Current status and strategy of hazardous waste management in China

This paper deals briefly with the pollution caused by hazardous wastes in China, the hazardous waste management at present and the strategy that should be taken for hazardous waste management in the future. Hazardous waste problem has become one of the important environmental concerns in China. Hazardous waste have resulted in ecological and environmental destruction, caused damage to human health, and restricted economic development. Although a great effort has been devoted to the management of hazardous wastes, there remain many issues in legislation, experience, technology and finance to be solved. Some recommendations are made on the strategic measures for improving the hazardous waste management in China, particularly relating to legislation, technical development and international cooperation.

Organic Materials Could Improve the Phytoremediation Efficiency of Soil Potentially Hazardous Metal by Sedum alfredii Hance

Soil potentially hazardous metal(PHM)is continually attracting public attention worldwide,due to its highly toxic properties and potentially huge damage to human being through food chain.Phytoremediation is an effective and eco-friendly way in remediation technology.A pot experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of different organic materials(biogas residue(BR),mushroom residue(MR),and bamboo-shoot shell(BS))application on phytoremediation of two PHM-contaminated soils(Fuyang soil as‘heavily-polluted soil’and Wenzhou soil as‘moderately-polluted soil’,respectively)by Sedum alfrecdii Hance.The results indicated:1)for moderately-polluted soil,the 5%BR treatment had the strongest activation to Cu and Zn,for heavily-polluted soil,1%BS treatment had the highest activation effect for Cu,Zn,Pb and Cd.2)the above-ground biomass of Sedum alfredii Hance increased with the addition rate of organic materials.3)for Cd uptake of Sedum alfredii Hance in moderately-polluted soil,only 1%BS treatment had a better accumulation effect,compared to the control,for Zn element,MR treatments were weaker than the control,while other treatments were better than the control,of which 5%BR,1%BS and 5%BS accumulated more Zn element by 39.6%,32.6%and 23.8%,respectively;in heavily-polluted soil,the treatments of 5%BS,1%BR and 5%BR accumulated more Cd than the control by 12.9%,12.8%and 6.2%,respectively,the treatments with organic materials addition promoted Zn accumulation in shoots of Sedum alfredii Hance,and the best treatment was 5%BS.Therefore,an appropriate application rate of BS and BR could improve the remediation efficiency for Zn/Cd contaminated soils by Sedum alfredii Hance.

Hazard Assessment on Heavy Metal Pollution in Surface Soil from Tea Gardens of Wuzhishan

[Objective] The aim of this study is to investigate hazard assessment on heavy metal pollution in surface soil from tea gardens of Wuzhishan. [Method] The average content and accumulation status of heavy metals including Cr,Ni,Cu,Zn,As,Cd and Pb in surface soil from tea gardens of Wuzhishan was collected. Taking the highest global background value of heavy metals in sediments before modern industrialization and the first-class natural background value of Soil Environment Quality Standard in China as the reference value respectively,the accumulation or ecological hazard coefficient and the ecological hazard index of heavy metals in surface soil from tea gardens of Wuzhishan were assessed by potential ecological risk index. [Result] The pollution level with two kinds of background values as the reference value was similar,while Cd and Pb were main heavy metals which had potential impact on ecological environmental in surface soil from tea gardens of Wuzhishan. [Conclusion] The potential risk level of heavy metals in surface soil from tea gardens of Wuzhishan belongs to the slight-medium pollution level,and the heavy metal with potential risk is mainly Cd.

Pollution Health Hazard

BEIJING＇S winter of 2011 has been a bad time for Guo Changyan. As a frail girl, who often falls ill, the capital＇s serious air pollution is playing havoc on her health. ＂I have been coughing since the beginning of the hazy weather, but have to work outside every day even though I know long-term exposure to the pollution will exacerbate my cough,＂ Guo, an employee of a non-profit organization in Beijing, told ChinAfrica.

Tracking Source Variations of Inhalation Cancer Risks and Ozone Formation Potential in Hong Kong over Two Decades(2000−2020)Using Toxic Air Pollutant Monitoring Data

Toxic air pollutants(TAPs)are a class of airborne chemicals known or suspected to cause serious health issues.This study,applying positive matrix factorization and inhalation unit risk estimates of TAPs,quantifies the changes in significant sources contributing to inhalation cancer risks(ICRs)from 2000 to 2020 in Hong Kong,China.Total ICR decreased from 1701 to 451 cases per million between 2000−2004 and 2016−2020,largely attributed to the reduction in diesel particulate matter(DPM),gasoline and solvent use-related volatile organic compounds(VOCs),and coal/biomass combustion-related polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and metal(loid)s.The regional contribution of VOCs associated with industrial and halogenated solvent sources increased substantially,representing the largest non-DPM ICR contributor(37%)in 2016−2020,stressing the need for a more comprehensive risk evaluation across the fast-growing and densely populated Greater Bay Area(GBA).ICRs in Hong Kong and the GBA will likely remain over 100 cases per million by 2050.The contributions to ozone formation potential of VOC/carbonyl sources were quantified,which show a notable shift from being solvent/gasoline-dominant in 2000−2004 to being more evenly shared by various sources in 2016−2020.Establishing a similar TAP monitoring network in the GBA is anticipated to provide the monitoring data needed to facilitate the development of more informed air quality management strategies.