Bioremediation is a rapidly advancing field and the technology has been applied successfully to remediate many contaminated sites. The goal of every soil remediation method is to enhance the degradation, transformation, or detoxification of pollutants and to protect, maintain and sustain environmental quality.

Advances in our understanding of the ecology of microbial communities capable of breaking down various pollutants and the molecular and biochemical mechanisms by which biodegradation occurs have helped us in developing practical soil bioremediation strategies. Chapters dealing with the application of biological methods to soil remediation are contributed from experts authorities in the area of environmental science including microbiology and molecular biology from academic institutions and industry."

Focusing on the crucial sustainability challenge of reducing food loss at the level of consumer society, this volume provides an in-depth, research-based overview of this multifaceted problem. It considers the myriad environmental, economic, social, and ethical factors associated with the enormous amount of food waste, which also end up wasting water, air, electricity, and fuel, which are necessary for food processing. This book uniquely examines the social and cultural views of food waste management, shedding new light on the topic by emphasizing the consumer/household perspective throughout. Drawing on a wide variety of disciplines, the book presents philosophical reflections, practical examples and case studies, and potential solutions to the problem of increasing food waste.

- Offers a comprehensive survey of the new field of waste studies, critically interrogating the cultural, social, economic and political systems within which waste is created, managed and circulated. - Explores the research questions, methods and case studies preoccupying academics working in this field, in an attempt to develop a set of criteria by which to define and understand waste studies as an interdisciplinary field of study

Advanced Materials and Technologies for Wastewater Treatment discusses the methods and technologies of physical, chemical, biological, and thermo-catalytic treatment techniques. It includes the treatment of waste generated by municipal, agro-industry, and other industries including chemical, biomedical, pharmaceutical, textile, and other sectors. FEATURES Covers implementation of advanced water and wastewater treatment techniques, with a focus on pollutant or pathogen removal Includes qualitative and quantitative analyses Focuses on physical, chemical, and biological treatment technologies Discusses the advancements of materials and technologies applicable to both potable water and wastewater from industrial and municipal sources Explores future challenges and viable solutions This book is aimed at chemical and environmental engineers and researchers seeking a thorough treatment of innovative water treatment materials and techniques for practical applications.

Wastes: Solutions, Treatments and Opportunities III contains selected papers presented at the 5th edition of the International Conference Wastes: Solutions, Treatments and Opportunities, that took place on 3-6 September 2019, in Costa da Caparica, Portugal. The Wastes conference, which takes place biennially, is a prime forum for sharing innovation, technological development and sustainable solutions for the waste management and recycling sectors around the world, counting with the participation of experts from academia and industry. The papers included in this book cover a wide range of topics, including: Wastes as construction materials; Wastes as fuels; Waste treatment technologies; MSW management; Recycling of wastes and materials recovery; Environmental, economic and social aspects in waste management; Life cycle assessment; Circular economy and wastes refineries; Logistics, policies, regulatory constraints and markets in waste management.

Field Practices for Wastewater Use in Agriculture discusses the growing importance of wastewater application in the field of agriculture. Addressing the tremendous need for the irrigation sector to reduce the demand for freshwater in agriculture, this volume looks at wastewater as a source for agricultural irrigation. The volume is divided into four sections: current and emerging issues in wastewater use in agriculture, wastewater management with biological systems, effective field practices for wastewater use, and case studies that provide information on scientific analytical studies on the environment under the influence of wastewater quality from different pollution sources. This book sheds light on the vast potential of wastewater use in agricultural irrigation while also considering safety of the agricultural products for human consumption. Much emphasis has also been given to technological aspects for the treatment of wastewater to protect our environment for better public health protection.

ADRIANO DE MAIO IReR President This publication originated from the workshop on "Control and risk prevention of dangerous materials and crisis management" that took place in Sofia, Bulgaria, in March 2009. The basic idea is that international scientific cooperation can effectively contribute to security, stability and solidarity among nations, through increased collaboration, networking and capacity-building and supporting democratic growth and economic development in Partner Countries. We are all facing new needs and threats, deriving from a world changing constantly its social, political and economic dimension and, for this reason, the international dialogue through civil science represents a way forward to comm- ment to global common issues. In fact, the Lombardy Regional Institute for Research has developed some international activities aiming at establishing networks of scientists and experts in defined areas and subjects. Through one of these activities, the Institute entered in touch with the Science for Peace and Security Programme. In this framework, we decided to share the experience of Lombardy Region on transportation of dangerous materials (half of their total transport in Italy): research and studies in civil area conducted in Lombardy Region are considered the most innovative in Europe for the results obtained. Comparison with diverse international experiences is a great opportunity of implementing present results and applying them to different applications (from civil to anti-terrorism) and extending them to countries other than Italy.

