| 1. |
- Axelsson, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Policy SEA: lessons from development co-operation
- 2012
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Ingår i: Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1461-5517 .- 1471-5465. ; 30:2, s. 124-129
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This professional practice report reflects upon lessons learned from piloting and evaluating an innovative approach to policy strategic environmental assessment (SEA) in developing countries. The primary analytical focuses of the approach are institutions and governance characteristics, plus it places strong emphasis on learning. The piloting provides valuable insights about the conduct of SEA at the policy level and in socio-political where there is limited experience with SEA. From our observations we reflect upon the importance of appropriate ownership of an SEA; the practical implications of working in contested political environments; the challenges in using SEA as a tool to promote good governance; and the centrality of a long-term perspective to environmental and social mainstreaming.
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| 2. |
- Carney Almroth, Bethanie, 1974, et al.
(författare)
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Circular economy could expose children to hazardous phthalates and chlorinated paraffins via old toys and childcare articles
- 2022
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Ingår i: Journal of Hazardous Materials. - : Elsevier BV. - 0304-3894 .- 2772-4166. ; 7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The European waste framework directive encourages reuse, refurbishment and recycling of products and materials in order to reduce plastic waste. However, thousands of chemicals are used in plastic materials. Many of these are potentially toxic, and may cause hormonal and developmental disruption in children. This includes phthalates and short chain chlorinated paraffins, which are used as plasticizers and flame-retardants. European legal frameworks regulate the amounts of these substances in toys in an effort to protect children's health and safety. Currently, limits are set to 0.1% for phthalates and 0.15% for SCCPs. Here, we have investigated levels of these compounds in toys and childcare products that were purchased prior to and after legislation on stricter exposure levels was implemented (total of 157 items, 54 and 103 new and old, respectively). We found that a larger portion of older toys and items (83.5%) contained amounts that exceed legal limits, compared to newer toys and items (29.6%). Concentrations of DEHP, BBP, DIDP, and SCCPs were significantly higher in old items, and both DEHP and DINP were found at concentrations exceeding 400,000 mg/kg in several old balls, which is approximately 40% of the weight of the toy, and 400 times above the legal limit. These findings indicate that old toys have the potential to pose a greater risk to children, and that regulations can be useful tools to protect children from exposure to toxic chemicals. We also stress that the waste framework directive, which urges reuse and repurposing of objects such as second hand items used for dress-up play, can lead to continued exposure via chemicals in older items. We conclude that movement towards circular economy threatens to expose children from legacy compounds already restricted on the market if efforts are not made to remove these items from circulation.
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| 3. |
- Coria, Jessica, 1979, et al.
(författare)
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What drives the substitution of hazardous flame retardants in electronic appliances in Sweden?
- 2023
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Ingår i: Cleaner Waste Systems. - 2772-9125. ; 6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Chemical substitution can mitigate risks from chemical substances for individuals and the environment. This study investigates the preferences of companies regarding the adoption of safer alternatives to hazardous flame retardants in electronic appliances in Sweden. Through a choice experiment, we assess the relative importance of four key factors determining firms’ preferences for chemical substitution: health and environmental hazards, the likelihood of chemical regulations, product pricing, and the presence of a label indicating the use of safer alternatives. Our findings indicate that the avoidance of health and environmental hazards is the primary motivator for firms to pursue chemical substitution. Our study also shows that companies are hesitant to accept tax policies that may result in price increases for their products. However, we propose that this reluctance could be mitigated through the implementation of a label that informs consumers about the utilization of less hazardous chemicals in the products. Such a label would not only serve as a means of product differentiation but also discourage consumers from opting for cheaper alternatives offered by competitors.
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| 4. |
- Groh, Ksenia J, et al.
(författare)
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Overview of known plastic packaging-associated chemicals and their hazards.
