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This study investigates the properties of self-leveling subfloor mortar mixtures with natural and calcined phosphogypsum waste in the form of calcium sulfate called anhydrite and white ceramic, by replacing 50% of the mass of Portland cement CP II Z-32. The effects of using waste were evaluated in the fresh (initial fluidity, flow retention, regeneration time, setting time, and heat of hydration) and hardened (compressive and flexural tensile strength, density, water absorption, void ratio, linear shrinkage, and tensile adhesion strength) state. The optimized mixture at a 1:1.5 cement/sand ratio (by mass) with 50% white ceramic had a 32.66 ± 4.26 MPa compressive strength at 28 days, low shrinkage and heat of hydration, showing the best performance among the wastes studied. In the calcium sulfate mortars, the mixtures with anhydrite showed better results for compressive and flexural tensile strength and tensile adhesion strength, with the waste calcination being beneficial. Resumo Este estudo investiga as propriedades de misturas de argamassas autonivelantes para contrapiso com os resíduos de fosfogesso natural e calcinado, na forma de sulfato de cálcio denominada anidrita, e cerâmica branca, através da substituição de 50% da massa de cimento Portland CP II Z-32. Os efeitos da utilização dos resíduos foram avaliados nos estados fresco (fluidez inicial, retenção de fluxo, tempo de regeneração, tempo de pega e calor de hidratação) e endurecido (resistência à compressão e tração na flexão, massa específica, absorção de água, índice de vazios, retração linear e resistência de aderência à tração). A mistura otimizada na proporção cimento/areia de 1:1,5 (em massa) com 50% de cerâmica branca obteve resistência à compressão de 32,66 ± 4,26 MPa aos 28 dias, baixa retração e calor de hidratação, apresentando melhor desempenho entre os resíduos estudados. Nas argamassas a base de sulfato de cálcio, as misturas com anidrita apresentaram melhores resultados para resistência à compressão e tração na flexão e resistência de aderência à tração, sendo benéfica a calcinação do resíduo.

The reuse of concrete waste as a secondary aggregate could be an efficient solution for sustainable development and long-term environmental protection. However, the variable quality of waste concrete, especially with various compressive strengths, can have a negative effect on the final compressive strength of recycled concrete. In this approach, the major goal of this research is to study the effect of parent concrete qualities on the performance of recycled concrete. To accomplish this task, three grades of different compressive strengths (10 to 15) MPa, (20 to 25) MPa, and (30 to 40) MPa have been analyzed in an experimental test program, in which an unknown compressive strength is introduced as well. The experimental mix use 40% of secondary aggregates (both course and fine) and 60% of natural aggregates. This led to the decreasing of the compressive strength of the test concrete between 14% and 23.7% compared to the normal concrete. This loss was improved by adding an amount of cement equivalent to 4% of the weight of the recycled aggregate used. The achieved results prove that the strength properties of the parent concrete have a limited effect on the compressive strength of the recycled concrete. Additionally, low compressive strength parent concrete, when crushed, generates a high amount of fine aggregate and large percentage of recycled coarse aggregates with less attached mortar, and presents the same compressive strength as an excellent parent concrete.

The rise in urban waste generation in India comes from the consumerist behaviour and the ever-increasing population density in the cities. A vast majority of this collected waste is dumped into landfills. The rural situation is somewhat akin except for the amount of waste generated is less and the traditionally informal method for waste recovery and reuse have been implemented for a long time. So, to scale down the perplexity and minimize the human effort, an enticing idea of a cost-effective ‘Automatic waste segregator’ has been conceptualized for segregation of waste. The automatic waste segregator is designed to be installed in housing colonies and organisations like schools and facilitates efficient sorting of dry wastes into three separate categories namely: ferromagnetic metals, paper and plastic. A shredder is used to mince the lump to the required size while a magnetic drum is implemented for removing ferromagnetic metals from the pile. A plastic and paper separating unit is designed and developed based on the thermal principle. Various explicit dynamics investigations have been carried out by means of a finite element tool to analyse the total deformation of components and transient thermal analysis in order to understand the temperature variation. The prototype segregates household and institutional wastes with an average overall efficiency of 86.78% and 91.82% respectively.

Sustainability, becoming essential for food processing and technology, sets goals for the characterization of resources considered as food waste. In this work, information about the GC-MS metabolites of peach peels was provided as a tool that can shed more light on the studied biological activities. In addition, distribution patterns and contribution of the chemical profile and free and bound phenolic compounds as antioxidant, antimicrobial, and enzymatic clusters in peach peels of different varieties of Bulgarian origin were studied. The two applied techniques (alkaline and acid hydrolysis) for releasing the bound phenolics reveal that alkaline hydrolysis is a better extraction approach. Still, the results indicate the prevalence of the free phenolics in the studied peach peel varieties. Total phenolics of peach wastes were positively correlated with their antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activity results certainly defined the need of an individual interpretation for each variety, but the free phenolics fractions could be outlined with the strongest potential. The limited ability of the peels’ extracts to inhibit α-amylase and acetylcholinesterase, and the moderate antimicrobial activity, on the other hand, indicate that the potential of peach peels is still sufficient to seek ways to valorize this waste. Indeed, this new information about peach peels can be used to characterize peach fruits from different countries and/or different food processes, as well as to promote the use of this fruit waste in food preparation.

