Publications
184 results found
Iacovidou E, Voulvoulis N, 2018, A multi-criteria sustainability assessment framework: development and application in comparing two food waste management options using a UK region as a case study, Environmental Science and Pollution Research, Vol: 25, Pages: 35821-35834, ISSN: 0944-1344
Preventing food wastage is a key element of sustainable resource management. But as food waste is still generated at high volumes, priority is placed on its proper management as a resource, maximising sustainability benefits. This study, by integrating a multi-criteria decision analysis with a sustainability assessment approach, develops a screening and decision support framework for comparing the sustainability performance of food waste management options. A structured process for selecting criteria based on the consideration of environmental, economic and social aspects related to region-specific food waste system planning, policy and management has been developed. Two food waste management options, namely the use of food waste disposal units, which grind food waste at the household’s kitchen sink and discharge it to the sewer, and the anaerobic co-digestion of separately collected food waste with sewage sludge, were selected for comparison due to their potential to create synergies between local authorities, waste and water companies, with local circumstances determining which of the two options to adopt. A simplified process used for assessing and comparing the two food waste management options in the Anglian region in the UK, indicated that there are benefits in using the framework as a screening tool for identifying which option may be the most sustainable. To support decision-making, a detailed analysis that incorporates stakeholders’ perspectives is required. An additional use of the framework can be in providing recommendations for optimising food waste management options in a specific region, maximising their sustainability performance.
Giakoumis T, Voulvoulis N, 2018, The transition of EU water policy towards the Water Framework Directive’s Integrated River Basin Management paradigm, Environmental Management, Vol: 62, Pages: 819-831, ISSN: 0364-152X
Introduced in 2000 to reform and rationalise water policy and management across the European Union (EU) Member States (MS), the Water Framework Directive (WFD), the EU’s flagship legislation on water protection, is widely acknowledged as the embodiment and vessel for the application of the Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) paradigm. Its ecological objectives, perhaps even more challenging than the prospect of statutory catchment planning itself, were for all EU waters to achieve ‘good status’ by 2015 (except where exemptions applied) and the prevention of any further deterioration. In support of the upcoming WFD review in 2019, the paper reviews the transition of EU policies that led to the adoption of the WFD, to identify the reasons why the Directive was introduced and what it is trying to deliver, and to place progress with its implementation into context. It further investigates reasons that might have limited the effectiveness of the Directive and contributed to the limited delivery and delays in water quality improvements. Findings reveal that different interpretations on the Directive’s objectives and exemptions left unresolved since its negotiation, ambiguity and compromises observed by its Common Implementation Strategy and lack of real support for the policy shift required have all been barriers to the harmonised transposition of the IRBM paradigm, the key to delivering good ecological status. The 2019 WFD review offers a unique opportunity to realign the implementation of the Directive to its initial aspirations and goals.
Burgman MA, Tennant M, Voulvoulis N, et al., 2018, Facilitating the transition to sustainable green chemistry, Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, Vol: 13, Pages: 130-136, ISSN: 2452-2236
Sustainable green chemistry depends on technically feasible, cost-effective and socially acceptable decisions by regulators, industry and the wider community. The discipline needs to embrace a new suite of tools and train proponents in their use. We propose a set of tools that will bridge the gap between technical feasibility and efficiency on one hand, and social preferences and values on the other. We argue that they are indispensable in the next generation of regulators and chemistry industry proponents.
