 82f19fc8799e3ed10e5a2c222567863f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-03-20T15:49:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dis_gardenia_o_d_de_azevedo.pdf: 1013545 bytes, checksum: 82f19fc8799e3ed10e5a2c222567863f (MD5) / CONDER, PUC/PR, CAPES, PROCAD, COMEC, LIMPURB, / Esta dissertação busca alternativas para a gestão dos resíduos sólidos urbanos da cidade do Salvador, objetivando a redução da geração de resíduos na unidade habitacional à luz de uma visão de sustentabilidade ambiental. Para tanto, foi investigado o conceito sobre prevenção da poluição e a hierarquia de técnicas para a redução dos resíduos, buscando sua aplicabilidade para a minimização dos resíduos sólidos urbanos. Foram também analisadas algumas experiências internacionais e feita uma avaliação mais detalhada da experiência de Curitiba, considerada pioneira na reciclagem de resíduos urbanos, comparando-a, então, com a gestão no município do Salvador. A partir desses estudos, sugerem-se medidas possíveis para Salvador, esboçando-se modelos de fluxo para os resíduos domiciliares e procedimentos para atuação junto à população, no sentido de sensibilizá-la para a redução da geração de resíduos. Verifica-se, com base nesse modelo, que existe possibilidade de reduzir o resíduo domiciliar de forma significativa e de melhorar a gestão do sistema de resíduos sólidos urbanos da cidade, contribuindo para a redução de impactos ambientais, provocados pelo intenso consumo de matéria-prima, geração de resíduos e disposição inadequada, bem como ampliar a vida útil do aterro sanitário em operação, com ganhos econômicos, sociais e ambientais para a população. / This research seeks for alternatives to the urban solid waste management of Salvador/Brazil, aiming the reduction of waste generation from residential units in an environmental sustainability perspective. The concept on pollution prevention was investigated, as well as the hierarchy of techniques used to reduce pollution, searching for its applicability on municipal solid waste minimization. Some international experiences were also analyzed; and a detailed assessment on Curitiba´s (pioneer on urban waste recycling in Brazil) experience was done, and compared with Salvador´s system. Based on these studies, suggestions of possible measures for Salvador were made, drafting models for household waste streams and for procedures to increase community awareness about waste generation reduction. Results confirmed the possibility of reduction of household waste in a significant way and of improvement of urban solid waste management in the city. This contributes with the reduction of environmental impacts, caused by waste generation and inadequate disposal, the growth of the useful life of landfill, with economics, social and environmental benefits, as well the extraction of raw materials from nature.