[ES] El modelo M-GRCT, principal producto desarrollado en esta investigación, tiene por objeto promover mejores prácticas ambientales de gestión de residuos sólidos aprovechables en contextos municipales desfavorecidos (municipalidades de economía deprimida). Se trata de un importante instrumento técnico que brinda soporte a la gestión de residuos municipales con un enfoque de promoción de la economía circular. M-GRCT esta soportado en una herramienta ofimática dinámica que se ha programado para calcular variables de dos grandes módulos en escenarios predefinidos de simulación, con el objetivo de evaluar su eficiencia comparando el modelo tradicional de gestión de residuos reciclables (lineal) y el promocionado (circular). Los dos módulos principales del modelo corresponden a un módulo de evaluación ambiental y otro de evaluación financiera. En el módulo ambiental se calculan entre otras variables, los beneficios por reducción de huella de carbono que se logran al minimizar volúmenes de residuos aprovechables transportados y dispuestos en vertederos, o el censo de recuperadores/recicladores de oficio para promover su importante labor en la cadena de gestión de residuos, diseño de rutas selectivas y promoción de empleo. En el módulo financiero, se calculan las variables económicas a partir de la cuantificación de residuos aprovechables producidos en las municipalidades de interés, considerándolos como unidad de negocio asociada a la correcta separación que deben realizar todos los sectores de generación tipificados. Se realizan así, estimaciones de ingresos, costes e inversiones para la implementación de plantas de aprovechamiento de residuos, a partir de flujos de caja con un horizonte de evaluación predefinido y consideraciones de financiación. Como ejemplos de aplicación, M-GRCT se ha utilizado para simular la gestión de residuos aprovechables en un conjunto de municipios de economía deprimida en Colombia. Las características socioeconómicas de estos territorios, los informes oficiales asociados a la gestión de sus residuos y otros criterios base, permitieron la selección de estos. Los resultados logrados, exponen interesantes contrastes y cifras asociadas a los potenciales beneficios ambientales y económicos que se pueden lograr con la implementación real del modelo., [CA] El model M-GRCT, principal producte desenvolupat en aquesta investigació, té per objecte promoure millors pràctiques ambientals de gestió de residus sòlids aprofitables en contextos municipals desafavorits (municipalitats d'economia deprimida). Es tracta d'un important instrument tècnic que brinda suport a la gestió de residus municipals amb un enfocament de promoció de l'economia circular. M-GRCT està suportat en una eina ofimàtica dinàmica que s'ha programat per calcular variables de dos grans mòduls en escenaris predefinits de simulació, amb l'objectiu d'avaluar-ne l'eficiència comparant el model tradicional de gestió de residus reciclables (lineal) i el promocionat (circular). Els dos mòduls principals del model corresponen a un mòdul d'avaluació ambiental i un altre d'avaluació financera. Al mòdul ambiental es calculen entre altres variables, els beneficis per reducció d'empremta de carboni que s'aconsegueixen en minimitzar volums de residus aprofitables transportats i disposats en abocadors, o el cens de recuperadors/recicladors d'ofici per promoure'n l'important labor a la cadena de gestió de residus, disseny de rutes selectives i promoció d'ocupació. Al mòdul financer, es calculen les variables econòmiques a partir de la quantificació de residus aprofitables produïts a les municipalitats d'interès, considerant-los com a unitat de negoci associada a la correcta separació que han de realitzar tots els sectors de generació tipificats. Es fan així, estimacions d'ingressos, costos i inversions per a la implementació de plantes d'aprofitament de residus, a partir de fluxos de caixa amb un horitzó d'avaluació predefinit i consideracions de finançament. Com a exemples d'aplicació, M-GRCT s'ha utilitzat per simular la gestió de residus aprofitables en un conjunt de municipis d'economia deprimida a Colòmbia. Les característiques socioeconòmiques d'aquests territoris, els informes oficials associats a la gestió dels seus residus i altres criteris base, van permetre'n la selecció. Els resultats aconseguits exposen interessants contrastos i xifres associades als potencials beneficis ambientals i econòmics que es poden aconseguir amb la implementació real del model., [EN] The M-GRCT model, main product developed in this research, aims to promote better environmental practices for the management of usable solid waste in disadvantaged municipal contexts (municipalities with depressed economies). It is an important technical instrument that provides support for municipal waste management with a focus on promoting the circular economy. M-GRCT is supported by a dynamic office automation tool that has been programmed to calculate variables of two large modules in predefined simulation scenarios, with the aim of evaluating its efficiency by comparing the traditional recyclable waste management model (linear) and the promoted-do (circular). The two main modules of the model correspond to an environmental assessment module and a financial assessment module. The environmental module calculates, among other variables, the benefits of reducing the carbon footprint achieved by minimizing volumes of usable waste transported and disposed of in landfills, or the census of collectors/recyclers by trade to promote its important work in the waste management chain, design of selective routes and employment promotion. In the financial module, the economic variables are calculated based on the quantification of usable waste produced in the municipalities of interest, considering them as a business unit associated with the correct separation that all typified generation sectors must carry out. Thus, estimates of income, costs and investments are made for the implementation of waste utilization plants, based on cash flows with a predefined evaluation horizon and financing considerations. As application examples, M-GRCT has been used to simulate the management of usable waste in a group of municipalities with depressed economies in Colombia. The socioeconomic characteristics of these territories, the official reports associated with their waste management and other basic criteria, allowed their selection. The results achieved expose interesting contrasts and figures associated with the potential environmental and economic benefits that can be achieved with the real implementation of the model.

Book of Abstracts. 13th International Conference on Biosystems Engineering 2023, May 10–12, 2023 Tartu, Estonia. Estonian University of Life Sciences.

[Resumen:] La Comunidad de Madrid está llevando a cabo la restauración integral de una antigua gravera contaminada con residuos peligrosos, mayoritariamente sulfonatos de petróleo (alquitranes ácidos), procedentes del tratamiento de aceites industriales usados. Parte de dichos vertidos, realizados en las décadas de los años 1970 y 1980, se depositaron en una laguna originada por la explotación de áridos por debajo del nivel piezométrico del acuífero, conformando una balsa con 50000 m3 de residuos peligrosos. La diversa ubicación, naturaleza y estado de los residuos requiere diferentes soluciones para su extracción y tratamiento, por lo que el proyecto de restauración consta de varias fases. Los residuos depositados producen un efecto de confinamiento en el acuífero, dado que la cota del fondo de los residuos es inferior al nivel piezométrico. Con estos condicionantes es crítico establecer un procedimiento de protección de las aguas subterráneas a la hora de acometer la próxima fase, consistente en la extracción de los residuos situados por debajo del nivel piezométrico. En este artículo se describe el proceso que se ha llevado a cabo para seleccionar la mejor alternativa desde el punto de vista hidrogeológico, considerando todos los datos disponibles obtenidos en las fases previas del proyecto. Una vez planteadas y caracterizadas todas las alternativas posibles se ha seleccionado de forma argumentada y razonada como mejor alternativa la realización de una barrera impermeabilizante perimetral a la balsa y empotrada en una capa de arcillas de 2 m de espesor situada en el subsuelo de la balsa. [Abstract:] The Community of Madrid is carrying out the integral restoration of an old gravel pit contaminated with hazardous waste, mostly petroleum sulphonates (acid tars), from the treatment of used industrial oil. Part of these discharges, from the 1970s and 1980s, were deposited in a lagoon generated by the exploitation of aggregates below the piezometric level of the aquifer, forming a raft with 50,000 m3 of hazardous waste. The different locations, nature and conditions of the waste require different solutions for its extraction and treatment, so the restoration project consists of several phases. The deposited waste produces an effect of confinement in the aquifer, since the bottom level of the waste is lower than the piezometric level. With these conditions, it is critical to establish a procedure for the protection of the groundwater when executing the next phase, consisting of the extraction of waste located below the piezometric level. This article describes the process that has been carried out to select the best alternative from a hydrogeological point of view, considering all the available data obtained in the previous phases of the project. Once all the possible alternatives had been considered and characterized in a reasoned way, we chose the construction of a perimeter barrier around the raft embedded in a clay layer of 2 m thick located in the base of the raft as the best option.

