Academic literature on the topic 'Public exposure limit'
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Journal articles on the topic "Public exposure limit"
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Rappaport, S. M. "Threshold limit values, permissible exposure limits, and feasibility: The bases for exposure limits in the United States." American Journal of Industrial Medicine 23, no. 5 (May 1993): 683–94. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajim.4700230502.
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Khanal, O. B., D. Thapa, B. R. Shah, D. D. Mulmi, A. Shah, K. Adhikari, and S. K. Aryal. "Study of the Exposure Rate from the Patients Injected with Radiopharmaceutical." International Journal of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology 2, no. 3 (September 25, 2014): 336–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijasbt.v2i3.10972.
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Nuclear medical imaging is done by injecting very small amount of radiopharmaceutical to the patient. The radiations from patients are detected by special type of Gamma camera that works with computer to yield precise pictures of the organs being imaged. The Technetium-99m, injected to renal scan patient, is the source of radiation to the individual near to patient. Thus the individual receives exposure from the patient. The exposure received by public in the imaging center from renal scan patients has been calculated. The exposure rate at the center is measured to check whether an individual near to the patient is below the internationally acceptable public dose limit. Public receive low amount of average exposure of (3.7 ± 1.7) mSv/h at 1m distance for delayed scan. However, public receives high amount of exposure of (234.4 ± 74.8) mSv/h at shorter distance of 0.25 m after immediate scan are not subject to dose limits of the occupational radiation worker. The exposure received at shorter distance is higher from the patients. Thus the hospitals providing radiation treatments must take account of the public dose limit for individuals accompanying treated patients. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijasbt.v2i3.10972Int J Appl Sci Biotechnol, Vol. 2(3): 336-341
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JACKSON, R. A., and A. BEHAR. "Noise Exposure — Sample Size and Confidence Limit Calculation." American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal 46, no. 7 (July 1985): 387–90. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15298668591395021.
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Froom, P. "Determining standards for professional divers diving in benzene polluted waters." Toxicology and Industrial Health 24, no. 8 (September 2008): 525–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0748233708098126.
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The main objective of this study is to calculate the hours of diving in benzene-polluted waters acceptable for professional divers. We considered recommended absorption limit as that from pulmonary workplace absorption during an 8-h workday at recommended exposure limits set by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, and developed a formula to determine recommended limits for diving time based on actual water and sediment concentrations and exposure conditions. The recommended absorption limit is 1.6 mg of benzene per workday. This is equivalent to total body dermal absorption over a 1-h dive at water concentration of 7.6 mg/L, or absorption from drinking 0.1 L of water with a concentration of 16.5 mg/L, or dermal absorption with 50% of the body covered in sediment with a concentration of 18,851 mg/kg. A formula that calculates allowable diving time considering benzene water and sediment concentrations, and gastrointestinal and dermal exposures is presented. Water concentrations and not exposure to sediment limit recommended diving time, and unlimited diving in areas with sediment and water concentrations thought to pose a serious human health hazard would not surpass the recommended amount of benzene absorbed in the workplace. We conclude that allowable diving time in polluted waters can be calculated resulting in absorption equivalent to recommended limits for pulmonary absorption in the workplace. Our results suggest that agencies determining significant health risk levels of chemical concentrations in sediment and water should consider our findings.
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Menyajlo, A. N., S. Yu Chekin, O. K. Vlasov, М. А. Maksioutov, V. V. Kashcheev, A. M. Korelo, K. A. Tumanov, N. V. Shchukina, E. A. Pryakhin, and V. K. Ivanov. "Assessment of the radiation safety of the population of the Bryansk region districts contaminated after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant based on radiation risks calculation, considering risk uncertainties." "Radiation and Risk" Bulletin of the National Radiation and Epidemiological Registry 31, no. 1 (2022): 15–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.21870/0131-3878-2022-31-1-15-28.
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The current recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) are based on the classification of exposure situations as: planned, emergency and existing exposure situations. In planned situations, annual risk limits are set to limit human exposure. However, in emergency exposure situations or in existing exposure situations, permanent (annual) source control is not always possible, so the radiation protection strategy by monitoring the individual annual risk limit cannot always be practically implemented either. The purpose of this work is to assess the radiation safety of the population currently residing (at the beginning of 2022) in six districts of the Bryansk region: contaminated with radionuclides as a result of the Chernobyl accident: in Gordeevsky, Zlynkovsky, Klimovsky, Klintsovsky, Krasnogorsky and Novozybkovsky districts. Assessment of the current state of radiation safety of the population is based on calculations of the radiation detriment from chronic exposure due to living in contaminated areas, considering uncertainties of the reconstructed exposure doses and the parameters of mathematical risk models for the population. Radiation damage is calculated according to the modern ICRP methodology. Based on the general principle of conservative assessment of safety, the calculated upper 95% confidence limits (95% CL) of radiation detriment are compared with the corresponding lifetime radiation detriment limit, 3.510-3, determined by the Russian radiation safety standards (NRB-99/2009) under normal exposure conditions for the nominal period 70 years of life for the public. The radiation safety of the population of the Klimovsky district corresponds to the normal conditions of exposure from technogenic sources of ionizing radiation. Among the population of the remaining five contaminated districts of the Bryansk region, critical groups have been identified, the radiation detriment for which exceeds the limit 3.510-3 for normal conditions of public exposure in planned situations. The results of this work can be used in the preparation of recommendations for health authorities to improve medical monitoring of exposed citizens living in territories contaminated with radionuclides, as well as in the development of regulatory documents for the provision of targeted medical care to people from high radiation risk groups with the use of personalized medicine methods.
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Sucker, Kirsten, and Thomas Brüning. "Arbeitsplatzgrenzwerte für Stoffe mit einer Reiz- und Geruchswirkung." ASU Arbeitsmedizin Sozialmedizin Umweltmedizin 2022, no. 07 (June 29, 2022): 448–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.17147/asu-1-204767.
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Occupational exposure limits for substances having an irritant and odoriferous effect “Fresh, clean air” is a characteristic of the quality of the air we breathe. The perception of an unpleasant or unexpected odour is often interpreted as an indication of pollution and is associated with concerns about adverse health effects. The frequently asked question is then: Does it only smell, or is it also harmful to health? If hazardous substances are handled at a workplace, the occupational exposure limit protects against a health hazard. In an indoor workplace, e.g. an office, this is the indoor guide value II. Both assessment values are derived on the basis of current toxicological and epidemiological findings from animal and human studies on dose-response relationships from the odour threshold to the irritation threshold. This paper provides an insight into the conceptual considerations and procedures underlying the derivation of occupational exposure limits for substances having an irritant and odoriferous effect. Keywords: odour nuisance – sensory irritation – experimental human studies – limit derivation
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Kauermann, Göran, Heiko Becher, and Verena Maier. "Exploring the statistical uncertainty in acceptable exposure limit values for hexavalent chromium exposure." Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology 28, no. 1 (May 17, 2017): 69–75. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/jes.2017.4.
