The Revised Directive on Waste: Resolving Legislative Tensions in Waste Management?

The revised Directive on waste (Directive 2008/98/EC) enteredinto force on 12 December 2008. The purpose of the revised Directiveis to simplify the existing legislative framework for wastein order to encourage the divergence of waste away from landfills,to strengthen legal certainty and minimise burdens on businesses,regulators and stakeholders. This article explores the mainfeatures of the revised Directive and assesses them againstthe European Commissions' intentions in introducing the Directive.In addition, the paper considers the extent to which the revisedDirective promotes successfully (i) reduction of natural resourceuse, (ii) prevention of environmental impacts of waste generation,(iii) life-cycle thinking and; (iv) securing waste prevention.The paper concludes that there is still room for further clarification,particularly in relation to the criteria for by-products andthe new waste management terms ‘end of waste’ and‘preparing for re-use’. Whilst the revised Directivehas weaknesses and limitations it should be considered withinthe context of decision-making. In this way it represents amulti-party, multi-institutional and multi-national compromisewhich should be considered as a progressive step towards improvingthe whole life-cycle of products and resources. Undoubtedly,the revised Directive sets the tone for future legislative developmentsand bolsters the importance of extended producer responsibilityin future waste management measures.     

Nothing wasted: engaging values and the imagination. How can working with feminist speculative fictions enthuse and engage students with social justice and sustainability in an age of austerity?

In the context of contemporary higher education, post white paper, ‘Students at the heart of the system’ [BIS, 2011. Students at the heart of the system [online]. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/31384/11-944-higher-education-students-at-heart-of-system.pdf, (Accessed 5 Feb 2014), in which funding and commodification of learning and of students dominate university mission statements and agendas, it is crucial that we collaborate with our students to engage imagination and critical faculties with issues of value, and of social justice. Teaching and researching contemporary feminist speculative fictions and feminist critical practice offer a priceless opportunity to make a difference, to challenge the intellectual impoverishment that this new austerity brings with it. Learning and teaching research into threshold concepts and signature pedagogies combine here with feminist critical practice in a discussion of teaching two speculative fictions which engage criticality and values: Atwood [Atwood, 2003. Oryx and Crake. New York: Nan A. Talese.) and Hopkinson [Hopkinson, 1996. A habit of waste. Skin folk. New York: Aspect, 183–202] each of which critiques flawed societies using tropes of waste, and rejection of difference. Each suggests recovery from damage done in the name of austerity, and imagines futures for the critical imagination, social justice, self-worth and agency.     

浅析贵阳市城区建筑垃圾(渣土)处置监管

随着经济社会发展水平的快速提升,城市建筑垃圾必然大幅增加,要按照科学发展观和循环经济的理念,围绕建筑垃圾(渣土)减量化、资源化和无害化管理原则,运用城市数字化管理体系,促进城市建筑垃圾循环利用市场化平台的形成。     

Simplification： A single tax and a single entitlement

The United States is experiencing a very serious economic downturn. It is now necessary to consider some significant changes in government policy. The system of revenue collection should be simplified with a single tax levied and itemized at the national, state, and local levels. Likewise, the system of benefit distribution should be simplified with a single entitlement paid to each individual at every level with absolutely no strings attached. Such simplification would save a massive amount of time and money even if it was neutral in terms of overall revenue and expenditure. And, it would minimize fraud, waste and abuse. The gains in efficiency and accountability would be enormous.     

《巴塞尔公约》与危险废物越境转移的责任

1980年《巴塞尔公约》没有具体规定危险废物越境转移的责任条款,实际上,只要出现了可归因于国家的违背国际义务的非法越境转移有害废物的行为,出口国就应承担国际责任。损害后果大小和国家是否有故意或过失,只是国际不当行为的情节问题而言。就危险废物越境转移的国际责任而言,应从公平原则出发,其赔偿额不仅应包括进口国及其国民所受的生命和财产等直接损失,也应当包括环境方面的间接损失,并且在计算间接损失时。还应充分考虑环境损害的长远性。     

城市生活垃圾分类回收的法律规制——基于对澳大利亚城市的考察

垃圾,被称为放错了位置的资源。我国城市垃圾分类回收仍然处于起步阶段,实效微弱,且显得步履维艰。以此相反,澳大利亚在城市垃圾分类回收方面,则已经形成一套健全的体系,城市垃圾分类回收工作有序进行。两种不同情景,引入深思。通过实地考察和文献分析,发现澳大利亚城市垃圾分类回收的立法思路和立法创新、垃圾分类法律政策的具体宣传措施以及对违反垃圾分类规定的处罚等法律实践,都可为前行中的中国城市垃圾分类法律规制,提供参考。