Vegetable supply in the world is more than double than vegetable intake, which supposes a significant waste of vegetables, in addition to the agricultural residues produced. As sensitive food products, the reasons for this waste vary from the use of only a part of the vegetable due to its different properties to the product appearance and market image. An alternative high-added-value application for these wastes rich in cellulose could be the reduction in size to produce lignocellulose micro- and nanofibrils (LCMNF). In this sense, a direct treatment of greengrocery waste (leek, lettuce, and artichoke) to produce LCMNFs without the extraction of cellulose has been studied, obtaining highly concentrated suspensions, without using chemicals. After drying the wastes, these suspensions were produced by milling and blending at high shear followed by several passes in the high-pressure homogenizer (up to six passes). The presence of more extractives and shorter fiber lengths allowed the obtention of 5–5.5% leek LCMNF suspensions and 3.5–4% lettuce LCMNF suspensions, whereas for artichoke, only suspensions of under 1% were obtained. The main novelty of the work was the obtention of a high concentration of micro- and nanofiber suspension from the total waste without any pretreatment. These high concentrations are not obtained from other raw materials (wood or annual plants) due to the clogging of the homogenizer, requiring the dilution of the sample up to 1% or the use of chemical pretreatments.

Resumen El consumo desmedido y la demanda energética a nivel mundial han generado la necesidad de incorporar los desechos plásticos y de origen agroindustrial a procesos de valorización, para obtener productos energéticos alternativos a partir de tratamientos termoquímicos como la pirólisis rápida, en la cual se generan productos sólidos, líquidos y gaseosos. Desarrollar metodologías que permitan realizar un reciclaje y/o aprovechamiento de residuos generados de diversas industrias, en específico, la polimérica y la agroindustrial, es de suma importancia, dada la contaminación crónica y el impacto ambiental en ecosistemas naturales, cuerpos hídricos y fauna. El objetivo de este artículo es analizar los impactos ambientales de la alta generación de residuos plásticos y agroindustriales, así como determinar la relación entre las condiciones de operación y el rendimiento y selectividad de los productos generados con las características fisicoquímicas de los catalizadores empleados en la pirólisis rápida en pro de la valorización de dichos residuos. Lo anterior se realizó mediante una revisión de la literatura en bases de datos reconocidas para obtener artículos de investigación actualizados y con validez científica. Se encontró que la pirólisis catalizada presenta una mejora respecto al rendimiento y distribución de los productos según la fase activa seleccionada en la que la naturaleza de los metales usados conduce a diversas rutas químicas y por ende, a productos ricos en hidrocarburos. Abstract Excessive consumption and global energy demand have generated the need to incorporate plastic and agro-industrial waste into recovery processes, to obtain alternative energy products from thermochemical treatments such as rapid pyrolysis, in which solid, liquid, and gaseous products are generated. The development of methodologies for the recycling and/or recovery of waste generated from various industries, specifically polymer and agroindustrial, is of the utmost importance, given the chronic pollution and environmental impact on natural ecosystems, water bodies and fauna. The objective of this article is to analyze the environmental impacts of the high generation of plastic and agro-industrial waste, and to determine the relationship between the operating conditions and the performance and selectivity of the products generated with the physicochemical characteristics of catalysts used in rapid pyrolysis for the recovery of such waste. This was done through a review of the literature in recognized databases to obtain updated research articles with scientific validity. It was found that catalyzed pyrolysis presents an improvement with respect to the performance and distribution of the products according to the selected active phase in which the nature of the metals used leads to various chemical routes and, therefore, to hydrocarbon-rich products. Resumo O consumo desmedido e a procura energética a nível mundial criaram a necessidade de incorporar os resíduos plásticos e de origem agro-industrial em processos de valorização, para obter produtos energéticos alternativos a partir de tratamentos termoquímicos como a pirólise rápida, na qual são gerados produtos sólidos, líquidos e gasosos. Tendo em conta a poluição crônica e o impacto ambiental nos ecossistemas naturais, é da maior importância desenvolver metodologias que permitam a reciclagem e/ou a valorização dos resíduos produzidos em diversas indústrias, nomeadamente a polimérica e a agro-industrial, corpos hídricos e fauna. O objectivo deste artigo é analisar os impactos ambientais da alta geração de resíduos plásticos e agro-industriais, bem como determinar a relação entre as condições de operação e o rendimento e a seletividade dos produtos gerados com as características físico-químicas dos catalisadores utilizados na pirólise rápida para a valorização desses resíduos. Isto foi feito através de uma revisão da literatura em bases de dados reconhecidas para obter artigos de pesquisa atualizados e com validade científica. Verificou-se que a pirólise catalisada apresenta uma melhoria relativamente ao rendimento e distribuição dos produtos segundo a fase activa seleccionada, em que a natureza dos metais usados conduz a diversas rotas químicas e, por conseguinte, a produtos ricos em hidrocarbonetos.

The priority of modern business systems of municipal waste management is recycling of waste materials while the imperative of their mission is determined by the degree of digital transformation which enables their reproduction, distribution, usage, and storage of information in digital form, as well as new ways of digital communication with the general public. In this paper the focus is on examining the information practices and digital perspectives of municipal waste recycling service providers in Europe. The goal of this paper was to detect information concepts relevant for establishing the degree of their digital maturity. Five data classes were created for the purpose of content analysis method to conduct research on practices on digital communication channels in seven countries to evaluate their availability and accuracy. The designed information model defines a unique conceptual framework of the digital communication information set of the municipal waste recycling service providers.