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Cordeiro, Ricardo. "Using the current Brazilian value for the biological exposure limit applied to blood lead level as a lead poisoning diagnostic criterion." Cadernos de Saúde Pública 12, no. 1 (March 1996): 31–35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/s0102-311x1996000100013.
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In general, biological exposure limits are only used for the promotion and preservation of workers' health and are not applied for diagnostic purposes. However, the issue is controversial for certain types of occupational poisoning. This paper proposes the utilization of biological exposure limits currently applied to blood lead levels in Brazil as an important criterion for diagnosing occupational lead poisoning. The author argues that contrary to the traditional clinical criterion, one should deal with the diagnostic problem of lead poisoning from an epidemiological perspective, using the current Brazilian value for the biological exposure limit applied to blood lead level as an indicator of high relative risk.
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Sjögren, Bengt, Maria Albin, Karin Broberg, Per Gustavsson, Håkan Tinnerberg, and Gunnar Johanson. "An occupational exposure limit for welding fumes is urgently needed." Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health 48, no. 1 (November 25, 2021): 1–3. http://dx.doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.4002.
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LEUNG, HON-WING, F. JAY MURRAY, and DENNIS J. PAUSTENBACH. "A Proposed Occupational Exposure Limit for 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin." American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal 49, no. 9 (September 1988): 466–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15298668891380088.
Full textBooks on the topic "Public exposure limit"
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James, D. Propylene oxide: Criteria document for an occupational exposure limit. Sudbury: HSE Books, 1996.
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Cardarelli, John. Ionizing and Non-ionizing Radiation. Oxford University Press, 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190662677.003.0015.
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This chapter describes ionizing radiation and non-ionizing radiation, ways to measure it in the environment, describes the potential health effects from chronic and acute exposures as well as a discussion addressing pregnancy concerns. Background radiation from both sources are described in relation to occupational or public exposure limits and how these limits were derived. Among the subjects described are acute radiation syndrome, exposure assessment, radon, and assessment of radiation risk. Radiation protection and control measures are described and how their applications may change based on routine vs. emergency response conditions and the scale of the incident.
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Reay, Jill, David Sutton, and Colin J Martin. Control of radioactive substances. Oxford University Press, 2015. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/med/9780199655212.003.0009.
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The possession, use, transport, and disposal of radioactive materials are controlled through regulation to limit exposure of the public and workers. This chapter describes the methodologies employed. Regulation is enacted through a system of notification and licensing, based upon recommendations from the IAEA and ICRP. A competent authority is empowered to permit an organization to hold, use, or dispose of any radionuclide, provided certain conditions are met. These take the form of limits on the quantities of different radioactive materials held, and requirements for security and protection. They require an evaluation of the impact of waste disposal. Methodologies for estimating doses received by critical groups from release of radioactive material into the environment are explained. Minimization of the waste produced and regulation of its disposal are essential components in the overall strategy to protect the environment. Controls over the transport of radioactive materials and medical administrations to patients are considered.
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Panzer, Paula, and Stephanie Smit-Dillard. Trauma-Informed Care. Edited by Hunter L. McQuistion. Oxford University Press, 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/med/9780190610999.003.0002.
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Many people seeking psychiatric care have been exposed to interpersonal and/or community trauma; those experiences have direct bearing on their presenting concerns. Understanding that trauma can pervasively impact well-being, it is critical for psychiatric practitioners to routinely address trauma exposure, coping strategies, and related symptoms so that interventions are experienced as collaborative, safe, and effective. This chapter discusses practical approaches addressing the role of trauma in health and behavioral health symptoms, and it introduces evidence-based interventions for assessing and treating trauma-related disorders in public practice. Trauma-informed systems of care that limit undue harm while attending to the needs of practitioners are also discussed.
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Brace, Paul. State Economic Development. Edited by Donald P. Haider-Markel. Oxford University Press, 2014. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199579679.013.026.
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The brief survey of American political development presented in this chapter reveals that state economic development has always been a dominant feature of our politics and economics. Interstate economic competition dates to the Colonies. And throughout our history states have pursued opportunities to use their powers to secure public and private economic advantage, all the while constrained by national government policies and interventions. This chapter considers these developments and current issues in state economic development, which are nested within stable and unstable features of American federalism. The chapter makes it clear that there are opportunities for subnational governments to adopt policies to limit firm and investor tax exposure to attract or nurture coveted economic enterprises. These opportunities can be attractive to voters as well as the demands of powerful and well-organized economic interests seeking private benefit where costs can be socialized. The author makes clear throughout the chapter that economic development efforts have promised broad benefits but in practice they have produced unbalanced rewards and costs.
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Lippmann, Morton, and Richard B. Schlesinger. Risk Assessment. Oxford University Press, 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/med/9780190688622.003.0008.
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This chapter describes the characterization of risk and the application of risk assessment methodologies by governments, corporations, and special interest groups so as to identify the nature and extent of known and potential risks to public health and welfare from exposure to environmental chemicals. It discusses the nature of risk, including perceived vs. real rick, risk identification and quantification, and risk communication. It reviews the different approaches that may be used in risk assessment and provides specific applications of risk analysis, including the setting of exposure limits and/or emission limits and the specification of control technologies to reduce emissions of chemicals.
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Hyland, G. J. The fundamental inadequacy of current safety limits governing public exposure to radiation from mobile phones and VDU terminals mandates a new concept: Electromagnetic biocompatibility. Tecno, 1999.
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Albert, Richard, and Richard Stacey, eds. The Limits and Legitimacy of Referendums. Oxford University Press, 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198867647.001.0001.
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This innovative and timely book explores how referendums manage the tension between liberalism and democracy, and whether this decision-making device holds promise for reconciling these two commitments. Featuring an outstanding cast of scholars from around the world, the contributors expose how referendums may be abused on one hand to achieve short-term political or even personal gains, and how, on the other, they may aspire to reflect the best traditions of deliberative, inclusive, democracy-enhancing popular choice. The possibility of democracy-enhancing uses and anti-democratic abuses of referendums reveals a paradox: mechanisms of democracy can be exploited to do violence to the basic principles of democracy. We seek in this book to identify standards we might use to assess the democratic legitimacy of a referendum when we cannot rely on the norms of traditional liberal democracy. Structured around three big questions, this book seeks to identify what makes a referendum legitimate. First, why have referendums on issues of fundamental political importance become so frequent around the world? Second, who are—or who should be—the people that make decisions about a political community’s future? And third, are referendums an effective and reliable mechanism of popular sovereignty or democratic choice? Written for scholars, public lawyers, political actors and citizens, this book brings together diverse perspectives on referendums, constitutionalism, liberalism and democracy in ways that challenge the conventional wisdom, prompt new answers to enduring questions, and urge reconsideration of how we evaluate the legitimacy of referendums.
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Tussie, Diana. Bringing Power and Markets In. Oxford University Press, 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198826873.003.0012.