Zafeiridou M, Hopkinson NS, Voulvoulis N, 2018, Cigarette Smoking: An assessment of tobacco's global environmental footprint across its entire supply chain, Environmental Science and Technology, Vol: 52, Pages: 8087-8094, ISSN: 0013-936X
While the health effects of cigarette smoking are well recognised and documented, the environmental impacts of tobacco are less appreciated and often overlooked. Here we evaluate tobacco's global footprint across its entire supply chain, looking at resources needs, wastes and emissions of the full cradle-to-grave life cycle of cigarettes. The cultivation of 32.4 Mt of green tobacco used for the production of 6.48 Mt of dry tobacco in the six trillion cigarettes manufactured worldwide in 2014, were shown to contribute almost 84 Mt CO2 eq emissions to climate change - approximately 0.2% of the global total, 490,000 tonnes 1,4 dichlorobenzene eq to ecosystem ecotoxicity levels, over 22 billion m3 and 21 Mt oil eq to water and fossil fuel depletion respectively. A typical cigarette was shown to have a water footprint of 3.7 litres, a climate change contribution of 14 g CO2 eq, and a fossil fuel depletion contribution of 3.5 g oil eq. Tobacco competes with essential commodities for resources and places significant pressures on the health of our planet and its most vulnerable inhabitants. Increased awareness as well as better monitoring and assessment of the environmental issues associated with tobacco should support the current efforts to reduce global tobacco use as an important element of sustainable development.
Giakoumis T, Voulvoulis N, 2018, Progress with monitoring and assessment in the wfd implementation in five european river basins: Significant differences but similar problems, European Journal of Environmental Sciences, Vol: 8, Pages: 44-50, ISSN: 1805-0174
The river basin approach of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and the introduction of ecological status represent a shift in the assessment and management of freshwater systems from discipline-specific to more holistic, catchment-based principles. At the core of the WFD’s approach are catchments as highly interconnected systems. Despite strict timetables, progress towards achieving the WFD objectives has been slow, with deterioration in some cases not being halted. In this paper, looking at evidence from five European basins (Adige, Anglian, Ebro, Evrotas and Sava) we identify some of the key implementation challenges faced by each catchment during the development and implementation of the 1st River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) of 2009. Despite significant differences in socio-ecological conditions, geographic coverage and starting points in the implementation between these river basins, findings highlight some similar key issues. The lack of a common systemic understanding of each river basin and detailed monitoring data to capture pressure-status interactions in order to anticipate how the system will react to interventions; as well as compliance driven implementation efforts were underlying problems in all five study areas. While some improvements to address these problems can be seen in the 2nd River Basin Management Planning Cycle (2015–2016), our findings demonstrate that a more effective approach is to question the deviation of the whole implementation from the directive’s systemic nature and therefore improve the adaptive, collaborative, participatory and interdisciplinary nature of the implementation efforts.
Facchini E, Iacovidou E, Gronow J, et al., 2018, Food flows in the United Kingdom: the potential of surplus food redistribution to reduce waste, Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association, Vol: 68, Pages: 887-899, ISSN: 2162-2906
The increasing amount of food waste generated as a direct consequence of its excessive production, mismanagement, and wasteful behaviors represents a real challenge in promoting resource efficiency. In the United Kingdom (UK), the lack of robust mass flow data hinders the ability both to understand and address food waste challenges and to devise long-term sustainable prevention strategies. In recognition of these challenges, this paper seeks to (i) provide insights into the UK's annual estimates of food mass flows, including imports, exports, distribution, consumption, surplus food production, and final disposal; and (ii) scrutinize the uptake and redistribution of surplus food as a potential food waste prevention strategy. Evidence collected from several enterprises and community-led initiatives in the UK, and London specifically, supports that there is an increasing potential of making a shift towards food redistribution and reuse. Further analysis has shown that the outreach of food redistribution initiatives in the UK is currently limited, possibly because redistribution efforts remain largely fragmented and independent from each other. It is concluded that a national commitment could be instrumental in encouraging the roll-out of this practice, and governmental support through fiscal incentives could lead to the development of a larger and coherent surplus food redistribution system, ultimately enabling food waste prevention and recovery of food's multidimensional value. IMPLICATIONS: This paper deals with the topical issue of the increasing amount of food waste generated as a direct consequence of excessive production, mismanagement, and wasteful behavior, representing a real challenge in achieving sustainability and resource efficiency. Currently, only a small fraction of food is redistributed back into the system. Yet, a considerable fraction of food waste generated is edible; thus, better planning, storage, and coordination amongst the different stakeholder
Alaoma A, Voulvoulis N, 2018, Mineral resource active regions: The need for systems thinking in management, AIMS Environmental Science, Vol: 5, Pages: 78-95, ISSN: 2372-0352
Energy and mineral resource extraction has fuelled economic development in the modern world but has caused unprecedented environmental destruction. Economically viable to extract resources are not evenly distributed but found in a few regions of the world due to unique geologic characteristics. Inequity in distribution of resource benefits and environmental costs predispose these regions to resource conflict and war. Traditional resource management has failed to address their complexity, with most models utilised lacking multi-disciplinary perspective. Understanding the complexity of these regions is a key prerequisite for their management to be effective and sustainable. Here, we investigate the potential of re-assessing mineral resource active regions from a systems perspective. Findings demonstrate that the application of systems thinking in resource management has the potential to deliver benefits to all stakeholders while maintaining ecological integrity. System tools offer an alternative to the reductionist end-of-pipe thinking of traditional resource management and policies. Rather than simply relying on competition, focusing on the interdependencies between the various players and sectors in these regions can deliver system improvements that should be further investigated because of their potential to deliver integrated and holistic solutions that could benefit all involved.
