Tomitaro Sueishi

Strategic Risk Analysis of Surfactant Substitution in Household Detergents:Examining the Philippine Case

Household detergents are consumer products necessary to daily living. Exposures to detergents may not be particularly critical, however the biodegradation and toxicology of the active ingredient or surfactant remain to be important attributes normally brought up in discussions about raw material substitution. Countries using hard alkyl benzene sulfonates (ABS) in detergents are shown in Table 1. In the Philippines, authorities have decided to gradually change from ABS to sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) in a stagewise manner over a five-year period. The advantages to the environment of using SLS is well known. The issues generate conflicts among different interest groups or stakeholders. How the impacts of strategies can be analyzed are outlined in this paper. The e.nvironmental risks Table 1. Countries Using ABS-based Detergents

INTEGRATED APPROACH TO BAY EUTROPHICATION BY RIVER BASIN INTERRELATION ANALYSIS

The interrelationship of land-based characteristics and water quality in river basins resulting from spatial/population-based factors pertaining to technological methods of dealing with wastes of human activities as well as industrial/livestock farm siting, and land uses were analyzed using multivariate techniques. An existing database was utilized with the end in view of clarifying manageable elements in land from where inputs of COD and TP loads present causes of concern in controlling eutrophication in a bay. Results showed an overriding influence of non-point sources from forested and agricultural land. The empirical models derived enable the prediction of concentrations via the generation of a variety of scenarios relevant to eutrophication control and environmental planning.

Analysis and cartographical approach to the regional water utilization system in the Yodo River basin

Abstract This paper discusses the methodology of derived water as a new frame for approaching the theme of water in urban ecosystems, with the attempt of determining the water-related carrying capacity of a given area from the regional budget of production-consumption system instead of the technological budget of water supply and water discharge. The evaluation of water equivalent of manufactured products at the level of final individual consumption constitutes the core of this study. According to the proposed classification of products, industrial water supply is correlated to industrial output of products and their distribution, which pattern is depicted by the hierarchical order of distribution and the delimination of consumption areas, for each prefecture of the Yodo River basin. Data of freight, of retail and wholesale trades, of industry, on the one hand, of water supply and water rights, on the other hand, are collected for this analysis. In the case of water supply allocation, the cartographical method has proved the possibility of synthesizing an aspect of regional water utilization systems. Results concerned with derived water are limited to a quantitative budget of total and local water equivalents of alimentary consumption, by prefectures, in accordance with the method of consumption areas.

Risk Analysis Issues in Developing Countries

Developing countries are faced with a growing number of risks, particularly those arising from proliferation of chemicals and from the use of highly sophisticated industrial technologies. As these risks often defy conventional managerial approaches, scientists and government officials in developing countries have shown great interest in risk assessment and risk management methodologies based on experiences in developed countries. These methodologies could prove useful in dealing with a variety of risks. However, there are fundamental differences between developed and developing countries in priorities and in the way risks are handled. We summarize below some of the important risk analysis issues in developing countries and highlight possible disparities in risk concepts and risk management approaches between them and developed countries.

The Control of the Use Pattern and the Life of Metals for Risk Management: The Case of Lead

This paper proposes a new paradigm of socio-academic study for achieving a balance between the utility of metals and the hazards of their waste One of the major dilemmas of our time is how to make decisions about dealing with unknowable and yet conceivable environmental risks. Uncertainty about risks of pollution and uncertainty about costs of reducing pollution allow enormous scope for distortion in representing what can or should be done. Risk assessment based on currently available information can lead to over-confidence about the knowledge of ways in which accidents can occur. Most of the data on the risks of metal waste are not connected with those on the benefits of metal products.

Multi-Stage Environmental Model with Implicit Objectives for Regional Waste Management

Abstract In this paper, a regional environmental model is proposed in order to allocate the waste discharge from the point of view of multi-staged organization of social and ecological members with implicit objectives, rather than the social maximization of multi-objectives. The material balance equation and the relative value balance equation are described in regional space. The latter includes the implicit objectives in terms of difficulties of waste accumulation and waste transportation. The computation steps are formulated together with the decision making of difficulties based on regional characteristics. A case study of regional disposal program for inorganic industrial wastes in Toyama Prefecture is investigated. Finally, several comments and evaluation remarks on the case study are described in relation to improvement and extention to a comprehensive environmental model.