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This commentary argues for greater attention to issues of power and markets as research on global governance legitimacy advances. The topic of legitimacy in global governance is ethically and politically urgent to explore because of serious challenges from within and without the current institutional order. This commentary calls for more attention to two specific issues: geopolitical change and markets. First, in times of geopolitical transition, the sources of legitimacy are themselves points of contestation. Power transitions expose the limits of the liberal order and intimate a return of geopolitics with implications for the perceptions of legitimate global governance. Second, the role of markets has been neglected in scholarship on global governance legitimacy. This legitimacy is fragile partly because private interests have dominated the representation of public interests in decision making. The legitimacy of global governance institutions requires that domestic governance is not undermined by international markets.
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Patashnik, Eric M., Alan S. Gerber, and Conor M. Dowling. Unhealthy Politics. Princeton University Press, 2020. http://dx.doi.org/10.23943/princeton/9780691203225.001.0001.
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The U.S. medical system is touted as the most advanced in the world, yet many common treatments are not based on sound science. This book sheds new light on why the government's response to this troubling situation has been so inadequate, and why efforts to improve the evidence base of U.S. medicine continue to cause so much political controversy. The book paints a portrait of a medical industry with vast influence over which procedures and treatments get adopted, and a public burdened by the rising costs of health care yet fearful of going against “doctor's orders.” It offers vital insights into the limits of science, expertise, and professionalism in American politics. The book explains why evidence-based medicine is important. First, the delivery of unproven care can expose patients to serious risks. Second, the slow integration of evidence can lead to suboptimal outcomes for patients who receive treatments that work less well for their conditions than alternatives. Third, the failure to implement evidence-based practices encourages wasteful spending, causing the health care system to underperform relative to its level of investment. This book assesses whether the delivery of medical care in the United States is evidence based. It argues that by systematically ignoring scientific evidence (or the lack thereof), the United States is substantially out of balance.
Book chapters on the topic "Public exposure limit"
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Foladori, Guillermo, and Noela Invernizzi. "AgNano, the Construction of Occupational Health Standards: A Status Update." In Silver Micro-Nanoparticles - Properties, Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications. IntechOpen, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.96104.
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The regulation of chemical substances involves a negotiation between social actors to translate controversial scientific evidence about risks into legal norms. This chapter addresses the discussion elicited by a public consultation on a voluntary regulation guide on silver nanoparticles (AgNP) in workplaces. It examines the comments made from 2016 to 2018 by diverse social actors – business representatives, non-governmental organizations (NGO), and independent researchers – to two successive draft versions of a Recommended Exposure Limit (REL) in working environments with AgNP. The REL is a voluntary guideline on permissible exposure limits elaborated by the NIOSH in the U.S. The methodology used was a qualitative content analysis, structured upon a historical and sociotechnical contextualization of nanotechnologies carried out through literature review. The findings show how different social actors position themselves in the controversy, revealing a pattern of behavior consistent with their position in the research, production, and commercialization of this new nanomaterial. While a group of actors, aligned with the interests of AgNP producers, proposed the restriction of mandatory and AgNP-specific regulation, another group of more heterogeneous actors, identified with the interests of workers and consumers, demanded more scientific and technical information and stricter health protection measures.
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Vijay Singh, Indra, Maninder Singh Setia, Bageshree Seth, and N. Revati. "Assessment of Radiation Density of Cell Phone Tower for Epidemiological Studies." In Advances in Transdisciplinary Engineering. IOS Press, 2023. http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/atde221290.
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In this paper the state of art study is being done to create awareness and evaluate the level of surface power density emitted from base transceiver (BTS) at different horizontal distances and frequencies, in Navi Mumbai region. A NARDA SRM-3006 kit was used to measure the maximum surface power density in broadband region. The highest power level was found within 40–50m from the tower, ≈ 427.00 mW/m2 (frequency band 26.00MHz to 3.00 GHz). This power level was more than the limit of exposure level recommended by International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). However, the distance from the BTS Antenna more than 50m and at same frequency, the observed exposure levels were below the ICNIRP limit but more than the limit values, recommended by some countries (≤ 1mW/m2) and researchers. The power density ∼ 24.3 mW/m2 (maximum peak) was found at 350m distance from the tower. The power dependencies algorithm on frequency has been verified and it is observed that power level reduced by ∼ 40% to ∼96% , by reducing the frequency from 2000.00MHz to 500.00 MHz, respectively at fixed distance from the BTS. The results of this study informed that the surface power density levels significantly varied with distance, direction, characteristics impedance of medium and frequency. Therefore, these facts need to be incorporated for determining the public health guideline regarding cell phone towers. Now, this study can further be utilized in future for auditing the power density radiated from BTS for epidemiological studies.
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Hussain, O., E. Chang, F. Hussain, and T. Dillon. "Communicating Recommendations in a Service-Oriented Environment." In Encyclopedia of Mobile Computing and Commerce, 108–15. IGI Global, 2007. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/978-1-59904-002-8.ch019.
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The Australian and New Zealand Standard on Risk Management, AS/NZS 4360:2004 (Cooper, 2004), states that risk identification is the heart of risk management. Hence risk should be identified according to the context of the transaction in order to analyze and manage it better. Risk analysis is the science of evaluating risks resulting from past, current, anticipated, or future activities. The use of these evaluations includes providing information for determining regulatory actions to limit risk, and for educating the public concerning particular risk issues. Risk analysis is an interdisciplinary science that relies on laboratory studies, collection, and exposure of data and computer modeling.
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Chiang, Lichun. "Exploring the Effects of Trust, Perceived Risk, and E-Services Systems on Public Services in E-Government." In Advances in Business Information Systems and Analytics, 102–18. IGI Global, 2014. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/978-1-4666-4313-0.ch008.
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This chapter is an attempt to better understand government perceptions on the adoption of technology-based service channels, in particular, digitalized administration processes. A model is proposed that combines the effect of behavioral beliefs and intentions together with research variables, perceived usefulness of e-services, subjective norms, self-efficacy, technology facilitating conditions, trust and perceived risk, as well as individual characteristics. The research method uses a questionnaire to query the intentions of government civil service employees towards adopting digitalized services. Structural Equation Modeling is applied to further analyze the data and to design a theoretical model predicting the intention to accept e-services in e-government. Results from 216 civil servants working in five cities and counties reveal trust as the most influential factor directly affecting behavioral intention towards administering digitalized services. The high trust of civil servants towards these digitalized e-government services unfortunately results in low risk perception, which is an issue to be addressed to limit exposure.
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K. Bancewicz, Bartlomiej. "A Call to Action: Incentivizing Arsenic Remediation." In Arsenic [Working Title]. IntechOpen, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.99376.
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Arsenic is a threat to human health. Long-term Arsenic exposure can lead to numerous cancers and non-carcinogenic diseases. Over 230 million across 107 countries are drinking groundwater Arsenic concentrations above the maximum concentration limit of 10 μg/L. The number of affected individuals is expected to rise in parallel with a growing dependence on groundwater, driven by diminishing surface water quality and quantity. A growing number of people will come in contact with Arsenic-contaminated water at new locations, while excessive pumping, geogenic processes, and industrial sources raise Arsenic concentrations at active groundwater sites. It is time to begin implementing Arsenic remediation techniques to save human lives, boost the global economy, and instill the foundations of a global collaborative framework. The continued research and development of remediation technologies is crucial, but these technologies will remain ineffective unless implemented. This chapter reviews the ongoing Arsenic crisis and suggests a simplified plan of action for resolving this problem. This is a transcontinental endeavor, which must begin with world leaders identifying and engaging new stakeholders. This will require education and awareness campaigns to boost involvement of the public sector, private sector, and the general public.
