Analysis of the Warehouse Automation Failure at Sainsbury’s The WritePass Journal

Investigation of the Warehouse Automation Failure at Sainsbury’s Unique Investigation of the Warehouse Automation Failure at Sainsbury’s ). Despite the fact that the organization being re-appropriated to might have had a decent notoriety in actualizing such activities, the absence of inclusion by parent organization administrators in the observing and assessment of the undertaking can influence the accomplishment of the proposed objective (Alexander Walker, 2013). The insignificant contribution by Sainsbury’s the executives in this undertaking clarifies why it took three years and an adjustment in initiative to understand that the task was not liable to accomplish its set destinations (Alexander Walker, 2013). Another conceivable reason, which has additionally been recognized by Double Loop (2013) is that there was lacking commitment between the company’s CEO and its IT providers in anticipating the conceivable key business and IT dangers. Therefore, no conveyance procedure that could handle these difficulties was expeditiously structured (Chermack, 2011). This can likewise be considered as the absence of adequate arrangements by the then CEO (Sir Peter Davis) before the commencement of the venture. Inadequate readiness opens undertakings to the danger of conceivable disappointment and over-use (Kardes et al., 2013). There was additionally a correspondence issue, which can be basically accused on Sir Peter Davis. Though it more likely than not been known to him that the undertaking could most likely neglect to serve its proposed objective, his introduction about the venture to the general population was that its encouraging was as arranged and that by 2003, it had spared the organization  £700 million. Had the issues been honestly and speedily brought up, fundamental measures could have been attempted to turn away the overwhelming misfortune that was later acquired (Aula Siira, 2010). Given that this disappointment was related with the distribution center mechanization practice at Sainsbury’s stockroom robotization venture, it is likewise important that the disappointment may have been somewhat brought about via computerization challenges. The way that mechanized framework neglected to work as it was proposed to, demonstrates that all the contributions to terms of time, cash and assets w ere lost (Kardes et al., 2013). Porter’s Value chain Analysis of the Failure Doormen esteem chain model can be utilized to recognize the essential and supporting exercises which added to the disappointment at Sainsbury’s According to Porter (1985), conventional worth included exercises can be isolated into two. These are essential exercises and bolster exercises. Essential exercises include inbound and outbound coordinations, deals and advertising, administrations and activities. Supporting exercises, then again, contain firm foundation, senior administration jobs, inward culture, acquisition, redistributing and mechanical turns of events. The model is spoken to in the graph beneath, in which the capacities that added to the disappointment at Sainsbury’s have been stamped. Fig. 1: Sainsbury’s esteem fasten segments that added to the disappointment in distribution center robotization The capacities set apart in the worth chain model above have been distinguished as the benefactors towards the recognized disappointment. They are clarified in more detail beneath: Outbound coordinations: in the worth chain, outbound coordinations are alluded to as exercises that predominantly identify with transference of products to clients through warehousing. The robotization of the distribution center at Sainsbury’s was being done as such as to encourage this essential movement in the association. The disappointment of the distribution center mechanization to adequately occur in this manner influenced the exercises in outbound coordinations (Zott et al., 2011). Senior administration Roles: There was a disappointment by the senior administration, drove by the company’s CEO to adequately make a comprehensive arrangement of the stockroom mechanization venture, which could have recognized the expected dangers and added to the plan of potential systems to conquer these difficulties (Kardes et al., 2013). Another disappointment by the administration was regarding their inclusion in the execution of the undertaking, just to distinguish issues three years after usage of the venture (Double Loop, 2013). Inward Communications: This capacity alludes to how viably and precisely data is passed inside the hierarchical region (Wright, 2012). The disappointment was because of the miscommunication by the CEO, where he implied that the venture was destined for success and had in actuality spared the organization a sensible measure of cash. This shows he was either being given an inappropriate data by the contractual worker organization or he was introducing incorrectly data about the venture. Innovation developments:â It must be recognized that the company’s plan was to improve its administration conveyance to its clients through mechanical advancement. Notwithstanding, given that the whole robotization venture neglected to emerge, it very well may be contended that there was a mechanical advancement disappointment. As per Porter’s (1985) model, innovative advancement contains all exercises that identify with the handling and the executives of data. It additionally includes the exercises embraced in guaranteeing that the association stays aware of the most recent innovative changes. Redistributing: The IT robotization venture was embraced by Accenture, a re-appropriated IT organization, which neglected to convey the proposed mechanization results, and at last prompted the crossing out of the agreement (Double Loop, 2013). End This paper has introduced an instance of distribution center computerization disappointment at Sainsbury’s in 2004. With the assistance of the Porter’s esteem chain model, a few essential and supporting exercises that may have added to the disappointment have been distinguished. The recognized essential exercises are inbound coordinations and outbound coordinations. Supporting exercises are redistributing, innovation advancements, inner interchanges and senior administration jobs. The way that every one of these exercises influenced and were likewise influenced by the distribution center robotization disappointment at Sainsbury’s demonstrates that numerous operational disappointments or fiascos that happen in light of the fact that there is absence of comprehension of the entire association, bringing about issues in the synchronization of various hierarchical capacities. References Alexander, A. Walker, H., 2013. Supportable gracefully chain the executives: towards a frameworks hypothesis viewpoint. Dublin: EUROMA gathering. Twofold Loop, 2013. Sainsbury’s Warehouse Automation Project. [Online] Available at:  â doubleloopconsulting.com/sainsbury-distribution center automationâ [Accessed 6 March 2014]. Kardes, I., Ozturk, A., Cavusgil, S.T. Cavusgil, E., 2013. Overseeing worldwide megaprojects: Complexity and hazard the executives. Worldwide Business Review, 22(6), pp.905-17. OBrien, L., 2004. Computerized fiasco. [Online] Available at:  â supplymanagement.com/investigation/highlights/2004/advanced fiasco/ [Accessed 6 March 2014]. Watchman, M., 1985. Upper hand. New York: Free Press. Sainsburys, 2014. About us. [Online] Available at: j-sainsbury.co.uk/about-us/ [Accessed 6 March 2014]. Zott, C., Amit, R. Massa, L., 2011. The plan of action: ongoing turns of events and future examination. Diary of Management , 37(4), pp.1019-42. Abdullah, L.M. Verner, J.M., 2012. Investigation and utilization of a re-appropriating hazard structure. Diary of Systems and Software, 85(8), pp.1930-52. Aula, P. Siira, K., 2010. Hierarchical Communication and Conflict Management Systems: A Social Complexity Approach. Nordicom Review, 31, pp.125-41. Chermack, T.J., 2011. Situation Planning in Organizations. California: Berrett-Koehler. Wright, M., 2012. Gower Handbook of Internal Communication. Burlington: Gower Publishing.

Macbeth And His Wife :: essays research papers

The Changing Relationship Between Macbeth and his Wife â€Å". . . my dearest accomplice of enormity . . .† composes Macbeth to his significant other when he gets the initial three predictions from the witches. The connection among Macbeth and his significant other is a confused one. Toward the beginning, they appear as in affection with one another as when they were when hitched, the language utilized by both is private and energetic. Anyway there is a darker side to their relationship. Woman Macbeth has a difference in heart and alludes to her significant other as a quitter when they get ready to kill Duncan. â€Å" . . . I have given suck, also, know how delicate ‘tis to cherish the angel that milks me I would, while it was grinning in my face, have pluck’d my areola from his boneless gums, what's more, dash’d the minds out, had I so sworn as you . . .† Discoursed, for example, this show her darker side, the side that at long last persuades Macbeth to submit the homicide of King Duncan. Apparently Macbeth may even fear his merciless spouse. After the deed is done, she keeps on looking downward on him, â€Å" My hands are of your shading, yet I disgrace to wear a heart so white . . .† She despite everything considers him a weakling and ridicules him about agonizing over the deed. Her language and activities show this to us. She snidely calls him â€Å" . . . commendable thane . . .† Even however he has done precisely what she needed him to do; Lady Macbeth despite everything will prod him. This is one reason that divide them further on in the play. Aside from her faking a bluff, we don’t see a significant part of the woman until the crowning liturgy feast. Macbeth orchestrates his long time companion, Banquo, to be killed so the prediction would not be satisfied. At the point when Lady Macbeth asks her better half what he was arranging he reveals to her nothing, â€Å"Be honest of information, dearest toss . . .† This from the man who trusted everything with his significant other in the letter he expounded on the witches, as of now they have begun to float separated, and Macbeth has just barely ascended to the seat. Macbeth albeit apparently sure that his arrangement will succeed, has all the earmarks of being reluctant to tell his better half what he is arranging, conceivably he fears her meddling as she did when they killed Duncan in his bed.