Quantidades substanciais de resíduos sólidos provenientes da bovinocultura são fontes potenciais de nutrientes para a produção agroecológica em agricultura de pequena escala. Os processos de tratamento e disposição desses resíduos, entretanto, devem ser capazes de eliminar os microrganismos patogênicos. Nesse sentido, este trabalho objetivou avaliar os processos de compostagem e vermicompostagem por meio da inoculação de microrganismos eficientes (EMs) em escala de campo. A compostagem e a vermicompostagem foram realizadas com esterco bovino, caprino e serragem (2:1:1), com a inoculação de EMs nas concentrações de 0, 2 e 4 mL L-1. Em experimentos de vermicompostagem, Lumbricus rubellusforam inoculadas (100 g 250 dm-3 substrato). Após as fases de maturação e estabilização dos compostos, analisaram-se as concentrações de carbono orgânico, macronutrientes, micronutrientes, metais pesados, coliformes termotolerantes e Salmonella spp. Com os resultados obtidos, foi possível verificar que os experimentos de compostagem, independentemente da presença de EMs, apresentaram maior umidade e menor pH no composto final. Os macronutrientes como P, K, Ca e S foram observados em maior teor nos experimentos de compostagem associados a EM4, enquanto carbono orgânico e Mg foram maiores na vermicompostagem. O processo de vermicompostagem, ainda, permitiu remoção mais eficaz de patógenos como os coliformes termotolerantes, principalmente quando associado a EM2. Os compostos produzidos propiciaram a valorização dos resíduos com potencial uso para a produção agroecológica. Substantial quantities of solid livestock waste are potential sources of nutrients for agroecological production on small-scale farms. However, processes used to manage and dispose of this type of waste must be able to eliminate pathogenic microorganisms. This work aimed to evaluate composting and vermicomposting processes by inoculating efficient microorganisms (EMs) at the field level. Composting and vermicomposting were performed with a mixture of cattle and goat manure and sawdust (2:1:1), with the inoculation of EMs at concentrations of 0, 2, and 4 mL L-1. In vermicomposting experiments, Lumbricus rubellus (100 g 250 dm-3 substrate) were inoculated. After the maturation and stabilization phases of the compost, concentrations of organic carbon, macronutrients, micronutrients, heavy metals, thermotolerant coliforms, and Salmonella spp. were analyzed. The composting experiments, regardless of the presence of EMs, have been shown to have higher humidity. Also, the final compost had a lower pH value. Macronutrients, such as P, K, Ca, and S, were observed to a greater extent in the composting experiments associated with 4 mL of EMs (EM4); while organic carbon and Mg were higher in vermicomposting. The vermicomposting process also allowed for more effective elimination of pathogens, such as thermotolerant coliforms, especially when associated with 2 mL of EMs (EM2). The compost products produced allowed waste with potential agroecological use to be recognized as important.

Given the growing market demand for products containing recycled components dictated by European and national policies, the presented research aimed to replace part of the natural aggregates in construction mortars and screeds with recycled polymeric aggregates (RA): industrial technopolymers and ground tyre rubber (GTR). The strategy involved the substitution of aggregates, both in market products and in the design of standard mortars, first verifying the CE certification and then the achievable mechanical performance. The whole process has been discussed in the context of a circular approach, extended to the analysis of the aggregate production phase, highlighting factors that influence environmental and economic impacts.

The halal food industry is founded based on the concept of Halalan Toyyiban (HT), as commanded in the Qur’an. However, as reflected in the current halal standards, requirements, and practices, the current approach of HT may overlook some components that are supposed to be an integral part of the concept. This article utilises the modern food system approach to frame the discussion for a holistic overview that links the cycle of the current food system and the HT concept towards obtaining its conceptual clarity. The attributes of HT in six different components of the established food system – production, distribution, processing, marketing, consumption and waste recovery; are contextualized. An explicit conceptual clarity of HT shall create a ripple effect towards a change of mindset and behaviour of all stakeholders leading to the attainment of the wholesomeness of HT. Beyond the conceptual clarity, HT attributes can be elegantly positioned in the modern food system as vehicles to provide safe, high quality, good and wholesome food; in an ethical and sustainable ecosystem.

The research and applications of miniature robots are rapidly evolving. For robots that move with three degrees of freedom, the in-vivo appears to be the most promising application with the potential to change the paradigm in many fields of study. The applications of miniature robots that move on planar surfaces (two degrees of freedom) have not yet been clearly settled. The most promising research direction appears to be the manipulator for in-vitro applications or precise manipulation in industry. We propose to employ the system of miniature robots in electronic waste separation, which is one of the global and upcoming challenges. We developed insect-scale robots and algorithms to autonomously separate electronic components. We anticipate our work to be a proof-of-concept for more complex manipulation tasks in planar robotic systems. The system was designed in such a way that each part can be easily replaced with different hardware or software technique, which gives the ability to reuse our approach in different tasks easily. The research and applications of miniature robots are rapidly evolving. For robots that move with three degrees of freedom, the in-vivo appears to be the most promising application with the potential to change the paradigm in many fields of study. The applications of miniature robots that move on planar surfaces (two degrees of freedom) have not yet been clearly settled. The most promising research direction appears to be the manipulator for in-vitro applications or precise manipulation in industry. We propose to employ the system of miniature robots in electronic waste separation, which is one of the global and upcoming challenges. We developed insect-scale robots and algorithms to autonomously separate electronic components. We anticipate our work to be a proof-of-concept for more complex manipulation tasks in planar robotic systems. The system was designed in such a way that each part can be easily replaced with different hardware or software technique, which gives the ability to reuse our approach in different tasks easily.

In Nazi Germany (1933–45), reclaiming waste became an intrinsic component of the regime’s economy as well as its ideological, racial, and expansionist ambitions. National Socialist interventions in...

Majority of post-consumer leather footwear currently ends up in landfill sites with adverse environmental impacts. Current waste recovery options have proven largely unsuccessful in minimizing this waste stream. This study investigates whether leather from post-consumer footwear can be pyrolyzed using gram-scale (fixed-bed) and microgram-scale (TGA) pyrolysis reactors. The investigation was conducted using final pyrolysis process temperatures between 450 and 650 °C and solid residence times of 5 to 15 minutes. The purpose of the experiments was to assess the waste recovery potential of leather pyrolysis products for valuable chemicals. The pyrolysis product fractions (solid, liquid, and gas) distribution were investigated, optimal pyrolysis conditions presented, and the product fractions characterized for their elemental and chemical composition using ultimate and GC-MS analysis. The distribution of the product fractions proved leather footwear pyrolysis was viable under the given conditions. The completion of leather footwear pyrolysis was evident at 650°C since the solid yield reached a constant value of approximately 25 wt.%. The liquid fraction was maximized within the temperature range of 550-650°C (Max= 54 wt.%), suggesting optimal pyrolysis conditions within this range. The higher heating values (HHVs) of the pyrolysis leather oil (33.6 MJ/kg) and char (25.6 MJ/kg) suggested their potential application for energy or fuel. The liquid fraction comprised predominantly of nitrogen derivatives and potential applications areas include use in the production of fertilizers, chemical feedstocks, or the pharmaceutical industry. This study proved that leather from post-consumer footwear can be pyrolyzed and provided valuable insight into its characterization and potential applications areas.

The present study deals with the development and thermodynamic assessments of a solar-assisted Kalina cycle with solar energy as the prime mover. Three configurations of the studied systems were su...

This article examines how the political economy of waste utility services is changing in response to circular economy programs. It focuses on the financial composition, economic position and geography of three sectors: waste recycling, incineration, and urban waste reuse. Building on an empirical analysis of these sectors in the Netherlands, specifically the Amsterdam city-region, it puts forward three key arguments. First, waste recovery corporations are becoming increasingly global and dependent on steady flows of waste. Second, incineration facilities play a central yet uncertain role in planning for the circular economy. Third, the circular economy is driving an emerging material reuse market in cities. The paper concludes by arguing that ongoing changes in waste markets run the risk of making (circular) economies even more dependent on wasteful consumption and production.

