Dan-Adrian Chelaru

Rural Waste Generation: A Geographical Survey at Local Scale

The paper examines the per capita waste generation rates from from rural areas of Neamț County (Romania) using thematic cartography. Geographical approach of this issue is difficult because the lack of a geostatistic database at commune scale. Spatial analysis of waste indicators reveals several disparities between localities. Comparability of data between communes located in various geographical conditions must be carrefully made according to local waste management systems. Several dysfunctionalities are outlined in order to compare these results, on the one hand, between localities and on the one hand, between recent years. Geographical analysis of waste generation rates is imperative for a proper monitoring of this sector. Data from 2009, 2010 and 2012 shows that rural waste management is in a full process of change towards a more organized, stable and efficient system.

Determining rural areas vulnerable to illegal dumping using GIS techniques. Case study: Neamt county, Romania

The paper aims to mapping the potential vulnerable areas to illegal dumping of household waste from rural areas in the extra- Carpathian region of Neamt County. These areas are ordinary in the proximity of built-up areas and buffers areas of 1 km were delimited for every locality. Based on various map layers in vector formats (land use, rivers, built-up areas, roads etc) an assessment method is performed to highlight the potential areas vulnerable to illegal dumping inside these buffer areas at local scale. The results are correlated to field observations and current situation of waste management systems. The maps outline local disparities due to various geographical conditions of county. This approach is a necessary tool in EIA studies particularly for rural waste management systems at local and regional scale which are less studied in current literature than urban areas.

EU Acquis Compliance on Urban Waste Management. Case Study: Piatra Neamt , Romania

This paper examines the current challenges in urban waste management systems under EU regulations for a newcomer state. Piatra Neamț is among the first Romanian cities which made the transition from a traditional to a modern waste management infrastructure through ISPA funds. These changes are poor reflected in rate of recyling and treatment so far according to analysis of waste streams. The paper performs a critical review of waste management services and also assesses the vulnerability to illegal dumping. Inappropriate sites of waste management facilities contribute to environmental pollution and urban landscape degradation. Comparative analysis between pre-accession period vs. current situation highlights one the one hand the improvements in this sector and on the other hand the difficulties to comply EU targets.

Built-Up Area Change Analysis in Iasi City Using GIS

Abstract The study analyses the spatial and temporal changes occurred in the builtup area of Iași city and its surrounding areas using cartographic materials from different time periods. The paper aims to highlight the areas where the most significant changes took place by identifying the main evolution patterns, generated by certain natural or human-driven factors. The results of the study were achieved by using specific photo-interpretation methods of the available orthophotomaps form 2006 and 2012, mainly using the professional GIS softwares TNT Mips 7.2., ArcGIS 10.2 and Global Mapper 11. The changes have lead on the one hand to the conversion of the former industrial areas and thus, the urban regeneration, but also to the periurbanization phenomenon, with major functional and structural effects.

Quantifying the changes in landscape configuration using open source GIS. Case study: Bistrita subcarpathian valley

Gradually, the study of the landscape became a core topic of environmental studies, due to its interdisciplinary research methods, integrating both natural and socio-economic data. The goal of the study is to quantify the structural evolution of Bistrita subcarpathian valley landscape, by using several GIS applications, having an important role in highlighting its functionality. The applications were realized for the extended area limit of Bistrita subcarpathian valley, which presents a complex landscape morphology, with features ranging from forested mountains to densely populated lowlands. The analysis was based on the two land cover maps resulted from the extraction of the spatial layers from the 1986 cadastral plans, 1:10.000 scale, respectively the 2005/2006 ortophotomaps, 1:5.000 scale. For completing the study, were calculated for the two periods a series of specific indicators, called landscape metrics, which contain quantitative information about the structure and features of the landscape. The results of the analysis proved the utility of these indicators in quantifying the structural evolution of the landscape, and also highlighted the capabilities of using Open Source software for complex spatial analysis. This type of analysis has a great importance for the authorities and other decision making factors regarding the territorial planning processes.