Gerry, Elbridge

Gerry, Elbridge Gerry, Elbridge ger ´e [key], 1744â€"1814, American statesman, Vice President of the United States, b. Marblehead, Mass. He was elected (1772) to the Massachusetts General Court, where he became a follower of Samuel Adams , who enlisted him in the colonial activities preceding the American Revolution. Gerry was (1774â€"76) a member of the provincial congresses and of the committee of safety, and as chairman of the state committee of supply he worked energetically to procure supplies for the army gathering around Boston. In Jan., 1776, he left for Philadelphia to attend the Continental Congress, of which he was a member until 1785, although he absented himself in 1781â€"83. He voted for and signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. With his brothers at Marblehead, he carried on a large trade with Spain and other countries and procured articles needed by the Continental forces. After the war Gerry was an opponent of a large standing army and of a stronger central government. However, his views were modified by Shays's Rebellion , and he consented to be a delegate to the Federal Constitutional Convention of 1787. There he was one of the most frequent speakers, and while realizing the need for a stronger union, he opposed those leaders who were anxious to consolidate power in the proposed central government and refused to sign the completed Constitution. Most of his objections were later met by the first 10 amendments (Bill of Rights). He served (1789â€"93) in the first two U.S. Congresses. In 1797, President John Adams chose him, together with C. C. Pinckney and John Marshall, for a mission to France in a new attempt to secure a recognition of U.S. rights from Talleyrand (see XYZ Affair ). He was elected governor of Massachusetts in 1810 and reelected in 1811. In his second term his party, the Jeffersonians, desiring to retain their control of the state, rearranged the election districts in their favor in a grotesque salama nderlike shape, a political maneuver then named by his opponents and since known as a gerrymander (from his name and salamander). Gerry was defeated for reelection in 1812, but he was immediately nominated by the Jeffersonians for Vice President on the ticket with James Madison, and he was elected. He loyally supported the War of 1812, though his Massachusetts constituency was opposed to it. Gerry died in office. See biography by G. A. Billias (1976). The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. History: Biographies

The Profitablity Marketing And Economic Impact Of Port Investment Finance Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 15 Words: 4532 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Economics Essay Type Narrative essay Did you like this example? As far as investing in port assets is concerned, there are two ways, almost in contrast with one another, of regarding the port: The port may be considered a public service that is generally useful to the economy, justifying the tax system being utilized for the purpose of funding the investments required. The port may be considered a business system that operates within a highly competitive market and requires investment projects to be selected with efficiency. The line drawn between these two functions changes, depending on the country, environment, business, social and political culture, period and political trends. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Profitablity Marketing And Economic Impact Of Port Investment Finance Essay" essay for you Create order In most institutional models, the large infrastructures that either provide access to a port or are used for general purposes attract public investments, while terminal superstructures are instead invested in by the terminal company itself. The port of Durres is located in the heart of Durres city, which is approximately 39 from Tirana. The port of Durres is Albanias largest sea port. Durres is one of Albanias oldest cities and was founded as a Greek colony in 627 B.C. Since then, the city has grown and expanded while preserving monuments of the ancient city. Now Durres is the second largest and one of the most economically developed cities in Albany due to the large port that allows trading in the Adriatic Sea. The recent construction of a motorway that links Durres with Tirana has cut down the traveling time to the capital to only 30 minutes. Tirana is also accessible by train, between Durres and Tirana there is a frequent and cheap rail service. Also the construction of the motorway that links Durres and Prishtina will cut down the traveling time and cost between Albania and Kosova. The port of Durres, beyond its physical dimensions, is historical, and certainly the reality is that in the future it will be an important actor in the lives of not only this city of our country but also throughout the region. Always important strategic point in the eastern Adriatic coast, the port has been developed in years as a privileged institution that has enjoyed particular attention. Thousands of people, workers, managers, leaders and important personalities have given their contribution to its development. Financing of investment in the Port of Durres is one of the main priorities for the Albanian Government and foreign financial institutions as the World Bank, European Union and the European Investment Bank. World Bank with an investment of $ 23 million has completed the rehabilitation project for the Port of Durres which includes rehabilitation of the pi ers, warehouses and buildings. European Union Fare Program with an investment of ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬ 4.4 million, has completed the project which includes rehabilitation of the Ferry Terminal, pier reconstruction of 120 ml and 60 ml of building the new pier. TDA Trade and Development Agency (USA) $ 9.1 million. This project involves studying the feasibility of new container terminal and its equipment at the Port of Durres. TDA has also given a grant of $ 1.4 million to purchase two reach stacker, a spreader plumber and some other assets. The project has been completed. European Investment Bank (IEB) with investment of ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬ 17 million. The project includes financing the construction of Container Terminal, drainage systems, emergency excavation for the entrance channel and the aquarium, and the purchase of a mobile crane for the Port of Durres. Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project. The project started its implementation. Now it i s buying mobile crane with a capacity of processing 120 tons of containers and continues the implementation of two other components of the project: Laying asphalt, drainage works worth about ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬ 10.4 million. Digging for emergency and incoming channel port aquarium worth ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬ 3.3 million. In early 2006 there was inaugurated the completion of paving works on the sites after the piers, which was conducted by the Croatian company Montmontaza. II. PROFITABILITY, SOCIAL DESIRABILITY AND PORT INVESTMENTS Investment is a variation of the total stock of capital goods used in productive activities. In the port sector this is necessarily a variation in instrumental assets, as the product the throughput is a service and therefore cannot be stocked. Investment is carried out by a port business in order to have the desired level of throughput capacity at its disposal. Investing in ports, therefore, has a direct impact on overall port capacity and supply. Neoclassical production theory expresses investment as a variation over time of the level of capital used by a business. It usually hypothesizes a standard (Cobb-Douglas) production function as; (1) where L and K are, respectively, the amounts of labor and capital employed over a period of time, investment is the variation in capital levels ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒâ€¹Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  K, which takes place between one period and the next. According to neoclassical economists, the investment decision is a direct function of the amount o f capital needed to produce the level of output Q deemed optimal by a business (for example, the amount needed to maximize its profits), and an inverse function of the interest rate, which is the cost of the investment. The investment, as a variation in the level of capital, will be equal to; (2) According to Keynesian theory, investment takes place if the marginal efficiency of capital is higher than the market interest rate, which represents the return of the other possible uses of the resources employed. It is also normally considered that the rate of profit expected from the investment should be greater than the interest rate plus a spread (to reward the risk of the profit achieved proving to be lower than that originally expected). Since the potential investor will rank possible investment projects starting from those with the highest marginal efficiency, the well-known inverse relationship results between (cumulated) investment and the market interest rate. In the port industry, the product is throughput, and the investment is the creation of throughput capacity. Port investments are those increases in capital goods that allow greater throughput via an increased efficiency in using the production factors. These include the following: infrastructures, such as breakwaters, dams and lock systems that enable access along canals and rivers, the excavation or dredging of riverbeds and the construction of new piers, wharfs, yards, etc.; terminal superstructures (cranes, means of transport, buildings used for storage or port services); and other assets useful for the production of port services. Most port investments particularly infrastructural investments bear the following features: their profitability is at least in part indirect, since they are part of collective capital, which acts as a location factor for business activities and generates positive externalities; they also generate environmental costs and negative externalit ies; the construction of infrastructures brings with it significant indivisibilities, owing to economies of scale, financial requirements and network economies; they require considerable time to be accomplished, including a lengthy planning and design period, and subsequently boast an extremely long economic life. As a result, there is a hefty time lag between costs (incurred primarily before the port comes into operation) and revenues, and a long payback period for the investment itself; high risk and high uncertainty of expected profit, due in part to the difficulty of estimating costs; in the case of general purpose assets (such as dams, canals and basins) cost cannot be imputed to individual users, while the benefit for each user cannot be quantified either; and infrastructure costs are sunk (i.e. lost whenever the investor decides to withdraw from the market), and therefore act as exit barriers that jeopardize the markets contestability and create the risk of a m onopoly. Comparing direct usefulness (profitability), be it positive or negative, with external usefulness (be it positive or negative) produces four possible combinations, shown in Fig. 1 as a Cartesian graph, where direct profitability (profit forecast) is shown along the abscissa and social utility (net benefit) is shown along the ordinate. Fig. 1. Direct Profitability and Social Utility of Investment. Assuming that the coordinates at the origin of the axes are, respectively, market interest rate (to which a risk premium may be added), and 0 (or, alternatively, the above-mentioned standard socioeconomic internal rate of return), the bisector of quadrants II-IV separates the situations bearing total (direct+external) positive utility, above the bisector, from those bearing total negative utility, below the bisector. Private profitability normally stems from the private nature of benefits (port services or assets are private goods, featuring excludability and rivalry be tween users): in the port arena, this can be the case for services (both to goods or to ships), superstructures (cranes) and, to a lesser extent, terminal infrastructure. Public profitability stems from the existence of long-term external benefits, such as hinterland accessibility, public or club goods such as nautical assets (dredging, breakwaters, locks, etc.), land based networks and general local accessibility. Fig. 1 shows the situations that may then arise. Quadrant I contains those situations where investment