Voulvoulis N, 2018, Water reuse from a circular economy perspective and potential risks from an unregulated approach, Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health, Vol: 2, Pages: 32-45, ISSN: 2468-5844
Considerations including water scarcity in arid and semi-arid regions, water security concerns in areas where water demand exceeds water availability, and rigorous and costly requirements to remove nutrients and emerging contaminants from effluent discharge to surface waters have driven water reuse as an alternate water supply in some parts of the world. However, the potential of reusing treated wastewater has not yet been exploited in many areas. A transition to a circular economy could create significant synergies for the wide adoption of water reuse as an alternate water supply. This paper therefore examines opportunities and risks with the transition to such an economy. Findings show that although many of the barriers water reuse is facing, ranging from public perception to pricing and regulatory challenges, could be addressed more effectively through a wider circular economy perspective, care must be taken with regulating and monitoring levels of contaminants in the recycled water according to its use. A review of existing reuse schemes and regulations across the world, found variation, demonstrating the need for assessing benefits and risks on a case by case basis. Recycling and reuse are central to a circular economy approach and offer a strategy to improve water supply by managing wastewater better. Such strategy should also ensure the safety of water reuse, and therefore apply water quality standards appropriate to the specific use, but also ensure adequate and reliable operation of water reuse systems and appropriate regulatory enforcement.
Voulvoulis N, 2018, Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) from consumer products in municipal sewage sludge: Implications for environmental risk assessment, 255th National Meeting and Exposition of the American-Chemical-Society (ACS) - Nexus of Food, Energy, and Water, Publisher: AMER CHEMICAL SOC, ISSN: 0065-7727
Voulvoulis N, Arpon KD, Giakoumis T, 2017, The EU Water Framework Directive: From great expectations to problems with implementation, Science of the Total Environment, Vol: 575, Pages: 358-366, ISSN: 0048-9697
The Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (WFD) is widely accepted as the most substantial and ambitious piece of European environmental legislation to date. It has been referred to as a once in a generation opportunity to restore Europe's waters and a potential template for future environmental regulations. However, fifteen years since it was adopted, and with many problems and delays in its implementation, the WFD has not delivered its main objectives of non-deterioration of water status and the achievement of good status for all EU waters. Putting aside the daunting technical and organisational challenges of its implementation, this paper aims to shed light on why the great expectations that came with the WFD have not yet been fully realised. It reviews how the Directive has been interpreted, focusing on its intentions and how they were applied. The findings reveal the absence of the paradigm shift towards the systems (integrated) thinking that the WFD was grounded on, as a fundamental problem with its implementation. This is also evident in cases where the Directive has been criticised as a policy tool or when implementation efforts were reviewed, indicating misunderstandings even of its core principles. This inherent departure from the Directive's systemic intention and methodological approach needs further investigation, as it could be the reason behind many of its problems and delays. Unless current implementation efforts are reviewed or revised in light of this, enabling the paradigm shift required to ensure a more sustainable and holistic approach to water management, the fading aspirations of the initial great expectations that came with the Directive could disappear for good.