- 2019
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Ingår i: Science of the Total Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 0048-9697. ; 651:Pt 2, s. 3253-3268
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Global plastics production has reached 380 million metric tons in 2015, with around 40% used for packaging. Plastic packaging is diverse and made of multiple polymers and numerous additives, along with other components, such as adhesives or coatings. Further, packaging can contain residues from substances used during manufacturing, such as solvents, along with non-intentionally added substances (NIAS), such as impurities, oligomers, or degradation products. To characterize risks from chemicals potentially released during manufacturing, use, disposal, and/or recycling of packaging, comprehensive information on all chemicals involved is needed. Here, we present a database of Chemicals associated with Plastic Packaging (CPPdb), which includes chemicals used during manufacturing and/or present in final packaging articles. The CPPdb lists 906 chemicals likely associated with plastic packaging and 3377 substances that are possibly associated. Of the 906 chemicals likely associated with plastic packaging, 63 rank highest for human health hazards and 68 for environmental hazards according to the harmonized hazard classifications assigned by the European Chemicals Agency within the Classification, Labeling and Packaging (CLP) regulation implementing the United Nations' Globally Harmonized System (GHS). Further, 7 of the 906 substances are classified in the European Union as persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT), or very persistent, very bioaccumulative (vPvB), and 15 as endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC). Thirty-four of the 906 chemicals are also recognized as EDC or potential EDC in the recent EDC report by the United Nations Environment Programme. The identified hazardous chemicals are used in plastics as monomers, intermediates, solvents, surfactants, plasticizers, stabilizers, biocides, flame retardants, accelerators, and colorants, among other functions. Our work was challenged by a lack of transparency and incompleteness of publicly available information on both the use and toxicity of numerous substances. The most hazardous chemicals identified here should be assessed in detail as potential candidates for substitution.
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| 5. |
- Harring, Niklas, 1979, et al.
(författare)
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Public acceptability of policy instruments for reducing fossil fuel consumption in East Africa
- 2024
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Ingår i: Climate Policy. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1469-3062 .- 1752-7457.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In recent decades, there has been increasing research interest in individuals’ support of and resistance to climate and environmental policy instruments. However, there is an empirical bias in the literature, as few studies have been conducted in low-income countries. Based on a survey with 4,766 respondents we identify the level of public acceptability for climate policy instruments and their determinants in East Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda). While our sample is not fully representative of the East-African population, we capture highly educated individuals in urban areas, who are likely to have a large influence on policy processes. In line with previous studies in other contexts, we find that higher education and climate change concern are linked to the acceptability of policies aimed at reducing fossil fuel consumption. Specifying how the revenue from a climate tax or subsidy removal would be used, almost doubled the support for these policy instruments. In contrast to earlier studies, we find that investments in social programmes, not environmental programmes, was the revenue specification that increased the acceptability the most. One possible explanation would be that in a context where poverty is more prevalent, social issues are more salient to people. We also find weak associations between trust in government and the acceptability of climate policy instruments in East Africa and large heterogeneity across the five focal East African countries. Besides establishing an empirical foundation for future research on climate policy support in East Africa, the study provides essential policy insights: Investing in education and improved information, contributing to increased awareness and understanding of climate concerns, can potentially increase support for climate policy proposals also in the East African context. Earmarking revenues from climate policy instruments for social programmes may also significantly boost support. However, as our study is not fully representative of the population in the five countries and relies on stated preferences, which may be subject to different biases, the results should be interpreted with caution.
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| 6. |
- Jepsen, M. T., et al.
(författare)
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Protective practices against tick bites in Denmark, Norway and Sweden: a questionnaire-based study
- 2019
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Ingår i: BMC Public Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2458. ; 19:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Tick-borne infections are of emerging and increasing concern in the Scandinavian countries Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Only few studies have investigated protective practices against tick bites in the general population. The aim of this multi-country study was to assess the use of protective practices and the perception of the efficacy of them. Methods We surveyed the extent of using protective practices against tick bites, using the same questionnaire in three local languages. In addition, we surveyed perceptions of how good a protection the different practices provide. Altogether 783 individuals from Denmark, 789 from Norway and 1096 from Sweden participated in the study by completing an extensive online questionnaire in October 2016. Results Altogether 1011 respondents (37.9%) reported using at least three different protective practices either often or always when in areas where there are ticks, while 522 (19.6%) reported using none. Female gender was among the factors identified as positively associated with using several of the specific practices often or always when in areas where there are ticks. The gender-difference in extent of using protective practices against tick bites was particularly pronounced in Sweden. Based on a multivariable logistic regression model, being female, being from Sweden, and having experienced one or more tick bites were positively associated with using at least three different protective practices against tick bites either often or always when in areas where there are ticks (odds ratios 1.90, 1.87 and 1.88, respectively). Conclusions The results of our study, especially the observed differences by country and by gender, can be useful in targeting future information to the public. In particular, our results suggest that men across all ages should be considered a specific target group for this information.
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| 7. |
- Jore, S., et al.
