| 1. |
- Diamond, Miriam, et al.
(författare)
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Exploring the planetary boundary for chemical pollution
- 2015
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Ingår i: Environment International. - : Elsevier BV. - 0160-4120 .- 1873-6750. ; 78, s. 8-15
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Rockström et al. (2009a, 2009b) have warned that humanity must reduce anthropogenic impacts defined by nine planetary boundaries if “unacceptable global change” is to be avoided. Chemical pollution was identified as one of those boundaries for which continued impacts could erode the resilience of ecosystems and humanity. The central concept of the planetary boundary (or boundaries) for chemical pollution (PBCP or PBCPs) is that the Earth has a finite assimilative capacity for chemical pollution, which includes persistent, as well as readily degradable chemicals released at local to regional scales, which in aggregate threaten ecosystem and human viability. The PBCP allows humanity to explicitly address the increasingly global aspects of chemical pollution throughout a chemical's life cycle and the need for a global response of internationally coordinated control measures. We submit that sufficient evidence shows stresses on ecosystem and human health at local to global scales, suggesting that conditions are transgressing the safe operating space delimited by a PBCP. As such, current local to global pollution control measures are insufficient. However, while the PBCP is an important conceptual step forward, at this point single or multiple PBCPs are challenging to operationalize due to the extremely large number of commercial chemicals or mixtures of chemicals that cause myriad adverse effects to innumerable species and ecosystems, and the complex linkages between emissions, environmental concentrations, exposures and adverse effects. As well, the normative nature of a PBCP presents challenges of negotiating pollution limits amongst societal groups with differing viewpoints. Thus, a combination of approaches is recommended as follows: develop indicators of chemical pollution, for both control and response variables, that will aid in quantifying a PBCP(s) and gauging progress towards reducing chemical pollution; develop new technologies and technical and social approaches to mitigate global chemical pollution that emphasize a preventative approach; coordinate pollution control and sustainability efforts; and facilitate implementation of multiple (and potentially decentralized) control efforts involving scientists, civil society, government, non-governmental organizations and international bodies.
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| 2. |
- Cederberg, Christel, 1959, et al.
(författare)
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Including Carbon Emissions from Deforestation in the Carbon Footprint of Brazilian Beef
- 2011
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Ingår i: Environmental Science and Technology. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0013-936X .- 1520-5851. ; 45:5, s. 1773-1779
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Effects of land use changes are starting to be included in estimates of life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, so-called carbon footprints (CFs), from food production. Their omission can lead to serious underestimates, particularly for meat. Here we estimate emissions from the conversion of forest to pasture in the Legal Amazon Region (LAR) of Brazil and present a model to distribute the emissions from deforestation over products and time subsequent to the land use change. Expansion of cattle ranching for beef production is a major cause of deforestation in the LAR. The carbon footprint of beef produced on newly deforested land is estimated at more than 700 kg CO2-equivalents per kg carcass weight if direct land use emissions are annualized over 20 years. This is orders of magnitude larger than the figure for beef production on established pasture on non-deforested land. While Brazilian beef exports have originated mainly from areas outside the LAR, i.e. from regions not subject to recent deforestation, we argue that increased production for export has been the key driver of the pasture expansion and deforestation in the LAR during the past decade and this should be reflected in the carbon footprint attributed to beef exports. We conclude that carbon footprint standards must include the more extended effects of land use changes to avoid giving misleading information to policy makers, retailers, and consumers.
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| 3. |
- Hallström, Elinor, et al.