Manap N, Voulvoulis N, 2016, Data analysis for environmental impact of dredging, Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol: 137, Pages: 394-404, ISSN: 0959-6526
The aim of this paper is twofold; first is to identify the environmental impact of dredging related to water and sediment quality; and second is to identify the main factors determining the environmental impact of dredging. The method of this research is data analysis using historical dredging data from three dredging projects performed from 2006 to 2008 at two connected rivers in Perak, Malaysia. The indices measured to identify the impact include: total suspended solids, dissolved oxygen, chemical oxygen demand, biochemical oxygen demand, pH, total organic content, iron, zinc, manganese, copper, chromium, mercury, arsenic, and lead. The factors are then identified through determination of relationships between concentration levels in sediment and water and identification of patterns of impact in the water and caged fish during dredging activities. The results of the analysis show that dredging performed in these rivers has an impact on the environment. The impact includes an increase in levels of most of the monitored indices, including dissolved oxygen and metal concentrations in highly contaminated areas. The main factors associated with the environmental impacts of dredging are the contamination level of the sediment and the contamination level of the neighbouring area, aspects that are the main scientific value added by this paper. This paper draws conclusions regarding the importance of two analyses prior to commencement of dredging: sediment quality analysis and analysis of contamination level in the neighbouring area prior to dredging. The results of this paper could help to better anticipate the environmental impact of dredging and allow for suitable mitigation measures to be identified, especially for developing countries such as Malaysia.
Kirkman R, Voulvoulis N, 2016, The role of public communication in decision making for waste management infrastructure, Environmental Management, Vol: 203, Pages: 640-647, ISSN: 1432-1009
Modern waste management provision seeks to meet challenging objectives and strategies while reflecting community aspirations and ensuring cost-effective compliance with statutory obligations. Its social acceptability, which affects both what systems (infrastructure) can be put in place and to what extent their implementation will be successful, is a multi-dimensional phenomenon, often not well understood. In light of the growing evidence that decisions to build new infrastructure are often contested by the public, there is a clear need to understand the role of scientific evidence in public perception, particularly as environmental infrastructure delivery is often objected to by the public on environmental grounds. In this paper the need for waste management infrastructure is reviewed, and the way its delivery in the UK has evolved is used as an example of the role of public perception in the planning and delivery of waste facilities. Findings demonstrate the vital role of public communication in waste management infrastructure delivery. Public perception must be taken into account early in the decision making process, with the public informed and engaged from the start. There is a pressing need for people not simply to accept but to understand and appreciate the need for infrastructure, the nature of infrastructure investments and development, the costs and the benefits involved, and the technological aspects. Scientific evidence and literacy have a critical role to play, facilitating public engagement in a process that empowers people, allowing them to define and handle challenges and influence decisions that will impact their lives. Problem ownership, and an increased probability of any solutions proposed being selected and implemented successfully are potential benefits of such approach.
Stanley E, Plant J, Voulvoulis N, 2016, Environmental chemical exposures and breast cancer, AIMS Environmental Science, Vol: 3, Pages: 96-114, ISSN: 2372-0352
As a hormone-sensitive condition with no single identifiable cause, breast cancer is a major health problem. It is characterized by a wide range of contributing factors and exposures occurring in different combinations and strengths across a lifetime that may be amplified during periods of enhanced developmental susceptibility and impacted by reproductive patterns and behaviours. The vast majority of cases are oestrogen-receptor positive and occur in women with no family history of the disease suggesting that modifiable risk factors are involved. A substantial body of evidence now links oestrogen-positive breast cancer with environmental exposures. Synthetic chemicals capable of oestrogen mimicry are characteristic of industrial development and have been individually and extensively assessed as risk factors for oestrogen-sensitive cancers. Existing breast cancer risk assessment tools do not take such factors into account. In the absence of consensus on causation and in order to better understand the problem of escalating incidence globally, an expanded, integrated approach broadening the inquiry into individual susceptibility breast cancer is proposed. Applying systems thinking to existing data on oestrogen-modulating environmental exposures and other oestrogenic factors characteristic of Westernisation and their interactions in the exposure, encompassing social, behavioural, environmental, hormonal and genetic factors, can assist in understanding cancer risks and the pursuit of prevention strategies. A new conceptual framework based on a broader understanding of the “system” that underlies the development of breast cancer over a period of many years, incorporating the factors known to contribute to breast cancer risk, could provide a new platform from which government and regulators can promulgate enhanced and more effective prevention strategies.