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Peterson, Holly L., Chad Zanocco, and Aaron Smith-Walter. "Lost in Translation: Narrative Salience of Fear > Hope in Prevention of COVID-19." In Narratives and the Policy Process : Applications of the Narrative Policy Framework. Montana State University, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.15788/npf5.
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Using short, policy-image-like narratives, we explore the relationship between narrative agreement and narrative impacts in the case of COVID-19 in the US. Building upon previous research which identified attention narratives focusing on problems “stories of fear” and those focusing on solutions “stories of hope,” we use a narrative survey experiment of the general public (n=1000) to test the salience of problem and solution narratives and if they impact agreement with Center for Disease Control (CDC) prevention guidelines. Our findings are 1) fear story agreement is partisan but hope story agreement is not 2) fear story is the more salient of the two, 3) narrative agreement for both fear and hope were related to CDC safety guideline agreement, but were partisan, and 4) exposure to neither narrative impacted likelihood to agree with the guidelines as compared to a control group. Our findings are consistent with previous work indicating a Democratic party preference for stories of fear, where Democrats were more likely to support policy action. While we find that agreement with our narratives and guidelines is related, neither narrative treatment successfully altered support for CDC guidelines, suggesting a potential limit for the influence of narratives to either change or reorder existing preferences in highly salient and partisan issue areas like COVID-19 and suggesting a need for more research into the dynamics of narrative attention.
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"Health and Safety Issues with Exposure Limits for Maintenance Workers and the Public." In Electromagnetic Compatibility, 281–303. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2015. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/9781118985465.ch7.
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Kumar, Amit. "Bioremediation and Biodegradation Technologies for Removal of Pollutants and Wastes from the Environment." In Advances in Environmental Engineering and Green Technologies, 288–310. IGI Global, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-4921-6.ch014.
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Bioremediation is defined as the process whereby organic wastes are biologically degraded under controlled conditions to an innocuous state, or to levels below concentration limits established by regulatory authorities. For bioremediation to be effective, microorganisms must enzymatically attack the pollutants and convert them to harmless products. As bioremediation can be effective only where environmental conditions permit microbial growth and activity, its application often involves the manipulation of environmental parameters to allow microbial growth and degradation to proceed at a faster rate. Bioremediation techniques are typically more economic than traditional methods such as incineration, and some pollutants can be treated on site, thus reducing exposure risks for clean-up personnel, or potentially wider exposure as a result of transportation accidents. Bioremediation is based on natural attenuation. The public considers it more acceptable than other technologies.
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Kumar, Amit. "Bioremediation and Biodegradation Technologies for Removal of Pollutants and Wastes from the Environment." In Research Anthology on Emerging Techniques in Environmental Remediation, 22–43. IGI Global, 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-3714-8.ch002.
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Bioremediation is defined as the process whereby organic wastes are biologically degraded under controlled conditions to an innocuous state, or to levels below concentration limits established by regulatory authorities. For bioremediation to be effective, microorganisms must enzymatically attack the pollutants and convert them to harmless products. As bioremediation can be effective only where environmental conditions permit microbial growth and activity, its application often involves the manipulation of environmental parameters to allow microbial growth and degradation to proceed at a faster rate. Bioremediation techniques are typically more economic than traditional methods such as incineration, and some pollutants can be treated on site, thus reducing exposure risks for clean-up personnel, or potentially wider exposure as a result of transportation accidents. Bioremediation is based on natural attenuation. The public considers it more acceptable than other technologies.
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Mohamed, Zakaria. "Cyanobacterial Toxins in Water Sources and Their Impacts on Human Health." In Pharmaceutical Sciences, 1428–56. IGI Global, 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-1762-7.ch054.
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Cyanobacteria are a group of phytoplankton of marine and freshwaters. The accelerated eutrophication of water sources by agricultural and industrial run-off has increased the occurrence and intensity of cyanobacterial blooms. They are of particular concern because of their production for potent hepato-, neuro-, and dermatoxins, being hazardous to human health. Dissemination of knowledge about cyanobacteria and their cyanotoxins assists water supply authorities in developing monitoring and management plans, and provides the public with appropriate information to avoid exposure to these toxins. This chapter provides a broad overview and up-to-date information on cyanobacteria and their toxins in terms of their occurrence, chemical and toxicological characteristics, fate in the environment, guideline limits, and effective treatment techniques to remove these toxins from drinking water. Future research directions were also suggested to fill knowledge and research gaps, and advance the abilities of utilities and water treatment plant designers to deal with these toxins.
Conference papers on the topic "Public exposure limit"
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RÜBENSAM, Gabriel, and Henrique Bordin Lucena BORGES. "VALIDATION OF A GC-FID METHODOLOGY FOR THE DETERMINATION OF 2,5-HEXANEDIONE IN URINE." In SOUTHERN BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY 2021 INTERNATIONAL VIRTUAL CONFERENCE. DR. D. SCIENTIFIC CONSULTING, 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.48141/sbjchem.21scon.33_abstract_borges.pdf.
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2,5-hexanedione is the main metabolite of hexane and methyl butyl ketone excreted into urine and is currently used to estimate the human exposure levels to these solvents in professional environments. In Brazil, occupational exposure is regulated by a national control program (PCMSO) and applied to public and private organizations that hire your employees according to the actual Brazilian legislation. In the present work, we validated a methodology based on a gas chromatography−flame ionization detector (GC-FID) for the quantification of 2,5-hexanedione in urine to attend the new occupational limit of urinary 2,5-hexanedione, established by a recent revision of the Brazilian legislation, which reduced this limit from 5.0 to 0.5 mg/L. Before GC-FID analysis, sample treatment was based on a simple liquid-liquid extraction with dichloromethane. Considering that there is no specific validation guide for occupational purposes, the adopted validation process was performed using a “fit-for-purpose” approach based on different guides, including FDA bioanalytical method validation, European Commission Decision 2002-657-EC, and ANVISA Guidelines RDC 166/2017. After method optimization, the performance characteristics determined by the present validation study were considered satisfactory and demonstrate the method suitability for the routine analysis in the Brazilian PCMSO, including CCα and CCβ values, which are used to avoid the presentation of false-positive and false-negative results. Intra and interday reproducibility were below 2.66, and 4.08 % and analyte recoveries were above 95.4% for three evaluated levels. The limits of detection and quantification were 0.05 and 0.17, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first application of CCα and CCβ approaches in an analytical method intended for occupational purposes, which are important to know when a sample is out or following the legislation. Then real samples were analyzed herein, and none presented 2,5-hexanedione above the required limits.
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McClelland, Paul, Frank Dennis, and Mark Liddiard. "Practical Implementation of National Clearance Levels at Dounreay." In ASME 2003 9th International Conference on Radioactive Waste Management and Environmental Remediation. ASMEDC, 2003. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/icem2003-4629.