(författare)
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Dietary environmental impacts relative to planetary boundaries for six environmental indicators – A population-based study
- 2022
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Ingår i: Journal of Cleaner Production. - : Elsevier Ltd. - 0959-6526 .- 1879-1786. ; 373
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The environmental impact of Swedish diets was assessed for six indicators (greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions, cropland use, nitrogen application, phosphorus application, consumptive water use and extinction rate), using self-reported food intake within two population-based cohorts of men and women, 56–96 years of age. The dietary environmental impact was assessed in relation to per capita planetary boundaries, overall and by population subgroups, addressing the relative importance of specific foods and food groups. The total average dietary impact exceeded the planetary boundaries by 1.6 to 4-fold for five of the six environmental indicators; consumptive water use did not exceed the boundaries. Comparing the highest with lowest quintiles of the population impact showed >2.5-fold differences across all environmental indicators. Of the diet's total average environmental impact, animal-based, plant-based and discretionary foods accounted for 28–83%, 8–40% and 9–37%, respectively, across the six indicators. Animal-based foods dominated the impact on GHG emissions, cropland use and nitrogen and phosphorus application, while plant-based and discretionary foods contributed more to consumptive water use and extinction rate. Environmental impact was driven predominantly by consumption of red meat, dairy, fresh fruit and coffee. The findings show major challenges in affluent countries that have to be addressed to achieving sustainable food production systems and diets. They provide guidance on critical food groups, environmental indicators and population subgroups to prioritize in future efforts to reduce the environmental impact. © 2022 The Authors
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| 4. |
- Kalyanasundaram, Madhanraj, et al.
(författare)
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Composition analysis (pick analysis) of waste generated from household: A pilot study in Ujjain city, India
- 2023
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Ingår i: Heliyon. - 2405-8440. ; 9:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Waste segregation is an essential function in improving waste management. Waste segregation not only facilitates recycling and reduces waste going to landfills, rather it can benefit our environment and human in various ways. A pick analysis of waste composition is used to characterize the household waste stream and thus can analyze the segregation rate among the residents. In addition, it can measure the actual waste sorting behaviour at the household/community level. The objective of the study was to assess feasibility of a large-scale waste composition study, identify methodological and operational challenges, and estimate the resources needed to conduct the main waste composition study in order to obtain and get indicative figures about waste generation, composition, and miss-sorted proportions. The study team went door-to-door to collect waste in colour coded bags. We also collected the socio-demographic data of the households. The collected waste was weighed and segregated to analyze the waste composition. The analysis was done among 45 households, and it was found that the per capita waste generation per day is 0.25 kg (0.24 kg from slum and 0.27 kg from non-slum). Challenges identified in conducting waste composition study were lack of standard waste fraction classifications, difficulty in recruitment of personnel to conduct study due to social taboo around waste, challenge in co-coordinating with Ujjain Municipal Corporation waste collection vehicle for collection of waste. 53 household activities were completed in 5 and half hours with INR 24685 (USD 300.5). Pick analysis could be adopted by the Ujjain Municipal Corporation after cost effective analysis to generate precise estimate of waste generation, resource recovery, efficient resource allocation and will help in future interventions and informed policy decision making to improve segregation.
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| 5. |
- Bolinius, Damien Johann, et al.
(författare)
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Sorptive Capacities of Nonpolymeric Plant Lipids for Hydrophobic Chemicals Determined by Passive Dosing
- 2019
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Ingår i: Environmental Science and Technology. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0013-936X .- 1520-5851. ; 53:3, s. 1278-1286
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Vegetation plays an important role in the partitioning, transport, and fate of semivolatile hydrophobic organic chemicals (HOCs) in the environment. Leaf/air partition ratios (K-leaf/air) of HOCs are highly variable for different plant species. The differences cannot be fully explained by the fraction of lipids in the leaves or the thickness of the cuticle. Our goal was to elucidate the importance of non polymeric lipids in determining K-leaf/air To do this, we extracted organic matter from 7 plant species using solvents that do not extract the polymeric lipids cutin and cutan, to yield extractable organic matter (EOM). We used passive dosing to determine the partition ratios of selected HOCs between the EOM of the leaves and our reference lipid, olive oil (K-EOM/olive oil) In addition, we measured analogous partition ratios for three lipid standards. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was used to characterize the composition of lipids. Differences in K-EOM/olive oil of two polychlorinated biphenyls and four chlorinated benzenes were below a factor of 2 in the plant species studied, indicating that the reported differences in K-leaf/air are not caused by differences in the sorptive capacities of nonpolymeric lipids or that our EOM is not representative of all nonpolymeric leaf lipids.
