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Contenido archivado el 2022-12-27

DE-POLLUTING A CITY

Objetivo

The objective of Berlin's authorities was to formulate strategies to facilitate the improvement of operating conditions for production activity as well as the living conditions of the inhabitants, whilst at the same time preserving essential urban functions. In concrete terms, this meant highlighting, in a representative area, the salient features of an environmental policy which prioritizes both local problems and the overall reduction of industry related pollution.
The study concentrates on a specific region, the central dsitrict of NeuKoelln, situated on the border with ex-East Berlin. This area was selected because the limited size of the area facilitated a detailed approach of the coexistence in the district of the three principal uses of the urban fabric residential, industrial, commercial.
The results obtained enabled researchers to draw up a complete picture of pollution and its characteristics in the district selected, including :
* Evaluation of the quality of the avrious elements of the local environment.
* Contribution of urban activities to the general pollution situation. Seen globally, housing, industrial and commercial activity and road traffic play a very dominant role, each contributing to the emergence of specific types of pollution, i.e. air pollution, soil contamination and noise pollution (to name the most prominent).
* Proportion of energy related pollution. This is the main source of air and noise pollution and the sole cause of the production of residual heat. Its impact is, on the other hand, marginal on waste water and solid waste
* Distance between the sources and symptoms of environmental damage. Results confirm the essentially local nature of noise pollution. As far as atmospheric and water pollution are concerned, significant exchanges with the rest of the region have been recorded. All solid waste is exported.
The most revealing contribution was the highlighting of critical pollution situations between pollutants and their relative significance. By demonstrating the local nature of the pollution and, in particular, its energy related origin, these elements provided the basis for defining priorities for environmental protection measures to be taken by the authorities. The next stage was to give priority to the most cost effective courses of action which can be expected to produce positive results within a short to medium term horizon.
The Berlin authorities were concerned to compare the sources of pollutants with the damage done to the environment and to try and determine the channels followed by the pollution from the place of emission to the zone of deposit.
The process was divided into five stages :
* identifying the sources of pollution;
* prioritizing the types of pollution to be combatted according to their gravity and local character;
* evaluating the dispersion of the pollutants in the various conducting media;
* locating the most sensitive areas by superposing the different types of pollution affecting them and comparing the levels of pollution observed with the recommended quality standards;
* defining priority measures to be implemented.
Quantifying the progress of the pollutants, the key element of the process, was carried out with the help of mathematical dispersion models. The air dispersion model was developed specially for the purpose of the study. Use of these models was a decisive factor in carrying out stages 2 and 3. They also shed light on the role of energy in the overall pollution situation.

Tema(s)

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Convocatoria de propuestas

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Régimen de financiación

DEM - Demonstration contracts

Coordinador

BERLIN SENATE
Aportación de la UE
Sin datos
Dirección
LINDENSTRASSE 25
1000 Berlin
Alemania

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Coste total
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