Search results for "Union"
showing 10 items of 2069 documents
Hybrid moving bed biofilm reactors: an effective solution for upgrading a large wastewater treatment plant
2009
Over the last few years there has been a growing attention regarding the receiving water body quality state. As a matter of a fact, the Directive 91/271 of the European Union (EU) replaced the “emission standard” concept that fixes discharge limits depending on polluting emission characteristics, with the “stream standard” concept that fixes discharge limits for each polluting substance depending on self-depurative characteristics of the RWB. In this context, several WWTPs need to be upgraded in order to meet stricter effluent limits. The need of WWTP upgrading was also emphasized by the growing urbanization that have led, in most cases, to get overloaded WWTP due to an overcoming of the ma…
Selective recovery of gold from electronic waste using 3D-printed scavenger
2017
Around 10% of the worldwide annual production of gold is used for manufacturing of electronic devices. According to the European Commission, waste electric and electronic equipment is the fastest growing waste stream in the European Union. This has generated the need for an effective method to recover gold from electronic waste. Here, we report a simple, effective, and highly selective nylon-12-based three-dimensional (3D)-printed scavenger objects for gold recovery directly from an aqua regia extract of a printed circuit board waste. Using the easy to handle and reusable 3D-printed meshes or columns, gold can be selectively captured both in a batch and continuous flow processes by dipping …
Comparison between laboratory and pilot biotrickling filtration of air emissions from painting and wood finishing
2010
BACKGROUND: Painting and wood finishing is one industrial sector affected by the European Union environmental regulations on volatile organic compound (VOC) air emissions. The painting process typically results in high flow rates with low VOC concentrations, so biotrickling filtration could be an economical alternative for controlling air emissions. This study analyses the operation of a pilot unit installed in a furniture facility, and compares its performance with the removal efficiency obtained in the laboratory using a synthetic feed composed of n-butyl acetate, toluene and m-xylene to simulate industrial air emissions. RESULTS: Laboratory studies showed that fluctuating and oscillating…
Working Environment in the New EU Member State of Lithuania: Examining a ‘Worst Case’ Example
2008
Using recent survey data from Lithuania, it is suggested that post-communist countries such as Lithuania, admittedly a 'worst case' example, have specific legacies of serious health and safety problems. On a range of general health and occupational safety and health indicators, some three years after joining the European Union, Lithuania is currently a poor performer, and on key indicators the poorest in the European Union. Yet, formally, Lithuania has comprehensive health and safety legislation in line with EU requirements. Survey data suggest, however, a work regime of intensification and an absence of a participative working environment in which employees have a 'voice' in the safety man…
Status of hormones and painkillers in wastewater effluents across several European states-considerations for the EU watch list concerning estradiols …
2016
Present technologies for wastewater treatment do not sufficiently address the increasing pollution situation of receiving water bodies, especially with the growing use of personal care products and pharmaceuticals (PPCP) in the private household and health sector. The relevance of addressing this problem of organic pollutants was taken into account by the Directive 2013/39/EU that introduced (i) the quality evaluation of aquatic compartments, (ii) the polluter pays principle, (iii) the need for innovative and affordable wastewater treatment technologies, and (iv) the identification of pollution causes including a list of principal compounds to be monitored. In addition, a watch list of 10 o…
CO2LD: An innovation educational project for High Degree Professional Training in Refrigeration
2013
EN] Refrigeration is one of the technology sectors that has sufered the most changes in the last twenty years, because of the negative impact of the fuids used in the refrigeration cycles, i.e., refrigerants, due to their impact on the ozone layer and their contribution to global warming. As a result of their negative efects, the European Union has established several directives to restrict the use of refrigerant fuids, and the sector therefore needs to adapt to the new regulations. This process of adaptation of the refrigeration sector to the new regulations must be carried out by all the agents involved, including those engaged in the training and education of the future refrigeration tec…
Jurisdiction and applicable law in cases of damage from space in Europe—The advent of the most suitable choice—Rome II
2010
Liability for space activities is a much discussed subject and the advent of commercial space operations has only added to its importance. Articles VI and VII Outer Space Treaty, together with Articles II and III Liability Convention, remain the main entry level for state liability for damage arising from private space activities. Few space-faring nations have introduced national space statutes that include a flow down of their international obligations. The European Union (EU) Regulation on the law applicable to non-contractual obligations—hereinafter Rome II Regulation—could harbour developments for liability law in the context of damage resulting from space operations. Space activities w…
Analysis of the Motor Vehicles Manufacturing Sector in Cataluña: Implementation with Radar Charts
2013
The representation of the average periods of maturation in the axes of a radial chart allows us to know the financial position reached by companies at the end of an economic year or in a certain period. The angular indicators obtained from the application of the cosine and sine theorems, according to plane geometry principles verify the deduction obtained from the observation of the radial chart and establish whether the result of each management areas displayed offers liquidez to the developed trading activity, or it is the financial positions regardless trading activity the ones which verifies the displayed financial position in the radial chart. The indicated ratio explains why companies…
Technical and economical evaluation on the use of reconfiguration systems in some EU countries for PV plants
2017
This paper shows the technical and economical evaluation of the application of a reconfiguration system for photovoltaic (PV) plants, considering the incentives system in some European Union countries. The reconfiguration system is an alternative to the distributed maximum power point tracking technique which used to increase the power production in the PV plants under the mismatch phenomenon. The reconfiguration techniques employ a microprocessor-based or field-programmable gate array-based system that modifies the layout of the PV plant through the change of the connections among modules. After having presented the main features working of the PV reconfiguration system allowing the improv…
Energy certification of buildings: A comparative analysis of progress towards implementation in European countries
2010
Abstract The Energy Performance Building Directive (Directive 2002/91/EC) introduced the compulsory energy certification of buildings in the EU from 2006 and it has played a key role in the common policy to monitor and reduce energy consumption. In order to assess the experience gained in this field in Europe overall, and in particular against the highly diverse settings of the different European nations, this paper examines the extent to which the Directive has been implemented by the 27 EU Member States. This is done via a comparative analysis assisted by two different indicators: of uniformity and of excellence. The measure of uniformity makes it possible to assess the degree of harmony …