is driven by private profitability and also implies a public benefit. It is promoted by the market and there is no reason for it to be halted by the public administration (although it may be regulated in order to enhance public benefit). On the opposite side, quadrant III clearly shows investment projects that appear neither profitable nor socially desirable and, therefore, should never be promoted. Quadrant II features investments deemed socially useful (external economies, accessibility, etc.) but with little or no direct profitability. If the balance is positive (i.e. above the bisector), investments should be promoted by adopting the appropriate policies, which might include grants and public-private partnerships (PPPs), capable to shift profitability (as represented by vector b) even if the offsetting costs reduces overall utility, and therefore moves the point closer to the bisector. What is an unprofitable investment for private capital may, nevertheless, be regarded as socially desirable (for example, as a driver of regional economic development). Ports have often been regarded, be it rightly or wrongly, as drivers of regional development as well as a source of considerable external benefits. Nowadays the local net external benefit is less certain, although ports are regarded more than before as essential gateways for the competitiveness of the hinterland. This may drive forward an investment even with no private profitability. T he investment can be entirely public, or (if public resources are scarce) publicly co-financed in order to supplement private profitability and push it above the threshold that is critical for the private investor (i.e. interest rate+risk premium). Yet, the risk is to promote investments that are actually below the bisector. If we assume that any compensation policy shifting benefits/costs from one sector to another does have a cost, then no policy can make the point shift from below to above the bisector. Quadrant IV shows investments that are profitable for the investor, but a source of net external costs. This situation is common nowadays, and increases in port capacity required by terminal and logistics companies often gives rise to conflict and opposition at a local level, due to there being no (or very few) external benefits in comparison with external costs. An investment should nevertheless be encouraged for projects placed above the bisector, through the offsetting an d reduction of external costs to shift the investment towards quadrant I, as represented by vector a (even if offsetting costs reduces the investments overall utility, and again it moves the point closer to the bisector). Investments where social disutility of external costs exceeds direct profitability (below the bisector) must instead be prevented by way of appropriate bans and restrictions, etc. A pure market economy would promote all and only investments in quadrants I and IV (where direct profitability is higher than the market interest rate), while a centralized economy should promote all and only investments in quadrants I and II. If market failures are taken into account instead, the focus should be on promoting investments ranging above bisector II-IV. Indeed, area A of quadrant IV shows situations where the social effect of directly profitable investments needs to be mitigated through reductions and restrictions (even at the risk of limiting their profitability). In area B of quadrant II, private investment that would otherwise be uneconomical needs to be encouraged through incentives or through funding that is seen to stem directly from public investment. Only in quadrant I, are investments privately and socially profitable, although regulations and governance-oriented measures may be taken to amend the profitability mix. III. HOW TO CREATE A PORT INVESTMENT MODEL The port capacity installed by the investor (be it public or private) may be exploited by the investor itself, if it acts as the assets manager and charges the carrier for use. Alternatively, it may be leased to a stevedore, which manages it and charges the carrier. Moreover, the carrier and the terminal operator may be vertically integrated (the so-called dedicated terminals) and in some cases, the carrier may also overlap with the shipper, which may manage its own ships and sometimes its own terminal(s) as well. However, if only business functions are considered, the port investment chain involves the following players: (i) the investor investing in the port facility; (ii) the terminal operator; (iii) the carrier using the port, or its representatives; and (iv) the shipper, or its representatives. The investments return is determined by the stevedoring industrys profits, which in turn influence those of the shipping industry, logistics and eventually the profits of the manu facturers/shippers and the utility of consumers. This section investigates the effects generated by the port investment, so as to highlight significant relationships between players, as well as the implications for investment decisions and for the funding of investments. It focuses on the microeconomic effects of an investment, disregarding any macroeconomic benefits to employment, earnings and their distribution, any environmental benefits-costs (both direct environmental impact and the balance between the environmental impact of maritime transport and that of alternative transport). These macroeconomic effects are rather difficult to measure, while the environmental effects are uncertain, since the development of maritime transport through port investments leads to an increase in the environmental costs associated with a port and maritime transport, but on the other side it encourages a modal split with a more sustainable environmental impact. A port investment may be extens ive, if its aim is to increase productive capacity while average costs remain unchanged, or intensive, if its aim is to increase productivity and reduce unitary costs. From a theoretical perspective, the notion of a purely extensive investment may be viable when, for example, a terminal operator having to meet sharp rises in demand decides to increase its throughput capacity by adding new infrastructures that offer the same productivity as those already in use. When, on the other hand, demand is stagnant or competition from other operators is already fierce or on the rise, a terminal operator may well plump for a purely intensive investment, aimed at increasing productivity. Actually, though, it is very likely that in the former situation the new assets would be more productive than those already in place, thanks to technological improvements that are likely to have been introduced. As a result, an increase in quantity also translates into an increase in average productivity. I n the latter situation, a rise in productivity is normally achieved, thanks to the reduced time per unit of throughput, and the consequent increase in throughput per unit of time. It is therefore very realistic to assume that between these two theoretical extremes, the effects of the investment will, in practice, be distributed between an increase in quantity and a reduction in costs. In a market of perfect competition this cost reduction would turn into a correspondent reduction in price (or in generalized cost) without increase in profit. On the other hand, in a monopoly situation, or if demand is extremely inelastic, it could lead purely to a rise in profit, without any benefit being enjoyed by the user (with a reduction in price approaching or equal to zero). In any intermediate situation, the effect will be distributed, depending upon the elasticity of demand and the position of the cost curves, between an increase in profit and a reduction in price, accompanied by an increa se in throughput. From a microeconomic viewpoint, then, an investment in a port asset normally causes an increase in the level of throughput (total and per unit of time) as well as an improvement in the level of service. This causes a reduction in the generalized cost Cg of the port service (equivalent to a reduction in price) and/or an increase in the profits of the stevedore. The decrease in generalized cost will cause throughput to increase, at a rate that will be directly correlated to the degree of competition within the port services market: the greater the competition, the greater the reduction in price and the increase in throughput; the lower the competition, the greater the profits netted by the manager (unless demand is completely inelastic). The increase in throughput leads in turn to an increase in the stevedores profits, and usually to increasing returns to scale as well, thereby triggering a further fall in the cost of production, generalized cost, price and potentially a further increase in profits. Moreover, this reduction in generalized cost/price leads to a decrease in the generalized cost (price) of the whole transport cycle, triggering within the transport industry the same kind of effects: lower prices, higher volumes and higher profits. Again, an increasing return to scale is likely to occur, and these effects can therefore build up to become stronger. Finally, the same kind of effect will also be seen for shippers (and possibly for intermediate operators such as logistic operators, forwarders, etc.,): a lower generalized cost causes both volumes and profits to rise, with possible further increases due to economies of scale. The final decrease in prices for transported goods can eventually benefit final consumers. There is therefore a chain running from port investors, to port operators, carriers, forwarders or logistic operators, all the way through to shippers and consumers, as shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 2. Port Investment and its Microeconomic and Macroeconomic Consequences. Note: Inv = investment, C = cost, GC = generalized cost, s.l. = service level, P = price, Th = throughput, ÃÆ' Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ = profit. Assuming a linear demand function, such as; p = a bq (3) for every possible position that may be taken by E, then: US = q [a (a bq)]/2 = 1/2 bq2 (4) This is a parabola on an ever-upward slope in the first quadrant. The revenue function is then TR = aq bq2 (5) and the function of the long-run average cost (LRAC) is straight, expressed that is to say by the function TC = cq (6) and, total profit can therefore be expressed as; TÃÆ'Ã… ½Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   = TR TC = (a c)q bq2 (7) The profit-maximising quantity is given by d TÃÆ'Ã… ½Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   / dq = 0 (8) from which we obtain a c 2bq = 0 (9) q = (a c)/2b (10) The quantity that maximizes the sum of profit and consumers surplus, considering thus both direct and external profitability, i s then d (TÃÆ'Ã… ½Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   + US)/dq = 0 (11) from which we obtain a c 2bq + bq = 0 (12) with the optimal quantity emerging thus q = (a c)/b (13) As a result, the quantity that maximizes the sum of profit and consumer surplus Equation (13) is double the quantity that maximizes profit Equation (10). IV. INVESTMENT, PROFITABILITY, PRICING, PRIVATE AND PUBLIC FINANCING These results suggest some remarks on the financing of port investment. Port investment may produce both direct and indirect benefits. Direct benefits provide a funding channel by way of the pricing applied for the use of infrastructure, revenues and the consequent profit for the company that builds and/or manages the terminal (if two different companies are involved, the profit of the terminal operator will be used to pay the charge to the company that owns the port facility). Net public benefits justify the utilization of fiscal resources instead. So far, port investments have very often attracted public investment, due to the very features of the infrastructures and systems associated with ports. However, there has been no proper criterion in place to determine if only theoretically the extent to which the public taxation system should be involved in a port infrastructure. This particular issue is closely linked to the price charged for using infrastructure, for two r easons: (i) the pricing applied to, and the payment made for, the utilization of a port asset generates a level of private profit that is complementary to the public taxation system (the greater the resources obtainable from pricing, the lower the resources required from taxation, and vice versa); and (ii) the pricing criterion itself may reflect not only the port operators profit-maximizing strategies (or just its market strategies), but also the purpose of maximizing the welfare generated by the investment. V. BUSINESS STRATEGIES AND MARKET FORMS OF INVESTMENTS Two attributes of the investments that characterize even if not exclusively companies operating within ports are the degree to which investments are reversible and uncertainty, which is typical of every decision that has anything to do with the future. The first of these two attributes would appear to be of considerable importance in our case, since a growing number of private firms are being asked to invest not only in port superstructures, but also in actual infrastructures. Suffice it to consider, for example, the many dedicated terminals typical of the container transport sector, and similarly the cruise transport sector in which the transport company is vertically integrated to become a terminal company as well, thereby participating in the cost of the terminal investment proportionally to its share in the venture. In these situations, it is clear how at least part of the investment should be regarded as irreversible, making it interesting therefore to ascertain how this circumstance, together with the uncertainty as to how the operating environment will evolve, may cause the company to accumulate surplus, or insufficient, capital. According to authors irreversibility and uncertainty of investments involve two types of effect; the so-called user-cost effect, which leads firms to under-invest. This is because entrepreneurs are more reluctant to invest, given that their inability to disinvest results in a higher user-cost of capital in relation to current investment decisions; and the so-called hangover effect, indicating the reliance of current capital stock on past behavior, which leads firms to over-invest in the presence of irreversibility and uncertainty. 