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Journal of Environmental Accounting and Management
António Mendes Lopes (editor), Jiazhong Zhang(editor)
António Mendes Lopes (editor)

University of Porto, Portugal

Email: aml@fe.up.pt

Jiazhong Zhang (editor)

School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province 710049, China

Fax: +86 29 82668723 Email: jzzhang@mail.xjtu.edu.cn


Emergy Evaluation of Domestic Wastewater Treatments: The Role of Energy and Materials Consumption and Carbon Emissions

Journal of Environmental Accounting and Management 4(3) (2016) 317--338 | DOI:10.5890/JEAM.2016.09.006

B.F. Giannetti$^{1}$$^{2}$$^{3}$, C.C. Silva$^{1}$$^{2}$$^{3}$, F. Agostinho$^{1}$$^{2}$$^{3}$, C.M.V.B. Almeida$^{1}$$^{2}$$^{3}$

$^{1}$ Laboratório de Produção e Meio Ambiente

$^{2}$ Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia de Produção

$^{3}$ Universidade Paulista, R. Dr. Bacelar 1212, Cep 04026-002, São Paulo, Brazil

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Abstract

Technologies for domestic wastewater treatment systems can be planned and constructed to use locally available materials lessening the need for resupply materials and to fit the local conditions. However, most plans for wastewater treatment systems do not consider the renewable support required to dilute plants' emissions. Solutions for mitigating environmental impacts and achieve sustainable environments with low carbon depend on the accounting for the available local resources and the environmental services required for diluting emissions. Two example applications of domestic wastewater treatment metabolism are discussed using sustainability indicators and inputs to the greenhouse gas emissions calculation. The analysis compares upstream and downstream environmental investments and may be used to advise public policies for sustainable regional and urban development.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Municipal Water and Wastewater Autonomous Sanitation of Guaratinguetá and Independence Community for data supplied and friendly cooperation. This study had financial support from Vice- Reitoria de Pós-Graduação e Pesquisa da Universidade Paulista. Special thanks are addressed to CAPES (Process: 1404576).

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