Is the French model giving way to a new 'Logic of Appropriateness'? Lessons from urban waste management

Processes of European integration and growing consumer scrutiny of public services have served to place the spotlight on the traditional French model of public/private interaction in the urban services domain. This article discusses recent debates within France of the institutionalised approach to local public/private partnership, and presents case study evidence from three urban agglomerations of a possible divergence from this approach. Drawing on the work of French academic, Dominique Lorrain, whose historical institutionalist accounts of the French model are perhaps the most comprehensive and best known, the article develops two hypotheses of institutional change, one from the historical institutionalist perspective of institutional stability and persistence, and the other from an explicitly sociological perspective, which emphasises the legitimating benefits of following appropriate rules of conduct. It argues that further studying the French model as an institution offers valuable empirical insight into processes of institutional change and persistence. © 2004 Taylor & Francis Ltd.

Supply market uncertainty:exploring consequences and responses within sustainability transitions

Often it is commercial, not technological, factors which hinder the adoption of potentially valuable innovations. In energy policy, much attention is given to analysing and incentivising consumer demand for renewable energy, but new technologies may also need new supply markets, to provide products and services to build, operate and maintain the innovative technology. This paper addresses the impact of supply constraints on the long-term viability of sustainability related innovations, using the case of bioenergy from organic waste. Uncertainties in the pricing and availability of feedstock (i.e. waste) may generate market deadlock and deter potential investors. We draw on prior research to conceptualise the problem, and identify what steps might be taken to address it. We propose a research agenda aimed at purchasing and supply scholars and centred on the need to understand better the interplay between market evolution and supply uncertainty and 'market shaping' - how stakeholders can legitimately influence supply market evolution - to support the adoption of sustainability related innovation.

Xylose from lignocellulosic waste in the production and industrial processing of pinneaple (Ananascomusus)

Lignocellulosicwaste from the pineapple production is a raw material useful for the xylose production by hydrolysis and it can be converted to xylitol. The objective of this work was to study the hydrolysis of pineapple peel with sulfuric acid at variable concentration (2-6%), reaction time (0-350 min) and temperature at 98 ˚C. The concentration of xylose, glucose and degradation products as acetic acid and furfural was determined. Optimal conditions found for hydrolysis were 6% H2SO4 at 98 ˚C for 83 min which yield was 26,9 g xylose/L, 2,61 g glucose/L, 7,71 g acetic acid/L and 0,29 g furfural/L.

WRITING A COMMUNITY GUIDEBOOK FOR EVALUATING LOW-GRADE GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FROM FLOODED UNDERGROUND MINES FOR HEATING AND COOLING BUILDINGS

When underground mines close they often fill with water from ground and surface sources; each mine can contain millions to billions of gallons of water. This water, heated by the Earth’s geothermal energy, reaches temperatures ideal for heat pumps. The sheer scale of these flooded underground mines presents a unique opportunity for large scale geothermal heat pump setups which would not be as economically, socially, and environmentally feasible anywhere else. A literature search revealed approximately 30 instances of flooded underground mines being used to heat and cool buildings worldwide. With thousands of closed/abandoned underground mines in the U.S. and a million estimated globally, why hasn’t this opportunity been more widely adopted? This project has found perception and lack of knowledge about the feasibility to be key barriers. To address these issues, this project drafted a guidebook for former mining communities titled A Community Guide to Mine Water Geothermal Heating and Cooling.

A low frequency MEMS energy harvester scavenging energy from magnetic field surrounding an AC current-carrying wire

This paper reports on a low frequency piezoelectric energy harvester that scavenges energy from a wire carrying an AC current. The harvester is described, fabricated and characterized. The device consists of a silicon cantilever with integrated piezoelectric capacitor and proof-mass that incorporates a permanent magnet. When brought close to an AC current carrying wire, the magnet couples to the AC magnetic field from a wire, causing the cantilever to vibrate and generate power. The measured average power dissipated across an optimal resistive load was 1.5 μW. This was obtained by exciting the device into mechanical resonance using the electro-magnetic field from the 2 A source current. The measurements also reveal that the device has a nonlinear response that is due to a spring hardening mechanism.