Enough plastic is thrown away every year to circle the world 4 times More than 8 million tonnes of plastic enter the oceans each year 300 million tonnes of new plastic is produced every year An estimated 15-51 trillion pieces of plastic now litter the world's oceans 38.5 million plastic bottles are used every day in the UK A million plastic bottles are used per minute around the world 500 million plastic straws are used per year Without big action, at the current rate, pieces of plastic will outnumber fish in the ocean by 2050. That is the legacy we are leaving our children and grandchildren. Plastic flows into our lives from every direction and most of it is not recycled. Instead it is incinerated or ends up in landfill, where it will sit for hundreds of years, or enters the world's seas where it fragments into tiny pieces to become microplastics - the environmental scourge of our times. Many of us had assumed that governments, brands and waste authorities were dealing with plastic on our behalf. But the impact of shows such as Blue Planet along with national beach cleans and high-profile campaigns have resulted in a collective wake-up call. If there were plans and strategies, they have not worked as we imagined. It would be easy to feel despondent but instead we need to turn our anger and emotion into action, starting by making a big dent in our own enormous consumption. Turning the tide on Plastic is here just in time. Journalist, broadcaster and eco lifestyle expert Lucy Siegle provides a powerful call to arms to end the plastic pandemic along with the tools we need to make decisive change. It is a clear-eyed, authoritative and accessible guide to help us to take decisive and effective personal action. Because this matters. When it comes to single-use plastics, we are habitual users, reaching out for plastic water bottles, disposable coffee cups, plastic straws and carrier bags multiple times a day. If only 12 of us adopt Lucy's 'reduce, rethink, refill, refuse' approach, we could potentially ditch 3K-15K single items of plastic in a year. When we consider our power as influencers - whether at school, the hairdressers, at work or on the bus - we suddenly become part of something significant. So now is the time to speak up, take action and demand the change you want to see in the ocean, in the supermarket aisles and on the streets. It's time to turn the tide on plastic, and this book will show you how.

This edited volume deals with the attempts made by the scientists and practitioners to address contemporary issues in geoenvironmental engineering such as characterization of dredged sediments, geomaterials and waste, valorization of waste, sustainability in waste management and some other geoenvironmental issues that are becoming quite relevant in today's world especially in view of the high urbanization rates, advancement in technologies, and changes in consumption behavior of people. In this regard, wastes generated through the daily activities of individuals and organizations pose many challenges in their management. The volume is based on the best contributions to the 2nd GeoMEast International Congress and Exhibition on Sustainable Civil Infrastructures, Egypt 2018 - The official international congress of the Soil-Structure Interaction Group in Egypt (SSIGE).

This book provides an essential overview of ecotechnologies (also known as green infrastructure or nature-based solutions) which are considered to be relatively resilient to variations in stormwater and wastewater inflow. In particular, it focuses on various types of constructed wetlands, biofilters and ponds. Stormwater flows are inherently variable, due to rainfall events and fluctuations in loading. This variability has significant effects on the performance of treatment systems, but has rarely been specifically addressed in design manuals, performance assessments or modelling. The book's respective chapters cover the main contaminant categories of interest (nutrients, faecal microbes, metals and emerging contaminants) and their removal processes using ecotechnologies, addressing urban, industrial and agricultural applications. In addition, they review modelling tools with the potential to improve our understanding of flow variability and the ability to simulate and predict responses to it.

Radioactive waste (above all highly radioactive wastes from nuclear installations) caused by research, medicine and technology must be disposed of safely. However both the strategies disputed for the disposal of radioactive waste as well as concrete proposals for choosing a location for final waste disposal are highly debatable.
An appropriate disposal must conform to both complex, technical requirements and fulfill the radio-biological conditions to appropriately protect man and nature. Ethical, legal and social conditions must also be considered. An interdisciplinary team from various, relevant fields compiled the current status-quo and developed criteria and strategies, which on the one hand meet the requirements of optimal warning and prevention of risk for present and future generations, and additionally on the other hand meet the needs of what current society agrees what is expected to be allowed.
This study can be understood as an advanced and continuing contribution to the corresponding scientific specialized debates, due to its interdisciplinary treatment. At the same time it serves as a fundamentally informing contribution to public and political debates, offering an easily comprehensible executive summary and precise content recommendations.

This book analyzes the status quo concerning waste generation and management systems in Thailand and other developing countries with similar problems. It addresses municipal, electronic, industrial and hazardous wastes, as well as management instruments, and key factors shaping the progress of waste management as a whole. The book highlights lessons learnt from various successful efforts to overcome these problems in Thailand, and offers recommendations for promoting sustainable waste management systems in Thailand and other countries with similar backgrounds in the future. These include the introduction of a polluter-pay concept, incentive systems for recycling and reusing, and promoting environmental education and awareness in key sectors.

