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Many paper-related products are in daily use all over the world. Although paper is one of the most recycled materials in the European Union, no end-of-waste criteria have been defi ned. Typical paper and cardboard should be recycled, but paper materials with impurities, such as cooking oil, sand, or plastic, are much more problematic. In particular, paper contaminated with cooking oil or butter (e.g., pizza boxes) is diffi cult waste. Also baking parchment paper cannot be stored as waste paper after use. Composting could be a solution, but in many municipal solid waste collection systems, this waste types are collected with the mixed waste stream, what fi nally leads this material to landfi lling or incinerating processes. Parchment paper and pizza box cardboard contain a lot of cellulose and in landfi lls are a source of CO2 and CH4. Incineration of these materials also leads to CO2 emission. The aim of this study was to investigate the degradation of cooking-oil-contaminated paper in media with a low inorganic nitrogen content. Cardboard usually used for packaging purposes was used as pre-test material. Two types of paper usually used in the kitchen were used: pizza box cardboard and parchment paper highly contaminated with cooking oil. Two types of low inorganic nitrogen media were tested: mature municipal waste compost (MSWC) and leaf mold (LM). The decrease of mass of both paper sample types was correlated with process time. Both tested sample types: dry cellulose materials and paper with cooking oil added, were partly or completely decomposed after 6 weeks of bioprocessing in aerobic conditions without an additional dose of inorganic nitrogen. According to waste separation rules, wet paper or paper contaminated with cooking oil have to be stored with other wastes which are „not possible for further use”. This work show possibility to change these rules.

The utilization of agriculture waste-based adsorbents in the treatment of real industrial wastewater represents an unexplored frontier with significant potential. In this study, the cobalt ferrite-supported activated carbon derived from orange peels (CF40-AC) was used as a magnetic adsorbent for the treatment of real pulp and paper mill effluent (PPME). Detailed insights into the properties and functionalities of the CoFe2O4-AC adsorbent were obtained through an accurate characterization analysis that included X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), BET and pore size histogram techniques. Both pure activated carbon (AC) and CF40-AC displayed excellent textural properties with surface area (SBET) equal 2014 and 1345 m².g-1, respectively. TEM and SEM images display that the magnetic ferrites were well dispersed on the surface of AC. Following the characterization process, the CoFe2O4-AC adsorbent was evaluated for its ability to remove several key pollutants from PPME, including chemical oxygen demand (COD), total dissolved solids (TDS) and turbidity. Moreover, various operational parameters, such as pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time, and stirring rate, were investigated to achieve optimal contaminants removal rates. Remarkably, the CoFe2O4-AC adsorbent demonstrated highly efficient removal rates, with 86.9%, 59,9% and 93.1% for COD, TDS and turbidity, respectively, under optimal conditions (pH 7, adsorbent dose 0.4 gm, contact time 60 min, and stirring rate 150 rpm). The CoFe2O4-AC composite material exhibits promising potential for multiple applications reached 5 cycles without a significant loss in its adsorption or functional properties over successive uses. These results favor the promising potential of CoFe2O4-AC as a sustainable and efficient solution for addressing was- tewater treatment challenges in the pulp and paper industry, contributing to both environmental protection and resource conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper, which is in fact a very complex cellulose-based product derived from different lignocellulosic resources, is usually regarded as a simple omnipresent commodity in our lives. Wood fibers derived from trees are the most employed sources for papermaking purposes. From an environmental protection perspective, and for their essential role in our life (they give us the life itself through their foliar system supporting the photosynthesis process), trees should not be extensively cut down and they should be used less and less for papermaking. Thus, employment of non-woody alternative sources for papermaking could be exploited more as an attractive and feasible option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Having the South American Amazon as our spatial cut, this paper aims to discuss it as a space of physical, environmental and socioeconomic relevance to regional rearticulation, highlighting the issue of transport infrastructure and the importance of Brazil to boost this process in contemporary times. With the end of the Union of South American Nations (Unasur) in 2019, several of its councils were paralyzed and discontinued, such as the Infrastructure and Planning Council (Cosiplan), reflecting the abandonment of efforts built since the beginning of the 21st century. In addition, relations between national preferences and the indispensable search for development, and mechanisms of cooperation and regional integration, which are fundamental instruments to meet such demands, were stressed. In turn, a scenario of discredited institutions made room for greater action by multiple public and private, internal and increasingly international and multinational actors who, in a way disconnected from regional arrangements, directed infrastructure investments focusing on their own interests, resulting in expiation of the the socio-environmental vulnerability in the Amazonian territories. We argue that it is necessary to integrate to preserve and develop. Regional governance and institutionality are central pillars for the resumption of a more resilient South American integration process, aimed at protecting and developing the Amazon, in which Brazil has an important driving role to be exercised and a directive leadership to retrieve.