Assessing the risk of groundwater contamination from organic substances in sewage sludge.

In this work, the risk of groundwater contamination from organic substances in sewage sludge from wastewater treatment stations was evaluated in its worst case. The sewage sludge was applied as fertilizer in corn culture, prioritizing the substances for monitoring. The assessing risk took place in a Typic Distrophic Red Latossol (TDRL) area, in the county district of Jaguariúna, SP. The simulators CMLS-94 and WGEN were used to evaluate the risk of twenty-eight organic substances in sewage sludge to leach to groundwater. The risk of groundwater contamination was accomplished for a single sludge dose application in a thousand independent and equally probable years, simulated to esteem the substances leaching in one year after the application date of the sludge. It is presented the substances that should be priorly monitored in groundwater.

Estudo da biodegradação de corantes azóicos por inóculo proveniente de biodigestor anaeróbio de alimentos

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Análisis de la degradación, desintegración y biodegradabilidad de bolsas de poliéster y almidón en compostaje de residuos urbanos: escalas de laboratorio e industrial

El principal objetivo de esta tesis es verificar que las bolsas biodegradables de copoliéster (PBAT) con base de almidón (UNE 13432: 2001) alcanzan los niveles de degradación y desintegración requeridos para su certificación (%D= ≥ 90%), medido en condiciones reales de compostaje industrial. Para lograr mayor representatividad, los ensayos se han realizado en dos plantas de tratamiento de residuos urbanos en las que se aplican las técnicas de compostaje más comunes en el ámbito europeo y nacional, pila y túnel, mediante el compostaje de la FORSU. Se llevaron a cabo dos tipos de ensayos. Por un lado se realizó un ensayo escala de laboratorio (ISO 14855), orientado como indicador de la biodegradabilidad del polímero en el formato bolsa comercializado. Por otro lado, se desarrollaron una batería de ensayos realizados en dos plantas de compostaje de residuos urbanos: el Centro de Tratamiento de Residuos de Torija (Ávila), que realiza el compostaje mediante pila volteada, y el Centro de Tratamiento de Residuos de Arenas de San Pedro (Ávila), que realiza el compostaje en túnel. Para la obtención de resultados se han contrastado parámetros como el porcentaje de biodegradación (%B), el porcentaje de desintegración (%D), degradación superficial de las muestras, calidad de la FORSU inicial (caracterizaciones y análisis físico-químico) y calidad del MB final (análisis físico-químico e IG). Atendiendo al objetivo general se demuestra que las bolsas de copoliéster con base de almidón certificadas (UNE EN 13432:2001) han alcanzado el 94,37% ± 0,007% de desintegración en la planta de compostaje de FORSU con pila volteada; y el 86,36% ± 0,151% en la planta de compostaje de FORSU con túnel estático. A pesar de la aparente diferencia, el resultado del análisis concluye que no existen diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre técnicas de compostaje. La presencia de impropios y el contendido de metales pesados en la FORSU no han influido en la desintegración de las bolsas de estudio. En cambio, se ha detectado una influencia estadísticamente significativa entre el contenido de materia orgánica total y de nutrientes de la FORSU y el porcentaje de desintegración de las muestras. No se detectado una relación estadísticamente significativa entre la presencia de bolsas de estudio en las concentraciones definidas, y la calidad del MB, medido mediante el análisis físico-químico, microbiológico y el IG del MB. La concentración de los metales pesados en la mayoría de las muestras de material bioestabilizado cumplió con los límites establecidos para la categoría A, aplicable al “compost” procedente de la fracción orgánica recogida de forma separada según el RD 506/2013 de productos fertilizantes. También se detectó fitotoxicidad alta (FA) según la metodología y criterios de valoración definidos. Esta fitotoxicidad no está relacionada con la presencia de las bolsas de estudio sino con la calidad de la FORSU de partida y/o con los productos liberados durante el proceso de compostaje. ABSTRACT The main objective of this thesis is to verify that the copolyester (PBAT) starch based (UNE 13432: 2001) biodegradable bags reach levels of degradation and disintegration required for it´s certification (% D = ≥ 90%), measured in terms of real industrial composting. The tests were performed at two municipal solid waste (MSW) treatment plants, where the most common composting techniques applied at European and national level were represented, windrow and tunnel. Two types of tests were carried out: First, a laboratory scale test (ISO 14855), as an indicator of the polymer biodegradation of the commercialized bag format. Second, a battery of tests was conducted at two MSW composting plants, Waste Treatment Center of Torija (Guadalajara), that makes compost by turned pile, and the Waste Treatment Center of Arenas de San Pedro (Ávila), where makes compost by static tunnel. To obtain the results, the parameters such as the biodegradation percentage (% B), the disintegration percentage (% D), surface degradation of the samples, the initial quality of FORSU (characterizations and physico-chemical analysis) and bioestabilithated material (MB) quality (physico-chemical analysis and IG) have been compared. In reference to the general aim It shows that the copolyester starch based certified (UNE-EN 13432) bags have reached 94.37% ± 0.007% of disintegration in the composting turned pile; and 86.36% ± 0.151% in the static tunnel. Despite the apparent difference, the result of the analysis concludes that there are no statistically significant differences between composting techniques. The presence of non-compostable materials and the heavy metals content in the FORSU has not affected in the disintegration of the bags. Instead, It has been detected a statistically significant influence over the total organic matter content and nutrient content in the FORSU and the samples disintegration percentage. A statistically significant relationship between the bag presence in the defined concentrations and the quality of MB measured by physical-chemical analysis, microbiological analysis and IG of the MB is not detected. The concentration of heavy metals in most MB samples was within the limits of A-Class, applicable to "compost" from organic waste collected separately according to RD 506/2013 of fertilizers. High phytotoxicity (FA) was also detected according to the methodology and evaluation defined. The phytotoxicity is not related to the presence of bags but it is with the FORSU initial quality and/or with the products released during the composting process.

