Introduction

Why do without the sun and use electricity even when we could avoid it?
Why waste huge amounts of non renewable energy – expensive and not natural-during the day either to light or to heat areas which are just in the shadow at that moment?
Again, in similar cases, electricity is not a proper answer to the problem- lets just think about how motorway tunnel entrances lighting works during daytime when outside the sun is shining.

Objectives and target audience

The system is designed to eliminate the “black hole” effect at the entrance of road and motorway tunnels. This process allows the driver to have all the time the visibility he needs to get into the tunnel safely.

Financial Resources and Partners involved

Autostrada Torino-Savona Inc. – Italy

Process

The inventory and geo-referencing work on the unauthorized dumps consisted of four stages: 1 – A survey data form was designed: the first section containing geographic information on the site affected by abandoned waste, while the second section is for the collection of data on the characteristics of the waste and the surrounding areas. 2 – By means of field surveys, the inventory and mapping of unauthorized dumping areas in each larger section of the city: a separate data form was completed for each site, including location map references. 3 – Analyses and re-processing of data, which consisted in the evaluation and interpretation of all the data collected for the purpose of compiling explanatory maps indicating the locations of the sites distinguished according to environmental hazard classes. For this purpose, tables were designed for the analysis of environmental geological hazards, social and natural landscape factors, the extension of the unauthorized dumps and the feasibility of intervention measures. So, it was possible to compute a total score for each site for each factor considered, as well as a comprehensive score serving to establish the priority level for implementation measures, and thus optimizing the economic resources available. 4 – Georeferencing and the creation of an on-line data bank, with the aid of a Geographical Information System. Georeferencing was carried out in association with a database containing the information collected on the separate areas.

Results

The inventory, mapping and characterization based on the environmental geological hazard represented by each unauthorized dump site lead to a definition of intervention priorities to safeguard the landscape and the social and environmental heritage of the land. Based on the available economic resources, the plan is going on with the reclamation of the sites and the adoption of preventive measures serving to discourage people from dumping waste which can create problems of an environmental and geological nature owing to possible contamination of the soil.

Critical Success Factors / Challenges