The profile of microbial diversity in a NABR digesting RPMW was investigated using phylogeneticanalysis of partial 16S rRNA sequences by a neighbor-joining-tree, supported by microbial morphology analysis by SEM. The results showed that microorganism inside NABR consisted of dominant Bacillus (25 strains) and Bacterium (1 strain) which were isolated from the settled sludge at the bottom of the reactor, whilst Bacillus (2 strains), Pseudomonas (2 strain) and Chryseobacterium (2 strain) were isolated from the biofilm formed on the packing material. It revealed that the microbial community strains, function, and structure changed simultaneously throughout the reactor system. The microscopic results showed rich biofacies, while the dominant microorganisms have various morphologies in every compartment of the system. It consisted of a long rod-shaped and filamentous bacterium composed majorly of bacilli of different sizes. Although the study successfully analyzed the microbial diversity and morphology in the system, the microbial communities reported in this study were different from other similar studies. This may be caused by the application of a culture-based technique that usually provides limited information due to the number of barely cultivated or uncultured strains

Surface characteristics of printing substrates are of the utmost importance to all types of paper that interact with ink. During all types of printing processes, the behaviour of the liquid phase (ink or dye) on the paper is directly defined by the paper cellulose-based surface. The printed ink spreads and penetrates more into paper fibres when the paper surface is rougher and more permeable. Contact angle measurements by sessile drop method are considered the most appropriate for determining the paper sheet surface energy. Paper as hydrophilic material has a high absorption rate resulting in a low contact angle. The objective of this study was to evaluate the surface free energy of laboratory-made papers containing straw pulp obtained from residues after the harvest of the most cultivated cereals in Croatia (wheat, barley and triticale). The obtained surface free energy results are promising for straw pulp usage in the manufacture of printing paper.

This paper reports an innovative study that aims to address key issues in the efficient recycling of wastepaper cellulose. The research team utilized the temperature-responsive upper critical solution temperature (UCST) polymer P(NAGA-b-DMA) in combination with the LytA label's affinity for choline analogs. This innovative approach enabled them to successfully develop a novel soluble immobilized enzyme, P(NAGA-b-DMA)-cellulase. This new enzyme has proven highly effective, significantly enhancing the degradation of wastepaper cellulose while demonstrating exceptional stability. Compared with the traditional insoluble immobilized cellulase, the enzyme showed a significant improvement in the pH, temperature stability, recycling ability, and storage stability. A kinetic parameter calculation showed that the enzymatic effectiveness of the soluble immobilized enzyme was much better than that of the traditional insoluble immobilized cellulase. After the immobilization reaction, the Michaelis constant of the immobilized enzyme was only increased by 11.5%. In the actual wastepaper degradation experiment, the immobilized enzyme was effectively used, and it was found that the degradation efficiency of wastepaper cellulose reached 80% of that observed in laboratory conditions. This novel, thermosensitive soluble immobilized cellulase can efficiently catalyze the conversion of wastepaper cellulose into glucose under suitable conditions, so as to further ferment into environmentally friendly biofuel ethanol, which provides a solution to solve the shortage of raw materials and environmental protection problems in the paper products industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the role of the bioeconomy concept started in the Cologne paper and initiated by Christian Patermann for bioeconomy strategies in Germany and around the world. Patermann is and has been an important actor and a highly appreciated colleague in the first German Bioeconomy Council and the International Advisory Council on Global Bioeconomy (IACGB). IACGB is a think tank with the mission to promote the Global Bioeconomy as a sustainable and future looking movement for the benefit of planet and people. The Global Bioeconomy Summits (GBS) series initiated in 2015 by the German Bioeconomy Council and perpetuated by the IACGB has become a truly global meeting and conference event that gathers bioeconomy experts and high level politicians from all areas and hemispheres. The IACGB provides leadership for setting the themes of GBS. Communiques and reports on national strategies are signature outcomes.

Once printed, books are always accompanied by the smells of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which are continuously emitted not only by inks but also by papers themselves throughout their lives. Although the VOCs from papers may bring mild discomfort to readers, they are considered as very important factors that feature the degradation of papers and show potential applications in cultural relic appraisal. In this study, an analytical approach based on solid phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC/MS) was proposed for the evaluation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by Chinese traditional handmade papers. The VOCs evaluations and artificial aging processes were both applied to recent-made papers and naturally aged papers from a traditional Chinese calligraphy and painting scroll (collected by the National Museum of China). To be noticed, a large number of aliphatic acids, aldehydes, ketones, furan derivatives, benzene series and terpenoid substances indicated that the VOCs signals not only reveal the degradation of paper but also tentatively reflect the storage environment along hundreds of years ago. The semi-quantitative evaluation of markers indicated that the historical paper is under a serious degradation due to the high capacity it releases. Our results provided a path way to get the degradation information of ancient paintings as well as potential realistic applications such as the conservation of paper-based relics and the environmental protection in libraries and museums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the development of a method to prepare nanocrystalline cellulose (NCCs) from laser-printed waste paper using factorial design 2³ experiments by controlled acid hydrolysis of the waste paper. The method applies high gain ultrasound and subsequent flotation, washing, and bleaching stages. Characterization of the raw material, prepared pulp, test sheets, and NCCs is presented. Optimum conditions to obtain high quality NCCs were found to be 65% acid, for 40 min time of treatment, and residual load in the range of 130 to 570 mmol/kg of NCCs. The obtained NCCs were 80 to 700 nm long depending on the acid