Planning and decision-making for energy recovery from waste at the sub-regional level

This research project has developed a novel decision support system using Geographical Information Systems and Multi Criteria Decision Analysis and used it to develop and evaluate energy-from-waste policy options. The system was validated by applying it to the UK administrative areas of Cornwall and Warwickshire. Different strategies have been defined by the size and number of the facilities, as well as the technology chosen. Using sensitivity on the results from the decision support system, it was found that key decision criteria included those affected by cost, energy efficiency, transport impacts and air/dioxin emissions. The conclusions of this work are that distributed small-scale energy-from-waste facilities score most highly overall and that scale is more important than technology design in determining overall policy impact. This project makes its primary contribution to energy-from-waste planning by its development of a Decision Support System that can be used to assist waste disposal authorities to identify preferred energy-from-waste options that have been tailored specifically to the socio-geographic characteristics of their jurisdictional areas. The project also highlights the potential of energy-from-waste policies that are seldom given enough attention to in the UK, namely those of a smaller-scale and distributed nature that often have technology designed specifically to cater for this market.

Energy conversion assessment of vacuum, slow and fast pyrolysis processes for low and high ash paper waste sludge

The performance of vacuum, slow and fast pyrolysis processes to transfer energy from the paper waste sludge (PWS) to liquid and solid products was compared. Paper waste sludges with low and high ash content (8.5 and 46.7 wt.%) were converted under optimised conditions for temperature and pellet size to maximise both product yields and energy content. Comparison of the gross energy conversions, as a combination of the bio-oil/tarry phase and char (ECsum), revealed that the fast pyrolysis performance was between 18.5% and 20.1% higher for the low ash PWS, and 18.4% and 36.5% higher for high ash PWS, when compared to the slow and vacuum pyrolysis processes respectively. For both PWSs, this finding was mainly attributed to higher production of condensable organic compounds and lower water yields during FP. The low ash PWS chars, fast pyrolysis bio-oils and vacuum pyrolysis tarry phase products had high calorific values (∼18-23 MJ kg-1) making them promising for energy applications. Considering the low calorific values of the chars from alternative pyrolysis processes (∼4-7 MJ kg-1), the high ash PWS should rather be converted to fast pyrolysis bio-oil to maximise the recovery of usable energy products.