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| 6. |
- Bälter, Katarina, et al.
(författare)
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Is a diet low in greenhouse gas emissions a nutritious diet? : - Analyses of self-selected diets in the LifeGene study
- 2017
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Ingår i: Archives of Public Health. - : BioMed Central Ltd.. - 0778-7367 .- 2049-3258. ; 75:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Climate change is an urgent global issue and the food sector is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE). Here we study if a diet low in GHGE could be a nutritious diet compared to the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR). Methods: The environmental impact of foods from Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) data was linked to a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) filled out by 5,364 participants in the Swedish LifeGene study. Thereafter, we calculated the daily emission of CO2 equivalents (CO2e) as well as the intake of selected nutrients associated with vegetables, fruits, meat and dairy products. The CO2e was divided into quartiles were quartile 1 corresponds to a diet generating the lowest CO2e, and quartile 4 corresponds to a diet with the highest CO2e. Results: The overall diet-related emission was 4.7kg CO2e/day and person, corresponding to 1.7 ton CO2e/year. In general, there were only small differences in nutrient intake between groups of varying levels of CO2e, regardless if the intake was analyzed as absolute intake, energy percent or as nutrient density. Moreover, adherence to NNR was high for the group with the lowest CO2e, except for saturated fat where the intake was higher than recommended for all CO2e groups. On the other hand, only the group with the lowest CO2e fulfilled recommended intake of fiber. However, none of the CO2e groups reached the recommended intake of folate and vitamin D. Conclusions: Here we show that a self-selected diet low in CO2e provides comparable intake of nutrients as a diet high in in CO2e.
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| 7. |
- Cooray, Vernon, et al.
(författare)
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Electromagnetic fields of a relativistic electron avalanche with special attention to the origin of lightning signatures known as narrow bipolar pulses
- 2014
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Ingår i: Atmospheric research. - : Elsevier BV. - 0169-8095 .- 1873-2895. ; 149, s. 346-358
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In the present study, electromagnetic fields of accelerating charges were utilized to evaluate the electromagnetic fields generated by a relativistic electron avalanche. In the analysis it is assumed that all the electrons in the avalanche are moving with the same speed. In other words, the growth or the decay of the number of electrons takes place only at the head of the avalanche. It is shown that the radiation is emanating only from the head of the avalanche where electrons are being accelerated. It is also shown that an analytical expression for the radiation field of the avalanche at any distance can be written directly in terms of the e-folding length of the avalanche. This model of the avalanche was utilized to test the idea whether the source of the lightning signatures known as narrow bipolar pulses could be relativistic avalanches. The idea was tested by using the simultaneously measured electric fields of narrow bipolar pulses at two distances, one measured far away from the source and the other in the near vicinity. The avalanche parameters were extracted from the distant field and they are used to evaluate the close field. The results show that the source of the NBP can be modeled either as a single or a multiple burst of relativistic avalanches with speed of avalanches in the range of 2-3 x 10(8) m/s. The multiple avalanche model agrees better with the experimental data in that it can also generate the correct signature of the time derivatives and the HF and VHF radiation bursts of NBP.
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| 8. |
- Herzing, Mathias, et al.
(författare)
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Enhancing compliance with waste sorting regulations through inspections and motivational interviewing
- 2023
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Ingår i: Waste Management & Research. - 0734-242X .- 1096-3669. ; 41:8, s. 1342-1348
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This field experiment investigates the effect of first-time inspections of restaurants' waste sorting and explores whether motivational interviewing (MI) training of inspectors in this specific setting enhances the propensity of restaurants to be compliant with regulations. Our results show strong positive effects of first inspections with an average improvement of 55%. Also, the MI training of inspectors seems to affect compliance. However, this may also be a combined effect of the first inspection, MI training and more days between inspections. Further research is needed.