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Clearance is a very important part of any effective waste management strategy for both operating and decommissioning nuclear facilities. Radioactive waste disposal capacity is becoming an increasingly valuable resource and costs for disposal of radioactive wastes continue to dramatically rise. Considerable cost savings may be realised by efficient segregation of essentially non-radioactive material from radioactive wastes. The release of these materials from licensed nuclear sites for disposal, reuse or recycle without further regulatory controls is commonly referred to by the nuclear industry as “clearance”. Although much effort has been directed at establishing national clearance levels, below which, materials may be released without further regulatory controls, there is little practical guidance regarding implementation into local waste management programmes. Compliance with regulatory clearance limits is a relatively straightforward technical exercise involving appropriate management control and monitoring of the material. Whilst this is sufficient to avoid prosecution for breach of regulatory requirements, it is not sufficient to avoid a myriad of political and public relations land mines. When material is unconditionally released, unless additional attention is given to management of its future destination off-site, it may end up anywhere. The worst nightmare for a waste manager at a nuclear site is headlines in local and national newspapers such as, “RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSED IN LOCAL MUNICIPAL LANDFILL,” or, “RADIOACTIVE WASTE USED AS CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL FOR CHILDRENS PLAYGROUND,” etc. Even if the material were released legally, the cost of recovering from such a situation is potentially very large, and such public relations disasters could threaten to end the clearance programme at the given site, if not nationally. This paper describes how national regulatory clearance levels have been implemented for the decommissioning of the Dounreay nuclear site in the far north of Scotland. It specifically focuses on the management of public relations aspects of clearance in order to limit the exposure to non-regulatory pressures and liabilities associated with clearance programmes from nuclear sites. The issues are put into context for uncontaminated wastes, trace contaminated wastes and management of contaminated land.
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Zachar, Matej, Vladimi´r Danisˇka, and Vladimi´r Necˇas. "Methodology for Identification of Conditionally Released Materials From Decommissioning Using the OMEGA Code." In ASME 2011 14th International Conference on Environmental Remediation and Radioactive Waste Management. ASMEDC, 2011. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/icem2011-59175.
Full textAbstract:
The nuclear facility decommissioning process is characterized by production of large volumes of radioactive materials to be managed. The materials with radioactivity slightly above the defined unconditional clearance levels could be released conditionally for a specified industrial application in accordance with developed scenario ensuring that the limits for radiation exposure of workers and public will not be exceeded. The paper presents the methodology for identifying and assessment of the physical and radiological parameters of material items suitable for using in defined scenarios of conditional reuse of materials resulting from the decommissioning process. The calculation of mentioned parameters is done by using the analytical code OMEGA with implemented calculation stream for evaluation the conditional release process. The necessary input parameters for the OMEGA code are maximum concentrations of each radionuclide in the conditionally released materials which do not cause the doses above the limit values for the possible scenarios of further use of materials outside the nuclear site. The examples of such scenarios are assessed and presented in other related papers proposed for the ICEM conference (e.g. papers ICEM2011-59120 or ICEM2011-59128). Based on the inventory database of physical and radiological characteristics of decommissioned facility, the calculation algorithm separates the relevant material items with activity concentrations between unconditional and conditional clearance levels. The amount, material composition and radioactivity of such material items are declared as output parameters of the calculation and are also discussed in the paper. Such data could be used as one of the bases in the benefit analysis of potential application of conditional release within the frame of decommissioning waste management.
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Hsu, Che-Wei, Fang-Ci Su, Po-Yu Peng, Hong-Tsu Young, Mike Yang, and Gou-Jen Wang. "A Novel Non-Enzymatic Electrochemical Glucose Biosensor Based on a Simple Lithographic Process." In ASME 2015 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2015. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/detc2015-46954.
Full textAbstract:
Diabetes is a severe public health problem globally. There are about 387 million people worldwide suffer from this medical condition. Regular detection of a diabetes patient’s blood glucose is essential to maintain the blood sugar level. In this study, a novel non-enzyme glucose biosensor based on a simple lithographic process is proposed. Photoresist AZ-1518 is spinning-coated on a silicon wafer. Exposure and development using a mask with hexagonal close-packed circle array is than conducted to generate a hexagonal close-packed column array of the AZ-1518. The diameter of each circle is set as 4 μm. A thermal melting process is than employed to convert each photoresist column into a photoresist hemisphere. Finally, a gold thin film is then sputtered onto the hemisphere array of AZ-1518 to form the sensing electrode. The sensing area is measured to be enhanced by 8.8 folds. Actual glucose detections demonstrated that the proposed simple non-enzyme glucose biosensor can operate in a linear range of 2.8 mM–27.8 mM and a sensitivity of 18.7 μA mM−1cm−2. A detection limit of 9 μM (S/N = 3) was measured. The proposed novel glucose biosensor possesses advantages of enzyme free, simple fabrication process, low cost, and easy to long-term preservation. It is feasible for future clinical applications.
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Vandenhove, Hildegarde, Jean Jacques Clerc, Holger Quarch, Abdilamit Aitkulov, Maxim Savosin, Isakbek Torgoev, and Muradil Mirzachev. "Mailuu-Suu Tailings Problems and Options for Remediation." In ASME 2003 9th International Conference on Radioactive Waste Management and Environmental Remediation. ASMEDC, 2003. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/icem2003-4535.
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The area of the town of Mailuu Suu, Kyrgyzstan, is polluted by radionuclides and heavy metals in tailing dumps and heaps resulting from the historic exploitation of U-mines in the Mailuu Suu area in Kyrgyzstan. Radioactive substances are stored in 23 tailings and 13 mining debris heaps situated along the Mailuu Suu River. The objective of the EC-TACIS funded project is to evaluate and prepare measures to be taken by the authorities to reduce the radiological exposure of the population and to prevent environmental pollution by radionuclides and heavy metals in case of loss of tightness of dams and damage to dumps and heaps from mining and milling by land and mudslides and to propose sustainable remedial options, accepted by the public. The actual radiological situation is of no immediate concern for most of the population of Mailuu Suu. From the gamma radiation monitoring campaign (monitoring network in Mailuu Suu, Kara Agach and vicinity), it showed that the background radiation is 100–120 nSv/h. On the tailings radiation is on average twice background. The average outside and in-house radon concentration is 175 Bq/m3. In 3 of the houses monitored at Kara Agach the radon level is between the exemption limit for new (200 Bq/m3) and old (400 Bq/m3) houses. The concentration of uranium in the Mailuu Suu river water is far below the exemption limit for drinking water set in Kyrgyzstan. Additional dose from irrigation with Mailuu Suu river water is small in actual conditions (< 0.1 mSv/year). However, there is an important possibility that triggered by an eathquake or a landslide, (part of the) tailing(s) content may be directed to the river Mailuu Suu. Doses to the affected population may increase to multiple ten mSv per annum. Given the actual limited stability of Tailing N°3, the potental of such a disaster to occur isnon-neglegible. To impede the consequences of a potential disaster, under the TACIS project different remedial options are evaluated for Tailing 3 including in situ stabilisation and tailing translocation. Also more global remedial options for the Mailuu Suu River valley are studied (translocation of other tailings, tunnel to deviate river, partial protection of river from landslide blockage). It was proposed to acquire a phased approach in time performing urgent limited stabilisation options for Tailing 3, improve the stability of the Tailing 3 by COLMIX-columns in the medium term, while investigating and evaluating further two long-term remedial options: the translocation of the tailings and the long-right-bank river diversion tunnel.
