Construction to promote green tech

The construction industry would be giving preferential treatment to investors in green technology, said Nguyen Tran Nam , Deputy Minister of Construction.

Nam added that the ministry would create a legal framework to boost the development of green industries.

The Government wants the country to become an industrialised nation by 2020. In that time, it anticipates the population in major cities to rise by about 45 percent from its current level.

The World Green Building Council said that buildings consume about 40 percent of the world's energy and generate 30 percent of global carbon emissions.

Green buildings, therefore, are crucial to reducing the country's carbon footprint, said Tran Huu Ha, Head of the ministry's Science, Technology and Environment Department.

He said going green would also reduce the effects of global warming.

However, he said the development of clean technologies would initially require a big investment.

Le Thi Bich Thuan, Deputy head of the ministry's Institute of Architecture , Urban and Rural Planning, said industrialisation also led to the loss of green spaces, further adding to global warming.

Thuan added that up till now little had been done to encourage construction firms to invest in green buildings.

She also said the Government should invest more in environmental sciences and raise public awareness about the need to conserve resources.

PT_Source: vfej.vn

SOS: the quality of underground water is degrading

Bridge – Underground water is degrading in quality, which is a big problem for nearly all water utilization projects.

According to a recent survey conducted by the Center for Programming and Surveying Water Resources under the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, among the fields which use underground water, the underground water for household use accounts for a small proportion, just two percent, while the water quality is very low.

In the areas of Cao Bang and Quang Ninh provinces, a part of the area neighbors the sea, therefore, the coastal water is always salty. In the area of Ha Giang and Tuyen Quang, underground water here is light with very small content of trace elements, which should not be used eating or drinking. Meanwhile, in Lao Cai and Hoa Binh, underground water has a low content of iodine/

In the north of the central region, the biggest problem can be seen in the water of the lowland and the coastal area of Thanh Hoa. The water here has high content of iron, while the content of derived organic compound is also higher than that in the midland and mountainous areas.

In the coastal areas of the central region, water has high mineralization. Therefore, the supply of drinking water is limited. In the east of the southern region, the pH level in water is generally low with weak acid reaction. Therefore, the water cannot be used for household use if there is no solution to treat the water to increase the pH level.

In the Mekong Delta, the iron content in water also exceeds the allowed level. In some areas, experts can see influences from the saltwater intrusion through the water extraction wells.

The biggest underground water problems can be seen in the lowland of the northern region. In some areas, the pH level is too low while the iron level is too high. In other areas, the water has become salty, while the microelement component level is lower than the standard. Meanwhile, the total degree of mineralization is too high somewhere and too low elsewhere. In Hanoi, Hai Phong, Nam Dinh and Ha Nam, experts have discovered the signs of water being infected with toxic substances such as nitrogen, mercury and arsenic.    

The top soil deformed

No agency has come forward and managed the exploitation of underground water in the last many years. The lack of a “conductor” has led to the fact that the earth’s surface in many urban areas have been deformed or got depressed. In fact, the danger was warned a long time ago. The research work on the depression of the earth surface caused by the underground water exploitation was carried out thoroughly in 1988-1989. After that, some depression measuring stations have been established recently.

However, experts have pointed out that the depression of the earth in many urban areas not only has been caused by the overexploitation of the underground water. The appearance of a series of “dead holes” in HCM City recently showed that there are many reasons behind the depression.

The biggest problem is the unreasonable placement of wells, which has led to the lowering of the water level in some places. Commenting about the underground water exploitation in Hanoi, an expert said: “No constructor pays attention to the protection of underground water – a kind of natural resources, because it is much less costly to exploit underground water if compared with surface water exploitation in Hanoi”.

Hanoi is the urban area which gathers the highest number of water supply plants among 64 provinces and cities. A report released in 2008 by the Center for Planning and Surveying Water Resources, of the big 108 plants that provide underground water nationwide, HCM City only has three, Hoc Mon, Tram Le and Binh Chanh, while Hanoi has 22.

According to Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Nguyen Thai Lai, 50 percent of residents in urban areas are lacking clean water. If referring to the standards set by the International Water Resources Association IWRA, Vietnam is among the countries which are lacking water.

The operational water supply plants have the designed capacity, which allows to provide 150 liters of water per day per head. However, in fact, urbanites can get 40-50 liters per day per head. There are up to 300 small water supply plants or water supply units. The total designed capacity if two million cubic metres per day, but to date, only 60-70 percent of the designed capacity have been used. Underground water just can provides 35-50 percent of the total water output for household use.