hydrolysis conditions. They exhibited high values of whiteness (90.3% Elrepho), α-cellulose contents (95%), degree of polymerization (731), viscosity (9.59 cP), and chemical compositions similar to that of Whatman paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We document the "good-on-paper effect," whereby people make more virtuous decisions on paper than on a digital device (e.g., tablet). In a series of 10 studies, we find that people are more likely to make virtuous decisions on paper than on a digital device because they perceive choices on paper as more real (i.e., tangible, actual, and belonging to the physical rather than the virtual world) and hence as more self-diagnostic (i.e., representative of who they are). We first show people express more interest in donating and volunteering (Studies 1a and 1b), are more likely to donate (Study 2), and put more effort into helping a charitable cause (Study 3) when these choices occur on paper (versus tablet)—a pattern of decision making we label the good-on-paper effect. Study 4 extends these findings to book choices (highbrow versus lowbrow) and to a device interaction that closely mimics writing on paper (i.e., tablet with digital pen). In the context of volunteering decisions, we then provide evidence for the sequential mediating roles of perceptions of realness and self-diagnosticity in the good-on-paper effect (Study 5 and Studies 6a and 6b). Finally, we show that chronic (Study 7) and situational (Study 8) perceptions of self-diagnosticity moderate this effect in the contexts of environmental protection and food choices (healthy versus indulgent), respectively. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few now doubt that successfully managing environmental challenges will be central to public policy in the coming century. Unless the international community can cope with transnational problems such as global warming, destruction of species and tropical rain-forests, depletion of oceanic fish stocks, and increasing water scarcity in arid regions, both domestic and international conflicts may easily arise. The problems of international environmental political economy pose increasingly pressing issues for analysts, policy makers, and citizens.Such concerns helped to motivate the project, “The Political Economy of International Environmental Cooperation,” sponsored by the Institute on Global Cooperation and Conflict and generously funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur foundation. The project supported University of California graduate students writing their Ph.D. dissertations on issues of international environmental cooperation. On concluding their dissertation research, the doctoral candidates presented policy papers at a workshop held in Santa Cruz, California. The student-organized workshop brought together these promising young scholars and policy analysts with various senior members of both the academic and international policy community. A key intellectual theme of the project was the (always difficult, always necessary) marriage of theory and policy. However varied the details of international environmental political economy may be, the core problem is always the same: how to induce self-interested, often myopic, decision makers to “do the right thing,” or to behave in ways that minimize environmental damage and/or optimize the utilization of natural resources in the presence of external constraints. Addressing such problems is difficult enough within a polity; forging the transnational cooperation needed to cope with environmental issues confronts still greater obstacles.The papers in this policy paper offer an Aristotelian line-up of earth, fire, air, and water issues. The problems of optimal depletion of forests (Bobenrieth), managing global emissions and related global warming problems (Rich), water negotiations in two different regional settings (Carlisle and Williams), and issues of oceanic fisheries (Potter) all receive close, detailed attention. The volume concludes with an evaluation of their work from the perspective of a World Bank professional on the policy-making process. The result shows how the interaction of theory and empirical material can generate results helpful to policy makers. We hope that such close work between theoretically grounded, empirically rich policy analysts and professional decision-makers will become increasingly frequent in the years ahead.

We developed a novel strategy for fabrication of microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) by selective wet etching of hydrophobic filter paper using a paper mask having a specific design. The fabrication process consists of two steps. First, the hydrophilic filter paper was patterned hydrophobic by using trimethoxyoctadecylsilane (TMOS) solution as the patterning agent. Next, a paper mask penetrated with NaOH solution (containing 30% glycerol) was aligned onto the hydrophobic filter paper, allowing the etching of the silanized filter paper by the etching reagent. The masked region turned highly hydrophilic whereas the unmasked region remains highly hydrophobic. Thus, hydrophilic channels, reservoirs, and detection zones were generated and delimited by the hydrophobic barriers. The effects of some factors including TMOS concentration, etching temperature, etching time, and NaOH concentration on fabrication of μPAD were studied. Being free of any expensive equipment, metal mask and expensive reagents, this rapid, simple, and cost-effective method could be used to fabricate lPAD by untrained personnel with minimum cost. A flower-shaped μPAD fabricated by this presented method was applied to the glucose assay in artificial urine samples with good performance, indicating its feasibility as a quantitative analysis device. We believe that this method would be very attractive to the development of simple microfluidic devices for point-of-care applications in clinical diagnostics, food safety, and environmental protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Use of recycled fiber material for the production of paper and paperboard has a significant share in solving problems related to environmental protection and conservation of energy resources. One of the most important processes for the paper recycling with printing press is a deinking. Perspective method for deinking of waste paper by the method of flotation is the enzyme treatment at neutral pH. The aim of this work is to study the deinking of recycled paper with offset printing press through flotation and use of enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of probes for the testing of the carcinogenic pollutant 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP) is of great importance for environmental protection and human health. In this paper, a new rapid and sensitive fluorescence detection method based on carbon dots (CDs) was designed for the detection of TNP. The CDs were synthesized by simple pyrolysis using citric acid as raw material and characterized by various advanced techniques. The