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Gernand, Jeremy M. "Particulate Matter: Fine and Ultrafine — How Emerging Data on Engineered Nanomaterials May Change How We Regulate Worker Exposures to Dust." In ASME 2015 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2015. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/imece2015-53056.
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Currently in the United States, agencies responsible for regulations related to worker or public exposures to dust set rules based on a few general categories determined by gross particle size categories like PM10 (particles < 10 μm) and PM2.5 (particles < 2.5 μm) and the total mass of certain specific compounds (e.g., 3.5 mg/m3 of carbon black). Environmental health researchers however, have begun to focus on a new category of ultrafine particles (PM0.1; particles < 100 nm) as being more indicative of actual health risks in people. The emerging field of nanotoxicology meanwhile is providing new insights into how and why certain particles cause damage in the lungs by investigating the effects of exposure in animals to very well characterized engineered nanomaterials. Based on this recent research the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has issued new recommended exposure limits (RELs) for carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and titanium dioxide nanoparticles that are 2–3 orders of magnitude more stringent than RELs for larger particles of the same or similar substance. It remains unclear at present how stringent future regulations may be for engineered and inadvertently created nanoparticles or ultrafine dusts. Nor is it clear whether verification methods to demonstrate compliance with these rules could or should be devised to differentiate between engineered and inadvertently created nanoparticles. This study presents a review of the history of dust regulation in the United States, how emerging data on the health risks of ultrafine particles and engineered nanoparticles is changing our understanding of the risks of inhaled dust, and how future rulemaking in regards to these and similar particulate materials may unfold. This review shows the extent to which rules on dust have become more stringent over time specifically in the case of diesel emissions and silica exposure, and indicates that new rules on worker exposure to ultrafine dusts or engineered nanomaterials may be expected in the United States within 5–10 years based on past experience on the time delay in connecting research on new hazards to regulatory intervention. Current research suggests there will be several challenges to compliance with these rules depending on the structure of the final rule and the development of detection technologies. Although the research on ultrafine dust control technologies appears to indicate that once rulemaking begins there may be no serious feasibility limits to controlling these exposures. Based on ongoing exposure studies, those industries likely to be most affected by a new rule on ultrafine dusts not specific to engineered nanomaterials will include transportation, mining, paper and wood products, construction, and manufacturing.
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Danisˇka, Vladimir, Jozef Pri´trsky´, Frantisˇek Ondra, Matej Zachar, and Vladimi´r Necˇas. "Reuse of Conditional Released Materials From Decommissioning: A Review of Approaches and Scenarios With Long-Term Constructions." In ASME 2011 14th International Conference on Environmental Remediation and Radioactive Waste Management. ASMEDC, 2011. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/icem2011-59149.
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Paper presents the overall scope and actual results of the project for evaluation of representative scenarios for reuse of conditionally released materials from decommissioning. Aim of the project is to evaluate the possibilities of reuse of conditionally released steels and concrete in technical constructions which guarantee the long-term preservation of design properties over periods of 50–100 years. Interaction of conditionally released materials with public is limited and predictable due to design and purpose of selected constructions and due to fact that in many scenarios these materials are embedded in non-radioactive materials such as bars in reinforced concrete. Worker’s scenarios for preparation, operation and maintenance of these constructions are analysed in detail including the manufacturing of elements for these constructions. Project aims to evaluate the scenarios of reuse of conditionally released materials in a complex way in order to develop the data for designers of scenarios and to evaluate the volumes of conditionally released materials based on facility (to be decommissioned) inventory data. The long-term constructions considered are bridges, tunnels, roads, railway constructions, industrial buildings, power industry equipment and others. Evaluation covers following areas: • Analysis of activities for manufacturing of reinforcement bars, rolled steel sheets and other steel elements and analysis of activities for construction of evaluated scenarios in order to evaluate the external exposure of professionals performing these activities; • Analysis of external exposure of professionals involved in operation and maintenance of the long-term constructions; analysis of external exposure of public groups which are exposed to evaluated constructions; • Analysis of internal exposure of public groups from the radionuclides released from the evaluated scenarios based on models for migration of radionuclides from the long-term constructions to critical groups of public; • Based on evaluation of external and internal exposure both for public and workers, maximal concentration of individual radionuclides is defined for construction elements of evaluated scenarios, manufactured from conditionally released materials; • Evaluation of volumes of steels and concrete in the frame of a decommissioning project which fulfil the defined radioactivity concentration limits. Visiplan 4.0 3D ALARA software is used for evaluation of external exposure of professionals and public, GOLDSIM software for evaluation of internal exposure of public and OMEGA code for evaluation of volumes of conditionally releasable materials. Several other parallel papers proposed for ICEM 11 are presenting selected details of the project.
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Hrncˇi´rˇ, Toma´sˇ, and Vladimi´r Necˇas. "Impact of Nuclide Vector Composition Contained in Conditionally Released Steel Reused in Motorway Tunnels Scenario on Calculated Individual Effective Doses." In ASME 2011 14th International Conference on Environmental Remediation and Radioactive Waste Management. ASMEDC, 2011. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/icem2011-59128.
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This paper presents ongoing results of the project presented at ICEM 10 [paper 40071] related to the topics of the reuse of conditionally released materials arising from decommissioning of nuclear installations. The subject of the presented paper is modelling of motorway tunnels, which reuse the conditionally released steel in form of reinforcing nets and bars for the concrete construction of tunnels. The general approach for the project was presented at ICEM 10. The activities of the project continued in evaluating the impact of the nuclide composition contained in the conditionally released steel on calculated individual effective doses from the external exposure (the internal exposure will be evaluated in next stages of the project). Mentioned radioactive steel arises during decommissioning and would be reused in motorway tunnels. Evaluated scenarios are related to critical groups of public (driver’s scenarios) and for professionals constructing the tunnels and performing the maintenance of tunnels (worker’s scenarios). The computer code VISIPLAN 4.0 3D ALARA planning tool was used for the calculation of individual effective doses for worker and for public groups. Various limits of the individual effective dose are used for public and for professionals. The aim of the ongoing modelling is to develop a set of data of the maximal radioactivity concentration for individual radionuclides contained in the conditionally released steel used in tunnel model constructions in order not to exceed the limits for the individual effective dose.
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Kunze, Jay F., and Gary M. Sandquist. "Low-Level Health Effects of Radiation: Nuclear Engineering Obligations." In 2014 22nd International Conference on Nuclear Engineering. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2014. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/icone22-31106.