PT_Source: VietNamNe

Human-Made Fake Eggs in China 2

This is another series of photos human-made fake eggs in China reported by Zhengzhou city’s local newspaper Zhengzhou Daily (Zhengzhou is the capital city of Henan province, in Central China) on Aug 13, 2007.

Additive Liquor, For Making Egg Yolk

Egg Yolk Is Ready After Concreting

Put “Egg White” – Also Additive - On Egg Yolk

Again, because of money, human can do anything.

PT_Source: seaweedmalaysia.com 

Asia-Pacific nations discuss water resources security

Experts from the Asia-Pacific region are gathering in Vietnam to discuss ways to ensure security for water resources – a pressing global issue that now affects many regions.

 

The discussion forms part of the first session of the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific (CSCAP) Study Group on Water Resources Security, which began in Hanoi on March 22.

Experts were due to assess the factual utilisation and management of water resources in the region and examine security impacts of the work in various spheres in concerned countries.

At the two-day session, they are scheduled to listen to legal specialists’ opinions on international legal foundations and the building of international mechanisms on the utilisation and management of water resources.

They are expected to put forward concrete proposals to promote regional countries’ cooperation to ensure water resources security, which requires joint, proactive solutions from both developed and developing countries around the world.

In Southeast Asia – which houses the world’s largest rice granaries, the majority of the population depends largely on water resources taken from rivers and lakes, many of which have been seriously damaged by nature as well as human activity.

The damage has not only threatened water resources security but also created complex security concerns for nations that are directly concerned and challenged the future of sustainable development in Southeast Asia.

The next sessions of the study group – which was set up by CSCAP under Vietnam’s initiative – are expected to take place in Cambodia, Thailand and Japan in 2011 and 2012.

At the meetings, study groups will discuss concrete measures to promote regional cooperation and compile the group’s Memorandum of Understanding to be presented to official diplomatic channels for approval.

PT_Source: en.vietnamplus.vn

UK's First Mixed Plastics Recycling Facility Opened

Biffa Polymers - formally Greenstar WES - has opened the UK's first fully integrated plastic packaging sorting and recycling facility 

In January 2010 the facility was awarded £1.187 million in funding by the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), following WRAP research which demonstrated not only the environmental benefits, but also the commercial and technological viability for mixed plastics recycling.

Commenting on the opening, Marcus Gover, Director of Market Development at WRAP said: "WRAP is delighted that the Redcar facility is now open and demonstrating that it is commercially viable to recycle mixed plastics and that there are real end markets for the high value, quality outputs."

Located in Redcar, Middlesbrough, the company claims the facility to be the first of its kind in the UK, enabling mixed plastics to be sorted, washed and processed into a reusable high grade commodity.

The facility will process 15,000 tonnes of mixed plastics per year from April 2011, building up to the full capacity of 20,000 tonnes per year by April 2012.

Plastics from Biffa's Materials Recovery Facilities, as well as local authorities and commercial customers in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland will be processed at the site.

According to the company, the plastics are sorted by polymer type and colour, and then processed to produce a high quality output which is suitable for a wide range of end uses - where the environmental benefits are unlocked by replacing virgin plastic.

Waste and Recycling Minister Lord Henley explained that the technology employed at the facility will make it easier for more people to participate in recycling schemes: "Biffa's innovative technology will make life easier for families who've puzzled over recycling their yoghurt tubs and food trays."

Examples of new products include paint trays, plant pots, storage boxes, pallets, bottles, car parts, office furniture and kitchenware.

In addition, Biffa said that some of the output will be processed through its food grade HDPE recycling facility at the same site and go back into the manufacture of new milk bottles.

Biffa Polymers managing director Martin Marron said: "Following the success of being the first company in the UK to produce food grade recycled HDPE plastic which is used to make new milk bottles, Biffa Polymers is delighted to be once again at the forefront of the recycling industry. We believe in pushing the boundaries to find the best solutions for plastic recycling in the UK."

PT_Source: waste-management-world.com

Environmental Pollution

 Environmental Pollution:

Let's join hands to contribute for environmental protection for beautiful life for your family and children.

(Vinathuan.com - VNTA)

Biodiesel production from rice straw!

