Influence of distance on the motivation and frequency of household recycling.

People choose to participate in recycling for a variety of reasons. This study analyzes the relationship between the frequency of selective separation and general refuse disposal, and the influence on the recycling habit of the walking distance to drop off the materials. The methodology employed was one of personal interviews in the street, the study population being a region in the north of Spain (Principality of Asturias). More than one thousand people participated in this survey carried out in 2002. Five hypotheses related to three variables (the frequency for depositing recycling materials and general refuse, the distance to recycling and general bins, and the recycling habit) were tested using different statistical tests. Results show that the people who frequently go to the bins to dispose of general refuse are more likely to recycle some product at home, and in most cases, as the distance to the recycling bins decreases, the number of fractions that citizens separate and collect at home increases. Most of the results obtained have been compared with other previous in literature.

Some comparative factors regarding recycling collection systems in regions of the USA and Europe.

This paper analyses whether differences in selective waste collection systems used commonly in Europe and America influence people's recycling habits and their opinions about the service they are offered. We study certain characteristics of the collection systems used in two specific areas-the Principality of Asturias (Northern Spain) and El Paso county (USA)-with very different practices. It likewise considers the extent to which such differences influence the recycling habits of the public at large, as well as their perceptions of the waste collection services. In order to carry out the research and to compare the influence of the above-mentioned factors in each case, personal interviews were held in the street in the two areas under study (1066 and 1068 interviews, respectively). Asturians needed less time to dispose of waste and separate items, being one of the reasons why this group has developed the habit of selective separation to a greater degree than El Pasoans.

A model for the reallocation of recycling containers: application to the case of glass.

From both the social as well as the economic perspective, the recycling of household waste products is of growing importance. The recycling of glass in particular is one of the most successful as far as public collaboration is concerned, as well as due to the demand for recycled material on the part of glass manufacturers. This article presents a model for designing the first stage in the reverse logistics chain, i.e. the collection of material (in our case, applying the model to the collection of glass) directly from the consumer by means of containers. The aim of this model is to determine how to distribute the recycling containers in a specific region in the most efficient way possible, taking into account the economic and sociological characteristics of the population (level of education, number of catering establishments, etc.), while attempting to maximise the material collected and reducing the logistics costs. The model has been applied to the case of the Principality of Asturias, Spain, obtaining estimations that improve the performance of the system.

Capacity planning in hospital nursing: a model for minimum staff calculation.

An aging population, emerging technology, heightening patient expectations, rising health care costs, shorter patient stays, and growing pressure to improve quality have made the management of nursing resources even more critical today. While approaching a model for staffing levels, the authors considered factors such as patient acuity, work redesign, and minimum quality standards. The methodology for analysis included estimating the time needed to complete nursing tasks and calculating the average number of tasks per patient. With respect to nursing quality measures, the study examined the adequacy of nursing documentation including admission history, assessments, nursing procedures, and discharge report as well as nursing-driven outcomes such as fall and phlebitis rates. Lastly, the authors determined the theoretical number of staff needed to provide nursing care according to quality standards.