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It has been more than 30 years since the publication of data on health effects of low level began to appear in the scientific literature. Now, this extensive data bank clearly shows that the long-taught and utilized “Linear No-Threshold” (LNT) hypothesis is invalid and misleading at levels below 0.2 Sv (20 REM) per year. Below these levels, health and longevity are actually improved. Yet the imbedded and pervasive fear of low levels of radiation has resulted in planned and implemented nuclear plant shutdowns and eventual decommissioning, and has even affected the medical community regarding inappropriate concerns about dangers to patients receiving CT diagnostic imaging. These trends are now so serious and consequential to the future of nuclear energy and nuclear applications, that it is time for the nuclear engineering community to take an active role to dismiss the LNT hypothesis as incorrect and completely misleading with regard to low levels of radiation exposures to the public and to nuclear personnel. The ALARA concept and regulatory burden needs to be abandoned, and the realistic nuclear personnel exposure limits of the 1950 era should be re-adopted, and even increased.
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Wu, Qian, and Wei Ding. "Analysis of Visual Information Accessibility Design Requirements for Phubbers in Traffic Scenes." In 13th International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE 2022). AHFE International, 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.54941/ahfe1001744.
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In today's society, "phubbers" are flooding the corners of society. Phubbers are people who nowadays "look down at the screen" whenever and wherever they are, trying to fill up their fragmented time by staring at the screen. The increasing popularity of smartphones has made them an indispensable tool in the lives of phubbers, who rely on them to bring them a variety of needs to meet. The news of traffic accidents caused by immersion in cell phones is common. This is no longer an individual encounter, but a group rule, and phubbers do have visual information barriers in traffic scenarios. In addition, prolonged daily exposure to cell phones and over-stimulation of the brain can make concentration incomplete. The limit of forward flexion (the state where the chin touches the sternum) can only be 45° when the head is bowed. If the forward flexion reaches 30°, it can affect the cervical spine. If the cervical spine is in an abnormal stable state of extreme forward flexion for a long time, it can cause damage to the cervical spine. Therefore, it is of practical significance to propose corresponding design strategies for the safety hazards and visual information barriers that exist in the traffic scenes of the phubbers.This thesis adopts a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods, firstly, based on the AEIOU analysis model and user behavior process, a specific analysis model is constructed for the behavior of phubbers crossing the road. It can make a more comprehensive analysis of the whole process of each contact point and crowd state and behavior in the scene, and the corresponding functional modules are derived. The functional modules mainly include the behavioral level, the physical and spiritual social level, and the environmental level. Among them, the behavioral level includes intersection reminder module, auditory reminder, remaining time reminder, and visual reminder within the line of sight of head down playing cell phone; the material and spiritual social level includes anxiety relief module, relief of unstable emotions, and personal safety module; the environmental level includes safe waiting area division, and obvious dynamic change stimulation. The Kano model was further applied to prioritize the functional modules, and the statistical analysis was used to determine the user-perceived importance and ranking of the listed functions, which finally led to the functional requirements of barrier-free crossing for phubbers. It provides a reference for future research on visual information accessibility design for phubbers and the development of accessible design for public transportation.
Reports on the topic "Public exposure limit"
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Haynes, Dr Edward, Chris Conyers, Dr Marc Kennedy, Roy Macarthur, Sam McGreig, and Dr John Walshaw. What is the Burden of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in Selected Ready-to-Eat Foods? Food Standards Agency, November 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.46756/sci.fsa.bsv485.
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This study was designed to get a broad estimate of the presence and the types of antimicrobial resistance genes across 52 simple ready-to-eat foods. It was also carried out to understand the benefits and drawbacks of using metagenomic sequencing, a fairly new technology, to study AMR genes. An antimicrobial is any substance that kills or inhibits the growth of microorganisms. It includes antibiotics which are used to treat bacterial infections in both humans and animals. Given the relevant selective pressures, the bacteria itself can change and find ways to survive the effects of an antimicrobials. This results in the bacteria becoming resistant to the ‘killing’ effects of antimicrobials and is known as ‘antimicrobial resistance’. The more we use antimicrobials and antibiotics and the way that we use them can increase the chance that bacteria will become resistant to antimicrobials. This is important as it can lead to infections that become more difficult to treat with drugs and poses a risk to the public health. T Addressing AMR is a national strategic priority for the UK Government which has led to the development of a new 20-year Vision for AMR and the 5-year National Action Plan (NAP), which runs until 2024. The NAP lays out how the UK will address the AMR challenge and takes a ‘One-Health’ approach which spans people, animals, agriculture, food and the environment. The NAP includes a specific section on the importance of better food safety to limit the contamination of foods and spread of AMR. This section emphasises the need to strengthen the evidence base for AMR and food safety through research, surveillance and promoting good practice across the food chain. The FSA is playing its part by continuing to fill evidence gaps on the role that food plays in AMR through the commissioning of research and surveillance. We are also promoting and improving UK food hygiene (‘4Cs’ messages) across the food chain that will help reduce exposure to AMR bacteria.
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Ayala, David, Ashley Graves, Colton Lauer, Henrik Strand, Chad Taylor, Kyle Weldon, and Ryan Wood. Flooding Events Post Hurricane Harvey: Potential Liability for Dam and Reservoir Operators and Recommendations Moving Forward. Edited by Gabriel Eckstein. Texas A&M University School of Law Program in Natural Resources Systems, September 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.37419/eenrs.floodingpostharvey.
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When Hurricane Harvey hit the Texas coast as a category 4 hurricane on August 25, 2017, it resulted in $125 billion in damage, rivaling only Hurricane Katrina in the amount of damage caused. It also resulted in the deaths of 88 people and destroyed or damaged 135,000 homes. Much of that devastation was the result of flooding. The storm dumped over 27 trillion gallons of rain over Texas in a matter of days. Some parts of Houston received over 50 inches of rainfall. The potential liability that dam and reservoir operators may face for decisions they make during storm and flooding events has now become a major concern for Texas citizens and its elected officials. Law suits have now been instituted against the federal government for its operation of two flood control reservoirs, as well as against the San Jacinto River Authority for its operation of a water supply reservoir. Moreover, the issues and concerns have been placed on the agenda of a number of committees preparing for the 2019 Texas legislative session. This report reviews current dam and reservoir operations in Texas and examines the potential liability that such operators may face for actions and decisions taken in response to storm and flooding events. In Section III, the report reviews dam gate operations and differentiates between water supply reservoirs and flood control reservoirs. It also considers pre-release options and explains why such actions are disfavored and not recommended. In Section IV, the report evaluates liabilities and defenses applicable to dam and reservoir operators. It explains how governmental immunity can limit the exposure of state and federally-run facilities to claims seeking monetary damages. It also discusses how such entities could be subject to claims of inverse condemnation, which generally are not subject to governmental immunity, under Texas law as well as under the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. In addition, the Section discusses negligence and nuisance claims and concludes that plaintiffs asserting either or both of these claims will have difficulty presenting successful arguments for flooding-related damage and harm against operators who act reasonably in the face of storm-related precipitation. Finally, Section V offers recommendations that dam and reservoir operators might pursue in order to engage and educate the public and thereby reduce the potential for disputes and litigation. Specifically, the report highlights the need for expanded community outreach efforts to engage with municipalities, private land owners, and the business community in flood-prone neighborhoods both below and above a dam. It also recommends implementation of proactive flood notification procedures as a way of reaching and alerting as many people as possible of potential and imminent flooding events. Finally, the report proposes implementation of a dispute prevention and minimization mechanism and offers recommendations for the design and execution of such a program.
