Rosa Mari Darbra

Identification and selection of Environmental Performance Indicators for sustainable port development

In this paper an identification and selection of Environmental Performance Indicators (EPIs) in port areas has been conducted. A comprehensive inventory of existing EPIs in use in the seaport sector has been identified for monitoring performance of operational (e.g. dust, noise, dredging, and waste), managerial (e.g. certification, compliance, and complaints) and environmental condition (e.g. air, water, sediment and ecosystems). These indicators have been filtered against specific criteria and have been assessed and evaluated by port stakeholders in order to obtain a final set of indicators suitable to be implemented at EU level. A user friendly tool has been developed specifically to assist port authorities in calculating and reporting the proposed indicators. This study has drawn on major research projects to blend academic research with input from marine professionals in order to identify, select, evaluate and validate EPIs that are acceptable and feasible to the sector, and practicable in their application and implementation.

Benchmark dynamics in the environmental performance of ports

This paper analyses the 2016 environmental benchmark performance of the port sector, based on a wide representation of EcoPorts members. This is the fifth time that this study has been conducted as an initiative of the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO). The data and results are derived from the Self-Diagnosis Method (SDM), a concise checklist against which port managers can self-assess the environmental management of their port in relation to the performance of the EcoPorts membership. The SDM tool was developed in the framework of the ECOPORTS project (2002-2005) and it is managed by ESPO. A total number of 91 ports from 20 different European Maritime States contributed to this evaluation. The main results are that air quality remains as the top environmental priority of the respondent ports, followed by energy consumption and noise. In terms of environmental management, the study confirms that key components are commonly implemented in the majority of European ports. 94% of contributing ports have a designated environmental manager, 92% own an environmental policy and 82% implement an environmental monitoring program. Waste is identified as the most monitored issue in ports (80%), followed by energy consumption (73%) and water quality (70%).

Risk-based management of chemicals and products in a circular economy at a global scale- Impacts of the FP7 funded project RISKCYCLE

The project RISKCYCLE (“Risk-based management of chemicals and products in a circular economy at a global scale”) was funded by the European Union Framework Program 7 (“FP7”). It started in 2009 and its aims were successfully accomplished by the end of the project, three years later (2012). Within this coordination action a consortium of international experts investigated and defined the future research needs and gaps of for innovation in the field of risk-based management of chemicals and products.Various potential hazardous chemicals are used as additives in products worldwide. By developing new chemicals and product management approaches, the risks for human health and the environment should be minimized. As a first step, existing information about usage, risks, chemical properties and labelling chemicals and especially additives in consumer and industrial products were assembled and evaluated. RISKCYCLE focused on the fate and behaviour of these additives in six sectors: textile, electronics, plastics, leather, paper and lubricants. Additionally the project aimed at developing alternative testing strategies to minimize animal testing.The following article summarizes the background, the aims and issues and the most important outcomes of the EU funded project RISKCYCLE. It gives a brief overview about how the issues arise within a circular economy, how the project partners worked together in a coordination action and how results and conclusions were obtained.

Additives in the Paper Industry

An overview of the paper sector from the point of view of additives use is presented. In the first section, the general trends of the sector concerned in terms of world production and trade flows are reviewed together with an overall description of the main characteristics of the production process, including pulp production and paper manufacturing and finishing. The second part is focused on the description of the different additive classes used to provide paper with the required functional characteristics and to facilitate and improve the production process as well, namely, retention aids, sizing agents, binders, wet strength agents, coating agents, optical brightener agents, biocides and dyes. Main compounds or compound families within each additive class are listed, and some related information regarding their function, world consumption and environmental potential impacts is also included.

Additives and Other Hazardous Compounds in Electronic Products and Their Waste

The demand for electronic equipment in society is increasing not only as a result of higher living standards around the world but also due to fashion. Many electronic articles are today disposed of before the end of their technical lifetime since they have become outdated. Each year, electronic products are sold for a value of more than

Evidence-Based Monitoring for Sustainable Development of Port and Chain Operations

1 trillion. In electronic equipment, there are various compounds that are hazardous to both the environment and human health, such as various metals and organic compounds. These compounds may be emitted from the products during its life cycle. The end-of-life phase has been identified as problematic with respect to emissions of these potentially hazardous additives. The risk caused by the end-of-life treatment of electronic and electric waste can be minimized if treated under controlled condition. If the treatment is under uncontrolled conditions, as in the informal e-waste system in Asia and Africa, there is a large risk that negative effects will occur with regard to human health and the environment.

Characterization of Environmental Exposure: Measuring Versus Modeling

The aim of this chapter is to set the context of the evolution of the environmental management of port authority operations to the point where credible functional organization of their liabilities and responsibilities requires cognizance of their role in the logistic chain. Having established the role and status of the port in this integrated approach, the research focuses on the environmental performance indicators (EPIs) that may be monitored and reported as evidence of compliance and sustainable development.

Additives in the Leather Industry

Knowledge of pollutants’ occurrence in the environment is essential in order to undertake accurate risk assessment studies. Determining the concentration of chemicals is a crucial step to quantify the levels to which both ecosystems and human population can be exposed. Traditionally, analysis has been the main way for determining concentrations in the environment but in recent years innovative occurrence models enabling their prediction either in real or fictitious scenarios have been developed. These models allow obtaining reliable estimations by reducing the need of resource-intensive monitoring programs that are needed for laboratory analysis.

Report on the 1st Workshop of the RISKCYCLE Coordination Action. Hanoi, Vietnam, 4-5 May 2010

An overview of the leather sector from the point of view of additives use is presented. In the first section, the general trends of the sector under concern in terms of world production and trade flows are reviewed, together with an overall description of the main characteristics of the production process including beamhouse (i.e., salting, soaking, unhairing, liming, deliming, pickling), tanning, post-tanning (i.e., neutralization, bleaching, re-tanning, fatliquoring), and finishing operations. The second part is focused on the description of the different additive classes used to provide leather with the required functional characteristics and to facilitate and improve the production process as well, namely, fatliquoring agents, surfactants, coating agents (binders, lacquers), waterproofing agents, flame retardant agents, biocides, and dyes. Main compounds or compound families within each additive class are listed, and some related information regarding their function and environmental potential impacts is also included.

The self diagnosis method. A new methodology to assess environmental management in sea ports

This workshop was supported by the EU-funded RISKCYCLE Coordination Action (grant agreement 226552).