5.1. Stackelberg Equilibrium It is worthwhile remembering that the Stackelberg duopoly considers two firms known as L and F (leader and follower) that need to decide (not at the same time) how much capital to employ. The function of profits for these two firms may be expressed as; ÃÆ'Ã… ½Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  L(KL, KF) = KL(1 KL KF) ÃÆ'Ã… ½Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  F(KL, KF) = KF(1 KL KF) (14) This situation leads firm L (the firm to decide first, since it is the first to introduce a new technology or to enter a particular market) to select the amount of capital in such a way as to maximize its own profit function, while taking into account the reaction curve of firm F. This means that where; KF = RF(KL) = (1 KL)/2 (15) the equilibrium which is different from the Cournot equilibrium, based on companies making their choices at the same time makes the levels of capital employed equal to; KL = 1/2 KF = 1/4 (16) Profits and the ratio between them therefore emerge as; ÃÆ'Ã… ½Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  L = 1/8 ÃÆ'Ã… ½Ãƒâ €šÃ‚  F = 1/16 (17) ÃÆ'Ã… ½Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  L/ÃÆ'Ã… ½Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  F = 2 The firm investing first therefore accumulates twice as much capital as the other, while also netting a profit that is double that realized by the follower. If at a later stage a rise in demand is expected, the model shows how both firms will increase their productive capacity to a similar extent, so that the ratio between the respective profits of the two firms remains unchanged. We are thus witnessing a game that repeats itself by the same procedures. In other words, this duopoly leads the firms to cover three-quarters of the amount that would be exchanged in a market of perfect competition, leaving unchanged their respective market share as leader and follower, with one twice that of the other. Compared with monopolistic equilibrium, this model guarantees that a higher amount is exchanged (50% more in fact). This gives rise to the capacity surplus seen in these types of oligopoly. VI. CONCLUSION Port investment is a key issue in modern port economics with regard to planning port development, financing and assessing the return on investment. In the literature, the topic of infrastructure investment has been historically tackled either from a pure macro-economic perspective or from the mere firms point of view (the managerial decision process related to port investment). These approaches focus mainly on the macro-economic costs and benefits of the port industry and, on the other side, on the economic efficiency of the port function for port users. This paper overcomes that kind of segmentation. It addresses some of the features related to port investment starting from the evaluation of the main paradigms that characterize the port industry from a global point of view, and focuses on the relations, synergies and conflicts between the numerous stakeholders actually involved. Profitability, economic impact and financing are seen as the most critical nodes in the complex c hain of port investment decisions. Port investment has been described as the result of the equilibrium of several interactions between different forces and interests, where the most relevant aspects are (i) the public/private combination, which imprints the port industry and (ii) the geographical scale of evaluation. The mix between public and private interests, and the specific role of public bodies, may in fact be seen as the core of a specific port investment theory, which evaluates direct and indirect effects as well as uncertainty in returns. The different perspectives of evaluating the impact of port investment can lead to a different evaluation of the costs and benefits involved, and their desirability. The framework of the paper has been primarily based on the description and critical evaluation of the public/private and local/global tradeoffs, which in turn affect the assessment of port impacts, the development of funding, pricing and tax systems, the competitive scen ario and distortions, which are likely to occur in inter-port and intra-port competitions. The main contribution of the paper may be seen in the effort of building up a comprehensive scenario where single aspects and variables related to port investments can fit into a general scheme of interrelationships, which identify feasible outcomes. The foreseeable outputs in terms of demand and supply provide insights for possible incentives to efficiency to be improved by decision-makers at different levels, promoting the reduction of conflicts and the synergies of interests. Although the topic has clearly practical implications, the work follows a theoretical approach rather than an empirical one. The proposal is, in fact, to develop an overall framework of analysis with a certain degree of originality in comparison with consolidated fields of the past literature, limiting at the same time the risk of a rapidly non-updated decision-support tool. The implementation of a number of o utlined policy guidelines can be considered as an implicit agenda for future research. SYMBOLS C = cost EIB = European Investment Bank EU = European Union GC = Generalized Cost Inv = Investment P = Price PPP = Public Private Partnerships s.l. = service level, TDA = Trade and Development Agency Th = Throughput US = Users Surplus WB = World Bank, ÃÆ' Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ = Profit

Landfill Waste Polluting - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 25 Words: 7425 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Did you like this example? CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Landfill Waste Polluting" essay for you Create order Overview Landfilling is one of the oldest and common methods used for waste disposal. It is perceived as the most economical and environmentally acceptable technique. It is a complex system with physical, chemical, and biological processes. While undergoing the process of wastes degradation, there is the production of highly contaminating liquid, leachate, and polluting gases. If discharged in an uncontrolled and non-engineered manner, leachate will contaminate groundwater bodies and subsequently jeopardizing the ecosystem. There is a network for the collection the contaminants. The gases such as methane and carbon dioxide are flared before they can affect the atmosphere. The leachate generated, requires treatment before discharge and it is the main problem. In Mauritius, there has been an upsurge in the amount of wastes generated due to rapid industrialization. A structure for solid waste management was necessitated which resulted in the construction of Mare Chicose Sanitary Landfill Site. Over the years, there has been an increase the volume of wastes being disposed and consequently, a rise in the amount of leachate generated. As previously mentioned, the polluting liquid requires treatment prior to disposal. Nowadays, we do have laws that are regulated by the Wastewater Management Authority Act and the organization operates under the aegis of the Ministry of Public Utilities. After treatment leachate shall comply with the standard limits for effluent discharge as shown in Appendix C. Many studies have been carried out for the treatment of leachate and various methods are available. There are several parameters that define the treatment method. The treating technique shall be efficient, cost-effective with minimum input, flexible and if possible usage of the effluent. Aim and Objectives The aim of the project is the study of the nitrification process in the treatment of landfill leachate. The project had the following objectives set: To determine the suitability and efficiency of a SBR and co treatment method for the treatment of landfill leachate. To find the concentration at which ammonia nitrogen is toxic to microorganisms. To design a suitable tank for the method being adopted. To assess the cost-effectiveness of the treating system Structure of Thesis The remainder of this thesis is organized as follows: Chapter 2: gives a brief overview of landfilling process, describing the various components of a landfill. There is a description of the Mare Chicose Sanitary Landfill Site and a summary of typical leachate effluent. Chapter 3: deals with the treating options available for wastewater treatment particularly leachate. The efficiency for ammonia nitrogen removal is outlined and a reviewing some case studies on biological treatment of landfill leachate. Chapter 4: describes the methodology adopted for leachate treatment. Chapter 5: gives a detailed analysis of the results obtained and assessment of various parameters. Chapter 6: consists of the design a treating system for leachate. Chapter 7: describes the cost effectiveness of the treatment methods and some recommendations for improvement of the designs. CHAPTER 2 REVIEW of LITERATURE 2.1. Landfill A landfill may be defined as a physical facility used for the disposal of residual solid wastes in the surface soils of the earth (Tchobanoglous et al.). Nowadays, the term sanitary landfill is more usually utilized to describe an engineered facility, designed, operated and monitored with the foremost objective of reducing environmental and health hazards. According to Tchobanoglous, a landfill may be categorized with respect to the incoming waste materials. There are various criteria that are considered before the design and construction phases. The site cannot be close to water bodies, highways, any residential areas or even airports. The main reason is the pollution accompanied by the operation of such a site which will eventually disturb its surrounding environment. Another factor is the hydrogeology of the site, groundwater maps are prepared by studying the different soil stratum. This helps in determining the permeability of the soil, the depth to groundwater, the direction of groundwater flow and hydraulic gradients. If clay is to be used as a liner, then borrow sources are found. Landfill Components Liner: It is a barrier that will prevent the leachate and other liquids from penetrating the soil. It can be made of clay, synthetic materials or both which is known as composite liner. This barrier also restricts the underground migration of landfill gases. Cap system: Usually a soil cover placed over the landfill at completion of filling, also known as final cover, with vegetation grown over it. The cover may consist of geosynthetic materials also, thus hindering the escape of landfill gases to the air and restricting the infiltration of rain into the landfill (Bagchi, 1994). Gas management system: As shown in the diagram above, these are a series of gas wells that removes methane and other decomposition gases