addition of TNP caused a significant turn off in the fluorescence of the CDs. The fluorescence quench intensity and TNP concentration exhibited a good linear correlation in the range of 0–80 μM with a minimum detection limit of 0.48 μM and a related coefficient of 0.994. The analytical method was applied to the determination of trace TNP in river water and tap water with recoveries in the range of 98%–110% and relative standard deviations less than 5%. Importantly, carbon dots functionalized papers (CDFPs) were prepared using the synthesized CDs and successfully applied to the determination of TNP in aqueous solutions, demonstrating the promising application of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential health and environmental impacts associated with the improper management of chemically treated wood waste demands the adoption of recycling, and disposal practices. Chemically treated wood waste has several physical and chemical properties which makes it usable for the manufacture of another product to multiple use, among which the production of paper and fuel. This paper presents the initial life cycle assessment (LCA) study on wood waste used for paper production. The study boundary is limited with raw materials (raw wood or waste wood) processing and paper production itself, thus corresponds to “gate-to-gate” life cycle with a special focus on life cycle inventory data on waste wood treatment via hydrolysis process. The results of the analysis demonstrate competitiveness of the waste wood use for paper production vs. raw wood in such environmental categories as human health and ecosystem quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystem ecology, like all scientific disciplines, is often propelled forward by "classic" papers that identify key concepts within the field and define the core questions for generations of scientists. Here, we examine the legacy and sustained impact of a paper long considered a classic in ecology, E.P. (Gene) Odum's 1969 "The strategy of ecosystem development." Odum's paper presented testable predictions about species diversity, energy flow, and biogeochemical dynamics during ecosystem succession and provided guiding principles for environmental conservation and management. Odum's 24 predictions on "ecosystem development" were a key component of this paper's legacy: The framework was referenced in 62.0% and tested in 28.7% of 1598 citing papers we examined. Although we found that support for Odum's framework grew over time, support for any particular prediction was inconsistent, highlighting the unresolved nature of some of the framework's principles. Odum's conceptual framework for ecosystem studies—as well as his forward-thinking attempts to connect ecosystem ecology with humans and society—continues to be pertinent to current and future research frontiers. Simplicity of the framework was its strength, and major limitation, painting ecosystem functioning in broad strokes, with no acknowledgement about interactions among the predictions. Newer generations have their work cut out for them by bridging evolutionary biology and ecosystem science or metabolic theory and ecological stoichiometry. Similarly, newer generations are using Odum's multidisciplinary approach to address the most pressing global change issues and designing solutions that make the Earth life sustaining system compatible with growing human demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ecolabeled paper towels are manufactured using post-consumer recycled material and sold in markets using a recycle logo. Environmentally conscious consumers purchase these paper towels and thereby contribute to improving environmental quality. In this paper, we estimate the implicit value placed by consumers on ecolabeled paper towels using a hedonic price function and conduct an expenditure analysis using Heckman''s selection model. Using the data set from the Internet-based grocery stores called as Peapod we find that some consumers recognize ecolabels on paper towels and place a substantial, positive price premium on them. The expenditure analysis indicates that for the preferred functional form, the demand for ecolabeled paper towels is inelastic for environmentally conscious consumers. The simulated results from the selection model indicate that a small subsidy for ecolabeled paper towels will not substantially change consumers'' purchase decisions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Waste paper recycling is an important way to realize the environmental protection development of the papermaking industry. The quality of the pulp will affect the pulp sales of the secondary fiber paper mills. The waste paper pulp can be adjusted by controlling the pulping process working conditions, but the working conditions of the waste paper pulping process have too many parameters. And the parameters are coupled with each other, it is difficult to control. In order to find the best working conditions and improve the quality of the pulp, this study uses the association rules algorithm to optimize the parameters for the waste paper pulping process. These parameters are power of refiner, waste paper concentration of refiner, the volume of slurry that enters deinked process, deinking agent amount, deinking time, deinking temperature, bleaching agent amount, bleaching time, and bleaching temperature. The test results show that the qualified rate of the pulp produced under the improved working conditions is 92.56%, an increase of 6.93%, and the average electricity consumption per ton of pulp is reduced by 5.76 kWh/t. In addition to potential economic benefits, this method can reduce carbon emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • GQD-DDT and GQD-MPA was synthesized using novel hydrothermal protocol. • GQD-DDT and GQD-MPA was used for the identification of cations using colorimetric and spectrophotometric assay. • GQD-DDT and GQD-MPA have well activity for ion sensing in aqueous solution. This study describes the synthesis of various types of thiolated-graphene quantum dots (GQDs) for the simultaneous multi-sensing of heavy metal ions using one-droplet microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (OD- µ PADs). For the first time, functionalized GQDs were synthesized and stabilized on the surface of hydrophobic fiber-glass with simple manufacturing and assembly strategy towards colorimetric chemosensing of ions including iron, copper, cobalt, mercury, chrome, manganese, and nickel. For this purpose, GQDs are functionalized by various organic species including cysteamine, decanethiol, and mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) towards specific electrostatic interaction with metal ions of Fe (II), Cu (II), Co(II), Hg (II), Mn (II), and Ni (II). Therefore, an innovative GQDs-based miniaturized chemo-system was proposed for the environmental analysis. Additionally, the results were confirmed using fluorescence spectrometry as an optical detection method. Finally, this simple and efficient