The mining sector is looking for new technologies to minimise its environmental impacts and to maximise its reserves. The need to increase the life of mines has led to investigations considering th...

Recycling silicon from environmentally hazardous diamond wire saw silicon powder waste (DWSSP) and effectively removing boron is still an elusive aim. Here, pressure-less sintering and dynamic-slag...

Ciroyom TPS is one of the waste facilities in Andir Sub-district. Ciroyom TPS is managed by PD Kebersihan Kota Bandung which works as temporary solid waste collection from residential and Ciroyom Market. The large area of the TPS Ciroyom service area, which is 5 out of 6 villages that produce large amounts of waste that reaches 45.43 tonnes/day. It makes the amount of waste transportation from TPS to TPA reach 12 ritation/day. The distance from TPS (Tempat Penampungan Sementara) Ciroyom to Sarimukti Regional Landfill which requires 44 km is a major consideration needed by the Waste Transfer Station (SPA, Stasiun Peralihan Antara) for regional scale. SPA takes in reducing the volume of waste so that it can reduce the ratio of garbage transportation to landfill (TPA, Tempat Pemrosesan Akhir). With adequate land area, TPS Ciroyom has the potential to improve its function to become SPA for regional scale. Through the analysis of several alternative concepts and development scenarios, the amount of waste generated will be managed at the SPA Ciroyom for the next 10 years. The main facilities designed at the SPA Ciroyom for regional scale are waste compaction units resulting in volume reduction with the vertical compression method. Through solidification of waste, residual waste classified as residues is expected to reduce the volume by 60-70%. In addition, other facilities are provided which are designed at Ciroyom Area Scale SPA such as waste sorting facilities using conveyor belts, organic waste processing with open windrow systems, and inorganic waste recovery facilities that still have selling points.

It is well recognized globally that the footwear industry contributes to a large waste stream throughout its life cycle. This article reviews the literature pertaining to the life cycle of footwear products and their End-of-Life (EoL) management strategies. The review discusses critical aspects of the footwear industry, commencing with a background on the growth and consumption of footwear products across the globe. The review provides an overview of the environmental impacts of different footwear materials across their life cycles. In this regard, leather materials are given intense focus due to their poor environmental performance. The review further examines proactive and reactive approaches to footwear waste management, whilst additionally exploring the challenges facing EoL footwear recovery. Finally, pyrolysis is examined as a thermochemical treatment process with value due to its potential to recover materials from post-consumer footwear. The significant findings in this review paper are as follows: (a) leather footwear materials have the most detrimental environmental impacts across their life cycle; (b) there is limited scientific literature on thermochemical processes (particularly pyrolysis) as waste recovery options for post-consumer footwear; and (c) several challenges face the recovery of post-consumer footwear products, including inefficient reverse logistics, mixed product recycling and difficulties establishing a value recovery chain. This review paper recommends further research on pyrolysis as a potential post-consumer footwear recovery option. Exploring the viability of new avenues for footwear waste recovery is significant due to its potential to divert this waste stream from landfills and allow a progression toward a more circular economy.

The sustainability of the food system is one of the key goals for a sustainable society. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Due to the increasing demand for Rare Earth Elements (REE) and the current political scenario, it is essential to recover these elements from industrial or mining waste. Zeolites are microporous materials little investigated for REEs recycle. Here, we propose the use of NH4+-exchanged synthetic zeolite L for cerium recovery from a solution mimicking the Ce3+ concentration of the liquors deriving from the recovery of spent catalysts (0.002 M). A NH4+-exchanged sample was used since the presence of only ammonium as exchangeable cation in the zeolite porosities greatly simplifies the Ce recovery once the exchange is accomplished. The aim of this work is twofold, in fact we want to investigate the exploitability of zeolite L as cation exchanger in the Ce recovery and determine the best working conditions. The investigated process consists of a coupled cation exchange: 1) Ce3+(solution)+3NH4++(zeolite) ↔ Ce3+(zeolite)+3NH4++(solution). In the first exchange the NH4+ cations - present in the zeolite porosities- are exchanged with the Ce3+ of the solution and in the second experiment the Ce3+ trapped into the zeolite is recovered through a further exchange with the NH4+ of a rich solution. The best working conditions for Ce3+ exchange of NH4-L are: batch system, liquid/solid ratio equal to 90 mL/g and 180 mL/g, 24 h of contact at 25 °C. The resulting cerium adsorption capacity (qt) is equal to ~25 mg/g and ~39 mg/g and the removal efficiency 100 % and 77 % for the two tested liquid/solid ratios, respectively. The kinetics was proved to be fast and consistent with industrial timing, no energy cost for temperature setting is required and the acid pH (~4) of the solutions does not affect the zeolite structure stability and its exchange performance. At these conditions, cerium of the solution was first incorporated into the zeolite porosities and then completely recovered. It has been demonstrated that the zeolite framework is not affected by the exchange so that the same absorbent can be employed many times.

Proper waste management is an essential part of the efficient use of natural resources and sustainable economic growth. One of the largest waste streams in the European Union and in Poland is waste from extractive industries. Appropriate treatment of this waste stream should therefore be a priority, based on the applicable waste hierarchy. The use of the waste management hierarchy was confirmed by the analyzed data. Despite the growing demand for mineral resources, the amount of generated extractive waste is decreasing and waste recovery is increasing. The paper presents the main challenges in the management of waste from the mining industry in Poland, taking into account not only the existing regulations but also future actions resulting from the Polish Road Map toward the transition to a circular economy.

Food waste is generally seen as highly unethical. Recycling food waste requires establishing information-sharing channels in the food supply chain. However, the lack of relationship between suppliers and potential demanders hinders the delivery of waste products, conceptualized as "structural holes" in social network research. The food recovery digital platform in the food supply chain acts as a market intermediary to bridge the communication at the two ends of the structural holes, fulfilling the function of "brokers", which has been proven in the transaction cost theory to reduce the transaction costs and improve the performance of the supply chain. However, related research on digital platforms and supply chains ignores this new type of brokerage. This research combines network research, transaction cost research, and supply chain research and explores the role of food recovery platforms in food waste problems in the food supply chain.

Water transmission lines have considerable hydraulic potential that can be used in hydropower plants to produce energy. The pump as turbine (PAT) is an applicable tool that provides accepta...