from the landfill for flaring and reuse. The methane gas may be used in the electricity production. Leachate management system: A number of horizontal and vertical pipes placed just above the liner that drains and collects leachate. Afterwards the polluting liquid may be brought to a retention pond. Mare Chicose Sanitary Landfill Site Over the last few years, a rapid development at socio-economic levels has brought an upsurge in the amount of wastes generated in Mauritius. There was a need for an integrated solid waste management programme. The Mare Chicose Sanitary Landfill is the only waste disposal site for Mauritius till date. The site is located in the southern part of the island near a small village called Cluny. It receives mostly municipal solid wastes and therefore categorized as a Class type. The site was previously operated by STAM Lte, from 1997 to 2006, and presently by Sotravic Limite/ Bilfinger-Berger consortium. The amount of wastes disposed at the landfill has nearly tripled over the years, reaching to a daily value of about 1,200 tonnes. The percentage of incoming wastes is summarized below: The field capacity of the landfill was already attained and currently there is an extension of works on existing cells. The site is comprised of six cells and actually the fifth one is in use. Prior to disposal at the landfill, the wastes are compacted at transfer stations. The wastes are dumped from a tipping point and soon, they are spread over existing wastes by means of specialized vehicles. At the end of the day, a cover is placed to reduce the amount of windblown debris. Both clayey and geosynthetic liners were used on the site. The amount of leachate being carted away for the period of January 2007 December 2007 is 110 858 m3. Actually, no leachate treatment is being carried out. Among the landfill gases produced methane is the most dangerous and it is dealt with in a controlled environment. The gas is being collected by means of pipelines and subsequently flared. Leachate The definition according to EPA is as follows; Water that collects contaminants as it trickles through wastes, pesticides or fertilizers. Leaching may occur in farming areas, feedlots, and landfills, and may result in hazardous substances entering surface water, ground water, or soil. Leachate can be described as a highly contaminated liquid, containing a considerable amount of dissolved and suspended solids that has percolated down through wastes. The leachate quality varies throughout the operational life of a landfill and long after its closure. There are three broad and overlapping phases of waste decomposition, in which chemical and biological processes give rise to both landfill gas and leachate during and beyond the active life of the site (Carville et al.). Phase 1: Oxygen present in the wastes is rapidly consumed by aerobic decomposition. This phase has duration of less than one month and is normally relatively unimportant in terms of leachate quality. This phase is exothermic and high temperatures may be produced. If some of this heat is retained, then as a result of that the rate of the upcoming phases is increased. Phase 2: Anaerobic digestion is comprised of the following four phases; Hydrolysis: A chemical reaction where large polymers are converted to simple monomers. Acidogenesis: A biological reaction where the monomers are converted to volatile fatty acids. Acetogenesis: A biological reaction where the fatty acids are converted into hydrogen, carbon dioxide and acetic acid. Methanogenesis: The acetic acid is converted into acetates. Hydrogen is used up to convert the acetates into methane and carbon dioxide. Anaerobic and facultative microorganisms hydrolyze cellulose and other putrescible materials such as complex carbohydrates, fats and proteins to soluble organic compounds. These hydrolysis products are then fermented during acidogenesis to various intermediates such as volatile fatty acids and alcohols. Finally, these intermediates are converted during acetogenesis to acetic acid, carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The high content of putrescible material in the waste may sustain acidogenic conditions for quite some time and provide a rich feed stock for methanogens subsequently. Leachate from this acidic phase typically contains a high concentration of free fatty acids. It therefore has low pH of 5 or 6, and will dissolve other components of the wastes, such as the alkaline earths and heavy metals, which can be mobilized in the leachate, possibly as fatty acid complexes. The leachate also contains high concentrations of ammoniacal nitrogen and has both a high organic carbon concentration and a biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). Phase 3: Conditions become more anaerobic as waste degradation proceeds and methanogenic bacteria gradually become established. These start to consume the simple organic compounds, producing a mixture of carbon dioxide and methane that is released as landfill gas. The carbon dioxide tends to dissolve producing the very high bicarbonate concentrations typical of Phase 3 leachates. The rate at which this phase becomes established is controlled by a number of factors, including the content of readily putrescible waste. Since the majority of the organic compounds are high molecular weight humic and fulvic acids, the leachates are characterized by relatively low BOD values. Ammoniacal nitrogen continues to be released by areas of the waste where phase 2 is continuing and generally remains at high concentrations in the leachate. Falling redox potential immobilizes many metals as sulphides in the waste. (Source: www.wikipedia.com/leachate) Typical leachate effluent Leachate is usually termed as a high strength wastewater. The polluting liquid has a high concentration of contaminants and varies throughout the landfill age as shown in the table below. From the above table, it noticed that leachates are normally alkaline having a pH of 6.0-8.4. The average COD value is found to be 5000 mg/l and the ammoniacal nitrogen remains within a similar range 900-3000 mg/L for all most of the sites. As it has been portrayed, the leachate does not meet the requirements for discharge either in sewers or surface water (see Appendix C) and this clearly indicates a need for treatment. CHAPTER 3 Treatment Options Overview Most landfills operate their own onsite leachate pretreatment and treatment facilities. Three types of treatment are possible physical, chemical and biological. Usually they are used in conjunction with one another. The constituents of leachate and availability of resources determine the treatment method to be adopted. Therefore, it should be efficient, flexible and an economical option. The leachate quality is highly dependent on the waste materials being disposed and the stage of their anaerobic decomposition. Hence, there is a variation in the constituents concentration. It has been observed that throughout the life cycle of a landfill, the ammonia nitrogen concentration remains very high. Amongst several usual parameters, ammonia nitrogen is a key one as it influences the selection and the design of the treating system. Physical Treatment Ammonia Stripping Ammonia can be removed by the air stripping technique which consists of blowing air through the wastewater. The method is based on the following equation; The above equation is highly dependent on the pH so that an exchange of ionic forms can take place. The equilibrium constant for this reaction is 10-9.25 at 18 C (Sorensen, 1993). pH = 9.25 + log [NH3] / [NH4+] From the above equation a pH greater than 10 is needed for releasing the ammonia gas. At normal temperature only 2% of the gas is liberated and therefore the wastewater should be heated to increase the efficiency of the treatment process. In achieving relatively low effluent values of ammoniacal-N (e.g. 50 mg/l), very large volumes of air will be required and this generally makes air stripping uncompetitive in cost terms for such applications The process is also inefficient in cold weather and requires shut down (IPCC, 2007). Reverse Osmosis The process consists of applying a pressure to the wastewater, i.e. the leachate, which passes through a semi permeable membrane. The water molecules present in the wastewater will pass the membrane forming the permeate and the contaminants remaining are the concentrate. The main advantage of using such a system is the removal of non-biodegradable compounds such as residual COD, heavy metals and chloride ions together with other large molecules present in leachate. The concentrate produced is a major issue as it is highly toxic to the environment. It is usually recirculated in the landfill or disposed off-site for storage. The removal rate of the contaminants is usually greater than 99.6 %. The plant is usually operated in more than one stage and occupies less space when compared to other treating systems. The process is currently in use in several countries such as France, Germany and Holland (IPCC, 2007). Activated Carbon Adsorption Activated carbon is used as an adsorbent for the removal of organic compounds. It is used in one of the following forms, powdered and granular. Due to the high cost of activated carbon, it is normally utilized for polishing after biological treatment. With an optimum dose and sufficient contact time, a considerable decrease in COD and BOD concentration can be achieved by this method. In the powdered form, the carbon is meant for single use and it loses its adsorption capacity and therefore cannot be reactivated. The mixed liquor must then be treated to remove the PAC, by subsequent processes, such as coagulation, flocculation, or filtration. In the granular form, the carbon can be used again but must be removed which requires specialized equipment (IPCC, 2007). Biological Treatment Processes The treatment process is comprised of growing and reproducing microorganisms in a controlled environment to stabilize organic matter. There are two forms of growth process attached and suspended. In suspended growth treatment systems, microorganisms are maintained in suspension within the wastewater whereas in the attached growth process, the biomass grows and is retained on a medium. Attached Growth Processes Percolating filters Rotating biological Contactors (RBC) Suspended Growth Processes Aerated lagoons Activated Sludge Process (ASP) Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) Combined treatment with domestic wastewater (co treatment) Percolating Filters It is an aerobic biological treatment system. Wastewater flows over a fixed and inert medium to which biofilms are attached and trickles down under gravity. The medium may be made up of different materials such as plastics and gravels and the depth of the filter is normally 2-4 m. The effluent is passed through a clarifier to remove biological solids. The percolating filter has many disadvantages concerning the treatment of landfill leachate. The system is efficient mostly for the treatment of low strength leachate. A recurrent problem is the clogging of the filter media and vulnerability to shock-term load (IPCC, 2007). Rotating Biological Contactors The process consists of large diameter steel or corrugated plastic media centered around a horizontal shaft, usually placed in a concrete tank. The media is slowly rotated (mechanical or air drive). At any given time during the rotation, about 40% of the media surface area is in the wastewater. Organisms in the wastewater are attached and, multiply on the rotating media until they form a thin layer of biomass. RBC is most effective for treating methanogenic than acetogenic leachates and for concentrations of ammoniacal-N below 500mg/l. The rotating biological contactor may have operational problems, since high concentrations of degradable COD can result in excessive sludge growth, and clogging of interstices within rotors (IPCC, 2007). Aerated Lagoons Aerated lagoons are operated by a combination of aerobic and anaerobic processes. The lower part of the lagoon converts the settled solids and sludge into carbon and methane by the action of anaerobic decomposition. The upper part is usually aerated, surface aeration or by algae present, to oxidize compounds from the anaerobic zone. Effluent is withdrawn from the upper zone, generally over an overflow arrangement. For discharge into surface waters, a secondary settlement lagoon or reed bed filtration system is needed for wastewater polishing. The constraints of the system are as such it requires large space and is quite sensitive to temperature changes. There is the possibility of odurs emanating