(författare)
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Spatial tick bite exposure and associated risk factors in Scandinavia
- 2020
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Ingår i: Infection Ecology and Epidemiology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 2000-8686. ; 10:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Tick-borne diseases are emerging and re-emerging threats causing public health concerns in Europe and North America. Prevention and control requires understanding of human exposure and behaviour. The aim was to measure exposure to tick bites across Scandinavia, its spatial distribution and the associated risk factors. Methods We sent a web-based survey to a randomly chosen population and analysed answers by Principal Component Analysis and Chi-Square. Individual responses were aggregated at the municipality level to assess the spatial distribution of bites. Results Nearly 60% of adults reported bites at low levels (1-5 bites); however, the majority were not in their resident municipality. We found two spatial profiles: In their home municipalities, people were most often bitten in less, but not the least, urbanized areas. When visiting other municipalities, people were most frequently bitten in peri-urban areas. Running/walking in the forest, gardening, and paddling/rowing were activities most strongly associated with bites. Conclusion Tick bites affect the entire Scandinavian population, with a higher risk in Sweden compared to Denmark and Norway. The frequency of observation of ticks in the environment or on pets might be used as a proxy for the actual risk of exposure to tick bites.Our results indicates that urban-dwelling outdoor enthusiasts and inhabitants of rural areas must be equally targeted for prevention campaigns. © 2020, © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
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| 8. |
- Knaggård, Åsa, et al.
(författare)
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Researchers’ approaches to stakeholders: Interaction or transfer of knowledge?
- 2019
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Ingår i: Environmental Science and Policy. - : Elsevier BV. - 1462-9011 .- 1873-6416. ; 97, s. 25-35
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Stakeholder interaction is important for enabling environmental research to support the societal transition to sustainability. We argue that it is crucial to take researchers’ approaches to and perceptions of stakeholder interaction into account, to enable more clarity in discussions about interaction, as well as more systematic interaction approaches. Through a survey and focus group interviews with environmental researchers at three Swedish universities, we investigate the effects of two models of stakeholder interaction, as well as high and low levels within each. The ‘transfer model’ implies that interaction is understood as communication and should be separated from research. The ‘interaction model’ implies that interaction happens throughout the research process. Our study shows some significant differences between researchers in the two models, but also between high and low levels of stakeholder interaction regardless of model. The result indicates that the transfer model needs to be considered in studies and practice of stakeholder interaction, but also that the low levels of the interaction model consists of a number of different types of approaches. The major difference between the two models was about how large researchers understood the benefits and risks with stakeholder interaction to be. Transfer researchers saw interaction as a threat to the integrity of research, whereas interaction researchers saw it as enabling research. © 2019 The Authors
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| 9. |
- Slunge, Daniel, 1968, et al.
(författare)
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Burden of Tick-Borne Encephalitis, Sweden
- 2022
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Ingår i: Emerging Infectious Diseases. - : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). - 1080-6040 .- 1080-6059. ; 28:2, s. 314-322
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In recent decades, the incidence of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in Sweden has increased. To calculate the burden of disease over a 17-year period, we analyzed data from the Swedish National Health Data Register for TBE cases diagnosed during 1998-2014. We compared healthcare use and sick leave associated with 2,429 persons with TBE with a referent cohort of 7,287 persons without TBE. Patients with TBE were hospitalized for signifi cantly more days during the fi rst year after disease onset (11.5 vs. 1.1 days), logged more specialist outpatient visits (3.6 vs. 1.2 visits), and logged more sick leave days (66 vs. 10.7 days). These diff erences generally increased over time. The case-fatality rate for TBE was 1.1%. Our calculated cost of TBE to society provides a baseline for decisions on immunization programs. Analyzing register data, our study adds to clinical studies of smaller cohorts and model-based studies that calculate disease burden.
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| 10. |
- Slunge, Daniel, 1968, et al.
(författare)
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Challenges to institutionalizing strategic environmental assessment: The case of Vietnam
- 2014
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Ingår i: Environmental impact assessment review. - : Elsevier BV. - 0195-9255. ; 48, s. 53-61
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Building on new institutional theory, this paper develops an analytical framework for analyzing constraints to the institutionalization of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) at four different institutional levels. The framework is tested in an empirical analysis of the environmental assessment system in Vietnam, which is a frontrunner among developing countries regarding the introduction and use of SEA. Building on interviews with Vietnamese and international experts, as well as an extensive literature review, we identify institutional constraints which challenge the effective use of SEA in Vietnam. We conclude that commonly identified constraints, such as inadequate training, technical guidelines, baseline data and financial resources, are strongly linked to constraints at higher institutional levels, such as incentives to not share information between ministries and severe restrictions on access to information and public participation. Without a thorough understanding of these institutional constraints, there is a risk that attempts to improve the use of SEA are misdirected. Thus, a careful institutional analysis should guide efforts to introduce and improve the use of SEA in Vietnam and other developing countries. The analytical framework for analyzing constraints to institutionalization of SEA presented in this paper represents a systematic effort in this direction.
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