One of the significant problems in our society is the handling and processing of the vast amount of waste produced by households and industrial processes. Nowadays, packaging material regulations are constantly changing, which can significantly impact the quality of municipal waste, requiring the continuous development and redesign of waste processing plants. Since only a few uncertain measurements (composition, mass, etc.) are available for this task, analysing and redesigning waste processing technologies is challenging. This research aims to develop a modelling and simulation concept that can integrate all the available information and can also handle the uncertainty of the measurements. The proposed modular modelling framework can serve as a basis for designing and redesigning the technologies needed to process ever-changing municipal waste. The most important steps of the framework are as follows: identifying the typical equipment, these are the elements; building models of the elements; determining the characteristic parameters of the equipment; exploring the possible relationships between the elements. For example, the information needed to define the model parameters can be gathered from measurements, industrial experience, and expert knowledge. In many cases, the data obtained represent ranges. The stationary model framework applies efficiency factors and divides the solids into substreams based on expert knowledge. Furthermore, a modular simulator framework was developed to simulate the technological schemes with various connections. The specifications for all widely used waste industrial equipment (shredders, air separators, sieves, magnetic-, eddy current-, optical-, and ballistic separators) were used to construct the developed simulator. This simulator can open new opportunities for the design of waste sorting technological networks. The model was calibrated based on expertise gained from operating the studied technology. The changes in the material parameters can be considered, and the modular simulator can lead to flexible waste sorting technologies capable of adapting to governmental and environmental regulations changes. The main result of the work is that a methodology for designing a modular simulator, model development, and a validation method has been proposed, which provides the possibility to deal with uncertainty. All this is successfully presented through the analysis of an operating waste separation system.

During the last few years, many studies have tested microalgal systems for nitrogen removal from the digestate. However, most of these studies were carried out using pure culture microalgal strains, which require aseptic conditions and thus cannot be used in full-scale applications. The aim of the present study was to explore opportunities in and challenges of the industrial symbiosis of anaerobic digestion and microalgae cultivation to enhance agro-industrial residue management. Batch tests were carried out to investigate the use of a mixed (open) microalgal consortium to treat the liquid fraction of the digestate for nitrogen removal. Preliminary experiments were performed to choose the carbon supply condition optimizing the growth of the open mixed consortium. In detail, the investigated carbon sources were bicarbonate, under two different carbon to nitrogen ratios, CO2 via the free surface and CO2 via air flushing. Further tests were conducted to compare the use of ammoniacal and nitric nitrogen sources. Then, the effectiveness of the liquid fraction of the digestate as nitrogen source was assessed. The highest biomass concentration of 1.6 g L−1 was obtained using CO2 as carbon source via air flushing as feeding strategy and ammoniacal nitrogen. Biomass production was lower (0.6 g L−1) under the digestate. Nonetheless, due to a probable symbiosis between microalgae and bacteria, a total nitrogen removal of 98.5% was achieved, which was the highest obtained in the present study. Such experimental results address the identification of the steps needed for larger-scale application of combined anaerobic digestion and mixed microalgal systems.

More energy-efficient industries could reduce the problems of pollution, global warming, energy security, and fossil fuel depletion, including processing waste into raw materials and more efficient energy cogeneration. This research project considers the novelties of the upgraded electricity cogeneration technique, including one open gas turbine during the high-pressure product reaction loop and a second turbine during the exhaust gas for co-product production with only one compressor. The upgraded electricity cogeneration was carried out in two steps and based on the productive use of otherwise useless polyethylene waste, flue gas, and wood. The first step can simulate the simulation model from the existing product production with well-known technology and process units using the Aspen Plus® simulator. The maximum available electricity cogeneration can previously be determined from the thermodynamics of the products and co-products, and an existing energy unit’s characteristic capacity. In the second step, conventional natural gas can be replaced with waste as the raw materials by using the same simulated model from the first step, including electricity cogeneration using the gas turbines during the high-pressure reaction loop, and the exhaust gas as the co-product with only one compressor. This research on electricity generation is based on processes that include the pressure drop during the product reaction loop. This approach is illustrated using an existing methanol production process, using wastes as sustainable raw materials, including electricity cogeneration during the reaction loop and exhaust gas, generating a possible increase in annual profit of 7.28 MEUR/a.

Resumen Ante la problemática latente en el manejo de residuos sólidos en el distrito de Guápiles, se plantea la utilización para el análisis de la situación de la herramienta denominada: ''Análisis de Flujo de Materiales”, la cual es utilizada por primera vez en Costa Rica en el año 2018, año en que se realiza la presente investigación. Esta herramienta permite visualizar los flujos de los residuos sólidos dentro de un sistema para identificar los principales problemas existentes con base en la distribución de las masas de los materiales en los sitios de disposición final definidos por la población, así como los diversos actores sociales involucrados en el proceso. La metodología para la investigación fue la caracterización de residuos de ciento cuatro viviendas y cuarenta y nueve comercios, tomando como referencia la ''Guía de interpretación de la metodología para la realización de estudios de generación y composición de residuos ordinarios'' del programa CYMA del año 2012. Además, encuestas realizadas al sector residencial y comercial, entrevistas a gestores de residuos sólidos tanto de la municipalidad de Pococí como a empresas de acopio de materiales valorizables y recolectores privados. Finalmente, se recibieron y clasificaron materiales producto de las campañas de recuperación de residuos para el reciclaje. De esta manera se pudo identificar la totalidad de los residuos sólidos destinados a quemas (283,80 ton/año), entierros de materia orgánica (1 204,89 ton/año), entierros de vidrio (4,71 ton/ año), recuperación de residuos sólidos para el reciclaje, incluyendo los flujos menos comunes como la recuperación de residuos electrónicos y chatarra (2 115,35 ton/año) y las 7 408,04 ton/ año destinadas al Relleno Sanitario Los Laureles, de las cuales 1 225,44 ton/año corresponden a descargas ilegales en el centro del distrito. Utilizando esta herramienta, es posible tomar decisiones basadas en el mejoramiento del sistema de gestión de residuos sólidos que es provisto en el distrito por los sectores: municipal, privado e informal, identificados en el proceso de recolección de datos. Abstract Material Flow Analysis is a powerful tool, first time used in Costa Rica, to analyze the problems related to solid waste management in the district of Guápiles, in the province of Limon, Costa Rica. It is an analytical method to quantify flows and stocks of materials or substances in a well-defined system, allowing the visualization of solid waste and the actors involved in the process. The methodology used for the investigation was the characterization of residues of one hundred four houses and forty-nine shops, taking as reference the ''Guide of interpretation of the methodology for the realization of studies of generation and composition of ordinary waste'' of the CYMA program of the year 2012. In addition, surveys were conducted in the residential and commercial sector, as well as interviews with solid waste managers of the municipality of Pococí, and companies that collect recyclable materials and private collectors. Additionally, the analysis of materials received from the waste recovery campaigns for recycling. With this analysis, it was possible to identify the total amounts of solid waste being burned (283.80 tons / year), burials of organic matter (1 204.89 tons / year), glass burials (4.71 tons / year), recovery of solid waste for recycling, including less common flows such as electronic waste and metal scrap (2 115.35 tons / year). Furthermore, it was found that 7 408,04 tons / year had gone to Los Laureles sanitary landfill, and 1 225,44 tons/ year of illegal dumping. It was concluded that this tool could be used when making decisions in relation to the improvement of solid waste management systems.