from the lagoon. The main concern is the inability to provide consistent and reliable design in order to meet the discharge limits. Activated Sludge Process It is the most widely used aerobic biological process for treatment of domestic wastewater. It operates on the basis of a continuous inflow of wastewater. The latter is completely mixed and aerated for certain period of time, giving rise to mixed liquor. For nitrification to occur the sludge age must be greater than 8 days, so that the nitrifying bacteria can grow sufficiently large in numbers to exert an oxygen demand. The mixed liquor is allowed to settle in the clarifier and the biomass is returned to the aeration tank. The clarified effluent is decanted for disposal or tertiary treatment. The ASP is a continuous process and leachate cannot be treated directly, it requires dilution due to ammonia toxicity. Sequencing Batch Reactor The reactor is a slight modification of the ASP. It operates on a fill-and-draw basis using the suspended growth process. The SBR utilizes a single tank which accommodates aerobic biological treatment, flow equalization, settlement of solids, effluent clarification and decanting. Thus, it is usually described as operating in time rather than space when compared to conventional ASP. The reactor consists and operates under the following cycles: Fill: During the fill operation, volume and substrate (raw wastewater or primary effluent) are added to the reactor. The fill process typically allows the liquid level in the reactor to rise from 75% of capacity (at the end of idle period) to 100%. During fill, the reactor may be mixed only or mixed and aerated to promote biological reactions with the effluent wastewater. React: During the react period, the biomass consumes the substrate under controlled environmental conditions. Settle: Solids are allowed to separate from the liquid under quiescent conditions, resulting in a clarified supernatant that can be discharged as effluent. Decant: Clarified effluent is removed during the decant period. Many types of decanting mechanisms can be used, with the most popular being floating or adjustable weirs. Idle: An idle period is used in a multitank system to provide time for one reactor to complete its fill phase before switching to another unit. Because idle phase is not a necessary phase, it is sometimes omitted. Advantages of the system It requires small space as a common tank is used for the various unit processes. Flexibility in operating the reactor. The reaction time can be controlled and settling can be achieved under quiescent conditions. There the elimination of the return sludge pumping when compared to the ASP. Disadvantages of the system A higher level of sophistication is required (compared to conventional systems), especially for larger systems, of timing units and controls. Potential of discharging floating or settled sludge during the draw or decant phase with some SBR configurations. Combined Treatment with Domestic Wastewater It is a combined method for treating domestic wastewater and landfill leachate. Both wastewater and leachate can be treated at suitable mixing ratios (Aktas, 2001). Domestic wastewater can provide phosphate while leachate can provide nitrogen based nutrients, thus compensating for nutrients deficiency. Hence, nutrients need not to be supplied. Leachates from older landfills have a lower BOD/COD value and a smaller biodegradable organic fraction. There may not be sufficient COD to support denitrification of nitrate, a supplementary source of organic carbon is required to ensure adequate denitrification. Synthetic chemicals, such as methanol or acetic acid, are effective but quite expensive. It is necessary to find an alternative cost effective source of easily biodegradable carbon (Zhang, 2005). The mixing ratios are determined or else there will be nitrification inhibition by the presence of excess free ammonia. Case studies for biological treatment of landfill leachate The Buckden Landfill Site has been operational since 1994 and has been successful in treating landfill leachate for more than 10 years. The landfill site uses twin sequencing batch reactors, each designed for treating up to 100 m3/day. The effluent is then treated by means of reed bed and an ozonation plant for wastewater polishing and removal of pesticides. The plant has a design loading rate of 0.02 0.040 kg N/kg MLVSS. The plant has been successful in removing ammonia nitrogen from 331 mg/L to 0.27 mg/L. Only the COD value has not met the discharge limits ( 100 mg/L) and the COD reduction was from 843 to 320 mg/L. However, the COD value was acceptable since leachate is usually comprised by high amount of inert fractions. The main running costs are due to electricity for aeration and for ozonation. There is also the use of sodium hydroxide for automatic pH control, and of phosphoric acid for provision of phosphorus as a nutrient, which are relatively small costs. Another case is a South-African landfill which receives up to 2000 tonnes of MSW each day. Up to 80 m3/day of leachate are generated, which have to be treated to very high standards. The treatment system is made up of a SBR with final polishing through a reed bed planted with Phragmites. The SBR is highly efficient for ammoniacal nitrogen removal from over 1200 mg/l to less than 1.0 mg/l. COD values are reduced by 60% from raw leachate values of over 2000 mg/l (Robinson et al., 2005). CHAPTER 4 MATERIALS AND METHODS 4.1. Overview This chapter deals with the methodology adopted and is comprised of the following phases: Sampling Sample preservation Wastewater characterization Leachate Wastewater from SMTP Sludge Biological treatment of landfill leachate using a SBR Co-treatment of landfill leachate with wastewater from SMTP Testing Results and analysis Conclusions Sampling Sampling is done to represent a certain population, in this case wastewater, on which tests are performed and the results symbolize the wastewater characteristics. This can be achieved by two methods: composite sampling and grab sampling. A composite sample consists of collecting samples at regular interval in time. This will be representative of the average wastewater characteristics. A grab sample is based upon obtaining a distinct sample regardless to its flow or time of the day. If the wastewater quality is not highly variable, the results obtained from grab sampling will tend to corroborate composite ones. Both methods are used and for this project the grab sampling technique was adopted. Sample Preservation Soon after the samples were collected, they were tested and if not possible, they were preserved. The latter is crucial step as most of the wastewater constituents have to be kept as are in their original state. They were incubated at 4 C and when necessary pH control was done by adding sulphuric acid. Subsequently, this will stop all the biological activities. Wastewater Characterization The next step after sampling is characterization, i.e. determining the level of constituents present in the wastewater. As a fact of that, the treatment method is selected and applied to the polluting material. Each time, when new samples were obtained, they were characterized in compliance with Standard Methods of Testing. For the project, characterization has to be done for these materials; Leachate The leachates were delivered at the UOM Public Health Laboratory, on the 23rd October 2007 and 9th January 2008, and were characterized for the main polluting parameters. Then the sample was preserved till the treatment starts. Domestic Wastewater The domestic wastewater was collected at SMTP. The sample was collected from the primary clarifier after degriting has been done on the following dates: 26th February and 3rd March 27, 2008. The samples were immediately characterized and then used. Sludge For nitrification to take place there should be microorganisms feeding on the organic matter, but leachate does not contain any. Therefore, the returned sludge from SMTP was collected and brought to the UOM Public Health Laboratory. The sludge was allowed to settle and the supernatant was discarded, the residual left was used for testing. As a result of that the sludge concentration was increased and smaller amount is required for biological treatment. A TSS was carried out and the value obtained was used for calculations. The sludge was also studied under the microscope determining the microorganisms present and their conditions. Biological Treatment of Landfill Leachate using a SBR The first option for treating leachate was the biological treatment by making use of a SBR. It was made up of the following phases: fill, react, settle and decant. The reactor consisted of sludge, water and leachate with varying composition. Their volumes were calculated such that the ammonia nitrogen concentration is about 50 mg/L in the reactor. The latter was aerated for a period of 24 hours. The main polluting parameters were monitored and accentuating upon the level of ammonia nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen. The system was run for a number of cycles and then denitrification phase was operated. Experimental Procedure A reactor of capacity 20 L was considered with an MLSS concentration of 4000 mg/l. The dissolved oxygen concentration had to be greater than 2 mg/l and this was achieved by the means of air diffusers. The diffusers provided the mixing within the reactor. Immediately after the setting out of the reactor, a grab sample was collected and was tested. These values were set as baseline. After 24 hours of aeration, another sample was collected from the reactor and tests were performed. The critical parameter i.e. ammonia nitrogen was observed and if, the value is not within the discharge limits then it aerated till the expected result is obtained. The biomass required nutrients which provided in the form of Potassium Hydrogen Phosphate. In order for the treatment to take place, we had to cater for alkalinity and this was achieved by the addition of concentrated sodium hydroxide. Thus the nitrification process was being monitored until no further treatment. A total of 3 sequential batch reactors were operated. After the operation of the third reactor, the denitrification phase was initiated. All the air diffusers were switched off and acetic acid was added to the reactor. The dissolved oxygen concentration was monitored till it reached the zero value and the nitrate nitrogen concentration was measured. Co-treatment of Landfill Leachate with Wastewater from SMTP The other alternative is a combined method, treating domestic wastewater and leachate together. The treatment is biological in nature using a SBR with phases; fill, react, settle and decant. The treating system consisted of aerating the SBR, composed of sludge, domestic wastewater and leachate, for a period of 24 hours. The volume of leachate was gradually increased until no further treatment was observed. The main parameters were monitored, laying emphasis on the nitrification process. The values were recorded and analyzed. Experimental Procedure Small reactors of capacity 5 L each were considered with an MLSS concentration of 1500 mg/l. The first SBR was made up of 100% DWW and sludge only, the second one 95% DWW, 5% leachate and sludge, the third one 90% DWW, 10% leachate and sludge and so on. An example is being shown below. The dissolved oxygen concentration was kept greater than 2 mg/l by the use of air diffusers which also provided the mixing within the reactor. Immediately after the setting out of the reactor, a grab sample was collected and was tested. These values were set as baseline. After 24 hours of aeration, another sample was collected from the reactor and tests were performed. The volume of leachate was increased until the treatment stopped. Sometimes the phosphate concentration was too low and a phosphate had to be provided as potassium hydrogen phosphate. The experiment was repeated but with a reduced time of aeration. Testing All the tests were carried out at the University of Mauritius Public Health Laboratory. The tests were performed in compliance with Standard Methods of Testing for Water and Wastewater. Several tests were carried out such as pH, DO, COD, BOD, Alkalinity, TSS, Chloride and colour removal. The Hach 2000 Spectrometer was used for testing the following parameters: Ammonia Nitrogen, Nitrate Nitrogen, Phosphate and Sulfate. Results and Analysis After obtaining the results, the values were verified and any discrepancy in them meant that corrective measures should be applied, for e.g. pH control, for the proper functioning of the reactor. The SBR was monitored on a day-to-day basis until treatment was brought to an end. Analysis was done in order to determine the efficiency of the treatment methods. Ammonia toxicity was ascertained together with the percentage at which co-treatment can be practiced for the local context. CHAPTER 5 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 5.1. Overview This chapter has summarized all the results obtained along with some associated comments and consists of the following parts: The leachate obtained from the MCSLS was characterized and compared with the discharge limits. The microbiological characteristics of the sludge from St Martin wastewater treatment plant were assessed and their suitability for use was determined. The results of the biological treatment using a sequencing batch reactor were summarized with associated comments. The percentage at which combined treatment can be practiced was assessed as well as the level of ammonia toxicity. 