This book presents recent advances in the field of geomaterial and waste management. With high urbanization rates, advancement in technologies, and changes in consumer behavior, wastes generated through the daily activities of individuals and organizations pose many challenges in terms of their management. The studies presented in this book highlight attempts on the part of researchers and practitioners to address contemporary issues in geoenvironmental engineering such as the characterization of dredged sediments, geomaterials and waste, valorization of waste, sustainability in waste management, and various other geoenvironmental issues that are becoming increasingly relevant in today's world. The studies were selected from papers presented at the 5th GeoChina International Conference, Civil Infrastructures Confronting Severe Weathers and Climate Changes: From Failure to Sustainability, held in Hangzhou, China on July 23-25, 2018.

2 In China, there are more than 2,759 lakes with surface area greater than 1km , and 2 the total lake area is 91,019km . One-third of these lakes are freshwater lakes, and the majority are situated in the middle and lower reaches of the Changjiang River or in eastern China’s coastal areas. These lakes function as drinking water supplies, ood control systems, aquaculture and tourism resources, navigation channels, etc. Recently, many shallow lakes in China have been subject to rapid eutrophication and suffer from algal blooms. This issue has resulted in a shortage of drinking water and in degradation of their ecosystems. The control of eutrophication of shallow lakes is one of the main issues with which the local people and Chinese governments are concerned today. Lake Taihu is the third largest freshwater lake in China, with an area of about 2 2338km and a mean depth of 1. 9m, a typical shallow lake located in the delta of Changjiang River, the most industrialized and urbanized area in China. Its main function is supplying drinking water for the surrounding cities, such as Wuxi, Suzhou, and Shanghai, but tourism, aquaculture, sheries, and navigation are imp- tant as well. However, with economic development and increased population in the lake basin, Lake Taihu has suffered increasingly from serious eutrophication. The environmental issue of Lake Taihu is now a very common one, as most lakes from eastern China are confronted with it.

Stability of underground excavations is of great importance to an operating mine because it ensures the safety of the working people and operating equipment, and successful ore production. Due to the complex geological conditions and mine constructions, and variability and uncertainty in estimating rock mass mechanical properties, the assessment of rock mass stability for an underground mine is extremely challenging and difficult. Tackling of this difficult problem is not covered in detail in any of the textbooks currently available in the rock mechanics literature. This monograph aims to cover this gap in the rock mechanics and rock engineering field. This monograph provides detailed procedures for the stability assessment and support design for an underground mine case study. It covers the background of the mine site including the monitored deformation data, the state-of-art methodologies for the stability analysis of rock masses around underground excavations, performed laboratory tests, estimation of the rock mass properties, a brief theory and background of the 3-D Distinct Element Code (3DEC), and numerical modeling of underground rock mass stability including investigation of the effectiveness of rock supports. The monograph is an excellent reference for the senior undergraduates, graduate students, researchers and practitioners who work in the Underground Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering area in the Mining Engineering, Civil Geotechnical Engineering and DEM (Distinct Element Method) Numerical modeling.

Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology attempts to provide concise, critical reviews of timely advances, philosophy and significant areas of accomplished or needed endeavor in the total field of xenobiotics, in any segment of the environment, as well as toxicological implications.

The population of cities around the world is growing at an alarming rate, and as a result the landscapes of most cities are going through enormous changes. In particular, fertile agricultural lands at the periphery of cities are being developed without consideration of holistic planning. As such, peri-urban areas, zones of transition from rural to urban land uses located between the outer limits of the urban and the rural environment are experiencing significant losses of agricultural land, increased runoff, and water quality degradation. Concurrently, the demands for water, food and energy are increasing within cities, and unless a balance is struck the liveability of these cities will soon be compromised. The current water and land use changes have serious consequences on lifestyle, environment, health and overall well-being of urban communities. This book therefore helps readers to understand the current issues and challenges and examines suitable strategies and practices to cope with current and future pressures of urbanisation and peri-urban land-use changes. The book examines a number of critical aspects in relation to the future of cities and peri-urban regions, including the suitability of policies and institutions to sustain cities into the future; impact of current trends in land use change, population increase and water demand; long term planning needs and approaches to ensure the secured future for generations ahead; and strategies to adapt the cities and land uses so that they remain viable and liveable. The readership of the book will include policy makers, urban planners, researchers, post-graduate students in urban planning and environmental and water resources management and managers in municipal councils.