colorimetric platform was used for facile metal ions detection in human urine models, and environmental fluids, which can provide a commercial device for sensing contaminants by non-professional users in biomedical/environmental mixture. As an economical technique, this platform presents a "mix-and-sense" system without dye (as a side substance) or chemical treatments. The low instrumental requirements, the color uniformity, and the disposability of OD- μ PADs approve the commercial application of the engineered ion-chemosensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The safety climate shows the attitude and general perception of the organization's management regarding safety. This study investigates the impact of safety training on the safety climate of operational employees working in the West Oil and Gas Company. Materials and Methods: This study is quasi-experimental interventional research, which was conducted in the first half of 2019 in West Oil and Gas Production Company with a pretest- posttest design. The study population included all workers in the operational departments of The West Oil and Gas Production Company. The sampling was done randomly with 240 people. The study questionnaire included a demographic information questionnaire and the safety climate questionnaire of "the safety organization of England." The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by safety professors, and its reliability was obtained at 0.84 using the Cronbach α coefficient. Results: The mean score of safety climate components before the intervention was 2.65, and after the educational intervention reached 3.66. The safety improvement had the highest score among the components of the safety climate. Also, the lowest mean score of the component before the intervention was related to the violation of safety rules, which had the lowest mean score after the intervention of the licensing system. Conclusion: Educational intervention improved the safety climate in West Oil and Gas Production Company, so safety training plays a vital role in increasing the safety climate in the oil and gas industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic bags create a serious environmental problem. The proposed jute fibre reinforced laminated paper composite and reinforcement-fibre free paper laminate may help to combat the war against this pollutant to certain extent. The paper laminate, without reinforcement fibre, exhibited a few fold superiority in tensile properties than single paper strip. The studies further show that an appreciable improvement in tensile properties can be achieved by introducing continuous jute fibre in paper laminates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The action required to stem the environmental and social implications of climate change depends crucially on how humankind shapes technology, economy, lifestyle and policy. With transport CO2 emissions accounting for about a quarter of the total, we examine the contribution of CO2 output by scientific travel. Thankfully for the reputation of the scientific community, CO2 emissions associated with the trips required to present a paper at a scientific conference account for just 0.003% of the yearly total. However, with CO2 emissions for a single conference trip amounting to 7% of an average individual’s total CO2 emissions, scientists should lead by example by demonstrating leadership in addressing the issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development seeks to strike a balance between economic growth, social well-being and environmental protection. It should be integrated into financial development as well. As a consequence, banks are realising changes in their roles, decision-making, and operations. This paper aims to introduce a structured literature outlook about the different interpretations of sustainable financial development (SFD) on micro and macro levels. The literature mapping is focusing on three main contexts. The basic assumption of the paper is that it is crucial to emphasise the importance of country-level economic growth, the indicators used to determine the level of financial development and the resilience of the financial intermediary actors. As a consequence, the paper represents some existing results in terms of these three contexts. This gives the future basis for the efficient interpretation of sustainable financial development aspects in the operation and the decision-making processes of financial institutions and also for policy-making institutions on the macro-level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethiopia is experiencing deterioration in river quality resulting in adverse effects on human health and hydrobionts. This study aimed to analyse the effects of specific environmental stressors on the distribution and abundance of macroinvertebrates in the Upper Awash River. The study was conducted from January 2018 to March 2018. Macroinvertebrates were collected from five sites using standard handheld nets. Physicochemical parameters including electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, total phosphorous, nitrate-nitrogen, pH, dissolved oxygen and water temperature that can affect the distribution and abundance of macroinvertebrates were assessed. A total of 14,465 individuals belonging to 33 families of insects and 5 families of the noninsect group were identified. Among all recorded taxa, Diptera was the most abundant and diversified order. Macroinvertebrates among the five sites showed variation in species evenness, richness, and Shannon Diversity Index. Values obtained from biotic indices and environmental parameters indicated the presence of organic pollution at different levels. The impacted downstream site paper mill waste (Walgata) had the relatively highest H-FBI index followed by Osole (more agricultural activities) indicating that Walgata and Osole were poorer in benthic faunal diversity than other sites. In addition, as habitat and water quality degradation increased, the number and percentage of Plecoptera, Ephemeroptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) decreased. The selected metrics will be also useful for the monitoring and assessment of the riverine systems and to access the impact of different stressors. As perturbation increased, species diversity, ETHbios index, Average Score Per Taxon, and family richness decreased, while the percentage of Chironomidae, Diptera, Dominant Taxa, and Hilsenhoff Family-Level Biotic Index increased indicating that tolerant species become abundant in degraded river bodies. Environmental protection agencies of governmental and nongovernmental organizations should make awareness for the local people so that they reduce activities that affect the river. Paper factory should also monitor its effluent from directly discharging into the Upper Awash River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work is focused on approaches to waste paper processing. Waste management is an important component of managerial decision-making in