5.2. Leachate Characterization The raw leachate from MCSLS was characterized and the following observations were made: The ammoniacal nitrogen concentration of the leachate was very high, 1800 mg/L. Leachate do normally have a high ammonia nitrogen concentration and it remains approximately the same throughout the landfill life. In comparison with the discharge limits, for land/surface water and wastewater system, the permissible limit is highly exceeded and treatment is needed in order to prevent pollution. The chloride content of the leachate was high, 1172 mg/L and gave the leachate a dark brownish colour. The chloride concentration highly exceeds the discharge limits and a reduction in this parameter is quite costly. Biological treatment will not remove the chloride ions and more advanced wastewater treatment is needed such as reverse osmosis/ membrane filtration. The leachate had a low Sulphate concentration that was not detected by the colorimetric method, 0 mg/L. The other value was neglected since the sample was highly coloured and this gave an erroneous value. The value is well below the permissible limits for discharge and thus, no treatment is required for this particular parameter no treatment is required. The raw leachate had a COD concentration of nearly 5000 mg/L which a very high value and well above the discharge limits. The parameter must be treated to attain the permissible limits and biological treatment is suitable in such a case. pH values of 8 and 8.4 were measured during the characterization process. The values are within the permissible range and therefore no pH adjustment is to be made. The leachate had a low nitrate nitrogen concentration, 8 mg/L. The other value was neglected since the sample was highly coloured and this gave an erroneous value. The value is well below the permissible limits for discharge and thus, no treatment is required for this particular parameter no treatment is required. It can be noted that all the tests were not performed on the second sample due to unavailability of some materials at that time. The first sample was taken during a rainy period, hence resulting in a lower value than the second sample. 5.3. Sludge Characterization Activated sludge is made up of a mixed culture of microorganisms that metabolize and transform organic and inorganic substances into environmentally acceptable forms. The typical microbiology of activated sludge consists of approximately 95% bacteria and 5% higher organisms (protozoa, rotifers, and higher forms of invertebrates) (Wisconsin DNR, 2006). The sludge consists of two main types of bacteria: Heterotrophic Bacteria: They are the predominant bacteria in activated sludge as they are present in large numbers. They use organic carbon for cell growth. They participate mainly in aerobic oxidation of organic matter. Autotrophic Bacteria: They are microorganisms that derive carbon cell from carbon dioxide and other inorganic materials. Nitrifying bacteria, Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter, are autotrophic in nature. The activated sludge from St Martin Treatment Plant was analyzed: To determine the various types of microorganisms coexisting To assess that they are sufficiently large in numbers to feed on the organic matter To check whether common sludge- related problems have arisen Some of the microorganisms were identified such as rotifers, Trichocerca and Proales which were present in great numbers. Protozoans were identified which were in form of Opercularia SP and Vorticella Convallaria. Filamentous microorganisms were found in the sludge which gave rise to poor settleability and therefore as a countermeasure the sludge was not stored for more than 1 week. 5.4. Biological treatment using a sequencing batch reactor 5.4.1. Nitrification 5.4.1.1. Variation in pH The optimum pH range for the nitrifying bacteria is 7.2-8. Values less 5.5 and above 9 are critical and the process will be prone to failure. During the nitrification process, H+ ions are produced and the latter will lower the pH. This is shown by the following equation. Therefore a buffer is needed in order to sustain the treatment process. Lime, sodium hydroxide and phosphate buffer were used from time to time to remediate the situation. The buffer solution provided, had a concentration so that it does not alter significantly the reactor volume. The above graph clearly shows that a suitable environment for nitrification was given as the values lie within the optimum range. 5.4.1.2. Variation in Alkalinity According to literature, for the nitrification process 7.14 g alkalinity (as calcium carbonate) is consumed per g of ammonia nitrogen oxidized. For every cycle, the ammonia loading was different and the alkalinity to be provided was calculated accordingly. The alkalinity was increased by the use of the following buffers: Phosphate buffer was used as it increased the phosphate concentration and subsequently nutrients were available to the microorganisms. Lime was also used as a buffer so as to provide the autotrophic bacteria with inorganic sources of carbon from which they can derive their energies. The graph shows the amount of alkalinity consumed over each cycle. When compared to the amount of ammonia nitrogen oxidized, the value for cycle 1 confirms the literature. Theoretical alkalinity consumed = 7.14 35.1 = 250.6 mg/L From graph alkalinity consumed = 247.5 mg/l 5.4.1.3. Variation in MLSS Concentration The MLSS is the amount of biomass present in the reactor. It is important to determine the concentration of the microorganisms as it is closely related to the rate of nitrification A first reactor was set at a concentration of 5000 mg/L but due to poor settling characteristics, solids were obtained in the effluent. The food to microorganisms ratio was low and therefore a new MLSS concentration was chosen. The initial MLSS concentration in the reactor was set at 4000 mg/L. This value kept decreasing over each cycle. This is mainly because the sludge dried over the surface of the reactor after the liquid was lost due to evaporation. After a sludge age greater than 8 days, the nitrifying bacteria become sufficiently large in numbers to exert an oxygen demand and nitrification can take place. Nitrification is a microbial process, involving two distinct genera of microorganisms, Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter. These autotrophic microorganisms build organic molecules using energy obtained from inorganic sources; in this case ammonia and nitrite are oxidized sequentially oxidized to nitrite and nitrate. The overall nitrification reaction is given by the equation below: At a concentration of 50 mg/L, ammonia nitrogen will start to adversely affect the biological process. It was a prerequisite that this value is not exceeded in the influent. The ammonia nitrogen was oxidized to nitrate nitrogen and it is dependent on several factors such as pH, DO and MLSS concentration. From this experiment, a clarified effluent was produced with very low ammonia nitrogen concentration. The average percentage removal of ammonia is 85.3 % with a peak of 96.5 %. Yet, some of the values have not reached the permissible limit for discharge. The graph shows variation in the nitrate nitrogen concentration. The latter had a value of 28 mg/L which gradually increased to 324 mg/L for the fifth cycle. Nitrification was taking place but at reduced rate. At the start of the fourth cycle, the colorimetric method for determining nitrate nitrogen concentration became inappropriate due to increase in sample colour. Thus, it resulted in erroneous values. The COD level was reduced at the end of each cycle, showing that organic and inorganic compounds were consumed by the microorganisms. But this reduction was not significant as the amount of biodegradable fraction was few. It is believed that the leachate consists of approximately 50 % of hard COD based on previous works. These inert fractions will not exert an oxygen demand. The result may not comply with discharge limit for COD but its disposal may be considered to be safe. Denitrification Nitrification is usually accompanied by the denitrification process. Wastewater with a high nitrate concentration cannot be discharged in the environment; otherwise it may result in groundwater contamination. Denitrification is a biological process engaging facultative heterotrophic microorganisms. The nitrification phase was stopped and the denitrification was started during the sixth cycle. The nitrate nitrogen concentration was 306 mg/L. For denitrification to take place, the following criteria were needed: Anoxic phase was created by aeration cut-off 3.7 mg/L of COD required per mg of nitrate nitrogen reduced The first criterion was not satisfied as the DO concentration never reached the value of less 0.5 mg/L even after 5 hours of monitoring. Carbon source was provided by the addition of acetic acid but however this amount was insufficient. This might have cause the failure of the denitrification process. Combined Treatment of Landfill Leachate with Domestic Wastewater 5.5.1 Domestic Wastewater Characterization The sample has a low concentration of the contaminants, mainly because the sample was collected during a rainy period. The sample is characterized by highly biodegradable COD, since during the operation for 100 % DWW by volume a reduction of 179- 33 mg/L was achieved. The sample was slightly coloured and for nitrate nitrogen testing, a dilution factor of 100 was needed which may has induced an error in the reading. Phosphate was present in the sample, not in high amounts but it was more than that was present in the leachate. 5.5.2. Variation in Dissolved Oxygen Concentration For biological treatment to occur, a dissolved oxygen concentration of greater than 2 mg/L is necessary. Otherwise, the microorganisms will not survive as they are strict aerobes. For this labscale experiment, the DO was found to be highly greater than the limit at the start and at the end. 5.5.3. Variation in Dissolved Oxygen Concentration For combined treatment, no phosphate buffer was needed and alkalinity was provided by lime and sodium hydroxide. The graph shows the amount of alkalinity consumed over each cycle. When compared to the amount of ammonia nitrogen oxidized, the theoretical values of alkalinity consumed do not match the experimental ones. It has been observed that the pH in the effluent was higher than that in the influent. The pH value during the reaction was slightly above 8. This pH is not favourable to the microorganisms for nitrification. 5.5.4. Variation in COD Level The reduction in COD level is low with increasing leachate volume. Due to the adverse effects of ammonia concentration, most of the microorganisms have died resulting in fewer consumption of organic matter. At 2.5 and 5 %, the COD values comply with the discharge limits and based on the effluent may be discharged in the environment for this parameter. 