By the end of the 1970s, contaminated sites had emerged as one of the most complex and urgent environmental issues affecting industrialized countries. The authors show that small and prosperous Switzerland is no exception to the pervasive problem of sites contamination, the legacy of past practices in waste management having left some 38,000 contaminated sites throughout the country. This book outlines the problem, offering evidence that open and polycentric environmental decision-making that includes civil society actors is valuable. They propose an understanding of environmental management of contaminated sites as a political process in which institutions frame interactions between strategic actors pursuing sometimes conflicting interests. In the opening chapter, the authors describe the influences of politics and the power relationships between actors involved in decision-making in contaminated sites management, which they term a "wicked problem." Chapter Two offers a theoretical framework for understanding institutions and the environmental management of contaminated sites. The next five chapters present a detailed case study on environmental management and contaminated sites in Switzerland, focused on the Bonfol Chemical Landfill. The study and analysis covers the establishment of the landfill under the first generation of environmental regulations, its closure and early remediation efforts, and the gambling on the remediation objectives, methods and funding in the first decade of the 21st Century. The concluding chapter discusses the question of whether the strength of environmental regulations, and the type of interactions between public, private, and civil society actors can explain the environmental choices in contaminated sites management. Drawing lessons from research, the authors debate the value of institutional flexibility for dealing with environmental issues such as contaminated sites.

This book presents novel techniques to evaluate electrodialysis processes, to synthesize ionic membranes and to characterize their properties. It shows the potential use of membrane process to the treatment of effluents generated in many industrial sectors such as refineries, leather industries, mining and electroplating processes. The book is based on the results obtained by the author's research group during the past decade. It is useful for students, researchers and engineers interested in membrane technologies for water reuse.

Global society in the 21st century is facing challenges of improving the quality of air, water, soil and the environment and maintaining the ecological balance. Environmental pollution, thus, has become a major global concern. The modern growth of industrialization, urbanization, modern agricultural development and energy generation has resulted in the indiscriminate exploitation of natural resources for fulfilling human desires and needs, which has contributed in disturbing the ecological balance on which the quality of our environment depends. Human beings, in the truest sense, are the product of their environment. The man-environment relationship indicates that pollution and deterioration of the environment have a social origin. The modern technological advancements in chemical processes/operations have generated new products, resulting in new pollutants in such abundant levels that they are above the self-cleaning capacity of the environment. One of the major issues in recent times is the threat tohuman lives due to the progressive deterioration of the environment from various sources. The impact of the pollutants on the environment will be significant when the accumulated pollutants load will exceed the carrying capacity of the receiving environment. Sustainable development envisages the use of natural resources, such as forests, land, water and fisheries, in a sustainable manner without causing changes in our natural world. The Rio de Janeiro-Earth Summit, held in Brazil in 1992, focused on sustainable development to encourage respect and concern for the use of natural resources in a sustainable manner for the protection of the environment. This book will be beneficial as a source of educational material to post-graduate research scholars, teachers and industrial personnel for maintaining the balance in the use of natural sources for sustainable development.

This volume provides a comprehensive method for optimizing solid waste management practices and procedures at college and university campuses through the use of cluster analysis to combine Life Cycle Assessment and Analytical Hierarchy Process. Author Pezhman Taherei uses Malaysia's University of Malaya as a case study and model, and through this method was able to assess which combination of waste disposal, management, and recycling techniques generate the least environmental impact while retaining the maximum cost savings for the university. A method for analysis of solid waste composition is also proposed. Higher education institutes generate thousands of tons of solid waste per year. Comprehensive solid waste management programs, which take integrated solid waste management systems into consideration, are one of the greatest challenges to achieving campus sustainability. This system can serve as a guide and blueprint for other universities that are taking steps toward sustainability through improved solid waste management.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has become the recognized instrument to assess the ecological burdens and human health impacts connected with the complete life cycle (creation, use, end-of-life) of products, processes and activities, enabling the assessor to model the entire system from which products are derived or in which processes and activities operate. This volume introduces the major new book series LCA Compendium - The Complete World of Life Cycle Assessment. In this volume, the main drivers in the development of LCA are explored. The volume also discusses strengths and limitations in LCA as well as challenges and gaps, thus offering an unbiased picture of the state-of-the-art and future of LCA.

This book provides an overview of state-of-the-art technologies for energy conversion from waste, as well as a much-needed guide to new and advanced strategies to increase Waste-to-Energy (WTE) plant efficiency. Beginning with an overview of municipal solid waste production and disposal, basic concepts related to Waste-To-Energy conversion processes are described, highlighting the most relevant aspects impacting the thermodynamic efficiency of WTE power plants. The pervasive influences of main steam cycle parameters and plant configurations on WTE efficiency are detailed and quantified. Advanced hybrid technology applications, particularly the Hybrid Combined Cycle concept, are examined in detail, including an illuminating compare-and-contrast study of two basic types of hybrid dual-fuel combined cycle arrangements: steam/water side integrated HCC and windbox repowering.