Waste perception

The sum total of risks of the nuclear fuel cycle, most of which are associated with conventional industrial safety, are greater than those associated with nuclear power plant operation (30,35—39). However, only 1% of the radiological risk is associated with the nuclear fuel cycle so that nuclear power plant operations are the dominant risk (40). Pubhc perception, however, is that the disposition of nuclear waste poses the dominant risk. 

Consider that the odor perception by human nose is correlated with the odor value, OVj, in the headspace above the liquid. If a specific OVt distribution values is wanted, the perfume composition can be determined with the help of Equation (2). This methodology can facilitate the optimization of perfume compositions, reducing in this way some trial and error time and chemical wastes. Clearly, the problem is determined by structural decisions because the perfume composition depends on the interaction of the different perfume components. 

Public perception and the resulting trends in legislation have led manufacturers of plastics and plastic products to realize that they either have to act and get involved with the issue or be prepared to shoulder much of the blame for the solid waste crisis and face tremendous restrictions on their industry. The companies initial responses included the formation of both internal divisions and cooperative industry associations to approach the issues of plastics recycling and solid waste management. 

Water-Waste Interactions. It is appropriate to examine the water-waste interactions first since this is an extension of our previous interests in the high temperature solubility and mass transfer of corrosion products in power plants (2) and our perceptions in this area are therefore well developed. 

Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) is defined by the U.S. EPA as solid wastes, discarded from homes or similar sources, that are either hazardous wastes or wastes that exhibit any of the following characteristics ignitabiUty, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity. A significant fraction of HHW is generated by home mechanics who use such products as motor oil, cleaners and solvents, refrigerants, and batteries. The results indicate that most of the survey respondents perceive automotive products to pose significant health and environmental risks, and they tend to dispose of these wastes in an environmentally conscious manner. There is qnite often a discrepancy between human perception and scientific reality (see table 8.2) (Shorten et al., 1995). 

Water is cheap, relatively abundant in many part of the world, safe, and, when pure, environmentally benign [40]. It is also true that some reactions show unusual selectivity and/or rate enhancements when run in, or more accurately, on water [41]. However, a closer examination of many reactions in water reveals that in fact one or more liquid reagents have been used in large excess, so they are in fact biphasic reactions. There is also a misguided perception that water, after use as a reaction medium, can be poured down the drain [42]. On an industrial scale, there can be a considerable cost and environmental burden associated with remediation of waste water streams contaminated with solvents and organic and metal residues-see Chapters 2 and 3. 

There has been a past perception, particularly in the nuclear community, that the issues of waste isolation lie primarily in the political and socio-economic arena and that no real technical problems remain. I believe that this is correct with respect to the first category of issues, namely, there is no question that we understand how to encapsulate, transport and safely handle radio-... 

In the United States, however, the public perception of nuclear energy is less than favorable. There are formidable disadvantages, including the creation of radioactive wastes and the possibility of an accident that releases radioactive substances into the environment. In rebuttal, advocates point out that we cannot insist that nuclear fission energy be absolutely safe while at the same time accept tanker spills, global warming, acid rain, and coal-miner diseases. 

An initial glance at psychological experience seems to show many contradictions to this, we do all sorts of things every day in ways that, even to our own perception, are certainly not the most economical ways. An observer may detect even more wasted energy. Suppose I carry a book from here into the next room, if I observe the action carefully, I will probably find that I have not used my body in a way that requires a minimal expenditure of energy to move the book from here to there. 

Gamma radiation perceptably modifies leaching characteristics of the waste form. 

It is important that personnel at all levels—department heads, supervisors, academic faculty—exhibit a sincere and open interest in the waste management plan, and each one supports the other continuously. It is not sufficient to support the plan at its outset and to assume that it will then operate. Success depends on the participation and cooperation of the laboratory workers, who will be conditioned by their perception of management commitment. Any program that must be perceived and has only nominal support will come to be ignored by laboratory personnel. 

MRI is based on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy which is widely used to deduce the structures of organic molecules. Given the public perception of the word nuclear (nuclear bombs, nuclear waste, etc) this has been dropped from the acronym used for the technique. In NMR spectroscopy a sample... 

Bord RJ, O Connor RE (1992) Determinants of risk perception of a hazardous waste site. Risk Analysis, 12(3) 411 116. 

The amount of material provided in a complete sample collection kit is sufficient to collect eight samples of each type (bulk solid, soil, water, liquid, and wipe). The perception of the sample collection kit is mainly aimed at environmental samples to be taken by the OPCW inspectors as expected in IAU inspections or perimeter monitoring at Cl inspections. Nevertheless, it covers sampling activities at industrial sites, where samples are most likely to be taken from storage devices, production equipment, and waste streams. 

The public and legislative debate which led up to the Enactment of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 ("Superfund") focused extensively on assessing the risks from old hazardous waste dump sites. Indeed, much of the controversy and difficulty in enacting the bill was a result of greatly differing perceptions about the risks posed by old dump sites and exposure to minimal levels of hazardous waste. 

The committee held discussions with representatives of the local CACs (and in Oregon with the CTUIR) to gain local public input and to gauge perceptions on site-specific secondary-waste-related issues. Communications channels were found to be well established and frequently used. The public outreach offices and site leaders at each location appear to be very effective in establishing an atmosphere of transparency and trust with the local public. Because the long-term fate and status of the UMCDF site remains of great interest to them, the CTUIR expressed additional concerns about the transfer of waste across their land as well as the speed of closure of UMCDF operations, which may be impacted by secondary waste disposal. 

Since visual perception of colors is altered and the degree of shadow varied according to the type of light bulb used, it is important to select the appropriate bulb for a particular fixture in a particular position. Also, once turned on, produced light should not be wasted. The viewer s eye level and focal point on the displayed fabric must be calculated to determine the position and angle of light bulbs. Such calculations are best consigned to an expert concerned about preservation who specializes in museum illumination. 

In spite of these efforts, it is unlikely that public perception about incinerators will shift toward a more assenting view, and thus the difficulties to be met in situating incinerators prefigure a problematical future for them. U.S. EPA strategies in this regard emphasize less reliance on this technique and greater confidence in the minimization of waste generation. This last subject is discussed in Chapter 12. 

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