businesses and in the public administration sector. Environmental legislation creates continual pressure on finding new solutions that are both economically advantageous and environmentally friendly. In the context of the EU efforts to restrict the volume of emitted carbon dioxide, it is necessary to look for new solutions to fulfill the established requirements. The article focuses on issues of energy generation from municipal waste paper, a procedure that is also fully applicable in businesses. The work describes waste management legislation and evaluates the results of state regulation. After the analysis, which is made on the basis of evidence that recycling of waste paper does not always represent the best solution in terms of sustainability, a possibility for its energy use is proposed. Two models for the use of waste paper are forwarded -- for the production of thermal energy and for the combined production of thermal and electrical energy. The models are developed separately for the production of thermal energy from waste paper and for the combined production of heat and electricity as proposed in the second model. The theoretical background and proposed models are verified for concrete calculation on the basis of waste management in the city of Decin. Software based on Petri nets was used for model construction; this allows the inclusion of the most relevant material and energy flows associated with energy production from waste paper, guaranteeing the high accuracy of the calculated results. The advantage of the model proposed in this manner is the simple and precise quantification of the environmental and economic impacts of the proposed measures; these are the main reasons for its good utilization as a tool for supporting managerial decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Point-of-care monitoring of hydrogen peroxide is important due to its wide usage in biomedicine, the household and industry. Herein, a paper sensor is developed for sensitive, visual and selective detection of H2O2 using a mesoporous metal oxide hollow sphere as a nanozyme. The mesoporous CuO hollow sphere is synthesized by direct decomposition of copper–polyphenol colloidal spheres. The obtained mesoporous CuO hollow sphere shows a large specific surface area (58.77 m2/g), pore volume (0.56 cm3/g), accessible mesopores (5.8 nm), a hollow structure and a uniform diameter (~100 nm). Furthermore, they are proven to show excellent peroxidase-like activities with Km and Vmax values of 120 mM and 1.396 × 10−5 M·s−1, respectively. Such mesoporous CuO hollow spheres are then loaded on the low-cost and disposable filter paper test strip. The obtained paper sensor can be effectively used for detection of H2O2 in the range of 2.4–150 μM. This work provides a new kind of paper sensor fabricated from a mesoporous metal oxide hollow sphere nanozyme. These sensors could be potentially used in bioanalysis, food security and environmental protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, eco-efficiency – ‘sustainable development at the company level’ or ‘value added per environmental impact’ – is operationalized at the production unit level. An eco-efficiency index is developed and tested with 31 Finnish and 37 Swedish pulp, paper and board mills in 1993–1996. In essence, gross value added without a change in inventories is divided by environmental impact aggregated with seven valuation methods. The definition of eco-efficiency as sustainable development at the company level appears to be problematic. [Eco]2-efficiency does not include the third, ethical dimension sustainable development, but only ecology and economy. Value added is a limited indicator of economic performance and very sensitive to changes in market prices, while environmental impact changes with valuation assumptions. The Swedish mills were generally more eco-efficient, while the Finnish mills were more eco-efficient in integrated woodfree paper, solid bleached sulphate board and liquid packaging board. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the implementation of environmental aspects of social responsibility by trade enterprises in Ukraine. An analysis of environmental aspects, financial and non-financial reporting, and websites of large trade enterprises was carried out in relation to the display and provision of openness and availability of information about environmental aspects and enterprise costs. The composition of costs and their influence on the financial and economic indicators of the enterprise were studied. The implementation of one's own environmental policy and environmental initiatives, the implementation of projects, technologies, programs, and management methods used by trade enterprises of Ukraine were considered. The socially responsible enterprises' compliance with the requirements of current legislation, national and international standards, requirements for environmental standards of product quality and safety, preservation and protection of the environment, and the use of correct approaches to ensure the positive impact of their business activities on the environment were analyzed. The introduction of environmentally safe, resource- and energy-saving technologies, ecological containers and packaging, development of renewable energy sources, reduction of own greenhouse gas emissions, modern methods of utilization and recycling of PET bottles, plastic, waste paper, and waste, holding eco-actions on greening territories and charitable actions, motivate suppliers and carry out other measures that reduce the negative impact on the environment, contribute to the preservation of people's health, restoration of the environment and take care of the future of the planet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on environmental reporting within individual sectors and industries is limited. Generic studies have typically focused on the reporting practices of the world's largest corporates. Some industries and sectors are under-represented within these studies, limiting the potential for industry- or sector-specific analysis. Forest and paper is one industry frequently under-represented. This study examines environmental reporting amongst the top 100 forest and paper companies. The scale of environmental report publication is investigated, and the breadth and depth of reporting on the key industry issues of forest management and fibre procurement examined. The results show reporting is more prevalent amongst larger corporates but marked regional variations are evident. Most noticeably, Scandinavian companies are reporting more extensively, both in terms of the number of levels at which they report and the depth of information included on forest management and fibre procurement. Reasons for the marked regional variations in reporting are considered and markets for forest products and preferences within those markets for specific certification schemes identified as potential influencing factors. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regarding decision planning in the electronic manufacturing industry, this paper designs a green closed-loop manufacturing-recycling network for multiperiod production planning for multiple products. The network considers the tradeoff between production costs and environmental pollution induced by production scraps. Therefore, a mixed integer programming model with a dual objective is designed to achieve environmental protection and reduce production costs through resource recovery and utilization. At the same time, the recycled materials are considered to be treated, not entirely new, which could affect the manufacturing qualified rate. Thus, material attributes are proposed to distinguish new raw materials from recycled (second-hand) ones through the closed-loop manufacturing-recycling process to enhance the manufacturing qualified rate. In order to solve the dual-objective optimization model and realize optimal decisions, an epsilon constraint is designed to generate a nonextreme solution set by changing the original feasible region. The results show its ability to obtain a more balanced solution in terms of cost and environmental factors compared with the fuzzy-weighted method. Meanwhile, the analysis proves that the dual-objective optimization model with distinguishing material attributes can improve the efficiency of the manufacturing qualified rate and achieve a win-win situation for production and environmental protection during enterprise production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent theories of firms' environmental behavior propose that numerous factors influence a firm's environmental decisionmaking process. Economic considerations play a central role, but interactions between the economic climate, regulatory structure, and social culture in which a firm operates are more important than economic considerations alone. This article investigates the conditions surrounding eight existing pulp and paper mills in Maine that influence the level of compliance. Factors unique to Maine's economy, history, and relationship between people and their environment come together to influence firms' environmental performance and attitude. Such "place-based characteristics" are crucial in designing policies to promote economic development and protect environmental quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Environmental problems caused by recycling wasted paper at a board paper mill provide the material of this study. Two scenarios have been investigated: The first being the treatment of the end-of-pipe, and the second being the control and management of pollution problems through the application of in-plant control and pollution prevention measures. Comparison between the two alternatives, based on a cost-benefit analysis and compliance with National Environmental Laws was done. From this study it was apparent that the implementation of the pollution prevention measures such as the recovery of fiber, reduction of fresh water consumption, and optimization of white water usage proved to be very cost effective. All the implemented solutions have short payback periods and resulted in great savings compared with the treatment of the end-of-pipe. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The purpose of this article is to analyse in what way a conflict in the early 20th century (1904–1911) over a Swedish pulp mill's emissions into air and water impacted on the technology choices and strategies of the mill. The article also analyses what characterized the company's other responses to the complaints, in the form of counter-arguments, as well as engagement of experts. The access to information about the deliberations at the mill's board meetings is very rare in historical studies of company behaviour in relation to the environment, and provides us with a unique opportunity to comprehend in what way business strategies were developed during the course of the conflict. Technology choices are often characterized by the search for knowledge that enables a company to employ existing but not yet developed technical potentials, rather than choices between known technical solutions. We emphasize that this is particularly evident in a case where a company is forced to alter its technology in order to solve previously unknown environmental problems. In spite of a persistent search, the mill did not find any ready-made technological solutions to the environmental problems faced and was therefore forced to engage scientific expertise and even initiate basic scientific research. In 1911, the Swedish Supreme Administrative Court ordered the mill to undertake a number of pollution abatement investments. Interestingly – and partly in line with the so-called Porter hypothesis – the long-run economics of these investments turned out to be more favourable than anticipated prior to the verdict. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainable development concept becomes more and more present in human society. One of its components is the waste management issues with applications in different activities. In this context, the present paper presents some modalities of waste management system implementation in public sector respectively, at "Vasile Alecsandri" University of Bacau. For the study were used reports, achieved by the Romanian Environmental Protection Agency and the data related to the waste quantities generated by the evaluated institution such as metallic waste, paper and cardboard waste, plastic waste etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to analyze China's environmental policy in the Arctic region. The interests of the PRC are studied, they are divided into three groups: economic, geopolitical, and environmental. It is emphasized that economic interests disguised as environmental ones prevail among them. The primary source is the White Paper "China's Arctic Policy" - the first Chinese document on Arctic policy issued by the State Council Information Office in January 2018. The document provides a brief description of the region, establishes the goals and principles of China's Arctic policy, and lists the main areas of activity. The article pays special attention to the provisions of the White Paper which are devoted to environmental policy and environmental protection. In addition, the activity of the authorities empowered to conduct environmental policy in the Arctic is characterized. The environmental activities in the Arctic territories are analyzed. It is noted that they mainly include expeditions to study changing climatic conditions and environmental monitoring, as well as the establishment of scientific centers specializing in Arctic research. The author comes to the conclusion that China's environmental policy in theArctic is currently reduced to a research component. The White Paper, which defines the goals, objectives, principles and directions of the PRC's activities, is mainly declarative, but its adoption indicates activation of the Arctic vector in Chinese foreign policy and long-term plans for this region.

