Indirect benefits of P2 technical assistance estimated using fuzzy set theory
Abstract Twenty small-to-medium sized business clients who had been previously provided pollution prevention (P2) technical assistance were studied to account for four difficult to quantify indirect benefits. The difficult to quantify benefits studied were reduced operational costs, regulatory burden, future liabilities and time saved from the research or technical assistance provided. Many (70%) clients who implemented new technologies realized operating cost reductions. Frequently (70%) clients who implemented P2 suggestions that reduce the disposal of hazardous waste realized reductions in regulatory burden and future liabilities. Most (90%) clients perceived that the research assistance saved their staff time. On average, clients in this study realized indirect savings of similar magnitude to their direct savings regardless of the scale or type of assistance. This study illustrates the value realized by a business of indirect benefits from pollution prevention implementation, which is particularly important now that publicly traded U.S. companies must disclosure financially significant environmental liabilities.
Energy Efficiency/Pollution Prevention Intern Programs Provide Low-Cost Alternatives for Implementing Energy Efficiency Projects
Time and money are two obstacles that often prevent companies from implementing energy efficiency projects. To mitigate these concerns, the Kansas State University (K-State) Pollution Prevention Institute (PPI) began an intern program that places engineering students at commercial facilities, to conduct focused research on well-defined energy efficiency projects for 10 weeks. Throughout the three-year history of the program, interns have identified potential savings of more than 217.5 million gallons of water; 6,776 tons of waste; 6.8 million kWh of electricity; and approximately $4 million in operating or disposal costs. Grants pay a portion of the interns’ salaries, making the program even more costeffective for participating companies. PPI staff provide energy efficiency training, technical resources, oversight, and project review to ensure the interns’ data provide a solid foundation for project recommendations. PPI also provides light meters, data loggers, and an ultrasonic leak detector so the participating company doesn’t have to purchase its own equipment for research. Success of this program is evident from energy and cost savings, as well as the number of companies that return for additional interns. In the second year, two companies returned to the program. Five of seven companies were repeat participants in the third year, and three of six companies are repeating participants for the 2009 program. Three companies have applied for interns in three of the four years the program has been offered. One three-year participant has identified annual savings of approximately one million kWh of electricity and two million gallons of water.
Evaluating two-resistance models for air stripping of volatile organic contaminants in a countercurrent, packed column
Etude experimentale du transfert de masse de 6 composes organiques volatils. L'hypothese d'une resistance en phase gazeuse ameliore sensiblement les resultats obtenus par rapport a l'hypothese d'une seule resistance en phase aqueuse