The paper describes the benefits resulted from an interuniversity - industry cooperation, through a research and innovation project, TRADE-IT - Innovative Technologies for Advanced Materials Recovery from IT and Telecommunication waste. The project had as a main objective the design, modelling and implementation of a complex system used for the complete recovery of the components and materials extracted from IT and Telecommunication Waste. Partners involved in the project are four Romanian universities and two National Research Centers. Twelve PhD Students were elaborating their PhD thesis on the topic of the project and they were all employed in the partner institutions. Projects results were disseminated during the project period and after its end to students at all levels from partner univesities during courses and practical classes.

The agricultural waste with lignocellulose origin is considered to be one of the major environmental pollutants which, because of their high nutritional value, represent an extremely rich resource with significant potential for the production of value added bio-products. This review discusses the applications of higher fungi to upcycle abundant agricultural by-products into more sustainable materials and to promote the transition to a circular economy. It focuses on the main factors influencing the properties and application of mycelium composites – the feedstock, the basidiomycete species and their interaction with the feedstock. During controlled solid state cultivation on various lignocellulose substrates, the basidiomycetes of class Agaricomycetes colonize their surfaces and form a three-dimensional mycelium net. Fungal mycelium secretes enzymes that break down lignocellulose over time and are partially replaced by mycelium. The mycelium adheres to the residual undegraded substrates resulting in the formation of a high-mechanical-strength bio-material called a mycelium based bio-composite. The mycelium based bio-composites are completely natural, biodegradable and can be composted after their cycle of use is completed. The physicochemical, mechanical, and thermodynamic characteristics of mycelium based bio-composites are competitive with those of synthetic polymers and allow them to be successfully used in the construction, architecture, and other industries.

Printed circuit board (PCB) waste contains a high concentration of copper (Cu) leftover from the processing. Another, alkali reduction (AR) wastewater, is considerably produced with a main componen...

Energy efficiency and waste recovery have vital importance for a sustainable environmental progress. This study contributes to both issues considering three different aspects which are (i) ...

The suitable dustbin can cause a significant increase in household participation in separated dry waste at production source and recycling rate. This study was conducted on 100 households in Tehran for two weeks for households’ wastes without any intervention. After two weeks, the tough-flexible bag dustbins were delivered to the families. At the next stage, by analysing the separated dry wastes by households, comparing the cost of new bag dustbin with plastic garbage bags, and completing some questionnaires, it was concluded that about 92% of households believed that waste bag dustbin was much more accessible and hygienic. The use of plastic garbage bags was decreased an average by 2, after using new bag dustbins. Moreover, the use of bag dustbins has more cost-effectiveness rather than plastic bags (about 54%). Before and after the intervention, the source separation and recovery rate was 0.19 and 0.18, respectively. The amount of wet waste in the waste bag dustbin was decreased to 62.26% after the intervention. The decrease of wet waste in the separated dry waste enhanced the quality of recycled materials.

In this article, we propose a novel hybridization of regression trees (RT) and radial basis function networks (RBFN), namely, radial basis neural tree (RBNT) model,for waste recovery process improvement in the paper industry. As a by-product of the paper manufacturing process, a lot of waste along with valuable fibers and fillerscome out from the paper machine. The waste recovery process (WRP) involves separating the unwanted materials from the valuable ones so that the recovered fibersand fillers can be further reused in the production process. This job is done by fiber-filler recovery equipment (FFRE). The efficiency of FFRE depends on severalcrucial process parameters and monitoring them is a difficult proposition. The proposed model can be useful to find the essential parameters from the set of availabledata and perform prediction task to improve waste recovery process efficiency. An idea of parameter optimization along with regularity conditions for the universal consistency of the proposed model are given. The proposed model has the advantages of easy interpretability and excellent performance when applied to the FFREefficiency improvement problem. Improved waste recovery will help the industry to become environmentally friendly with less ecological damage apart from being cost-effective.

Intensity of electromagnetic pollution is followed by rapid increasing of new telecommunication technologies over the years. In order to prevent enlarged exposed of general population with doses of electromagnetic radiation above allowed for general population, living as well as working environment around antenna systems should be tested. Using sophisticated measurement equipment we measure intensity of electric field emitted from base station located at shopping center in urban zone of the Banja Luka city. Theoretical estimation of exposition was preceded to measurement procedure, resulting in mapping of exposure at different altitude around antenna system. This thorough investigation of electromagnetic pollution will become a part of typical systematic testing of high frequency non-ionizing radiation pollution. Tested area, around shopping center, where are located educational institution and sports center is found safe from emitted radiation.

On the example of various approaches to waste recovery and recycling of garbage existing in different countries, the role of ecological culture in solving environmental problems is analyzed. Based on the analysis of problems associated with landfills, features of the Russian environmental consciousness are presented. The importance of the transition from the widespread burial of waste to their treatment and disposal on the basis of resource-saving technologies that are effectively used in the global economy is emphasized.

Technosols can be used to rehabilitate degraded land and reuse wastes. Ideally, these newly formed soils should also fulfil the main soil functions. In this study, initially, we characterized the physicochemical and microbial properties of different formulations and their ingredients (i.e., dirt from a waste recovery plant, recycled bentonite, sewage sludge). When these technosols were then used for the rehabilitation of a quarry, the evolution of such properties was monitored for three consecutive years. Physicochemical and microbial properties were compared to those of a reference soil from a nearby forest. Diversity and composition of prokaryotes and eukaryotes were determined using 16S and 18S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Three years after establishment, as much as 78.8% and 63.9% of the prokaryotic and eukaryotic orders, respectively, were shared between the technosols and the reference forest soil. Although technosols initially showed lower values of CO2 emission, compaction and functional diversity (Biolog EcoPlates™), at the end of the study these values were similar to those observed in the reference forest soil. It was concluded that the microbiota of the studied technosols resembles that of the nearby forest soil after just three years of establishment.

Hydrogen produced from chlor-alkali plants in Jordan is typically wasted and vented to the atmosphere. If it is recovered and utilized then it can viably play a significant role for process heat on site. This study demonstrates how cleaner production can be applied to the chlor-alkali industry, with focus on utilization of hydrogen as energy resource. A chlor-alkali based on membrane cell process, in northern part of Jordan, was examined as a case of reusing excess hydrogen produced. In the baseline scenario, 47% of produced hydrogen was used in HCl production, 10% in controlling pressure difference, and the remainder was not used (i.e. 43% of hydrogen was vented into the atmosphere). The proposed cleaner production option was to install a hydrogen boiler next to the existing fuel boiler and utilize the hydrogen to generate steam for on-site process heating purposes. The effectiveness of this cleaner production option was discussed in relation to its technical and environmental feasibility. On-site utilization of hydrogen was found to provide 34% of the total steam needed at the full capacity. This in return yields a saving percentage of around 33.37% and a payback period of 0.947 year. From environmental perspective, theoretically, carbon dioxide emission reductions can be up to 1810 tons based on the chlor-alkali productions pattern for 24 consecutive months.