Voulvoulis N, Barcelo D, Verlicchi P, 2016, Pharmaceutical Residues in Sewage Treatment Works and their Fate in the Receiving Environment, Publisher: ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY, ISBN: 978-1-78262-189-8
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- Citations: 21
Voulvoulis N, 2015, The potential of water reuse as a management option for water security under the ecosystem services approach, DESALINATION AND WATER TREATMENT, Vol: 53, Pages: 3263-3271, ISSN: 1944-3994
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- Citations: 14
Jorquera CO, Oates CJ, Plant JA, et al., 2015, Regional hydrogeochemical mapping in Central Chile: natural and anthropogenic sources of elements and compounds, GEOCHEMISTRY-EXPLORATION ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS, Vol: 15, Pages: 72-96, ISSN: 1467-7873
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- Citations: 11
Voulvoulis N, Georges K, 2015, Industrial and agricultural sources and pathways of aquatic pollution, Impact of Water Pollution on Human Health and Environmental Sustainability, Pages: 29-54, ISBN: 9781466695597
This chapter provides an introduction to the topic of aquatic pollution and looks at the major sources and pathways of pollutants to the environment from agriculture and industry. The section on agricultural pollution focuses on the use of fertilizers and pesticides. Industrial pollution covers a large topic and so three groups of pollutants are examined to provide an overview of the key issues faced within this sector.
Manap N, Voulvoulis N, 2015, Environmental management for dredging sediments - The requirement of developing nations, Journal of Environmental Management, Vol: 147, Pages: 338-348, ISSN: 0301-4797
Scientific research has characterized the effects of dredging, an underwater excavation process for navigational purposes or material extraction, and has shown its association with a number of chemical, physical and biological impacts. Due to this, much environmental management has been applied in the dredging industry in order to manage its detrimental effects. However, developing nations may have different approaches towards their dredging environmental management to compare to their companions with higher economic strength. Moreover, scientific evidence to make an informed decision is often lacking, hence affecting the number of research executed at these nations, limiting their efforts to preserve the environment. This paper reviews the dredging environmental impacts and its two important factors, dredging technology and sediment characteristic, that determine the magnitude of impacts through literature review, and discusses the need for a more integrated dredging environmental management to be developed for developing nations.
Collins A, Voulvoulis N, 2014, Ecological assessments of surface water bodies at the river basin level: a case study from England, ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT, Vol: 186, Pages: 8649-8665, ISSN: 0167-6369
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- Citations: 5
Manap N, Voulvoulis N, 2014, Risk-based decision-making framework for the selection of sediment dredging option, SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT, Vol: 496, Pages: 607-623, ISSN: 0048-9697
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- Citations: 32
Al Aukidy M, Verlicchi P, Voulvoulis N, 2014, A framework for the assessment of the environmental risk posed by pharmaceuticals originating from hospital effluents, Science of the Total Environment, Vol: 493, Pages: 54-64, ISSN: 0048-9697
The consumption of pharmaceuticals is increasing in both hospitals and households. After administration, many compounds enter the water cycle as parent compounds or their metabolites via excretion. Conventional municipal wastewater treatment plants are unable to efficiently remove all the different compounds found in sewage and, consequently, treated effluents are one of the main sources of persistent micropollutants in the environment. Hospital patients are administered relatively high quantities of drugs and therefore hospital wastewaters can consistently contribute to treatment plant influent loads, with the magnitude of environmental risk posed by pharmaceuticals originating from hospital effluents largely unknown. This study has therefore developed a framework to enable authorities responsible for hospital management and environmental health to evaluate such risk, considering site-specific information such as the contribution of human population and hospital sizes, wastewater treatment removal efficiency, and potential dilution in the receiving water body. The framework was applied to three case studies, that are representative of frequent situations in many countries, and findings demonstrated that the degree of risk posed by any compound was site-specific and depended on a combination of several factors: compound concentration and toxicity, compound removal efficiency in the wastewater treatment plant and dilution factor. Ofloxacin, 17α-ethinylestradiol, erythromycin and sulfamethoxazole were identified as compounds of concern and might require management in order to reduce risk.