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Financial Stability Report - First Semester of 2020. Banco de la República de Colombia, March 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.32468/rept-estab-fin.1sem.eng-2020.
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In the face of the multiple shocks currently experienced by the domestic economy (resulting from the drop in oil prices and the appearance of a global pandemic), the Colombian financial system is in a position of sound solvency and adequate liquidity. At the same time, credit quality has been recovering and the exposure of credit institutions to firms with currency mismatches has declined relative to previous episodes of sudden drops in oil prices. These trends are reflected in the recent fading of red and blue tonalities in the performance and credit risk segments of the risk heatmaps in Graphs A and B.1 Naturally, the sudden, unanticipated change in macroeconomic conditions has caused the appearance of vulnerabilities for short-term financial stability. These vulnerabilities require close and continuous monitoring on the part of economic authorities. The main vulnerability is the response of credit and credit risk to a potential, temporarily extreme macroeconomic situation in the context of: (i) recently increased exposure of some banks to household sector, and (ii) reductions in net interest income that have led to a decline in the profitability of the banking business in the recent past. Furthermore, as a consequence of greater uncertainty and risk aversion, occasional problems may arise in the distribution of liquidity between agents and financial markets. With regards to local markets, spikes have been registered in the volatility of public and private fixed income securities in recent weeks that are consistent with the behavior of the international markets and have had a significant impact on the liquidity of those instruments (red portions in the most recent past of some market risk items on the map in Graph A). In order to adopt a forward-looking approach to those vulnerabilities, this Report presents a stress test that evaluates the resilience of credit institutions in the event of a hypothetical scenario thatseeks to simulate an extreme version of current macroeconomic conditions. The scenario assumes a hypothetical negative growth that is temporarily strong but recovers going into the middle of the coming year and has extreme effects on credit quality. The results suggest that credit institutions have the ability to withstand a significant deterioration in economic conditions in the short term. Even though there could be a strong impact on credit, liquidity, and profitability under the scenario being considered, aggregate capital ratios would probably remain at above their regulatory limits over the horizon of a year. In this context, the recent measures taken by both Banco de la República and the Office of the Financial Superintendent of Colombia that are intended to help preserve the financial stability of the Colombian economy become highly relevant. In compliance with its constitutional objectives and in coordination with the financial system’s security network, Banco de la República will continue to closely monitor the outlook for financial stability at this juncture and will make the decisions that are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of the economy, facilitate the flow of sufficient credit and liquidity resources, and further the smooth functioning of the payment system. Juan José Echavarría Governor
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Financial Stability Report - September 2015. Banco de la República, August 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.32468/rept-estab-fin.sem2.eng-2015.
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From this edition, the Financial Stability Report will have fewer pages with some changes in its structure. The purpose of this change is to present the most relevant facts of the financial system and their implications on the financial stability. This allows displaying the analysis more concisely and clearly, as it will focus on describing the evolution of the variables that have the greatest impact on the performance of the financial system, for estimating then the effect of a possible materialization of these risks on the financial health of the institutions. The changing dynamics of the risks faced by the financial system implies that the content of the Report adopts this new structure; therefore, some analyses and series that were regularly included will not necessarily be in each issue. However, the statistical annex that accompanies the publication of the Report will continue to present the series that were traditionally included, regardless of whether or not they are part of the content of the Report. In this way we expect to contribute in a more comprehensive way to the study and analysis of the stability of the Colombian financial system. Executive Summary During the first half of 2015, the main advanced economies showed a slow recovery on their growth, while emerging economies continued with their slowdown trend. Domestic demand in the United States allowed for stabilization on its average growth for the first half of the year, while other developed economies such as the United Kingdom, the euro zone, and Japan showed a more gradual recovery. On the other hand, the Chinese economy exhibited the lowest growth rate in five years, which has resulted in lower global dynamism. This has led to a fall in prices of the main export goods of some Latin American economies, especially oil, whose price has also responded to a larger global supply. The decrease in the terms of trade of the Latin American economies has had an impact on national income, domestic demand, and growth. This scenario has been reflected in increases in sovereign risk spreads, devaluations of stock indices, and depreciation of the exchange rates of most countries in the region. For Colombia, the fall in oil prices has also led to a decline in the terms of trade, resulting in pressure on the dynamics of national income. Additionally, the lower demand for exports helped to widen the current account deficit. This affected the prospects and economic growth of the country during the first half of 2015. This economic context could have an impact on the payment capacity of debtors and on the valuation of investments, affecting the soundness of the financial system. However, the results of the analysis featured in this edition of the Report show that, facing an adverse scenario, the vulnerability of the financial system in terms of solvency and liquidity is low. The analysis of the current situation of credit institutions (CI) shows that growth of the gross loan portfolio remained relatively stable, as well as the loan portfolio quality indicators, except for microcredit, which showed a decrease in these indicators. Regarding liabilities, traditional sources of funding have lost market share versus non-traditional ones (bonds, money market operations and in the interbank market), but still represent more than 70%. Moreover, the solvency indicator remained relatively stable. As for non-banking financial institutions (NBFI), the slowdown observed during the first six months of 2015 in the real annual growth of the assets total, both in the proprietary and third party position, stands out. The analysis of the main debtors of the financial system shows that indebtedness of the private corporate sector has increased in the last year, mostly driven by an increase in the debt balance with domestic and foreign financial institutions. However, the increase in this latter source of funding has been influenced by the depreciation of the Colombian peso vis-à-vis the US dollar since mid-2014. The financial indicators reflected a favorable behavior with respect to the historical average, except for the profitability indicators; although they were below the average, they have shown improvement in the last year. By economic sector, it is noted that the firms focused on farming, mining and transportation activities recorded the highest levels of risk perception by credit institutions, and the largest increases in default levels with respect to those observed in December 2014. Meanwhile, households have shown an increase in the financial burden, mainly due to growth in the consumer loan portfolio, in which the modalities of credit card, payroll deductible loan, revolving and vehicle loan are those that have reported greater increases in risk indicators. On the side of investments that could be affected by the devaluation in the portfolio of credit institutions and non-banking financial institutions (NBFI), the largest share of public debt securities, variable-yield securities and domestic private debt securities is highlighted. The value of these portfolios fell between February and August 2015, driven by the devaluation in the market of these investments throughout the year. Furthermore, the analysis of the liquidity risk indicator (LRI) shows that all intermediaries showed adequate levels and exhibit a stable behavior. Likewise, the fragility analysis of the financial system associated with the increase in the use of non-traditional funding sources does not evidence a greater exposure to liquidity risk. Stress tests assess the impact of the possible joint materialization of credit and market risks, and reveal that neither the aggregate solvency indicator, nor the liquidity risk indicator (LRI) of the system would be below the established legal limits. The entities that result more individually affected have a low share in the total assets of the credit institutions; therefore, a risk to the financial system as a whole is not observed. José Darío Uribe Governor