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| 9. |
- Norrgran Engdahl, Jessica, et al.
(författare)
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Cats' Internal Exposure to Selected Brominated Flame Retardants and Organochlorines Correlated to House Dust and Cat Food
- 2017
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Ingår i: Environmental Science and Technology. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0013-936X .- 1520-5851. ; 51:5, s. 3012-3020
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Pet cats may be used as a biomarker for assessing exposures to organohalogen compounds (OHCs) adsorbed to household dust in home environments. This study explores two exposure routes of OHCs, ingestion of OHCs (i) via house dust and (ii) via cat food. House dust from 17 Swedish homes and serum from the participating families' pet cats were collected, and cat food was purchased matching the diet reported. Paired samples of cat serum, house dust, and cat food were analyzed for brominated flame retardants/natural products (polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), decabromobiphenyl (BB-209), decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), 2,4,6-tribromophenol (2,4,6-TBP), OH-PBDEs) and organochlorines (polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 1,1-bis(4,4'-dichlorodipheny1)-2,2,2-trichloroethane (4,4'-DDT), 1,1-bis(4,4'-dichlorodiphenyl)-2,2-dichloroethene (4,4'-DDE), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), pentachlorophenol (PCP)). Significant correlations were found between serum and dust samples from the living rooms for BDE-47 (p < 0.035), BDE-99 (p < 0.035), and BDE-153 (p < 0.039), from the adult's bedroom for BDE-99 < 0.019) and from all rooms for BDE-99 (p < 0.020) and BB-209 (p < 0.048). This is the first time a correlation between cat serum levels and household dust has been established, a finding that supports the hypothesis that dust is a significant exposure route for cats. Serum levels were also significantly correlated with concentrations found in cat food for 6-OH-BDE47 (p < 0.002), 2,4,6-TBP (p < 0.035), and BB-209 (p < 0.007). DBDPE was found in high concentrations in all dust (median 154 pmol/g) and food samples (median 0.7 pmol/ig lw) but was below detection in serum samples, suggesting low or no bioavailability for DBDPE in cats.
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| 10. |
- Linder, Elkanah, et al.
(författare)
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Knowledge support for environmental information on pharmaceuticals : experiences among Swedish Drug and Therapeutics Committees
- 2023
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Ingår i: BMC Health Services Research. - : BioMed Central (BMC). - 1472-6963. ; 23:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundTwo publicly available Swedish knowledge support systems, “Pharmaceuticals and Environment” on Janusinfo.se and Fass.se, provide environmental information on pharmaceuticals. Janusinfo is provided by the public healthcare system in Stockholm and Fass is provided by the pharmaceutical industry. The objectives of this study were to investigate the experiences among Swedish Drug and Therapeutics Committees (DTCs) with using the databases, retrieve development proposals for these, and investigate the DTCs’ challenges with working with pharmaceuticals in the environment.MethodsA cross-sectional survey with 21 questions, both closed and open-ended, was distributed electronically in March 2022 to Sweden’s 21 DTCs. Descriptive statistics and inductive categorization were used for the analysis.ResultsA total of 132 respondents from 18 regions filled out the survey. The average regional response rate was 42%. The DTCs used the knowledge supports to consider environmental aspects of pharmaceuticals in their formularies and in education. Respondents were more familiar with Janusinfo compared to Fass but appreciated the availability of both. The DTCs especially valued the concrete proposals for certain active pharmaceutical ingredients on Janusinfo. Respondents requested that all medicinal products have environmental information on Fass. Challenges included lack of data, lack of transparency from the pharmaceutical industry and difficulties considering the environmental aspect of pharmaceuticals in their healthcare practice. Respondents wanted more knowledge, clear messages, and legislation to support their work to reduce the negative environmental impact of pharmaceuticals.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that knowledge supports for environmental information on pharmaceuticals are valuable for the DTCs in Sweden, but the respondents experienced challenges in their work in this field. The study can provide insights to those in other countries interested in considering environmental aspects in their formulary decision-making.
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