All the papers are centered around the I forest i as the main keyword, appearing in diverse combinations: forest management [[4], [7]], forest recreation [[7]], forest landscape [[6]], and forest air [[2]], plantation forest [[4]]. The authors concluded that people preferred flat views and had a strong preference for forest trail landscapes, which plays an important role in forest landscape recreation, and that the photos evoked both positive and negative emotions. Forests, which are viewed as an important natural resource for humanity, have been constantly threatened with degradation or even extinction since the dawn of the modern period. In some areas, predominantly rural ones, the forest acts as a site for the seasonal collection of berries and mushrooms (non-timber forest products, NTFPs), which are integrated into rural life as key social activities. [Extracted from the article]

A five-stage sequential extraction procedure was used to fractionate heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, Cr, Zn, Fe, Mn, Ni, Co, As, V and Ba) in a biosludge from the biological wastewater treatment plant of Stora Enso Oyj Veitsiluoto Mills at Kemi, Northern Finland, into the following fractions: (1) water-soluble fraction, (2) exchangeable fraction, (3) easily reduced fraction, (4) oxidizable fraction, and (5) residual fraction. The biosludge investigated in this study is a combination of sludge from the primary and secondary clarifiers at the biological wastewater treatment plant. Extraction stages (2)–(4) follow the protocol proposed by the Measurements and Testing Program (formerly BCR Programme) of the European Commission, which is based on acetic acid extraction (stage 2), hydroxylamine hydrochloride extraction (stage 3), and hydrogen peroxide digestion following the ammonium acetate extraction (stage 4). The residual fraction (stage 5) was based on digestion of the residue from stage 4 in a mixture of HF + HNO3 + HCl. Although metals were extractable in all fractions, the highest concentrations of most of the metals occurred in the residual fraction. From the environmental point of view, it was notable that the total heavy metal concentrations in the biosludge did not exceed the maximal allowable heavy metal concentrations for sewage sludge used in agriculture, set on the basis of environmental protection of soil by European Union Directive 86/278/EEC, and by the Finnish legislation. The Ca (98.6 g kg−1; dry weight) and Mg (2.2 g kg−1; dry weight) concentrations in the biosludge were 62 and 11 times higher than the typical values of 1.6 and of 0.2 g kg−1 (dry weight), respectively, in arable land in Central Finland. The biosludge had a slightly alkaline pH (∼8.30), a high loss-on-ignition value (∼78%) and a liming effect of 10.3% expressed as Ca equivalents (dry weight). This indicates its potential as a soil conditioner and improvement agent, as well as a pH buffer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy shortage and excessive carbon emissions have become the main constraints to the sustainable development of China's logistics industry. Improving the efficiency of the logistics industry is crucial to promoting regional ecological environment protection and sustainable development of the logistics industry. In this paper, the efficiency of China's logistics industry in 2013–2019 is evaluated by using the non-oriented EBM model considering the unexpected output, and then the influencing factors of the efficiency of the logistics industry in the central region are analyzed by using the panel Tobit model. The results show that the logistics industry in the central region is at a low efficiency level. Factors, such as the level of economic development, industrial structure and technical level have a significant positive impact on the efficiency of the logistics industry in the central region, while factors such as government support and logistics infrastructure have a significant negative impact on the efficiency of the logistics industry in the central region. Finally, the paper puts forward some targeted recommendations for the sustainable development of the logistics industry in the central region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An innovative thermal-sensitive ink has been developed and thoroughly tested on polyester fabric. Unlike conventional methods, this new ink eliminates the need for chemical pretreatment and post-printing washing of the fabric before or after printing. It utilizes high-temperature disperse dyes and a biodegradable carrier molecule called a triblock copolymer, specifically Poly(ε-caprolactone-lactic acid)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(ε-caprolactone-lactic acid) (PCLA-PEG-PCLA). This remarkable copolymer comprises dihydroxy polyethylene glycol (PEG), ε-caprolactone (CL), and L‐lactide (LA). Upon contact with a heated surface, such as a fiber or textile, the ink droplets swiftly transition rapidly, transforming into a gel-like state. This transition enhances the ink's viscosity, effectively preventing undesired spreading and resulting in precise edge definition on the fabric. To comprehensively evaluate the performance of polyester fabric printed with this innovative ink, a series of meticulous evaluations have been conducted. These evaluations encompass pH levels, particle size, surface tension, viscosity, ink droplet formation, as well as real-time photo-rheological and LF‐NMR analyses conducted on the surface of the polyester fabric. The newly developed inks demonstrate exceptional effectiveness and are highly suitable for digital printing applications across various materials. Furthermore, the implementation of this new ink can significantly reduce the reliance on chemicals and minimize wastewater production during the manufacturing process. [Display omitted] • A novel thermosensitive ink has been prepared by combining a triblock compolymers (PCLA- PEG- PCLA) with high-temperature disperse dyes. • This new printing technology significantly reduces the use of chemicals by eliminating the need for pretreatment. • Fabrics printed with thermosensitive ink demonstrate excellent printing accuracy and color fastness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract: This paper discusses the relationship between environmental and economic performance and the influence of corporate strategies with regard to sustainability and the environment. After formulating a theoretical model, results are reported from an empirical analysis of the European paper manufacturing industry. New data are used to test hypotheses derived from the theoretical model, using environmental performance indices representing different corporate environmental strategy orientations. In particular, an emissions-based index largely reflecting end-of-pipe strategies and an inputs-based index reflecting integrated pollution prevention are distinguished. For the emissions-based index, a predominantly negative relationship between environmental and economic performance is found, whereas for the inputs-based index no significant link is found. This is consistent with the theoretical model, which predicts the possibility of different relationships. The results also show that for firms with pollution prevention-oriented corporate environmental strategies, the relationship between environmental and economic performance is more positive, thus making improvements in corporate sustainability more likely. Based on this last insight, managerial implications of this are discussed with regard to strategy choices, investment decisions and operations management. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]