5.5.5. Variation in Ammonia and Nitrate Nitrogen Removal Figure 5.10: Variation in Ammonia nitrogen and Nitrate Nitrogen concentration for co treatment The domestic wastewater contained a low concentration of ammonia nitrogen and was rapidly treated to meet the discharge limits for land and surface waters. As the percentage leachate was increased, treatment became more and more difficult as the microorganisms were subjected to increasing ammonia toxicity. At 17.5 % of leachate by volume, the nitrification process was inhibited and the ammonia toxicity was found to be approximately 160 mg/L. After 16 hours of aeration, the maximum ammonia nitrogen removal was achieved at 2.5 % of leachate by volume. CHAPTER 6 DESIGN 6.1. Designing a sequencing batch reactor The design is based upon experimental values obtained and the following assumptions; The maximum ammoniacal nitrogen concentration is 1800 mg/L in the raw leachate. For the year 2007, a total volume of 100 858 m3 was discarded and thus the daily leachate volume approximately equals 330 m3. An ammonia nitrogen concentration of 50 mg/L will adversely affect the microorganisms. A peaking factor was applied to the amount of leachate generated as it is highly dependent on the rainfall amount. The following sequence was set for the reactor: Influent ammonia from raw leachate: 1800 mg/L Dilution factor: 1800/50 = 36 Daily leachate volume = 330 m3 Peaking factor = 2.5 Design volume = 2.5 330 = 825 m3 Volume of leachate that can be treated for 20 hours of reaction time = (825/ 24) 20 = 687.5 m3 Leachate volume to be stored = 825-687.5 = 137.5 m3 Reactor volume needed = volume of leachate dilution factor = 687.5 36 = 24750 m3 Tank volume 25000 m3 Number of tanks to be used = 5 Volume of 1 tank = 25000/5 = 5000 m3 A dosing station is required in order to provide nutrients, alkaline buffer and carbon source for denitrification. Nitrification kinetics (Eckenfelder,2000) The nitrogen to be oxidized can be computed from Nox = TKN (NH3-N)e (0.08 aH . Sr) SON Nox = Oxidized nitrogen (NH3-N)e = Ammonia nitrogen concentration in the effluent = 1 mg/L (assumed value) SON = non degradable organic fraction =1 mg/L aH = Sludge mean yield coefficient = 0.5 Sr = soluble substrate removed = 65.2 mg/L (based on experimental results) TKN = Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen From literature, ammonia nitrogen forms 70 % of the TKN. The influent ammonia nitrogen concentration is 50 mg/L, given a TKN value of 62.5 mg/L. Nox = TKN (NH3-N)e (0.08 aH . Sr) SON = 62.5 1- (0.080.565.4)-1 = 57.9 mg/l Oxygen required = 4.33 Nox = 4.33 57.9 = 250.71 mg/L Alkalinity required = 7.15 Nox = 7.15 57.9 = 414 mg/L 0.251 kg/ m3 are needed as aeration requirement and0.414 kg/ m3 alkalinity provision. In order to maximize on efficiency of the diffuser system, the depth of the tank has been reduced as well as for easier maintenance purposes. There is a restriction for sizing the radius of the tank as inadequate zones of mixing have to be minimized. 6.2. Design of a tank for combined treatment From the experimental results, the optimum leachate percentage was found to be at 2.5% for 16 hours of reaction time. A daily volume leachate of 330 m3 is generated and the daily flow at St Martin wastewater treatment plant approximates 60 000 m3. The flow is sufficient enough to accommodate the landfill leachate. 6.3. Tank sizing Peaking factor = 2.5 Design flow = 330 2.5 = 825 m3 Tank volume = 825 m3 The tank has dimensions 11 m 15 m with a depth of 5 m. The tank will accommodate a leachate volume of 825 m3. The leachate is mixed and aerated where it will enter the existing treatment system at a very low rate. Hence, the leachate will not disturb the system and treatment of leachate is carried out. CHAPTER 7 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The aim of the project was to the study of nitrification of landfill leachate and choosing a suitable treating system to eliminate key contaminants. Two treatment options were identified both being biological in nature namely, operating a sequencing batch reactor and the combined treatment with domestic wastewater. Both treatment options are usually described as being cost effective and easier to operate. This part of the chapter deals with some notifications made throughout the project and some recommendations that could help to improve the method of treatment. 7.1. Comparison between SBR and Co treatment As it can be seen from the above table, the operation of a SBR implies greater costs than co treatment. The daily volume of leachate that can be treated is less for the SBR. There is an extensive land use for the construction the sequencing batch reactor. The amount of input such as buffer solution, nutrients and aeration for co treatment is less. The SBR needs to work in conjunction with other treating systems in order to meet the permissible limits. Hence, co treatment turns out to be simple and cost-effective process for leachate treatment. 7.2. Recommendations After the operation of the SBR, usually a secondary treatment is applied to polish the treated wastewater. It can be noted that the effluent has not met the discharge limit for land/ surface waters. Therefore, a secondary treatment option is needed and can be in the form of addition of powdered activated carbon, reed beds or ozonation. There was a significant drop in pH level during the whole treatment process. As illustrated in the design part, the amount of alkalinity required is quite significant and will incur high costs. The operation of a denitrification phase just after the nitrification one is beneficial as the amount of alkalinity required can be reduced by two. For the combined treatment, uniform mixing is required before the wastewater enters the aeration unit.

Civil Disobedience Henry David Thoreau and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Free Essays

â€Å"Disobedience to be civil has to be open and nonviolent. † – Mahatma Gandhi Throughout history philosophers have played a key role in our society. Both Henry David Thoreau and Dr. We will write a custom essay sample on Civil Disobedience: Henry David Thoreau and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr or any similar topic only for you Order Now Martin Luther King Jr. brought forth their own ways of civil disobedience, in their belief that it was imperative to disobey unjust laws. Their thoughts manifested from ideas, to theories, and eventually lead to our society today. Civil disobedience in a pragmatic way is the act of a non-violent movement in order to enforce the change of certain laws to ensure equality for all. Dr. King explained in his quote â€Å"One who breaks an unjust law must do so openly, lovingly, willingly to accept the punishment† (220). Nevertheless, on opposite ends of the spectrum, Thoreau implied an aggressive stance motivated by his own personal hate for the government but yet King used religion, supported by his charismatic ways of being gentle and apologetic. While King and Thoreau both believed in the use of civil disobedience to create change, they went about using civil disobedience in staggeringly different fashion. As stated by Dr. King in his letter from Birmingham Jail, â€Å"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere† (214). Regarding this issue, King believed that all American communities are connected and that injustice in one community will affect other communities. Perhaps, one could deem injustice as a disease such as cancer that forms in one area then quickly spreading and eventually discombobulating the entire social infrastructure. Dr . King reshaped America’s social issues through a non-violent approach in distinction to boycotting buses in Montgomery to marching through Selma, King responded to unjust laws with civil disobedience and direct action. Dr. King’s stance on prejudice laws came from morality. Primarily using morality as a backbone in his argument, we would agree that it is wrong to foster laws that affect a certain race or group of people. Moreover, our laws are a reflection of our morals and it sets forth what we know is right and what we know is wrong. Early philosophers often struggled and faced opposition with either the government or social groups. Opposition faced consequences such as confinement, torture, or worse, death, whereas the idea of brutal punishment inflicted fear on the next individual. In his â€Å"Letter from Birmingham†, King compared his calling to Birmingham to the Apostle Paul in the Bible, â€Å"[and how he] carried the gospel of the lord to the far corners of the Greco-Roman world† (214). King expressed a legitimate concern over the anxiety to break laws; elaborating the fact that there are two laws; just laws and unjust laws. King stated, â€Å"In no sense do I advocate evading or defying the law† (220). Rather more, King agreed that just laws should be followed; however unjust laws are to be met with civil disobedience. What makes a law unjust one might ask? From the terms of St. Thomas Aquinas, King explained that â€Å"any law that degrades human personality is unjust†. (219) Segregation gives the segregator a false sense of superiority and distorts the soul and damages the personality. Back in Dr. King’s time, a series of laws were passed that were the ethos of â€Å"separate but equal†. King rallied in oppositi on of these laws as still prejudice and unjust, in fact these laws were against morals. Under this doctrine, services, facilities and public accommodations were allowed to be separated by race, on the condition that the quality of each group’s public facilities was to remain equal. Signage using the phrases â€Å"No Negros allowed† and â€Å"whites only† distorted our views on race relations. However, King believed this in fact is not equality and it is against our morals. As a result of Henry David Thoreau using civil disobedience and direct action, Dr. King was motivated by his techniques which lead to a series of events that would lead to the Civil Rights Movement. â€Å"All men recognize the right of revolution; that is, the right to refuse allegiance to, and to resist the government when its tyranny or its inefficiency are great and unendurable† (180). As Thoreau explained in his excerpt from â€Å"Civil Disobedience†, Thoreau used the revolution of ’75 as an example of bad government. Thoreau elucidated how the government taxed certain foreign commodities that were brought to its ports. He then began to correlate bad government to a machine and stated how all machines have their friction, however, when friction takes over a machine, â€Å"and oppression and robbery are organized, I say let us not have such a machine any longer† (180). Thoreau elaborated on this idea that the government is a machine and when evil takes over, let us no longer have such a government. He believed not that a government should exist â€Å"but at once a better government† (178), Thoreau argued that power should not be left to the majority, but the â€Å"conscience†, in fact he questioned the reader rhetorically asking â€Å"Must the citizen ever for a moment, or in the least degree, resign his conscience to the legislator? †(178) Thoreau feels that the â€Å"conscience† plays a personal role. Thoreau questions democracy, and thereupon he advises us to question why we should capitulate to the government if we do not agree with a law? Why would we possess brains and have a conscience of our own if we are not allowed to think for ourselves and do what we want? Thoreau feels we ought to be real for ourselves, not the government. Furthermore, he articulated the idea that should we surrender our thoughts, or conscience to the government, or should we pursue a justifiable explanation of the dilemmas that surround us? What is right as opposed to what is wrong is what leads to civil disobedience. Thoreau believed that the idea of paying taxes to support the Mexican-American was an unjust cause, whereas; King strongly disagreed with laws that were prejudice. In Thoreau’s reading from his article â€Å"Civil Disobedience†, he argues â€Å"that government is best which governs not at all† (177), which ultimately leads the people to discipline themselves. On the other side King explained how â€Å"nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a [community that has refused, is forced] to confront the issue† (216). By cause of King being after Thoreau’s era, King used Thoreau’s â€Å"Civil Disobedience† and direct action to spark a change in society. While both Thoreau and King argued with morality in mind, they both believed injustice exist. Thoreau thinks of injustice as friction or tension that can wear the machine down. King believes that injustice just exists and tension must be created with direct action to negotiate with the machine. I accredit Dr. King in presenting the best argument due to the audience he reached out to which of course was the populace and his motives that captivated his courageous and selfless acts. Furthermore, Dr. King was concerned about injustice towards people based on their race, religion, or sex; whereas Thoreau was motivated by his personal hatred for the government. Regardless of how either King or Thoreau used civil disobedience, their contributions led to an admiration for their works and casted a light on unjust laws. How to cite Civil Disobedience: Henry David Thoreau and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Papers