The scientists from the Institute of Chemistry (Institute of Science and Technology of Vietnam) have studied the preparation of a successful bio-oil (Bio-oil) from rice straw. For energy, bio-oil can be used as fuel in power plants (heating boilers, ...) or replace the oil to run diesel engines. The year TCDL, Dr. Dang Tuyet Phuong - Department of Surface Chemistry, has said more about the characteristics and uses of oils.

PV: As scientists directly involved in the process of conducting research biodiesel (Bio-oil) from rice straw by pyrolysis technology, She know the scientific basis of this method?

Dr. Dang Tuyet Phuong Currently, the world supply  power mostly from fossil fuels. However, reserves volume of this fuel increasingly exhausted. Moreover, the declaration exploration and use of oil and coal was discharged into the air CO2, SO2 and NOx cause effect warming, environmental pollution, changing climate seriously worldwide. For years, scientists worldwide have the  research, finding new energy sources can replace and reduce reduce dependence on oil, is able to replicate and friendly environment. That's renewable energy including solar energy, energy hydrogen, geothermal, wind and bioenergy ... In particular, the ability biofuels made from biomass (biomass) account for about 63% of the total renewable energy. Energy sources provide 14% energy needs  of the world, while in developing countries, that figure is 35%.

Raw biomass materials including wood, wood waste (sawdust, shavings), distribution animals, agricultural products and waste from agriculture such as straw, chaff, stems and cob ... Currently, many countries have produced from the production of biofuels agricultural products such as corn (USA), from sugar cane (Brazil), sugar beet (European countries) ... However, these materials are relatively expensive and unstable  regulations. That's not to mention can cause a food crisis. Do Therefore, research and production of bio-oil from straw has opened the ability to make the source of cheap raw materials available from agricultural waste.

On the other hand, Vietnam is a rice exporter in the world second.  From 2002 to now, our average water production of 34 million tonnes rice / year, generating about 40 million tons of rice straw. Number one is this straw used as animal feed, partially processed into fertilizer, while all weak burned off immediately in the field of waste and environmental pollution. So, if you take advantage of this resource to turn straw into bio-oil 25%, the performance can be obtained annually 10 million tons of oil and bacteria.

PV: Advantages and disadvantages of this method is, ma'am?

Dr. Dang Tuyet Phuong Rice straw as agricultural waste containing  lignoxenlulo compounds. In particular, key components of rice straw is carbon accounting for more than 53%. Straw pyrolysis process is essentially broken carbon vessels by heat (thermal cracking) of the compound lignoxenlulo. Pros of the pyrolysis method is capable of breaking chemical bonds of both cellulose and lignin hemixenlulo, thereby increasing efficiency biomass. After the pyrolysis reaction will be in three types of products, gas, liquid and solid. Liquid products account for most, biological oil (bio-oil), can be used in many fields such as chemical manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, food  food or fuel. However, in the composition of bio-oil obtained the pyrolysis process are compounds containing oxygen. These disadvantages General of the bio-oil generated from biomass pyrolysis as other compounds Oxygen will make oil and chemically unstable, causing corrosion of machinery, the muscles, while reducing heating value of oil.

PV: How do you rate the importance of this approach for the energy sector?

Dr. Dang Tuyet Phuong According to the Energy Organization world (International Energy Organzation) from 1999 to 2020 demand  energy consumption of the world will increase 60%. Within a century over, energy consumption worldwide increased 20 times. According to Scheme development of biofuels by 2015, vision to 2025 has been Prime Minister's approval, to 2010, Vietnam produced 100,000 tons / year of biofuel E-5 and 50,000 tonnes / year biodiesel fuel  Study B-5, 0.4% guaranteed to provide fuel demand in the country. To in 2015, production of bio-diesel fuel is expected to increase to 250,000 tons / year with the goal of producing 5 million tons / year E-5 and B-5, meeting 1% of the country's gasoline demand. For energy, bio-oil can  use as fuel in power plants (heating boilers, ...) or  replace diesel oil to run the engine (in this case bio-oil need to be refined, upgraded by the next process).

PV: According to her, what to do to be able to apply this method in actual production?

Dr. Dang Tuyet Phuong This is a very research  new, not widely available in Vietnam and also the current issues world. In the future, we continue to study and complete improved heat distribution system equipment, improved catalysts to improve  productivity and product quality. On that basis build process technology can be applied to industrial production.

PV: Thank you very much!

Order: TCDL No. 5 / 2011