Navarro-Ortega A, Acuna V, Bellin A, et al., 2014, Managing the effects of multiple stressors on aquatic ecosystems under water scarcity. The GLOBAQUA project, Science of the Total Environment, Vol: 503-504, Pages: 3-9, ISSN: 0048-9697
Water scarcity is a serious environmental problem in many European regions, and will likely increase in the near future as a consequence of increased abstraction and climate change. Water scarcity exacerbates the effects of multiple stressors, and thus results in decreased water quality. It impacts river ecosystems, threatens the services they provide, and it will force managers and policy-makers to change their current practices. The EU-FP7 project GLOBAQUA aims at identifying the prevalence, interaction and linkages between stressors, and to assess their effects on the chemical and ecological status of freshwater ecosystems in order to improve water management practice and policies. GLOBAQUA assembles a multidisciplinary team of 21 European plus 2 non-European scientific institutions, as well as water authorities and river basin managers. The project includes experts in hydrology, chemistry, biology, geomorphology, modelling, socio-economics, governance science, knowledge brokerage, and policy advocacy. GLOBAQUA studies six river basins (Ebro, Adige, Sava, Evrotas, Anglian and Souss Massa) affected by water scarcity, and aims to answer the following questions: how does water scarcity interact with other existing stressors in the study river basins? How will these interactions change according to the different scenarios of future global change? Which will be the foreseeable consequences for river ecosystems? How will these in turn affect the services the ecosystems provide? How should management and policies be adapted to minimise the ecological, economic and societal consequences? These questions will be approached by combining data-mining, field- and laboratory-based research, and modelling. Here, we outline the general structure of the project and the activities to be conducted within the fourteen work-packages of GLOBAQUA.
Singh K, Oates C, Plant J, et al., 2014, Undisclosed chemicals - implications for risk assessment: A case study from the mining industry, Environment International, Vol: 68, Pages: 1-15, ISSN: 0160-4120
Many of the chemicals used in industry can be hazardous to human health and the environment, and some formu-lations can have undisclosed ingredients and hazards, increasing the uncertainty of the risks posed by their use. Theneed for a better understanding of the extent of undisclosedinformation in chemicals arose from collecting data onthe hazards and exposures of chemicals used in typical mining operations (copper, platinum and coal). Four maincategories of undisclosed chemicals were defined (incomplete disclosure; chemicals with unspecific identities; rel-ative quantities of ingredients not stated; and trade secret ingredients) by reviewing material safety data sheet(MSDS) omissions in previous studies. A significant number of chemicals (20% of 957 different chemicals) acrossthe three sites had a range of undisclosed information, with majority of the chemicals (39%) having unspecificiden-tities. The majority of undisclosed information was found in commercially available motor oils followed by cleaningproducts and mechanical maintenance products, as opposed to reagents critical to the main mining processes. Allthree types of chemicals had trade secrets, unspecific chemical identities and incomplete disclosures. These typesof undisclosed information pose a hindrance to a full understanding of the hazards, which is made worse whencombined with additional MSDS omissions such as acute toxicity endpoints (LD50) and/or acute aquatic toxicityendpoints (LC50), as well as inadequate hazard classifications of ingredients. The communication of the hazard in-formation in the MSDSs varied according to the chemical type, the manufacturer and the regulations governing theMSDSs. Undisclosed information can undermine occupational health protection, compromise the safety of workersin industry, hinder risk assessment procedures and cause uncertainty about future health. It comes down to theduty of care that industries have towards their employees. With a wide range of chemicals incr
Emanuelsson MAE, McIntyre N, Hunt CF, et al., 2014, Flood risk assessment for infrastructure networks, Journal of Flood Risk Management, Vol: 7, Pages: 31-41, ISSN: 1753-318X