The Paris Agreement aims to combat climate change by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2oC by the reduction of CO2 production. Scotland aims to be a world leader in the change and has set ambitious targets to meet this commitment. With nearly 70% of the energy cost in the production of ice cream spent on refrigeration, any improvement in their efficiency will reduce energy costs and CO2 production. A waste heat recovery system presents a great opportunity to reclaim energy from the onsite refrigeration systems and convert it into useful hot water. A £216,275 project funded by The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and Innovate UK was setup to investigate the use of a waste recovery system within an onsite refrigeration system. The results showed a savings of 5% by the refrigeration plant in total along with an individual saving of 27% by the compressor within the refrigeration system. The WHRS also produced a supply of hot water which could be used onsite within the manufacturing or cleaning processes required onsite.

The Triple-bottom-line concept suggests that firms must consider the environmental and social impacts of their decisions, beside the economic aspects. Hence, the sustainability of the firms’ operations can be reached. The purpose of this study is to develop a bi-objective, multi-product and multi-period mixed-integer model for the operations planning of electrical-electronic waste (WEEE) recovery facilities, by considering social (workforce) constraints. Main objective is the minimization of net recycling and logistics costs offset by the profit earned by recovered material sales, and second objective is the maximization of hazardous materials recovery. Collection of used products from the specified regions is decided and the required machine-hours, inventory and workforce decisions are made. Besides, both weight-based and unit-based WEEE recovery targets are separately considered, as a unique aspect. A sensitivity analysis is conducted with various scrap prices to understand operations planning in changing conditions. Results show that weight-based targets enhance recovery amounts.

Considering rapid economic development and continuously increasing environmental concerns, end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) have significant socioeconomic value as a crucial waste stream. The research relating to ELVs has rapidly evolved over the last few years. However, existing review studies focus on specific research themes, and thus, fail to present a complete picture. Hence, this research intends to explain the current research scenario relating to ELVs by reviewing the critical published studies of the last 22 years. A total of 1405 research publications were extracted from the Scopus database covering the period from 2000 to 2021. Mainly employing bibliometric analysis techniques, this research analyzes the quantity of literature, researchers, institutions, countries, and research themes to understand the current status and future trends in ELV recycling and management. The results revealed a considerable rise in the number of articles published in the last five years. The key producers of influential ELV research are listed as the United States, China, and the United Kingdom. Globally, Chinese universities have the most ELV-related articles published. Similarly, Serbian researcher Vladimir Simic authored the most ELV-related articles during the research period. This article also identifies various research themes: management and recycling, resource recovery and components, life cycle evaluation, and socioeconomic effects. The results also reveal a strong association between distinct ELV research clusters.

The greatest danger for a healthy world is releasing greenhouse gases into the environment as a result of the industrialization activities in all countries. These released gases play an important role in damaging the health of human beings as well as of destroying nature. In addition to sustainable development practices in order to reduce emissions, it is also necessary to implement clean environment rules. In this study, the carbon footprint of a Waste Recovery/Recycle Facility within the borders of Kayseri Province as results of its operations was evaluated. Correspondingly, the amount of carbon footprint of transportation of waste collection, heating, and electricity usage in the plant site during operations has been examined. Tier 1 and Tier 2 methodologies developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) were used to determine the carbon footprint of the facility. As a result, transportation activity due to waste collection contributes to the highest share of carbon footprint with 76.8%. The carbon footprint, which is caused by consumption of natural gas for heating with 23.1%, follows the transportation. Electricity usage has f share of less than 0.1%. The total CO2 emission of the plant was 132711 tons, while the CO2 emission amounts of transportation, heating and electricity use were found to be 102000 tons, 30700 tons and 11 tons, respectively.

The aim of this study was to analyse how to ensure that medium- and long-term waste recovery goals can be achieved in Brazilian cities, based on the incorporation of viable and accessible technology. The identification of the strengths of the Brazilian cities with better (dry and wet) waste recovery rates allowed different strategies to be proposed for Jo ̃ao Pessoa (the city selected as a case study). Those strategies were based on the improvement of (1) the selective collection of the recyclable dry waste fraction, (2) the material recovery facility to increase the recovery of recyclable dry waste fraction to be recycled and/or wet waste fraction to be composted, and finally (3) the working conditions of waste workers. A combination of these improvement strategies at two different levels of implementation (partial and total) allowed the definition of 14 alternative scenarios, which were analysed from an eco-efficiency perspective (environmental vs. economic). After analysing the evolution over time of the alternative scenarios proposed, the proposal that was finally selected was based on the initial implementation of a mechanical biological and composting facility capable of handling up to 50% of the mixed municipal solid waste collected by 2023 with a material recovery efficiency of 30%. From there, the efficiency of the mechanical biological and composting facility should increase up to 60% to achieve the waste recovery goals by 2034 (management of 60% of the mixed waste collected). This rate has not yet been reached in any of the Brazilian mechanical biological and composting facilities analysed, so the reduction in the amount of waste generated and the increase in the selective separation of waste at source are identified as key elements to be able to fulfil the long-term goals. The approach used in the case study provides guidelines for application in other geographical contexts. Funding for open access charge: CRUE-Universitat Jaume I

Recycling and the recovery of waste are crucial waste management strategies. In light of the new EU circular economy approach, these strategies remain core pillars of a competitive and sustainable waste value chain. Local governments have an important role in controlling and checking the implementation of waste management policies. We study the spatial determinants of waste recovery by using a dataset of 102 Italian provinces from the years 2001-2014. We exploit the political cycle of the provinces to isolate the effects of waste recovery in one province on neighboring provinces. We find that provinces mimic their own neighbors’ in the separate collection of waste aimed at recycling and recovery, with this effect being fully guided by provinces where the president can run for re-election (consistent with the yardstick competition hypothesis) but only when waste management policies become politically salient, that is, after the transposition of the 2008 EU Waste Framework Directive.

Tunisia has taken up many environmental challenges by setting up major waste management projects. Tunisia is among the first countries in Africa to create several controlled landfills and wastewater treatment plants since early 90s (MARH 2005). Despite recalcitrant environmental problems, Tunisia continues to position itself among the 50 countries benefiting from an evolving environmental policy and launches several green entrepreneurship projects and programs.