A practical framework for flood risk screening was developed to assess the flood risk to water utility assets within the infrastructure network. The tool is a combination of probability and consequence assessments. The first takes into account how probable it is for a particular asset to flood and cause significant damage. The second estimates the level of consequences a flood will have, considering, for example, the level of loss of service, environmental pollution and cost. The consequence assessment is based on a dependency assessment that identifies knock‐on effects on other assets within the asset network and assesses the level of consequence they will have. The probability and consequence assessments are combined to produce a risk score that can be used to rank assets in a screening process that aims to assist companies in prioritising the investments required for taking action to reduce flood risk to their assets.
Vlachopoulou M, Coughlin D, Forrow D, et al., 2014, The potential of using the Ecosystem Approach in the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive, SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT, Vol: 470, Pages: 684-694, ISSN: 0048-9697
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- Citations: 80
Manap N, Voulvoulis N, 2014, Environmental Screening Method for Dredging in Contaminated River, STRUCTURAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, COASTAL AND OFFSHORE ENGINEERING, Vol: 567, Pages: 50-55, ISSN: 1660-9336
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- Citations: 4
Voulvoulis N, Skolout JW, Oates CJ, et al., 2013, From chemical risk assessment to environmental resources management: the challenge for mining., Environ Sci Pollut Res
On top of significant improvements and progress made through science and engineering in the last century to increase efficiency and reduce impacts of mining to the environment, risk assessment has an important role to play in further reducing such impacts and preventing and mitigating risks. This paper reflects on how risk assessment can improve planning, monitoring and management in mining and mineral processing operations focusing on the importance of better understanding source-pathway-receptor linkages for all stages of mining. However, in light of the ever-growing consumption and demand for raw materials from mining, the need to manage environmental resources more sustainably is becoming increasingly important. The paper therefore assesses how mining can form an integral part of wider sustainable resources management, with the need for re-assessing the potential of mining in the context of sustainable management of natural capital, and with a renewed focus on its the role from a systems perspective. The need for understanding demand and pressure on resources, followed by appropriate pricing that is inclusive of all environmental costs, with new opportunities for mining in the wastes we generate, is also discussed. Findings demonstrate the need for a life cycle perspective in closing the loop between mining, production, consumption and waste generation as the way forward.
Iacovidou E, Vlachopoulou M, Mallapaty S, et al., 2013, Anaerobic digestion in municipal solid waste management: Part of an integrated, holistic and sustainable solution, WASTE MANAGEMENT, Vol: 33, Pages: 1035-1036, ISSN: 0956-053X
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- Citations: 12
Plant JA, Bone J, Voulvoulis N, et al., 2013, Arsenic and Selenium, Vol: 11, Pages: 13-57
This chapter outlines the main effects of arsenic and selenium on human and animal health, their abundance and distribution in the environment, sampling and analysis, and the main factors controlling their speciation and cycling. Such information should help identify aquifers, water resources and soils at risk from high concentrations of arsenic and selenium, and areas of selenium deficiency. Human activity has had, and is likely to continue to have, a major role in releasing arsenic and selenium from the geosphere and in perturbing the natural distribution of these and other elements over the Earth's surface. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Voulvoulis N, 2013, TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY: A SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE IN DEALING WITH WATER CHALLENGES, 13th International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology (CEST), Publisher: GLOBAL NEST, SECRETARIAT, ISSN: 1106-5516
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